Method and system for diagnosing a cooling system

• US 20030115890A1
• Filed: 10/28/2002
• Published: 06/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Copeland Corporation LLC (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Jayanth, Nagaraj, Pham, Hung
• Granted Patent: US 6,758,051 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/126
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1687 Assembly, peg and hole, palletising, straight line, weaving pattern movement
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 51/00 Testing machines, pumps, or pumping installations
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 18/0215 where only one member is moving
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2270/07 Electric current
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2270/784 Light
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2270/80 Diagnostics
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2270/86 Detection
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2270/90 Remote control, e.g. wireless, via LAN, by radio, or by a wired connection from a central computer
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 23/008 Hermetic pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 28/28 Safety arrangements; Monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 29/0085 Prime movers
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/151 of the compressor motor
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/1931 Discharge pressures
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/2106 of fresh outdoor air
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/2116 of a condenser
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/005 of safety devices F25B49/02 and F25B49/04 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/025 Motor control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/08 for dynamo-electric motors

Abstract

A cooling system includes a compressor having a motor protector which stops the compressor'"'"'s motor when it senses an out of specification condition. A diagnostic system of the cooling system monitors the status of the motor protector. The diagnostic system includes logic circuitry that diagnoses the type of problem the compressor or the system is having based upon the running times and status of the motor in conjunction with the times and status of the tripped motor protector. The diagnostic system also includes either a discharge pressure sensor or a condenser temperature sensor, an ambient air sensor and a voltage sensor. The sensors provide information to the diagnostic system to enable it to determine and indicate a system fault.

Claims

1. A cooling system comprising:

a compressor;

a motor attached to said compressor for powering said compressor;

a motor protector associated with said motor and actuable between a first position when said motor is within specified operating parameters and a second position when said motor is outside of said specified operating parameters; and

a diagnostic system associated with said motor protector and operable to diagnose the cooling system problem based upon a status of said motor protector.

2. The cooling system of claim 1 further comprising a sensor in communication with said diagnostic system and operable to monitor an operating characteristic of the cooling system.

3. The cooling system according to claim 2, wherein said sensor is a pressure sensor operable to monitor a discharge pressure of said compressor.

4. The cooling system according to claim 3, further comprising at least one current sensor operable to monitor electrical current supplied to said motor.

5. The cooling system according to claim 4, wherein said diagnostic system determines said status of said motor protector based on input from said current sensor.

6. The cooling system according to claim 5, further comprising a demand signal, said demand signal in conjunction with said status of said motor protector being used to diagnose said compressor problem.

7. The cooling system according to claim 2, wherein said sensor is a temperature sensor operable to monitor ambient temperature.

8. The cooling system according to claim 2, wherein said sensor is a voltage sensor operable to monitor electrical voltage being supplied to said motor.

9. The cooling system according to claim 1, wherein said compressor operates between a suction pressure side and a discharge pressure side, said cooling system problem being diagnosed by said diagnostic system being associated with said suction pressure side.

10. The cooling system according to claim 1, wherein said compressor operates between a suction pressure side and a discharge pressure side, said cooling system problem being diagnosed by said diagnostic system being associated with said discharge pressure side.

11. The cooling system according to claim 1, wherein said diagnostic system includes an indicator operable to indicate the status of said motor protector.

12. The cooling system according to claim 11, wherein said diagnostic system includes an indicator which identifies a specific cooling system problem.

13. The cooling system according to claim 1, wherein said diagnostic system includes an indicator operable to indicate a specific cooling system problem.

14. The cooling system according to claim 1, wherein said diagnostic system determines an operating time for said compressor and an idle time for said compressor.

15. The cooling system according to claim 1, wherein said diagnostic system determines the length of time said motor protector is in said second position.

16. The cooling system according to claim 1, further comprising a demand signal, said demand signal in conjunction with said status of said motor protector being used to diagnose said compressor problem.

17. The cooling system according to claim 1, further comprising an electrical plug, said diagnostic system being integrated into said electrical plug.

18. The cooling system according to claim 1, further comprising a contactor, said diagnostic system being integrated into said contactor.

19. A cooling system according to claim 1, further comprising a condensor, an expansion device in communication with said condenser, and an evaporator in communication with said expansion device, wherein said compressor is in communication with said evaporator and said condenser.

20. The cooling system of claim 19, further comprising a sensor in communication with said diagnostic system and operable to monitor an operating characteristic of the cooling system.

21. The cooling system according to claim 20, wherein said sensor is a pressure sensor operable to monitor a discharge pressure of said compressor.

22. The cooling system according to claim 21, further comprising at least one current sensor operable to monitor electrical current supplied to said motor.

23. The cooling system according to claim 22, wherein said diagnostic system determines said status of said motor protector based on said current sensor.

24. The cooling system according to claim 23, further comprising a demand signal, said demand signal in conjunction with said status of said motor protector being used to diagnose said compressor problem.

25. The cooling system according to claim 1, wherein said sensor is a voltage sensor operable to monitor electrical voltage being supplied to said motor.

26. The cooling system according to claim 20, wherein said sensor is a temperature sensor operable to monitor ambient temperature.

27. The cooling system according to claim 19, wherein said compressor operates between a suction pressure side and a discharge pressure side, said cooling system problem being diagnosed by said diagnostic system being associated with said suction pressure side.

28. The cooling system according to claim 19, wherein said compressor operates between a suction pressure side and a discharge pressure side, said cooling system problem being diagnosed by said diagnostic system being associated with said discharge pressure side.

29. The cooling system according to claim 19, wherein said diagnostic system includes an indicator operable to indicate the status of said motor protector.

30. The cooling system according to claim 29, wherein said indicator indicates a specific cooling system problem.

31. The cooling system according to claim 19, wherein said diagnostic system includes an indicator operable to indicate a specific cooling system problem.

32. The cooling system according to claim 19, wherein said diagnostic system determines an operating time for said compressor and an idle time for said compressor.

33. The cooling system according to claim 19, wherein said diagnostic system determines the length of time said motor protector is in said second position.

34. The compressor assembly according to claim 19, further comprising a demand signal, said demand signal in conjunction with said status of said motor protector being used to diagnose said compressor problem.

35. The compressor assembly according to claim 19, further comprising an electrical plug, said diagnostic system being integrated into said electrical plug.

36. The compressor assembly according to claim 19, further comprising a contactor, said diagnostic system being integrated into said contactor.