Temperature regulating system and method of deicing the temperature regulating system

Abstract

In one example, a temperature regulating system, the system comprising temperature regulating device including a hot side and a cold side; and an icing sensor disposed on the cold side and which provides an output which changes based on a condition of the cold side; wherein the system is configured to detect, via the output of the icing sensor, icing of the cold side during a temperature regulating operation, and initiate deicing of the cold side based on the detection of the icing of the cold side.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A temperature regulating system, the system comprising:
 temperature regulating device including a hot side and a cold side; and   an icing sensor disposed on the cold side and which provides an output which changes based on a condition of the cold side; wherein the system is configured to detect, via the output of the icing sensor, icing of the cold side during a temperature regulating operation, and initiate deicing of the cold side based on the detection of the icing of the cold side.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cold side of the temperature regulating device includes an evaporator, wherein the icing sensor is disposed on the evaporator and the output of the icing sensor changes based on a condition of the evaporator; wherein the system is configured to detect, via the output of the icing sensor, icing of the evaporator during the temperature regulating operation, and initiate deicing of the evaporator based on the detection of the icing of the evaporator. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein a refrigerant is configured to flow within the evaporator during the temperature regulating operation, wherein a processor is configured to receive the output of the icing sensor and to initiate deicing of the evaporator by reversing direction of the flow of the refrigerant within the evaporator. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising a compressor in fluid communication with the evaporator, wherein a refrigerant flows from the evaporator to the compressor during the temperature regulating operation, wherein the system is configured to initiate deicing of the evaporator by reducing supply of power to the compressor. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a compressor;   a condenser;   a pressuring lowering device, wherein the compressor, the condenser, the pressuring lowering device, and the evaporator are in fluid communication with each other and are configured to house a refrigerant for a temperature regulating operation; and   a processor communicatively coupled to the icing sensor, wherein the processor is configured to detect, via the output of the icing sensor, icing of the evaporator during the temperature regulating operation, and initiate deicing of the evaporator based on the detection of the icing of the evaporator.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an electric heating element configured to heat at least a portion of the cold side, wherein the system is configured to initiate deicing of the cold side by heating the cold side via the electric heating element. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein, following the initiation of deicing, the system is configured to determine, via the icing sensor, that the cold side is deiced, and terminate the deicing of the cold side based on the determination. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to terminate the deicing of the cold side a preset amount of time following initiation of the deicing of the cold side. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature regulating device comprises at least one of an air conditioning system, freezer system, heat pump system, or Peltier system. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the icing sensor comprises a signal processing circuitry to analyze the icing sensor output, wherein the signal processing circuitry includes two or more analog to digital converters configured for synchronous sampling. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to detect, via the output of the icing sensor, icing of the cold side during the temperature regulating operation by determining at least one of an impedance value or resistance value of the icing sensor based on the output and comparing the at least one of the impedance value or the resistance value to a characteristic value or a range of characteristic values indicative of icing. 
     
     
         12 . A method of operating a temperature regulating system, the method comprising:
 detecting, via an output of an icing sensor disposed on a cold side of a temperature regulating device and of which provides the output which changes based on a condition of the cold side, icing of the cold side during a temperature regulating operation; and   initiating deicing of the cold side based on the detection of the icing of the cold side.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the cold side of the temperature regulating device includes an evaporator, wherein the icing sensor is disposed on the evaporator and the output of the icing sensor changes based on a condition of the evaporator, wherein the detecting the icing of the cold side comprises detecting icing of the evaporator during the temperature regulating operation, and initiating deicing of the cold side based on the detection of the icing of the cold side comprises initiating deicing of the evaporator based on the detection of the icing of the evaporator. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein a refrigerant is configured to flow within the evaporator during the temperature regulating operation, wherein a processor is configured to receive the output of the icing sensor and to initiate deicing of the evaporator by reversing direction of the flow of the refrigerant within the evaporator. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the temperature regulating device includes a compressor in fluid communication with the evaporator, wherein a refrigerant flows from the evaporator to the compressor during the temperature regulating operation, wherein initiating deicing of the evaporator based on the detection of the icing of the evaporator comprises initiating deicing of the evaporator by reducing supply of power to the compressor. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the temperature regulating device includes:
 a compressor;   a condenser;   a pressuring lowering device, wherein the compressor, the condenser, the pressuring lowering device, and the evaporator are in fluid communication with each other and are configured to house a refrigerant for a temperature regulating operation; and   a processor communicatively coupled to the icing sensor, wherein the processor is configured to detect, via the output of the icing sensor, icing of the evaporator during the temperature regulating operation, and initiate deicing of the evaporator based on the detection of the icing of the evaporator.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the temperature regulating system includes an electric heating element configured to heat at least a portion of the cold side, wherein initiating deicing of the cold side based on the detection of the icing of the cold side comprises initiating deicing of the cold side by heating the cold side via the electric heating element. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 following the initiation of deicing, determining, via the icing sensor, that the evaporator is deiced; and   terminating the deicing of the evaporator based on the determination.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising terminating the deicing of the evaporator a preset amount of time following initiation of the deicing of the evaporator. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the temperature regulating device comprises at least one of an air conditioning system, freezer system, heat pump system, or Peltier system. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the icing sensor comprises a signal processing circuitry to analyze the icing sensor output, wherein the signal processing circuitry includes two or more analog to digital converters configured for synchronous sampling. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein detecting, via the output of the icing sensor, icing of the cold side during a temperature regulating operation comprises determining at least one of an impedance value or resistance value of the icing sensor based on the output and comparing the at least one of the impedance value or the resistance value to a characteristic value or a range of characteristic values indicative of icing. 
     
     
         23 . A temperature regulating system, the system comprising:
 means for detecting, via an output of an icing sensor disposed on a cold side of a temperature regulating device and of which provides the output which changes based on a condition of the cold side, icing of the cold side during a temperature regulating operation; and   means for initiating deicing of the cold side based on the detection of the icing of the cold side.