JP2010532021A - Diagnosis system and diagnosis method based on detection of mechanical wave in cooling system and / or home appliance - Google Patents

Abstract

  The present invention relates to a diagnosis system and a diagnosis method for a cooling system and / or home appliance, and the diagnosis method of the cooling system or home appliance is based on various detected physical quantities. Alternatively, the operating state of the component is determined and notified. Basically, quantities are divided into two groups: (i) those whose spectral signature is generated from that quantity (a quantity related to mechanical vibration), and (ii) whose spectral signature is not generated from that quantity. Is done. The spectral signature is compared to the standard signature and a diagnosis is provided based on this comparison. After the operating condition is diagnosed, it is stored in the database and the system operation record is updated. The operating state is made visible and it is possible to determine whether the cooling system and / or home appliance and its components are degrading based on the recorded records. This application further describes a compressor, the diagnosis of which can be determined by the diagnostic method and system according to the invention.

Description

  This application is filed with Brazilian patent application number no. No. PI 0702369-3 is claimed and the disclosure of said patent application is incorporated herein by reference.

  The present invention relates to a diagnostic system and a diagnostic method that allow immediate or later viewing of the operating status of home appliances, cooling systems and / or their components. The present invention further relates to a compressor diagnosed by the diagnostic system and diagnostic method of the present invention.

  In general, cooling systems are widely known to many people. Thus, since these systems are often considered to require humans, it is interesting to develop methods that can operate, control, or diagnose their operation. However, before giving some types of methods for controlling the cooling system, an example of a typical prior art cooling system and its application should be described.

  Typically, the cooling system comprises a circuit in which the cooling fluid moves through several components, during which the volume of cooling fluid is expanded and compressed so that its temperature and pressure are increased. Go up and down. It is important to observe a close relationship between the quantities when processing the fluid.

  The components that make up a typical cooling system are, for example, a compressor, an evaporator, a condenser, and a capillary tube. The compressor, as its name indicates, compresses the cooling fluid to increase its pressure and hence its temperature, so that the fluid is pumped to flow through the cooling circuit.

  After the cooling fluid leaves the compressor, it circulates through the condenser, which is capable of reducing the temperature of the fluid without reducing the pressure of the fluid. Typically this condenser is a long conduit arranged to have a plurality of straight parallel parts connected to each other in a generally “S” shape at their ends by meandering or curved parts. Thus, because the condenser is in contact with the environment, the cooling fluid releases heat to the environment as it circulates within the condenser, thereby reducing its temperature.

  The cooling fluid travels from the condenser to a capillary tube known as an expansion valve. The function of the capillary tube is to create a resistance to the passage of fluid and create a large pressure difference between the fluid in the condenser and the next component, ie the fluid in the low pressure evaporator. Therefore, due to the difference between the low pressure in the evaporator and the high pressure in the capillary tube and the fluid resistance, the cooling fluid encounters an abrupt transition as it moves toward the evaporator and steepes its volume. Placed in a low pressure environment. Therefore, when considering the close relationship between temperature, pressure and volume, when the volume of cooling fluid increases and the pressure decreases and the temperature decreases, this is the environment in contact with the evaporator It can be concluded that it contributes to the absorption of heat.

  Finally, the low-pressure and low-temperature cooling fluid in this expanded state of volume moves from the evaporator to the compressor where its volume is reduced and its pressure and temperature are increased, restarting the refrigeration cycle.

  The exemplary system exemplified above is utilized in home refrigerators, air conditioners, commercial refrigerators, merchandise display refrigerators, and any other devices that are cooled or need to be cooled.

  Now that the cooling system has been described, we return to the question of how its operation can be controlled, diagnosed, or manipulated. In this regard, the prior art preempts systems and methods for controlling the temperature of cooling and heating devices, but it does not provide methods and systems for diagnosing possible performance degradation and thus preventing major failures. It should be pointed out that it is not provided.

  Thus, with respect to cooling system diagnostics, it is fair that different robust characteristics are required from the cooling system and its components (fans, thawing resistors, shut-off valves, compressors, etc.) for the system to operate correctly. I can say. However, given that each environment has certain characteristics that can change over time, such as humidity, dust, and ventilation, these characteristics can vary depending on the environment in which the cooling system is located. In addition, other factors, among other things, the usage state, wear state, and aging state of the component may change the robust characteristics of the component. That is, the component, as any physical device, experiences wear and change in its operating capability due to environmental or service conditions, along its useful life.

