US 12,467,672 B2
Refrigerant charge management device for heat pump systems
Dhruv Chanakya Hoysall, South Windsor, CT (US)
Assigned to CARRIER CORPORATION, Palm Beach Gardens, FL (US)
Filed by Carrier Corporation, Palm Beach Gardens, FL (US)
Filed on Oct. 19, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/047,907.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/262,763, filed on Oct. 20, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0123900 A1, Apr. 20, 2023
Int. Cl. F25B 49/02 (2006.01); F25B 13/00 (2006.01)
CPC F25B 49/02 (2013.01) [F25B 13/00 (2013.01); F25B 2500/23 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A refrigerant charge management device comprising:
a refrigerant charge vessel enclosing a volume,
a movable impervious barrier separating the volume into a first volume and a second volume,
a first port disposed in fluid communication with the first volume and configured for fluid connection to a heat pump system,
a second port disposed in fluid communication with the second volume and configured for fluid connection to the heat pump system, wherein the movable impervious barrier is configured to move in response to a difference in pressure between the first volume and the second volume thereby changing the size of the first volume and the second volume; and
a stop disposed within the volume, wherein the stop is configured to prevent the movable impervious barrier from covering at least one of the first port or second port.