Minimizing off cycle losses of a refrigeration system in a heating mode

Abstract

Abstract A refrigeration system control method for minimizing off cycle losses in a heating mode of operation includes the steps of closing a valve in a refrigerant line between an indoor coil and an outdoor coil for a first predetermined period of time starting with a deenergization of a compressor and ending before a reenergization of the compressor to retain the refrigerant in the indoor coil and maintaining an energization of an indoor coil fan for a second predetermined time period after the deenergization of the compressor which second time ends before the first time period. An apparatus using this method includes an indoor condensor coil, an indoor coil fan, an outdoor evaporator coil, an outdoor coil fan, a refrigerant line connecting one end of the outdoor coil to one end of the indoor coil, a valve in the refrigerant line, a compressor means connecting the other end of the indoor coil to the other end of the outdoor coil and a timer for operating the valve, the indoor fan, the outdoor fan and the compressor in a predetermined sequence to produce a closed state of the valve for a first time period starting after a compressor operation and ending before a restoration of a compressor operation while maintaining an energization of the indoor fan for a second time period after a compressor operation and ending before the first time period to utilize the latent energy stored in the refrigerant and in the metal coil of the indoor coil.

Inventors

• 👤 Thomas J. Beckey
• 👤 Lorne W. Nelson

Bibliographic Details