Compressor diagnostic and protection system

• US 7,412,842 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2005
• Issued: 08/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Copeland Corporation LLC (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Pham, Hung M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones; Melvin
• Application Number:
  US11/059,646
• Publication Number:
  US 20050235660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• Field of Search: 622/283, 622/284, 622/285, 622/24, 622/25, 622/08, 622/09, 622/281, 622/26, 236/51
• US Class Current: 62/228.5
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 15/26 heat exchangers or the like making heat exchangers by methods covered by other subclasses B21D53/02
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2270/18 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2270/19 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2270/80 Diagnostics
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 28/00 Control of, monitoring of, or safety arrangements for, pumps or pumping installations specially adapted for elastic fluids
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 1/04 with compressor of rotary type F25B1/005, F25B1/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2500/06 Damage
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2500/19 Calculation of parameters
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/151 of the compressor motor
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/1931 Discharge pressures
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/1933 Suction pressures
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/2106 of fresh outdoor air
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/21151 at the suction side of the compressor
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/21152 at the discharge side of the compressor
• 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: F25D 2400/36 Visual displays
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49353 Heat pipe device making

Abstract

A system includes a compressor, processing circuitry, a first sensor detecting high-side data indicative of an operating condition of a high-pressure side of the refrigeration circuit, and a second sensor detecting low-side data indicative of an operating condition of a low-pressure side of the refrigeration circuit. The processing circuitry receives the high-side data and the low-side data from the first and second sensors and processes at least one of the high-side data and low-side data to select an operating mode for the compressor. The operating modes include a normal mode, a reduced-capacity mode, and a shutdown mode.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a compressor operable in a refrigeration circuit, said compressor having a shell and a motor disposed within said shell;

a first sensor detecting high-side data indicative of an operating condition of a high-pressure side of said refrigeration circuit;

a second sensor detecting low-side data indicative of an operating condition of a low-pressure side of said refrigeration circuit; and

processing circuitry receiving said high-side data and said low-side data from said first and second sensors and comparing a rate of change of at least one of said high-side data and said low-side data to identify a fault.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said processing circuitry compares said rate of change during a start-up phase, a quasi-steady state phase, and a steady-state phase of said compressor.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said processing circuitry identifies said fault based on said comparison and said phase of said compressor.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said first sensor is selected from the group comprising:

a current sensor, a pressure sensor, and a temperature sensor.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said pressure sensor is a discharge pressure sensor.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein said temperature sensor is a condenser temperature sensor.

7. The system of claim 4, further comprising a voltage sensor, said voltage sensor in combination with said current sensor and operable to detect compressor and motor electrical component failures.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said second sensor is selected from the group comprising a suction pressure sensor and a temperature sensor.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said temperature sensor is a suction line temperature sensor disposed proximate to a suction port of said compressor.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said temperature sensor is a discharge line temperature sensor disposed proximate to a discharge port of said compressor.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said discharge line temperature sensor is disposed within said shell of said compressor.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said discharge line temperature sensor is disposed external from said shell of said compressor.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising an ambient temperature sensor in communication with said processing circuitry.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said ambient temperature sensor is mounted on said processing circuitry.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising a power interruption device operable to selectively restrict power to said motor to provide system protection in response to a signal from said processing circuitry.

16. The system of claim 1, further comprising a diagnostics system in communication with said processing circuitry to log and store operating conditions of said compressor.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein said compressor includes a plurality of light emitting devices operable to indicate said fault detected by said first sensor or said second sensor.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said plurality of light emitting devices includes different colored lights to distinguish among a high-side fault condition, a low-side fault condition, and a normal operating condition.

19. A controller for a compressor in a refrigeration circuit, said controller comprising:

a sensor detecting high-side data indicative of an operating condition of a high-pressure side of the refrigeration circuit; and

processing circuitry receiving said high-side data during installation of the compressor and generating a baseline signature of high-side data versus time for the compressor, said processing circuitry comparing said high-side data over time to said baseline signature to determine a fault condition.

20. The controller of claim 19, wherein said processing circuitry compares said high-side data during a start-up phase, a quasi-steady state phase, and a steady-state phase of the compressor.

21. The controller of claim 20, wherein said processing circuitry identifies said fault condition based on said comparison and said phase of said compressor.

22. The controller of claim 19, wherein said sensor is selected from the group comprising:

a current sensor, a pressure sensor, and a temperature sensor.

23. The controller of claim 22, wherein said pressure sensor is a discharge pressure sensor.

24. The controller of claim 22, wherein said temperature sensor is a condenser temperature sensor.

25. The controller of claim 22, further comprising a voltage sensor, said voltage sensor in combination with said current sensor and operable to detect compressor and motor electrical component failures.

26. The controller of claim 19, further comprising an ambient temperature sensor in communication with said processing circuitry.

27. The controller of claim 19, further comprising a power interruption device operable to limit compressor duty cycle when said processing circuitry identifies said fault condition.

28. The controller of claim 19, further comprising a diagnostics system in communication with said processing circuitry to log and store operating conditions of said compressor.

29. The controller of claim 19, wherein said compressor includes a plurality of light emitting devices operable to indicate said fault condition detected by said first sensor or said second sensor.

30. The controller of claim 29, wherein said plurality of light emitting devices includes different colored lights to distinguish among a high-side fault condition, a low-side fault condition, and a normal operating condition.

31. The controller of claim 19, wherein said processing circuitry includes selecting an operating mode based on said fault condition.

32. The controller of claim 31, wherein said operating modes include a normal mode, a reduced capacity mode, and a shutdown mode.

33. A controller for a compressor in a refrigeration circuit said controller comprising:

a sensor detecting low-side data indicative of an operating condition of a low-pressure side of the refrigeration circuit; and

processing circuitry receiving said low-side operating data and determining a fault condition based on said low-side operating data and an elapsed time following start-up of the compressor.

34. The controller of claim 33, wherein said sensor is selected from the group comprising a suction pressure sensor and a temperature sensor.

35. The controller of claim 34, wherein said temperature sensor is a suction line temperature sensor disposed proximate to a suction port of the compressor.

36. The controller of claim 34, wherein said temperature sensor is a discharge line temperature sensor disposed proximate to a discharge port of the compressor.

37. The controller of claim 36, wherein said discharge line temperature sensor is disposed within a shell of the compressor.

38. The controller of claim 36, wherein said discharge line temperature sensor is disposed external from a shell of the compressor.

39. The controller of claim 33, wherein said processing circuitry selects an operating mode for the compressor based on said fault condition.

40. The controller of claim 39, wherein said operating modes include a normal mode, a reduced capacity mode, and a shutdown mode.