Method for operating a heat cool system during a sensor failure and a system thereof

Abstract

The present invention discloses a method for operating a heat cool system during a sensor failure and system thereof. The method comprises determining, by controller, in the event of single or multi-sensor failure, a virtual value of at least a failed sensor based on a plurality of first and second predetermined values; determining the heat cool system run status based on a multi-sensor failure matrix in the event of multi-sensor failure; and obtaining, determining a real-time virtual value of at least the failed sensor based on an interlock value matrix for running heat and cool refrigeration cycles without stopping the heat cool system.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of operating a heat cool system, the method comprising the steps of:
 storing, by a controller, a plurality of first predetermined values;   determining and storing by the controller, a plurality of second predetermined values obtained from a plurality of sensors, after an initial startup of the heat cool system;   determining, a status of the plurality of sensors in communication with the controller located within the heat cool system;   determining, a single or multi-sensor failure else determining a plurality of real-time values obtained by the plurality of sensors;   determining, the heat cool system run status based on a multi-sensor failure matrix triggered on determining the multi-sensor failure;   determining, in the event of single or multi-sensor failure, a virtual value of at least a failed sensor based on the plurality of first and second predetermined values; and   comparing, if the determined virtual value of at least the failed sensor satisfies an interlock value matrix and obtaining, determining a real-time virtual value of at least the failed sensor based on the interlock value matrix for running heat and cool refrigeration cycles without stopping the heat cool system even in the event of single or multi-sensor failure.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of determining, by the controller, if an initial bypass delay time has passed after the startup of the heat cool system precedes the step of determining and storing plurality of second predetermined values. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method includes the step of actuating, by the controller, an error display and simultaneously initiating a start timer and storing counter values on determining single or multi-sensor failure. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of second predetermined values in the event of sensor failure are determined based on a moving average of last thirty seconds data/values obtained from each of the plurality of the sensors. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of determining the heat cool system run status based on the multi-sensor failure matrix includes determining by the controller to run the system:
 in the event of failure of ambient temperature sensor and coil temperature sensor by determining a virtual ambient temperature value and a virtual coil temperature value; or   in the event of failure of ambient temperature sensor and discharge temperature sensor by determining a virtual ambient temperature and a virtual discharge temperature; or   in the event of failure of ambient temperature sensor and liquid pressure sensor by determining a virtual ambient temperature value and a virtual liquid pressure; or   in the event of failure of coil temperature sensor and ambient temperature sensor by determining a virtual coil temperature value and a virtual ambient temperature value; or   in the event of failure of coil temperature sensor and discharge temperature sensor by determining a virtual coil temperature and a virtual discharge temperature value; or   in the event of failure of coil temperature sensor and liquid pressure sensor by determining a virtual coil temperature value and a virtual liquid pressure value; or   in the event of failure of liquid pressure sensor and ambient temperature sensor by determining a virtual liquid pressure value and a virtual ambient temperature; or   in the event of failure of liquid pressure sensor and discharge temperature sensor by determining a virtual liquid pressure and a virtual discharge temperature value; or   in the event of failure of liquid pressure sensor and coil temperature sensor by determining a virtual liquid pressure value and a virtual coil temperature value; or   in the event of failure of discharge temperature sensor and ambient temperature sensor by determining a virtual discharge temperature value and a virtual ambient temperature value; or   in the event of failure of discharge temperature sensor and coil temperature sensor by determining a virtual discharge temperature value and virtual coil temperature value; or   in the event of failure of discharge temperature sensor and liquid temperature sensor by determining a virtual discharge temperature value and a virtual liquid temperature value; or   in the event of failure of liquid temperature sensor by determining a virtual liquid temperature.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of determining the heat cool system run status based on the multi-sensor failure matrix includes determining by the controller to stop the system:
 in the event of failure of liquid pressure sensor and liquid temperature sensor; or   in the event of failure of discharge temperature sensor and the liquid pressure sensor; or   in the event of failure of suction pressure sensor or the suction temperature sensor.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of obtaining the real-time virtual value in the event of failure of an ambient temperature sensor, or a coil temperature sensor, or a discharge temperature sensor, or a liquid pressure sensor or a combination thereof based on the interlock value matrix includes the steps of:
 determining by the controller:   if the determined virtual ambient temperature value is less than the coil temperature value and obtaining real-time virtual ambient temperature value to be equal to the coil temperature value; or   if the determined virtual discharge temperature value is less than the liquid temperature value and obtaining real-time virtual discharge temperature value to be equal to the liquid temperature value; or   if the determined virtual liquid pressure sensor value is less than a saturated liquid pressure and obtaining real-time liquid pressure sensor value to be equal to the saturated liquid pressure; or   determining by the controller:   if the determined virtual ambient temperature value is greater than the liquid temperature value and obtaining real-time virtual ambient temperature value to be equal to the liquid temperature value; or   if the determined virtual coil temperature value is greater than the suction temperature value and obtaining real-time virtual coil temperature value to be equal to the suction temperature value; or   if the determined virtual discharge temperature value is greater than the liquid temperature value +F1 and obtaining real-time virtual discharge temperature value to be equal to the liquid temperature value +F1; or   if the determined virtual liquid pressure sensor value is greater than a saturated liquid pressure corresponding to the discharge temperature and obtaining real-time liquid pressure sensor value to be equal to the saturated liquid pressure corresponding to the discharge temperature.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller in the event of failure of a coil temperature sensor, determines that there is no limit of minimum interlock for the determined virtual value of the coil temperature sensor. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method includes the step of tripping and stopping compressor, by the controller, if the determined counter values are greater than a predefined period or based on the determined heat cool system run status determined based on the multi-sensor failure matrix. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the value of F1 is in the range of 0-200 deg F. and the stored counter values are greater than or equal to 200 hours. 
     
     
         11 . A heat cool system comprising an outdoor unit equipped with an inverter-driven compressor; an indoor unit; an evaporator and a condenser; an expansion device; a refrigerant circulating between indoor unit and outdoor unit via a refrigerant loop, a four-way valve, piping and a controller in communication with a plurality of sensors, said controller in the event of single or multi-sensor failure, is configured to
 determine a virtual value of at least a failed sensor based on a plurality of first and a second predetermined values;   determine the heat cool system run status based on a multi-sensor failure matrix in the event of multi-sensor failure; and   obtain, determine a real-time virtual value of at least the failed sensor based on an interlock value matrix for running heat and cool refrigeration cycles without stopping the heat cool system even in the event of single or multi-sensor failure.   
     
     
         12 . The heat cool system according to  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of first predetermined values includes constants and the plurality of second predetermined values includes a suction pressure, a suction temperature, an ambient temperature, a coil temperature, a liquid temperature, a liquid pressure, a compressor frequency, and a discharge temperature. 
     
     
         13 . The heat cool system according to  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of sensors includes an ambient temperature sensor, a coil temperature sensor, a discharge temperature sensor, a suction temperature sensor, a liquid temperature sensor, a liquid pressure sensor, and a suction pressure sensor.