High flow isolation valve for air conditioning system

Abstract

An air conditioning system includes an indoor unit located in or connected to a conditioned space, and an outdoor unit located outdoors at an exterior of the conditioned space. An input pathway operably connects the outdoor unit to the indoor unit and is configured to deliver a flow of liquid refrigerant from the outdoor unit to the indoor unit during operation of the air conditioning system. A return pathway operably connects the outdoor unit to the indoor unit and configured to deliver a flow of vapor refrigerant from the indoor unit to the outdoor unit. One or more high flow fittings are located along each of the input pathway and the return pathway, and are configured to automatically actuate from an open position to a closed position in response to a flow rate of refrigerant through the high flow fitting exceeding a preselected threshold.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An air conditioning system, comprising:
 an indoor unit located in the or connected to a conditioned space;   an outdoor unit located outdoors at an exterior of the conditioned space;   an input pathway operably connecting the outdoor unit to the indoor unit and configured to deliver a flow of liquid refrigerant from the outdoor unit to the indoor unit during operation of the air conditioning system;   a return pathway operably connecting the outdoor unit to the indoor unit and configured to deliver a flow of vapor refrigerant from the indoor unit to the outdoor unit; and   one or more high flow fittings disposed along each of the input pathway and the return pathway configured to automatically actuate from an open position to a closed position in response to a flow rate of refrigerant through the high flow fitting exceeding a preselected threshold.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioning system of  claim 1 , wherein a high flow fitting of the one or more high flow fittings is disposed between a condenser of the outdoor unit and an expansion valve of the indoor unit. 
     
     
         3 . The air conditioning system of  claim 1 , wherein a high flow fitting of the one or more high flow fittings is disposed between an evaporator of the indoor unit and a compressor of the outdoor unit. 
     
     
         4 . The air conditioning system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more high flow fittings are disposed outdoors at the exterior of the conditioned space. 
     
     
         5 . The air conditioning of  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant is one rated by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) as A2L or A3. 
     
     
         6 . The air conditioning system of  claim 1 , wherein the automatic actuation of the high flow fittings is in response to a leak of refrigerant from the indoor unit. 
     
     
         7 . The air conditioning system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more high flow fittings each latch in the closed position once actuated via a latching mechanism. 
     
     
         8 . The air conditioning system of  claim 7 , wherein the latching mechanism is one of a magnetic or mechanical latching mechanism. 
     
     
         9 . The air conditioning system of  claim 1 , wherein a high flow fitting of the one or more high flow fittings is disposed between an expansion valve of the outdoor unit and an evaporator of the indoor unit. 
     
     
         10 . A method of operating an air conditioning system, comprising:
 providing one or more high flow fittings on a refrigerant flow line between an indoor unit and an outdoor unit of the air conditioning system; and   automatically actuating by high flow the high flow fittings from an open position to a closed position in response to a mass flow of refrigerant across the high flow fittings exceeding a threshold.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising latching the one or more high flow fittings at the closed position. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising latching the one or more high flow fittings via one of a magnetic or mechanical latching mechanism. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising resetting the one or more high flow fittings to the opened position. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the automatic actuation of the one or more high flow fittings is in response to a leak of refrigerant from the indoor unit. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising providing a high flow fitting of the one or more high flow fittings between a condenser of the outdoor unit and an expansion valve of the indoor unit. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising providing a high flow fitting of the one or more high flow fittings between an evaporator of the indoor unit and a compressor of the outdoor unit. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising providing the one or more high flow fittings outdoors at an exterior of a conditioned space. 
     
     
         18 . An air conditioning system, comprising:
 an indoor unit located at a conditioned space, the indoor unit including:
 a heat exchanger; and 
 an expansion valve fluidly coupled to the heat exchanger; 
 an outdoor unit located outdoors at an exterior of the conditioned space, the outdoor unit including:
 a compressor; and 
 a condenser fluidly coupled to the compressor; 
 an input pathway operably connecting the condenser to the expansion valve and configured to deliver a flow of liquid refrigerant from the condenser to the expansion valve during operation of the air conditioning system; 
 a return pathway operably connecting the heat exchanger to the compressor, configured to deliver a flow of vapor refrigerant from fan coil unit to the compressor; and 
 one or more high flow fittings disposed along each of the input pathway and the return pathway, each high flow fitting configured to automatically actuate from an open position to a closed position in response to a flow rate of refrigerant through the high flow fitting exceeding a preselected threshold, the flow rate exceeding the threshold due to a leak of refrigerant from the indoor unit.