Patent Abstract:
A refrigerant system is provided with a method and a control programmed to perform the method, in which a low charge of refrigerant is identified. The mass flow of refrigerant through the system is calculated utilizing at least two different methods. The two calculated mass flow rates are compared, and if they differ by more than predetermined amount, a determination is made that there is a low charge of refrigerant within the system.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to a simple method and control for identifying a low charge of refrigerant in a refrigerant system. 
   Refrigerant systems are utilized to condition an environment and may include air conditioners or heat pumps. In a traditional refrigerant system, refrigerant is routed between several components through sealed connections. Over time, and for various reasons, some of the refrigerant may escape the sealed system. This can result in there being a lower charge of refrigerant than would be desirable. 
   When there is a low charge of refrigerant, it becomes more difficult for the system to provide its function such as cooling air being directed into an environment. Additional load is put on the compressor, and the compressor may fail, or the system may not adequately condition the air being directed into the environment. 
   Thus, various methods have been utilized to identify a low charge of refrigerant. One simple method looks at whether the refrigerant from an evaporator being directed to a compressor, has excessively high super heat. A high super heat value is indicative of a low charge of refrigerant. 
   However, with modern refrigerant systems, the expansion valves directing the refrigerant to the evaporator are controlled electronically in response to the amount of super heat upon sensing high super heat, the control adjusts the expansion valve to result in the amount of super heat being moved downwardly. Such control can mask the low charge. 
   Thus, a simplified method of identifying a low charge of refrigerant that would be useful in complex refrigerant systems is desired. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In a disclosed embodiment of this invention, a method and a control programmed to perform the method take in various standard variables from a refrigerant system. As is known, and for various diagnostic purposes, pressure and temperature readings are taken at various points within a refrigerant system. These standard readings are utilized with this invention to determine the mass flow rate of refrigerant. The mass flow rate of refrigerant can be calculated in any one of several manners, and utilizing different ones of the standard variables. By comparing two of these mass flow calculations, the method determines whether the calculations are within a margin of error of each other. In a low charge situation, the mass flow rate calculations would be inaccurate, and thus different from each other. When a sufficient difference in calculated mass flow rates is identified, the control identifies the system as having a low charge. 
   These and other features of the present invention can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a refrigerant system for performing the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a flow chart of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIG. 1  shows a refrigerant system  20  incorporating a compressor  22  for compressing refrigerant and delivering it to a condenser  24 . A fan  26  drives air over the condenser, and in an air conditioning mode, removes heat from the refrigerant in the condenser. Downstream of the condenser  24  is an expansion device  28 . In complex systems, this expansion device may be electronically controlled with a closed feedback loop based upon a super heat temperature of the refrigerant approaching the compressor  22 . 
   Downstream of the expansion device  28  is an evaporator  30  having a fan  32  for pulling air over the evaporator  30  and into an environment to be conditioned. Temperature readings may be taken on the air approaching the evaporator by sensor  50 , the air having passed over the evaporator by sensor  52 , the refrigerant approaching the evaporator by sensor  54 , the refrigerant downstream of the evaporator by sensor  56 , the pressure of the refrigerant approaching the compressor by sensor  58 , the temperature of the refrigerant approaching the compressor  22  by sensor  60 , and the pressure (sensor  62 ) and temperature (sensor  64 ) of the refrigerant downstream of the compressor. Such readings are already taken by many modern refrigerant systems and utilized for various diagnostic purposes. 
   A refrigerant mass flow rate for refrigerant passing through the expansion valve  28  may be calculated by a known equation such as:
 
 m   r1 =%  C   v   √{square root over (Δp)}   (1)
 
