Granted Patent B2

US 10,180,138 · App. 15/034,483 · Granted Jan 15, 2019

Abstract

Claims (47)

1. A compressor capacity control system comprising:

a minimum determination module that selectively increases a minimum capacity of a compressor when a temperature of the compressor is greater than a first predetermined temperature and that sets the minimum capacity to a predetermined maximum capacity of the compressor when the temperature of the compressor is greater than a second predetermined temperature,

wherein the second predetermined temperature is greater than the first predetermined temperature;

a capacity command module that compares the minimum capacity with a target capacity of the compressor and that, based on the comparison, sets a capacity command to a greater one of the minimum capacity and the target capacity of the compressor,

wherein the target capacity is a predetermined value that is one of (a) set by a user and (b) provided by a controller; and

a control module that controls an actual capacity of the compressor based on the capacity command, the control including increasing an actual capacity of the compressor in response to an increase in the minimum capacity and adjusting the actual capacity of the compressor to the predetermined maximum capacity in response to the minimum capacity being set to the predetermined maximum capacity.

2. The compressor capacity control system of claim 1 wherein the minimum determination module sets the minimum capacity to a predetermined minimum capacity of the compressor when the temperature of the compressor is less than the first predetermined temperature.

3. The compressor capacity control system of claim 1 further comprising a proportional, integral, derivative (PID) module that determines an adjustment value based on a difference between the temperature of the compressor and a target compressor temperature,

wherein the minimum determination module adjusts the minimum capacity based on the adjustment value.

4. The compressor capacity control system of claim 3 wherein the PID module increases the adjustment value when the temperature of the compressor is greater than the target compressor temperature, and

wherein the minimum determination module increases the minimum capacity when the adjustment value increases.

5. The compressor capacity control system of claim 3 wherein the PID module decreases the adjustment value when the temperature of the compressor is less than the target compressor temperature, and

wherein the minimum determination module decreases the minimum capacity when the adjustment value decreases.

6. The compressor capacity control system of claim 1 wherein the minimum determination module determines the minimum capacity using one of a function and a mapping that relates the temperature of the compressor to the minimum capacity.

7. The compressor capacity control system of claim 1 wherein the minimum determination module:

increments the minimum capacity by a predetermined increment amount when the temperature of the compressor is greater than a third predetermined temperature for a first predetermined period; and

decrements the minimum capacity by a predetermined decrement amount when the temperature of the compressor is less than a fourth predetermined temperature for a second predetermined period.

8. The compressor capacity control system of claim 7 wherein the fourth predetermined temperature is less than the third predetermined temperature.

9. The compressor capacity control system of claim 1 wherein the temperature of the compressor is measured using a discharge temperature sensor.

10. The compressor capacity control system of claim 1 wherein the control module increases a speed of the compressor in response to the increase in the minimum capacity.

11. The compressor capacity control system of claim 1 wherein the control module increases a volume of a compression chamber of the compressor in response to the increase in the minimum capacity.

12. A compressor capacity control method comprising:

selectively increasing a minimum capacity of a compressor when a temperature of the compressor is greater than a first predetermined temperature;

setting the minimum capacity to a predetermined maximum capacity of the compressor when the temperature of the compressor is greater than a second predetermined temperature,

wherein the second predetermined temperature is greater than the first predetermined temperature;

comparing the minimum capacity with a target capacity of the compressor,

wherein the target capacity is a predetermined value that is one of (a) set by a user and (b) provided by a controller;

based on the comparison, setting a capacity command to a greater one of the minimum capacity and the target capacity of the compressor;

controlling an actual capacity of the compressor based on the capacity command, the controlling including:

increasing an actual capacity of the compressor in response to an increase in the minimum capacity; and

adjusting the actual capacity of the compressor to the predetermined maximum capacity in response to the minimum capacity being set to the predetermined maximum capacity.

13. The compressor capacity control method of claim 12 further comprising setting the minimum capacity to a predetermined minimum capacity of the compressor when the temperature of the compressor is less than the first predetermined temperature.

14. The compressor capacity control method of claim 12 further comprising:

determining an adjustment value, using a proportional, integral, derivative (PID) module, based on a difference between the temperature of the compressor and a target compressor temperature; and

adjusting the minimum capacity based on the adjustment value.

15. The compressor capacity control method of claim 14 further comprising:

increasing the adjustment value when the temperature of the compressor is greater than the target compressor temperature;

decreasing the adjustment value when the temperature of the compressor is less than the target compressor temperature;

increasing the minimum capacity when the adjustment value increases; and

decreasing the minimum capacity when the adjustment value decreases.

16. The compressor capacity control method of claim 12 further comprising determining the minimum capacity using one of a function and a mapping that relates the temperature of the compressor to the minimum capacity.

17. The compressor capacity control method of claim 12 further comprising:

incrementing the minimum capacity by a predetermined increment amount when the temperature of the compressor is greater than a third predetermined temperature for a first predetermined period; and

decrementing the minimum capacity by a predetermined decrement amount when the temperature of the compressor is less than a fourth predetermined temperature for a second predetermined period.

18. The compressor capacity control method of claim 17 wherein the fourth predetermined temperature is less than the third predetermined temperature.

19. The compressor capacity control method of claim 12 wherein increasing the actual capacity of the compressor includes increasing a speed of the compressor in response to the increase in the minimum capacity.

20. The compressor capacity control method of claim 12 wherein increasing the actual capacity of the compressor includes increasing a volume of a compression chamber of the compressor in response to the increase in the minimum capacity.

Assignments (6)