[0001] The invention relates to a refrigerating or heat-pump system comprising an evaporator,
a compressor, a condensor, and a throttle means, the compressor comprising an electric
motor and a reciprocating pump, which pump comprises a cylinder in which a piston
is reciprocated by the electric motor to work on a compression space above the piston,
which compressor has an inlet and an outlet, which are connected to the evaporator
and to the condensor, respectively by means of pipes, and further comprising a suction
part and a bypass by means of which the suction part can be made to commnicate with
the compression space by controlling a valve member in the bypass.
[0002] Most refrigerating or heat-pump systems are controlled through on/off control of
the compressor. To improve the efficiency of such a system through continuous operation,
i.e. continuously operating the compressor, various control possibilities are known.
An example of such a possibility is the use of speed control of the electric motor
of the compressor. This control method is satisfactory but comparatively expensive.
Another known control method utilizes a plurality of small compressor units, one or
more compressors being rendered inoperative depending on the required capacity. This
control method is economic only if the capacity of the system is sufficiently large.
Another known possibility is suction-gas control, the volume of the gas taken in being
reduced by keeping the suction valve open during the compression stroke or allowing
a specific amount of gas to flow back from the cylinder via a bypass depending on
the required capacity.
[0003] The invention relates to a system controlled in conformity with the last-mentioned
method. It is known to open or close a connection between the cylinder space and the
suction part by means of a valve.
[0004] The invention aims at improving the efficiency of the system by means of a simple
and cheap control mechanism.
[0005] According to the invention the system is characterized in that the valve member is
controlled electromagnetically and the system comprises a control mechanism which
reduces the power of the electric motor in an efficient manner when the bypass is
opened.
[0006] Suction-gas control reduces the refrigerant mass being circulated, so that the evaporator
temperature increases and the condensor temperature decreases, thereby reducing the
work of compression. On the average cold is now produced at a higher temperature than
in an on/off controlled system. In other words, in the system according to the invention
cold is produced with a higher efficiency. However, during the period in which bypass
channel is open the mass to be circulated by the compressor is smaller, so that the
torque to be delivered by the electric motor is reduced and the efficiency decreases.
Therefore, in order to maintain the efficiency of the electric motor at the same level,
the power is reduced in an efficient manner during said period. To produce the same
amount of cold as in an on/off controlled system, the combined control of the system
in accordance with the invention results in a net reduction in power consumption of
approximately 10%.
[0007] An on/off controlled system is to be understood to mean as a system in which during
the off-period the condensor is disconnected from the evaporator. During the off-period
the connection between the condenser and the evaporator should remain open (for example
if the throttle means is a capillary), the power saved is even higher than the above
10%, namely of the order of 20%.
[0008] A preferred embodiment is characterized in that the suction part comprises a damper,
a suction duct and a suction chamber, the bypass is situated between the suction duct
and the compression space, and the valve member is coupled to the core of an electromagnet,
which valve member opens the connecting duct when the electromagnet is energized and
closes said duct by means of a return spring when said electromagnet is not energized.
This has the advantage that in the event of failure of the control mechanism, due
to whatever cause, the return spring ensures that the valve member is set to the position
in which the compressor operates at the maximum capacity, that the system reverts
to normal on/off control.
[0009] Another preferred embodiment is characterized in that the cylinder is formed with
a bore in which the valve member is movable and which intersects said bypass duct,
which valve member has a bore such that, upon energization of the electromagnet, this
bore is situated in line with the bypass. The bore is situated at a small distance
from the cylinder wall, in such a way that in the closed situation the additional
clearance volume in the compression space, i.e. the volume in the bypass between the
valve member and the compression space, is minimal. This has the advantage that during
closure of the bypass the compression pressure exists no force on the valve member
in its direction of movement. The bypass can be closed by changing the position of
the valve member in the bore, either by sliding it in the said direction of the bore
or by rotating it through 90
0 in the bore. As there is hardly any pressure differential across the valve member,
the leakage path need not be exceptionally large.
[0010] The system efficiency is improved because the flow resistance of the throttle means
is increased when the bypass is opened.
[0011] An embodiment of the invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example,
with reference to the drawings.
[0012]
Fig. 1 shows the refrigerating or heat-pump system.
Fig. 2 is a partly sectional view of the compressor.
Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the compressor taken on the line III-III in Fig.
2.
