Patent ID: 11913690
Assignee: HILL PHOENIX, INC.
Field: Thermal processes and apparatus (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F  Y | IPC F

Claim 0:
1. A refrigeration system comprising:
a compressor configured to circulate a refrigerant within the refrigeration system;
an evaporator configured to transfer heat into the refrigerant within the evaporator to provide cooling for a temperature-controlled space;
a liquid/vapor separator configured to separate the refrigerant into vapor refrigerant and liquid refrigerant, the liquid/vapor separator comprising:
an inlet fluidly coupled to an outlet of the evaporator and configured to receive the refrigerant from the evaporator;
a vapor refrigerant outlet fluidly coupled to the compressor and configured to discharge the vapor refrigerant to the compressor; and
a liquid refrigerant outlet fluidly coupled to the evaporator and configured to return the liquid refrigerant to the evaporator;

a liquid level sensor configured to measure a level of liquid accumulated within the liquid/vapor separator;
an oil level sensor configured to measure a level of oil accumulated within the liquid/vapor separator;
a controller configured to initiate a liquid refrigerant return process in response to at least one of i) the level of liquid accumulated within the liquid/vapor separator exceeding a threshold value or ii) a calculated value based on the level of liquid accumulated within the liquid/vapor separator exceeding the threshold value, the level of liquid comprising a total level of oil and the liquid refrigerant accumulated within the liquid/vapor separator, the controller configured to:
determine a level of liquid refrigerant accumulated within the liquid/vapor separator by subtracting the level of oil from the total level of oil and liquid refrigerant; and
initiate the liquid refrigerant return process in response to the level of liquid refrigerant accumulated within the liquid/vapor separator exceeding the threshold value.