Refrigeration monitoring system and method
First Claim
1. A system comprising:
- a compressor having a motor;
a refrigeration circuit including an evaporator and a condenser fluidly coupled to said compressor;
a first sensor producing a signal indicative of one of current and power drawn by said motor;
a second sensor producing a signal indicative of a saturated condensing temperature; and
processing circuitry processing said current or power signal to determine a derived condenser temperature and comparing said derived condenser temperature to said saturated condensing temperature received from said second sensor, said processing circuitry determining an overcharge condition or an undercharge condition if said saturated condensing temperature varies from said derived condenser temperature by a predetermined amount and determining an adequate-charge condition if said saturated condensing temperature varies from said derived condenser temperature less than said predetermined amount, said processing circuitry controlling at least one of said compressor and said refrigeration circuit based on information received from said second sensor only when said adequate-charge condition is determined.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system is provided and may include a compressor having a motor and a refrigeration circuit including an evaporator and a condenser fluidly coupled to the compressor. The system may further include a first sensor producing a signal indicative of one of current and power drawn by the motor, a second sensor producing a signal indicative of a saturated condensing temperature, and a third sensor producing a signal indicative of a liquid-line temperature. Processing circuitry may processes the current or power signal to determine a derived condenser temperature and may compare the derived condenser temperature to the saturated condensing temperature received from the second sensor to determine a subcooling associated with a refrigerant charge level of the refrigeration circuit.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a compressor having a motor; a refrigeration circuit including an evaporator and a condenser fluidly coupled to said compressor; a first sensor producing a signal indicative of one of current and power drawn by said motor; a second sensor producing a signal indicative of a saturated condensing temperature; and processing circuitry processing said current or power signal to determine a derived condenser temperature and comparing said derived condenser temperature to said saturated condensing temperature received from said second sensor, said processing circuitry determining an overcharge condition or an undercharge condition if said saturated condensing temperature varies from said derived condenser temperature by a predetermined amount and determining an adequate-charge condition if said saturated condensing temperature varies from said derived condenser temperature less than said predetermined amount, said processing circuitry controlling at least one of said compressor and said refrigeration circuit based on information received from said second sensor only when said adequate-charge condition is determined. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method comprising:
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detecting a temperature of a condenser; communicating said detected condenser temperature to processing circuitry; determining a derived condenser temperature using non-measured operating parameters at said processing circuitry; comparing said detected condenser temperature to said derived condenser temperature at said processing circuitry; outputting an error by said processing circuitry based on said comparing; and controlling at least one of a compressor and a refrigeration circuit based on said detected temperature only when said error is less than a predetermined amount. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method comprising:
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detecting a temperature of a condenser; communicating said temperature to processing circuitry; deriving a temperature of said condenser using non-measured operating parameters at said processing circuitry; comparing said detected condenser temperature to said derived condenser temperature at said processing circuitry; declaring said detected condenser temperature is not representative of the saturated condensing temperature of said condenser if said detected condenser temperature deviates from said derived condenser temperature by a predetermined amount or declaring said detected condenser temperature is representative of the saturated condensing temperature if said detected condenser temperature deviates from said derived condenser temperature by less than said predetermined amount; controlling at least one of a compressor and a refrigeration circuit based on said detected temperature when said detected condenser temperature is representative of the saturated condensing temperature; and controlling at least one of said compressor and said refrigeration circuit based on said derived condenser temperature when said detected condenser temperature is not representative of the saturated condensing temperature. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
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Specification