Apparatus, System and Method for Monitoring Air Conditioning Condenser Cleanliness
AssigneeWestermeyer Industries Inc.
InventorsDavid Robert Frenk, Gary W. Westermeyer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device is described herein comprising an electrical circuit board containing a micro-controller using software commands to determine the cleanliness of an air conditioning system condensing unit with the input of two temperature sensors and optionally a pressure sensor for determining lo/hi refrigerant charge by means of determining refrigerant sub-cooling.
Claims14
An apparatus for monitoring the cleanliness of the coils and/or fins of an air conditioner condenser, the apparatus comprising:
- a first temperature sensor configured to periodically measure ambient air temperature proximate the condenser,
- a second temperature sensor configured to periodically measure a temperature of a refrigerant liquid line downstream from the condenser, and
- a housing disposed proximate the condenser, the housing containing a controller connected to a processor configured to:
- receive periodic temperature measurements from the first temperature sensor and periodic temperature measurements from the second temperature sensor, and
- based on the periodic temperature measurements from the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor, determine when the system efficiency is sufficiently reduced due to accumulated debris on the condenser coils or fins in order that the coils or fins of the condenser should be cleaned.
An air conditioning system comprising a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, an evaporator, and an apparatus for monitoring the cleanliness of the coils and/or fins of the condenser, the apparatus comprising:
- a first temperature sensor configured to periodically measure ambient air temperature proximate the condenser,
- a second temperature sensor configured to periodically measure a temperature of a refrigerant liquid line downstream from the condenser, and
- a housing disposed proximate the condenser, the housing containing a controller connected to a processor configured to:
- receive periodic temperature measurements from the first temperature sensor and periodic temperature measurements from the second temperature sensor, and based on the periodic temperature measurements from the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor, determine when the system efficiency is sufficiently reduced due to accumulated debris on the coils or fins of the condenser in order that the coils or fins should be cleaned.
A method of monitoring the cleanliness of a condenser in an air conditioning system, comprising:
- taking periodic temperature measurements of a condensed liquid refrigerant stream downstream from the condenser,
- taking periodic ambient temperature measurements proximate the condenser,
- determining when the difference between the temperature of the condensed liquid refrigerant stream and the ambient temperature is sufficient to recommend cleaning of coils and/or fins of the condenser in order to improve condenser efficiency, and
- providing an alert to a supervisor of the air conditioning system when cleaning is recommended.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.