  Thus, component usage, wear and aging conditions can cause failure of these devices, which will affect the efficiency of the cooling system. These faults can be divided into two groups: (i) complete failure and (ii) slight deviations.

  In a complete failure state, the failing element of the system exhibits irregular or intermittent operation or is completely inactive, compromising the entire refrigeration cycle. First, a typical refrigeration circuit element is arranged in series, i.e., one defective device paralyzes system activity, so this scale of failure can result in significant losses.

  Second, because the system has a very large time constant and the user only notices the refrigeration cycle deviation after a long period of time, the loss resulting from this type of failure is in some cases This occurs due to the slow identification method. In this scenario, when no failure is detected, even if the system is still operating, the system does not operate properly and overloads the components, substantially reducing their useful life. right. In many cases, losses caused by damage to the items being cooled exceed the maintenance costs of the cooling system.

  On the other hand, in situations where there is a slight deviation in operation, the method of identifying faulty elements is still slower and more difficult because performance degradation is due to changes in environmental temperature and / or heat load. This is because the system can easily be mistaken as a possible change. Thus, when this type of failure is finally identified, the time that the system has been degraded is unfortunately sufficient to endanger one or more components or even cooling articles. possible. In addition to this complex situation, in most cases, the method of identifying defects is performed empirically and based on the traditional experience of maintenance personnel.

  In addition, some cooling system failures can be caused by improper handling by the user and lack of attention to confirmation of usage by people around the cooling system or by people interacting improperly with the cooling system. Is caused.

  Nonetheless, when the concept of a cooling system is deduced for diagnostic purposes and general home appliances are considered, the same types of failures and the difficulties associated with their identification arise.

  In this context, the prior art uses a means to detect both the quantity inside the cooling system or home appliance and the quantity that represents the environmental characteristics or the characteristics of the item being cooled, using the means of cooling system components or general home appliances. A diagnostic system or method that can detect a failure in a product, and in the case of a cooling system, a diagnostic system or diagnostic that warns the user of the need for preventive maintenance and minimizes equipment downtime The method is not disclosed until this moment.

  Due to this deficiency in the prior art, a diagnostic system that can detect faults and warns the user of the need for preventive maintenance using means to detect internal and external quantities of the compressor or There is currently no compressor or other rotating element of the cooling system diagnosed by the diagnostic method.

  Accordingly, a first object of the present invention is to provide a diagnostic method capable of defining the stages required to perform a diagnosis of the operating state of a cooling system or home appliance.

  A second object of the present invention is to provide a diagnostic system for a cooling system or a home appliance, which can detect a specific performance degradation for each component to be monitored. It is. Finally, a third object of the present invention is to provide a compressor for a cooling system, wherein the diagnosis of the compressor is defined by the diagnostic system and / or diagnostic method described in the preceding paragraph.

The first object of the present invention is achieved by a diagnostic method for a cooling system or home appliance, said diagnostic method comprising:
(I) detecting a vibrating mechanical wave signal or sound pressure wave signal from the cooling system and from an environment near the cooling system or home appliance;
(Ii) generating a spectral signature of the vibration parameter detected in step (i);
(Iii) comparing the spectral signature generated in step (ii) with the spectral signature relating to the normal operating state of the cooling system or home appliance, and evaluating the operating state of the components of the cooling system or home appliance;
(Iv) registering in the database the operating state of the components of the cooling system or home appliance evaluated in step (iii), updating the record;
(V) manipulating the alarm / signaling state to make the operating state evaluated in step (iii) visible.

The second object of the present invention is achieved by a diagnostic system for a cooling system or a general household appliance, the diagnostic system comprising:
Conversion that can detect mechanical vibrations or sound pressures of components of the cooling system as a whole, and mechanical vibrations or sound pressures around them, or electrical appliances and their surroundings. And
A digital processing unit for receiving parameters obtained by the converter, and at least a digital processing unit capable of identifying a spectral pattern from the signal received from the converter.

