Heat sink for a condensing unit and method of using same

Abstract

A condensing unit control module may be cooled using multiple methods of cooling. A first method of cooling can be used to cool the control module when a minimal or reduced amount of cooling is needed, and a second method of cooling can be used when the control module requires a larger or maximum amount of cooling. The first method of cooling may include the use of air cooling. The second method of cooling can be through working fluid cooling. The second cooling method can supplement the first cooling method as the cooling needs of the control module increase. The second cooling method can be activated based upon a temperature of a heat sink, a temperature of one or more components of the control module, operating conditions of a heat pump system, ambient conditions, and/or a temperature of the working fluid flowing throughout the heat pump system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A condensing unit housing a compressor, a control module controlling operation of said compressor, and a heat sink in heat-transferring relation with said control module, said control module being in heat-transferring relation with a first fluid and a second fluid, said first fluid selectively flowing through a fluid passageway in said heat sink, said second fluid being a different substance than said first fluid and in selective convective heat-transferring relation with a heat-transferring member in heat-transferring relation with said heat sink. 
     
     
         2 . The condensing unit of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a condenser at least partially defining a cavity;   a fan operable to direct a flow of said second fluid through said condenser, and   wherein said compressor, said control module, said heat-transferring member and said heat sink are disposed in said cavity.   
     
     
         3 . The condensing unit of  claim 2 , wherein said fan operates independently of an operating condition of said condenser. 
     
     
         4 . The condensing unit of  claim 1 , further comprising a cooling module operable to selectively route said first fluid discharged by said compressor through said flow path to remove heat from said control module. 
     
     
         5 . The condensing unit of  claim 4 , wherein said cooling module includes a valve disposed in said fluid conduit that selectively allows said fluid conduit to direct said first fluid discharged by said compressor into said fluid passageway. 
     
     
         6 . The condensing unit of  claim 5 , wherein said valve is an expansion device. 
     
     
         7 . The condensing unit of  claim 4 , wherein said cooling module includes a temperature sensing device and said cooling module selectively routes said first fluid discharged by said compressor through said fluid passageway based on an output of said temperature sensing device. 
     
     
         8 . The condensing unit of  claim 4 , wherein said cooling module a temperature responsive valve operable to selectively allow said first fluid discharged by said compressor into said fluid passageway based on a temperature sensed by said temperature responsive valve. 
     
     
         9 . The condensing unit of  claim 1 , wherein an entirety of a flow of said first fluid discharged by said compressor can flow through said fluid passageway. 
     
     
         10 . The condensing unit of  claim 1 , further comprising a first fan, said first fan inducing a flow of said second fluid across said heat-transferring member. 
     
     
         11 . The condensing unit of  claim 10 , further comprising
 a condenser at least partially defining a cavity;   a second fan operable to direct a flow of said second fluid through said condenser, and   wherein said compressor, said control module, said heat-transferring member and said heat sink are disposed in said cavity and said flow of said second fluid induced by said second fan passes across said heat-transferring member, and said first fan and said second fan can be operated independently of one another.   
     
     
         12 . A method of cooling a compressor control module comprising:
 removing heat from the control module with a first cooling method that transfers heat to a first fluid; and   selectively supplementing said first cooling method by removing heat from the control module with a second cooling method that transfers heat to a second fluid different than said first fluid while simultaneously removing heat with said first cooling method.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said first fluid is ambient air and said second fluid is working fluid discharged by the compressor. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein selectively supplementing said first cooling method includes removing heat with said second method based on a temperature, said temperature including at least one of an ambient air temperature, a temperature of the control module, a temperature of working fluid discharged by the compressor, and a temperature of a heat sink in heat-transferring relation to the control module. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein removing heat with said first cooling method includes inducing an airflow through a condenser and over a heat sink in heat-transferring relation with the control module. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein removing heat with said first cooling method includes inducing an airflow over a heat sink in heat-transferring relation with the control module, the induced airflow being independent of an operating condition of a condenser. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein removing heat from the control module with said second cooling method includes routing at least a portion of working fluid discharged from the compressor through a flow path in a heat sink in heat-transferring relation to the control module. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein selectively supplementing includes removing heat from the control module with said second cooling method when the compressor is operating in a predetermined range. 
     
     
         19 . A method of cooling a compressor control module comprising:
 inducing an airflow across a heat sink in heat-transferring relation to the control module;   transferring heat from the control module to the airflow through said heat sink;   selectively routing a working fluid through a flow path in said heat sink in heat-transferring relation to the control module; and   transferring heat from the control module to said working fluid when said working fluid is flowing through said heat sink.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein selectively routing includes selectively routing a condensed working fluid through said flow path in said heat sink. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein selectively routing includes selectively routing an entirety of a flow of working fluid discharged by the compressor through said flow path in said heat sink. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein selectively routing includes selectively routing said working fluid through said flow path based on a temperature of said working fluid. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein inducing said airflow includes inducing said airflow during an entire time the compressor is operating. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein inducing said airflow includes inducing said airflow to flow through a condenser within which the compressor and control module are disposed. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein inducing said airflow includes inducing said airflow with a fan that operates independently from operation of a condenser. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein selectively routing said working fluid includes using an expansion valve to selectively route and expand said working fluid in said flow path.