Diagnosing a loss of refrigerant charge in a refrigerant system
First Claim
1. A method of detecting a refrigerant charge loss in a refrigerant system, comprising:
- (a) determining an equilibrium pressure while the system is inactive by determining if there is a difference between a pressure on a high side of the system and a pressure on a low side of the system;
(b) determining an ambient temperature; and
(c) determining if a difference between an expected pressure corresponding to the determined ambient temperature and the determined equilibrium pressure exceeds a selected threshold.
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Abstract
A refrigerant system has a controller associated with it that determines an equilibrium pressure when the system is inactive. The controller determines if the equilibrium pressure differs from an expected equilibrium pressure corresponding to a current ambient temperature and the selected refrigerant type. When the difference exceeds a selected threshold, the controller determines that the amount of refrigerant within the circuit is below a desired level. In one example, the controller provides an indication of a low charge amount. The disclosed technique allows early detection of refrigerant charge loss and differentiation between loss-of-charge and other failure modes. Consequently, system performance is enhanced, component damage is prevented, service interruptions and maintenance are reduced, exhaustive troubleshooting is avoided and potential exposure to refrigerant substances is minimized.
54 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of detecting a refrigerant charge loss in a refrigerant system, comprising:
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(a) determining an equilibrium pressure while the system is inactive by determining if there is a difference between a pressure on a high side of the system and a pressure on a low side of the system; (b) determining an ambient temperature; and (c) determining if a difference between an expected pressure corresponding to the determined ambient temperature and the determined equilibrium pressure exceeds a selected threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A refrigerant system, comprising:
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a pressure sensor that provides an indication of a pressure on a high pressure side of the system; a second pressure sensor that provides an indication of a pressure on a low pressure side of the system; at least one of the pressure sensors provides an indication of an equilibrium pressure in a circuit of the refrigerant system; and a controller that determines the equilibrium pressure by determining if there is a difference between the pressures on the high pressure side of the system and the low pressure side of the system and determines if a difference between the equilibrium pressure and an expected equilibrium pressure exceeds a selected threshold. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification