Method for determining proper wiring of multiple 3 phase motors in a single system

• US 9,228,767 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2011
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carrier Corporation (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Carrier Corporation (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Inventors: Hofsdal, Gilbert B., Liu, Lucy Yi, Duraisamy, Suresh
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Kawing
• Application Number:
  US13/814,841
• Publication Number:
  US 20130162177A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,581 Days
• Field of Search: 318/34, 621/80
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/00 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 23/24 Controlling the direction, e.g. clockwise or counterclockwise

Abstract

A method for determining proper wiring of multiple three-phase motors in a refrigeration system is disclosed. The method may include energizing a plurality of three-phase motors with a first input phase rotation and recording performance data, energizing the plurality of three-phase motors with a second input phase rotation and recording the performance data, evaluating the performance data and determining if each of three-phase motors is properly wired, operating the refrigeration system in a normal mode if all of the three-phase motors are properly wired, or operating the refrigeration system in a less efficient mode if at least one three-phase motor is improperly wired.

Claims

1. A three-phase component wiring detection apparatus for use with a system having at least a first three-phase component and a second three-phase component, the apparatus comprising:

at least one terminal configured to operatively couple to the first three-phase component and the second three-phase component; and

a controller operatively coupled to the terminal, the controller configured to;

determine a phase rotation for each of the three-phase components;

operate the system in a normal mode when the phase rotation for each of the three-phase components is the same; and

operate the system in a less efficient mode when the phase rotation for the first three-phase component is different from the second three-phase component, the less efficient mode including determining a priority phase rotation for the system wherein one of the first three-phase component and the second three-phase component is assigned highest priority and operating the system in the priority phase rotation wherein the three-phase component assigned highest priority operates properly and the other three-phase component operates in reverse.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the priority phase rotation is determined by parameters selected from a decision matrix.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the parameters are selected from a group consisting of three-phase component type, cargo type, compressor discharge pressure, ambient temperature, and cargo dehumidification requirements.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to monitor the parameters and update the priority phase rotation upon changes detected in the parameters.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the controller is further configured to monitor the parameters remotely.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to trigger an alert specifying improper phase rotation of at least one three-phase component.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the alert is displayed remotely.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to determine the phase rotation for each of the three-phase components by:

energizing the first and second three-phase components with a first input phase rotation and recording a first set of performance data;

energizing the first and second three-phase components with a second input phase rotation and recording a second set of performance data; and

evaluating the first and second sets of performance data and assigning an optimal phase rotation for each of the plurality of three-phase components.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the second input phase rotation is out-of-phase by 120°

from the first input phase rotation.

10. A method for determining proper phasing of components in a refrigeration system, the refrigeration system including at least a first three-phase component and a second three-phase component, the method comprising:

energizing each of the three-phase components;

determining a phase rotation for each of the three-phase components;

operating the refrigeration system in a normal mode when the phase rotation for each of the three-phase components is the same; and

operating the refrigeration system in a less efficient mode when the phase rotation for the first three-phase component is different from the second three-phase component, the less efficient mode including determining a priority phase rotation for the refrigeration system wherein one of the first three-phase component and the second three-phase component is assigned highest priority and operating the refrigeration system in the priority phase rotation wherein the three-phase component assigned highest priority operates properly and the other three-phase component operates in reverse.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the priority phase rotation is determined by parameters selected from a decision matrix.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the parameters are selected from a group consisting of three-phase component type, cargo type, compressor discharge pressure, ambient temperature, and cargo dehumidification requirements.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising monitoring the parameters and updating the priority phase rotation upon changes detected in the parameters.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising triggering an alert specifying improper phase rotation of at least one of the first and second three-phase components, wherein the alert is displayed remotely.

15. A method for determining proper wiring of components in a refrigeration system, the refrigeration system including at least a first three-phase motor and a second three-phase motor, the method comprising:

energizing each of the three-phase motors with a first input phase rotation and recording a first set of performance data;

energizing each of the three-phase motors with a second input phase rotation and recording a second set of performance data;

evaluating the first and second sets of performance data and determining if the three-phase motors are properly wired;

operating the refrigeration system in a normal mode when each of the three-phase motors is properly wired; and

operating the refrigeration system in a less efficient mode when at least one three-phase motor is improperly wired wherein the less efficient mode includes selecting a priority phase rotation for the refrigeration system, wherein each of the three-phase motors is prioritized based on parameters selected from a decision matrix, and running the refrigeration system based on the priority phase rotation selected.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the less efficient mode further comprises:

triggering an alert specifying improper wiring of at least one three-phase motor;

monitoring the parameters and updating the priority phase rotation based on changes detected in the parameters.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the parameters are selected from a group consisting of three-phase component type, cargo type, compressor discharge pressure, ambient temperature, and cargo dehumidification requirements.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the alert is displayed remotely.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein monitoring the parameters is performed remotely.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the second input phase rotation is out-of-phase by 120°

from the first input phase rotation.