US20240230129A1 - Air mover refrigerant leak detection and risk mitigation - Google Patents
Air mover refrigerant leak detection and risk mitigation Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20240230129A1 US20240230129A1 US18/619,007 US202418619007A US2024230129A1 US 20240230129 A1 US20240230129 A1 US 20240230129A1 US 202418619007 A US202418619007 A US 202418619007A US 2024230129 A1 US2024230129 A1 US 2024230129A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- air
- sensor
- refrigerant
- indoor unit
- blower
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Pending
Links
- 239000003507 refrigerant Substances 0.000 title claims abstract description 173
- 238000001514 detection method Methods 0.000 title claims description 20
- 238000013349 risk mitigation Methods 0.000 title 1
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 29
- 238000004378 air conditioning Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 16
- 238000009423 ventilation Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 7
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims description 38
- QVGXLLKOCUKJST-UHFFFAOYSA-N atomic oxygen Chemical compound [O] QVGXLLKOCUKJST-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 7
- 229910052760 oxygen Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 7
- 239000001301 oxygen Substances 0.000 claims description 7
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000003570 air Substances 0.000 claims 34
- 230000000007 visual effect Effects 0.000 claims 3
- 239000012080 ambient air Substances 0.000 claims 2
- 230000000737 periodic effect Effects 0.000 claims 1
- 230000004044 response Effects 0.000 abstract description 12
- 238000001816 cooling Methods 0.000 description 25
- 230000001143 conditioned effect Effects 0.000 description 19
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 7
- 230000035945 sensitivity Effects 0.000 description 4
- CURLTUGMZLYLDI-UHFFFAOYSA-N Carbon dioxide Chemical compound O=C=O CURLTUGMZLYLDI-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 230000007547 defect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000006870 function Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000009434 installation Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000009467 reduction Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000003068 static effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000003053 toxin Substances 0.000 description 2
- 231100000765 toxin Toxicity 0.000 description 2
- 108700012359 toxins Proteins 0.000 description 2
- 230000003213 activating effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229910002092 carbon dioxide Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000001569 carbon dioxide Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000004891 communication Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000779 smoke Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000012855 volatile organic compound Substances 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
- F24F11/00—Control or safety arrangements
- F24F11/30—Control or safety arrangements for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
- F24F11/32—Responding to malfunctions or emergencies
- F24F11/36—Responding to malfunctions or emergencies to leakage of heat-exchange fluid
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
- F24F1/00—Room units for air-conditioning, e.g. separate or self-contained units or units receiving primary air from a central station
- F24F1/0007—Indoor units, e.g. fan coil units
- F24F1/0018—Indoor units, e.g. fan coil units characterised by fans
Abstract
An air mover system for use in an indoor unit of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a blower comprising a motor and a blower control unit configured to control operations of the motor. The blower control unit includes a controller and a sensor communicably coupled to the controller. The sensor is configured to sense air inside the indoor unit and to provide sensor information to the controller. The controller is configured to determine whether a refrigerant is present in the air based on the sensor information and to control the blower to move the air out of the indoor unit in response to determining that the refrigerant is present in the air.
Description
- The present disclosure relates generally to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, and more particularly to refrigerant leak detection and the reduction of leaked refrigerant concentration.
- HVAC systems are typically used for managing the temperature of spaces inside structures such as residential and commercial buildings. An HVAC system may be used to heat and/or cool a space. An HVAC system that can operate in a cooling mode is typically a closed refrigerant circulation system, and a refrigerant is circulated through the HVAC system during cooling operations. A refrigerant leak may sometimes occur in an HVAC system. For example, a refrigerant leak can occur in an indoor unit of an HVAC system. A build-up of leaked refrigerant in the indoor unit may be undesirable for a number of reasons, such as fire risks, risk from toxins at high concentrations. For example, a refrigerant used in an HVAC system may be flammable. Thus, a solution that enables effective detections of a leaked refrigerant and the dissipation of the leaked refrigerant may be desirable.
- The present disclosure relates generally to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, and more particularly to refrigerant leak detection and the reduction of leaked refrigerant concentration. In some example embodiments, an air mover system for use in an indoor unit of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a blower comprising a motor and a blower control unit configured to control operations of the motor. The blower control unit includes a controller and a sensor communicably coupled to the controller. The sensor is configured to sense air inside the indoor unit and to provide sensor information to the controller. The controller is configured to determine whether a refrigerant is present in the air based on the sensor information and to control the blower to move the air out of the indoor unit in response to determining that the refrigerant is present in the air
- In another example embodiment, an indoor unit of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a coil and a blower that includes a motor. The blower draws in or pushes air past the coil during a cooling operation of the HVAC system. The indoor unit further includes a blower control unit configured to control operations of the motor. The blower control unit includes a controller and a sensor communicably coupled to the controller. The sensor is configured to sense air inside the indoor unit and to provide sensor information to the controller. The controller is configured to determine whether a refrigerant is present in the air based on the sensor information and to control the blower to move the air out of the indoor unit.
- In another example embodiment, a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes an outdoor unit and an indoor unit fluidly coupled to the outdoor unit. The indoor unit includes a coil and a blower that includes a motor. The blower draws in or pushes air past the coil during a cooling operation of the HVAC system. The indoor unit further includes a blower control unit configured to control operations of the motor. The blower control unit includes a controller and a sensor communicably coupled to the controller. The sensor is configured to sense air inside the indoor unit and to provide sensor information to the controller. The controller is configured to determine whether a refrigerant is present in the air based on the sensor information and to control the blower to move the air out of the indoor unit.
- These and other aspects, objects, features, and embodiments will be apparent from the following description and the appended claims.
- Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:
-
FIG. 1 illustrates an air mover system of an indoor unit of an HVAC system according to an example embodiment; -
FIG. 2 illustrates an HVAC system including an indoor unit that includes the air mover system ofFIG. 1 according to an example embodiment; -
FIG. 3 illustrates the indoor unit ofFIG. 2 including the air mover system according to an example embodiment; -
FIG. 4 illustrates the indoor unit ofFIG. 2 including the air mover system according to another example embodiment; -
FIG. 5 illustrates an air conditioning system including the indoor unit ofFIG. 2 according to an example embodiment; -
FIG. 6 illustrates a heat pump system including the indoor unit ofFIG. 2 according to an example embodiment; -
FIG. 7 illustrates a method of operating an HVAC system to detect and dissipate leaked refrigerant according to an example embodiment; and -
FIG. 8 illustrates a method of operating an HVAC system to detect and dissipate leaked refrigerant according to another example embodiment. - The drawings illustrate only example embodiments and are therefore not to be considered limiting in scope. The elements and features shown in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the example embodiments. Additionally, certain dimensions or placements may be exaggerated to help visually convey such principles. In the drawings, the same reference numerals that are used in different drawings may designate like or corresponding but not necessarily identical elements.
