Predicting maintenance in a refrigeration system

• US 20070089435A1
• Filed: 10/21/2005
• Published: 04/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Emerson Retail Services, Inc. (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Emerson Retail Services, Inc. (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Singh, Abtar, Mitchell, James, Woodworth, Stephen, Mathews, Thomas, Churiwal, Pawan
• Application Number:
  US11/256,638
• Publication Number:
  US 20070089435A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/129
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2500/06 Damage
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/005 of safety devices F25B49/02 and F25B49/04 take precedence

Abstract

A method for predicting maintenance in a refrigeration system includes counting occurrences of a compressor operating event and calculating a cumulative total of the compressor operating events. The method also comprises comparing the cumulative total with an operating threshold and estimating a time period until the cumulative total exceeds the operating threshold. The method may be executed by a controller or stored in a computer-readable medium.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

counting occurrences of a compressor operating event;

calculating a cumulative total of said compressor operating events;

comparing said cumulative total with an operating threshold; and

estimating a time period until said cumulative total exceeds said operating threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining when maintenance will be required based on said estimating.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said maintenance comprises replacing an electrical contactor.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said compressor operating event comprises a cycling of said electrical contactor, and wherein said operating threshold comprises a maximum cycle count.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising calculating a cycle rate based on said cumulative total, wherein said estimating said time period is based on said cycle rate.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein said maintenance comprises a compressor oil change.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said compressor operating event comprises a compressor operating time unit.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising calculating an operating rate based on said cumulative total, wherein said estimating said time period is based on said operating rate.

9. The method of claim 3, further comprising generating a notification based on said determining.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising generating a notification indicating said maintenance is required.

11. A controller that executes the method of claim 1.

12. A controller that executes the method of claim 2.

13. A controller that executes the method of claim 3.

14. A controller that executes the method of claim 4.

15. A controller that executes the method of claim 5.

16. A controller that executes the method of claim 6.

17. A controller that executes the method of claim 7.

18. A controller that executes the method of claim 8.

19. A controller that executes the method of claim 9.

20. A controller that executes the method of claim 10.

21. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 1.

22. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 2.

23. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 3.

24. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 4.

25. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 5.

26. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 6.

27. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 7.

28. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 8.

29. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 9.

30. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 10.