Disclosed are climate systems and methods for control the climate systems. A climate system includes a plurality of compressors, a first heat exchanger disposed downstream of the compressors and a second heat exchanger disposed downstream of the first heat exchanger. The compressors and heat exchangers are fluidly connected by refrigerant lines to form a refrigerant circuit. The climate system also includes a controller that controls the operation of the compressors to draw back lubricant to the compressors without use of an oil equalization system.

Disclosed are climate systems and methods for control the climate systems. A climate system includes a refrigerant circuit, a first compressor, a second compressor, a first refrigerant-to-air heat exchanger, a second refrigerant-to-air heat exchanger, and a controller communicatively coupled to the first and second compressors. Respective outlets of the first and second compressors are fluidically coupled to the first refrigerant-to-air heat exchanger, the first refrigerant-to-air heat exchanger is fluidically coupled to the second refrigerant-to-air heat exchanger, and the second refrigerant-to-air heat exchanger is fluidically coupled with respective inlets of the first and second compressors. The fluidic connection between the second refrigerant-to-air heat exchanger and the first and second compressors includes a vertical split that is configured to mitigate or reduce the amount of compressor oil that migrates to dormant components.

A switch (10, 200) is provided for installation in the air conditioning (A/C) system (12) in a vehicle (16) for intermittently operating the clutch (20) in the A/C system (12) each time the control (44) in the A/C system (12) provides power to operate the clutch (20) to prevent slugging. This turns the compressor (14) a few turns each time the clutch (20) is energized during intermittent operation to purge liquid refrigerant and lubricant from the compressor (14) to prevent slugging. The switch (10, 200) can be installed in existing vehicles by connecting the switch (10, 200) in the wiring harness (18) of the A/C system (12) to the power lead (38) from the control (44) to the clutch (20) and between the ground lead (40) from the clutch (20) and a ground. The switch (10, 200) can include a microcontroller (52) for controlling the operation of a power transistor (70) to intermittently ground the clutch to provide the intermittent operation. A battery (202) can be provided to power the microcontroller (52) for a set period of time after an initial intermittent operation. This prevents additional intermittent operation for the set period of time.

The present disclosure relates to a method of controlling a compressor, and may include: pilot driving which drives a compressor of an air conditioner by receiving a start signal; determining whether oil is short which compares the oil amount of the compressor, driven in the pilot driving, with a predetermined reference oil amount; normal driving which maintains the driving of the compressor when it is determined that the oil amount is the reference oil amount or more; and stopping which stops the driving of the compressor when it is determined that the oil amount is smaller than the reference oil amount. Accordingly, by stopping the compressor when the oil is short, it is possible to prevent damage to the compressor.

A refrigeration system and a start control method for a refrigeration system. The refrigeration system includes: a refrigeration loop having an exhaust port of a compressor, a condenser, a throttle element, an evaporator, and a suction port of the compressor connected in sequence by using a flow path; wherein a first valve is disposed between the throttle element and the condenser, and the first valve is at least capable of cutting off a refrigerant flow from the throttle element to the condenser; and a second valve is disposed close to the suction port of the compressor, and the second valve is used to control on/off of a flow path between the evaporator and the compressor. Starting load of the refrigeration system according to the present invention can be effectively reduced, so that the power and size of a drive component for providing power can also be reduced.

Systems and methods for lubricant management of a compressor in an HVACR system are disclosed. A heat transfer circuit can utilize a working fluid to provide heating or cooling includes a compressor for compressing the working fluid and a heat source configured to increase a suction temperature of the working fluid entering the compressor. One or more lubricant rheological properties in a compressor system based on measurements taken at or near a bearing cavity of the compressor are determinable. A lubricant reservoir can be in thermal communication with a discharge flow path of the compressor. An internal heat exchanger can be disposed within a compressor for improving viscosity of the lubricant to be cycled back into the compressor. A heater can be located on a fluid line between a lubricant separator and a lubricant inlet. Condenser fans can be controlled.

A device for storing refrigerant of a refrigeration circuit and a method of operating the device, in particular for an air conditioning system of a motor vehicle. The device has a housing having a volume-enclosing wall with an inlet for introducing a refrigerant-oil mixture, and an outlet, a refrigerant discharge line arranged in the interior of the housing with an inlet opening arranged above a liquid level of the refrigerant for receiving gaseous refrigerant, and a system for returning oil to a compressor having at least one through hole formed below the liquid level of the refrigerant, in particular below a filling level of the oil, in the refrigerant discharge line. In addition, at least one through hole formed in the refrigerant discharge line is formed with an adjustable through-flow cross section, which can be varied by means of a closing apparatus.

A control method of an air conditioning system for compressor protection includes, when an air conditioner turn-on request is present, determining, by a controller, whether a compressor operating condition is satisfied from a refrigerant state of an air conditioner, when the compressor operating condition is determined as being satisfied, determining, by the controller, whether the vehicle is in a state of being unattended for a long period of time using information collected from a vehicle, when the vehicle is determined as being in a state of being unattended for a long period of time, performing, by the controller, pre-run control for operating the compressor in a predetermined minimum load condition; and when a pre-run operating time for which the compressor is operated in a minimum load condition reaches a predetermined pre-run holding time, interrupting, by the controller, the pre-run control with respect to the compressor.

A thermal system for an electrified vehicle including a thermal loop and a controller is provided. The thermal loop may include a rear evaporator and a compressor fluidly connected thereto, a conduit to distribute oil throughout the thermal loop, and an evaporator valve. The controller may be programmed to, responsive to receipt of a signal indicating evaporator valve shut-off and detection of a vehicle plug-in event, cycle the compressor to promote oil movement through the compressor. The controller may be further programmed to, responsive to receipt of the signal, open the evaporator valve to force oil back to the compressor. The thermal loop may further include a first expansion valve up stream of a chiller fluidly connected to the compressor, a second expansion valve between the evaporator valve and the rear evaporator, and a third expansion valve up stream of a front evaporator fluidly connected to the compressor.

A compressor control method, including: when driving of a compressor of a vehicular air conditioner starts, a determining step of determining whether a condition for limiting an output of the compressor is satisfied by using at least one among whether a power supply unit of a vehicle is reset, a start-off period and the number of times the compressor is driven; an output limiting step of limiting an output of the compressor when the condition for limiting the output of the compressor is satisfied; a third determining step of determining an output limiting driving time of the compressor driven in a state in which the output is limited by the output limiting step; a normal driving step of canceling the output limitation of the compressor and normally driving the compressor when the output limiting driving time of the compressor is equal to or greater than a predetermined reference time.