Heat pump system compressor fault detector

• US 4,246,763 A
• Filed: 10/24/1978
• Issued: 01/27/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honeywell Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Mueller, Dale A., Serber, Stephen L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wayner, William E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tanner, Harry
• Application Number:
  US05/954,266
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 62/126, 62/160, 62/209, 62/208, 62/228 R
• US Class Current: 62/160
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/02 for compression type machines, plants or systems

Abstract

A compressor fault detection and control system for a reverse cycle refrigeration system for detecting faulty compressor operation and for controlling the system in response to the detection of a fault by inhibiting the compressor and for providing a fault indication, the control system comprising a controller means receiving inputs indicative of the outdoor air temperature, the temperature of the compressor discharge refrigerant, and an output indicative of a demand from a building temperature sensing means for heating or cooling of the building. The controller means also includes timing means and means for comparing the value of the compressor discharge temperature and the value of the outdoor air temperature. Further, the controller means has an operative connection to control means for controlling the operation of the compressor and functioning, after the compressor has been operating for a preselected time interval, to inhibit any further operation of the compressor means unless the value of the compressor discharge temperature is greater than the value of the outdoor air temperature plus a preselected constant value.

Claims

1. A compressor fault detection and control system (hereinafter "fault detection system") for a reverse cycle refrigeration system (hereinafter "system") for heating and cooling a building wherein said system comprises refrigerant compression means, refrigerant compression control means, an indoor coil, an outdoor coil, and refrigerant conduit means connecting said compression means and said coils, said fault detection system comprising:

outdoor air temperature sensing means (hereinafter "TODAS") having an output indicative of outdoor air temperature (hereinafter "TODA");

compressor discharge temperature sensing means (hereinafter "TDSCHS") having an output indicative of the temperature (hereinafter "TDSCH") of the refrigerant discharged from said refrigerant compression means; and

building temperature sensing means (hereinafter "STAT") having an output indicative of a demand for heating or cooling of the building; and

controller means having operative connections to said TODAS, TDSCHS, and STAT so as to receive the outputs thereof, said controller means including circuit connect-disconnect means selectively interconnecting said STAT output to said refrigerant compression control means whereby when said STAT output is connected thereto said compression means is enabled to operate and when said STAT output is disconnected therefrom said compression means is inhibited from operating, said controller means also including timing means and means for comparing the value of TDSCH and the value of TODA plus a preselected constant K₁, and said controller further being characterized by being adapted to inhibit said compression means from operating if, after a preselected time interval as measured by said timing means, the value of TDSCH is less than the value of TODA plus said predetermined constant.

8. Apparatus of claim 1 further characterized by the inhibiting of said compression means from operating being affected by said controller means operating said connect-disconnect means to disconnect said STAT output from said refrigerant compression control means.

2. A compressor fault detection and control system (hereinafter "fault detection system") for a reverse cycle refrigeration system (hereinafter "system") for heating and cooling a building wherein said system comprises refrigerant compression means, refrigerant compression control means, an indoor coil, an outdoor coil, and refrigerant conduit means connecting said compression means and said coils, said fault detection system comprising:

outdoor air temperature sensing means (hereinafter "TODAS") having an output indicative of outdoor air temperature (hereinafter "TODA");

compressor discharge temperature sensing means (hereinafter "TDSCHS") having an output indicative of the temperature (hereinafter "TDSCH") of the refrigerant discharged from said refrigerant compression means; and

controller means having operative connections to said TODAS, TDSCHS, and to said refrigerant compression control means whereby said compression means is enabled to operate or is inhibited from operating, said controller means also including timing means and means for comparing the value of TDSCH and the value of TODA plus a preselected constant K₁, and said controller further being characterized by being adapted to inhibit said compression means from operating if, after a preselected time interval as measured by said timing means, the value of TDSCH is less than the value of TODA plus K₁.

3. Apparatus of claim 2 further characterized by said controller means including means for performing comparisons of the value of TDSCH at predetermined intervals of time and being effective to inhibit the operation of said compression means if, at the completion of one of said time intervals, the then current value of TDSCH minus the value of TDSCH at the beginning of said time interval is less than a predetermined amount.

4. Apparatus of claim 2 further characterized by said controller means including means for performing comparisons of the value of TDSCH at predetermined intervals of time and for inhibiting the operation of said compression means if, upon the completion of one of said time intervals, the then current value of TDSCH differs from the value of TDSCH at the beginning of the time interval by an amount greater than a preselected amount.

6. Apparatus of claim 4 further characterized by said controller means including further means for comparing, on a substantially continuous basis, the values of TDSCH and TODA and for inhibiting the operation of said compression means if the value of TDSCH is less than the value of TODA plus a predetermined constant.

7. Apparatus of claim 3 further characterized by said controller means including further means for comparing, on a substantially continuous basis, the values of TDSCH and TODA and for inhibiting the operation of said compression means if the value of TDSCH is less than the value of TODA plus a predetermined constant.

5. A compressor fault detection and control system (hereinafter "fault detection system") for a reverse cycle refrigeration system (hereinafter "system") for heating and cooling a building wherein said system comprises refrigerant compression means, refrigerant compression control means, an indoor coil, an outdoor coil, and refrigerant conduit means connecting said compression means and said coils, said fault detection system comprising:

compressor discharge temperature sensing means (hereinafter "TDSCHS") having an output indicative of the temperature (hereinafter "TDSCH") of the refrigerant discharged from said refrigerant compression means; and

controller means having an operative connection to said TDSCHS, to receive the TDSCH output thereof, said controller means including means selectively controlling said refrigerant compression control means whereby said compression means is either enabled to operate or is inhibited from operating, said controller means also including timing means and means for performing comparisons of the value of TDSCH at predetermined intervals of time and for inhibiting the operation of said compression means if, upon the completion of one of said time intervals, the then current value of TDSCH differs from the value of TDSCH at the beginning of the time interval by an amount greater than a preselected amount.