System and method of diagnosis through detection of mechanical waves in refrigeration systems and/or household appliances

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and a method of diagnosis for a refrigeration system and/or household appliance which, based on a multiplicity of physical magnitudes detected, determine and inform the operating condition of said refrigeration system and/or of its components. Basically, the magnitudes are divided into two groups, namely: (i) those from which spectral signatures will be generated (magnitudes relating to mechanical vibrations); and (ii) magnitudes from which spectral signatures will not be generated. The spectral signatures are compared with the standard signatures, and the diagnosis is provided Digital based on this comparison. After the operating condition has been diagnosed, it is stored in a database, and a processing record of the system operation is updated. The operating central conditions are made available for viewing, and based on the record viewed, it is possible to determine whether or not the refrigeration system and/or household appliance and the components thereof are malfunctioning or not. The application further describes a compressor whose diagnosis can be determined by the method and system of diagnosis according to the present invention.

1 . A method of diagnosis for refrigeration systems or household appliances, said method comprising the steps of:
 (i) Detecting mechanical wave signals of the refrigeration system and of the environment near the system or household appliance, the mechanical waves comprising mechanical oscillations of the surroundings of the refrigeration system or household appliance;   (ii) Generating a spectral signature of the vibration parameters detected in step (i);   (iii) Assessing the operating condition of the components of the refrigeration system or household appliance: wherein the spectral signatures generated in step (ii) are compared with the spectral signatures relating to normal operating conditions of the refrigeration system or household appliance.   
     
     
         2 . A method of diagnosis according to  claim 1 , wherein the operating condition of the components of the refrigeration system or household appliance assessed in step (iii) is registered in a database. 
     
     
         3 . A method of diagnosis according to  claim 1 , wherein the operating condition obtained in step (iii) is made available for viewing through an alert interface. 
     
     
         4 . A method of diagnosis according to  claim 1 , wherein the mechanical waves comprise mechanical oscillations of components of the system, of the refrigeration system as a whole, or of the household appliance. 
     
     
         5 . A method of diagnosis according to  claim 1 , wherein for the different vibration modes of the mechanical wave signals of the refrigeration system or household appliance, the database stores a plurality of spectral signatures relating to the standard operating conditions. 
     
     
         6 . A method of diagnosis according to  claim 5 , wherein, in step (iii), the spectral signature generated from a vibration mode is compared with a plurality of spectral signatures of standard operating conditions, said standard signatures relating to the same mode of oscillation as the spectral signature generated. 
     
     
         7 . A diagnosis system for a refrigeration system or household appliances in general, said diagnosis system comprising at least one transducer ( 2 ) that is able to detect mechanical wave signals from the components of the refrigeration system as a whole and its surroundings or from the household appliance and its surroundings; and
 a digital processing unit ( 4 ) that receives the parameters obtained by the transducer ( 2 ) and is able to identify spectral patterns from the signals received from the transducer.   
     
     
         8 . A diagnosis system according to  claim 7 , wherein the digital processing unit ( 4 ) identifies the current operating condition of the system by comparing the spectral pattern of the signals with preestablished patterns stored in a memory unit ( 5 ). 
     
     
         9 . A diagnosis system according to  claim 7 , wherein the digital processing unit ( 4 ) stores a record of the operating conditions of the system and identifies its patterns of behavior over time. 
     
     
         10 . A diagnosis system according to  claim 7 , wherein the transducer ( 2 ) comprises accelerometers, microphones and audio sensors. 
     
     
         11 . A diagnosis system according to  claim 7 , wherein the alert interface ( 6 ) comprises at least one display or terminals for the connection of a reading device. 
     
     
         12 . A refrigeration system compressor diagnosed by a method comprising:
 (i) Detecting mechanical wave signals of the refrigeration system and of the environment near the system or household appliance, the mechanical waves comprising mechanical oscillations of the surroundings of the refrigeration system or household appliance;   (ii) Generating a spectral signature of the vibration parameters detected in step (i);   (iii) Assessing the operating condition of the components of the refrigeration system or household appliance: wherein the spectral signatures generated in step (ii) are compared with the spectral signatures relating to normal operating conditions of the refrigeration system or household appliance.   
     
     
         13 . A refrigeration system compressor diagnosed by a diagnosis system comprising:
 at least one transducer ( 2 ) that is able to detect mechanical wave signals from the components of the refrigeration system as a whole and its surroundings or from the household appliance and its surroundings; and   a digital processing unit ( 4 ) that receives the parameters obtained by the transducer ( 2 ) and is able to identify spectral patterns from the signals received from the transducer.