System and method for controlling capacity of air conditioning coil

Abstract

An air-conditioner unit, is provided comprising: an air-conditioning coil between an input vent and an output vent, receiving return air, passing the return air through the air-conditioning coil, and ejecting supply air, the air-conditioning coil including a plurality of coil paths passing refrigerant; a refrigerant regulator connected to the plurality of coil paths to regulate the flow of the refrigerant through the plurality of coil paths, wherein the refrigerant regulator is configured to have a least two selectable settings, the first selectable setting configuring the refrigerant regulator such that the refrigerant regulator stops refrigerant from flowing through a first subset of the plurality of coil paths and allows refrigerant to flow through a second subset of the plurality of coil paths, the second selectable setting of the refrigerant regulator configuring the refrigerant regulator such that the refrigerant regulator allows refrigerant to flow through all the plurality of coil paths.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An air-conditioner unit, comprising:
 an input vent configured to receive return air;   an output vent configured to pass supply air;   an air-conditioning coil located between the input vent and the output vent and configured to receive the return air, pass the return air through the air-conditioning coil, and eject the supply air, the air-conditioning coil including a plurality of coil paths configured to pass refrigerant, the plurality of coil paths being configured to accommodate a flow of refrigerant;   a refrigerant regulator connected to the plurality of coil paths and configured to regulate the flow of the refrigerant through the plurality of coil paths,   wherein   the refrigerant regulator is configured to have a least two selectable settings,   the first selectable setting of the refrigerant regulator configures the refrigerant regulator such that the refrigerant regulator stops refrigerant from flowing through a first subset of the plurality of coil paths and allows refrigerant to flow through a second subset of the plurality of coil paths,   the second selectable setting of the refrigerant regulator configures the refrigerant regulator such that the refrigerant regulator allows refrigerant to flow through all the plurality of coil paths,   the plurality of coil paths in the air-conditioning coil are arranged in parallel with respect to a flow of return air through the air-conditioning coil such that any portion of return air will pass over only one of the plurality of coil paths as the return air flows through the air-conditioning coil from the input vent to the output vent.   
     
     
         2 . The air-conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein
 the refrigerant regulator further comprises a valve configured to selectively allow or stop refrigerant from flowing through the first subset of the coil paths.   
     
     
         3 . The air-conditioner unit of  claim 2 , wherein
 the valve is located on a side of the air-conditioning coil that is upstream of the refrigerant flow through the coil paths during a heating mode and is downstream of the refrigerant flow through the coil paths during a cooling mode.   
     
     
         4 . The air-conditioner unit of  claim 2 , wherein
 the valve is located on a side of the air-conditioning coil that is downstream of the refrigerant flow through the coil paths during a heating mode and is upstream of the refrigerant flow through the coil paths during a cooling mode.   
     
     
         5 . The air-conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein
 the refrigerant regulator further comprises a plurality of valves configured to selectively allow or stop refrigerant from flowing through the first subset of the coil paths, respectively, and   each of the coil paths in the first subset of coil paths is associated with one of the plurality of valves.   
     
     
         6 . The air-conditioner unit of  claim 5 , wherein
 the plurality of valves are located on a side of the air-conditioning coil that is upstream of the refrigerant flow through the plurality of coil paths during a heating mode and is downstream of the refrigerant flow through the plurality of coil paths during a cooling mode.   
     
     
         7 . The air-conditioner unit of  claim 5 , wherein
 the plurality of valves are located on a side of the air-conditioning coil that is downstream of the refrigerant flow through the plurality of coil paths during a heating mode and is upstream of the refrigerant flow through the plurality of coil paths during a cooling mode.   
     
