Rate of change detector for refrigerant floodback
OwnerWilliam J. Barbierinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A floodback detector for refrigerant systems employing any of: minimum suction temperature, temperature rate of change and duration thereof; minimum superheat, superheat rate of change and duration thereof.
Claims26
A floodback detector for a refrigeration system comprising:
- means for establishing a maximum rate of suction temperature change,
- means for observing consecutive suction temperatures at regular time intervals;
- means for calculating a suction temperature rate of change;
- means for comparing the calculated rate of suction temperature change with the established maximum rate of suction temperature change;
- means for establishing a minimum allowable suction temperature;
- and
- means for stopping the compressor on the condition that the calculated rate of change is equal to or greater than the established rate of change, and
- means for automatically restarting the compressor after the observed suction temperature has risen to a temperature equal to or higher than the minimum allowable suction temperature plus 15 F.
A floodback detector for a refrigeration system comprising:
- means for establishing a maximum rate of suction temperature change;
- means for observing consecutive suction temperatures at regular time intervals;
- means for calculating a suction temperature rate of change;
- means for comparing the calculated rate of suction temperature change with the established maximum rate of change;
- means for establishing a compressor protective action on the violation condition that the calculated rate of change is equal to or greater than the established rate of change.
A floodback detector for a refrigeration system having a compressor, an evaporator and suction conduit means for refrigerant flow between the evaporator and the compressor, said flow including possible refrigerant liquid floodback to the compressor, the suction conduit means being subject to periodic changes of conditions selected from the group consisting of temperature and superheat;
- said refrigerant floodback being accompanied by changes in a selected condition occuring at a greater rate than a predetermined maximum rate;
- said detector comprising:
- means for establishing and storing a maximum rate of change for a condition,
- means for periodically measuring the condition, means for determining a rate of change of the condition from at least two of the periodic measurements, and means for generating an alarm event on the determination of a rate of change of the condition in excess of the predetermined maximum rate.
A floodback detector for a refrigeration system comprising:
- means for establishing a maximum rate of suction temperature change,
- means for observing consecutive suction temperatures at regular time intervals;
- means for calculating a suction temperature rate of change;
- means for comparing the calculated rate of suction temperature change with the established maximum rate of change;
- means for stopping the compressor on the condition that the calculated rate of change is equal to or greater than the established rate of change, and further providing means for automatically restarting the compressor said restarting means comprising:
- first timer means for measuring a first preset time interval,
- means for starting the first timer means simultaneously with the actuation of the compressor stopping means, and
- means for restarting the compressor on the elapse of said first preset time interval.
A floodback detector for a refrigeration system comprising:
- means for establishing a maximum cooling rate of suction temperature change;
- means for observing consecutive suction temperatures at regular time intervals;
- means for calculating a suction temperature cooling rate of change;
- means for comparing the calculated cooling rate of suction temperature change with the established maximum cooling rate of change;
- means for stopping the compressor when the calculated cooling rate of suction temperature change is equal to or greater than said established maximum cooling rate of suction temperature change.
A floodback detector for a refrigeration system having a compressor, an evaporator, and suction conduit means for refrigerant flow between the evaporator and the compressor, said flow including possible refrigerant liquid floodback to the compressor, said refrigerant floodback being accompanied by reductions in the temperature of said suction conduit means occurring at a greater rate than a predetermined maximum rate, said detector comprising:
- means for establishing and storing a maximum cooling rate of suction conduit means temperature change,
- means for periodically measuring the temperature of said suction conduit means,
- means for determining a cooling temperature rate of change of said suction conduit means from at least two of the periodic measurements, and
- means for stopping the compressor on the determination of a cooling temperature rate of change of the suction conduit means in excess of the predetermined maximum cooling temperature rate of change of said suction conduit means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.