Refrigerant detection and control of HVAC system

1 . A heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system configured to provide temperature control to a conditioned space, the HVAC system comprising:

a refrigerant circuit comprising a heat exchanger configured to receive a refrigerant;

a blower; and

a control system configured to:

control the blower in a normal operating mode of the HVAC system to induce a first air flow across the heat exchanger to generate a heat exchange relationship between the first air flow and the refrigerant and to direct the first air flow to the conditioned space;

receive an input indicative of a leaked portion of the refrigerant at a refrigerant leak location; and

control, in response to the input, the blower in an alternate refrigerant leak response mode of the HVAC system to induce a second air flow comprising outside air and comprising the leaked portion of the refrigerant therein and to direct the second air flow to the conditioned space to disperse or vent the leaked portion of the refrigerant from the refrigerant leak location until:

a concentration of the leaked portion of the refrigerant in air is equal to or less than a threshold concentration; and

a pre-defined time period after the concentration is equal to or less than the threshold concentration lapses.

2 . The HVAC system of claim 1 , wherein the threshold concentration is between 0.010 and 0.040 pounds of refrigerant per cubic foot of air.

3 . The HVAC system of claim 1 , wherein the pre-defined time period is greater than 1 minute and less than 10 minutes.

4 . The HVAC system of claim 1 , comprising a sensor configured to:

detect the concentration of the leaked portion of the refrigerant in air; and

transmit the input to the control system, wherein the input is indicative of the concentration of the leaked portion of the refrigerant in air.

5 . The HVAC system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to:

control the blower in the normal operating mode of the HVAC system to induce the first air flow at a first air flow rate; and

control, in response to the input, the blower in the alternate refrigerant leak response mode of the HVAC system to induce the second air flow at a second air flow rate different than the first air flow rate.

6 . The HVAC system of claim 5 , wherein the second air flow rate is greater than the first air flow rate, and the second air flow comprises a mixture of the outside air and a return air.

7 . The HVAC system of claim 1 , comprising a thermostat, wherein the control system is configured to control the blower in the normal operating mode of the HVAC system in response to a thermostat signal corresponding to the thermostat.

8 . The HVAC system of claim 1 , comprising a compressor of the refrigerant circuit, wherein the control system is configured to:

control the compressor in the normal operating mode of the HVAC system to circulate the refrigerant through the refrigerant circuit; and

block operation of the compressor in the alternate refrigerant leak response mode of the HVAC system.

9 . One or more tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media including instructions stored thereon that, when executed by processing circuitry, are configured to cause the processing circuitry to:

control a blower of a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system configured to provide temperature control to a conditioned space in a normal operating mode of the HVAC system to induce a first air flow across a heat exchanger of a refrigerant circuit of the HVAC system and to direct the first air flow to the conditioned space;

receive an input indicative of a portion of a refrigerant leaked from the refrigerant circuit at a refrigerant leak location; and

control, in response to the input, the blower in an alternate refrigerant leak response mode of the HVAC system to induce a second air flow comprising outside air and comprising the leaked portion of the refrigerant therein and to direct the second air flow to the conditioned space to disperse or vent the portion of the refrigerant leaked from the refrigerant leaked location until:

a concentration of the portion of the refrigerant in air is equal to or less than a threshold concentration; and

a pre-defined time period after the concentration is equal to or less than the threshold concentration lapses.

10 . The one or more tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 9 , wherein the threshold concentration is between 0.010 and 0.040 pounds of refrigerant per cubic foot of air.

11 . The one or more tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 9 , wherein the pre-defined time period is greater than 1 minute and less than 10 minutes.

12 . The one or more tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing circuitry, are configured to cause the processing circuitry to receive the input from a sensor configured to detect the concentration of the leaked portion of the refrigerant in air.

13 . The one or more tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing circuitry, are configured to cause the processing circuitry to:

control the blower in the normal operating mode of the HVAC system to induce the first air flow at a first air flow rate; and

control, in response to the input, the blower in the alternate refrigerant leak response mode of the HVAC system to induce the second air flow at a second air flow rate different than the first air flow rate.

14 . The one or more tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 13 , wherein the second air flow rate is greater than the first air flow rate, and the second air flow comprises a mixture of the outside air and a return air.

15 . A method of operating a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system configured to provide temperature control to a conditioned space, the method comprising:

controlling, via a control system, a blower of the HVAC system in a normal operating mode of the HVAC system to induce a first air flow across a heat exchanger of a refrigerant circuit of the HVAC system such that a heat exchange relationship is established between the first air flow and a refrigerant in the heat exchanger and to direct the first air flow to the conditioned space;

receiving, via the control system, an input indicative of a leaked portion of the refrigerant at a refrigerant leak location; and

controlling, via the control system and based on the input, the blower in an alternate refrigerant leak response mode of the HVAC system to induce a second air flow comprising outside air and comprising the leaked portion of the refrigerant therein and to direct the second air flow to the conditioned space to disperse or vent the leaked portion of the refrigerant from the refrigerant leak location until:

a concentration of the leaked portion of the refrigerant in air is equal to or less than a threshold concentration; and

a pre-defined time period after the concentration is equal to or less than the threshold concentration lapses.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the second air flow comprises a mixture of the outside air and a return air.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the pre-defined time period is greater than 1 minute and less than 10 minutes.

18 . The method of claim 15 , comprising:

detecting, via a sensor, the concentration of the leaked portion of the refrigerant in air; and

transmitting the input from the sensor to the control system, wherein the input is indicative of the concentration of the leaked portion of the refrigerant in air.

19 . The method of claim 15 , comprising:

controlling, via the control system, the blower in the first operating mode of the HVAC system to induce the first air flow at a first air flow rate; and

controlling, via the control system and based on the input, the blower in the second operating mode of the HVAC system to induce the second air flow at a second air flow rate different than the first air flow rate.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the second air flow rate is greater than the first air flow rate.