System with leak detection for detecting refrigerant leak
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current refrigerant sensor technologies for HVAC systems are unreliable, costly, and lack sensitivity and selectivity in detecting mildly flammable refrigerants, particularly in harsh environments, leading to potential safety risks and high system costs.
Innovation Solution
A remote leak detection system with a collection chamber, sensor assembly, and fan to induce fluid flow for refrigerant analysis, allowing the sensor to be located away from high-temperature, high-humidity, and high-air-velocity areas, using a single system compatible with multiple refrigerants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional sensors are placed near indoor heat exchanger coils to detect refrigerant leaks, then refrigerant leak detection capability is provided, but sensor reliability deteriorates due to exposure to high temperature, high humidity, and high air velocity
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is extracted from the harsh environment near the indoor heat exchanger coils and relocated to a remote location with favorable conditions. The patent places the sensor in a position away from high temperature, high humidity, and high air velocity areas, thereby eliminating the harmful environmental factors while maintaining refrigerant leak detection capability through alternative detection methods.
2Reliability
If sophisticated packing enclosures are used to protect sensors in harsh environments, then sensor reliability is improved, but system cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of protecting sensors with expensive sophisticated packing enclosures, the patent extracts the sensor from the harsh environment entirely and relocates it to a remote location with favorable conditions. This eliminates the need for costly protective enclosures while maintaining sensor reliability.
3Reliability
If multiple sensors are installed to ensure adequate detection coverage, then detection reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary fluid communication path that connects the indoor heat exchanger area to the remote sensor location. This intermediary system (including tubing and potentially a pump or pressure differential mechanism) allows a single sensor to detect refrigerant leaks by analyzing fluid samples transported from the detection zone, eliminating the need for multiple sensors while maintaining detection reliability.
4Measurement precision
If sensors with high sensitivity are used to detect low concentration refrigerant leaks, then detection precision is improved, but sensor cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an intermediary fluid transport system to concentrate and deliver refrigerant samples to the sensor. By using this intermediary approach, the sensor only needs to detect refrigerant in the transported fluid stream rather than detecting trace concentrations in the ambient environment, thereby reducing the required sensor sensitivity and associated cost.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system provides accurate, reliable, and cost-effective refrigerant leak detection with low detection limits and adequate selectivity, reducing sensor robustness requirements and system complexity.
Implementation Method 1
The fan is operable to induce fluid flow from the collection chamber into the sensor assembly
Implementation Method 2
the sensor is operable to analyze the fluid flow and detect a leak of the refrigerant from the component
Data Source
AI summary
A method of detecting and mitigating refrigerant leaks is used in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. The HVAC system includes a leak detection system for detecting a leak of the refrigerant from the refrigerant circuit. The leak detection system includes a collection chamber locatable proximate a component of the HVAC system. The leak detection system also includes a sensor assembly including an enclosure comprising a sensor and a fan. The leak detection system also includes a flowline connecting the collection chamber with the sensor assembly such that the sensor assembly may be located away from the collection chamber and the component. The fan is operable to induce fluid flow from the collection chamber into the sensor assembly and the sensor is operable to analyze the fluid flow and detect a leak of the refrigerant from the component.