     
         8 . An air-conditioner unit, comprising:
 an input vent configured to receive return air;   an output vent configured to pass supply air;   an air-conditioning coil located between the input vent and the output vent and configured to receive the return air and eject the supply air, the air-conditioning coil including N separate coil paths configured to pass refrigerant, the N coil paths each having a first port and a second port;   N first refrigerant lines corresponding to the N coil paths, each of the N first refrigerant lines being connected to the first port on a corresponding one of the N coil paths and being configured to pass refrigerant to or from the corresponding coil path;   N second refrigerant lines corresponding to the N coil paths, each of the N second refrigerant lines being connected to a second port on a corresponding one of the N coil paths and being configured to pass the refrigerant to or from the corresponding coil path; and   a refrigerant regulator connected to the N coil paths and configured to regulate the flow of the refrigerant through the N coil paths,   wherein   the refrigerant regulator is configured to have a least two selectable settings,   the first selectable setting of the refrigerant regulator configures the refrigerant regulator such that the refrigerant regulator stops refrigerant from flowing through M first coil paths of the N coil paths and allows refrigerant to flow through P second coil paths of the N coil paths,   the second selectable setting of the refrigerant regulator configures the refrigerant regulator such that the refrigerant regulator allows refrigerant to flow through all N coil paths,   the air-conditioning coil is configured such that the return air will pass into the air-conditioning coil from the input vent, exchange heat with one of the N coil paths, and be ejected from the air-conditioning coil as the supply air,   the N coil paths in the air-conditioning coil are arranged in parallel with respect to a flow of return air through the air-conditioning coil such that any portion of return air will pass over only one of the N coil paths as the return air flows through the air-conditioning coil from the input vent to the output vent,   N is an integer greater than 1,   M is an integer greater than 0,   P=N−M, and   M<N.   
     
     
         9 . The air-conditioner unit of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a third refrigerant line configured to receive refrigerant from the N second refrigerant lines,   wherein   the N second refrigerant lines are connected to the third refrigerant line at N connection points, respectively,   the refrigerant regulator further comprises a valve located in the third refrigerant line between M first connection points selected from the N connection points and P second connection points selected from the N connection points, and   the valve is configured to selectively allow or stop refrigerant from flowing through the M first coil paths.   
     
     
         10 . The air-conditioner unit of  claim 9 , wherein
 the valve includes
 a main refrigerant path; 
 a bypass refrigerant path connected to the main refrigerant path at a first path connection and a second path connection; 
 a two-way valve having a first opening and a second opening, the two-way valve being located on the main refrigerant path between the first and second path connections, the two-way valve having an open position in which refrigerant can flow through the two-way valve from the first opening to the second opening and from the second opening to the first opening and a closed position in which refrigerant cannot flow through the two-way valve; and 
 a one-way valve having an input opening and an output opening, the one-way valve allowing refrigerant to flow from the input opening to the output opening and preventing refrigerant from flowing from the output opening to the input opening, and 
   the one-way valve is oriented such that the input opening is upstream of refrigerant flow during a heating mode and is downstream of the refrigerant flow during a cooling mode.   
     
     
         11 . The air-conditioner unit of  claim 9 , wherein
 the valve is one of a bi-flow directional solenoid valve, a solenoid and check valve, a linear expansion valve, and a direct-acting solenoid valve.   
     
     
         12 . The air-conditioner unit of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a third refrigerant line configured to receive refrigerant from the N second refrigerant lines,   wherein   the N second refrigerant lines are connected to the third refrigerant line at N connection points, respectively, and   the refrigerant regulator further comprises M valves located in M second refrigerant lines, respectively, of the N second refrigerant lines between corresponding M first coil paths in the N coil paths and corresponding M first connection points of the N connection points, the M valves being configured to selectively allow or stop refrigerant from flowing through the M first coil paths, respectively.   
     
     
         13 . The air-conditioner unit of  claim 12 , wherein
 the M valves each include
 a main refrigerant path; 
 a bypass refrigerant path connected to the main refrigerant path at a first path connection and a second path connection; 
 a two-way valve having a first opening and a second opening, the two-way valve being located on the main refrigerant path between the first and second path connections, the two-way valve having an open position in which refrigerant can flow through the two-way valve from the first opening to the second opening and from the second opening to the first opening and a closed position in which refrigerant cannot flow through the two-way valve; and 
 a one-way valve having an input opening and an output opening, the one-way valve allowing refrigerant to flow from the input opening to the output opening and preventing refrigerant from flowing from the output opening to the input opening, and 
   the one-way valve is oriented such that the input opening is upstream of refrigerant flow during a heating mode and is downstream of the refrigerant flow during a cooling mode.   
     
