Refrigerant leak detection system
AssigneeR.S. Services, Inc.
InventorCharlie M. Rinehart
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A leak detection system for the detection and monitoring of pressurized refrigerant systems, primarily walk-in refrigeration units in stores or storage facilities, manages, monitors and controls the refrigeration system which store and preserve perishables. The system includes a gas refrigerant detector and a monitor and relay system to alert the store personnel and remote monitoring stations that a problem exists by detecting the presence of gas outside the system within the refrigeration units, assessing the magnitude of the problem, and providing an emergency shutoff means to close and contain the refrigeration system contents in the event a substantial refrigeration leak is detected, closing the system until system repairs are made and the system is reset.
Claims11
A leak detection system to monitor, report and control at least one walk-in refrigeration unit having a flow of refrigerated gas, the leak detection system essentially comprising:
- a refrigerant leak detection control panel, connected to;
- at least one remote refrigerant leak sensor within or attached to the at least one walk-in refrigeration unit;
- an uninterruptable power supply connected to and providing power to said control panel, at least one inside walk-in horn and strobe unit connected to said control panel through an addressable horn control module;
- at least one outside walk-in horn and strobe unit connected to the control panel through an addressable strobe control module;
- a horn and strobe power supply with battery backup connected to said at least one inside walk-in horn and strobe unit and said at least one outside walk-in horn and strobe unit;
- an addressable fire alarm control panel within said control panel connecting to a power supply with battery backup, including a first FACP keypad located in the front of the control panel, and to a second remote FACP keypad;
- said control panel further connected to the refrigeration compressor equipment room by a data power cable first through a zone expansion module and second, to an addressable relay module, integrating with a refrigeration compressor controller of the walk-in refrigeration unit, to an output module of the walk-in refrigeration unit;
- said control panel, through a refrigeration compressor controller of the walk-in refrigeration unit, still further connecting to evaporator liquid and suction line solenoid valves controlling the flow of refrigerated gas to the walk-in refrigeration unit in the event a shutdown of said flow of refrigerated gas is warranted.
A leak detection system to monitor, report and control a plurality of walk-in refrigeration units having a flow of refrigerated gas at a single location, the leak detection system essentially comprising:
- a refrigerant leak detection control panel, connected to;
- a plurality of remote refrigerant leak sensors within or attached to the plurality of walk-in refrigeration units at a single location;
- an uninterruptable power supply connected to and providing power to said control panel, a plurality of inside walk-in horns and strobes, one for each of said walk-in refrigeration units, connected to said control panel through an addressable horn control module per each of said plurality of inside walk-in horns and strobes;
- a plurality of outside walk-in horns and strobes, one for each of said walk-in refrigeration units, connected to said control panel through an addressable horn control module per each of said plurality of outside walk-in horns and strobes;
- a horn and strobe power supply with battery backup connected to each of said inside walk-in horns and strobes and each of said outside walk-in horns and strobes;
- and
- an addressable fire alarm control panel within said control panel connecting to a power supply with battery backup including a first FACP keypad located in the front of the control panel, and to a second remote FACP keypad;
- and
- said control panel further connected to the refrigeration compressor equipment room by a data power cable first through a zone expansion module and second, to an addressable relay module, integrating with a refrigeration compressor controller of each of said walk-in refrigeration units, to an output module of each of said walk-in refrigeration units;
- and
- said control panel still further connecting to evaporator liquid and suction line solenoid valves controlling the flow of refrigerated gas to each of said walk-in refrigeration units in the event a shutdown of said flow of refrigerated gas is warranted in each of said walk-in refrigeration units.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.