초록

Systems and methods are provided for detecting performance degradation in a refrigeration system. Specifically, the present invention provides systems and methods for detecting, at a very early stage, a low refrigerant charge and degradation in condenser performance of a refrigeration system.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of detecting performance degradation in a refrigeration system, the method comprising: initializing the refrigeration system by operating the refrigeration system with a full refrigerant charge at specific operating conditions, the specific operating conditions including a plurality of l

1. A method of detecting performance degradation in a refrigeration system, the method comprising: initializing the refrigeration system by operating the refrigeration system with a full refrigerant charge at specific operating conditions, the specific operating conditions including a plurality of loads and a plurality of ambient conditions;measuring initialization data relating to a plurality of operational parameters of the refrigeration system during the initialization of the refrigeration system;storing the measured initialization data at the specific operating conditions;operating the refrigeration system after initialization of the refrigeration system;measuring operational data relating to at least one of the plurality of operational parameters at a particular operating condition of the operating refrigeration system;comparing the measured operational data to the corresponding stored initialization data for the particular operating condition of the refrigeration system;generating a low refrigerant charge alert upon the measured operational data being outside a predetermined range of the corresponding stored initialization data;comparing currently measured operational data to previously measured operational data for the particular operating condition of the refrigeration system; andgenerating a low refrigerant charge alert upon the currently measured operational data showing a decreasing trend over time relative to the previously measured operational data. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of generating a low refrigerant charge alert upon the currently measured operational data showing a decreasing trend over time relative to the previously measured operational data includes generating a low refrigerant charge alert upon the currently measured operational data being less than a predetermined percentage of the previously measured operational data. 3. The method of claim 2 wherein the predetermined percentage is between about 90% and about 75%. 4. A method of detecting performance degradation in a refrigeration system, the method comprising: initializing the refrigeration system by operating the refrigeration system with a full refrigerant charge at specific operating conditions, the specific operating conditions including a plurality of loads and a plurality of ambient conditions;measuring initialization data relating to a plurality of operational parameters of the refrigeration system during the initialization of the refrigeration system;storing the measured initialization data at the specific operating conditions;operating the refrigeration system after initialization of the refrigeration system;measuring operational data relating to at least one of the plurality of operational parameters at a particular operating condition of the operating refrigeration system;comparing the measured operational data to the corresponding stored initialization data for the particular operating condition of the refrigeration system;generating a low refrigerant charge alert upon the measured operational data being outside a predetermined range of the corresponding stored initialization data;storing condenser initialization data relating to a plurality of operational parameters of the refrigeration system associated with condenser performance at the specific operating conditions;comparing the measured operational data to the corresponding stored condenser initialization data for the particular operating condition of the refrigeration system;generating a condenser fault alert upon the measured operational data being outside a predetermined range of the corresponding stored condenser initialization data;the plurality of operational parameters of the refrigeration system associated with condenser performance includes leaving liquid line temperature, and at least one of discharge pressure, condensing pressure, or condensing temperature;the plurality of operational parameters of the refrigeration system associated with condenser performance comprises a saturated refrigerant temperature, and a maximum threshold of the predetermined range for the condenser fault alert is between about 6 degrees F. to about 12 degrees F. above the stored initialization data corresponding to the saturated refrigerant temperature;comparing currently measured operational data corresponding to a saturated refrigerant temperature to previously measured operational data corresponding to a saturated refrigerant temperature for the particular operating condition of the refrigeration system; andgenerating a condenser fault alert upon the currently measured operational data corresponding to a saturated refrigerant temperature showing an increasing trend over time relative to the previously measured operational data corresponding to a saturated refrigerant temperature.