Refrigerant leak detection system

• US 6,772,598 B1
• Filed: 05/01/2003
• Issued: 08/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: JETT Solutions LLC
• Original Assignee: RS Services, Inc. (EnerLume Energy Management Corp.)
• Inventors: Rinehart, Charlie M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tanner, Harry B.
• Application Number:
  US10/427,456
• Time in Patent Office: 467 Days
• Field of Search: 621/25, 621/26, 621/27, 621/29, 621/30, 621/49, 621/74, 340/632, 340/633, 340/634
• US Class Current: 62/126
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2500/222 Detecting refrigerant leaks
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/005 of safety devices F25B49/02 and F25B49/04 take precedence

Abstract

A leak detection system for the detection and monitoring of pressurized refrigerant systems, primarily walk-in refrigeration units in stores or storage facilities, manages, monitors and controls the refrigeration system which store and preserve perishables. The system includes a gas refrigerant detector and a monitor and relay system to alert the store personnel and remote monitoring stations that a problem exists by detecting the presence of gas outside the system within the refrigeration units, assessing the magnitude of the problem, and providing an emergency shutoff means to close and contain the refrigeration system contents in the event a substantial refrigeration leak is detected, closing the system until system repairs are made and the system is reset.

Claims

1. A leak detection system to monitor, report and control at least one walk-in refrigeration unit having a flow of refrigerated gas, the leak detection system essentially comprising:

a refrigerant leak detection control panel, connected to;

at least one remote refrigerant leak sensor within or attached to the at least one walk-in refrigeration unit;

an uninterruptable power supply connected to and providing power to said control panel, at least one inside walk-in horn and strobe unit connected to said control panel through an addressable horn control module;

at least one outside walk-in horn and strobe unit connected to the control panel through an addressable strobe control module;

a horn and strobe power supply with battery backup connected to said at least one inside walk-in horn and strobe unit and said at least one outside walk-in horn and strobe unit;

an addressable fire alarm control panel within said control panel connecting to a power supply with battery backup, including a first FACP keypad located in the front of the control panel, and to a second remote FACP keypad;

said control panel further connected to the refrigeration compressor equipment room by a data power cable first through a zone expansion module and second, to an addressable relay module, integrating with a refrigeration compressor controller of the walk-in refrigeration unit, to an output module of the walk-in refrigeration unit;

said control panel, through a refrigeration compressor controller of the walk-in refrigeration unit, still further connecting to evaporator liquid and suction line solenoid valves controlling the flow of refrigerated gas to the walk-in refrigeration unit in the event a shutdown of said flow of refrigerated gas is warranted.

2. The system, as disclosed in claim 1, wherein:

no action is taken by said system if the refrigerant lead sensor detects a concentration of refrigerated gas within said walk-in refrigeration unit is below 1000 ppm;

a warning signal is transmitted by said refrigerant leak sensor to the control panel when said refrigerant leak sensor detects between 1000 and 2999 ppm of refrigerated gas within said walk-in refrigeration unit, causing said inside and outside horn and strobe units to activate, also registering said warning signal in said first FACP keypad and said second remote FACP keypad; and

an alarm signal transmitted by said refrigerant leak sensor to said control panel, when said refrigerant leak sensor detects 3000 ppm or more within said walk-in refrigeration unit, causing said horn and strobe units to activate, until said control panel is reset or reactivated and until said walk-in refrigeration unit is repaired and the concentration of refrigerated gas within said walk-in refrigeration unit is brought back below the 1000 ppm threshold, said alarm signal also registering on said first FACP keypad and second remote FACP keypad.

3. The system, as disclosed in claim 1, wherein said control panel further comprises:

the addressable fire alarm control panel connected by a data power cable to a first FACP keypad annunciator located in the front of the control panel; and

to a second FACP keypad annunciator located remotely;

at least one FACP zone expansion module connected to at least one output module, to at least on input module and ultimately to at least one said refrigerant leak sensor;

a tamper strobe activate by unauthorized access to said control panel;

a system reset switch to reset said control panel after response;

a power indicator indicating power to said control panel;

an addressable module power supply with battery backup located within or near said control panel attached to said at least one addressable horn and strobe control modules, a horn and strobe power supply with battery backup attached to said inside and outside horn and strobe units,

a sensor and system power supply located within said control panel supplying power supply to said at least one refrigerant leak sensor; and

a plurality of input and output module communications cables extending from said control panel for remote monitoring of said leak detection system.

4. The system, as disclosed in claim 1, wherein the sensor is a MANNING®

IR-R sensor.

5. The system as disclosed in claim 1, wherein the sensor is a NOVAR®

RGM sensor.

