Fault detection in a cooling system with a plurality of identical cooling circuits

Abstract

In a cooling system having a plurality of identical cooling circuits, fault detection is determined by a controller if monitored operating parameters of the cooling circuits differ from each other by an appreciable amount. In an aspect, the controller uses a comparison of the operating parameters of a cooling circuit to a snapshot of the operating parameters of that cooling circuit taken after the cooling circuit is determined to be operating properly after start-up. In an aspect, the controller uses known operating parameters of a cooling circuit and a system model of the cooling circuit to calculate remaining operating parameters of the cooling circuit (system model operating parameters) and uses a comparison of the system model operating parameters to the monitored operating parameters.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of fault detection in a cooling system having a plurality of identical cooling circuits and a controller that controls the cooling circuits, the method comprising:
 monitoring with the controller operating parameters of each of the cooling circuits the controller is controlling and determining with the controller that a fault has occurred when corresponding monitored operating parameters of the cooling circuits obtained at essentially the same time differ from each other by an appreciable amount.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  including determining with the controller possible causes of a fault that occurred based on a comparison of corresponding operating parameters of the cooling circuits and which differ from each other by an appreciable amount and which do not. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  including outputting with the controller a response based on the determined possible causes of the fault. 
     
     
         4 . A cooling system having a plurality of identical cooling circuits, comprising:
 a controller configured to control the cooling circuits, the controller configured to include fault detection to detect whether there has been a failure of any of the cooling circuits it is controlling; and   the fault detection includes the controller configured to monitor operating parameters of each of the cooling circuits it is controlling and determine that a fault has occurred if corresponding monitored operating parameters of the cooling circuits obtained at essentially the same time differ from each other by an appreciable amount.   
     
     
         5 . The cooling system of  claim 4  wherein the controller is configured to determine that a fault has occurred if corresponding operating parameters of the cooling circuits differ from each other by an appreciable amount. 
     
     
         6 . The cooling system of  claim 5  wherein the controller is configured to determine possible causes of a fault that occurred based on a comparison of corresponding operating parameters of the cooling circuits and which differ from each other by an appreciable amount and which do not. 
     
     
         7 . The cooling system of  claim 6  wherein the controller is configured to output a response based on the determined possible causes of the fault. 
     
     
         8 . A method of fault detection in a cooling system having a controller that controls a cooling circuit of the cooling system, the method comprising:
 monitoring with the controller operating parameters of the cooling circuit; and   determining with the controller that a fault has occurred in the cooling circuit when the monitored operating parameters of the cooling circuit differ by an appreciable amount from corresponding operating parameters in an original snapshot of the operating parameters of the cooling circuit taken when the cooling circuit was operating properly, and making this determination with the controller using the monitored operating parameters for the cooling circuit when the cooling circuit was operating at a similar condition to a condition that the cooling circuit was operating when the original snapshot was taken.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  including determining with the controller possible causes of a fault that occurred based on a comparison of corresponding operating parameters of the monitored operating parameters of the cooling circuit and the operating parameters in the original snapshot and which differ from each other by an appreciable amount and which do not. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  including outputting with the controller a response based on the determined possible causes of the fault. 
     
     
         11 . A cooling system, comprising:
 a cooling circuit and a controller configured to control the cooling circuit;   the controller configured to include fault detection to detect whether there has been a failure of the cooling circuit; and   the fault detection includes the controller configured to monitor operating parameters of the cooling circuit and determine that a fault has occurred if the monitored operating parameters of the cooling circuit differ by an appreciable amount from corresponding operating parameters in an original snapshot of the operating parameters of that cooling circuit taken when the cooling circuit was operating properly, the controller configured when making this determination using the monitored operating parameters for the cooling circuit when the cooling circuit was operating at a similar condition to a condition that the cooling circuit was operating when the original snapshot was taken.   
     
     
         12 . The cooling system of  claim 11  wherein the controller is configured to determine possible causes of a fault that occurred based on a comparison of corresponding operating parameters of the monitored operating parameters of the cooling circuit and the operating parameters in the original snapshot and which differ from each other by an appreciable amount and which do not. 
     
     
         13 . The cooling system of  claim 12  wherein the controller is configured to output a response based on the determined possible causes of the fault. 
     
     
         14 . A method of fault detection in a cooling system having a controller that controls a cooling circuit of the cooling system, the method comprising:
 using known operating parameters of the cooling circuit and calculating with a controller using a system model of the cooling circuit remaining operating parameters of the cooling circuit with the known operating parameters and the calculated operating parameters collectively system model operating parameters;   monitoring with the controller operating parameters of the cooling circuit; and   determining with the controller that a fault has occurred in the cooling circuit when the system model operating parameters differ by an appreciable amount from corresponding monitored operating parameters.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  including determining with the controller possible causes of a fault that occurred based on a comparison of corresponding operating parameters of the monitored operating parameters of the cooling circuit and the system model operating parameters and which differ from each other by an appreciable amount and which do not. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  including outputting with the controller a response based on the determined possible causes of the fault. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14  including using a plurality of different combinations of known operating parameters of the cooling circuit in calculating with the controller remaining operating parameters of the cooling circuit to generate a plurality of sets of system model operating parameters and determining with the controller possible causes of a fault that occurred based on comparisons of corresponding operating parameters of the monitored operating parameters of the cooling circuit and the system model operating parameters in the plurality of sets of system model operating parameters and which differ from each other by an appreciable amount and which do not. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  including outputting with the controller a response based on the determined possible causes of the fault. 
     
     
         19 . A cooling system, comprising:
 a cooling circuit and a controller configured to control the cooling circuit;   the controller configured to include fault detection to detect whether there has been a failure of the cooling circuit; and   the fault detection includes the controller configured to use known operating parameters of the cooling circuit and calculating using a system model of the cooling circuit remaining operating parameters of the cooling circuit with the known operating parameters and the calculated operating parameters collectively system model operating parameters; and   the controller configured to monitor operating parameters of the cooling circuit and determining that a fault has occurred if the system model operating parameters differ by an appreciable amount from corresponding monitored operating parameters.   
     
     
         20 . The cooling system of  claim 19  wherein the controller is configured to determine possible causes of a fault that occurred based on a comparison of corresponding operating parameters of the monitored operating parameters of the cooling circuit and the system model operating parameters and which differ from each other by an appreciable amount and which do not. 
     
     
         21 . The cooling system of  claim 20  wherein the controller is configured to output a response based on the determined possible causes of the fault. 
     
     
         22 . The cooling system of  claim 19  wherein the controller is configured to use a plurality of different combinations of known operating parameters of the cooling circuit in calculating remaining operating parameters of the cooling circuit to generate a plurality of sets of system model operating parameters and the controller is configured to determine possible causes of a fault that occurred based on comparisons of corresponding operating parameters of the monitored operating parameters of the cooling circuit and the system model operating parameters in the plurality of sets of system model operating parameters and which differ from each other by an appreciable amount and which do not. 
     
     
         23 . The cooling system of  claim 22  wherein the controller is configured to output a response based on the determined possible causes of the fault.