Monitoring a condenser in a refrigeration system
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:
- receiving a condenser signal including at least one of a condenser current signal corresponding to an electrical current of a condenser fan of a condenser of a refrigeration system, a condenser fan power signal corresponding to an electrical power of said condenser fan, and a condenser fan control signal for controlling said condenser fan;
receiving a compressor signal including at least one of a compressor current signal corresponding to an electrical current of a compressor of said refrigeration system, a compressor power signal corresponding to an electrical power of said compressor, and a compressor control signal for controlling said compressor;
receiving a discharge signal corresponding to at least one of a discharge pressure of said compressor and a discharge temperature of said compressor;
calculating a saturation temperature based on said discharge signal;
calculating a thermal efficiency of said condenser of said refrigeration system based on said condenser signal, said compressor signal, and said saturation temperature;
comparing said thermal efficiency to an efficiency threshold; and
generating a notification based on said comparison.
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Abstract
A method for monitoring a condenser in a refrigeration system includes calculating a thermal efficiency of the condenser based on operation of the condenser and averaging the thermal efficiency over a predetermined period. Further, the method comprises comparing the average to an efficiency threshold and generating a notification based on the comparison. The method may be executed by a controller or stored in a computer-readable medium.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving a condenser signal including at least one of a condenser current signal corresponding to an electrical current of a condenser fan of a condenser of a refrigeration system, a condenser fan power signal corresponding to an electrical power of said condenser fan, and a condenser fan control signal for controlling said condenser fan; receiving a compressor signal including at least one of a compressor current signal corresponding to an electrical current of a compressor of said refrigeration system, a compressor power signal corresponding to an electrical power of said compressor, and a compressor control signal for controlling said compressor; receiving a discharge signal corresponding to at least one of a discharge pressure of said compressor and a discharge temperature of said compressor; calculating a saturation temperature based on said discharge signal; calculating a thermal efficiency of said condenser of said refrigeration system based on said condenser signal, said compressor signal, and said saturation temperature; comparing said thermal efficiency to an efficiency threshold; and generating a notification based on said comparison. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A system comprising:
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a first input for receiving a condenser signal including at least one of a condenser current signal corresponding to an electrical current of a condenser fan of a condenser of a refrigeration system, a condenser fan power signal corresponding to an electrical power of said condenser fan, and a condenser fan control signal for controlling said condenser fan; a second input for receiving a compressor signal including at least one of a compressor current signal corresponding to an electrical current of a compressor of said refrigeration system, a compressor power signal corresponding to an electrical power of said compressor, and a compressor control signal for controlling said compressor; a third input for receiving a discharge pressure signal corresponding to a discharge pressure of said compressor; a fourth input for receiving an ambient temperature signal corresponding to an ambient temperature; a controller, in communication with said first, second, third, and fourth inputs, that calculates a condenser performance factor corresponding to a thermal efficiency of said condenser based on said condenser signal, said compressor signal, said discharge pressure signal, and said ambient temperature signal, that calculates an average of said condenser performance factor over a predetermined time period, that compares said average to a benchmark factor, and that generates a notification based on said comparison. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification