U.S. patent application number 10/762708 was filed with the patent office on 2005-07-28 for tandem compressors with economized operation.
Invention is credited to Dobmeier, Thomas J., Lifson, Alexander, Taras, Michael F..
Application Number | 20050160761 10/762708 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34794913 |
Filed Date | 2005-07-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050160761 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Taras, Michael F. ; et
al. |
July 28, 2005 |
TANDEM COMPRESSORS WITH ECONOMIZED OPERATION
Abstract
A refrigerant cycle includes economized tandem compressors. The
refrigerant cycle is also provided with a common economizer circuit
for all tandem compressors. Common manifolds communicate discharge,
suction and economizer return flows within the refrigerant cycle to
each of the tandem compressors. Also, an optional unloader function
is provided for each of the compressors. Various arrangements allow
enhanced operation control, improved system reliability and reduced
equipment life-cycle cost.
Inventors: |
Taras, Michael F.;
(Fayetteville, NY) ; Lifson, Alexander; (Manlius,
NY) ; Dobmeier, Thomas J.; (Phoenix, NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CARLSON, GASKEY & OLDS, P.C.
400 WEST MAPLE ROAD
SUITE 350
BIRMINGHAM
MI
48009
US
|
Family ID: |
34794913 |
Appl. No.: |
10/762708 |
Filed: |
January 22, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/510 ;
62/513 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25B 2600/0261 20130101;
F25B 1/10 20130101; F25B 2400/075 20130101; F25B 2400/13 20130101;
F25B 41/20 20210101 |
Class at
Publication: |
062/510 ;
062/513 |
International
Class: |
F25B 001/10; F25B
041/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A refrigerant cycle comprising: at least two compressors, each
of said compressors receiving a suction line for delivering
refrigerant to be compressed, said suction line receiving
refrigerant from a common suction manifold, and each of said
compressors having a discharge line for delivering a compressed
refrigerant to a downstream discharge common manifold; a first heat
exchanger downstream of said discharge manifold, and an economizer
heat exchanger downstream of said first heat exchanger, a
refrigerant tap tapping a refrigerant line communicating said first
heat exchanger to said economizer heat exchanger, and an expansion
device on said tap line, upstream of said economizer heat
exchanger, an economizer manifold returning said tapped refrigerant
downstream of said economizer heat exchanger to each of said
compressors, and an economizer return line communicating said
economizer manifold to an intermediate compression point in each of
said compressors.
2. A refrigerant cycle as set forth in claim 1, wherein an
economizer valve controls flow of returned economizer refrigerant
to at least one of said compressors.
3. A refrigerant cycle as set forth in claim 1, wherein an unloader
line connects said economizer return line back to a line leading
into a suction side of said compressor, with an unloader valve
controlling flow through said unloader line.
4. A refrigerant cycle as set forth in claim 3, wherein said
unloader line communicates with a pressure equalization line
communicating each of said compressor suction sides to equalize
pressure on each of said compressor suction sides.
5. A refrigerant cycle as set forth in claim 2, wherein a first
economizer shutoff valve is placed upon one of said economizer
return lines, with a second economizer shutoff valve being placed
on said economizer manifold.
6. A refrigerant cycle as set forth in claim 1, wherein an unloader
line communicates said economizer return lines to a flow line
communicating with a suction side of each of said compressors.
7. A refrigerant cycle as set forth in claim 6, wherein said
unloader line communicates with a pressure equalization line
communicating each of said compressor suction sides to equalize
pressure on each of said compressor suction sides.
8. A refrigerant cycle as set forth in claim 6, wherein a single
unloader valve is placed on an unloader manifold communicating with
each of said economizer return lines through separate unloader
lines, and said single unloader valve controlling flow from each of
said unloader lines to a line returning refrigerant to a suction
chamber of said compressors.
9. A refrigerant cycle as set forth in claim 8, wherein a pressure
equalization line separately communicates the compressor shells of
each of said compressors, and said unloader valve returning
refrigerant from said economizer return line to said pressure
equalization line when said unloader valve is open.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to a refrigerant cycle having tandem
compressors, wherein the tandem compressors are each provided with
an economizer port and can operate within an economizer cycle.