  The diagnostic system determines the operating state by comparing the identified spectral pattern with a spectral pattern previously stored in the storage unit.

  The third object of the present invention is achieved by a cooling system compressor, wherein the diagnosis of the compressor is performed using the diagnostic system and / or method of the first and second objects.

  The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of the embodiments represented in the figures.

1 is a schematic diagram of a diagnostic system according to the present invention including a preferred embodiment along with an alternative embodiment. 4 is a flowchart of a diagnostic method according to the present invention.

  First, before beginning to describe the system and method, the concepts and features included in the subject matter of the present invention should be divided into topics and described below.

[Cooling system and home appliance]
A cooling system having an operating condition to be diagnosed by the method and system of the present invention can be used for different cooling purposes such as, for example, commercial refrigerators, household refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners and the like. The methods and systems of the present invention can be used with possibilities other than those illustrated.

  Suitably and conceptually, the cooling system to be diagnosed is defined as a basic cooling element, i.e. a system comprising a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator, said cooling element being The operation occurs as provided in the prior art.

  Furthermore, the present invention examines the possibility of diagnosing not only the operating state of the cooling system but also the operating state of the home appliance in the diagnostic system and method. The home appliance can be any home appliance known in the prior art that can be diagnosed by the diagnostic method and / or diagnostic system of the present invention.

[Quantity and converter]
In order for the diagnostic system and method of the present invention to function, several quantities need to be measured.

Accordingly, among several physical quantities contained in a cooling system or home appliance, those that may be suitably used in the system and method of the present invention are in two groups: (i) the overall cooling system configuration. Mechanical wave signal or sound pressure wave of the element or cooling system, and / or mechanical wave signal or sound pressure wave of the home appliance, and mechanical wave signal or sound pressure wave around the cooling system and / or home appliance, and (Ii) Classification into cooling system parameters and environment parameters to be cooled, or home appliance parameters.

  As will be shown below, the first group is more important in determining the operating state of the system, while the second group is for reinforcing or confirming the analysis made on the basis of the first group. Used for.

  More particularly, the amount of group (i) is a mechanical vibration of a cooling system and / or a component of the home appliance, said vibration completely displacing at least one compressor or cooling system. Caused by being tied to other rotating equipment. This group further includes noise generated by the movement of people around the cooling system and / or home appliance.

  The amount of group (ii) is preferably, but not limited to: the external temperature, the temperature of the environment to be cooled in the case of a cooling system, and the voltage of the components of the cooling system and / or home appliance And current.

  Thus, in view of the need to measure the aforementioned quantities, multiple transducers are required to detect all these parameters, so that based on the collected data, the system and method of the present invention is cooled. The system can be diagnosed.

  Thus, at least one converter 2 or a plurality of converters 2 is capable of detecting the quantity of group (i), i.e. it is a component of the cooling system and / or as a whole of the cooling system, and And / or the ability to detect mechanical vibration signals, also called mechanical vibrations or sound pressure waves of home appliances, preferably an accelerometer, microphone, or acoustic sensor, wherein the mechanical vibration or It includes accelerometers, microphones, or acoustic sensors that can detect sound pressure waves, or even noise produced by people around or around the cooling system and / or home appliances. However, any combination of the preferred examples listed can be used, i.e., accelerometers, microphones, or acoustic sensors are used on their own, or one accelerometer is used with one or more microphones. Or a single microphone can be used with one or more acoustic sensors. Thus, it is clear that the combination of these transducers is not a limiting factor for the scope of the present invention.

  The second plurality of converters 3 capable of detecting the amount of group (ii) preferably comprises at least one temperature sensor for measuring the internal temperature of the cooling system and, if applicable, the home appliance, And / or at least one temperature sensor for measuring a temperature external to the home appliance and a voltage and current sensor.

  Preferably, the first plurality of transducers 2 comprises at least one microphone for detecting the movement of people around the cooling system and / or home appliance and mechanical vibrations of the cooling system and / or home appliance. Or the some microphone which detects a sound pressure wave is included.