- In the following paragraphs, example embodiments will be described in further detail with reference to the figures. In the description, well-known components, methods, and/or processing techniques are omitted or briefly described. Furthermore, reference to various feature(s) of the embodiments is not to suggest that all embodiments must include the referenced feature(s).
- Turning now to the figures, particular example embodiments are described.
FIG. 1 illustrates anair mover system 100 of an indoor unit of an HVAC system according to an example embodiment. In some example embodiments, theair mover system 100 may operate to circulate air through a space, such as a room or a house, that is air conditioned (i.e., cooled and/or heated) by an HVAC system. For example, theair mover system 100 may suck/draw in air from an air conditioned area into an indoor unit of an HVAC system and may blow the air out of the indoor unit back into the air conditioned area. The indoor unit may be fluidly connected to the air conditioned area via one or more ducts. Alternatively, the indoor unit may be directly connected to the air conditioned area. The air that is circulated through the indoor unit may be cooled or heated depending on whether the HVAC system is operating in a cooling or heating mode. In some cases, theair mover system 100 may suck air into the indoor unit and blow the air out of the indoor unit to circulate air without the air necessarily being cooled or heated. For example, the air may simply be filtered as the air passes through the indoor unit. - In some example embodiments, the
air mover system 100 includes ablower controller unit 102 and ablower 104 that includes ablower motor 106. For example, theblower motor 106 may be an electronically commutated (EMC) motor. Theblower controller unit 102 may be connected to theblower 104 by anelectrical connection 118. For example, theelectrical connection 118 may include one or more electrical wires and/or one or more electrical connectors. - In some example embodiments, the
blower controller unit 102 may be physically separated from theblower 104 except for one or more electrical connections such as theconnection 118. Alternatively, theblower controller unit 102 may be physically attached to and/or integrated in theblower 104. In general, theblower controller unit 102 and theblower 104 may be positioned in suitable relative locations with respect to each other without departing from the scope of this disclosure. - In some example embodiments, the
blower controller unit 102 may include acontroller 108 and asensor 110. Theblower controller unit 102 may also include asensor 112 that may be the same as or a different type of sensor than thesensor 110. Thecontroller 108 may include a microcontroller 114 (or a microprocessor), a memory device 116 (e.g., a flash memory, a static random access memory, etc.), and other components, such a digital-to-analog converter, amplifier, etc. To illustrate, themicrocontroller 114 of thecontroller 108 may execute a software code stored in thememory device 116 to perform some of the operations described herein with respect to theblower controller unit 102. - In some example embodiments, the
sensor 110 may sense the air for an element that indicates the presence or absence of a refrigerant in the air. For example, thesensor 110 may be a refrigerant sensor that senses the air for the presence of a particular refrigerant. Alternatively, thesensor 110 may sense the air for one or more other elements that may indicate the presence or absence of a refrigerant in the air. For example, thesensor 110 may be an oxygen sensor, where oxygen levels below a threshold level may indicate the presence of a refrigerant in the air. The sensitivity of thesensor 110 may be set/adjusted such that thesensor 110 can sense the refrigerant when the refrigerant is present in the indoor unit at a particular concentration. - In some example embodiments, the
sensor 110 may be coupled to thecontroller 108 via one or more electrical wires or traces. Thesensor 110 may provide sensor information to thecontroller 108 indicating whether a refrigerant or another element indicative of the presence of a refrigerant is sensed by thesensor 110. Thecontroller 108 and thesensor 110 may be attached to the same circuit board and may be electrically connected via one or more wire traces and/or wires. Alternatively, thecontroller 108 and thesensor 110 may be attached to separate circuit boards that are attached to each other, for example, using connectors. In some alternative embodiments, thesensor 110 may be attached to a flexible arm mount that is attached to circuit board that includes thecontroller 108. For example, the flexible arm mount may allow thesensor 110 to be moved and oriented for more effective sensing. The flexible arm may also provide a wireway for the one or more electrical wires to extend therethrough between thesensor 110 and the circuit board that includes thecontroller 108. - In some example embodiments, the
blower controller unit 102 may control the operations of theblower 104 using one or more control signals that are provided to theblower motor 106 via theelectrical connection 118. Theblower controller unit 102 may control the powering on and off of theblower motor 106 and the rotational direction of theblower motor 106. To illustrate, theblower controller unit 102 may control the rotational direction of theblower motor 106 to control the direction of air flow through the indoor unit. For example, theblower motor 106 may control the polarity of the voltage provided to theblower motor 106 to control the rotational direction of theblower motor 106. Theblower 104 may blow air in one direction when theblower motor 106 rotates in a clockwise direction and may blow air in an opposite direction when theblower motor 106 rotates in a counter-clockwise direction. - In some example embodiments, the
blower controller unit 102 may control the operations of theblower 104 based on the sensor information from thesensor 110. To illustrate, thecontroller 108 may receive the sensor information and determine whether the sensor information indicates the presence (or absence) of a refrigerant in the air sensed by thesensor 110. If thecontroller 108 determines that a refrigerant is present in the air sensed by thesensor 110, thecontroller 108 may control theblower motor 106 such that theblower 104 blows the air to dissipate the refrigerant. For example, thecontroller 108 may power on theblower motor 106 to turn on theblower 104. - In some example embodiments, the
controller 108 may control theblower motor 106 such that theblower 104 blows air at a slower air flow rate (e.g., half, 1/10th, etc.) than the air flow rate during regular circulation/heating/cooling operations. For example, the movement of air at a relatively slower air flow rate may improve the sensing of a leaked refrigerant or other elements by thesensor 110. Thecontroller 108 may control theblower motor 106 to operate at a slower rate for a sensing time period (e.g., 30 seconds, 1 minute, etc.) that allows thesensor 110 to effectively sense the air for a refrigerant or other elements. The sensing time period may depend on a number of factors including the type of thesensor 110, the capacity of theblower motor 106, the type of the refrigerant, etc. - In some example embodiments, the
controller 108 may also control theblower motor 106 to operate at a slower rate, for example, at a regular sensing time interval and/or based on one or more events (e.g., the HVAC system is turned on after being idle, the HVAC system has been running for a timer period, etc.), a user input, etc. For example, thecontroller 108 may control theblower motor 106 to operate at a slower rate for the sensing time period at a sensing time interval of 30 minutes, 1 hour, 4 hours, 8 hours, 12 hours, or another desired time interval. The particular sensing time interval may depend on a number of factors including the type of refrigerant, the age of the indoor unit, etc. as can be readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure. - In some example embodiments, the
