HVAC compressor prognostics

• US 10,330,099 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2016
• Issued: 06/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trane International Inc. (Trane Technologies plc)
• Original Assignee: Trane International Inc. (Trane Technologies plc)
• Inventors: Schuster, Don A., Reed, Thomas, Yan, Chuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Dzung
• Application Number:
  US15/088,334
• Publication Number:
  US 20160290671A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,180 Days
• Field of Search: 702185, 702182
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 35/04 the means being electric
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 18/0215 where only one member is moving
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 18/344 with vanes reciprocating with respect to the inner member
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 29/0085 Prime movers
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/151 of the compressor motor
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/171 of the compressor
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/1931 Discharge pressures
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/1933 Suction pressures
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/2106 of fresh outdoor air
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/21151 at the suction side of the compressor
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/21152 at the discharge side of the compressor
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/022 Compressor control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/025 Motor control arrangements

Abstract

Systems and methods for determining the health of a compressor are disclosed. In one embodiment, a prognostic-diagnostic unit (PDU) compares expected compressor power consumption, based on current operating conditions of the HVAC system, to actual compressor power consumption. If the actual power consumption is within a predefined range of the expected power consumption under current operational conditions, the HVAC system is determined to be operating properly. If the actual power consumption deviates from the expected power consumption, a fault is indicated. An appropriate action is taken, such as displaying a fault alert, transmitting a fault message to another device, and storing information relating to the fault for later retrieval to assist troubleshooting.

Claims

1. An HVAC compressor prognostics system, comprising:

a compressor having an inlet and an outlet;

an electric motor operatively coupled to the compressor;

a suction pressure sensor operatively coupled to the inlet of the compressor;

a discharge pressure sensor operatively coupled to the outlet of the compressor;

a motor speed indicator operatively coupled to the electric motor;

a motor input power indicator operatively coupled to the electric motor; and

a prognostic-diagnostic unit coupled to the suction pressure sensor, the discharge pressure sensor, the motor speed indicator, and the motor input power indicator,

wherein the prognostic-diagnostic unit determines an expected input power from a suction pressure signal received from the suction pressure sensor, a discharge pressure signal received from the discharge pressure sensor, and a motor speed signal received from the motor speed indicator, and

wherein the prognostic-diagnostic unit compares the expected input power to the motor input power indicated by the motor input power indicator to determine compressor health.

2. The HVAC compressor prognostics system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the motor speed indicator is included in an inverter drive coupled to the electric motor.

3. The HVAC compressor prognostics system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the motor input power indicator is included in an inverter drive coupled to the electric motor.

4. The HVAC compressor prognostics system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the prognostic-diagnostic unit maps the compressor discharge pressure to a compressor discharge temperature.

5. The HVAC compressor prognostics system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the prognostic-diagnostic maps the compressor suction pressure to a compressor suction temperature.

6. The HVAC compressor prognostics system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the motor input power indicator provides the input current of the electric motor and the input voltage of the electric motor.

7. The HVAC compressor prognostics system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the prognostic-diagnostic unit calculates the expected input power in accordance with the equation:

P_mapped=a+b*T_css+c*T_csd+d*T_css²+e*T_css*T_csd+f*T_csd²+g*T_css³+h*T_csd*T_css²+i*T_css*T_csd²+j*T_csd³.

8. The HVAC compressor prognostics system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the prognostic-diagnostic unit determines a ratio between motor input power and expected input power.

9. The HVAC compressor prognostics system in accordance with claim 8, wherein the prognostic-diagnostic unit transmits a fault signal if the ratio between the motor input power and the mapped input power exceeds a predetermined ratio.

10. The HVAC compressor prognostics system in accordance with claim 9, wherein the prognostic-diagnostic unit is further transmits a second fault signal if the ratio between the motor input power and the mapped input power exceeds a second predetermined ratio.

11. The HVAC compressor prognostics system in accordance with claim 8, wherein the prognostic-diagnostic unit further comprises a memory that stores historical information including at least one of a timestamp, information indicative of the actual input power of the electric motor, information indicative of the compressor speed, information indicative of the compressor saturated discharge temperature, and information indicative of the compressor saturated suction temperature in the memory device when the ratio between the motor input power and the expected input power exceeds a predetermined ratio.

12. The HVAC compressor prognostics system in accordance with claim 11, wherein the prognostic-diagnostic unit transmits the historical information.