[0002] Tandem compressor refrigerant cycles are known, and have two
or more compressors compressing refrigerant and delivering it to a
common discharge manifold. Similarly, these compressors are drawing
refrigerant from a common suction manifold. In some arrangements,
oil equalization lines connecting oil sumps of tandem compressors
for oil management, and suction pressure equalization lines
connecting shells of the tandem compressors are employed. The
tandem compressors provide flexibility to a refrigerant cycle
designer, such as allowing additional levels of capacity control by
turning off some of the compressors. Moreover, in some applications
that would otherwise require a very large single compressor, the
tandem compressors provide design options, availability and
potential cost savings.
[0003] In refrigerant cycles having a single compressor, it is also
known to utilize an economizer cycle. An economizer provides system
performance enhancement under certain conditions by tapping off a
portion of a refrigerant flow downstream of a condenser. The tapped
refrigerant is passed through a separate expansion device, and then
passes through an economizer heat exchanger along with the main
refrigerant flow. The tapped refrigerant cools the main refrigerant
flow, such that the main refrigerant flow has a greater cooling
capacity when it reaches the evaporator. The tapped refrigerant is
returned to an intermediate point in the compression cycle.
Furthermore, economizer cycles provide extra steps of unloading,
closely matching capacity requirements, as well as enhancing
operation control and reducing life-cycle cost of equipment.
Additionally, when an economizer cycle is combined with various
means of compressor unloading, even greater benefits can be
achieved. Although economizer circuits provide additional benefits
to a refrigerant cycle as described above, they have not been
incorporated into refrigerant cycles having tandem compressors.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] In a disclosed embodiment of this invention, a refrigerant
cycle has tandem compressors, and each compressor is provided with
an economizer port connected to a common economizer circuit. In a
first disclosed embodiment, an economizer return manifold
communicates with two economizer lines leading to the economizer
ports of the individual compressors. Shutoff valves may be placed
on these individual return lines. Further, it is preferable that an
unloader valve is placed on a line connecting the economizer return
line to a suction line. As an alternative, if the two tandem
compressors are also connected by a suction pressure equalization
line, the unloader valve may communicate the economizer line back
to this pressure equalization line. The refrigerant cycle can
operate with either one or both compressors unloaded, either one or
both compressors in non-economizer operation, either one or both
compressors in economized operation, and either one or both
compressors in unloaded economized operation. There are thus
several additional levels of capacity available.
[0005] In an alternative embodiment, it may be that only one of the
two economizer return lines is provided with a shutoff valve, and a
main economizer shutoff valve is placed on the common economizer
manifold. In this embodiment, one of the two tandem compressors is
selected to be initially moved out of economizer operation in a
preferential manner. This would be the compressor with the shutoff
valve on its individual economizer return line. In a lower cost
alternative, only the economizer manifold includes the shutoff
valve.
[0006] Further, in a lower cost embodiment, a single unloader valve
may communicate each of the economizer lines back to suction or
pressure equalization line. By connecting the unloader line to the
economizer line, refrigerant can be effectively tapped from the
intermediate compression chambers back to suction when the
economizer shutoff valves are closed.
[0007] While the description above is given for only two
compressors connected in the tandem arrangement, it can be extended
to additional economized compressors connected to each other in the
tandem arrangement.
[0008] These and other features of the present invention can be
best understood from the following specification and drawings, the
following of which is a brief description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a refrigerant cycle including
tandem compressors.
[0010] FIG. 2 shows design alternatives to the FIG. 1
embodiment.
[0011] FIG. 3 schematically shows another embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0012] FIG. 1 shows a refrigerant cycle 20 having tandem
compressors 22 and 24. Compressors 22 and 24 communicate compressed
refrigerant into individual discharge lines 26 leading to a common
discharge manifold 28. Downstream of discharge manifold 28, the
refrigerant is delivered to a condenser 30.
