Method and apparatus for measuring and improving efficiency in refrigeration systems
First Claim
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1. An adaptive model-based control system for a refrigeration system, comprising:
- a sensor input, configured to receive refrigeration system operating parameters;
a memory configured to store an adaptively-derived mathematical model of the refrigeration system, based on analysis over time of at least a response of the refrigeration system represented in the sensor input to at least one control signal;
at least one automated processor configured to;
receive the sensor input;
determine if the adaptively-derived mathematical model is predictive of an actual refrigeration system performance based on at least the sensor input and the at least one control signal, and;
if the adaptively-derived mathematical model is predictive of an actual refrigeration system performance, generate at least one control signal for controlling the refrigeration system in dependence on at least the model and the sensor input; and
if the adaptively-derived mathematical model is not predictive of the actual refrigeration system performance, controlling the refrigeration system to selectively adaptively update the model based on at least the sensor input to increase predictiveness of the adaptively-derived mathematical model; and
a control output configured to communicate the at least one control signal to the refrigeration system from the at least one automated processor.
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Abstract
An apparatus for optimizing an efficiency of a refrigeration system, comprising means for measuring a refrigeration efficiency of an operating refrigeration system; means for altering a process variable of the refrigeration system during efficiency measurement; and a processor for calculating a process variable level which achieves an optimum efficiency. The process variables may include refrigerant charge and refrigerant oil concentration in evaporator.
714 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An adaptive model-based control system for a refrigeration system, comprising:
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a sensor input, configured to receive refrigeration system operating parameters; a memory configured to store an adaptively-derived mathematical model of the refrigeration system, based on analysis over time of at least a response of the refrigeration system represented in the sensor input to at least one control signal; at least one automated processor configured to; receive the sensor input; determine if the adaptively-derived mathematical model is predictive of an actual refrigeration system performance based on at least the sensor input and the at least one control signal, and; if the adaptively-derived mathematical model is predictive of an actual refrigeration system performance, generate at least one control signal for controlling the refrigeration system in dependence on at least the model and the sensor input; and if the adaptively-derived mathematical model is not predictive of the actual refrigeration system performance, controlling the refrigeration system to selectively adaptively update the model based on at least the sensor input to increase predictiveness of the adaptively-derived mathematical model; and a control output configured to communicate the at least one control signal to the refrigeration system from the at least one automated processor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An adaptive model-based control method for controlling a refrigeration system, comprising:
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receiving a sensor input, representing refrigeration system operating parameters; storing an adaptively-derived mathematical model of the refrigeration system, based on analysis over time of at least a response of the refrigeration system represented in the sensor input to at least one control signal; determining by at least one automated processor if the adaptively-derived mathematical model is predictive of an actual refrigeration system performance, based on at least the sensor input and the at least one control signal, and; if the adaptively-derived mathematical model is predictive, generating the at least one control signal for controlling the refrigeration system in dependence on at least the model and the sensor input; and if the adaptively-derived mathematical model is not predictive of the actual refrigeration system performance, controlling the refrigeration system to selectively adaptively update the model based on at least the sensor input, to increase predictive accuracy of the adaptively-derived mathematical model; and communicating the at least one control signal to the refrigeration system selectively dependent on said determining. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A control system for a thermodynamic system, comprising:
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a sensor input, configured to receive refrigeration system operating parameters; a memory configured to store cost information and an adaptively-derived mathematical representation of the thermodynamic system, based on analysis over time of at least a time- and amplitude response of the thermodynamic system represented in the sensor input to at least one control signal, wherein the mathematical representation accounts for a plurality of timeconstants; at least one automated processor configured to determine if the adaptively-derived mathematical representation is predictive of an actual thermodynamic system performance based on at least the sensor input and the at least one control signal, and; if the adaptively-derived mathematical representation is predictive of an actual thermodynamic system performance, generating the at least one control signal for controlling the thermodynamic system to achieve a predicted cost-effective optimum operating point based on the adaptively-derived mathematical representation and the sensor input; and if the adaptively-derived mathematical representation is not predictive of the actual thermodynamic system performance, controlling the thermodynamic system to selectively adaptively update the adaptively-derived mathematical representation by operating the thermodynamic system over a range of conditions, to determine responses of the thermodynamic system to the at least one control signal as represented in the sensor input, and costs over the range of operating conditions; and a control output configured to output the at least one control signal selectively dependent to the determination by the at least one automated processor.
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Specification