controller 108 can control theblower motor 106 such that theblower 104 blows air in a forward or reverse direction. For example, thecontroller 108 may control theblower motor 106 such that theblower 104 blows air in an opposite (i.e., reverse) direction from the direction of air flow that exists during regular circulation/heating/cooling operations. To illustrate, theblower control unit 102, including thesensor 110, may be located in an indoor unit of an HVAC system such the direction of air flow during regular circulation/heating/cooling operations moves leaked refrigerant away from thesensor 110. For example, the source of the leaked refrigerant may be a coil that is in the indoor unit. To enable thesensor 110 to effectively sense the air in the indoor unit, thecontroller 108 may control theblower 104 such that the air in the indoor unit flows toward thesensor 110, which may be an opposite direction from the direction of air flow during regular circulation/heating/cooling operations. - As described above, the
controller 108 may control theblower motor 106 such that theblower 104 blows air in a reverse direction toward theblower control unit 102 at a slower air flow rate than the air flow rate that exists during regular circulation/heating/cooling operations. As described above, thecontroller 108 may control theblower motor 106 such that theblower 104 blows air toward theblower control unit 102 for the sensing time period and at the regular sensing time interval and/or based on one or more events, a user input, etc. - In some example embodiments, the
sensor 112 may include a sensor that senses a refrigerant or another element in the air (e.g., oxygen level) that is indicative of the presence or absence of refrigerant in the air. For example, thesensor 110 and thesensor 112 may be attached to the same circuit board but may be at different locations from each other to provide a more effective sensing of refrigerant or another element in the air. Thesensor 112 may provide sensing information to thecontroller 108, and thecontroller 108 may control theblower 104 in a similar manner as described with respect to thesensor 110. - In some alternative embodiments, the
sensor 112 may include an indoor quality sensor, such as a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a carbon dioxide sensor, a smoke sensor, a volatile organic compound sensor, etc. For example, thecontroller 108 may receive sensing information from thesensor 112 and determine relevant information (e.g., temperature, humidity, etc.) indicated by the sensor information. Thecontroller 108 may transmit the information determined from the sensor to a user and/or to another component (e.g., a main controller unit of the HVAC system). Alternatively or in addition, thecontroller 108 may transmit the sensor information to a user and/or to another component without processing sensor information. - Because the
blower control unit 102 includes thecontroller 108 and thesensor 110, theblower control unit 102 can reliably and quickly control the operations of theblower 104 to mitigate risks associated with refrigerant leaks in an indoor unit of an HVAC system. To illustrate, because thecontroller 108 controls theblower motor 106 at least based on sensor information from thesensor 110, risks associated with errors during HVAC system installations and with wiring defects and damages may be reduced by having because theblower control unit 102 include thecontroller 108 as well as thesensor 110. Locating other sensors, such as thesensor 112, at theblower control unit 102 may further reduce risks associated with installation errors and wiring defects/damages. - In some alternative embodiments, the
air mover system 100 may include other components without departing from the scope of this disclosure. For example, theair mover system 100 may include components for providing power to theblower control unit 102 and theblower 104. In some example embodiments,blower control unit 102 may include other components and may interface with other components without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some example embodiments, thecontroller 108 may include components other than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some example embodiments, thesensor 110 may include multiple sensors that sense the same or different elements in the air. In some alternative embodiments, thesensor 112 may be omitted or integrated with thesensor 110. In some alternative embodiments, thesensor 112 may be remotely located from theblower control unit 102 and may provide sensor information to theblower control unit 102 via a wired connection or wirelessly (e.g., Bluetooth, etc.). -
FIG. 2 illustrates anHVAC system 200 including anindoor unit 202 that includes theair mover system 100 ofFIG. 1 according to an example embodiment. The HVAC system is shown Referring toFIGS. 1 and 2 , in some example embodiments, theHVAC system 200 includes theindoor unit 202, a main control unit/board 204, anoutdoor unit 206, asensor 208, and athermostat 210. Typically, theindoor unit 202 is located inside a building and theoutdoor unit 206 is located outside the building. In some cases, one or more components of theindoor unit 202 may be located outside a building, and one or more components of theoutdoor unit 206 may be located inside a building. - In some example embodiments, the
main control unit 204 may be in communication with theoutdoor unit 206, thesensor 208, and thethermostat 210 as well as with thecontroller 108 of theair mover system 100. Themain control unit 204 may include a microcontroller or microprocessor, a memory device (e.g., a flash memory, a static random access memory, etc.), and other components, such an analog-to-digital converter, amplifier, etc. To illustrate, themain control unit 204 may execute a software code stored in the memory device to perform some of the operations described herein with respect to themain control unit 204. - In some example embodiments, the
outdoor unit 206 may include a compressor, a coil, etc. as can be readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure. For example, the coil of theoutdoor unit 206 may operate as a condenser when theHVAC system 200 is an air conditioning system or whenHVAC system 200 is a heat pump system operating in a heating mode. Themain control unit 204 may receive information from theoutdoor unit 206 and may also control theoutdoor unit 206. For example, themain control unit 204 may control the powering on and off the compressor of theoutdoor unit 206 and may receive status and other information from theoutdoor unit 206. - In some example embodiments, the
sensor 208 may include one or more sensors that sense parameters such air temperature as well as refrigerant temperature, refrigerant pressure, etc. For example, thesensor 208 may provide sensor information to themain control unit 204, and themain control unit 204 may control other system components (e.g., the compressor in the outdoor unit) based on the sensor information. Alternatively or in addition, themain control unit 204 may provide the sensor information to another system component (e.g., the controller 108). - In some example embodiments, the
thermostat 210 may be located in a space that is air conditioned by theHVAC system 200. Themain control unit 204 may control cooling and/or heating operations of theHVAC system 200 based on thethermostat 210. To illustrate, themain control unit 204 may control theindoor unit 202 as well as theoutdoor unit 206 based on the indication from thethermostat 210 whether heating or cooling of a space is needed. For example, themain control unit 204 may communicate with thecontroller 108 to power on and power off theblower 104. - In some example embodiments, the
