US 12,140,356 B2
Refrigeration system and a method for controlling such a refrigeration system
Sven Andersson, Hässleholm (SE); and Tomas Dahlberg, Helsingborg (SE)
Assigned to SWEP International AB, Landskrona (SE)
Appl. No. 17/789,285
Filed by SWEP International AB, Landskrona (SE)
PCT Filed Jan. 29, 2021, PCT No. PCT/SE2021/050063
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 27, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/154148, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 5, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 2050092-2 (SE), filed on Jan. 30, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0341161 A1, Oct. 26, 2023
Int. Cl. F25B 49/02 (2006.01); F25B 13/00 (2006.01); F25B 39/00 (2006.01); F25B 39/02 (2006.01); F25B 40/00 (2006.01); F25B 41/20 (2021.01)
CPC F25B 49/02 (2013.01) [F25B 13/00 (2013.01); F25B 39/00 (2013.01); F25B 40/00 (2013.01); F25B 41/20 (2021.01); F25B 39/022 (2013.01); F25B 2313/02741 (2013.01); F25B 2339/043 (2013.01); F25B 2339/047 (2013.01); F25B 2400/0417 (2013.01); F25B 2400/0419 (2013.01); F25B 2700/21163 (2013.01); F25B 2700/21175 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for controlling a refrigeration system, the refrigeration system comprising:
a compressor for compressing a gaseous refrigerant, such that the temperature, pressure and boiling point thereof increases;
a four-way valve controlling whether the refrigeration system is in a heating mode or a cooling mode;
a condenser, in which the gaseous refrigerant from the compressor exchanges heat with a high temperature heat carrier, said heat exchange resulting in the refrigerant condensing;
an expansion valve reducing the pressure of liquid refrigerant from the condenser, hence reducing the boiling point of the refrigerant;
an evaporator, in which the low boiling point refrigerant exchanges heat with a low temperature heat carrier, such that the refrigerant vaporizes;
a suction gas heat exchanger exchanging heat between high temperature liquid refrigerant from the condenser and low temperature gaseous refrigerant from the evaporator; and
a balance valve arranged for controlling the amount of heat exchange between the high temperature liquid refrigerant and the low temperature gaseous refrigerant in the suction gas heat exchanger by directing a flow of high temperature liquid refrigerant from the condenser to the expansion valve without passing the suction gas heat exchanger;
the method comprising:
a) measuring a temperature of the high temperature liquid refrigerant;
b) measuring a temperature of the low temperature gaseous refrigerant;
c) calculating a temperature difference between the high temperature liquid refrigerant and the low temperature gaseous refrigerant; and
d) controlling the balance valve to bypass the suction gas heat exchanger should the difference be less than a predetermined threshold value.