Electronic head pressure control

Abstract

A condenser assembly for use in a refrigeration system to reject heat from refrigerant to an environment. The condenser assembly includes first and second condenser modules each having a condenser coil and valve. Each condenser coil includes an inlet port to receive a refrigerant and an outlet port to discharge the refrigerant. The valve is in fluid communication with the corresponding inlet port and regulates flow of the refrigerant through the corresponding condenser coil A sensor in communication with the refrigeration circuit generates a signal indicative of an inlet pressure of the condenser assembly. A controller is programmed to actuate the first valve to regulate the flow of the refrigerant into first condenser coil, and to actuate the second valve independent of the first valve to regulate the flow of the refrigerant into the second condenser coil to control condenser volume based on the signal indicative of the inlet pressure.

1 . A condenser assembly to condense a refrigerant for use in a refrigeration system and to reject heat of the refrigerant to ambient air of the environment, the refrigeration system including a refrigeration circuit, the condenser assembly comprising:
 a first condenser module including
 a first condenser coil having a first inlet port to receive the refrigerant and a first outlet port to discharge the refrigerant, and 
 a first valve in fluid communication with the first inlet port and actuable to regulate flow of the refrigerant through the first condenser coil; 
   a second condenser module including
 a second condenser coil having a second inlet port to receive the refrigerant and a second outlet port to discharge the refrigerant, and 
 a second valve in fluid communication with the second inlet port and actuable to regulate flow of the refrigerant through the second condenser coil; and 
   a controller programmed to selectively actuate the first valve to regulate the flow of refrigerant into the first condenser coil, and programmed to actuate the second valve independent of the first valve to regulate the flow of refrigerant into the second condenser coil to control condenser volume.   
   
   
       2 . The condenser assembly of  claim 1 , further including a sensor in communication with the refrigeration circuit and configured to generate a signal indicative of an inlet pressure of the condenser assembly, wherein the controller is programmed to actuate the first valve and the second salve based on the signal indicative of the inlet pressure. 
   
   
       3 . The condenser assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first condenser module includes a first air moving device disposed adjacent the first condenser coil to draw ambient air over the first condenser coil to regulate a condenser capacity of the condenser assembly a first amount, and wherein the second condenser module includes a second air moving device disposed adjacent the second condenser coil to draw ambient air over the second condenser coil to regulate the condenser capacity a second amount. 
   
   
       4 . The condenser assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is programmed to actuate the first valve to selectively isolate the first condenser coil from the refrigeration circuit to reduce the condenser capacity of the condenser assembly when the inlet pressure is below a predetermined level. 
   
   
       5 . The condenser assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the controller is programmed to actuate the second valve to selectively isolate the second condenser coil separate and independent from isolation of the first condenser coil. 
   
   
       6 . The condenser assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the first air moving device further includes a first fan and a second fan, and wherein the controller is programmed to selectively operate the first fan independent of the second fan to regulate the condenser capacity of the condenser assembly. 
   
   
       7 . The condenser assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the first condenser module further includes a baffle disposed between the first fan and the second fan to compartmentalize the first condenser module. 
   
   
       8 . The condenser assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the first outlet port is configured to allow refrigerant to drain from the first condenser coil in response to isolation of the first condenser coil. 
   
   
       9 . The condenser assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is programmed to selectively operate the first air moving device, and wherein the controller is programmed to selectively operate the second air moving device independent of the first air moving device to regulate the condenser capacity. 
   
   
       10 . The condenser assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the controller is programmed to selectively operate the first air moving device independent of the first valve, and wherein the controller is programmed to selectively operate the second air moving device independent of the second valve. 
   
   
       11 . The condenser assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first condenser module further includes a first regulator disposed on the first outlet port to regulate flow of the refrigerant from the first condenser coil, and wherein the second condenser module further includes a second regulator disposed on the second outlet port to regulate flow of refrigerant from the second condenser coil. 
   
   
       12 . The condenser assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is programmed to actuate the first valve to selectively connect the first condenser coil with the refrigeration circuit to increase the condenser volume. 
   
   
       13 . The condenser assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the controller is programmed to actuate the second valve to selectively connect the second condenser coil separate and independent from connection of the first condenser coil to increase the condenser volume. 
   
   
       14 . A method of regulating a condenser assembly for a refrigeration system including a refrigeration circuit having a refrigerant, the method comprising:
 providing a first condenser module in the refrigeration circuit, the first condenser module including a first condenser coil having a first inlet port and a first outlet port, and a first valve in fluid communication with the first inlet port;   providing a second condenser module in the refrigeration circuit, the second condenser module including a second condenser coil having a second inlet port and a second outlet port, and a second valve in fluid communication with the second inlet port;   regulating flow of refrigerant into the first condenser coil by actuating the first valve with a controller,   regulating flow of refrigerant into the second condenser coil by actuating the second valve with the controller independent of the first valve; and   varying a volume of the condenser assembly.   
   
   
       15 . The method  claim 14 , further comprising
 generating a signal indicative of a condenser inlet pressure; and   varying a volume of the condenser assembly based on the signal indicative of the condenser inlet pressure.   
   
   
       16 . The method  claim 14 , further comprising
 varying a condenser capacity of the condenser assembly by selectively drawing ambient air over the first condenser coil; and   varying a condenser capacity of the condenser assembly by selectively drawing ambient air over the second condenser coil independent of drawing ambient air over the first condenser coil.   
   
