Emergency refrigerant containment and alarm system apparatus and method

Claim 3

A method according to claim 1 wherein said controlling step includes closing a valve in said refrigeration system adjacent an output of a liquid receiver.

Claim 4

A method according to claim 1 wherein said controlling step includes converting an operating control system of said refrigeration system from an original operating control means to an auxiliary operating control means.

Claim 5

A method according to claim 3 wherein said controlling step further includes running said refrigeration system until substantially all of said refrigerant fluid is contained by said liquid receiver.

Claim 6

A method according to claim 1 wherein said monitoring step includes measuring the refractive index of the refrigerant flowing past the detection location.

Claim 7

A method according to claim 5 wherein said controlling step includes closing a valve in said refrigeration system adjacent an output of a liquid receiver.

Claim 8

A method according to claim 5 wherein said controlling step includes converting an operating control system of said refrigeration system from an original operating control means to an auxiliary operating control means.

Claim 9

A method according to claim 7 wherein said controlling step further includes running said refrigeration system until substantially all of said refrigerant fluid is contained by said liquid receiver.

Claim 10

A method according to claim 1 wherein said monitoring step includes projecting a light beam through said fluid of said refrigeration system, and detecting the orientation of said light beam at some point beyond the boundaries of said fluid.

Claim 11

A method according to claim 9 wherein said controlling step includes closing a valve in said refrigeration system adjacent an output of a liquid receiver.

Claim 12

A method according to claim 9 wherein said controlling step includes converting an operating control system of said refrigeration system from an original operating control means to an auxiliary operating control means.

Claim 13

A method according to claim 11 wherein said controlling step further includes running said refrigeration system until substantially all of said refrigerant fluid is contained by said liquid receiver.

Claim 14

A method according to claim 9 wherein said controlling step includes deactivating a defrost timer when the fluid of said refrigeration system is below a predetermined threshold.

Claim 15

A method according to claim 9 wherein said containing step includes opening a heat reclaim valve when the fluid of said system is below a predetermined threshold.

Claim 16

In a vapor compression refrigeration system having a recirculating refrigerant flowing through the system, an apparatus for measuring the adequacy of the refrigerant fluid quantity, comprising: (a) means for sensing the characteristics of the refrigerant flowing past a detection location of the refrigeration system and producing a signal indicating whether the refrigerant flowing past the detection location is in a liquid, liquid with bubbles, or gaseous state; (b) control means responsive to the signal produced by the sensing means for producing a control signal indicative of whether the refrigerant flowing past the detection location during a predetermined monitoring period has a continuous liquid segment of a predetermined length; and (c) means responsive to said control signal for controlling the refrigeration system and containing the refrigerant within a predetermined space whenever a continuous liquid refrigerant segment of the predetermined length does not flow past the detection location within the predetermined monitoring period.

Claim 17

In a vapor compression refrigeration system having a recirculating refrigerant flowing through the system, an apparatus for measuring the adequacy of the refrigerant fluid quantity, comprising: (a) means for sensing the characteristics of the refrigerant flowing past a detection location of the refrigeration system and producing a signal indicating whether the refrigerant flowing past the detection location is in a liquid, liquid with bubbles, or gaseous state; (b) control means responsive to the signal produced by the sensing means for producing a control signal indicative of whether the refrigerant flowing past the detection location during a predetermined monitoring period has a continuous liquid segment of a predetermined length; and (c) means responsive to said control signal for controlling the refrigeration system and containing the refrigerant within a predetermined space whenever a continuous liquid refrigerant segment of the predetermined length does not flow past the detection location within the predetermined monitoring period.

Claim 18

An apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said containing means comprises an electromechanical valve installed near an outlet of a liquid receiver of said refrigeration system.

Claim 19

An apparatus according to claim 15 further comprising: an original operating control means; an auxiliary operating control means; and means responsive to said control signal for converting said refrigeration system from said original operating control means to said auxiliary operating control means.

Claim 20

An apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said auxiliary operating control means comprises at least one pressure sensitive switch.

Claim 21

An apparatus according to claim 15 further including means responsive to said control signal means for deactivating a defrost timer.

Claim 22

An apparatus according to claim 15 further including means responsive to said control signal means for opening a heat reclaim valve.

Claim 23

An apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said sensing means includes means for measuring the refractive index of the refrigerant flowing past the detection location.

Claim 24

An apparatus according to claim 21 wherein said containing means comprises an electromechanical valve installed near an outlet of a liquid receiver of said refrigeration system.

Claim 25

An apparatus according to claim 21 further comprising: an original operating control means; an auxiliary operating control means; and means responsive to said control signal for converting said refrigeration system from said original operating control means to said auxiliary operating control means.

Claim 26

An apparatus according to claim 23 wherein said auxiliary operating control means comprises at least one pressure sensitive switch.

Claim 27

An apparatus according to claim 21 further including means responsive to said control signal means for deactivating a defrost timer.

Claim 28

An apparatus according to claim 21 further including means responsive to said control signal means for opening a heat reclaim valve.

Claim 29

An apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said sensing means comprises: a means for viewing the flow of said fluid at said detection location; a light source adjacent said viewing means and directed toward said fluid; and a light detector positioned to respond to the difference in light paths associated with the liquid and gaseous states of said fluid.

Claim 30

An apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said control means includes a logic circuit comprising: a delayed output timer responsive to said refrigerant state signal producing means; a fixed duration timer responsive to said refrigerant state signal producing means; an AND gate responsive to a simultaneous signal from said delayed output timer and said fixed duration timer for producing a signal; and means responsive to said AND gate signal for initiating said containing means.

Claim 31

An apparatus according to claim 28 wherein said containing means comprises an electromechanical valve installed near an outlet of a liquid receiver of said refrigeration system.

Claim 32

An apparatus according to claim 28 further comprising: an original operating control means; an auxiliary operating control means; and means responsive to said control signal for converting said refrigeration system from said original operating control means to said auxiliary operating control means.

Claim 33

An apparatus according to claim 30 wherein said auxiliary operating control means comprises at least one pressure sensitive switch.

Claim 34

An apparatus according to claim 28 further including means responsive to said control signal means for deactivating a defrost timer.

Claim 35

An apparatus according to claim 28 further including means responsive to said control signal means for opening a heat reclaim valve.

Claim 36

An apparatus according to claim 21 wherein said control means includes a logic circuit comprising: a delayed output timer responsive to said refrigerant state signal producing means; a fixed duration timer responsive to said refrigerant state signal producing means; an AND gate responsive to a simultaneous signal from said delayed output timer and said fixed duration timer for producing a signal; and means responsive to said AND gate signal for initiating said containing means.

Claim 37

An apparatus according to claim 27 wherein said control means includes a logic circuit comprising: a delayed output timer responsive to said refrigerant state signal producing means; a fixed duration timer responsive to said refrigerant state signal producing means; an AND gate responsive to a simultaneous signal from said delayed output timer and said fixed duration timer for producing a signal; and means responsive to said AND gate signal for initiating said containing means.

Claim 38

An apparatus according to claim 35 further comprising: an original operating control means; an auxiliary operating control means; and means responsive to said control signal for converting said refrigeration system from said original operating control means to said auxiliary operating control means.