Electromagnetic leak mitigation system

Abstract

A leak detection and mitigation system is disclosed. The system includes a cabinet comprising first and second compartments separated from each other by a separation wall, a sensor disposed in the second compartment and configured to detect the refrigerant leak, a controller configured to receive refrigerant leak data, a fan disclosed in the first compartment and communicating with the controller, and a door disposed on the separation wall between the first and second compartments and configured to be open to allow communication between the first and second compartments. The controller can control an airflow rate of the fan and opening and closing of the door.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for detecting and mitigating a refrigerant leak, the system comprising:
 a cabinet comprising a first compartment and a second compartment separated by a separation wall;   a sensor disposed in the second compartment, the sensor configured to generate a fluid characteristic signal;   a fan disposed in the first compartment;   a door assembly disposed on the separation wall between the first compartment and the second compartment, the door assembly moveable between an open position to allow fluid communication between the first compartment and the second compartment and a closed position in which the first compartment is fluidly sealed from the second compartment, and   a controller in electrical communication with at least the sensor, the fan, and the door assembly, the controller configured to receive the fluid characteristic signal from the sensor, the controller configured to set an airflow rate of the fan, the controller configured to transition the door assembly between the open position and the closed position.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid characteristic signal describes at least one of a refrigerant concentration, a temperature, a pressure, or a humidity. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein, the controller determines the airflow rate of the fan based on the comparison between a refrigerant leak value, determined from the fluid characteristic signal, and a reference value. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the door assembly comprises:
 a door;   a first magnet disposed on the separation wall, the first magnet facing the first compartment;   a second magnet disposed on the door to be selectively attracted to the first magnet; and   a door hinge about which the door rotates, the door hinge having a gravity damper, the door hinge disposed away from the first magnet and the second magnet,   wherein the controller is configured to control a voltage supply to the first magnet and the second magnet based on the comparison between a refrigerant leak value, determined from the fluid characteristic signal, and a reference value.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein, based on the refrigerant leak data, when the refrigerant leak value is equal to or greater than the reference value, the controller stops the voltage supply to the first magnet and the second magnet thus allowing the door to freely rotate. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the controller changes the airflow rate of the fan from a normal operating airflow rate to become a minimally required airflow rate to rotate the door, thus allowing the communication between the first and second compartments. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein, when there is no refrigerant leak detected, the fan is controlled to run at the normal operating airflow rate during a normal operation, and wherein, when there is the refrigerant leak determined, the fan is controlled to run at the minimally required airflow rate which depends on a dimension and a weight of the door. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein, when the refrigerant leak value becomes less than the reference value, the controller activates the voltage supply to the first magnet and the second magnet. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein, when the refrigerant leak value becomes less than the reference value, the controller is further configured to command to operate at the normal operating airflow rate. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein, the sensor is disposed on a bottom of the second compartment. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor includes at least one of a refrigerant detection sensor, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, or a humidity sensor. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller communicates with a door hinge and is configured to lock and unlock the door hinge to open the door to allow communication between the first and second compartments based on a comparison between a refrigerant leak value, determined from the fluid characteristic signal, and a reference value. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first compartment comprises a compressor, and the second compartment comprises an evaporator coil. 
     
     
         14 . A cooling system having an indoor unit and an outdoor unit, wherein the indoor unit is disposed inside a building and the outdoor unit is disposed outside the building, and wherein the indoor unit includes a first compartment and a second compartment separated from each other by a separation wall,
 wherein the second compartment comprises:
 a sensor disposed on a bottom side of the second compartment, the sensor is configured to generate a fluid characteristic signal, and 
 a controller configured to receive the fluid characteristic signal from the sensor, and 
   wherein the first compartment comprises:
 a fan disposed at a top side of the first compartment and configured to communicate with the controller; and 
   wherein the separation wall comprises:
 a door assembly configured to be selectively opened and closed by the controller based on the fluid characteristic signal. 
   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the fluid characteristic signal is proportional at least one of a refrigerant concentration, a temperature, a pressure, or a humidity. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the controller determines the airflow rate of the fan based on the comparison between a refrigerant leak value, determined from the fluid characteristic signal, and a reference value. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the door assembly comprises:
 a door;   a first magnet disposed on the separation wall in the first compartment;   a second magnet disposed on the door facing the first magnet to be in contact with the first magnet when the door is closed; and   a hinge having a gravity damper and disposed away from the first magnet and the second magnet,   wherein the controller is configured to control a voltage supply to the first magnet and second magnet based on the fluid characteristic signal.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein, based on the refrigerant leak data, when the refrigerant leak value is equal to or greater than the reference value, the controller stops the voltage supply to the first and second magnets thus allowing the door to freely rotate. 
     
     
         19 . A method of controlling refrigerant leak mitigation for an indoor unit of a cooling system, wherein the indoor unit comprises first and second compartments separated from each other, the method comprising:
 detecting, by a sensor, a sensing value in the second compartment;   determining, by a controller, whether the sensing value is higher than a threshold value;   upon determining that the sensing value is higher than the threshold value, stopping, by the controller, a voltage supply to a door assembly between the first and second compartments; and   increasing, by the controller, an airflow of a fan disposed in the first compartment to be a minimally required airflow to open a door of the door assembly.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein stopping the voltage supply comprises stopping a voltage supply to a magnet of the door assembly, wherein the magnet is configured to resist the opening of the door when receiving the voltage supply.