Compressor diagnostic method

• US 7,162,883 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2005
• Issued: 01/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Jayanth, Nagaraj, Pham, Hung
• Primary Examiner(s): Jiang; Chen Wen
• Application Number:
  US11/201,488
• Publication Number:
  US 20060016200A1
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• Field of Search: 621/25, 621/26, 621/27, 621/29, 622/283, 622/281, 361/22, 361/23, 361/24, 236/94
• US Class Current: 62/126
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1687 Assembly, peg and hole, palletising, straight line, weaving pattern movement
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 51/00 Testing machines, pumps, or pumping installations
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 18/0215 where only one member is moving
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2270/07 Electric current
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2270/784 Light
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2270/80 Diagnostics
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2270/86 Detection
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2270/90 Remote control, e.g. wireless, via LAN, by radio, or by a wired connection from a central computer
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 23/008 Hermetic pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 28/28 Safety arrangements; Monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 29/0085 Prime movers
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/151 of the compressor motor
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/1931 Discharge pressures
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/2106 of fresh outdoor air
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/2116 of a condenser
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/005 of safety devices F25B49/02 and F25B49/04 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/025 Motor control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/08 for dynamo-electric motors

Abstract

A method includes determining base-line operating parameters for a compressor, generating a high-side signal indicative of high-side compressor operating conditions, generating a low-side signal indicative of low-side compressor operating conditions, and comparing the high-side and low-side signals to the base-line operating parameters to determine a system operating condition.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

installing a compressor in a refrigeration system;

generating first high-side signals indicative of high-side compressor operating conditions for a time period following installation of said compressor;

generating first low-side signals indicative of low-side compressor operating conditions for said time period following installation of said compressor;

generating a performance curve for said compressor based on said first high-side signals and said first low-side signals;

generating second high-side signals indicative of high-side compressor operating conditions after said time period;

generating second low-side signals indicative of low-side compressor operating conditions after said time period; and

comparing said second high-side and said second low-side signals to said performance curve to determine a system operating condition.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising recording and storing said first and second high-side signals and said first and second low-side signals.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending at least one of said first and second low-side signals and said first and second high-side signals to a diagnostic tool.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising illuminating a light-emitting device indicative of said system operating condition.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising illuminating a light-emitting device when said processing circuitry determines said second high-side or said second low-side signal sufficiently varies from said performance curve.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising illuminating a light-emitting device when said processing circuitry determines said second high-side or second low-side signal does not sufficiently vary from said performance curve.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said time period is approximately equal to the first twenty-four hours following installation of said compressor.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating said first high-side signals and said second high-side signals includes determining a current drawn by said compressor.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating said first low-side signals and said second low-side signals includes determining a temperature of a component of said refrigeration system.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said determining a temperature of a refrigeration component includes determining a temperature of a condenser.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said determining a temperature of said condenser includes determining a temperature at a mid-point of said condenser.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating said performance curve includes plotting a current drawn by said compressor to a temperature of a component of said refrigeration system.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said component is a condenser.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising diagnosing at least one of said compressor and said refrigeration system based on said comparison of said second high-side signals and said second low-side signals to said performance curve.