Fluid sensor, refrigerant leakage detection device, refrigeration system, and refrigerant leakage detection method
First Claim
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1. A fluid sensor for detecting refrigerant leakage from a refrigerant circuit of a refrigeration system, the fluid sensor comprising:
- a sensor main body having two electrodes spaced apart from each other, the fluid sensor being configured such that the fluid sensor is connectable to an impedance measurement device to measure impedance between the two electrodes,the sensor main body having a structure mountable so as to surround a pipe or pipe joint of the refrigerant circuit.
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Abstract
A fluid sensor for detecting refrigerant leakage from a refrigerant circuit includes a sensor main body having two electrodes spaced apart from each other. The fluid sensor is configured such that the fluid sensor is connectable to an impedance measurement device to measure impedance between the two electrodes.
10 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A fluid sensor for detecting refrigerant leakage from a refrigerant circuit of a refrigeration system, the fluid sensor comprising:
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a sensor main body having two electrodes spaced apart from each other, the fluid sensor being configured such that the fluid sensor is connectable to an impedance measurement device to measure impedance between the two electrodes, the sensor main body having a structure mountable so as to surround a pipe or pipe joint of the refrigerant circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A fluid sensor for detecting refrigerant leakage from a refrigerant circuit of a refrigeration system, the fluid sensor comprising:
a sensor main body having two electrodes spaced apart from each other and a structure mountable so as to surround a pipe or pipe joint of the refrigerant circuit, the sensor main body further having an impedance measurement unit configured to measure an impedance value between the two electrodes, a leakage determination unit configured to determine whether or not refrigerant has leaked based on the impedance value measured by the impedance measurement unit, and a signal output unit configured to output a result of the refrigerant leakage determination obtained by the leakage determination unit to an external device.
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13. A refrigerant leakage detection device comprising:
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sensor main body having two electrodes spaced apart from each other, the fluid sensor being configured such that the fluid sensor is connectable to an impedance measurement device to measure impedance between the two electrodes; a second sensor having two electrodes spaced apart from each other, the second sensor being configured so that refrigerant or a fluid resulting from refrigerant leakage is not held between the two electrodes of the second sensor; a calculation unit configured to calculate, based on a first difference between an output of the first sensor and an output of the second sensor, a change in electrostatic capacitance caused by the refrigerant or the fluid resulting from refrigerant leakage; and a detection unit configured to determine whether or not refrigerant has leaked based on the change in electrostatic capacitance calculated by the calculation unit. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A refrigerant leakage detection method for detecting refrigerant leakage from a refrigerant circuit of a refrigeration system, the refrigerant leakage detection method comprising
providing a fluid sensor including a sensor main body having two electrodes spaced apart from each other and a structure mountable so as to surround a pipe or pipe joint of the refrigerant circuit, the fluid sensor being disposed in or in proximity to a portion of the refrigerant circuit where refrigerant leakage detection is performed; - and
measuring impedance between the two electrodes with an impedance measurement device.
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Specification