Method and apparatus for monitoring a condenser unit in a refrigerant-cycle system
View Patent ↗A real-time 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 that 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 sensors include one or more of the following sensors: a suction line temperature sensor, a suction line pressure sensor, a suction line flow sensor, a hot gas line temperature sensor, a hot gas line pressure sensor, a hot gas line flow sensor, a liquid line temperature sensor, a liquid line pressure sensor, a liquid line flow sensor. In one embodiment, the sensors include one or more of an evaporator air temperature input sensor, an evaporator air temperature output sensor, an evaporator air flow sensor, an evaporator air humidity sensor, and a differential pressure sensor. In one embodiment, the sensors include one or more of a condenser air temperature input sensor, a condenser air temperature output sensor, and a condenser air flow sensor, an evaporator air humidity sensor. In one embodiment, the sensors include one or more of an ambient air sensor and an ambient humidity sensor.
1. A monitoring system for monitoring a condenser unit in a refrigerant-cycle system, comprising:
a first temperature sensor configured to measure input refrigerant temperature to a condenser unit;
a second temperature sensor configured to measure output refrigerant temperature from said condenser unit;
one or more ambient sensors configured to measure one or more ambient conditions;
an electrical sensor to sense power provided to sense electrical power provided to a compressor of said condenser unit; and
a processing system configured to calculate a performance criteria of said condenser using at least a portion of the data from said first temperature sensor, at least a portion of the data from said second temperature sensor, at least a portion of the data from said ambient sensors, and at least a portion of the data from said electrical sensor.
2. The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein said processing system is configured to calculate efficiency.
3. The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein said processing system is configured to calculate energy costs due to inefficient operation of said condenser unit.
4. The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein said processing system is configured to identify performance problems due to refrigerant undercharge.
5. The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein said processing system is configured to identify performance problems due to refrigerant overcharge.
6. The monitoring system of claim 1 , further comprising an airflow sensor for a fan provided to said condenser unit.
7. The monitoring system of claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensor configured to measure output air temperature of a condenser coil in said condenser unit.
8. The monitoring system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more pressure sensors configured to measure a refrigerant pressure differential across said compressor.
9. The monitoring system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one humidity sensor.
10. The monitoring system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more electrical sensors to measure electrical power provided to a fan motor of said condenser unit.
11. The monitoring system of claim 1 , further comprising a refrigerant flow sensor.
12. The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein said processing system is configured to provide data for plots of energy usage and costs.
13. The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein said processing system is configured to provide data related to operation of said condenser to a remote monitoring center.
14. The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein said processing system is configured to provide data related to operation of said condenser system to a remote monitoring center using powerline networking.
15. The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein said processing system is configured to provide data related to operation of said condenser to a remote monitoring center using broadband over powerline networking.
16. The monitoring system of claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensor to measure a temperature of refrigerant provided to said compressor.
17. The monitoring system of claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensor to measure a temperature of refrigerant output from said compressor.
18. The monitoring system of claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensor to measure a temperature of refrigerant output from a condenser coil.
19. The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein said monitoring system is configured with data regarding a maximum expected efficiency for said condenser unit under various ambient temperatures.
20. The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein said monitoring system is configured with data regarding a type of refrigerant used in said condenser unit.
21. The monitoring system of claim 1 , further comprising a pressure sensor configured to measure a pressure of the refrigerant in a refrigerant line provided to said compressor.
22. The monitoring system of claim 1 , further comprising a pressure sensor to measure refrigerant pressure in an output line of said condenser unit.
23. The monitoring system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one refrigerant contaminant sensor.
24. The monitoring system of claim 1 , further comprising an ambient humidity sensor.
25. A monitoring system for monitoring a condenser unit in a refrigerant-cycle system, comprising:
means for measuring one or more inputs to said condenser;
means for measuring one or more outputs from said condenser;
means for measuring one or more inputs to the compressor;
programmed data parameters related to operation of said condenser; and
a processing system configured to calculate one or more performance criteria of said condenser using at least a portion of the data from said means for measuring one or more inputs to said condenser, said means for measuring one or more outputs from said condenser, said means for measuring one or more inputs to the compressor, and said programmed data parameters, said processing system configured to provide a performance history of said performance criteria and to calculate an operational efficiency of said condenser using in part said performance criteria.
26. The monitoring system of claim 25 , wherein said data parameters comprise a type of refrigerant.
27. The monitoring system of claim 25 , wherein said data parameters comprise a property of a refrigerant.
28. The monitoring system of claim 25 , wherein said data parameters comprise one or more calibration values.
29. The monitoring system of claim 25 , further comprising a pressure sensor to measure refrigerant pressure.
30. The monitoring system of claim 25 , wherein said data parameters comprise one or more calibration values obtained from said condenser during a calibration process.
31. The monitoring system of claim 25 , wherein said data parameters comprise one or more physical properties of said condenser.
32. The monitoring system of claim 25 , wherein said data parameters comprise one or more dimensional properties of said condenser.
33. The monitoring system of claim 25 , wherein said one or more inputs comprise input air temperature.
34. The monitoring system of claim 25 , wherein said one or more inputs comprise input refrigerant temperature.
35. The monitoring system of claim 25 , wherein said one or more inputs comprise electrical power provided to a condenser fan.
36. The monitoring system of claim 25 , wherein said one or more inputs comprise electrical power provided to a compressor.
37. The monitoring system of claim 25 , wherein said one or more outputs comprise output refrigerant pressure.
38. The monitoring system of claim 25 , wherein said one or more outputs comprise output refrigerant temperature.
39. The monitoring system of claim 25 , wherein said one or more outputs comprise refrigerant flow.