IP Library Granted Patent US 11,531,307
Granted Patent B2
US 11,531,307 · App. 16/591,275 · Granted Dec 20, 2022

Brake system for a compressor

Inventors: Paul William Snell (York, PA); Matthew Lee Heisey (York, PA)
Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
G05B13/021F24F11/66F24F11/67F25B1/053F25B49/025
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,531,307
App. No.
16/591,275
Granted
Dec 20, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a compressor having an impeller configured to rotate and drive a working fluid through a working fluid circuit of the HVAC system in an active operating mode. The HVAC system further includes a controller configured to, in response to receiving an input indicative of a transition to operate in an inactive operating mode, suspend the active operating mode by interrupting a supply of power to the compressor, adjust pre-rotation vanes of the compressor, a variable geometry diffuser of the compressor to a first position, or both to enable a backflow of the working fluid through the compressor for a first interval of time, and, after the first interval of time has elapsed, adjust the pre-rotation vanes, the variable geometry diffuser, or both to a second position to block the backflow of the working fluid through the compressor.

Claims (44)

1. A heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:

a compressor comprising an impeller configured to rotate and drive a working fluid in a first direction through the compressor and through a working fluid circuit of the HVAC system in an active operating mode of the HVAC system; and

a controller configured to, in response to receiving an input indicative of suspending operation of the HVAC system:

suspend the active operating mode of the HVAC system by interrupting a supply of power to the compressor;

adjust pre-rotation vanes of the compressor, a variable geometry diffuser of the compressor, or both to a first position to enable a backflow of the working fluid through the compressor in a second direction, opposite the first direction, for a first interval of time; and

after the first interval of time has elapsed, adjust the pre-rotation vanes of the compressor, the variable geometry diffuser of the compressor, or both to a second position to block the backflow of the working fluid through the compressor.

2. The HVAC system of claim 1 , wherein the first position of the pre-rotation vanes and/or the variable geometry diffuser is an open position or a partially open position.

3. The HVAC system of claim 1 , wherein the second position of the pre-rotation vanes and/or the variable geometry diffuser is a closed position.

4. The HVAC system of claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises a tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, are configured to cause the processor to suspend the active operating mode of the HVAC system, adjust the pre-rotation vanes of the compressor, adjust the variable geometry diffuser of the compressor, or any combination thereof.

5. The HVAC system of claim 1 , comprising:

a motor configured to drive rotation of the impeller of the compressor during the active operating mode of the HVAC system; and

a variable speed drive configured to supply the power to the motor.

6. The HVAC system of claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to suspend the active operating mode of the HVAC system by interrupting the power supplied to the motor via the variable speed drive.

7. The HVAC system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to receive feedback indicative of a rotational speed of the impeller and determine that the HVAC system is in an idle state in response to the feedback indicative of the rotational speed of the impeller being below a rotational speed threshold.

8. The HVAC system of claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to operate the HVAC in the active operating mode based on a determination that the HVAC system is in the idle state.

9. A heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:

a compressor comprising an impeller configured to rotate and direct a flow of working fluid through a working fluid circuit of the HVAC system;

a motor configured to drive the impeller to rotate;

a controller communicatively coupled to the motor, wherein the controller is configured to:

manage supply of power to the motor to drive the impeller to rotate in an active operating mode of the HVAC system;

receive an indication to operate the HVAC system in an inactive operating mode;

interrupt the supply of power to the motor in response to receipt of the indication to operate the HVAC system in the inactive operating mode;

adjust pre-rotation vanes and/or a variable geometry diffuser of the compressor to enable a backflow of the working fluid through the impeller for a first interval of time, wherein the backflow of the working fluid comprises flow of the working fluid from a condenser disposed along the working fluid circuit, through the impeller, and toward an evaporator disposed along the working fluid circuit in response to receipt of the indication to operate the HVAC system in the inactive operating mode; and

adjust the pre-rotation vanes and/or the variable geometry diffuser to block the backflow of the working fluid through the impeller for a second interval of time after the first interval of time.

10. The HVAC system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to:

receive feedback indicative of a rotational speed of the impeller being below a rotational speed threshold; and

enable the supply of power to the motor in response to receiving the feedback indicative of the rotational speed of the impeller being below the rotational speed threshold in order to operate the HVAC system in the active operating mode.

11. The HVAC system of claim 9 , comprising a sensor communicatively coupled to the controller, wherein the sensor is configured to transmit sensor feedback indicative of a time, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the pre-rotation vanes and/or the variable geometry diffuser to adjust the backflow of the working fluid based on the time.

12. The HVAC system of claim 9 , comprising a variable orifice disposed along the working fluid circuit and configured to enable the working fluid to flow from the condenser directly to the evaporator.

13. The HVAC system of claim 12 , wherein the controller, in response to receipt of the indication to operate the HVAC system in the inactive operating mode, is configured to:

adjust the variable orifice to enable the working fluid to flow from the condenser directly to the evaporator at a first flow rate for the first interval of time; and

adjust the variable orifice to enable the working fluid to flow from the condenser directly to the evaporator at a second flow rate, different from the first flow rate, for the second interval of time.

14. The HVAC system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to adjust the pre-rotation vanes and/or the variable geometry diffuser to enable a partial backflow of the working fluid through the impeller for a third interval of time between the first interval of time and the second interval of time.

15. A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor in response to receiving an input indicative of a transition of a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system to operate in an inactive operating mode, are configured to cause the processor to:

suspend operation of a compressor of the HVAC system in order to operate the HVAC system in the inactive operating mode, wherein the compressor comprises an impeller configured to rotate and thus drive a working fluid through a working fluid circuit of the HVAC system;

receive feedback from a sensor indicative of an operating parameter of the compressor; and

adjust a position of a fluid flow adjustment feature of the compressor to enable a flow of the working fluid in a backflow direction from a condenser of the HVAC system, through the compressor, and toward an evaporator of the HVAC system for an interval of time based on the feedback received from the sensor in the inactive operating mode of the HVAC system.

16. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the operating parameter is a time, a rotational speed of the impeller, a pressure differential across the compressor, a flow rate of the working fluid through the compressor, or any combination thereof.

17. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the executable instructions, when executed by the processor, are configured to cause the processor to adjust a position of a hot gas bypass valve to enable the working fluid to flow from the condenser of the HVAC system directly to the evaporator of the HVAC system in the inactive operating mode of the HVAC system.

18. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the executable instructions, when executed by the processor, are configured to cause the processor to:

receive additional feedback indicative that a rotational speed of the impeller is below a rotational speed threshold; and

operate the HVAC system in an active operating mode and rotate the impeller to drive the working fluid through the working fluid circuit of the HVAC system based on receiving the additional feedback.

19. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the input is indicative of the transition of the HVAC system to the inactive operating mode from an active operating mode.

20. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the fluid flow adjustment feature comprises pre-rotation vanes, a variable geometry diffuser, or both.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 30, 2025
From: JOHNSON CONTROLS TYCO IP HOLDINGS LLP
To: TYCO FIRE & SECURITY GMBH
Reel/Frame 072293/0573 →
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Feb 4, 2022
From: JOHNSON CONTROLS TECHNOLOGY COMPANY
To: JOHNSON CONTROLS TYCO IP HOLDINGS LLP
Reel/Frame 058959/0764 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 24, 2019
From: SNELL, PAUL WILLIAM; HEISEY, MATTHEW LEE
To: JOHNSON CONTROLS TECHNOLOGY COMPANY
Reel/Frame 050811/0824 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210102720A1 · Apr 8, 2021