Method and system for data logging in a transport refrigeration system that includes a human-machine interface

• US 10,536,527 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2014
• Issued: 01/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thermo King Corporation (Trane Technologies plc)
• Original Assignee: Thermo King Corporation (Trane Technologies plc)
• Inventors: Ocejo, Luis Ramon, Ferrer, Miguel A., Spencer, Kirk
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrell, Robert B
• Application Number:
  US14/907,708
• Publication Number:
  US 20160182640A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,999 Days
• Field of Search: 709217, 726 21, 710 63, 710305, 710316, 715815
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/20 Refrigerated goods vehicles air treatment of goods space B60H; air-conditioning means for freight cars, isothermic wagons B61D27/0027; superstructures for refrigerated goods vehicles B62D33/048
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/111 of condenser fans
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/112 of evaporator fans
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/2513 Expansion valves
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/1931 Discharge pressures
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/2104 of an indoor room or compartment
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/21152 at the discharge side of the compressor
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/00 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/02 for compression type machines, plants or systems
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/003 for movable devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

Methods and systems for controlling the collection and storage of data are described. In general, the system includes a human-machine interface (HMI), and the HMI includes an interface that is configured to receive and connect with an external device. Generally, the methods and systems involve the use of an external storage device that can store, for example, collected data and/or analyzed data.

Claims

1. A method for data logging in a refrigeration system that includes a plurality of sensors each of which monitoring a parameter of the refrigeration system, a refrigeration system controller, and a human-machine interface (HMI) that is separate from the refrigeration system controller and is connected to the refrigeration system controller via a communication link, wherein the HMI includes a first communication protocol to communicate with an external device, the method comprising:

the refrigeration system controller receiving data from each of the plurality of sensors;

the refrigeration system controller processing the received data including determining if there is a conflict between the received data from one of the plurality of sensors and the received data from another of the plurality of sensors;

the refrigeration system controller transmitting at least one of the received data and the processed data to the HMI that is separate from the refrigeration system controller via the communication link;

the refrigeration system controller displaying at least one of the received data and the processed data on the HMI;

the refrigeration system controller controlling an operating state of the refrigeration system to obtain a desired operating condition based on at least one of the received data and the processed data; and

the refrigeration system controller transmitting, at a predetermined fixed periodic time rate, at least one of the received data and the processed data to the external device via the HMI using the first communication protocol.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the refrigeration system controller processing the received data includes analyzing the at least one of the received data and the processed data.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the refrigeration system controller outputting a result regarding the analysis.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the result is a set point, an alarm, and/or a temperature.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein analyzing the at least one of the received data and the processed data includes comparing the at least one of the received data and the processed data so as to generate analytics.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the refrigeration system controller transmitting, at the predetermined periodic rate, at least one of the received data and the processed data to a control center.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if there is a conflict between the received data from one of the plurality of sensors and the received data from another of the plurality of sensors includes determining if there is a conflict between the received data from one of a sensor to detect a discharge pressure temperature saturation (DPT_SAT), a sensor to detect a minimum pressure temperature saturation (MPT_SAT), a sensor to detect a minimum discharge pressure (DP_MIN), a sensor to detect an ambient temperature (AT), a sensor to detect an engine coolant temperature (ECT), a sensor to detect an engine intercooler temperature (EICT), a sensor to detect an engine cooling fan request (ECFR), a sensor to detect an engine intercooler fan request (EIFR), and a sensor to detect a box temperature (BT) and the received data from another of the sensor to detect the discharge pressure temperature saturation (DPT_SAT), the sensor to detect the minimum pressure temperature saturation (MPT_SAT), the sensor to detect the minimum discharge pressure (DP_MIN), the sensor to detect the ambient temperature (AT), the sensor to detect the engine coolant temperature (ECT), the sensor to detect the engine intercooler temperature (EICT), the sensor to detect the engine cooling fan request (ECFR), the sensor to detect the engine intercooler fan request (EIFR), and the sensor to detect the box temperature (BT).

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined periodic rate is in a range of between about 30 seconds to about five minutes.

9. A refrigeration system with data logging control, comprising:

a plurality of sensors, each of the plurality of sensors monitoring parameters of the refrigeration system;

a refrigeration system controller configured to receive data from each of the plurality of sensors; and

a human-machine interface (HMI) that is separate from the refrigeration system controller and is connected to the refrigeration system controller via a communication link,

wherein the HMI includes a first communication protocol,

wherein the refrigeration system controller is configured to communicate the received data to the HMI via the communication link, the HMI is configured to communicate the received data to an external device via the first communication protocol, and

wherein the refrigeration system controller is further configured to;

process the received data including determining if there is a conflict between the received data from one of the plurality of sensors and the received data from another of the plurality of sensors,

display at least one of the received data and the processed data on the HMI,

control an operating state of the refrigeration system to obtain a desired operating condition based on at least one of the received data and the processed data, and

transmit at least one of the received data and the processed data to the external device via the HMI device at a predetermined fixed periodic time rate.

10. The refrigeration system of claim 9, wherein the HMI includes a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface that is configured to connect to and communicate with a USB device.

11. The refrigeration system of claim 10, wherein the USB device is a USB flash drive.

12. The refrigeration system of claim 9, wherein the first communication protocol is a wireless communication protocol.

13. The refrigeration system of claim 9, further comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of a compressor, an evaporator and a condenser.

14. The refrigeration system of claim 9, wherein the refrigeration system controller is configured to determine if there is a conflict between the received data from one of a sensor to detect a discharge pressure temperature saturation (DPT_SAT), a sensor to detect a minimum pressure temperature saturation (MPT_SAT), a sensor to detect a minimum discharge pressure (DP_MIN), a sensor to detect an ambient temperature (AT), a sensor to detect an engine coolant temperature (ECT), a sensor to detect an engine intercooler temperature (EICT), a sensor to detect an engine cooling fan request (ECFR), a sensor to detect an engine intercooler fan request (EIFR), and a sensor to detect a box temperature (BT) and the received data from another of the sensor to detect the discharge pressure temperature saturation (DPT_SAT), the sensor to detect the minimum pressure temperature saturation (MPT_SAT), the sensor to detect the minimum discharge pressure (DP_MIN), the sensor to detect the ambient temperature (AT), the sensor to detect the engine coolant temperature (ECT), the sensor to detect the engine intercooler temperature (EICT), the sensor to detect the engine cooling fan request (ECFR), the sensor to detect the engine intercooler fan request (EIFR), and the sensor to detect the box temperature (BT).

15. The refrigeration system of claim 9, wherein the predetermined periodic rate is in a range of between about 30 seconds to about five minutes.