   The refrigerant mass flow rate is a function of a differential pressure the valve (Δp) and the percentage of valve opening (%). C v  is a characteristic constant of the valve. Using this predetermined valve characteristic, the refrigerant flow rate can be metered if the differential pressure is measurable. 
   It is possible that a constant differential pressure valve be used for refrigerant flow regulation, and in such a case, there is no need for the measurement of differential pressure across the valve. Other types of regulating valve require the direct measurement or indirect estimation of the differential pressure across the valve for flow rate calculation. 
   Shown in  FIG. 1  are four sensors ( 50 ,  52 ,  54 ,  56 ) monitoring the evaporator operation. The heat transfer equations for counter flow heat exchangers are:
         Air side:       

   
     
       
         
           
             
               
                 Q 
                 = 
                 
                   
                     
                       m 
                       a 
                     
                     ⁢ 
                     
                       
                         c 
                         
                           p 
                           ⁢ 
                           
                               
                           
                           ⁢ 
                           1 
                         
                       
                       ⁡ 
                       
                         ( 
                         
                           
                             T 
                             
                               1 
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                             T 
                             
                               1 
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                   SHR 
                 
               
             
             
               
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                 2 
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           Refrigerant side:
 
 Q=m   r1 ( h   r1   −h   r2 )  (3)
 
           where 
           Q=rate of heat transfer, W 
           m a =mass flow rate of air kg/s 
           m r1 =mass flow rate of refrigerant kg/s 
           c p1 =specific heats of dry air, J/kgK 
           T 1 in/out=air temperature (sensors  50 ,  52 ), ° C. 
           SHR=sensible heat ratio determined from the inlet and outlet air conditions 
           h r1 , h r2 =specific enthalpies of refrigerant vapor at inlet and outlet of evaporator, J/Kg 
         
       
     
  
   Refrigerant enthalpies h r1 , h r2  can be obtained from the refrigerant properties using the temperature and pressure measurement. Under the condition that SHR and air mass flow rate are known, the refrigerant flow rate can be solved from equations (2) and (3): 
   
     
       
         
           
             
               
                 
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                 4 
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   The refrigerant mass flow rate can also be estimated using the compressor model, obtained from the manufacturer data. A three-term model to approximate the theoretical model of volumetric flow rate of a compressor is given as:
 
 V   suc =( a−bP   r   c )  (5)
         where   a, b, c are constants estimated from the manufacturer calorimeter data       

   
     
       
         
           
             P 
             r 
           
           = 
           
             
               P 
               dis 
             
             
               P 
               suc 
             
           
         
       
     
       
       
         
            is the compressor pressure ratio, which is the ratio between discharge pressure (P dis , sensor  62 ) and suction pressure (P suc , sensor  58 ). 
         
       
     
  
   The volumetric flow rate is obtained using the density of refrigerant according to:
 
m r2 =V suc ρ  (6)
         where ρ is the density of refrigerant       

   For those who are skilled in this art, the refrigerant flow rate may also be calculated using a compressor model of a different format from (5). 
   The refrigerant flow rate estimated according to the compressor model in (6) should be close to the value calculated using either (1) or (4) under normal conditions. Under low charge conditions, large discrepancies between these two flow rate values will occur. 
   Consequently, an alarm indicator is defined as the difference, or residue (Θ) between two flow rate values:
 
Θ=| m   r1   −m   r2 |  (7)
 
   When the residue value exceeds a predetermined threshold, a decision is made that the charge is low. Tracking the estimated residue values over time also helps in predicting a gradual leaking of charge. 
   This technique can be extended to more complex systems that have multiple evaporators known as the multi-air conditioning systems. The extended low charge indicator is written as the compressor flow rate and the total of flow rates passing individual evaporators: 
                 Θ   =            m     r   ⁢           ⁢   1       -       ∑   i     ⁢     m     r   ⁢           ⁢   2     i                      (   8   )               
where i is the index number of evaporators in the system, and m r2   i  is the refrigerant air flow rate through the i th  heat evaporator.
 
   Thus, the present invention utilizes existing sensors to provide an indication of a low charge. 
   Although a preferred embodiment of this invention has been disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5