  These first and second plurality of transducers 2, 3 can be located at different locations in the cooling system and / or home appliance depending on the amount to be detected. In this regard, for the first plurality of transducers 2, the microphone detecting the presence of people around the cooling system and / or home appliance is, for example, a noisy sound signal indicating the presence and circulation of nearby people. Should be placed where it can be detected. Taking a cooling system tied to a commercial refrigerator (commonly used in supermarkets and also used to display merchandise), the microphone in question is placed at the front of the refrigerator. It is possible because it is the location where people may be closest.

  External temperature sensors are generally preferably located in the outer part of the cooling system, whereas in the case of cooling systems, the internal temperature sensor is in a position where it can detect the temperature of the area of the article to be cooled. Be placed. Furthermore, for the second plurality of transducers 3, voltage and current sensors should be placed close to the components, and from the voltage and current sensors, a supplement or confirmation to the diagnosis is generated as described below. .

[Spectral signature]
The diagnostic system and method of the present invention uses spectral signatures so that the operating state of the cooling system can be determined and to alert the user or maintenance personnel.

  A spectral signature can be defined as a transformation of a component's behavior on a temporal basis into a quantity in the frequency domain, in other words, a spectral signature is the frequency spectrum of a vibrating element (motor, compressor, etc.). It corresponds to. In the case of the present invention, the spectral signature is the first plurality of transducers 2, i.e. the transducer intended to detect mechanical vibrations or sound pressure waves of the cooling system and / or home appliance, and the cooling system and It is preferably generated by a transducer intended to detect also ambient noise around the home appliance, i.e. the spectral signature is generated from mechanical wave signals (vibration and sound). Thus, the amount of the problem is first detected by its respective transducer and then, after application of a special algorithm, a frequency spectrum, i.e. a spectral signature, is generated. Preferably, this special algorithm is of the fast Fourier transform (FFT) type.

  Therefore, considering that the components of the cooling system oscillate at a specific frequency in normal operating conditions and have a specific amplitude (both are identified by their spectral signature), there is minimal change during operation. Even change its usual frequency and amplitude, and it will begin to oscillate at other frequencies with other amplitudes, ie amplitude and frequency in abnormal operating conditions.

  This can be observed if we mention a motor or even a compressor as an example. In this situation, when the compressor is oscillating in normal operation, it produces an audible noise of a specific frequency and amplitude, however, the sound of this noise changes when the motor is degraded, for example. In other words, if the sound consists of a series of frequencies and amplitudes related to that frequency, then the altered sound of this degraded motor will automatically indicate a change in its normal operating condition, since the vibration frequency and the related amplitude Because it has changed.

  According to this reasoning, the change in operating condition can be detected by comparing the spectral signature obtained in the normal operating condition with the spectral signature generated from the recently detected vibration. Accordingly, the overall operating status of the cooling system and / or home appliance, or the operating status of its components, associated with the first plurality of converters 2 is appropriately monitored.

  Similarly, in the case of detection of people around a cooling system and / or home appliance, the detected noise is transformed into the frequency domain, resulting in a frequency pattern of noise relating to the amount of people, and this pattern When is changed, a clear record of behavioral changes can be obtained by comparing the spectral signature of the normal state with the spectral signature recently generated from the detected mechanical vibration of the sound.

[Driving pattern]
For the diagnosis of the system to be verified, the standard spectral signature of the system needs to be compared with the spectral signature generated from the current operating state, as described above. For this purpose, the method and system of the present invention relies on standard spectral signatures stored in a database. It should further be pointed out that the system and method of the present invention can use a range or interval of spectral signatures associated with operating conditions to make a diagnosis. In this case, the comparison will be made between the generated signature and the range of signatures stored in the database. Furthermore, the aforementioned database may have a series of standard values for parameters that do not generate a spectral signature, ie, current, voltage, and temperature, in other words, non-vibrating signals. Thus, for example, a comparison between a standard voltage and a read voltage can be made to supplement or confirm a diagnostic result already obtained by comparing spectral signatures. The system and method of the present invention also contemplates the possibility of storing operating patterns for more than one vibration mode. Theoretically, the vibration mode is the level at which the system and / or its components vibrate, i.e. the level at which the components are set to vibrate. For example, a compressor set to operate at 0 or 3600 rpm includes two vibration modes: 0 and 3600 rpm. On the other hand, variable speed compressors may include various vibration modes due to their rotational variability.