indoor unit 202 may include theair mover system 100, acoil 212, and optionally asensor 214. Theair mover system 100 may operate as described with respect toFIG. 1 . Theair mover system 100 may include theblower control unit 102 and theblower 104. Theair mover system 100 may also include anannunciator 216 for providing, for example, audio notifications. To illustrate, theair mover system 100 may provide an audio notification of the detection of a refrigerant and/or other information via theannunciator 216. Alternatively or in addition, theair mover system 100 may transmit, wirelessly or via a wired connection, a notification of the detection of a refrigerant and/or other information. Thecoil 212 may function as an evaporator when theHVAC system 200 is an air conditioning system or a heat pump system operating in a cooling mode. Thecoil 212 may function as a condenser when theHVAC system 200 is a heat pump system operating in a heating mode. In general, thecoil 212 and refrigerant pipe joints to thecoil 212 may be the primary sources of refrigerant leakage inside theindoor unit 202. - In some example embodiments, the
sensor 214, when present, may operate in a similar manner as thesensor 110. For example, thesensor 214 may sense a refrigerant or an air element indicative of the presence of a refrigerant in the air inside theindoor unit 202. Thesensor 214 may be located close to thecoil 212, at another location inside theindoor unit 202, or outside of theindoor unit 202. Thesensor 214 may provide to thecontroller 108 sensor information indicative of the presence or absence of a refrigerant or another air element wirelessly or via a wired connection (shown as a dotted line), and thecontroller 108 may take steps based on the sensor information as described with respect toFIG. 1 and thesensor 110. For example, if thecontroller 108 determines that the sensor information from thesensor 110 or from thesensor 214 indicates the presence of a refrigerant (e.g., any amount of refrigerant or an amount exceeding a threshold), thecontroller 108 may activate theblower 104 such that theblower 104 blows the leaked refrigerant in the air out of theindoor unit 202 into the air conditioned space to dissipate the leaked refrigerant. Thecontroller 108 may also provide an audio notification (e.g., recorded message, beeps, etc.) via theannunciator 216 to indicate the detection of the refrigerant by thesensor sensor 214 may be located outside of theindoor unit 202 without departing from the scope of this disclosure. For example, thesensor 214 may be located at or near a likely source of a refrigerant leak in theHVAC system 200 outside of theindoor unit 202. In such cases, thecontroller 108 may provide an audio notification of the detection of leaked refrigerant without activating or changing the operation of theblower 104. - In some example embodiments, the
controller 108 may control theblower 104 such that theblower 104 blows the air, including the leaked refrigerant, out of theindoor unit 202 for a dissipation time period (e.g., 5 minutes). After the dissipation time period, thecontroller 108 may again control the motor 106 (e.g., for air flow direction and/or rate) such that the air is sensed by thesensor 110 for the refrigerant or an element indicative of the refrigerant. If thecontroller 108 determines that the sensor information indicates the presence of the refrigerant, thecontrol 108 may repeat the process of controlling theblower 104 to dissipate the air including the leaked refrigerant into the air conditioned area. - In some example embodiments, as described above with respect to
FIG. 1 , thecontroller 108 may control theblower 104 to move the air out of theindoor unit 202 in response to determining that the information from thesensor 110 indicates the presence of a refrigerant in the air inside theindoor unit 202. Thecontroller 108 may also indicate to themain control unit 204 the detection of the refrigerant, and themain control unit 204 may control theoutdoor unit 206 to stop cooling or heating related operations of theoutdoor unit 206. For example, themain control unit 204 may shut off the compressor in theoutdoor unit 206. Thus, in some example embodiments, thecontroller 108 may controlblower 104 to blow/move the air out of theindoor unit 202 and control, indirectly through themain control unit 204, the compressor in theoutdoor unit 206 to stop cooling and/or heating operations of theHVAC system 200. - In some alternative embodiments, the
HVAC system 200 may include other components than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some example embodiments, themain control unit 204 may be attached to or included theindoor unit 202 without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, theindoor unit 202 may include other components than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, one or more components of thesystem 200 may be omitted without departing from the scope of this disclosure. For example, thesensor 208, thesensor 214, and/or theannunciator 216 may be omitted without departing from the scope of this disclosure. -
FIG. 3 illustrates theindoor unit 202 ofFIG. 2 including theair mover system 100 according to an example embodiment. Referring toFIGS. 1-3 , in some example embodiments, theindoor unit 202 may include ahousing 302 that houses theair mover system 100 and thecoil 212. Thecoil 212 may be coupled torefrigerant pipes pipe 308 may carry a refrigerant to thecoil 212, and thepipe 310 may carry the refrigerant from the coil. - In some example embodiments, the
housing 302 may be coupled to areturn air duct 304 and to anoutflow duct 306. For example, the air in a space that is air conditioned by theHVAC system 200 may flow into theindoor unit 202 through theintake duct 304 and flow back to the space through theoutflow duct 306 after pass by thecoil 212. The air may also be filtered inside theindoor unit 202 before flowing out through theoutflow duct 306. - As shown in
FIG. 3 , in some example embodiments, thecoil 212 may be positioned above theair mover system 100 including theblower control unit 102 and theblower 104. For example, when operating in cooling, heating, and air circulating modes, theblower 104 may suck in air through theintake duct 304 and blow the air out through theoutflow duct 306, where the air blown by theblower 104 passes by thecoil 212. When operating in a cooling or heating mode, the air that passes by thecoil 212 may be cooled or heated by thecoil 212 by virtue of the refrigerant flowing through thecoil 212. - In some cases, the air inside the
indoor unit 202 may include a refrigerant from a leak, for example, in thecoil 212. When theHVAC system 200 is not actively operating to heat or cool a space during relatively short or long time periods, theblower 104 may not blow the leaked refrigerant in the air away from thecoil 212 and through theoutflow duct 306 to dissipate the refrigerant into an air conditioned space 312 (e.g., a room/rooms, etc.). In such cases, the leaked refrigerant in the air may flow towards theblower control unit 102 that includes thesensor 110, and thesensor 110 may sense the refrigerant and provide to thecontroller 108 sensor information indicating the presence of the refrigerant. In response to determining that the sensor information indicates the presence of refrigerant in the air inside theindoor unit 202, thecontroller 108 may control (e.g., power on) theblower 104 to blow the air out of theindoor unit 202 through theoutflow duct 306 to dissipate the refrigerant into the air conditioned space. The dissipation of the leaked refrigerant out of theindoor unit 202 may significantly reduce risks, such as the risk of fire if the refrigerant is flammable. Thecontroller 108 may also provide a notification, for example, through theannunciator 216 indicating the detection of the refrigerant. Thecontroller 108 may also control, directly or through themain control unit 204, theoutdoor unit 206 to turn off or keep theoutdoor unit 206 off in response to the detection of the refrigerant in the air inside theindoor unit 202. For example, in some cases, turning off theoutdoor unit 206 or keeping theoutdoor unit 206 off may reduce the amount of refrigerant leakage in theindoor unit 202. - In some example embodiments, because a leaked refrigerant that is in the air inside the
