System for remote refrigeration monitoring and diagnostics

• US 6,892,546 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2002
• Issued: 05/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Copeland Cold Chain LP
• Original Assignee: Emerson Retail Services, Inc. (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Singh, Abtar, Mathews, Thomas J., Wickberg, Paul, Starling, Neal
• Primary Examiner(s): Tanner, Harry B.
• Application Number:
  US10/061,964
• Publication Number:
  US 20020189267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,201 Days
• Field of Search: 621/25, 621/26, 621/27, 621/29, 621/30, 236/51, 340/589, 340/588, 340/585
• US Class Current: 62/127
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/00 Frozen sweets, e.g. ice confectionery, ice-cream; Mixtures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/00 Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs preserving foods or foodstuffs in association with packaging B65B55/00
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/36 Freezing; Subsequent thawing; Cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2400/075 with parallel compressors
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2400/22 Refrigeration systems for supermarkets
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/07 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/195 of the condenser
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/005 of safety devices F25B49/02 and F25B49/04 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 5/00 Compression machines, plants or systems, with several evaporator circuits, e.g. for varying refrigerating capacity with cascade operation F25B7/00
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/36 Visual displays
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/12 Sensors measuring the inside temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/14 Sensors measuring the temperature outside the refrigerator or freezer
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/16 Sensors measuring the temperature of products
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/00 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A system and method for monitoring the food product and refrigeration system performance of a remote location includes a management center in communication with a remote location through a communication network. The management center receives performance information of the refrigeration system at a remote location. The management center employs software modules to analyze the performance information, diagnose system conditions, and provide alarms for food safety and quality issues, refrigeration system component failure, and indicate maintenance conditions.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring and managing a refrigeration system at a remote location, the system comprising:

a management center including an energy-analysis module, a maintenance module, and a data warehouse, said management center receiving information from the remote location regarding performance of the refrigeration system, said maintenance module and said energy-analysis module processing said information, and said data warehouse storing said information; and

a post-processing system in communication with said management center and components of the refrigeration system for gathering said information, wherein said post-processing system calculates a food-quality index based on said information.

2. A system for monitoring and managing a refrigeration system at a remote location, the system comprising:

a management center including an energy-analysis module, a maintenance module, and a data warehouse, said management center receiving information from the remote location regarding performance of the refrigeration system, said maintenance module and said energy-analysis module processing said information, and said data warehouse storing said information; and

a post-processing system in communication with said management center and components of the refrigeration system for gathering said information, wherein said post-processing system calculates a food-safety index based on said information.

3. A system for monitoring and managing a refrigeration system at a remote location, the system comprising:

a management center including an energy-analysis module, a maintenance module, and a data warehouse, said management center receiving information from the remote location regarding performance of the refrigeration system, said maintenance module and said energy-analysis module processing said information, and said data warehouse storing said information, wherein said management center calculates a food-quality index based on said information.

4. A system for monitoring and managing a refrigeration system at a remote location, the system comprising:

a management center including an energy-analysis module, a maintenance module, and a data warehouse, said management center receiving information from the remote location regarding performance of the refrigeration system, said maintenance module and said energy-analysis module processing said information, and said data warehouse storing said information, wherein said management center calculates a food-safety index based on said information.

5. A system for monitoring and managing a refrigeration system at a remote location, the system comprising:

a management center including an energy-analysis module, a maintenance module, a data warehouse and a system configuration tool, said management center receiving information from the remote location regarding performance of the refrigeration system, said maintenance module and said energy-analysis module processing said information, and said data warehouse storing said information.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a post-processing system in communication with said management center and components of the refrigeration system for gathering information performance.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said post-processing system includes diagnostic software for analyzing said performance information.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein said energy-analysis module and said maintenance module include diagnostic software for analyzing performance of said refrigeration system.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein said energy-analysis module evaluates said information to determine energy performance.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said management center advises manipulation of operation of said refrigeration system of the remote location as a result of said evaluation.

11. The system of claim 5, further comprising a remote computer in communication with said management center and said refrigeration system.

12. The system of claim 5, wherein said maintenance module recommends maintenance procedures for the refrigeration system.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said maintenance procedures include preventative maintenance.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein said maintenance procedures include routine maintenance.

15. The system of claim 5, wherein said management center includes an alarming function providing notification based on analysis of said information.

16. The system of claim 5, wherein said system configuration tool provides initial configuration of a controller for the refrigeration system.

17. A system for monitoring and managing a refrigeration system at a remote location, the system comprising:

a management center including an energy-analysis module, a maintenance module, a data warehouse and a work order module, said management center receiving information from the remote location regarding performance of the refrigeration system, said maintenance module and said energy-analysis module processing said information, said data warehouse storing said information, and said work-order module managing a maintenance schedule for the refrigeration system.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said work-order module tracks work orders for the refrigeration system.

19. A system for monitoring and managing a refrigeration system at a remote location, the system comprising:

a management center including an energy-analysis module, a maintenance module, a data warehouse and an asset management module, said management center receiving information from the remote location regarding performance of the refrigeration system, said maintenance module and said energy-analysis module processing said information, said data warehouse storing said information, and said asset-management module tracking assets of the refrigeration system.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said asset-management module stores an asset history.

21. A system for monitoring and managing a refrigeration system at a remote location, the system comprising:

a management center including an energy-analysis module, a maintenance module, and a data warehouse, said management center receiving information from the remote location regarding performance of the refrigeration system, said maintenance module and said energy-analysis module processing said information, and said data warehouse storing said information, wherein said energy-analysis module includes a core calculator that receives information from an input block and provides outputs to an efficiency block and a design block.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said input block provides one or more of:

weather data, actual site data, and equipment operational parameters.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein said core calculator calculates projected energy use.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein said efficiency block includes a power-monitoring tool to provide an evaluation of equipment power usage.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein said evaluation includes comparing a predicted power usage to an actual power usage.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein said efficiency block includes an alarming tool for providing notification when equipment efficiencies fall below a limit value.