Patent ID: 11892217
Assignee: HILL PHOENIX, INC.
Field: Thermal processes and apparatus (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F | IPC F

Claim 8:
9. A cooling circuit for a temperature-controlled storage device, comprising:
a pump configured to circulate a coolant through the cooling circuit;
a heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from a refrigerant flowing through the heat exchanger to the coolant flowing through the heat exchanger;
a fluid control valve operable to modulate a flow rate of the coolant through the heat exchanger; and
a controller configured to:
identify a temperature differential setpoint value, wherein the temperature differential setpoint value is a target value of a temperature differential between a condensing temperature of the refrigerant in the heat exchanger and an inlet temperature of the coolant as it enters the heat exchanger;
monitor the inlet temperature of the coolant provided to the heat exchanger by the cooling circuit;
determine the condensing temperature of the refrigerant in the heat exchanger; and
operate the fluid control valve to modulate the flow rate of the coolant through the heat exchanger to drive an actual temperature differential ΔT between the condensing temperature of the refrigerant in the heat exchanger and the temperature of the coolant as it enters the heat exchanger to the temperature differential setpoint value, wherein the fluid control valve is operated based on a value of the actual temperature differential ΔT relative to the target value of the temperature differential,
and wherein operating the fluid control valve to modulate the flow rate of the coolant through the heat exchanger to drive the actual temperature differential ΔT between the condensing temperature of the refrigerant in the heat exchanger and the temperature of the coolant as it enters the heat exchanger to the temperature differential setpoint value comprises:
at least partially opening the control valve to increase the flow of the coolant through the condenser when the actual temperature differential ΔT is higher than the temperature differential setpoint value; and
at least partially closing the control valve to decrease the flow of the coolant through the condenser when the actual temperature differential ΔT is lower than the temperature differential setpoint value.