indoor unit 202 may not flow from the leak location at or near thecoil 212 toward thesensor 110 of theblower control unit 102, theblower control unit 102 may control theblower 104 to suck the air toward thesensor 110, which is an opposite (i.e., reverse) direction from the direction of air flow during normal heating and cooling operations. As described above with respect toFIG. 1 , theblower control unit 102 may, for example, periodically or at different times, control theblower 104 to suck the air inside theindoor unit 202 toward thesensor 110. Theblower control unit 102 may also control theblower 104 to suck the air, including any leaked refrigerant, inside theindoor unit 202 from thecoil 212 toward thesensor 110 at a slower flow rate than the air flow rate during normal cooling or heating operations when the air is being blown from theblower 104 toward thecoil 212. As described above, theblower control unit 102 may control theblower 104 to operate in a reverse air flow direction and/or at a lower speed/rate for a sensing time interval. - In some example embodiments, the
indoor unit 202 may include other components without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some example embodiments, theindoor unit 202 may be fluidly connected to the air conditioned area via one or more ducts. Alternatively, the indoor unit may be directly connected to the air conditioned area. In some alternative embodiments, theblower control unit 102 and theblower 104 may be in a different configuration or orientation than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, theintake duct 304 and theoutflow duct 306 may be at different locations than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some example embodiments, theair mover system 100 and thecoil 212 may be closer, farther, or at different relative positions (e.g., laterally adjacent to each other, etc.) than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some example embodiments, the locations of theblower control unit 102 and theblower 104 with respect to each other may be different than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. For example, theblower control unit 102 and theblower 104 may be laterally adjacent to each other. As another example, theblower control unit 102 may be below theblower 104. In general, theblower controller unit 102 and theblower 104 may be positioned in any suitable relative locations with respect to each other without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some example embodiments, theblower control unit 102 may be physically attached to theblower 104 without departing from the scope of this disclosure. -
FIG. 4 illustrates theindoor unit 202 ofFIG. 2 including theair mover system 100 according to another example embodiment. Referring toFIGS. 1, 2, and 4 , in some example embodiments, theindoor unit 202 may include thehousing 302 that houses theair mover system 100 and thecoil 212. Thecoil 212 may be coupled torefrigerant pipes pipe 308 may carry a refrigerant to thecoil 212, and thepipe 310 may carry the refrigerant from thecoil 212. - In some example embodiments, the
housing 302 may be coupled to thereturn air duct 304 and to theoutflow duct 306. For example, the air in a space that is air conditioned by theHVAC system 200 may flow into theindoor unit 202 through theintake duct 304 and flow back to the space through theoutflow duct 306 after pass by thecoil 212. The air may also be filtered inside theindoor unit 202 before flowing out through theoutflow duct 306. - As shown in
FIG. 4 , in some example embodiments, thecoil 212 may be positioned below theair mover system 100 including theblower control unit 102 and theblower 104. For example, theblower 104 may suck in air through theintake duct 304 and blow the air out through theoutflow duct 306 when operating in cooling, heating, and air circulating modes. In contrast toFIG. 3 , InFIG. 4 , as the air is sucked in through theintake duct 304, the air passes by thecoil 212 before reaching theair mover system 100. When operating in a cooling or heating mode, the air may be cooled or heated by thecoil 212 by virtue of the refrigerant flowing through thecoil 212. - In some cases, the air inside the
indoor unit 202 may include a refrigerant that has leaked from thecoil 212, thepipes indoor unit 202 is not actively operating during relatively short or long time periods, theblower 104 may not blow the air including the leaked refrigerant out of theindoor unit 202 throughoutflow duct 306. In such cases, the leaked refrigerant in the air may flow towards theblower control unit 102 that includes thesensor 110, and thesensor 110 may sense the refrigerant and provide to thecontroller 108 sensor information indicating the presence of the refrigerant. In response to determining that the sensor information indicates the presence of a refrigerant in the air inside theindoor unit 202, thecontroller 108 may control (e.g., power on) theblower 104 to blow the air out of theindoor unit 202 through theoutflow duct 306 to dissipate the refrigerant into the air conditionedspace 312. The dissipation of the leaked refrigerant out of theindoor unit 202 may significantly reduce risks, such as the risk of fire if the refrigerant is flammable or risks from toxins in the refrigerant at high concentrations. Thecontroller 108 may also provide a notification, for example, through theannunciator 216 indicating the detection of the refrigerant. Thecontroller 108 may also control, directly or through themain control unit 204, theoutdoor unit 206 to turn off or keep theoutdoor unit 206 off in response to the detection of the refrigerant in the air inside theindoor unit 202. For example, in some cases, turning off theoutdoor unit 206 or keeping theoutdoor unit 206 off may reduce the amount of refrigerant leakage in theindoor unit 202. - In some example embodiments, because a leaked refrigerant that is in the air inside the
indoor unit 202 may not flow or move from the leak location at or near thecoil 212 toward thesensor 110 of theblower control unit 102, particularly when theblower 104 is not off, theblower control unit 102 may control theblower 104 to suck the air toward thesensor 110, which is the same direction as the direction of air flow during normal heating and cooling operations. As described above with respect toFIG. 1 , theblower control unit 102 may, for example, periodically or at different times, control theblower 104 to suck the air inside theindoor unit 202 toward thesensor 110. Theblower control unit 102 may also control theblower 104 to suck the air, including any leaked refrigerant, inside theindoor unit 202 from thecoil 212 toward thesensor 110 at a slower flow rate than the air flow rate during normal cooling or heating operations when the air is being suck from thecoil 212 toward theblower 104. For example, sucking the air at a slower flow rate may allow thesensor 110 to more reliably sense leaked refrigerant in the air inside theindoor unit 202. As described above, theblower control unit 102 may control theblower 104 to operate at a lower speed/rate for a sensing time interval. - In some example embodiments, the
indoor unit 202 may include other components without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, theblower control unit 102 and theblower 104 may be in a different configuration or orientation than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, theintake duct 304 and theoutflow duct 306 may be at different locations than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some example embodiments, theair mover system 100 and thecoil 212 may be closer, farther, or at different relative positions (e.g., laterally adjacent to each other) than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some example embodiments, the locations of theblower control unit 102 and theblower 104 relative to each other may be different than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. For example, theblower control unit 102 and theblower 104 may be laterally adjacent to each other. As another example, theblower control unit 102 may be below theblower 104. In general, theblower controller unit 102 and theblower 104 may be positioned in any suitable relative locations with respect to each other without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some example embodiments, theblower control unit 102 may be physically attached to theblower 104 without departing from the scope of this disclosure. -