  Thus, the database stores the spectral signature and the operating state pattern corresponding to each vibration mode of the component or system, ie each mode of operation generates a specific spectral signature for a given related operating state. To do.

  In this case, the comparison is made only between the signatures defined or related to the same vibration mode, i.e. if the generated signature is based on a reading of 3600 rpm, it will be Will be compared to the standard spectral signature of the state.

  Preferably, the components of the cooling system have at least two operating modes and, if applicable, three or more operating modes as well as variable speed compressors.

[Usage record]
Since the diagnostic system and method detect the parameters and vibrations acquired through the first and second plurality of transducers, data relating to these successive readings is stored in the aforementioned database. These data include the reading data and time, the components being checked, and their respective operating conditions, resulting in a usage record.

  This usage record includes each measurement data, so that it is possible to record the operating status of the system and / or home appliance and its components over time. Thus, if the cooling system and / or home appliance is subject to a slight deviation type of performance degradation, the performance degradation will be easily detected by the user or maintenance personnel, It is constantly informed that the system is showing slight changes in its driving behavior, thus eliminating the possibility of mistaken slight deviations for minor changes in operating conditions due to environmental changes.

  This confusion is revealed when the usage records are actually analyzed, because the behavior of the physical quantities of the cooling system and / or home appliance adapts to environmental changes (eg temperature changes) and equilibrates after a short time. This is because, in the state of failure degradation, they tend to stay in an operating state other than the normal operating state for a long time.

[Alarm and signal issue]
After the spectral signatures (and other quantities that do not produce spectral signatures, if applicable) are compared, the system and method of the present invention alerts the user or maintenance personnel of possible failures. Put out. Accordingly, the system and method of the present invention has an alarm interface 6, which, as its name implies, provides an early warning about deviations from the normal operating state of the system. To give.

  Preferably, the alarm interface 6 comprises at least one display and / or a portable reader terminal connected thereto, so that the operating state is visible.

  Thus, damage to each of its components is easily prevented by the system and method of the present invention that periodically diagnoses the operating state of the cooling system and / or home appliance and notifies the user of these states. obtain.

[Diagnostic system]
Having described the components and some details of the diagnostic system, the interaction between the components that make up the system should also be described. Thus, as seen in FIG. 1, the diagnostic system 1 of the present invention comprises a first plurality of converters 2, a second plurality of converters 3, a digital processing unit 4, and at least one storage unit 5. The alarm interface 6 is provided. FIG. 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the diagnostic system of the present invention in combination with an alternative embodiment, since the second plurality of transducers 3 are optional for the practice of the present invention. Should be pointed out.

  As described above, the first plurality of transducers 2 detect quantities relating to both internal and external mechanical vibrations of the cooling system and collect parameters relating to people movement and cooling system vibrations.

  In an alternative embodiment of this diagnostic system, the second plurality of transducers 3 detects an amount that supports and supplements the diagnostic result reached based on mechanical vibrations.

  The quantities detected by the first and second converters 2, 3 are sent to a digital processing unit 4, which is capable of converting the read information into parameters in order to obtain a diagnosis. There is. The coupling between the converter and the digital processing unit 4 is made using wires and cables, or by radio technology if the designer and people with knowledge in the art prefer, and the data transmission means are It is important to point out that other means, forms and methods are applicable, not a limiting factor to the scope of the invention.

  In addition to usage records (records of data obtained from the first and second sensors), a storage unit 5 for storing standard spectral signatures and predefined parameter values of the cooling system and / or home appliance in this database Are connected to the digital processing unit 4. This storage unit 5 is of the non-volatile type, for example EPROM, EEPROM, FLASH, among others.

  Thus, for the diagnosis to be performed of the cooling system, the digital processing unit 4 is received to generate a spectral signature of the parameters obtained from the first plurality of transducers 2, ie from at least one transducer. It is set to identify the spectral parameters from the signal, to compare the generated spectral signature with the standard spectral signature, and to enter the usage record in the database of the storage unit 5.

  From a comparison between the recently generated spectral signature and the spectral signature corresponding to the normal operating state stored in the database, for example, if the component is completely inactive, the cooling system will It is possible to immediately detect whether or not it has.

