Refrigeration system energy monitoring and diagnostics

• US 8,316,658 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2011
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Emerson Digital Cold Chain Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies Retail Solutions Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Singh, Abtar, Wickberg, Paul, Mathews, Thomas J., Starling, Neal
• Primary Examiner(s): NORMAN, MARC E
• Application Number:
  US13/303,286
• Publication Number:
  US 20120060529A1
• Time in Patent Office: 370 Days
• Field of Search: 621/25, 621/26, 621/27, 621/29, 236/51, 165/11.1, 165/11.2, 700/276, 700/291, 340/870.16, 340/870.17
• US Class Current: 62/127
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/00 Frozen sweets, e.g. ice confectionery, ice-cream; Mixtures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/00 Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs preserving foods or foodstuffs in association with packaging B65B55/00
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/36 Freezing; Subsequent thawing; Cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2400/075 with parallel compressors
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2400/22 Refrigeration systems for supermarkets
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/07 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/195 of the condenser
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/005 of safety devices F25B49/02 and F25B49/04 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 5/00 Compression machines, plants or systems, with several evaporator circuits, e.g. for varying refrigerating capacity with cascade operation F25B7/00
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/36 Visual displays
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/12 Sensors measuring the inside temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/14 Sensors measuring the temperature outside the refrigerator or freezer
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/16 Sensors measuring the temperature of products
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/00 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A management center is configured to communicate with a controller for an energy consuming system at a remote location, to receive ambient temperature data corresponding to an ambient temperature at the remote location, to calculate a projected energy consumption value for at least one component of the energy consuming system based on the ambient temperature data, to receive an actual energy consumption value for the at least one component from the controller, to compare the actual energy consumption value with the projected energy consumption value, and to generate an output based on the comparison.

Claims

1. A management center configured to:

communicate with a controller for an energy consuming system at a remote location;

receive ambient temperature data corresponding to an ambient temperature at the remote location;

calculate a projected energy consumption value for at least one component of the energy consuming system based on the ambient temperature data;

receive an actual energy consumption value for the at least one component from the controller;

compare the actual energy consumption value with the projected energy consumption value; and

generate an output based on the comparison.

2. The management center of claim 1, wherein the energy consuming system is an HVAC system.

3. The management center of claim 2, wherein the at least one component is a compressor of the HVAC system.

4. The management center of claim 2, wherein the at least one component is a condenser of the HVAC system.

5. The management center of claim 1, wherein the energy consuming system is a refrigeration system.

6. The management center of claim 5, wherein the at least one component is a compressor of the refrigeration system.

7. The management center of claim 5, wherein the at least one component is a condenser of the refrigeration system.

8. The management center of claim 5, wherein the at least one component is a refrigeration case of the refrigeration system.

9. The management center of claim 1, wherein the energy consuming system is a lighting system.

10. The management center of claim 1, the management center being further configured to provide remote access to at least one of the actual energy consumption value and the projected energy consumption value.

11. The management center of claim 1, wherein the output includes an alarm.

12. A method comprising:

receiving, with a management center, ambient temperature data corresponding to an ambient temperature at a remote location of an energy consuming system;

calculating, with the management center, a projected energy consumption value for at least one component of the energy consuming system based on the ambient temperature data;

receiving, with the management center, an actual energy consumption value for the at least one component from a controller of the energy consuming system;

comparing, with the management center, the actual energy consumption value with the projected energy consumption value; and

generating, with the management center, an output based on the comparison.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the energy consuming system is an HVAC system.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one component is a compressor of the HVAC system.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one component is a condenser of the HVAC system.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the energy consuming system is a refrigeration system.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one component is a compressor of the refrigeration system.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one component is a condenser of the refrigeration system.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one component is a refrigeration case of the refrigeration system.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the energy consuming system is a lighting system.

21. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing, over a communications network connected to the management center, remote access to at least one of the actual energy consumption value and the projected energy consumption value.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein generating the output comprises generating an alarm.