Refrigeration system operation

Abstract

Devices and systems for refrigeration system operation are described herein. One or more embodiments include a controller having logic to receive inputs from a temperature sensor over a period of time, the inputs indicating determined temperatures in a refrigeration system over the period of time, compare each of the determined temperatures to control limits, sort the determined temperatures into a plurality of categories based on a relationship between the determined temperatures and the control limits, and cause a user interface to display the sorted determined temperatures.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A controller for refrigeration system operation having logic to:
 receive inputs from a temperature sensor over a period of time, the inputs indicating determined temperatures in a refrigeration system over the period of time;   compare each of the determined temperatures to control limits;   sort the determined temperatures into a plurality of categories based on a relationship between the determined temperatures and the control limits; and   cause a user interface to display the sorted determined temperatures.   
     
     
         2 . The controller of  claim 1 , wherein the period of time is a duration of a refrigeration mode associated with the refrigeration system. 
     
     
         3 . The controller of  claim 1 , wherein the determined temperatures are ambient air temperatures in an area refrigerated by the refrigeration system. 
     
     
         4 . The controller of  claim 1 , wherein the determined temperatures are superheat temperatures. 
     
     
         5 . The controller of  claim 1 , wherein the determined temperatures are evaporator coil temperatures. 
     
     
         6 . The controller of  claim 1 , wherein the control limits are target operating parameters, including target operating temperatures of the refrigeration system. 
     
     
         7 . The controller of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of categories includes:
 a first category including determined temperatures below a lower control limit;   a second category including determined temperatures within the control limits; and   a third category including determined temperatures above an upper control limit.   
     
     
         8 . The controller of  claim 7 , wherein the controller includes logic to cause the user interface to display a respective proportion of the determined temperatures sorted into the first, second, and third categories. 
     
     
         9 . The controller of  claim 7 , wherein the controller includes logic to:
 receive additional inputs from the temperature sensor during a plurality of defrost cycles of the refrigeration system, the additional inputs indicating determined temperatures in the refrigeration system during the defrost cycles;   determine, based on the second set of inputs, defrost mode operating information, wherein the defrost mode operating information includes:
 a particular determined temperature that exceeds a threshold for each of the plurality of defrost cycles; 
 a proportion of the plurality of defrost cycles in which a termination temperature was reached; and 
 a respective temperature determined after a particular period of time following a respective completion of each defrost cycle. 
   
     
     
         10 . The controller of  claim 9 , wherein the controller includes logic to:
 cause the user interface to display the first, second, and third categories in a first, second, and third column, respectively; and   cause the user interface to:
 display the particular determined temperature that exceeds the threshold for each of the plurality of defrost cycles in a fourth column; 
 display the proportion of the plurality of defrost cycles in which the termination temperature was reached in a fifth column; and 
 display the respective temperature determined after the particular period of time following the respective completions of the defrost cycles in a sixth column. 
   
     
     
         11 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
 receive a first set of inputs from a temperature sensor associated with a refrigeration system during a plurality of refrigeration cycles, the first set of inputs indicating determined temperatures in the refrigeration system during a refrigeration mode of the refrigeration system;   sort the determined temperatures into a plurality of categories based on a relationship between the determined temperatures and control limits;   receive a second set of inputs from the temperature sensor during a plurality of defrost cycles, the second set of inputs indicating determined temperatures in the refrigeration system during a defrost mode of the refrigeration system;   determine, based on the second set of inputs, defrost mode operating information; and   provide a report via a user interface that includes the sorted determined temperatures during the refrigeration mode and the defrost mode operating information.   
     
     
         12 . The medium of  claim 11 , wherein the defrost mode operating information includes a particular determined temperature that exceeds a threshold for each of the plurality of defrost cycles. 
     
     
         13 . The medium of  claim 11 , wherein the defrost mode operating information includes a proportion of the plurality of defrost cycles in which a termination temperature was reached. 
     
     
         14 . The medium of  claim 11 , wherein the defrost mode operating information includes a respective temperature determined after a particular period of time following a respective completion of each defrost cycle. 
     
     
         15 . The medium of  claim 11 , further comprising instructions to generate the report in real-time as the first set of inputs and the second set of inputs are received. 
     
     
         16 . A system for refrigeration system operation, comprising:
 a plurality of sensors, each associated with a different component of an operating refrigeration system;   a computing device having a memory and a processor configured to execute instructions stored on the memory to:
 receive inputs indicating determined values from each of the plurality of sensors over a plurality of refrigeration cycles of the refrigeration system; 
 sort the determined values into a plurality of categories based on relationships between the determined temperatures and a plurality of sets of control limits, wherein each set of control limits is associated with a respective component of the operating refrigeration system; and 
 take an action to modify an operation of at least one of the components of the refrigeration system responsive to at least one of the relationships exceeding a particular threshold. 
   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of sensors includes a plurality of temperature sensors, each associated with a different component of the refrigeration system. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of sensors includes a plurality of pressure sensors, each associated with a different component of the refrigeration system. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the system includes a user interface, and wherein the instructions to take the action include instructions to provide a notification via the user interface 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions to take the action include instructions to modify a power level of at least one of the components of the refrigeration system.