Fault detection methods for vapor-compression air conditioners using electrical measurements

(cont.) This method was experimentally tested and validated on a commercially available air handler and duct system. In the second class of faults studied, liquid refrigerant, rather than vapor, enters the cylinder of a reciprocating compressor during operation. Since the higher cylinder pressures that result can cause substantial damage and are difficult to measure directly, a method for detecting this fault is proposed that only uses observations of the compressor voltage and current. The performance of this fault detection method was also experimentally validated with electrical and mechanical measurements on a semi-hermetic compressor. The final diagnostic method detects refrigerant leakage in a residential air conditioning system by identifying changes in the system's cycling behavior. This method also uses measurements of the compressor's electrical power, as well as a small set of temperature measurements, to determine the presence of the fault. This fault detection method was developed and tested on an occupied residence.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Architecture.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2008

Author dc:creator

• Laughman, Christopher Reed.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Steven B. Leeb, Leslie K. Norford and Peter R. Armstrong.

• Architecture.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/45938

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/45938