Compressor diagnostic and protection system and method

• US 9,121,407 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2013
• Issued: 09/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2004
• 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): Ali, Mohammad M
• Application Number:
  US13/932,611
• Publication Number:
  US 20130294933A1
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 621/26, 621/29, 621/56, 622/283, 417/44.1, 417/44.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 15/26 heat exchangers or the like making heat exchangers by methods covered by other subclasses B21D53/02
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2270/18 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2270/19 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2270/80 Diagnostics
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 28/00 Control of, monitoring of, or safety arrangements for, pumps or pumping installations specially adapted for elastic fluids
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 1/04 with compressor of rotary type F25B1/005, F25B1/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2500/06 Damage
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2500/19 Calculation of parameters
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/151 of the compressor motor
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/1931 Discharge pressures
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/1933 Suction pressures
• 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 49/005 of safety devices F25B49/02 and F25B49/04 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/36 Visual displays
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49353 Heat pipe device making

Abstract

A system is provided and may include a compressor operable in a refrigeration circuit. A first sensor may detect high-side data indicative of an operating condition of a high-pressure side of the refrigeration circuit and a second sensor may detect low-side data indicative of an operating condition of a low-pressure side of the refrigeration circuit. Processing circuitry may receive the high-side data and the low-side data from the first and second sensors and may process the high-side data and low-side data to determine at least one of a low-side fault and a high-side fault. The processing circuitry may operate the compressor in a normal mode in the absence of a low-side fault and a high-side fault and may operate the compressor in a reduced-capacity mode or a shutdown mode based on a severity of the at least one of the low-side fault and the high-side fault.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a compressor operable in a refrigeration circuit, said compressor having a shell and a motor disposed within said shell;

a first sensor detecting high-side data indicative of an operating condition of a high-pressure side of the refrigeration circuit;

a second sensor detecting low-side data indicative of an operating condition of a low-pressure side of the refrigeration circuit; and

processing circuitry receiving said high-side data and said low-side data from said first and second sensors and processing said high-side data and low-side data to determine at least one of a low-side fault and a high-side fault, said processing circuitry operating said compressor in one of a normal mode, a reduced-capacity mode, and a shutdown mode, said processing circuitry operating said compressor in said normal mode in the absence of a low-side fault and a high-side fault, operating said compressor in said reduced-capacity mode if a low-side fault or a high-side fault is determined, or operating said compressor in said shutdown mode if said low-side fault or said high-side fault is identified by said processing circuitry as being a severe low-side fault or a severe high-side fault.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said processing circuitry processes said low-side data and said high-side data as a cumulating parameter to identify said at least one of said low-side fault and said high-side fault.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said processing circuitry intermittently restricts power to said compressor if a low-side fault is detected.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said first sensor is selected from the group comprising:

a current sensor, a pressure sensor, and a temperature sensor.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said second sensor is selected from the group comprising a suction pressure sensor and a temperature sensor.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said temperature sensor is a discharge line temperature sensor disposed proximate to a discharge port of said compressor.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a power interruption device operable to selectively restrict power to said motor to provide system protection in response to a signal from said processing circuitry.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a diagnostics system in communication with said processing circuitry to log and store operating conditions of said compressor.

9. A controller for a compressor in a refrigeration circuit, said controller comprising:

a first sensor detecting high-side data indicative of an operating condition of a high-pressure side of the refrigeration circuit;

a second sensor detecting low-side data indicative of an operating condition of a low-pressure side of the refrigeration circuit; and

processing circuitry receiving said high-side data and said low-side data from said first and second sensors and processing said high-side data and low-side data to determine at least one of a low-side fault and a high-side fault, said processing circuitry operating the compressor in one of a normal mode, a reduced-capacity mode, and a shutdown mode, said processing circuitry operating the compressor in said normal mode in the absence of a low-side fault and a high-side fault, operating the compressor in said reduced-capacity mode if a low-side fault or a high-side fault is determined, or operating the compressor in said shutdown mode if said low-side fault or said high-side fault is identified by said processing circuitry as being a severe low-side fault or a severe high-side fault.

10. The controller of claim 9, wherein said processing circuitry processes said low-side data and said high-side data as a cumulating parameter to identify said at least one of said low-side fault and said high-side fault.

11. The controller of claim 9, wherein said processing circuitry intermittently restricts power to the compressor if a low-side fault is detected.

12. The controller of claim 9, wherein said first sensor is selected from the group comprising:

a current sensor, a pressure sensor, and a temperature sensor.

13. The controller of claim 12, wherein said pressure sensor is a discharge pressure sensor.

14. The controller of claim 12, wherein said temperature sensor is a condenser temperature sensor.

15. The controller of claim 9, wherein said second sensor is selected from the group comprising a suction pressure sensor and a temperature sensor.

16. The controller of claim 15, wherein said temperature sensor is a suction line temperature sensor disposed proximate to a suction port of the compressor.

17. The controller of claim 15, wherein said temperature sensor is a discharge line temperature sensor disposed proximate to a discharge port of the compressor.

18. The controller of claim 9, further comprising a power interruption device operable to selectively restrict power to said motor to provide controller protection in response to a signal from said processing circuitry.

19. The controller of claim 9, further comprising a diagnostics controller in communication with said processing circuitry to log and store operating conditions of the compressor.

20. The controller of claim 9, wherein the compressor includes a plurality of light emitting devices operable to indicate operation of the compressor in said normal mode, said reduced-capacity mode, and said shutdown mode.