[0013] An economizer tap 32 taps off of a main refrigerant line 33,
downstream of condenser 30. As shown, an economizer expansion
device 34 is placed on the tap line 32 upstream of an economizer
heat exchanger 36. The tap line 32 and the main refrigerant flow
line 33 both pass through the economizer heat exchanger 36, as
known. In practice, it is preferred that the refrigerant in the
tapped refrigerant line 32 move in a counter-flow relationship to
the main refrigerant flow in line 33, rather than moving in the
same direction as illustrated. However, for simplicity of
illustration, the flows are shown in the same direction. As is
known, the main refrigerant flow 33 is cooled in the economizer
heat exchanger 36 by the tapped refrigerant 32. The tapped
refrigerant is returned through a common economizer manifold 38 and
individual economizer manifolds 52 to the individual economizer
compressor ports 55 of the compressors 22 and 24. Downstream of the
economizer heat exchanger 36 is a main expansion device 40, and an
evaporator 42. Refrigerant is delivered from the evaporator 42 into
a common suction return manifold 44. Suction return manifold 44
communicates with individual suction return lines 46 leading to
both compressors 22 and 24.
[0014] Optional unloader lines 48 include unloader valves 50
communicating individual economizer return lines 52 to the
individual suction lines 46 of both compressors 22 and 24. It
should be noted that an alternate connection to a common suction
manifold 44 is also permitted. As shown, economizer shutoff valves
54 are placed on each of the economizer return lines 52. As is
known, the economizer flow is returned from manifold 38 through
return line 52 and the valves 54 into economizer compressor ports
55. As is known, this refrigerant is returned at an intermediate
point in the compression cycle of the compressors 22 and 24. If the
valves 54 are closed and the unloader valves 50 are open, then
refrigerant can move from the economizer ports 55, outwardly of the
compression chambers, through the lines 48, and into the lines 46.
This allows either one or both of the compressors 22 and 24 to
operate in an unloaded mode.
[0015] Also, as is known, a pressure equalization line 56 can
connect the low pressure side of the compressors 22 and 24 for
proper oil management.
[0016] Further, an oil equalization line 58 may separately connect
the compressors to additionally improve oil management for the
tandem compressors.
[0017] When operating the refrigerant cycle 20, the compressors can
be operated in economized mode, non-economized mode, unloaded mode
and economized unloaded mode. Either or both of the compressors can
be operated in any of those modes, and thus, several levels of
capacity control are provided.
[0018] FIG. 2 shows an alternative embodiment wherein a first
economizer shutoff valve 60 is placed on the common manifold 38. A
second economizer shutoff valve 62 remains on the return individual
economizer line 64 for the compressor 22, and controls refrigerant
flow from the manifold 38 to the economizer port 63. The other
economizer return line 56 leading to the compressor 24 and the
economizer injection port 67 does not have an individual shutoff
valve. When control 100 controls the economized operation between
the compressors 22 and 24, it may close the valve 60 to turn both
compressors off of economized operation. If only one compressor is
to be in an economized operation, then valve 60 is open but valve
62 is closed. In this manner, only compressor 24 is being operated
in economized mode.
[0019] A unique placement of the unloader line is also shown in
FIG. 2. As shown, an individual unloader connection line 68
communicates with the individual economizer return line 66 and an
individual unloader connection line 72 communicates with the
individual economizer return line 64. Both lines 68 and 72 lead
into common unloader return line 73 having an unloader valve 70.
While this type flow control may return the refrigerant to the
suction line 46, it is also a design option for this flow
arrangement, or for the dual unloader valve arrangement of FIG. 1,
to return the refrigerant to the compressor equalization line 56 as
shown in FIG. 2.
[0020] As shown in FIG. 3, the above invention could extend to more
than two compressors. Here, manifolds 28, 33 and 44 communicate
with three compressors 22, 24 and 90. Of course, even greater
numbers of compressors could be connected in this manner.
[0021] Although preferred embodiments of this invention have been
disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize
that certain modifications would come within the scope of this
invention. For that reason, the following claims should be studied
to determine the true scope and content of this invention.
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