Monitoring condenser performance

1. A method for monitoring an operation of a condenser, comprising:

receiving a control signal associated with a fan component of a condenser of a refrigeration system;

determining an expected control signal based on a number of driving conditions associated with the condenser;

determining a type of condenser fouling based on a rate of change in the difference between the received control signal and the expected control signal; and

providing a notification responsive to a difference between the received control signal and the expected control signal exceeding a threshold.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method includes receiving the control signal from an embedded controller associated with the condenser.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the number of driving conditions includes an outdoor temperature.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the number of driving conditions includes a discharge pressure associated with the condenser.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method includes:

receiving the control signal over a first period of time;

receiving the number of driving conditions over the first period of time;

determining a historical relationship between the control signal and a portion of the driving conditions;

receiving the control signal over a second period of time;

receiving the number of driving conditions over the second period of time;

determining a particular deviation from the relationship during the second period of time; and

providing the notification responsive to the determination of the particular deviation.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first period of time is a season of a year.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the second period of time is an instantaneous time.

8. An apparatus for monitoring a performance of a condenser, comprising:

a controller associated with a condenser of a refrigeration system, configured to:

receive a model associated with an expected relationship between a control signal associated with a fan of a condenser and a plurality of driving conditions associated with the condenser;

monitor a relationship between the control signal and the driving conditions while the condenser is operating;

determine a type of condenser fouling based on a rate of change in the difference between the monitored relationship and the expected relationship; and

take an action responsive to a difference between the monitored relationship and the expected relationship exceeding a threshold.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to receive a polynomial regression model.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to receive a nonlinear model.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the expected relationship based on a historical relationship between the control signal and a portion of the plurality of driving conditions.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of driving conditions includes a split valve signal and humidity.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to recommend a maintenance action associated with the condenser responsive to the difference exceeding the threshold.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to provide a notification to a computing device responsive to the difference exceeding the threshold.

15. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to receive the model at a particular interval.

16. A system for monitoring a performance of a condenser, comprising:

a controller associated with a condenser of a refrigeration system, configured to:

monitor a control signal associated with a fan component of the condenser while the condenser is operating: and

monitor a plurality of driving conditions associated with the condenser while the condenser is operating; and

a computing device, configured to:

receive the monitored control signal and the monitored plurality of driving conditions;

create a historical model corresponding to a relationship between the monitored control signal and the monitored plurality of driving conditions;

determine an expected control signal based on the historical model and a particular set of driving conditions associated with a particular instance;

determine a type of condenser fouling based on a rate of change in the difference between the received monitored control signal and the expected control signal; and

issue a notification responsive to a difference between the received monitored control signal and the expected control signal exceeding a particular threshold.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to monitor the plurality of driving conditions using a plurality of sensing device.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the notification includes a notification of an obstruction anomaly associated with the condenser.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the notification includes a notification of a degradation associated with the condenser.