IP Library Granted Patent US 11,988,427
Granted Patent B2
US 11,988,427 · App. 17/730,171 · Granted May 21, 2024

Refrigerant cold start system

Inventor: Andrew Nathan Cole (Bellbrook, OH)
Assignee: Vertiv Corporation
F25B45/00F25B39/00F25B2345/001F25B2345/006F25B2400/01F25B2500/26
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,988,427
App. No.
17/730,171
Granted
May 21, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A pumped refrigerant system can include a condenser, a pump coupled downstream of the condenser, an evaporator assembly coupled downstream of the pump, the condenser being coupled downstream of the evaporator assembly, and a refrigerant heating assembly coupled downstream of the pump, the condenser being coupled downstream of the refrigerant heating assembly. The refrigerant heating assembly can include a tank and a heating element coupled to the tank and configured to heat refrigerant within the tank. An input valve can be configured to selectively allow the pump to push refrigerant into the tank. An output valve can be configured to selectively inject heated refrigerant from the tank into plumbing upstream of the condenser.

Claims (39)

1. A pumped refrigerant system, comprising:

a condenser;

a pump coupled downstream of the condenser;

an evaporator assembly coupled downstream of the pump, the condenser being coupled downstream of the evaporator assembly; and

a refrigerant heating assembly coupled downstream of the pump, the condenser being coupled downstream of the refrigerant heating assembly;

wherein the refrigerant heating assembly is coupled downstream of the pump and upstream of the condenser, in parallel with the evaporator;

wherein refrigerant can flow from the pump, to the evaporator, to the condenser, and back to the pump, in that order; and

wherein refrigerant can flow from the pump, to the refrigerant heating assembly, to the condenser, and back to the pump, in that order.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant heating assembly includes a tank and a heating element coupled to the tank and configured to heat refrigerant within the tank.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the refrigerant heating assembly further includes an input valve between the pump and the tank, wherein the input valve is configured to selectively allow the pump to push refrigerant into the tank.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the refrigerant heating assembly further includes an output valve between the tank and the condenser, wherein the output valve is configured to selectively inject heated refrigerant from the tank into plumbing upstream of the condenser.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant heating assembly is configured to receive refrigerant from plumbing between the pump and the evaporator assembly.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant heating assembly is configured to inject heated refrigerant into plumbing between the evaporator assembly and the condenser.

7. The system of claim 2 , wherein the heating element is mounted in the tank, on the tank, or both.

8. A pumped refrigerant system, comprising:

a condenser;

a pump coupled downstream of the condenser;

an evaporator assembly coupled downstream of the pump, the condenser being coupled downstream of the evaporator assembly; and

a refrigerant heating assembly coupled downstream of the pump, upstream of the condenser, and in parallel with the evaporator;

wherein refrigerant can flow from the pump, to the evaporator, to the condenser, and back to the pump, in that order; and

wherein refrigerant can flow from the pump, to the refrigerant heating assembly, to the condenser, and back to the pump, in that order.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the refrigerant heating assembly includes a tank and a heating element coupled to the tank and configured to heat refrigerant within the tank.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the refrigerant heating assembly further includes an input valve between the pump and the tank, wherein the input valve is configured to selectively allow the pump to push refrigerant into the tank.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the refrigerant heating assembly further includes an output valve between the tank and the condenser, wherein the output valve is configured to selectively inject heated refrigerant from the tank into plumbing upstream of the condenser.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the refrigerant heating assembly is configured to receive refrigerant from plumbing between the pump and the evaporator assembly.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the refrigerant heating assembly is configured to inject heated refrigerant into plumbing between the evaporator assembly and the condenser.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the heating element is mounted in the tank, on the tank, or both.

15. A pumped refrigerant system, comprising:

a condenser;

a pump coupled downstream of the condenser;

an evaporator assembly coupled downstream of the pump, the condenser being coupled downstream of the evaporator assembly; and

a refrigerant heating assembly coupled downstream of the pump, upstream of the condenser, and in parallel with the evaporator;

wherein the refrigerant heating assembly includes a tank and a heating element coupled to the tank; and

wherein the heating element is configured to heat refrigerant within the tank.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the refrigerant heating assembly further includes an input valve between the pump and the tank, wherein the input valve is configured to selectively allow the pump to push refrigerant into the tank.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the refrigerant heating assembly further includes an output valve between the tank and the condenser, wherein the output valve is configured to selectively inject heated refrigerant from the tank into plumbing upstream of the condenser.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the refrigerant heating assembly is configured to receive refrigerant from plumbing between the pump and the evaporator assembly.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the refrigerant heating assembly is configured to inject heated refrigerant into plumbing between the evaporator assembly and the condenser.

20. The system of claim 15 , wherein the heating element is mounted in the tank, on the tank, or both.

Assignments (2)
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (TERM) Recorded Feb 15, 2024
From: VERTIV CORPORATION; VERTIV IT SYSTEMS, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 066601/0398 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 29, 2022
From: COLE, ANDREW NATHAN
To: VERTIV CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059717/0085 →