Cost-effective remote monitoring, diagnostic and system health prediction system and method for vapor compression and heat pump units based on compressor discharge line temperature sampling

• US 9,417,000 B1
• Filed: 07/09/2015
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mainstream Engineering Coporation
• Original Assignee: Mainstream Engineering Coporation
• Inventors: Roth, Robert Paul, Thomas, Erik P., Scaringe, Robert P., Carff, Chad L., Lambert, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Bradford, Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US14/795,321
• Time in Patent Office: 404 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 48/00 Medicinal preparations containing genetic material which is inserted into cells of the living body to treat genetic diseases; Gene therapy
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/36 to leakage of heat-exchange fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/38 Failure diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/00 Control inputs relating to system states
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2345/003 Control issues for charging or collecting refrigerant to or from a cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2500/07 Exceeding a certain pressure value in a refrigeration component or cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2500/08 Exceeding a certain temperature value in a refrigeration component or cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2500/222 Detecting refrigerant leaks
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2500/24 Low amount of refrigerant in the system
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/05 Refrigerant levels
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/07 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/19 Refrigerant outlet condenser temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/04 Refrigerant level
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/151 of the compressor motor
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/2102 at the outlet of the gas cooler
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/2106 of fresh outdoor air
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/21151 : at the suction side of the compressor
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/21152 : at the discharge side of the compressor
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/2116 : of a condenser
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/21162 : of the refrigerant at the inlet of the condenser
• 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 49/02 : for compression type machines, plants or systems
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/022 : Compressor control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/027 : Condenser control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/04 : Inference or reasoning models
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/187 : Machine fault alarms

Abstract

A diagnostic monitoring system and method is employed for one or more vapor compression systems such as air conditioners and heat pumps having a compressor, an indoor air handler fan coil and an outdoor condensor. Temperature, voltage and current sensors are provided at the outdoor condensor to determine that at least one vapor compression system is operating properly. Data obtained from the sensors is wirelessly transmitted to a receiving-device for use by the systems'"'"' custodian or repair service provider and includes information concerning an occurrence of periods when one or more of the vapor compression systems are operating at an abnormal state.

Claims

1. A monitoring system for at least one vapor-compression system having an outdoor section comprised of a compressor and a condenser, wherein the monitoring system comprises at least two sensors associated with only the outdoor section so that a processed output of the sensors is able by itself to predict low evaporator air flow based on predicted sensor values determined at a current outdoor ambient temperature by comparison with one of a previously obtained measured performance curve, a table of values and an equation, each as a function of outdoor ambient air temperature obtained during normal operation of the vapor-compression system.

2. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the evaporator airflow is projected to be undesirably low when one of the predicted sensor values is representative of one of the compressor discharge or compressor inlet refrigerant temperature, and another of the predicted sensor values is representative of a current draw of one of the compressor and a combined current draw of the outdoor section current draw of one of the compressor, and the measured compressor temperature is more than a predetermined offset amount below a predicted normal operation temperature and the current draw is more than a predetermined current offset amount below the predicted normal operation current.

3. The monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the measured compressor discharge temperature is an external surface temperature of the compressor discharge tube.

4. The monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the measured compressor inlet temperature is an external surface temperature of the compressor inlet tube.

5. The monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the temperature offset amount for the compressor discharge temperature is 5 degrees F., and the current offset for the current draw is one half an ampere.

6. The monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the temperature offset amount for the compressor inlet temperature is 5 degrees F., and the current offset for the current draw is one half an ampere.

7. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein data concerning an occurrence of periods when the at least one vapor compression system is operating with an undesirably reduced evaporator airflow is transmitted via the Internet to at least one of the vapor compression system'"'"'s custodian and a repair service provider.