     
         14 . The air-conditioner unit of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a refrigerant distributor having a first refrigerant path on a first end and N second refrigerant paths on a second end,   wherein   the N first refrigerant lines are connected to the N second refrigerant paths, respectively, and   the refrigerant regulator further comprises M valves located in M first refrigerant lines, respectively, of the N first refrigerant lines between corresponding M first coil paths in the N coil paths and the corresponding M second refrigerant paths of the N second refrigerant paths, the M valves being configured to selectively allow or stop refrigerant from flowing through the M first coil paths, respectively.   
     
     
         15 . The air-conditioner unit of  claim 14 , wherein
 the M valves each include
 a main refrigerant path; 
 a bypass refrigerant path connected to the main refrigerant path at a first path connection and a second path connection; 
 a two-way valve having a first opening and a second opening, the two-way valve being located on the main refrigerant path between the first and second path connections, the two-way valve having an open position in which refrigerant can flow through the two-way valve from the first opening to the second opening and from the second opening to the first opening and a closed position in which refrigerant cannot flow through the two-way valve; and 
 a one-way valve having an input opening and an output opening, the one-way valve allowing refrigerant to flow from the input opening to the output opening and preventing refrigerant from flowing from the output port to the input port, and 
   the one-way valve is oriented such that the input opening is upstream of refrigerant flow during a heating mode and is downstream of the refrigerant flow during a cooling mode.   
     
     
         16 . The air-conditioner unit of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a first refrigerant distributor configured to pass the refrigerant and having a first refrigerant path on a first end and M second refrigerant paths on a second end;   a first expansion valve connected to the first refrigerant path and configured to controllably restrict a first flow of refrigerant through the first refrigerant path;   a second refrigerant distributor configured to pass the refrigerant and having a third refrigerant path on a first end and P fourth refrigerant paths on a second end; and   a second expansion valve connected to the third refrigerant path and configured to controllably restrict a second flow of refrigerant through the third refrigerant path,   wherein   M controllable first refrigerant lines selected from the N first refrigerant lines are connected to the M second refrigerant paths in the first refrigerant distributor, respectively,   P non-controllable first refrigerant lines selected from the N first refrigerant lines are connected to the P fourth refrigerant paths in the second refrigerant distributor, respectively, and   the refrigerant regulator comprises the first and second expansion valves.   
     
     
         17 . The air-conditioner unit of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a refrigerant distributor configured to pass the refrigerant and having a first refrigerant path on a first end and N second refrigerant paths on a second end;   an expansion valve connected to the first refrigerant path and configured to controllably restrict a flow of refrigerant through the first refrigerant path,   wherein   the N first refrigerant lines are connected to the N second refrigerant paths, respectively.   
     
     
         18 . A method of operating an air-conditioner in a cooling mode, the air-conditioner having an air-conditioning coil, the air-conditioning coil having N parallel coil paths, the method comprising:
 stopping refrigerant flow through M first coil paths selected from the N parallel coil paths;   distributing refrigerant through P second coil paths selected from the N parallel coil paths;   receiving return air at the air-conditioning coil;   passing M first portions of the return air through the air-conditioning coil past the M first coil paths as M unconditioned portions of supply air, respectively;   passing P second portions of the return air through the air-conditioning coil past the P second coil paths as P conditioned portions of supply air, respectively;   cooling the P second portions of the return air by exchanging heat between the P second portions of the return air and the refrigerant distributed through the P second coil paths, respectively, to generate the P conditioned portions of supply air; and   combining the M unconditioned portions of supply air and the P conditioned portions of supply air to form combined supply air,   wherein   each of the M first portions of return air and each of the P second portions of the return air flow past only one of the N parallel coil paths,   N is an integer greater than 1,   M is an integer greater than 0,   P=N−M, and   M<N.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein
 the operation of stopping refrigerant flow through the M first coil paths further includes operating a single valve to stop the flow of refrigerant through the M first coil paths.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein
 the operation of stopping refrigerant flow through the M first coil paths further includes operating M valves to stop the flow of refrigerant through the M first coil paths, respectively, and   M is an integer greater than 1.