Low charge detection system for cooling systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10571171-B2
Application number	US-201815878927-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 24, 2018
Priority date	Jan 27, 2017
Publication date	Feb 25, 2020
Grant date	Feb 25, 2020

Abstract

Systems and methods that detect a loss of charge associated with a climate controlled environment are described in the present disclosure. In various embodiments, a controller receives operating condition parameters associated with a climate-controlled environment. The controller determines whether a compressor is operating in a first mode of operation or a second mode of operation. The controller applies a first model to the operating condition parameters when the compressor is operating in the first mode of operation to represent a loss of charge associated with the climate-controlled environment and applies a second model to the operating condition parameters when the compressor is operating in the second mode of operation to represent the loss of charge associated with the climate-controlled environment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a compressor; and
a controller that receives a plurality of operating condition parameters associated with a climate-controlled environment, that determines whether the compressor is operating in at least one of a first mode of operation corresponding to full capacity operation and a second mode of operation corresponding to partial capacity operation, that applies a first model to the plurality of operating condition parameters when the compressor is operating in the first mode of operation to determine a loss of charge associated with the climate-controlled environment and applies a second model to the plurality of operating condition parameters when the compressor is operating in the second mode of operation to determine the loss of charge associated with the climate-controlled environment, the first model and the second model each representing the loss of charge as a function of the plurality of operating condition parameters.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the loss of charge comprises at least one of a percentage of refrigerant charge loss and an estimated modulation percentage of the compressor.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller determines whether the loss of charge exceeds a predefined threshold, and generates an alert indicating the loss of charge when the loss of charge exceeds the predefined threshold.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first model is a function of an evaporator temperature of an evaporator associated with the climate-controlled environment.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first model is a function of a supply air temperature of supply air associated with the climate-controlled environment.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of operating conditions comprise a compressor discharge temperature, an ambient temperature, an evaporator temperature, a return air temperature, a set point parameter, a condenser coil temperature, and a second evaporator temperature.

7. The system of claim 6 , further comprising a compressor discharge temperature sensor for measuring the compressor discharge temperature; an ambient air temperature sensor for measuring the ambient temperature; an evaporator coil temperature sensor for measuring the evaporator temperature; a return air temperature sensor for measuring the return air temperature; a set point temperature interface for receiving the set point parameter; a condenser coil temperature sensor for measuring the condenser coil temperature; and a second evaporator coil temperature sensor for measuring the second evaporator temperature.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of operating conditions comprise compressor discharge temperature, an ambient temperature, a supply air temperature, a return air temperature, and a set point parameter.

9. The system of claim 8 , further comprising: a compressor discharge temperature sensor for measuring the compressor discharge temperature; an ambient air temperature sensor for measuring the ambient temperature; a supply air temperature sensor for measuring the supply air temperature; a return air temperature sensor for measuring the return air temperature; and a set point temperature interface for receiving the set point parameter.

10. A method comprising:
determining, with a controller, whether a compressor associated with a climate-controlled environment is operating in at least one of a first mode of operation corresponding to full capacity operation and a second mode of operation corresponding to partial capacity operation;
applying, with the controller, a first model to a plurality of operating conditions associated with the climate-controlled environment when the compressor is operating in the first mode of operation to determine a loss of charge associated with the climate-controlled environment; and
applying, with the controller, a second model to the plurality of operating conditions associated with the climate-controlled environment when the compressor is operating in the second mode of operation to determine the loss of charge associated with the climate-controlled environment;
wherein the first model and the second model each represent the loss of charge as a function of the plurality of operating condition parameters.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the loss of charge comprises at least one of a percentage of refrigerant charge loss and an estimated modulation percentage of the compressor.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising determining, with the controller, whether the loss of charge exceeds a predefined threshold; and generating, with the controller, an alert indicating the loss of charge when the loss of charge exceeds the predefined threshold.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first model is a function of an evaporator temperature of an evaporator associated with the climate-controlled environment.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first model is a function of a supply air temperature of supply air associated with the climate-controlled environment.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of operating conditions comprise a compressor discharge temperature, an ambient temperature, an evaporator temperature, a return air temperature, a set point parameter, a condenser coil temperature, and a second evaporator temperature.

16. A system comprising:
a plurality of sensors deployed throughout a climate-controlled environment for measuring a plurality of operating condition parameters associated with the climate-controlled environment;
a compressor; and
a controller that receives the plurality of operating condition parameters from the plurality of sensors, that determines whether the compressor is operating in at least one of a first mode of operation corresponding to full capacity operation and a second mode of operation corresponding to partial capacity operation, that applies a first model to the plurality of operating condition parameters when the compressor is operating in the first mode of operation to determine a loss of charge associated with the climate-controlled environment and applies a second model to the plurality of operating condition parameters when the compressor is operating in the second mode of operation to determine the loss of charge associated with the climate-controlled environment;
wherein the first model and the second model each represent the loss of charge as a function of the plurality of operating condition parameters.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the loss of charge comprises at least one of a percentage of refrigerant charge loss and an estimated modulation percentage of the compressor.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the controller determines whether the loss of charge exceeds a predefined threshold, and generates an alert indicating the loss of charge when the loss of charge exceeds the predefined threshold.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the first model is a function of an evaporator temperature of an evaporator associated with the climate-controlled environment.

20. The system of claim 16 , wherein the first model is a function of a supply air temperature of supply air associated with the climate-controlled environment.

Assignees

• Emerson Climate Technologies

Inventors

• Gariety Mark
• Fullenkamp Paul L
• Alsaleem Fadi M

Classifications

• F25B2700/04

  Refrigerant level · CPC title

• F25B13/00

  Compression machines, plants or systems, with reversible cycle (defrosting cycles F25B47/02) · CPC title

• F25B2700/2106

  of fresh outdoor air · CPC title

• F25B2700/2116

  of a condenser · CPC title

• F25B2700/21152

  at the discharge side of the compressor · CPC title