Oil burner motor and refrigeration and air conditioning motor diagnostic apparatus

• US 6,023,667 A
• Filed: 03/12/1998
• Issued: 02/08/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Edward M. Johnson
• Original Assignee: Edward M. Johnson
• Inventors: Johnson, Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoff, Marc S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patterson, Kendrick P.
• Application Number:
  US09/041,478
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 702/183, 324/204, 324/200, 324/207.11, 324/207.15, 73/290, 73/291, 73/304, 73/305, 431/12, 431/13, 123/495, 123/510, 123/1 A, 701/99, 701/104
• US Class Current: 702/183
• 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 11/38 Failure diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/49 ensuring correct operation, e.g. by trial operation or configuration checks
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/57 using telephone networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 9/008 where the other variable is the flight or running time
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/08 Registering or indicating the production of the machine either with or without registering working or idle time

Abstract

The present invention is an apparatus for monitoring the running time and cycle time of electric motors. The apparatus diagnoses fuel consumption and burner functionality in heating plants by measuring elapsed motor running time. Alternatively, the apparatus diagnoses the running and cycle time of refrigeration and air conditioning motors for the purpose of measuring efficiency and predicting failures. The Apparatus has three major components: an inductive sensor device mechanically attached to the motor; a microprocessor device connected by cable to the inductive sensor device that records time and sensor device data and retransmits it; and the central monitoring device. The microprocessor device is connected by telephone to the central monitoring device. Using historical data of fuel deliveries and consumption and the sensor-supplied running time information, the central monitoring device will predict when the fuel tank needs refilling. The data can be used to indicate a failure has occurred. In addition, the central monitoring device is able to monitor a plurality of sensor devices. This data can be used by a fuel company to schedule and optimize fuel deliveries. When used in refrigeration and air conditioning applications, the apparatus monitors the time the compressor motor is running and the time it is idle. This ratio provides the efficiency of the system and advance notice of potential failures and possible refrigerant loss.

Claims

1. A monitor and diagnostic apparatus for an oil burner motor, with said oil burner motor having a measurable electrical field, said oil burner motor having an operational history comprising a sequence of on/off cycles and performance events within each on/off cycle, said apparatus comprising:

an inductive sensor device having a sensor coil for providing a signal corresponding to the presence of an electromagnetic field of said oil burner motor when said oil burner motor is operating;

a microprocessor device for processing said signal from said sensor device, said microprocessor device providing an output of at least one performance signal;

a central monitoring and diagnostic device for processing said performance signal from said microprocessor device, wherein said monitoring and diagnostic device determines the fuel consumption per minute of run time and per minute of actual calendar time and then estimates when the tank will reach its minimum level.

2. The monitor and diagnostic apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sensor device is connected to said oil burner motor by mechanical means, and further said sensor device has no electrical connection to said oil burner motor.

3. The monitor and diagnostic apparatus of claim 2 wherein said microprocessor device provides an output of at least one performance signal corresponding to the entire time the motor is running as stored in the lapsed time storage registers of said oil burner motor over a pre-selected time interval.

4. The monitor and diagnostic apparatus of claim 3 wherein said microprocessor device further provides a means to detect a "lock out" condition by reporting conditions where the oil burner motor being monitored turns on and then off in a short period by comparing a "short run" value with each and every run time.

5. The monitor and diagnostic apparatus of claim 4 wherein said central monitoring and diagnostic device determines the fuel used during the pre-selected time interval and the total fuel remaining in the fuel supply tank for said oil burner motor to diagnose the operational history of said oil burner.

6. The monitor and diagnostic apparatus of claim 5 wherein said central monitoring and diagnostic device comprises an interface device and a computer.

7. A monitor and diagnostic apparatus for a refrigeration compressor motor, with said refrigeration compressor motor having a measurable electrical field, said motor having an operational history comprising a sequence of on/off cycles and performance events within each on/off cycle, said apparatus comprising:

an inductive sensor device having a sensor coil for providing a signal corresponding to the presence of an electromagnetic field of said refrigeration compressor motor when said motor is operating;

a microprocessor device for processing said signal from said sensor device, said microprocessor device providing an output of at least one performance signal;

a central monitoring and diagnostic device for processing said performance signal from said microprocessor device, wherein said monitoring and diagnostic device determines the amount of time said refrigeration compressor motor runs and the amount of time said refrigeration compressor motor is shut off.

8. The monitor and diagnostic apparatus of claim 7 wherein said sensor device is connected to said refrigeration compressor motor by mechanical means, and further said sensor device has no electrical connection to said refrigeration compressor motor.

9. The monitor and diagnostic apparatus of claim 8 wherein said microprocessor device provides an output of at least one performance signal corresponding to the amount of time said refrigeration compressor motor runs and the amount of time said refrigeration compressor motor is shut off over a pre-selected time interval.

10. The monitor and diagnostic apparatus of claim 9 wherein said central monitoring and diagnostic device determines the actual running time of said refrigeration compressor motor during the pre-selected time interval and analyzing the change in a duty cycle as determined from previous data stored in a database to predict potential failure of the refrigeration compressor motor.

11. The monitor and diagnostic apparatus of claim 10 wherein said central monitoring and diagnostic device comprises an interface device and a computer.