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Performance monitoring, fault detection, and diagnosis of reciprocating chillers

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OSTI ID:392490
;  [1]
  1. EDRL-CANMET, Varennes, Quebec (Canada)
This paper presents a methodology that uses a combination of techniques: thermodynamic modeling, pattern recognition, and expert knowledge to determine the health of a reciprocating chiller and to diagnose selected faults. The system is composed of three modules. The first one deals with the detection of faults that are more discernible when the chiller is off, such as sensor drift. The second module detects faults during start-up and deals with those related to refrigerant flow characteristics, which are generally more apparent during the transient period. Finally, the third module detects deterioration in performance followed by diagnosis when the unit is operating in a steady-state condition. The approach has been experimentally tested on one laboratory unit and results presented. It is emphasized that further data are required to establish the repeatability of the emerging patterns and validate the applicability of the approach to reciprocating chillers in general.
OSTI ID:
392490
Report Number(s):
CONF-960254--
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English