| CPC F25B 49/005 (2013.01) [F25B 41/24 (2021.01); F25B 41/40 (2021.01); F25B 2400/06 (2013.01); F25B 2500/222 (2013.01); F25B 2700/195 (2013.01); F25B 2700/197 (2013.01); F25B 2700/21163 (2013.01); F25B 2700/21175 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |
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1. A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system configured to regulate a temperature of a space, the HVAC system comprising:
a set of refrigeration circuits comprising a first refrigeration circuit with one or more first compressors and a second refrigeration circuit with one or more second compressors, wherein:
the first refrigeration circuit is configured to receive a first flow of a first refrigerant from a first evaporator coil and to discharge the first flow of refrigerant at a first higher pressure than it was received;
the second refrigeration circuit is configured to receive a second flow of a second refrigerant from a second evaporator coil and to discharge the second flow of the second refrigerant at a second higher pressure than it was received;
a condenser configured to receive the first refrigerant and cool the first refrigerant flowing through;
a subcool sensor circuit configured to provide a subcool signal that indicates a subcool value associated with the condenser, wherein the subcool value corresponds to a temperature difference between a saturated refrigerant and a subcooled refrigerant associated with the condenser;
a superheat sensor circuit configured to provide a superheat signal that indicates a superheat value corresponding to a temperature difference between a superheated refrigerant and a saturated refrigerant associated with the first evaporator;
a refrigerant detection sensor circuit configured to detect a concentration of the first refrigerant in a volume; and
a processor operably coupled with the refrigerant detection sensor circuit, the subcool sensor circuit, and the superheat sensor circuit, and configured to:
obtain information related to the detected concentration of the first refrigerant in the volume;
compare the detected concentration of the first refrigerant with a threshold concentration; and
determine that the detected concentration of the first refrigerant exceeds the threshold concentration;
in response to determining that the detected concentration of the first refrigerant exceeds the threshold concentration:
receive the subcool signal from the subcool sensor circuit;
determine the subcool value based at least in part upon the subcool signal;
receive the superheat signal from the superheat sensor circuit;
determine the superheat value based at least in part upon the superheat signal;
determine that the subcool value is less than a threshold subcool value; and
determine that the superheat value is more than a threshold superheat value;
in response to determining that the subcool value is less than the threshold subcool value and that the superheat value is more than the threshold superheat value:
determine that the first refrigerant is leaking from the first refrigeration circuit;
isolate the first refrigeration circuit from other components of the HVAC system;
execute a mitigation plan to dilute the leak of the first refrigerant from the first refrigeration circuit; and
operate the second refrigeration circuit to provide air conditioning in response to an air conditioning demand.
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