Systems and methods for refrigerant leak management based on acoustic leak detection

A refrigerant leak management system of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:

• a sensor disposed near an evaporator of the HVAC system and configured to detect a vibration pattern associated with the evaporator;
• and
• a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor and configured to:
• receive a signal from the sensor indicative of the vibration pattern associated with the evaporator;
• determine whether the vibration pattern is indicative of a refrigerant leak from the evaporator;
• and
• modify operation of the HVAC system when the vibration pattern is indicative of the refrigerant leak from the evaporator.

A method of operating a refrigerant leak management system of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:

• measuring a plurality of vibration patterns associated with the HVAC system using a plurality of sensors disposed near a refrigeration circuit of the HVAC system;
• determining whether a vibration pattern of the plurality of vibration patterns is indicative of a refrigerant leak from the refrigeration circuit;
• and
• modifying operation of the HVAC system when the vibration pattern is indicative of the refrigerant leak from the refrigeration circuit of the HVAC system.