   
       17 . The condenser assembly of  claim 16 , wherein drawing ambient air over the first condenser coil further includes selectively operating the first air moving device and selectively operating the second air moving device independent of the first air moving device. 
   
   
       18 . The condenser assembly of  claim 17 , further comprising selectively operating the first air moving device independent of actuation of the first valve, and selectively operating the second air moving device independent of actuation of the second valve. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein drawing ambient air over the first condenser coil includes operating a first fan of the first air moving device independent from operating a second fan of the first air moving device to vary the condenser capacity. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising reducing the condenser volume by isolating the first condenser coil from the refrigeration circuit. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein regulating flow of refrigerant into the second condenser coil includes selectively isolating the second condenser coil independent from isolating the first condenser coil. 
   
   
       22 . The condenser assembly of  claim 20 , wherein isolating the first condenser coil further includes draining refrigerant from the first condenser coil. 
   
   
       23 . The condenser assembly of  claim 14 , further comprising
 regulating the flow of refrigerant from the first outlet port; and   regulating the flow of the refrigerant from the second outlet port.   
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein regulating flow of refrigerant into the first condenser coil includes connecting the first condenser coil with the refrigeration circuit and increasing the condenser volume when the condenser inlet pressure is above a predetermined level. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein regulating flow of refrigerant into the second condenser coil includes selectively connecting the second condenser coil with the refrigeration circuit and increasing the condenser volume independent from connecting the first condenser coil. 
   
   
       26 . A condenser assembly for a refrigeration system having a refrigerant circuit circulating a refrigerant, the condenser assembly comprising:
 a plurality of condenser modules, each module including
 a condenser coil having an inlet port to receive the refrigerant and an outlet port to discharge the refrigerant, 
 a valve in fluid communication with the first inlet port and actuable to regulate flow of the refrigerant through the condenser coil; and 
   a controller programmed to actuate the valves of the plurality of condenser modules to fluidly connect the condenser coils of the plurality of condenser modules to the refrigeration circuit to define a first condenser volume, and wherein the controller is programmed to selectively actuate at least one valve of the plurality of condenser modules independent of at least two other valves of the remaining plurality of condenser modules to isolate the corresponding at least one condenser coil from the refrigeration circuit to define a second condenser volume different from the first condenser volume.   
   
   
       27 . The condenser assembly of  claim 26 , wherein the second condenser volume is less than 50% of the first condenser volume. 
   
   
       28 . The condenser assembly of  claim 26 , wherein the second condenser volume is more than 50% of the first condenser volume. 
   
   
       29 . The condenser assembly of  claim 26 , wherein the controller is programmed to selectively actuate the at least one valve of the plurality of condenser modules to define the second condenser volume as one of three possible incremental condenser volumes. 
   
   
       30 . The condenser assembly of  claim 29 , wherein the incremental volumes are proportional to the number of condenser modules in the plurality of condenser modules. 
   
   
       31 . The condenser assembly of  claim 29 , wherein the number of condenser modules equals four and the incremental condenser volumes equal 75%, 50%, and 25% of the first condenser volume. 
   
   
       32 . The condenser assembly of  claim 26 , wherein the refrigerant is hindered from flowing into the corresponding at least one condenser coil in response to isolation of the at least one condenser coil. 
   
   
       33 . The condenser assembly of  claim 26 , wherein the outlet port is configured to drain the refrigerant disposed in the at least one condenser coil in response to isolation of the at least one condenser coil. 
   
   
       34 . A method of regulating a condenser assembly for a refrigeration system including a refrigeration capacity and a refrigeration circuit circulating a refrigerant, the method comprising:
 providing a plurality of condenser modules, each module including
 a condenser coil having an inlet port to receive the refrigerant and an outlet port to discharge the refrigerant, and 
 a valve in fluid communication with the first inlet port; 
   actuating the plurality of valves and fluidly connecting the condenser coils of the plurality of condenser modules to the refrigeration circuit;   defining a first condenser volume based on connecting the condenser coils of the plurality of condenser modules to the refrigeration circuit;   selectively actuating at least one valve of the plurality of condenser modules independent of at least two other valves of the remaining plurality of condenser modules;   isolating the corresponding at least one condenser coil from the refrigeration circuit, and   defining a second condenser volume different from the first condenser volume with the at least one condenser coil isolated.   
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein defining a second condenser volume includes defining a second condenser volume that is less than 50% of the first condenser volume. 
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein defining a second condenser volume includes defining a second condenser volume that is more than 50% of the first condenser volume. 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein defining a second condenser volume includes defining the second condenser volume as one of three possible incremental condenser volumes. 
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein defining the second condenser volume further includes defining incremental volumes that are proportional to the number of condenser modules in the plurality of condenser modules. 
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein providing a plurality of condenser modules further includes providing four condenser modules and defining the second condenser volume further includes defining three incremental condenser volumes equaling 75%, 50%, and 25% of the first condenser volume. 
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein isolating the corresponding at least one condenser coil includes inhibiting flow of refrigerant into the corresponding at least one condenser coil. 
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein isolating the corresponding at least one condenser coil further includes draining the refrigerant from the at least one condenser coil through the outlet port.