  On the other hand, when a usage record is made visible, instability in activity of the system or of one or more components is identified over time if the components of the cooling system exhibit intermittent operational behavior So it shows performance degradation. The same reason applies to slight deviations in operating conditions as already discussed.

  In an alternative embodiment, in addition to diagnostics made by comparing spectral signatures, the diagnostic system of the present invention can help other quantities to confirm operating conditions, and the assistance can be supplemented for verification purposes. It is intended to work as information. For example, if a component is found to be completely inactive, the current, voltage, temperature, or other quantity that does not generate a spectral signature determines whether the component is actually inactive. It can be used to verify and confirm. In practice, the amount that is read but does not produce a spectral signature is interpreted or not interpreted based on a predetermined value stored in the storage unit 5.

  It should be further noted that this digital processing unit 4 is connected to the alarm interface 6 so that it can be viewed through the interface 6 as soon as data on the operating state of the cooling system is acquired. To be.

[Diagnosis method]
More particularly, the diagnostic system of the present invention provides the user with information about the cooling system and / or home appliance by a diagnostic method. The diagnostic method distinguishes actions performed by the diagnostic system according to the stage.

[Step (i): Signal detection]
According to this method, whose flow diagram is shown in FIG. 2, the first stage is signal detection, said first stage comprising mechanical wave signals, vibration signals or sound from cooling systems and / or home appliances. Includes detection of pressure wave signals. In an alternative embodiment, this step includes the detection of non-vibration signals relating to the parameters of the cooling system and / or home appliance.

  Physically, the mechanical waves correspond to mechanical waves that propagate in the air or through the structure of the cooling system and / or home appliance, i.e. they are noise produced by people around the cooling system. And signals relating to mechanical vibrations of the cooling system and its components. Referring to the system as a whole or one or more of its components, the non-vibration signal is now a parameter that is not related to the mechanical vibration measured to obtain a diagnosis of the cooling system, such as temperature, It corresponds to parameters such as voltage and current.

[Relationship between stage (i) and diagnostic system]
The signal detection stage is performed by the first and second plurality of converters 2, 3. The mechanical wave signal is detected by the first plurality of transducers 2, and the non-vibration signal is detected by the second plurality of transducers 3. Immediately after detection, these signals are transmitted to the digital processing unit 4 as described above.

[Step (ii): Generation of spectral signature]
After detection of the data, the diagnostic method according to the invention includes the step of generating a spectral signature of the mechanical wave signal. At this stage, similar to what happened in the diagnostic system, the detected signals are converted to the frequency domain for their spectral signature to be generated next.

[Relationship between stage (ii) and diagnostic system]
The second stage spectral signature of the method is generated by a fast Fourier transform (FFT) type algorithm in the digital processing unit 4 of the diagnostic system.

[Step (iii): Operational state evaluation]
Once the spectral signature of the detected mechanical wave signal is obtained, the method evaluates the operating state of the components of the cooling system and / or home appliance. That is, the spectral signature generated in step (ii) is compared with a standard spectral signature for the normal operating state of the cooling system and / or home appliance. This information will be sufficient to determine whether the system is operating normally. However, to increase the reliability of the diagnosis provided by the method of the present invention, this stage (ii) further includes an interpretation of the value given by the non-vibrating signal. Therefore, the determination regarding the vibration signal is verified and the reliability of the given diagnosis is reinforced and ensured.

  Similar to what has happened in the diagnostic system, this interpretation may or may not be performed by comparison based on predetermined values.

  If the system has different vibration modes, the generated spectral signature is compared with the standard spectral signature for the detected vibration mode, thus ensuring that the diagnosis was obtained for the same vibration mode.

[Relationship between stage (iii) and diagnostic system]
The evaluation of the operating state is made in the digital processing unit 4 by comparing the generated spectral signature with the spectral signature relating to the normal operating state previously stored in the database of the storage unit 5. Furthermore, the digital processing unit 4 further verifies the connection of the parameters relating to the non-vibration signals and interprets them based on predefined values or based on pre-established settings. Thus, the diagnosis produced by the spectral signature is confirmed by the amount of non-vibration.