FIG. 5 illustrates anair conditioning system 500 including theindoor unit 202 ofFIG. 2 according to an example embodiment. Referring toFIGS. 1-5 , in some example embodiments, theair conditioning system 500 includes theindoor unit 202, theoutdoor unit 206, and themain control unit 204. Theoutdoor unit 206 may include acompressor 502 and acoil 514. Theair conditioning system 500 may also include anexpansion valve 504 that is fluidly coupled to theindoor unit 202 and theoutdoor unit 206. - In some example embodiments, the
indoor unit 202 may be fluidly coupled to theoutdoor unit 206 via apipe 508. Theoutdoor unit 206 may be fluidly coupled to theexpansion valve 504 via apipe 510. Theexpansion valve 504 may be fluidly coupled to theindoor unit 202 via apipe 512. For example, a refrigerant may flow through theair conditioning system 500 as shown by the arrows adjacent to the pipes 508-512 when theair conditioning system 500 is operating to cool a space such as room/rooms in a building. - In some example embodiments, the
main control unit 204 may communicate with theindoor unit 202, theoutdoor unit 206, and other system components, such as sensors, a thermostat, etc. Themain control unit 204 may also control some operations of theindoor unit 202 and theoutdoor unit 206. For example, themain control unit 204 may control whether thecompressor 502 is powered on or off, for example, based on inputs from thesensor 208, thethermostat 210, thecontroller 108 of theindoor unit 202, etc. Themain control unit 204 may communicate and control the various system components including theindoor unit 202 and theoutdoor unit 206 via one or more electrical connections 506 (e.g., one or more electrical cables). In some example embodiments, themain control unit 204 may communicate and control some system components wirelessly as can be readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure. - In some example embodiments, the
main control unit 204 may control the operation of theexpansion valve 504. In general, theexpansion valve 504 operates in a manner known to those of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure. - In some example embodiments, the
air mover system 100 of theindoor unit 202 operates as described above to dissipate leaked refrigerant out of theindoor unit 202 into an air conditioned space. As described above, themain control unit 204 may communicate with thecontroller 108 of theair mover system 100 to control some operations of theindoor unit 202, and thecontroller 108 may communicate with themain control unit 204 to power off or keep off theoutdoor unit 206, for example, upon the detection of leaked refrigerant inside theindoor unit 202 and/or based on sensing by thesensor 214, when present, that may be outside of theindoor unit 202. - In some alternative embodiments, the
air conditioning system 500 may include other components without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, thecompressor 502 may be located outside of theoutdoor unit 206 without departing from the scope of this disclosure. -
FIG. 6 illustrates aheat pump system 600 including theindoor unit 202 ofFIG. 2 according to an example embodiment. Referring toFIGS. 1-4 and 6 , in some example embodiments, theheat pump system 600 includes theindoor unit 202, theoutdoor unit 206, and themain control unit 204. Theheat pump system 600 may also include a reversingvalve 602 and theexpansion valve 504 that is fluidly coupled to theindoor unit 202 and theoutdoor unit 206. Theoutdoor unit 206 may include thecompressor 502 and thecoil 514. - As shown in
FIG. 6 , theheat pump system 600 is configured to operate in a cooling mode. Theheat pump system 600 may be configured to operate in a heating mode as can be readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure. - In some example embodiments, the
indoor unit 202 may be fluidly coupled to the input port of thecompressor 502 of theoutdoor unit 206 through the reversingvalve 602, and the discharge port of thecompressor 502 of theoutdoor unit 206 may be fluidly coupled to thecoil 514 of theoutdoor unit 206. Thecoil 514 of theoutdoor unit 206 may be fluidly coupled to theexpansion valve 504 via thepipe 510. Theexpansion valve 504 may be fluidly coupled to theindoor unit 202 via thepipe 512. When theheat pump system 600 is operating in a cooling mode, a refrigerant may flow through pipes of theheat pump system 600 as shown by the arrows adjacent to the pipes. When theheat pump system 600 is operating in a heating mode, the refrigerant may flow in an opposite direction. - In some example embodiments, the
main control unit 204 may communicate with theindoor unit 202, theoutdoor unit 206, and other system components, such as sensors, a thermostat, etc. Themain control unit 204 may also control some operations of theindoor unit 202 and theoutdoor unit 206. For example, themain control unit 204 may control whether thecompressor 502 is powered on or off, for example, based on inputs from thesensor 208, thethermostat 210, thecontroller 108 of theindoor unit 202, etc. As another example, themain control unit 204 may control the reversingvalve 602 based on the operation mode of theheat pump system 600. Themain control unit 204 may communicate and control the various system components including theindoor unit 202 and theoutdoor unit 206 via one or more electrical connections 506 (e.g., one or more electrical cables). In some example embodiments, themain control unit 204 may communicate and control some system components wirelessly as can be readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure. - In some example embodiments, the
main control unit 204 may control the operation of theexpansion valve 504. In general, theexpansion valve 504 operates in a manner known to those of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure. - In some example embodiments, the
air mover system 100 of theindoor unit 202 operates as described above to dissipate leaked refrigerant out of theindoor unit 202 into an air conditioned space, such as thespace 312. As described above, themain control unit 204 may communicate with thecontroller 108 of theair mover system 100 to control some operations of theindoor unit 202, and thecontroller 108 may communicate with themain control unit 204 to power off or keep off theoutdoor unit 206, for example, upon the detection of leaked refrigerant inside theindoor unit 202 and/or based on sensing by thesensor 214, when present, that may be outside of theindoor unit 202. - In some alternative embodiments, the
heat pump system 600 may include other components without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, thecompressor 502 may be located outside of theoutdoor unit 206 without departing from the scope of this disclosure. -
FIG. 7 illustrates amethod 700 of operating an HVAC system, such as theHVAC system 200, to detect and dissipate leaked refrigerant according to an example embodiment. Referring toFIGS. 1-7 , in some example embodiments, themethod 700 includes, atstep 702, sensing, by a sensor of a blower control unit, air inside an indoor unit, where the blower control unit includes the sensor and a controller. For example, thesensor 110 of theblower control unit 102 may sense the air inside theindoor unit 202. As explained above, theblower control unit 102 includes thecontroller 108 and thesensor 110 that may be attached/mounted to the same circuit board. Alternatively, theblower control unit 102 may include separate circuit boards that are attached to each other, for example, using connectors, where thecontroller 108 is mounted on one of the circuit boards and thesensor 110 is mounted on another one of the circuit boards. - In some example embodiments, at
