Cooling device management system with refrigerant leakage detection function

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9791195-B2
Application number	US-201314405135-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2013
Priority date	Jun 4, 2012
Publication date	Oct 17, 2017
Grant date	Oct 17, 2017

Abstract

A cooling device management system is connected to a cooling device that carries out refrigerant leakage detection mode to detect leaks of refrigerant. The cooling management system includes a transmission section that transmits instructions to the cooling device, a reception section that receives information from the cooling device, a refrigerant leakage detection schedule setting section that receives inputting of settings of a refrigerant leakage detection schedule in order to carry out the refrigerant leakage detection mode in the cooling device, a schedule executing section, and a display section. The schedule executing section transmits instructions to carry out the refrigerant leakage detection mode from the transmission section to the cooling device based on the refrigerant leakage detection schedule which is received using the refrigerant leakage detection schedule setting section. The display section outputs results of the refrigerant leakage detection mode based on the information received from the cooling device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cooling device management system, connected to a cooling device configured to carry out a refrigerant leakage detection mode to detect leaks of refrigerant in a refrigerant circuit to outside the refrigerant circuit, the cooling management system comprising:
a transmission section configured to transmit instructions to the cooling device;
a reception section configured to receive information from the cooling device;
a refrigerant leakage detection schedule setting section configured to receive inputting of settings of a refrigerant leakage detection schedule in order to carry out the refrigerant leakage detection mode in the cooling device;
a schedule executing section configured to transmit an instruction to carry out the refrigerant leakage detection mode from the transmission section to the cooling device based on the refrigerant leakage detection schedule which is received using the refrigerant leakage detection schedule setting section;
a detection feasibility determining section configured to determine a feasibility of carrying out the refrigerant leakage detection mode based on information about a state of the cooling device received by the reception section when the instruction to carry out the refrigerant leakage detection mode is transmitted by the schedule executing section; and
a display section configured to output a leakage determination result of the refrigerant leakage detection mode based on the information received from the cooling device,
the detection feasibility determining section being configured to determine whether carrying out the refrigerant leakage detection mode is possible based on a result of determining whether a communication abnormality exists, determining a refrigerant filling state, and determining whether the cooling device is being driven normally,
the schedule executing section being configured not to transmit the instruction to carry out the refrigerant leakage detection mode if the detection feasibility determining section determines that the refrigerant leakage detection mode is not possible in the cooling device,
the display section displaying a feasibility determination result of the determining whether carrying out the refrigerant leakage detection mode is possible.

2. The cooling device management system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a controller configured to control the cooling device, the controller being arranged in a vicinity of the cooling device, and
a remote monitoring device arranged at a distance from the cooling device, the remote monitoring device being configured to control the cooling device through the controller,
the controller having the transmission section, the reception section, the refrigerant leakage detection schedule setting section, the schedule executing section, and the display section.

3. The cooling device management system according to claim 1 , wherein
the schedule executing section is further configured to transmit instructions to perform a specific display accompanying the leakage determination result of the refrigerant leakage detection mode on the display section, from the transmission section to the cooling device.

4. The cooling device management system according to claim 1 , wherein
the schedule executing section is further configured to transmit instructions so that an operation inputting section of the cooling device does not receive inputting of specific operations during the refrigerant leakage detection mode from the transmission section to the cooling device.

5. The cooling device management system according to claim 1 , wherein
the schedule executing section does not transmit the instructions to carry out the refrigerant leakage detection mode when it is determined that the cooling device is in an inappropriate state to carry out the refrigerant leakage detection mode in the cooling device, from state information relating to a state of a unit of the cooling device, and
the state information is received by the receiving section.

6. The cooling device management system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a normal schedule setting section configured to receive inputting of settings of a normal schedule, the normal schedule including at least a schedule to start driving and to stop driving of a specific unit of the cooling device,
the schedule executing section prioritizing the refrigerant leakage detection schedule over the normal schedule.

7. The cooling device management system according to claim 6 , wherein
the schedule executing section is further configured to restart driving of the cooling device based on the normal schedule after the refrigerant leakage detection mode is completed in the cooling device in a case where
driving of the cooling device based on the normal schedule is cancelled in order to carry out the refrigerant leakage detection mode based on the refrigerant leakage detection schedule in the cooling device.

8. The cooling device management system according to claim 1 , wherein
an R32 refrigerant flows in the refrigerant circuit of the cooling device.

9. The cooling device management system according to claim 2 , wherein
the schedule executing section is further configured to transmit instructions to perform a specific display accompanying the leakage determination result of the refrigerant leakage detection mode on the display section, from the transmission section to the cooling device.

10. The cooling device management system according to claim 2 , wherein
the schedule executing section is further configured to transmit instructions so that an operation inputting section of the cooling device does not receive inputting of specific operations during the refrigerant leakage detection mode, from the transmission section to the cooling device.

11. The cooling device management system according to claim 2 , wherein
the schedule executing section does not transmit the instructions to carry out the refrigerant leakage detection mode when it is determined that the cooling device is in an inappropriate state to carry out the refrigerant leakage detection mode in the cooling device, from state information relating to a state of a unit of the cooling device, and
the state information is received by the receiving section.

12. The cooling device management system according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a normal schedule setting section configured to receive inputting of settings of a normal schedule, the normal schedule including at least a schedule to start driving and to stop driving of a specific unit of the cooling device,
the schedule executing section prioritizing the refrigerant leakage detection schedule over the normal schedule.

13. The cooling device management system according to claim 3 , wherein
the schedule executing section is further configured to transmit instructions so that an operation inputting section of the cooling device does not receive inputting of specific operations during the refrigerant leakage detection mode, from the transmission section to the cooling device.

14. The cooling device management system according to claim 3 , wherein
the schedule executing section does not transmit the instructions to carry out the co refrigerant leakage detection mode when it is determined that the cooling device is in an inappropriate state to carry out the refrigerant leakage detection mode in the cooling device, from state information relating to a state of a unit of the cooling device, and
the state information is received by the receiving section.

15. The cooling device management system according to claim 3 ,

Assignees

• Daikin Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Okada Ryouhei
• Hasuike Shouichi

Classifications

• F24F11/84

  using valves · CPC title

• F24F11/36

  to leakage of heat-exchange fluid · CPC title

• F24F11/83

  by controlling the supply of heat-exchange fluids to heat-exchangers · CPC title

• F24F11/30

  for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring · CPC title

• F24F11/61

  using timers · CPC title