METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING CALIBRATED CONDENSER UNIT IN REFRIGERANT-CYCLE SYSTEM

• US 20110054842A1
• Filed: 10/12/2010
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lawrence Kates
• Original Assignee: Lawrence Kates
• Inventors: Kates, Lawrence
• Application Number:
  US12/902,563
• Publication Number:
  US 20110054842A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/184
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/47 Responding to energy costs
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2500/18 Optimization, e.g. high integration of refrigeration components
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2500/19 Calculation of parameters
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/151 of the compressor motor
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/005 of safety devices F25B49/02 and F25B49/04 take precedence

Abstract

A real-time monitoring system that monitors various aspects of the operation of a refrigerant-cycle system is described. In one embodiment, the system includes a processor that measures power provided to the refrigerant-cycle system and that gathers data from one or more sensors and uses the sensor data to calculate a figure of merit related to the efficiency of the system. In one embodiment, the sensors include one or more of the following sensors: a suction line temperature sensor, a suction line pressure sensor, a suction line flow sensor, a hot gas line temperature sensor, a hot gas line pressure sensor, a hot gas line flow sensor, a liquid line temperature sensor, a liquid line pressure sensor, a liquid line flow sensor. In one embodiment, the sensors include one or more of an evaporator air temperature input sensor, an evaporator air temperature output sensor, an evaporator air flow sensor, an evaporator air humidity sensor, and a differential pressure sensor. In one embodiment, the sensors include one or more of a condenser air temperature input sensor, a condenser air temperature output sensor, and a condenser air flow sensor, an evaporator air humidity sensor. In one embodiment, the sensors include one or more of an ambient air sensor and an ambient humidity sensor.

Claims

1. A monitoring system for monitoring a condenser unit in a refrigerant-cycle system, comprising:

means for measuring one or more inputs to said condenser;

means for measuring one or more outputs from said condenser;

programmed data parameters related to operation of said condenser; and

a processing system configured to calculate one or more performance criteria of said condenser using at least a portion of the data from said means for measuring one or more inputs, said means for measuring one or more outputs, and said programmed data parameters, said processing system configured to provide a performance history of said performance criteria and to calculate an operational efficiency of said condenser using in part said performance criteria, wherein said data parameters comprise one or more calibration values obtained from said condenser during a calibration process.

2. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said data parameters comprise a type of refrigerant.

3. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said data parameters comprise a property of a refrigerant.

4. The monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising a pressure sensor to measure refrigerant pressure.

5. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said data parameters comprise one or more calibration values obtained from said condenser during a calibration process.

6. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said data parameters comprise one or more physical properties of said condenser.

7. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said data parameters comprise one or more dimensional properties of said condenser.

8. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said one or more inputs comprise input air temperature.

9. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said one or more inputs comprise input refrigerant temperature.

10. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said one or more inputs comprise electrical power provided to a condenser fan.

11. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said one or more inputs comprise electrical power provided to a compressor.

12. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said one or more outputs comprise output refrigerant pressure.

13. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said one or more outputs comprise output refrigerant temperature.

14. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said one or more outputs comprise output refrigerant flow.