Portable Method And Apparatus For Monitoring Refrigerant-Cycle Systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016223238-A1
Application number	US-201615096186-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 11, 2016
Priority date	Jul 30, 2007
Publication date	Aug 4, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A portable monitoring system that monitors various aspects of the operation of a refrigerant-cycle system is described. In one embodiment, the system includes a processor that measures power provided to the refrigerant-cycle system and gathers data from one or more sensors and uses the sensor data to calculate a figure of merit related to the efficiency of the system. In one embodiment, the measurements performed by the monitoring system include one or more of: an evaporator input air temperature, an evaporator output air temperature, evaporator air flow, evaporator air humidity, condenser air input temperature, condenser air output temperature sensor, electrical power. In one embodiment, the portable monitoring system receives information about the refrigerant-cycle system from either the system itself or from a computer network.

First claim

1 . A monitoring system for monitoring the operation of a refrigerant-cycle system, the monitoring system comprising:
a monitoring unit including a processing system, a display, and one or more user input devices; an airflow sensor provided to the monitoring unit and configured to generate airflow data; a power sensor provided to the monitoring unit and configured to generate power data; an ambient temperature sensor provided to the monitoring unit and configured to generate ambient air temperature data for air provided to an evaporator of the refrigerant-cycle system; and a network interface provided to the monitoring unit, the monitoring unit using the network interface to query and receive performance information regarding an HVAC unit identified by a model number, the performance information comprising efficiency data specifying, for an input present ambient air temperature, a maximum expected efficiency of the HVAC unit according to the input present ambient air temperature, the monitoring unit determining a present maximum expected efficiency of the HVAC unit, wherein the present maximum expected efficiency of the HVAC unit is determined using the input present ambient air temperature and using an input present ambient humidity, the monitoring unit using the airflow data, the power data, output air temperature data for air flowing from the evaporator, and the ambient air temperature data to compute a present efficiency of the HVAC unit, and the monitoring unit using the display to display a relationship between the present efficiency and the present maximum expected efficiency.

Assignees

• Emerson Climate Technologies

Inventors

• Kates Lawrence

Classifications

• F24F11/77

  by controlling the speed of ventilators · CPC title

• F24F11/86

  by controlling compressors within refrigeration or heat pump circuits · CPC title

• F24F11/39

  Monitoring filter performance · CPC title

• F24F11/52

  Indication arrangements, e.g. displays · CPC title

• F24F11/46

  Improving electric energy efficiency or saving · CPC title