step 704, themethod 700 includes determining, by the controller, whether a refrigerant is sensed in the air by the sensor. To illustrate, thecontroller 108 may receive sensor information that indicates the presence of a refrigerant in the air inside theindoor unit 202. For example, the amount of refrigerant that needs to be in the air for thesensor 110 to sense the refrigerant may depend on the sensitivity of thesensor 110. The sensitivity of thesensor 110 may be set/adjusted such that thesensor 110 can sense the refrigerant when the refrigerant is present in theindoor unit 202 at a particular concentration. In some cases, the sensor information may indicate the presence of the refrigerant in the air if any amount of refrigerant is sensed by thesensor 110. Alternatively, the sensor information may indicate the presence of the refrigerant in the air if the sensed refrigerant amount exceeds a threshold. In some example embodiments, thesensor 110 may sense the air for another air element, such as oxygen, and send the sensor information to thecontroller 108 indicating the presence or absence of the particular air element, where the presence or absence of the particular air element may be indicative of the presence of a refrigerant in the air. - In some example embodiments, at
step 706, themethod 700 may include controlling, by the controller, a blower to blow the refrigerant out of the indoor unit in response to determining that a refrigerant is present in the air sensed by thesensor 110. For example, thecontroller 108 may power on theblower 104 to circulate air into and out of theindoor unit 202 such that the air inside theindoor unit 202 including any leaked refrigerant is blown out into the area that is air conditioned by the HVAC system. - In some example embodiments, the
method 700 may include other steps including powering off thecompressor 502 upon determining, by thecontroller 108, that a refrigerant is present in the air sensed by thesensor 110. Themethod 700 may also include providing an audio notification via theannunciator 216 indicating the detection of a refrigerant in response to the determining the refrigerant is sensed by thesensor 110. In some example embodiments, thecontroller 108 may use sensor information from thesensor 110 as well as thesensor 214 to determine whether the refrigerant is present inside theindoor unit 202. When thesensor 214 is located outside of theindoor unit 202, thecontroller 108 may provide an audio notification but may not control theblower 104 to move the air inside theindoor unit 202 based on sensor information from thesensor 214. In some example embodiments, themethod 700 may include transmitting a refrigerant leak notification to a user wirelessly or via a wired connection. - In some alternative embodiments, the
method 700 may include more or fewer steps than described above without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some example embodiments, some of the steps of themethod 700 may be performed in a different order than described above. -
FIG. 8 illustrates amethod 800 of operating an HVAC system, such as theHVAC system 200, to detect and dissipate leaked refrigerant according to another example embodiment. Referring toFIGS. 1-6 and 8 , in some example embodiments, themethod 800 includes, atstep 802, controlling, by a controller of a blower control unit, a blower to move air in an indoor unit toward a sensor, where the blower control unit includes the controller and the sensor. For example, thecontroller 108 of theblower control unit 102 may control theblower 104 to push or suck air inside theindoor unit 202 toward thesensor 110. For example, thecontroller 108 may power on theblower 104 and control the direction of air flow such that the air inside theindoor unit 202 moves toward thesensor 110 for thesensor 110 to sense the air for a refrigerant or another element in the air indicative of the presence or absence of a refrigerant. Thecontroller 108 may also control the rate of air flow toward thesensor 110 to enable to the sensor to more reliably sense the air for the refrigerant or another air element. Thecontroller 108 may control theblower 104 to move the air toward thesensor 110 for a sensing time period. Thecontroller 108 may also control theblower 104 to move the air toward thesensor 110 at regularly, at particular times, or based on some events such as the powering up of the HVAC system after a long idle period, etc. - As explained above, the
blower control unit 102 includes thecontroller 108 and thesensor 110 that may be attached/mounted to the same circuit board. Alternatively, theblower control unit 102 may include separate circuit boards that are attached to each other, for example, using connectors, where thecontroller 108 and thesensor 110 are attached to a respective one of the circuit boards. - In some example embodiments, at
step 804, themethod 800 includes determining, by the controller, whether a refrigerant is present in the air based on a sensing of the air by the sensor. To illustrate, thecontroller 108 may receive sensor information that indicates the presence of a refrigerant in the air inside theindoor unit 202. For example, the amount of refrigerant that needs to be in the air for thesensor 110 to sense the refrigerant may depend on the sensitivity of thesensor 110. In some cases, the sensor information may indicate the presence of the refrigerant in the air if any amount of refrigerant is sensed by thesensor 110. Alternatively, the sensor information may indicate the presence of the refrigerant in the air if the sensed refrigerant amount exceeds a threshold. In some example embodiments, thesensor 110 may sense the air for another air element, such as oxygen, and send the sensor information to thecontroller 108 indicating the presence or absence of the particular air element, where the presence or absence of the particular air element may be indicative of the presence of a refrigerant in the air. - In some example embodiments, at
step 806, themethod 800 may include controlling, by the controller, a blower to blow the refrigerant out of the indoor unit in response to determining that a refrigerant is present in the air sensed by the sensor. For example, in response to determining that a refrigerant is present in the air sensed by thesensor 110, thecontroller 108 may power on theblower 104 to circulate air into and out of theindoor unit 202 such that the air inside theindoor unit 202, including any leaked refrigerant, is blown out into the area that is air conditioned by the HVAC system. - In some alternative embodiments, the
method 800 may include more or fewer steps than described above without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some example embodiments, some of the steps of themethod 800 may be performed in a different order than described above. - In some example embodiments, the
method 800 may include other steps including powering off thecompressor 502 upon determining, by thecontroller 108, that a refrigerant is present in the air sensed by thesensor 110. Themethod 800 may also include providing an audio notification via theannunciator 216 indicating the detection of a refrigerant in response to the determining that refrigerant is sensed by thesensor 110. In some example embodiments, thecontroller 108 may use sensor information from thesensor 110 as well as thesensor 214 to determine whether the refrigerant is present inside theindoor unit 202. When thesensor 214 is located outside of theindoor unit 202, thecontroller 108 may provide an audio notification but may not control theblower 104 to move the air inside theindoor unit 202 based on sensor information from thesensor 214. In some example embodiments, themethod 800 may include transmitting a refrigerant leak notification to a user wirelessly or via a wired connection. - In some alternative embodiments, the
method 800 may include more or fewer steps than described above without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some example embodiments, some of the steps of themethod 800 may be performed in a different order than described above. - Although particular embodiments have been described herein in detail, the descriptions are by way of example. The features of the embodiments described herein are representative and, in alternative embodiments, certain features, elements, and/or steps may be added or omitted. Additionally, modifications to aspects of the embodiments described herein may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the following claims, the scope of which are to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass modifications and equivalent structures.
