Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for improving cooling of a compressor element in an air conditioning system

US4878355A · kind A · utility

70Cited by
3References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 27, 1989
Grant dateNov 7, 1989
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 27, 2009

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02B30/70
  • WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A method for improving cooling of a compressor element used in an air conditioning system and having a refrigerant compressor and associated drive motor hermetically sealed in a fluid-tight shell includes the steps of detecting an excessive increase in the temperature of the compressor element, intermittently operating the system during the excessive temperature detection with a superheat of a refrigerant in the system below zero superheat degrees to concurrently allow liquid refrigerant to enter the shell to enhance the cooling of the compressor apparatus by the latent heat of vaporization of the liquid refrigerant and terminating the intermittent operation and the admittance of the liquid refrigerant into the compressor element upon a detection of a desired temperature of operation of the compressor element. An air conditioning apparatus utilizing this method includes a device for introducing an intermittent perturbation into the control of an expansion valve located in a refrigerant flow line in the air conditioning apparatus. The control of this valve is based on a desired superheat of the refrigerant. The device may include either the introduction of a cyclic or sinusoidal var…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.