Equipment fault detection, diagnostics and disaggregation system

Abstract

A system for fault detection and diagnostics of equipment. The system may also be capable of disaggregation and/or virtual submetering of energy consumption by equipment, such as that of heating, ventilation and air conditioning, lighting, and so forth, in a building. Vibration and current sensors, along with one or more algorithms, may be utilized for fault detection and diagnostics of equipment. Models may be developed to aid in deducing energy consumption of individual components of equipment, and the like, for a building.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fault detection and diagnostics device for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the device comprising:
 a current sensor configured to obtain energy use data of a component of the HVAC system; and   a controller operatively coupled to the current sensor; and   wherein the controller is configured to:
 receive environmental condition data; 
 receive the energy use data from the current sensor; 
 receive an overall current draw from the current sensor; 
 control setpoints of the component based on past historical measurements; 
 create a predictive energy consumption model for the component of the HVAC system based on the energy use data and the overall current draw; and 
 derive a performance degradation for the component based on the environmental condition data, the control setpoints, and the predictive energy consumption model. 
   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising analog inputs for analog to digital conversion of the energy use data. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the energy use data indicate a current drawn by subparts of the component. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to partition the predictive energy consumption model into a set of predictive energy consumption submodels for subparts of the component. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 compare the set of predictive energy consumption submodels to the current drawn by the subparts of the component; and   derive a performance degradation for the subparts of the component based on the comparison between the set of predictive energy consumption submodels and the current drawn.   
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to derive the performance degradation for the component based on a comparison of the predictive energy consumption model and the energy use data. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the current sensor comprises a clamp-on sensor. 
     
     
         8 . A fault detection and diagnostics system comprising:
 a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system;   a current sensor configured to obtain energy use data of a component of the HVAC system; and   a controller operatively coupled to the current sensor; and   wherein the controller is configured to:
 receive environmental condition data; 
 receive the energy use data from the current sensor; 
 receive an overall current draw from the current sensor; 
 control setpoints of the component based on past historical measurement; 
 create a predictive energy consumption model for the component of the HVAC system; and 
 derive a performance degradation for the component based on the environmental condition data, the energy use data, the control setpoints, and the predictive energy consumption model. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising analog inputs for analog to digital conversion of the energy use data. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the energy use data indicate a current drawn by subparts of the component. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to partition the predictive energy consumption model into a set of predictive energy consumption submodels for subparts of the component. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 compare the set of predictive energy consumption submodels to actual energy consumed by the subparts of the component, wherein the actual energy consumed by the subparts of the component is received in the energy use data for the component; and   derive a performance degradation for the subparts of the component based on the comparison between the set of predictive energy consumption submodels and the actual energy consumed by the subparts.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to derive the performance degradation for the component based on a comparison of the predictive energy consumption model and the energy use data. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the current sensor comprises a clamp-on sensor. 
     
     
         15 . A method of detecting and diagnosing faults for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the method comprising:
 receiving, at a controller, energy use data of a component of the HVAC system from a current sensor operatively coupled to the controller;   receiving, at the controller, an overall current draw from the current sensor;   receiving, at the controller, environmental condition data;   controlling, with the controller, setpoints of the component based on past historical measurements from the current sensor;   creating, with the controller, a predictive energy consumption model for the component of the HVAC system based on the energy use data and the overall current draw; and   deriving, with the controller, a performance degradation for the component based on the environmental condition data, the setpoints, and the predictive energy consumption model.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the energy use data indicate a current drawn by subparts of the component. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising partitioning, with the controller, the predictive energy consumption model into a set of predictive energy consumption submodels for subparts of the component. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 comparing, with the controller, the set of predictive energy consumption submodels to actual energy consumed by the subparts of the component, the actual energy consumed by the subparts of the component is received in the energy use data for the component; and   wherein deriving a performance degradation for the component comprises deriving a performance degradation for the subparts of the component based on the comparison between the set of predictive energy consumption submodels and the actual energy consumed by the subparts.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein deriving a performance degradation for the component is based on a comparison of the predictive energy consumption model and the energy use data. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the current sensor comprises a clamp-on sensor.