Apparatuses, systems, and methods for gas leak detection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12078368-B2
Application number	US-202117345694-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 11, 2021
Priority date	Jun 11, 2021
Publication date	Sep 3, 2024
Grant date	Sep 3, 2024

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses, and systems for monitoring gas leaks are disclosed herein. An example Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) may comprise: a sampling tube fluidly coupled to a first opening defined in a conduit; and a sensor assembly fluidly coupled to the sampling tube. The sampling tube is positioned exterior to the conduit and extending along a direction of a gravitation force. The sensor assembly is configured to receive one or more gases that have a greater density in comparison to the ambient air and sense the one or more gases to generate a signal.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system, the HVAC system comprising:
a conduit unit;
a sampling tube fluidly coupled to a first opening defined in the conduit unit, wherein the sampling tube is positioned exterior to the conduit unit and extending along a direction of a gravitation force;
a sensor assembly fluidly coupled to the sampling tube, the sensor assembly configured to receive one or more gases that have a greater density in comparison to ambient air, wherein the sensor assembly is configured to sense the one or more gases to generate a signal; and
a flushing tube having a first end and a second end, wherein the flushing tube is fluidly coupled to the conduit unit at the first end of the flushing tube and the sensor assembly at the second end of the flushing tube, wherein the flushing tube is configured to receive gases that includes ambient air from the conduit unit.

2. The HVAC system of claim 1 , wherein the second end is positioned downstream of a second opening.

3. The HVAC system of claim 1 further comprising a drainpipe fluidly coupled to the sensor assembly, the drainpipe configured to allow egress of one or more gases from the sensor assembly.

4. The HVAC system of claim 1 , further comprising a blower disposed within an interior of the conduit unit, the blower configured to be periodically activated in order to blow the ambient air into the flushing tube.

5. The HVAC system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor assembly includes a second opening, the second opening configured to allow diffusion of one or more gases therethrough.

6. The HVAC system of claim 5 , wherein the second opening comprises a filter, the filter configured to screen out dust and moisture from the one or more gases reaching the sensor assembly.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Foster Philip
• Celoria Aoife
• Willett Martin

Classifications

• F24F8/117

  using wet filtering · CPC title

• F24F8/108

  using dry filter elements · CPC title

• F24F8/95

  specially adapted for specific purposes · CPC title

• F24F11/36 Primary

  to leakage of heat-exchange fluid · CPC title

• F25B2600/112

  of evaporator fans · CPC title