(19)
(11) EP 1 914 483 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
09.07.2008 Bulletin 2008/28

(43) Date of publication A2:
23.04.2008 Bulletin 2008/17

(21) Application number: 07076045.9

(22) Date of filing: 27.06.2005
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC): 
F24F 11/00(2006.01)
F25B 49/02(2006.01)
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR

(30) Priority: 11.08.2004 US 916223
11.08.2004 US 916222
17.05.2005 US 130569
17.05.2005 US 130562
17.05.2005 US 130871
17.05.2005 US 130601

(62) Application number of the earlier application in accordance with Art. 76 EPC:
05790996.2 / 1781996

(71) Applicant: Kates, Lawrence
Corona del Mar, CA 92625 (US)

(72) Inventor:
  • Kates, Lawrence
    Corona del Mar, CA 92625 (US)

(74) Representative: Fox-Male, Nicholas Vincent Humbert et al
Potter Clarkson LLP Park View House 58 The Ropewalk
Nottingham NG1 5DD
Nottingham NG1 5DD (GB)

   


(54) Method and apparatus for monitoring refrigerant-cycle systems


(57) A real-time monitoring system that monitors various aspects of the operation of a refrigerant-cycle system is described. In one embodiment, the system includes a processor that measures power provided to the refrigerant-cycle system and that gathers data from one or more sensors and uses the sensor data to calculate a figure of merit related to the efficiency of the system. In one embodiment, the sensors include one or more of the following sensors: a suction line temperature sensor, a suction line pressure sensor, a suction line flow sensor, a hot gas line temperature sensor, a hot gas line pressure sensor, a hot gas line flow sensor, a liquid line temperature sensor, a liquid line pressure sensor, a liquid line flow sensor. In one embodiment, the sensors include one or more of an evaporator air temperature input sensor, an evaporator air temperature output sensor, an evaporator airflow sensor, an evaporator air humidity sensor, and a differential pressure sensor. In one embodiment, the sensors include one or more of a condenser air temperature input sensor, a condenser air temperature output sensor, and a condenser air flow sensor, an evaporator air humidity sensor. In one embodiment, the sensors include one or more of an ambient air sensor and an ambient humidity sensor.







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