IP Library Granted Patent US 10,801,764
Granted Patent B2
US 10,801,764 · App. 15/848,924 · Granted Oct 13, 2020

Compressor crankcase heating control systems and methods

Inventor: Hung Pham (Dayton, OH)
Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc.
F25B49/022F04B35/04F04B39/0094F04B39/06F04B39/121F04B39/128F04B49/06F04B53/14F04C29/045F25B31/002F04C2240/81F04C2270/701
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,801,764
App. No.
15/848,924
Granted
Oct 13, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A crankcase heating control system for a heat pump system includes a data receiving module and a power control module. The data receiving module is configured to receive: data indicative of a temperature of a compressor of the heat pump system; and data indicative of an ambient temperature. The power control module is configured to: selectively apply power to a heater of a crankcase of the compressor; and disable the heater when all of: a period since the compressor was last turned is greater than a predetermined period; the ambient temperature is less than a predetermined temperature; and the temperature of the compressor is less than the predetermined temperature.

Claims (36)

1. A crankcase heating control system for a heat pump system, the crankcase heating control system comprising:

a data receiving module is configured to receive:

data indicative of a temperature of a compressor of the heat pump system; and

data indicative of an ambient temperature; and

a power control module configured to:

selectively apply power to a heater of a crankcase of the compressor; and

disable the heater when all of:

a period since the compressor was last turned off is greater than a predetermined period;

the ambient temperature is less than a predetermined temperature; and

the temperature of the compressor is less than the predetermined temperature.

2. The crankcase heating control system of claim 1 wherein the power control module is configured to disable the heater of the crankcase further when a current date is within a predetermined date range.

3. The crankcase heating control system of claim 1 wherein the power control module is configured to disable the heater of the crankcase further a current time is within a predetermined daily time range.

4. The crankcase heating control system of claim 1 wherein the power control module is configured to disable the heater of the crankcase further when a current date and time is within a second predetermined period input from a user.

5. The crankcase heating control system of claim 1 wherein the predetermined period is at least three hours.

6. The crankcase heating control system of claim 1 wherein the power control module is configured to disable the heater of the crankcase further when the ambient temperature is greater than a second predetermined temperature.

7. The crankcase heating control system of claim 1 wherein the power control module is configured to apply power to the heater of the crankcase when a temperature difference between the temperature of the compressor and the ambient temperature is less than a second predetermined temperature.

8. The crankcase heating control system of claim 7 wherein the power control module is configured to disable the heater of the crankcase further when the temperature difference between the temperature of the compressor and the ambient temperature is greater than a third predetermined temperature.

9. The crankcase heating control system of claim 8 wherein the third predetermined temperature is greater than the second predetermined temperature.

10. The crankcase heating control system of claim 1 wherein the temperature of the compressor is one of a discharge line temperature of the compressor, a temperature of a motor of the compressor, a temperature of lubricant within the compressor, an upper shell temperature, and a lower shell temperature.

11. A crankcase heating control method for a heat pump system, the crankcase heating control method comprising:

receiving data indicative of a temperature of a compressor of the heat pump system;

receiving data indicative of an ambient temperature;

selectively applying power to a heater of a crankcase of the compressor; and

disabling the heater when all of:

a period since the compressor was last turned off is greater than a predetermined period;

the ambient temperature is less than a predetermined temperature; and

the temperature of the compressor is less than the predetermined temperature.

12. The crankcase heating control method of claim 11 further comprising disabling the heater of the crankcase further when a current date is within a predetermined date range.

13. The crankcase heating control method of claim 11 further comprising disabling the heater of the crankcase further a current time is within a predetermined daily time range.

14. The crankcase heating control method of claim 11 further comprising disabling the heater of the crankcase further when a current date and time is within a second predetermined period input from a user.

15. The crankcase heating control method of claim 11 wherein the predetermined period is at least three hours.

16. The crankcase heating control method of claim 11 further comprising disabling the heater of the crankcase further when the ambient temperature is greater than a second predetermined temperature.

17. The crankcase heating control method of claim 11 wherein selectively applying power includes applying power to the heater of the crankcase when a temperature difference between the temperature of the compressor and the ambient temperature is less than a second predetermined temperature.

18. The crankcase heating control method of claim 17 further comprising disabling the heater of the crankcase further when the temperature difference between the temperature of the compressor and the ambient temperature is greater than a third predetermined temperature.

19. The crankcase heating control method of claim 18 wherein the third predetermined temperature is greater than the second predetermined temperature.

20. The crankcase heating control method of claim 11 wherein the temperature of the compressor is one of a discharge line temperature of the compressor, a temperature of a motor of the compressor, a temperature of lubricant within the compressor, an upper shell temperature, and a lower shell temperature.

Assignments (5)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 9, 2024
From: COPELAND LP
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 068241/0264 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 17, 2023
From: COPELAND LP
To: ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 064278/0598 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 17, 2023
From: COPELAND LP
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 064279/0327 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 17, 2023
From: COPELAND LP
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 064280/0695 →
ENTITY CONVERSION Recorded Jun 22, 2023
From: EMERSON CLIMATE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: COPELAND LP
Reel/Frame 064058/0724 →