System for monitoring optimal equipment operating parameters

• US 7,844,366 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2005
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Emerson Digital Cold Chain Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Emerson Retail Services, Inc. (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Singh, Abtar
• Primary Examiner(s): Kasenge; Charles R
• Application Number:
  US11/120,166
• Publication Number:
  US 20060020426A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,038 Days
• Field of Search: 700275-278, 700299-301, 236/46.R, 236/91.D, 236/91.E, 236/91.F, 236/91.R, 702/188, 702/187, 165/201, 165/209, 705/412
• US Class Current: 700/276
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/005 of safety devices F25B49/02 and F25B49/04 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/823 where the data is sent when the measured values exceed a threshold, e.g. sending an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A set-point monitoring system includes a controller for at least one piece of equipment operating at a set point and a monitor that communicates with the controller. At least one of the monitor and the controller receives a present value of the set point and compares the present value to a previous value or to a benchmark value. The monitor records the present value when the present value is different than the previous value. The monitor also determines a monetary cost based on the difference between the present value and the previous value or the difference between the present value and the benchmark value.

Claims

1. A set-point monitoring system for a controller associated with at least one piece of equipment operating according to an associated set-point being set and adjustable for said at least one piece of equipment, said monitoring system comprising a monitor in communication with said controller and at least one of said monitor and said controller receiving a present value of said associated set-point and comparing said present value to a previous value of said associated set-point and said monitor recording said present value if said present value is different than said previous value and calculating a power consumption difference based on said present value and said previous value, wherein said associated set-point is selected from the group comprising:

a pressure, a temperature, a suction float point, a minimum float point, a maximum float point, a suction group pressure, a control sensor offset, an ambient sensor offset, a minimum head pressure, an air-cooled condenser fan speed, a hold-back valve pressure, an evaporator condenser sump temperature, a pressure from a receiver pressurization valve, a pressure from an EPR valve, a suction pressure, a discharge pressure, a cooling value, a heating value, a dehumidification value, a cooling override, a heating override, and a fan override.

2. The set-point monitoring system of claim 1 wherein said controller receives said present value, compares said present value to said previous value and notifies said monitor when said present value is different than said previous value.

3. The set-point monitoring system of claim 1 wherein said monitor maintains a database of set-point information comprising present values of set-points for multiple pieces of equipment.

4. The set-point monitoring system of claim 3 wherein said database of set-point information is accessible to a communication network.

5. The set-point monitoring system of claim 1 wherein said monitor determines a monetary cost based on said power consumption difference.

6. The set-point monitoring system of claim 5 wherein said monitor determines said monetary cost based on said power consumption difference and a predetermined power consumption cost rate.

7. The set-point monitoring system of claim 5 further comprising a database of power consumption cost rates accessible to said monitor wherein said monitor retrieves a power consumption cost rate from said database and determines said monetary cost based on said power consumption difference and said power consumption cost rate.

8. The set-point monitoring system of claim 1 wherein said associated set-point includes at least one of a temperature or pressure value and said at least one piece of equipment is selected from the group comprising:

an evaporator, a condenser, a compressor, a condenser fan, an EPR valve, and a receiver.

9. The set-point monitoring system of claim 1 wherein said at least one piece of equipment is associated with an HVAC system.

10. The set-point monitoring system of claim 1 wherein said controller receives said present value of said associated set-point, compares said present value to a benchmark set-point and records said present value when said present value is different than said benchmark value.

11. The set-point monitoring system of claim 1 wherein said controller receives said present value of said associated set-point and determines a power consumption difference based on a benchmark set-point and said present value.

12. The set-point monitoring system of claim 11 wherein said controller calculates a monetary cost based on said power consumption difference.

13. The set-point monitoring system of claim 1 wherein said associated set-point is said temperature.

14. The set-point monitoring system of claim 1 wherein said associated set-point is said suction group pressure.

15. A set-point monitoring system for a controller associated with at least one piece of equipment operating at an associated set-point being set and adjustable for said at least one piece of equipment, said monitoring system comprising a monitor in communication with said controller, said monitor receiving a present value of said associated set-point, comparing said present value of said associated set-point to a benchmark set-point, determining a power consumption difference based on said benchmark set-point and said present value, calculating a monetary cost based on said power consumption difference, and maintaining a database that stores set point information that includes the benchmark set point, the present value of the associated set point, and previous values of the associated set-point, wherein said associated set-point is selected from the group comprising:

a pressure, a temperature, a suction float point, a minimum float point, a maximum float point, a suction group pressure, a control sensor offset, an ambient sensor offset, a minimum head pressure, an air-cooled condenser fan speed, a hold-back valve pressure, an evaporator condenser sump temperature, a pressure from a receiver pressurization valve, a pressure from an EPR valve, a suction pressure, and a discharge pressure, a cooling value, a heating value, a dehumidification value, a cooling override, a heating override, and a fan override.

