US 12,352,472 B2
Cooling system
Michael Hollister, Atlanta, GA (US)
Assigned to Heatcraft Refrigeration Products LLC, Stone Mountain, GA (US)
Filed by Heatcraft Refrigeration Products LLC, Stone Mountain, GA (US)
Filed on Jul. 2, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/460,445.
Prior Publication US 2021/0003322 A1, Jan. 7, 2021
Int. Cl. F25B 1/10 (2006.01); F25B 5/02 (2006.01); F25B 41/20 (2021.01); F25B 41/40 (2021.01)
CPC F25B 1/10 (2013.01) [F25B 5/02 (2013.01); F25B 41/20 (2021.01); F25B 41/40 (2021.01); F25B 2400/075 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus comprising:
a first load configured to receive a flow of refrigerant from a flash tank;
at least one compressor comprising a discharge side and a suction side;
a first pipe coupled to the first load and disposed downstream of the first load and upstream of the at least one compressor;
a second pipe coupled to the suction side of the at least one compressor and disposed upstream of the at least one compressor and downstream of the first load, wherein both the first pipe and the second pipe are located between the first load and the at least one compressor;
a third pipe coupled to the first pipe and the second pipe;
a fourth pipe coupled to the first pipe and the second pipe and in parallel to the third pipe, wherein the third pipe and the fourth pipe are disposed between the first load and the at least one compressor; and
a check valve coupled to the fourth pipe, wherein during a first mode of operation:
the first load is configured to use a refrigerant to cool a space proximate the first load;
the first, second, and third pipes are configured to direct refrigerant from the first load to the at least one compressor;
the at least one compressor is configured to compress refrigerant from the first load; and
the check valve inhibits refrigerant from the first load from flowing to the at least one compressor through the fourth pipe; and
wherein during a second mode of operation:
the first, second, and fourth pipes are configured to direct a first portion of the refrigerant from the at least one compressor to the first load to defrost the first load, wherein the first portion of the refrigerant comprises a gas from the at least one compressor, wherein the at least one compressor has compressed the refrigerant supplied by a second load, the second load is supplying heated refrigerant from the flash tank to the at least one compressor to defrost the first load; and
the first load is configured to direct the first portion of the refrigerant to the flash tank disposed upstream of the first load and configured to store the refrigerant.