Protection and diagnostic module for a refrigeration system

• US 8,590,325 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2007
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Copeland Corporation LLC (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Pham, Hung M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jiang, Chen Wen
• Application Number:
  US11/776,879
• Publication Number:
  US 20080209925A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,329 Days
• Field of Search: 621/26, 621/27, 621/29, 621/49, 622/08, 624/98
• US Class Current: 62/129
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2500/19 Calculation of parameters
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/151 of the compressor motor
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/2106 of fresh outdoor air
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/21152 at the discharge side of the compressor
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/21163 of the refrigerant at the outlet of the condenser
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/005 of safety devices F25B49/02 and F25B49/04 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/022 Compressor control arrangements

Abstract

A system includes a compressor and a compressor motor functioning in a refrigeration circuit. A sensor produces a signal indicative of one of current and power drawn by the motor and a liquid-line temperature sensor provides a signal indicative of a temperature of liquid circulating within the refrigeration circuit. Processing circuitry processes the current or power signal to determine a condenser temperature of the refrigeration circuit and a subcooling value of the refrigeration circuit from the condenser temperature and the liquid-line temperature signal.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a compressor operable in a refrigeration circuit and including a motor;

a sensor producing a signal indicative of one of current and power drawn by said motor;

an ambient temperature sensor producing a signal indicative of an ambient temperature;

a liquid-line temperature sensor providing a signal indicative of a temperature of liquid circulating within said refrigeration circuit; and

processing circuitry processing said current or power signal to determine a condenser temperature of said refrigeration circuit and a subcooling value of said refrigeration circuit from said condenser temperature and said liquid-line temperature signal, said processing circuitry processing said current or power signal and said ambient temperature signal to determine a difference between said condenser temperature and said ambient temperature, said processing circuitry determining a system operating condition based on said subcooling value and said difference between said condenser temperature and said ambient temperature.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a compressor map stored in said processing circuitry for determining said condenser temperature.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said processing circuitry determines an efficiency of said refrigeration circuit based on a ratio of said subcooling value and said condenser temperature difference.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said refrigeration circuit includes an evaporator, said processing circuitry determining a house load based on a capacity of said evaporator and a run time of said compressor.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said processing circuitry determines an overall load of said refrigeration circuit based on said house load and said run time of said compressor.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein said processing circuitry determines air flow through said evaporator based on one of a temperature of said evaporator or said capacity of said evaporator.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said processing circuitry references said capacity on a predetermined table stored within said processing circuitry to determine said air flow through said evaporator.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said processing circuitry relates said capacity to said air flow as a function of outdoor ambient temperature and indoor room dry-bulb and wet-bulb temperatures.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein said processing circuitry references a temperature of said evaporator on a predetermined table stored within said processing circuitry to determine said air flow through said evaporator.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said processing circuitry relates a temperature of said evaporator to said air flow as a function of outdoor ambient temperature and indoor room dry-bulb and wet-bulb temperatures.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said condenser temperature is a saturated condenser temperature corresponding to high-side pressure.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said subcooling is determined by subtracting said liquid-line temperature signal from said condenser temperature.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a discharge-line temperature sensor producing a signal indicative of a temperature at a discharge of said compressor.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said processing circuitry determines a discharge superheat by subtracting said condenser temperature from said discharge-line temperature signal.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein said processing circuitry determines said system operating condition is a low-side fault of at least one of said compressor and said refrigeration circuit based on said condenser temperature difference decreasing in combination with a state of said subcooling value and a state of said discharge superheat.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said low side fault is at least one of a low charge condition, a low evaporator air flow condition, and a flow restriction.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein said state of said subcooling value is indicative of whether said subcooling value is increasing, unchanged, or decreasing and said state of said discharge superheat is indicative of whether said discharge superheat is increasing, unchanged, or decreasing.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein said processing circuitry determines said system operating condition is a high-side fault of at least one of said compressor and said refrigeration circuit based on said condenser temperature difference increasing in combination with a state of said subcooling value and a state of said discharge superheat.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said high-side fault is at least one of a high charge condition, a non-condensibles condition, and a low condenser air flow.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein said state of said subcooling value is indicative of whether said subcooling value is increasing, unchanged, or decreasing and said state of said discharge superheat is indicative of whether said discharge superheat is increasing, unchanged, or decreasing.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein said liquid-line temperature sensor is disposed proximate to an outlet of a condenser of said refrigeration circuit and said signal is indicative of a temperature of said fluid exiting said condenser in a subcooled state.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein said system operating condition is a system charge level.