Fig. 4 shows efficiency/torque curves of the electric motor.
Fig. 5 shows the electric circuit of the system.
Fig. 6 illustrates the thermal behaviour of the evaporator and the condensor.
Fig. 7 shows a refrigerating system employing a capillary throttle resistance control.
[0013] The system comprises an evaporator 1, a compressor 2, a condensor 3, and a throttle
valve 4, which are interconnected by pipes to form a closed circuit. The compressor
is mounted in a hermetically sealed housing 5, which also accommodates an electric
motor 6 and a reciprocating pump 7. The reciprocating pump comprises a cylinder 8
in which a piston 9 is reciprocated by the electric motor, a cover 10, and a valve
plate 11 arranged between the cover and the cylinder. The valve plate is formed with
an inlet port 12 with an inlet valve 13 and an outlet port 14 with an outlet valve
15. The housing 5 of the compressor has an inlet 16 and an outlet 17 which are connected
to the evaporator 1 and the condensor 3, respectively by means of pipes. Via the suction
part comprising a suction damper 18, a suction duct 19 and a suction chamber 20 the
refrigerant gas is drawn into the compression space 21 after which it is compressed
and forced into the compression chamber and the compression damper 23 via the outlet
port 14; subsequently, the gas is fed to the condensor via the outlet 17.
[0014] In accordance with the invention the system is controlled by providing the compressor
with a bypass duct 24 between the compression duct space 21 and the suction/19. Alternatively,
this bypass may be situated between the compression space and the suction danmper
18 or between the compression space and the suction chamber 20. The cylinder housing
8 is formed with a bore 25 in which a valve member 26 is slidable. The bore 25 intersects
the bypass 24. The valve member 26 is integral with the movable core 27 of an electromagnet
28. The core 27 is surrounded by a coil 29 which is included in an electrical control
loop of the system. Further, the electromagnet is provided with a return spring 30.
The pin- shaped valve member 26 is formed with a bore 31 which, depending on the position
of the valve member, can be positioned in line or not in line with the bypass duct
24 to open or close the bypass. In the position shown in Fig. 3 the electromagnet
26 is energized and the bore 31 is disposed in line with the bypass duct 24. During
the upward movement of the piston from the lower dead centre this results in gas being
forced back to the suction part 18-19-20 via the bypass 24. This continues until the
piston has passed the opening of the bypass 24 in the cylinder wall. The residual
gas in the compression space 21 is then compressed to the condensor pressure. The
compressor then operates at a reduced capacity. This capacity depends on the level
of the apening of the bypass 24 in the cylinder 8. Advantageously, in this position
the compression pressure acts on the wall of the bore 31, so that no resultant forces
act on the valve member and have to be compensated by the electromagnet. When the
electromagnet is not energized the return spring 30 urges the valve member upwards,
thereby closing the bypass duct. In this position the force exerted on the valve member
by the compression pressure does not act in the direction of movement, i.e. not on
the spring, so that no fatigue problems will occur. In the closed position the compressor
operates at maximum capacity (Fig. 2).
[0015] The system in accordance with the invention also comprises a control mechanism which
reduces the power of the electric motor in an efficient manner when the bypass 24
is connected. Fig. 4 shows two efficiency/torque curves of the electric motor. In
curve I the rotor power is higher than in curve II. During the period in which the
compressor operates with a closed bypass the operating range of the electric motor
is situated between points A and B of curve I. If the bypass 24 between the pipe 19
and the compression space 21 is now opened, the torque T will decrease, and hence
the efficiency will decrease. The electric motor then operates for example between
points C and D. The efficiency can be increased by reducing, for example, the voltage.
The electric motor then operates, for example, in the range E-F of curve II, in which
the efficiency is high. An efficient reduction of the power for torque control is
preferably effected by means of a loss-free power controller. For example, a transformer
may be used in order to reduce the voltage. However, a transformer is expensive. The
power controller 40 shown in Fig. 5, which is also loss-free, is cheaper. Depending
on the position of the switch S1 the network comprising two different resistors R
1 and R
2 (
R1 R2), a capacitor
C, a diac D, a triac T and a voltage-dependent resistor VDR controls the phase angle
of the mains sinewave. The setting of the switch S1 is governed by a variable thermostat
41. At a maximum evaporator temperature (for example 3°C) the switch S1 is set to
the right-hand position (full power) and at a variable minimum evaporator temperature
(for example -16 to -24°C) to the left-hand position (reduced power). If the compressor
operates at full power (S1 in the right-hand position) switch S2 is open and the coil
29 of the electromagnet 28 for the actuation of the valve member 26 is not energized.