16. The set-point monitoring system of claim 15 wherein said monitor determines said monetary cost based on said power consumption difference and a predetermined power consumption cost rate.

17. The set-point monitoring system of claim 15 wherein said associated set-point includes at least one of a temperature or pressure value and said at least one piece of equipment is selected from the group comprising:

an evaporator, a condenser, a compressor, a condenser fan, an EPR valve, and a receiver.

18. The set-point monitoring system of claim 15 wherein said associated set-point is said temperature.

19. The set-point monitoring system of claim 15 wherein said associated set-point is said suction group pressure.

20. A method comprising:

monitoring a set-point associated with at least one piece of equipment, said set-point being set and adjustable for said at least one piece of equipment;

comparing a present value of said set-point and a previous value of said set-point;

recording said present value if said present value is different than said previous value;

determining a power consumption cost rate for said at least one piece of equipment;

determining a power consumption difference based on said present value and said previous value; and

calculating a monetary cost based on said power consumption cost rate and said power consumption difference;

wherein said set-point is selected from the group comprising;

a pressure, a temperature, a suction float point, a minimum float point, a maximum float point, a suction group pressure, a control sensor offset, an ambient sensor offset, a minimum head pressure, an air-cooled condenser fan speed, a hold-back valve pressure, an evaporator condenser sump temperature, a pressure from a receiver pressurization valve, a pressure from an EPR valve, a suction pressure, and a discharge pressure, a cooling value, a heating value, a dehumidification value, a cooling override, a heating override, and a fan override.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said previous value is a benchmark set-point.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein said determining a power consumption cost rate comprises accessing a database of power consumption cost rates.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said database of power consumption cost rates is accessed based on a location of said at least one piece of equipment.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein said set-point includes at least one of a temperature or pressure value and said at least one piece of equipment is selected from the group comprising:

an evaporator, a condenser, a compressor, a condenser fan, an EPR valve, and a receiver.

25. The method of claim 20 wherein said set-point is said temperature.

26. The method of claim 20 wherein said set-point is said suction group pressure.

27. A set-point monitoring system for a controller associated with at least one piece of equipment operating at an associated set-point being set and adjustable for said at least one piece of equipment, said monitoring system comprising a monitor communicating with said controller and storing a present value of said associated set-point, said controller receiving a user-inputted value of said associated set-point, comparing said user-inputted value to said present value, and notifying said monitor when said user-inputted value is different than said present value, and said monitor updating said present value to said user-inputted value if notified by said controller and calculating a power consumption difference based on said user-inputted value and said previous value, and a database storing set point information that includes the present value of the associated set point and previous values of the associated set point,

wherein said associated set-point is selected from the group comprising:

a pressure, a temperature, a suction float point, a minimum float point, a maximum float point, a suction group pressure, a control sensor offset, an ambient sensor offset, a minimum head pressure, an air-cooled condenser fan speed, a hold-back valve pressure, an evaporator condenser sump temperature, a pressure from a receiver pressurization valve, a pressure from an EPR valve, a suction pressure, and a discharge pressure, a cooling value, a heating value, a dehumidification value, a cooling override, a heating override, and a fan override.

28. The set-point monitoring system of claim 27 wherein said monitor determines a monetary cost based on said power consumption difference.

29. The set-point monitoring system of claim 28 wherein said monitor determines said monetary cost based on said power consumption difference and a predetermined power consumption cost rate.

30. The set-point monitoring system of claim 27 wherein said monitor determines a monetary cost based on a difference between said present value and a benchmark value of said associated set-point.

31. The set-point monitoring system of claim 30 wherein said monitor associates a change in power consumption with said difference between said present value and said benchmark value.

32. The set-point monitoring system of claim 31 wherein said monitor determines said monetary cost based on said change in power consumption and a predetermined power consumption cost rate.

33. The set-point monitoring system of claim 27 wherein said associated set-point is said temperature.

34. The set-point monitoring system of claim 27 wherein said associated set-point is said suction group pressure.