Chiller monitoring system
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for measuring and monitoring critical parameters including at least an operating efficiency of a chiller unit of the type having a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, and a motor for driving said compressor, said condenser having an inlet line for receiving a supply of condenser water and an outlet line for discharging said supply of condenser water, said evaporator having an inlet line for receiving a supply of chilled water and an outlet line for discharging said supply of chilled water, comprising:
- first and second temperature sensors respectively disposed at said inlet and said outlet of said condenser for detecting and outputting condenser water entering and leaving temperatures (Tce) and (Tcl);
third and fourth temperature sensors respectively disposed at said inlet and outlet of said evaporator for detecting and outputting chilled water entering and leaving temperatures (Tee) and (Tel);
first and second pressure sensors respectively disposed at said inlet and outlet of said condenser for detecting and outputting condenser water entering and leaving pressures (Pce) and (Pcl);
third and fourth pressure sensors respectively disposed at said inlet and outlet of said evaporator for detecting and outputting chilled water entering and leaving pressures (Pee) and (Pel);
load sensor means for detecting and outputting a load of said motor;
storage means for storing predetermined constant data;
data processing means receiving said outputs of said first, second, third and fourth temperature sensors, said first, second, third and fourth pressure sensors, and said load sensor means for calculating at least the efficiency of said chiller in accordance with said outputs of said first, second, third and fourth temperature sensors, said first, second, third and fourth pressure sensors, and said load sensor means and said predetermined constant data; and
display means for displaying at least the chiller operating efficiency, the condenser water entering and leaving temperatures, the chilled water entering and leaving temperatures, the condenser water entering and leaving pressures, the chilled water entering and leaving pressures, and compressor motor amperes.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for measuring and monitoring critical parameters of a chiller, such as the chiller efficiency. Specifically, temperature and pressure sensors are disposed in the inlet and outlet lines of a condenser and chiller unit. A sensor is also placed on the compressor motor for determining the amount of power being expended by the motor. The actual flow rate of the chilled water entering and leaving the chiller unit is calculated based upon the sensor inputs. The actual kilowatts per unit ton rating for the evaporator is determined. The design kilowatts per unit ton rating for the evaporator is corrected to take into account any variation between the actual motor voltage and design motor voltage, and the total temperature deviation. The chiller efficiency is then calculated based on these two kilowatt per ton ratings.
155 Citations
16 Claims
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1. An apparatus for measuring and monitoring critical parameters including at least an operating efficiency of a chiller unit of the type having a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, and a motor for driving said compressor, said condenser having an inlet line for receiving a supply of condenser water and an outlet line for discharging said supply of condenser water, said evaporator having an inlet line for receiving a supply of chilled water and an outlet line for discharging said supply of chilled water, comprising:
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first and second temperature sensors respectively disposed at said inlet and said outlet of said condenser for detecting and outputting condenser water entering and leaving temperatures (Tce) and (Tcl); third and fourth temperature sensors respectively disposed at said inlet and outlet of said evaporator for detecting and outputting chilled water entering and leaving temperatures (Tee) and (Tel); first and second pressure sensors respectively disposed at said inlet and outlet of said condenser for detecting and outputting condenser water entering and leaving pressures (Pce) and (Pcl); third and fourth pressure sensors respectively disposed at said inlet and outlet of said evaporator for detecting and outputting chilled water entering and leaving pressures (Pee) and (Pel); load sensor means for detecting and outputting a load of said motor; storage means for storing predetermined constant data; data processing means receiving said outputs of said first, second, third and fourth temperature sensors, said first, second, third and fourth pressure sensors, and said load sensor means for calculating at least the efficiency of said chiller in accordance with said outputs of said first, second, third and fourth temperature sensors, said first, second, third and fourth pressure sensors, and said load sensor means and said predetermined constant data; and display means for displaying at least the chiller operating efficiency, the condenser water entering and leaving temperatures, the chilled water entering and leaving temperatures, the condenser water entering and leaving pressures, the chilled water entering and leaving pressures, and compressor motor amperes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 4, 5)
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3. 73:
- a constant equal to the square root of three;
AMV;
a constant representing an actual average of the motor voltages;DMV;
a constant representing a design motor voltage;AA;
a measured value representing current drawn by the motor in terms of amperes;DA;
a constant representing a design amps;DET;
a constant representing a design evaporator tonnage;TDce ;
a constant representing a design condenser water entering temperature; andTDel ;
a constant representing a design chilled water leaving temperature.
- a constant equal to the square root of three;
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6. 73:
- a constant equal to the square root of three;
AA;
a measured value representing current drawn by the motor in terms of amperes; andAMV;
a constant representing an actual average of the motor voltages, manually measured a number of times. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 12, 14, 15)
- a constant equal to the square root of three;
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7. A method for measuring and monitoring at least an operating efficiency of a chiller unit of the type having a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, a motor for driving said compressor, said condenser having an inlet line for receiving a supply of condenser water and an outlet line for discharging said supply of condenser water, said evaporator having an inlet line for receiving a supply of chilled water and an outlet line for discharging said supply of chilled water, comprising the steps of:
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(a) sensing pressures of said supply of chilled water entering and leaving said evaporator and determining a pressure difference; (b) calculating an actual flow rate of said chilled water in accordance with said pressure difference and predetermined constant data; (c) sensing temperatures of said supply of chilled water entering and leaving said evaporator and determining a temperature difference; (d) sensing a load of said motor; (e) calculating the efficiency of said chiller in accordance with said actual flow rate, said temperature difference, said load and said predetermined constant data; (f) displaying said chiller efficiency result; and (g) repeating said steps (a)-(f).
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8. A method for measuring and monitoring at least an operating efficiency of a chiller unit of the type having a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, a motor for driving said compressor, said condenser having an inlet line for receiving a supply of condenser water and an outlet line for discharging said supply of condenser water, said evaporator having an inlet line for receiving a supply of chilled water and an outlet line for discharging said supply of chilled water, comprising the steps of:
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(a) sensing pressures of said supply of chilled water entering and leaving said evaporator and determining an evaporator pressure difference; (b) calculating an actual chilled water flow rate in accordance with said pressure difference and predetermined constant data; (c) sensing temperatures of said supply of chilled water entering and leaving said evaporator and determining an evaporator temperature difference; (d) sensing a load of said motor; (e) calculating an actual kilowatt usage per evaporator ton in accordance with said actual chilled water flow rate, said evaporator temperature difference, said load and predetermined constant data; (f) sensing temperatures of said supply of condenser water entering and leaving said condenser and determining a condenser temperature difference; (g) calculating a corrected design kilowatt usage per evaporator ton in accordance with said evaporator temperature difference, said condenser temperature difference, said load said predetermined constant data; (h) calculating the operating efficiency of said chiller by dividing said corrected design kilowatt usage per evaporator ton by said actual kilowatt usage per evaporator ton; (i) displaying said chiller operating efficiency; and (j) repeating said steps (a)-(i).
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11. 73:
- a constant equal to the square root of three;
AA;
a measured value representing current drawn by the motor in terms of amperes; andAMV;
a predetermined constant representing an actual average of motor voltages.
- a constant equal to the square root of three;
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13. 73:
- a predetermined constant representing the square root of three.
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16. 73:
- a constant equal to the square root of three;
AA;
a measured value representing current drawn by the motor in terms of amperes;AMV;
a constant representing an actual average of the motor voltage;c1 ;
a constant representing the specific heat of water; andc2 ;
a constant.
- a constant equal to the square root of three;
Specification
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Current AssigneeLarry D. Mcmullin
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Original AssigneeLarry D. Mcmullin
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InventorsMcMullin, Larry D.
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Primary Examiner(s)Tanner, Harry B.
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Application NumberUS07/662,596Time in Patent Office333 DaysField of Search62/129, 62/126, 62/125, 62/127, 236/94, 165/11.1, 374/39, 374/40, 374/41, 364/551.01, 364/557, 73/112US Class Current62/129CPC Class CodesF25B 49/005 of safety devices F25B49/02...G01L 3/26 Devices for measuring effic...