However, in the case of reduced conpressor power switch S2 is closed and the electromagnet
is energized, so that the valve member 26 opens the bypass duct 24 between the suction
duct 19 and the compression space 21.
[0016] Fig. 6 illustrates the thermal behaviour of the evaporator and the condenser, both
for a known on/off control and for the two-position control in accordance with the
invention. The plotted temperatures have been measured on the refrigerant side. The
broken-line curves relate to the on/off control and the solid curves relate to the
control in accordance with the invention. In the case of on/off control the condensor
temperature increases from 25°C (ambient temperature) to approximately 50°C (a1) during
the on-period of the compressor, while in the same period the evaporator temperature
decreases from 9°C (refrigerator temperature) to -24°C (b1). In the subsequent off-period
the condensor temperature again decreases to approximately 25°C (a2) and the evaporator
temperature rises to approximately 9°C (b2). This control gives rise to a temperature
fluctuation (c) of approximately 8°C in, for example, the refrigerating compartment
(air) of a refrigerator. In the case of the novel two-position control the condensor
temperature increases from approximately 32°C to approximately 45°C(d1) during the
short period of full compressor capacity, the evaporator temperature decreasing fram
-5°C to -20°C (e1) in the same period. In the next long period with reduced compressor
capacity, i.e. when the bypass between the compression space and the suction duct
is open and the drive voltage has been reduced, the condenser temperature decreases
to approximately 32°C (d2) and the evaporator temperature increases to approximately
to -5°C (e2). Consequently, the temperature fluctuations of the evaporator and the
condensor are reduced substantially if the novel control method is employed. As a
result of this, the temperature fluctuation (f) in, for example, the refrigerating
compartment (air) of a refrigerator is also substantially smaller (approximately 3°C).
[0017] Since the mass flow of the refrigerant is smaller in the period when the bypass 24
is open the resistance of the throttle means 4 should be higher in order to maintain
the pressure differential. For a refrigerating system in which the throttle means
is a capillary, Fig. 7 shows an example of how the flow resistance can be switched
to either of two valves. In the circuit two capillaries 4a and 4b are arranged in
series, the capillary 4a being bypassed by opening the valve 42 when the compressor
operates at full power. In the case of reduced-power operation the valve is closed
and the two capillaries are operative. Preferably, the valve 42 is operated electromagnetically.
In Fig. 5 the location of the electromagnetic coil 33 in the circuit is indicated
by a broken line. In the reduced-power mode the switch S3 is closed, coil 43 of the
electromagnet is energized, and the valve 42 is closed.
[0018] Heat pumps generally employ a temperature-controlled expansion valve. Such an expansion
valve is opened automatically to the correct extent in order to maintain the pressure
differential.
1. A refrigerating or heat-pump system comprising an evaporator, a compressor, a condenser
and a throttle means, the compressor comprising an electric motor and a reciprocating
pump, which pump comprises a cylinder, in which a piston is reciprocated by the electric
motor in order to work on a compression space above the piston, which compressor has
an inlet and an outlet, which are connected to the evaporator and to the condensor,
respectively, by means of pipes, and further comprising a suction part and a bypass
by means of which the suction part can be made to communicate with the compression
space by controlling a valve member in the bypass, characterized in that the valve
member is controlled electromagnetically and the system comprises a control mechanism
which reduces the power of the electric motor in an efficient manner when the bypass
is opened.
2. A refrigerating or heat-pump system as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that
the suction part comprises a damper, a suction duct and a suction chamber, the bypass
is situated between the suction duct and the compression space, and the valve member
is coupled to the core of an electromagnet, which valve member opens the bypass when
the electromagnet is energized and closes said bypass by means of a return spring
when said electromagnet is not energized.
3. A refrigerating or heat-pump system as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, characterized in
that the cylinder is formed with a bore in which the valve member is movable, which
bore intersects the bypass, which valve member has a bore such that, upon energization
of the electromagnet, this bore is situated in line with the bypass.
4. A refrigerating or heat-pump system as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims,
characterized in that the resistance of the throttle means is increased when the bypass
is opened.