# US 10,371,406 B2 · Maintenance and diagnostics for refrigeration systems

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- Number: US 10,371,406 B2
- Document ID: US10371406B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/819,742
- Filed: 2017-11-21
- Published: 2018-04-05
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2015-06-30
- Assignees: Emerson Climate Technologies Retail Solutions, Inc.
- Applicants: Emerson Climate Technologies Retail Solutions, Inc.
- Inventors: John Wallace; Franklin Beltran; Frank S. Wallis; Paul L. Fullenkamp; Karen Richard
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10371406B2

## CPC

- F24F 11/49: ensuring correct operation, e.g. by trial operation or configuration checks
- F24F 11/30: for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
- F24F 11/58: using Internet communication
- F24F 11/62: characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
- F24F 11/63: Electronic processing
- F24F 11/64: using pre-stored data
- F24F 11/86: by controlling compressors within refrigeration or heat pump circuits
- F24F 11/89: Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
- F25B 5/02: arranged in parallel
- F25B 49/005: {of safety devices (F25B49/02 and F25B49/04 take precedence)}
- F25B 49/022: {Compressor control arrangements}
- F25D 29/00: Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
- G05B 19/048: Monitoring; Safety
- G05B 23/0218: {characterised by the fault detection method dealing with either existing or incipient faults}
- G05B 23/0262: {Confirmation of fault detection, e.g. extra checks to confirm that a failure has indeed occurred}
- G05B 23/0283: {Predictive maintenance, e.g. involving the monitoring of a system and, based on the monitoring results, taking decisions on the maintenance schedule of the monitored system; Estimating remaining useful life [RUL] (preventive maintenance, i.e. planning maintenance according to the available resources without monitoring the system G06Q10/06)}
- F24F 11/32: Responding to malfunctions or emergencies
- F24F 11/41: Defrosting; Preventing freezing
- F24F 11/46: Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
- F24F 2140/00: Control inputs relating to system states
- F24F 2140/60: Energy consumption
- F25B 2400/075: with parallel compressors
- F25B 2500/28: Means for preventing liquid refrigerant entering into the compressor
- F25B 2600/0251: with on-off operation
- F25B 2700/15: Power, e.g. by voltage or current
- F25B 2700/1931: Discharge pressures
- F25B 2700/1933: Suction pressures
- F25B 2700/195: of the condenser
- F25B 2700/2104: of an indoor room or compartment
- F25B 2700/21151: at the suction side of the compressor
- F25B 2700/21152: at the discharge side of the compressor
- F25B 2700/2116: of a condenser
- F25B 2700/2117: of an evaporator
- G05B 2219/2614: HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
- F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02)
- F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
- F25D: REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (refrigerated showcases A47F3/04; thermally-insulated vessels for domestic use A47J41/00; refrigerated vehicles, see the appropriate subclasses of classes B60 - B64; containers with thermal insulation in general B65D81/38; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials, e.g. refrigerants, or materials for the production of heat or cold by chemical reactions other than by combustion C09K5/00; thermally-insulated vessels for liquefied or solidified gases F17C; air-conditioning or air-humidification F24F; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B; cooling of instruments or comparable apparatus without refrigeration G12B)
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)

## Abstract

A system and a method are provided including a controller for a refrigeration or HVAC system having a compressor rack with at least one compressor. The controller communicates with a tracking module configured to diagnose health of a compressor in the compressor rack. In response to rated performance data for the compressor being unavailable, the tracking module is configured to generate baseline data for the compressor and to diagnose health of the compressor by comparing operational data of the compressor to the baseline data for the compressor. In response to the rated performance data for the compressor being available, the tracking module is configured to diagnose health of the compressor by comparing the operational data of the compressor to the rated performance data for the compressor.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system comprising:
a refrigeration or HVAC system having a compressor rack with at least one compressor, and
a controller for the refrigeration or HVAC system, the controller having a performance tracking module configured to diagnose health of a compressor in the compressor rack,
wherein in response to rated performance data for the compressor being unavailable, the performance tracking module is configured to generate baseline data for the compressor and to diagnose health of the compressor by comparing operational data of the compressor to the baseline data for the compressor; and
wherein in response to the rated performance data for the compressor being available, the performance tracking module is configured to diagnose health of the compressor by comparing the operational data of the compressor to the rated performance data for the compressor.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the performance tracking module comprises:
a baseline data module configured to generate the baseline data for the compressor based on data received from the compressor immediately following installation of compressor; and
a monitoring module configured to diagnose health of the compressor by comparing the baseline data to the operational data of the compressor obtained subsequent to developing the baseline data.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the performance tracking module comprises a regression-based monitoring module configured to:
perform a regression analysis on the rated performance data and the data obtained from the compressor during operation; and
diagnose health of the compressor based on the regression analysis.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The system of claim 3 wherein the regression-based monitoring module comprises:
a benchmark generating module configured to generate a benchmark polynomial and a benchmark hull; and
an analyzing module configured to analyze data obtained from the compressor during operation using the benchmark polynomial and the benchmark hull and to diagnose health of the compressor based on the analysis.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4 wherein the regression-based monitoring module comprises an optimizing module configured to:
select only statistically significant variables affecting a selected one of the rated performance data and to eliminate statistically insignificant variables; and
optimize the benchmark polynomial using the selected variables.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4 wherein the regression-based monitoring module comprises an outlier detecting module configured to detect outliers in the data obtained from the compressor during operation and to remove outliers with largest deviation.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4 wherein the regression-based monitoring module comprises a comparing module configured to compare the benchmark polynomial and the benchmark hull with historical benchmark polynomial and hull data and to diagnose health of the compressor based on the comparison.

### Claim 8

A method comprising:
controlling, with a controller, a refrigeration or HVAC system having a compressor rack with at least one compressor;
communicating with a performance tracking module configured to diagnose health of a compressor in the compressor rack;
in response to rated performance data for the compressor being unavailable, generating, with the performance tracking module, baseline data for the compressor and diagnosing health of the compressor by comparing operational data of the compressor to the baseline data for the compressor; and
in response to the rated performance data for the compressor being available, diagnosing, with the performance tracking module, health of the compressor by comparing the operational data of the compressor to the rated performance data for the compressor.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8 further comprising:
generating, with a baseline data module, the baseline data for the compressor based on data received from the compressor immediately following installation of compressor; and
diagnosing, with a monitoring module, health of the compressor by comparing the baseline data to the operational data of the compressor obtained subsequent to developing the baseline data.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8 further comprising:
performing, with a regression-based monitoring module, a regression analysis on the rated performance data and the data obtained from the compressor during operation; and
diagnosing, with the regression-based monitoring module, health of the compressor based on the regression analysis.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10 further comprising:
generating, with a benchmark generating module, a benchmark polynomial and a benchmark hull; and
analyzing, with an analyzing module, data obtained from the compressor during operation using the benchmark polynomial and the benchmark hull and diagnosing health of the compressor based on the analysis.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11 further comprising:
selecting, with an optimizing module, only statistically significant variables affecting a selected one of the rated performance data and eliminating statistically insignificant variables; and
optimizing, with the optimizing module, the benchmark polynomial using the selected variables.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11 further comprising detecting, with an outlier detecting module, outliers in the data obtained from the compressor during operation and removing outliers with largest deviation.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11 further comprising comparing, with a comparing module, the benchmark polynomial and the benchmark hull with historical benchmark polynomial and hull data and diagnosing health of the compressor based on the comparison.