Claims (21)
1. (canceled)
2. An air mover system for use with an indoor unit of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the air mover system comprising:
a blower comprising a motor;
a sensor configured to detect presence of a refrigerant in air inside the indoor unit; and
a controller configured to:
receive first feedback from the sensor;
determine, based at least in part on the first feedback, that refrigerant is present in the air inside the indoor unit; and
cause the blower to direct the air out of the indoor unit.
3. The air mover system of claim 2 , wherein the sensor is further configured to detect presence of non-refrigerant elements in ambient air.
4. The air mover system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
cause operation of a compressor to cease after determining that the refrigerant is present in the air inside the indoor unit.
5. The air mover system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
cause presentation of an audible or visual notification.
6. The air mover system of claim 2 , wherein the sensor is a first sensor, the air mover system further comprising:
a second sensor disposed external to the indoor unit;
wherein the controller is further configured to:
receive second feedback from the second sensor;
determine, based at least in part on the second feedback, that refrigerant is present in the air external to the indoor unit; and
cause presentation of an audible or visual notification.
7. The air mover system of claim 2 , wherein the sensor is a first sensor, the air mover system further comprising:
a second sensor configured to determine an oxygen level;
wherein the controller is further configured to:
receive second feedback from the second sensor; and
determine, based at least in part on the second feedback, that refrigerant is present in the air external to the indoor unit.
8. The air mover system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
determine, based at least in part on the first feedback, that an amount of refrigerant present satisfies a threshold.
9. The air mover system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
wirelessly transmit an electronic notification.
10. The air mover system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
cause the blower to direct air toward the sensor in a first direction that is different than a second direction of air flow inside the indoor unit.
11. The air mover system of claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
cause the blower to direct air toward the sensor based at least in part on a trigger event, wherein the trigger event comprises one or more of: powering on of the air mover system, a periodic time interval, or detection of refrigerant based at least in part on sensor feedback.
12. The air mover system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
receive second feedback from the sensor;
determine, based at least in part on the second feedback from the sensor, that refrigerant is not present in the air inside the indoor unit; and
cause a refrigerant leak detection process to be reset.
13. The air mover system of claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
send the sensor a request for the second feedback within a predetermined time interval of receiving the first feedback.
14. A method for detecting a refrigerant leak, the method comprising:
causing, by a controller of an HVAC system, a blower of the HVAC system to direct air toward a sensor disposed in an indoor unit of the HVAC system;
receiving first feedback from the sensor;
determining, based at least in part on the first feedback, that refrigerant is present in the air inside the indoor unit; and
causing the blower to direct the air out of the indoor unit.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the sensor is further configured to detect presence of non-refrigerant elements in ambient air.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein causing the blower to direct the air out of the indoor unit comprises:
causing operation of a compressor to cease after determining that the refrigerant is present in the air inside the indoor unit.
17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the sensor is a first sensor, the method further comprising:
receiving second feedback from a second sensor;
determining, based at least in part on the second feedback, that refrigerant is present in the air external to the indoor unit; and
causing presentation of an audible or visual notification.
18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the sensor is a first sensor, the method further comprising:
receiving second feedback from the second sensor indicative of an oxygen level; and
determining, based at least in part on the second feedback, that refrigerant is present in the air external to the indoor unit.
19. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
determining, based at least in part on the first feedback, that an amount of refrigerant present satisfies a threshold.
20. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
receiving second feedback from the sensor;
determining, based at least in part on the second feedback from the sensor, that refrigerant is not present in the air inside the indoor unit; and
causing a refrigerant leak detection process to be reset.
21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising:
sending the sensor a request for the second feedback within a predetermined time interval of receiving the first feedback.
Related Parent Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US17/880,509 Continuation US11971184B2 (en) | 2019-09-26 | 2022-08-03 | Air mover refrigerant leak detection and risk mitigation |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20240230129A1 true US20240230129A1 (en) | 2024-07-11 |
Family
ID=
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
US11971184B2 (en) | Air mover refrigerant leak detection and risk mitigation | |
US11644225B2 (en) | Method and apparatus for refrigerant leak detection | |
US10488072B2 (en) | Air conditioning system with leak protection control | |
US10914482B2 (en) | Fan drive circuit for heat pump device | |
CN107923684B (en) | Refrigeration cycle device and refrigeration cycle system | |
JP6797278B2 (en) | Refrigeration cycle equipment and refrigeration cycle system | |
WO2017006611A1 (en) | Refrigeration cycle device and refrigeration cycle system | |
US20090210096A1 (en) | Climate control system for data centers | |
JP6987277B2 (en) | Ventilation control system and carbon dioxide concentration estimation method | |
WO2018220810A1 (en) | Air conditioning device | |
JP2019060517A (en) | Air conditioner | |
US10247429B2 (en) | System and method for determining the position of a vent door of a packaged terminal air conditioner unit | |
JP2016090175A (en) | Indoor unit and air conditioner including the same | |
AU2018372281B2 (en) | Air conditioner | |
JP2017172910A (en) | Air conditioner | |
CN116007066A (en) | Integrated air conditioning system and control method thereof | |
US20240230129A1 (en) | Air mover refrigerant leak detection and risk mitigation | |
US11193684B2 (en) | Detecting blockage of air conditioner unit based on control signal | |
KR20180007202A (en) | Apparatus for controlling fan motor of a duct type air conditioner and operating method of thereof | |
US20220082286A1 (en) | Control system for an hvac system | |
JP2002061930A (en) | Air conditioning system for effecting integrated control of ventilation fan, air conditioner and the like | |
US11333380B2 (en) | Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning combustion suppression system | |
KR20150128135A (en) | Air-conditioner system and method | |
WO2024038532A1 (en) | Air conditioner | |
KR102234193B1 (en) | Gamaroom Air Conditioning Device |