6. A leak detection system to monitor, report and control a plurality of walk-in refrigeration units having a flow of refrigerated gas at a single location, the leak detection system essentially comprising:

a refrigerant leak detection control panel, connected to;

a plurality of remote refrigerant leak sensors within or attached to the plurality of walk-in refrigeration units at a single location;

an uninterruptable power supply connected to and providing power to said control panel, a plurality of inside walk-in horns and strobes, one for each of said walk-in refrigeration units, connected to said control panel through an addressable horn control module per each of said plurality of inside walk-in horns and strobes;

a plurality of outside walk-in horns and strobes, one for each of said walk-in refrigeration units, connected to said control panel through an addressable horn control module per each of said plurality of outside walk-in horns and strobes;

a horn and strobe power supply with battery backup connected to each of said inside walk-in horns and strobes and each of said outside walk-in horns and strobes; and

an addressable fire alarm control panel within said control panel connecting to a power supply with battery backup including a first FACP keypad located in the front of the control panel, and to a second remote FACP keypad; and

said control panel further connected to the refrigeration compressor equipment room by a data power cable first through a zone expansion module and second, to an addressable relay module, integrating with a refrigeration compressor controller of each of said walk-in refrigeration units, to an output module of each of said walk-in refrigeration units; and

said control panel still further connecting to evaporator liquid and suction line solenoid valves controlling the flow of refrigerated gas to each of said walk-in refrigeration units in the event a shutdown of said flow of refrigerated gas is warranted in each of said walk-in refrigeration units.

7. The system as disclosed in claim 6, wherein said control panel comprises:

multiple plug terminal strips provided for expansion capability to receive multiple line connections from each of said plurality of walk-in refrigeration units, each said terminal strip having an input and communication terminal block, a power and control terminal block containing a plurality of power input and system fuses, a plurality of reset and tamper relays, at least one 1K ½

W end of line resistors, a data and control terminal block, and a transformer terminal block, said input and communication terminal block, power and control terminal block, data and control terminal block and transformer terminal block all placed within said control panel; and

an output module transformer, a module power supply transformer and an FACP transformer also placed within or near said control panel.

8. The system, as disclosed in claim 6, wherein:

no action is taken by said system if none of the plurality of refrigerant lead sensors detects a concentration of refrigerated gas within any of the plurality of said walk-in refrigeration units is below 1000 ppm;

a warning signal is transmitted from one or more of said plurality of refrigerant leak sensors to the control panel when one or more of said refrigerant leak sensor detects between 1000 and 3000 ppm of refrigerated gas within an affected walk-in refrigeration unit containing the detected level of refrigerated gas, causing the inside and outside horn and strobe units to activate on said affected walk-in refrigeration unit, also registering said warning signal in said first FACP keypad and said second remote FACP keypad; and

an alarm signal transmitted from one or more of said plurality of refrigerant leak sensors to said control panel when one or more of said refrigerant leak sensors detects 3000 ppm or more within an affected walk-in refrigeration unit containing the detected level of refrigerated gas, causing said horn and strobe unit to activate on said affected walk-in refrigeration unit, said control panel sending a response signal to close off said flow of refrigerated gas to said affected walk-in refrigeration unit, capturing any remaining refrigerated gas in the refrigeration compressor controller to said affected walk-in refrigeration unit until said control panel is reset or reactivated and until said affected walk-in refrigeration unit is repaired and the concentration of refrigerated gas within said affected walk-in refrigeration unit is brought back below the 1000 ppm threshold, said alarm signal also registering on said first FACP keypad and said second remote FACP keypad.

9. The system, as disclosed in claim 6, wherein said control panel further comprises:

the addressable fire alarm control panel connected by a data power cable to a first FACP keypad annunciator located in the front of the control panel; and

to a second FACP keypad annunciator located remotely;

each said refrigerant leak sensor connected to an FACP zone expansion module by an input module and an output module;

a tamper strobe activate by unauthorized access to said control panel;

a system reset switch to reset said control panel after response;

a power indicator indicating power to said control panel;

an addressable module power supply with battery backup located within or near said control panel attached to each of said addressable horn and strobe control modules, a horn and strobe power supply with battery backup attached to each said inside and outside horns and strobes,

a sensor and system power supply located within said control panel supplying power supply to each of said refrigerant leak sensors; and

a plurality of input and output module communications cables extending from said control panel for remote monitoring of said leak detection system.

10. The system, as disclosed in claim 6, wherein each said sensor is a MANNING®

IR-R sensor.

11. The system as disclosed in claim 6, wherein each said sensor is a NOVAR®

RGM sensor.