Refrigerant loss tracking and repair

• US 20040111697A1
• Filed: 05/05/2003
• Published: 06/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daniel T. Johnson, James W. Peterson, Robert S. Mcconnell
• Original Assignee: Verisae (Fortive Corp.)
• Inventors: McConnell, Robert S., Johnson, Daniel T., Peterson, James W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,512,523 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/101
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2500/19 Calculation of parameters
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2500/222 Detecting refrigerant leaks
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/07 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/005 of safety devices F25B49/02 and F25B49/04 take precedence

Abstract

A system and method for asset management including tracking refrigerant characteristics is disclosed. The system includes a database including information relating to a refrigerant system and a database including information relating to service technicians. A server is programmed to track a refrigerant characteristic and to provide notifications to a user relating to the refrigerant characteristic.

Claims

11. A method of equipment management comprising:

maintaining at a first database a plurality of characteristics relating to a piece of equipment located at a site;

tracking with software a refrigerant characteristic of the piece of equipment based on the plurality of characteristics, the software being in a server; and

generating at the server a notification relating to the refrigerant characteristic.

1. A network-based equipment management system comprising:

a first database including a plurality of characteristics relating to a piece of equipment located at a site; and

a server including software for tracking a refrigerant characteristic of the piece of equipment based on the plurality of characteristics, the server including further software to generate a notification relating to the refrigerant characteristic.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a second database including a plurality of service provider characteristics.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the server is further configured to verify that an identified service provider is certified by the EPA.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the second database includes a date of certification.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the refrigerant characteristic includes a leak rate.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the server executes software to calculate a leak rate using the following equation:

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the refrigerant characteristic includes refrigerant service events.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the first database includes information relating to a full charge capacity, a refrigerant type, and a summary of prior work orders.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the server further triggers a repair, retrofit, or retirement plan for the piece of equipment.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the refrigerant characteristic includes a full refrigerant charge amount and an added refrigerant amount over a specified period of time.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising maintaining at a second database a plurality of service provider characteristics.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising verifying certification of an identified service provider.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the second database includes a date of certification.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the refrigerant characteristic includes refrigerant service events.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the first database includes information relating to a full charge capacity, a refrigerant type, and a summary of prior work orders.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising triggering at the server a repair, retrofit, or retirement plan for the piece of equipment.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein tracking with software the refrigerant characteristic further comprises calculating a leak rate.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein calculating the leak rate comprises using the following equation:

20. The method of claim 11 wherein the refrigerant characteristic includes a full refrigerant charge amount and an added refrigerant amount over a specified period of time.

14-1. The method of claim 11 wherein the refrigerant characteristic includes a leak rate.