[Step (iv): Record update]
Once the operational status of the component, and thus the system as a whole, and / or the home appliance is identified and confirmed, the method proceeds to step (iv), which updates the usage record. That is, the operating state of the components of the cooling system evaluated in step (iii) and the value of the non-vibration signal obtained in step (i) are registered in the database.

  Thus, by creating a usage record, it is possible to record the footprint of changes in the operating state of the cooling system and / or home appliance over time. Therefore, if the frequency and amplitude of the components remain changed at a time that exceeds that required to adapt to environmental changes, it can be determined or verified that a fault exists in the system.

[Relationship between stage (iv) and diagnostic system]
The record produced by the digital processing unit 4 in step (iv) is stored in the database of the storage unit 5.

[Stage (v): Operation status alarm / signal generation]
When records are updated, the operating status needs to be notified to the user or maintenance personnel so that appropriate measures can be taken to resolve the problem in the event of an abnormality. . Thus, the operating state obtained in step (iii) is made visible.

[Relationship between stage (v) and diagnostic system]
The diagnostic system operating state alarm and signal generation procedure is performed by the alarm interface 6, which may be a terminal to which a display or a portable reader is connected, as described above.

[Compressor]
In addition to the diagnostic system and diagnostic method, the present invention further relates to a compressor operating as a component of the cooling system, wherein the diagnosis of the compressor is determined by the diagnostic system and diagnostic method according to the present invention.

  The compressor can be any conventional compressor in which the diagnostic method and system of the present invention can be implemented.

  Having described the preferred embodiment, it is understood that the scope of the invention is limited only by the content of the claims which include other possible variations and possible equivalents therein. It should be.

Claims (13)

A diagnostic method for a cooling system or a home appliance,
(I) detecting a signal comprising detecting a mechanical wave signal of the cooling system and a mechanical wave signal of an environment near the system or home appliance;
(Ii) generating a spectral signature of the vibration parameter detected in step (i); and (iii) relating to the spectral signature generated in step (ii) and the normal operating state of the cooling system or home appliance. Evaluating the operating status of components of the cooling system or home appliance, comparing with the spectral signature;
A method for diagnosing a cooling system or home appliance characterized by comprising:   The diagnostic method according to claim 1, wherein the operating state of the cooling system or the home appliance evaluated in the step (iii) is registered in a database.   The diagnostic method according to claim 1, wherein the operating state obtained in step (iii) is made visible through an alarm interface.   The mechanical waves include mechanical vibrations of components of the cooling system, mechanical vibrations of the cooling system as a whole, mechanical vibrations of the home appliance, or mechanical vibrations around the cooling system or home appliance. The diagnostic method according to claim 1, wherein:   The diagnostic of claim 1, wherein the database stores a plurality of spectral signatures for standard operating conditions for various vibration modes of a mechanical wave signal of a cooling system or home appliance. Method.   6. The diagnostic method according to claim 1, wherein the spectral signature generated from the vibration mode in step (iii) is compared with a plurality of spectral signatures in a standard operating state. The standard spectral signature is related to the same vibration mode as the generated spectral signature. A diagnostic system for a cooling system or a household appliance for general use,
At least one transducer (2) capable of detecting mechanical wave signals from and around the cooling system components as a whole, or from and from household appliances;
A digital processing unit (4) for receiving parameters obtained by the converter (2), and a digital processing unit (4) capable of identifying a spectral pattern from a signal received from the converter. Diagnostic system characterized by that.   The digital processing unit (4) identifies the current operating state of the system by comparing the spectral pattern of the signal with a pre-established pattern stored in a storage unit (5) The diagnostic system according to claim 7.   8. Diagnostic system according to claim 7, characterized in that the digital processing unit (4) stores a record of the operating state of the system and identifies a pattern of its behavior over time.   8. Diagnostic system according to claim 7, characterized in that the transducer (2) comprises an accelerometer, a microphone and an acoustic sensor.   8. Diagnostic system according to claim 7, characterized in that the alarm interface (6) comprises at least one display or a terminal for connecting a reading device.   A compressor for a cooling system, wherein the diagnosis is made by the diagnostic method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.   A compressor for a cooling system, wherein the diagnosis is made by the diagnostic system according to any one of claims 7 to 11.

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