IP Library Granted Patent US 11,131,471
Granted Patent B1
US 11,131,471 · App. 16/940,843 · Granted Sep 28, 2021

Refrigeration leak detection

Inventors: Brian R. Butler (Centerville, OH); Stuart K. Morgan (West Chester, OH); Hung Pham (Dayton, OH); Winfield S. Morter (Sidney, OH); Andrew M. Welch (Sidney, OH); David Alfano (Sidney, OH); Michael A. Saunders (Sidney, OH)
Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc.
F24F11/36F24F11/52F24F11/58F24F11/84F24F11/86F24F2140/12F24F2140/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,131,471
App. No.
16/940,843
Granted
Sep 28, 2021
Kind
B1
Abstract

A refrigerant control system includes: a charge module configured to determine an amount of refrigerant that is present within a refrigeration system of a building; a leak module configured to diagnose that a leak is present in the refrigeration system based on the amount of refrigerant; and at least one module configured to take at least one remedial action in response to the diagnosis that the leak is present in the refrigeration system.

Claims (43)

1. A refrigerant control system, comprising:

a charge module configured to determine an amount of refrigerant that is present within a refrigeration system of a building;

a leak module configured to diagnose that a leak is present in the refrigeration system based on the amount of refrigerant;

an isolation module configured to, in response to the diagnosis that the leak is present in the refrigeration system:

close a first isolation valve located downstream of a first heat exchanger located outside of the building and between the first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger located within the building; and

maintain open a second isolation valve located outside of the building downstream of the second heat exchanger and between the second heat exchanger and a compressor of the refrigeration system; and

a compressor module configured to, in response to the diagnosis that the leak is present in the refrigeration system, operate the compressor of the refrigeration system for a predetermined period while the first isolation valve is closed and the second isolation valve is open,

wherein the isolation module is further configured to, in response to a determination that the predetermined period has passed, close the second isolation valve,

wherein the charge module is configured to determine the amount of refrigerant within the refrigeration system based on a volume of a first heat exchanger located outside of the building, a volume of a second heat exchanger located within the building, and a volume of refrigerant lines of the refrigeration system,

wherein the charge module is configured to determine the volume of the first heat exchanger based on at least one temperature of the refrigerant within the refrigeration system, at least one pressure, and a volumetric flow rate of a compressor of the refrigeration system.

2. The refrigerant control system of claim 1 wherein the charge module is configured to determine the volume of the refrigerant lines based on at least one second temperature of the refrigerant within the refrigeration system, at least one second pressure, and the volumetric flow rate of the compressor of the refrigeration system.

3. The refrigerant control system of claim 1 wherein the leak module is configured to diagnose that a leak is present in the refrigeration system based on a measurement from a leak sensor located at one of the first and second heat exchangers of the refrigeration system.

4. The refrigerant control system of claim 1 wherein the leak module is configured to diagnose that a leak is present in the refrigeration system when a pressure of refrigerant within the building measured by a pressure sensor within the building decreases.

5. The refrigerant control system of claim 1 further comprising an alert module configured to, in response to the diagnosis that the leak is present in the refrigeration system, generate an alert via a visual indicator.

6. The refrigerant control system of claim 1 further comprising an alert module configured to, in response to the diagnosis that the leak is present in the refrigeration system, transmit an alert to an external device via a network.

7. The refrigerant control system of claim 1 wherein:

the charge module is configured to:

determine a first amount of refrigerant that is present within a first portion of the refrigeration system that is located inside of the building;

determine a second amount of refrigerant that is present within a second portion of the refrigeration system that is located outside of the building;

determine the amount of refrigerant within the refrigeration system based on the first amount of refrigerant within the first portion and the second amount of refrigerant within the second portion; and

the leak module is configured to diagnose that a leak is present in the refrigeration system based on at least one of: the first amount of refrigerant, the second amount of refrigerant, and the amount of refrigerant.

8. A refrigerant control method, comprising:

determining an amount of refrigerant that is present within a refrigeration system of a building;

diagnosing that a leak is present in the refrigeration system based on the amount of refrigerant;

in response to the diagnosis that the leak is present in the refrigeration system:

closing a first isolation valve located downstream of a first heat exchanger located outside of the building and between the first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger located within the building;

maintaining open a second isolation valve located outside of the building downstream of the second heat exchanger and between the second heat exchanger and a compressor of the refrigeration system; and

operating the compressor of the refrigeration system for a predetermined period while the first isolation valve is closed and the second isolation valve is open; and

in response to a determination that the predetermined period has passed, closing the second isolation valve,

wherein the determining the amount includes:

determining the amount of refrigerant within the refrigeration system based on a volume of a first heat exchanger located outside of the building, a volume of a second heat exchanger located within the building, and a volume of refrigerant lines of the refrigeration system; and

determining the volume of the first heat exchanger based on at least one temperature of the refrigerant within the refrigeration system, at least one pressure, and a volumetric flow rate of a compressor of the refrigeration system.

9. The refrigerant control method of claim 8 wherein the diagnosing includes diagnosing that a leak is present in the refrigeration system based on a measurement from a leak sensor located at one of the first and second heat exchangers of the refrigeration system.

10. The refrigerant control method of claim 8 wherein the diagnosing includes diagnosing that a leak is present in the refrigeration system when a pressure of refrigerant within the building measured by a pressure sensor within the building decreases.

11. The refrigerant control method of claim 8 further comprising at least one of:

generating an alert via a visual indicator; and

transmitting an alert to an external device via a network.

12. The refrigerant control method of claim 8 wherein:

the determining the amount includes:

determining a first amount of refrigerant that is present within a first portion of the refrigeration system that is located inside of the building;

determining a second amount of refrigerant that is present within a second portion of the refrigeration system that is located outside of the building;

determining the amount of refrigerant within the refrigeration system based on the first amount of refrigerant within the first portion and the second amount of refrigerant within the second portion; and

the diagnosing includes diagnosing that a leak is present in the refrigeration system based on at least one of: the first amount of refrigerant, the second amount of refrigerant, and the amount of refrigerant.

Assignments (6)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 9, 2024
From: COPELAND LP
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 068241/0264 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 17, 2023
From: COPELAND LP
To: ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 064278/0598 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 17, 2023
From: COPELAND LP
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 064279/0327 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 17, 2023
From: COPELAND LP
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 064280/0695 →
ENTITY CONVERSION Recorded Jun 22, 2023
From: EMERSON CLIMATE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: COPELAND LP
Reel/Frame 064058/0724 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 3, 2020
From: BUTLER, BRIAN R.; MORGAN, STUART K.; PHAM, HUNG; MORTER, WINFIELD S.; WELCH, ANDREW M.; ALFANO, DAVID; SAUNDERS, MICHAEL A.
To: EMERSON CLIMATE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 053382/0848 →
Cited By (3)
US 12,523,404 US 12,644,628 US 12,687,317