Refrigerant quantity diagnosis device, refrigerant system, and refrigerant quantity diagnosis method

A refrigerant system, comprising:

• an air conditioning system;
• and
• a refrigerant quantity diagnosis device that comprises
• a data collection part configured to acquire operating state data on the air conditioning system,
• an evaluation value calculation part configured to calculate a refrigerant quantity index evaluation value that is a ratio of (i) a measured refrigerant quantity index value which is an index value of a quantity of a refrigerant in the air conditioning system and is calculated based on the acquired operating state data, to (ii) a reference refrigerant quantity index value which is a previously-calculated index value of the refrigerant quantity in the air conditioning system, or a difference value between (i) the measured refrigerant quantity index value and (ii) the reference refrigerant quantity index value, and
• a refrigerant quantity diagnosis part configured to diagnose the refrigerant quantity in the air conditioning system, based on the refrigerant quantity index evaluation value,
• wherein the reference refrigerant quantity index value is associated with at least one operating condition of the air conditioning system and is also associated with a prescribed value of the associated operating condition,
• wherein the evaluation value calculation part is configured to
• calculate a first refrigerant quantity index evaluation value as the refrigerant quantity index evaluation value, based on the reference refrigerant quantity index value having a value associated with an operating condition of interest and also based on the measured refrigerant quantity index value, in a first period in which it is previously estimated that no refrigerant leakage of the refrigerant in the air conditioning system has occurred, and
• calculate a second refrigerant quantity index evaluation value as the refrigerant quantity index evaluation value, based on the reference refrigerant quantity index value having a value associated with the operating condition of interest and also based on the measured refrigerant quantity index value, in a second period in which the refrigerant quantity is diagnosed, and
• wherein the refrigerant quantity diagnosis part is configured to compare information on the first refrigerant quantity index evaluation value with information on the second refrigerant quantity index evaluation value and thereby diagnose the refrigerant quantity in the air conditioning system.

A refrigerant quantity diagnosis method of a refrigerant quantity diagnosis device for an air conditioning system, the refrigerant quantity diagnosis device including a data collection part, an evaluation value calculation part, and a refrigerant quantity diagnosis part, the refrigerant quantity diagnosis method, comprising:

• a step, performed by the data collection part, of acquiring operating state data on the air conditioning system;
• a step, performed by the evaluation value calculation part, of calculating a refrigerant quantity index evaluation value that is a ratio of (i) a measured refrigerant quantity index value which is an index value of a quantity of a refrigerant in the air conditioning system and is calculated based on the acquired operating state data, to (ii) a reference refrigerant quantity index value which is a previously-calculated index value of the refrigerant quantity in the air conditioning system, or a difference value between (i) the measured refrigerant quantity index value and (ii) the reference refrigerant quantity index value;
• and
• a step, performed by the refrigerant quantity diagnosis part, of diagnosing the refrigerant quantity in the air conditioning system, based on the refrigerant quantity index evaluation value,
• wherein the reference refrigerant quantity index value is associated with at least one operating condition of the air conditioning system and is also associated with a prescribed value of the associated operating condition,
• the refrigerant quantity diagnosis method, further comprising:
• a first refrigerant quantity index evaluation value calculation step, performed by the evaluation value calculation part, of calculating a first refrigerant quantity index evaluation value as the refrigerant quantity index evaluation value, based on the reference refrigerant quantity index value having a value associated with an operating condition of interest and also based on the measured refrigerant quantity index value, in a first period in which it is previously estimated that no refrigerant leakage of the refrigerant in the air conditioning system has occurred, and
• a second refrigerant quantity index evaluation value calculation step, performed by the evaluation value calculation part, of calculating a second refrigerant quantity index evaluation value as the refrigerant quantity index evaluation value, based on the reference refrigerant quantity index value having a value associated with the operating condition of interest and also based on the measured refrigerant quantity index value, in a second period in which the refrigerant quantity is diagnosed, and
• a diagnosis step performed by the refrigerant quantity diagnosis part, of comparing information on the first refrigerant quantity index evaluation value with information on the second refrigerant quantity index evaluation value and thereby diagnosing the refrigerant quantity in the air conditioning system.