Patent ID: 11867437
Assignee: FLO ENERGY SOLUTIONS INC.
Field: Thermal processes and apparatus (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F | IPC F

Claim 0:
1. A refrigeration system, comprising:
a condenser;
an expansion valve;
an evaporator;
a compressor;
a refrigerant having a critical temperature of less than 95° F.;
a refrigerant conduit defining a cyclic flow path for the refrigerant from the condenser to the expansion valve to the evaporator to the compressor and back to the condenser;
a compressor valve located in the refrigerant conduit at a position between the compressor and the condenser;
a condenser outlet valve located in the refrigerant conduit at a position between the condenser and the expansion valve;
a flash tank operating as a liquid/vapor separator, the flash tank being fluidly connected to the refrigerant conduit at a position the between expansion valve and the evaporator, the refrigerant conduit further defining a bypass conduit for transmitting gas from the flash tank to the compressor;
a reclaim coil;
a first reclaim coil conduit defining a flow path for the refrigerant from the compressor valve through the reclaim coil and then to the refrigerant conduit at a position between the compressor valve and the condenser whereby the refrigerant flows from the first reclaim coil conduit into the refrigerant conduit and then to the condenser through the refrigerant conduit;
a second reclaim coil conduit defining a flow path for the refrigerant from the condenser outlet valve through the reclaim coil to the refrigerant conduit at a position between the condenser outlet valve and the expansion valve whereby the refrigerant flows from the second reclaim coil conduit into the refrigerant conduit and then to the expansion valve through the refrigerant conduit;
a flash gas flow sensor for measuring a mass flow of gas exiting the flash tank, the flash gas flow sensor being in fluid communication with the bypass conduit; and
a controller operatively connected to the flash gas flow sensor for calculating a ratio of flash gas mass flow relative to a total mass flow of the refrigerant based on data received from the flash gas flow sensor, the controller further being operatively connected to the compressor valve and the condenser outlet valve for selectively operating the compressor valve and the condenser outlet valve between first and second positions in response to a calculation of the ratio of flash gas mass flow to the total mass flow of the refrigerant,
said compressor valve directing a flow of the refrigerant through the first reclaim coil conduit when in the first position, said compressor valve directing the flow of the refrigerant through the refrigerant conduit to the condenser when said compressor valve is in the second position,
said condenser outlet valve directing the flow of the refrigerant through the refrigerant conduit from the compressor to the expansion valve when said condenser outlet valve is in the first position, said condenser outlet valve directing a flow of the refrigerant through the second reclaim coil conduit when said condenser outlet valve is in the second position,
wherein the controller operates the compressor valve and the condenser outlet value to the second positions when the ratio of the flash gas mass flow to a total mass flow of the refrigerant exceeds a predetermined valve.