System for calibration of a compressor unit in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9625345-B2
Application number	US-201615185467-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2016
Priority date	Oct 28, 2013
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

The present invention provides for a system for calibrating operation of a compressor unit in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. A measuring device measures an operating parameter of the HVAC system at a position where the measuring device is mounted on a refrigerant line of the HVAC system. The measuring device switches states when the value of the measured operating parameter reaches a switching value. A controller estimates a value of the first operating parameter at the position where the first measuring device is mounted on the refrigerant line, and the controller determines whether the estimated first operating parameter is within a threshold percentage of the switching value.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A system for calibrating operation of a compressor unit in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the system comprising:
an indoor unit operatively connected to an outdoor unit;
wherein the outdoor unit comprises a compressor unit, the compressor unit comprising a suction line and a discharge line;
a control assembly configured to operationally connect to the compressor unit, wherein the compressor unit operates at an outside ambient temperature;
a measuring device mounted on the discharge line of the compressor unit, wherein the measuring device is configured to measure at least a first operating parameter of the HVAC system and switch states from a first state to a second state when the value of the measured first operating parameter reaches a first switching value; and
a controller of the control assembly is configured to estimate a first estimated value of the first operating parameter of the HVAC and determine whether the first estimated value is within a first threshold percentage of the first switching value.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the discharge line comprises a channel for the flow of refrigerant with the HVAC system.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to generate a first communication based on the determination of whether the first estimated value is within the first threshold percentage of the first switching value.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to send the first communication using a wireless connection with an external device.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the first measuring device has switched states from the first state to the second state.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to change demand on the compressor unit from a first load to a second load if the measuring device has not switched states from the first state to the second state.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein changing the demand on the compressor unit comprises changing a speed of the compressor unit.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein:
the controller is configured to initiate a first mode of operation for calibrating operation of the compressor unit, wherein the initiation of the first mode of operation is based on the outside ambient temperature; and
the controller is configured to operate the compressor unit under the second load for a first time period to change the measured first operating parameter of the HVAC system to cause the measuring device to switch states.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the outside ambient temperature is within a first calibration range and change states when the compressor unit is operated within the first calibration range.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein:
the measuring device comprises a pressure switch and the first operating parameter comprises a pressure of a refrigerant in the discharge line at a position where the measuring device is mounted; and
the pressure switch is configured to measure the pressure of the refrigerant at the position where the pressure switch is mounted on the first line.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein:
the measuring device comprises a temperature switch and the first operating parameter comprises a temperature of a refrigerant in the discharge line at a position where the measuring device is mounted; and
wherein the temperature switch is configured to measure the temperature of the refrigerant at the position where the temperature switch is mounted on the first line.

12. A method for calibrating operation of a compressor unit in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system:
providing a control assembly configured to operationally connect to a compressor unit of the HVAC system, wherein the compressor unit is configured to operate at an outside ambient temperature;
mounting a measuring device on a discharge line of the compressor unit, wherein the measuring device is configured to measure at least a first operating parameter of the HVAC system and switch states from a first state to a second state when the value of the measured first operating parameter reaches a first switching value;
switching from the first state to the second state when the value of the measured first operating parameter reaches the first switching value;
estimating, using the controller, a first estimated value of the first operating parameter; and
determining, using the controller, whether the first estimated value is within a first threshold percentage of the first switching value.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
responsive to a determination that the first estimated value is within the first threshold percentage of the first switching value, generating, using the controller, a first communication.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising sending the first communication to an external device using a wireless connection.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising determining whether the measuring device has switched states from the first state to the second state.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
responsive to a determination that the measuring device has not switched states from the first state to the second state, changing demand on the compressor unit from a first load to a second load.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein changing the demand on the compressor unit comprises changing a speed of the compressor unit.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
initiating, using the controller, a first mode of operation for calibrating operation of the compressor unit, wherein the initiation of the first mode of operation is based on the outside ambient temperature; and
operating, using the controller, the compressor unit under the second load for a first time period to change the measured first operating parameter at the discharge line from a first measured value to a second measured value, wherein the change in the first operating parameter at the discharge causes the measuring device to switch states.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
measuring, using the controller, the outdoor temperature; and
changing, using the measuring device, states when the compressor unit is operated at the outside ambient temperature within a first calibration range.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein:
the measuring device comprises a pressure switch, and the first operating parameter comprises a pressure of a refrigerant in the discharge line at a position where the measuring device is mounted; and
the pressure switch is configured to measure the pressure of the refrigerant at the position where the pressure switch is mounted on the first line.

Assignees

• Lennox Ind Inc

Inventors

• Berg Eric
• Goel Rakesh

Classifications

• Y02B30/70

  Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating · CPC title

• F25B13/00

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

• F25B2700/1931

  Discharge pressures · CPC title

• G01L27/002

  Calibrating, i.e. establishing true relation between transducer output value and value to be measured, zeroing, linearising or span error determination · CPC title

• F25B49/022 Primary

  Compressor control arrangements · CPC title