Arrangement for refrigerant leak management

Abstract

A rooftop unit for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a housing and a retention bracket mounted within the housing. The retention bracket includes a retention surface, a first retention flange extending from the retention surface, and a second retention flange extending from the retention surface, where the retention surface, the first retention flange, and the second retention flange define a retention channel. The rooftop unit also includes a refrigerant sensor assembly having a refrigerant detection sensor configured to detect a refrigerant and a mounting bracket configured to support the refrigerant detection sensor. The mounting bracket includes a mounting surface, a plurality of side flanges extending from the mounting surface, and a mounting flange extending from the mounting surface. The refrigerant detection sensor is configured to be attached to the mounting surface, and the mounting flange is configured to be secured to the retention surface in an installed configuration of the refrigerant sensor assembly within the housing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A rooftop unit for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
 a housing;   a retention bracket mounted within the housing, wherein the retention bracket comprises a retention surface, a first retention flange extending from the retention surface, and a second retention flange extending from the retention surface, and wherein the retention surface, the first retention flange, and the second retention flange define a retention channel; and   a refrigerant sensor assembly, comprising:
 a refrigerant detection sensor configured to detect a refrigerant; and 
 a mounting bracket configured to support the refrigerant detection sensor, wherein the mounting bracket comprises a mounting surface, a plurality of side flanges extending from the mounting surface, and a mounting flange extending from the mounting surface, the refrigerant detection sensor is configured to be attached to the mounting surface, and the mounting flange is configured to be secured to the retention surface in an installed configuration of the refrigerant sensor assembly within the housing. 
   
     
     
         2 . The rooftop unit of  claim 1 , wherein the retention surface comprises a first dimension extending from the first retention flange to the second retention flange, the mounting flange comprises a second dimension extending from a first edge of the mounting flange to a second edge of the mounting flange, and the second dimension is approximately equal to or less than the first dimension. 
     
     
         3 . The rooftop unit of  claim 1 , wherein, in an assembled configuration of the refrigerant sensor assembly, the refrigerant detection sensor extends from the mounting surface in a first direction, and the plurality of side flanges extends from the mounting surface in a second direction, opposite the first direction. 
     
     
         4 . The rooftop unit of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting flange comprises a first plurality of apertures, the retention surface comprises a second plurality of apertures, and the first plurality of apertures and the second plurality of apertures are configured to align with one another and receive corresponding mechanical fasteners therethrough to secure the mounting bracket to the retention bracket in the installed configuration of the refrigerant sensor assembly within the housing. 
     
     
         5 . The rooftop unit of  claim 4 , wherein the mounting flange is configured to abut the retention surface in a first orientation of the refrigerant sensor assembly and in a second orientation of the refrigerant sensor assembly, the first plurality of apertures and the second plurality of apertures are aligned with one another in the first orientation, and the first plurality of apertures and the second plurality of apertures are misaligned with one another in the second orientation. 
     
     
         6 . The rooftop unit of  claim 5 , wherein the refrigerant detection sensor is disposed atop the mounting surface, relative to a direction of gravity, in the first orientation of the refrigerant sensor assembly, and the refrigerant detection sensor is suspended underneath the mounting surface, relative to the direction of gravity, in the second orientation of the refrigerant sensor assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The rooftop unit of  claim 1 , comprising a refrigerant circuit conduit extending within the housing and configured to circulate the refrigerant therethrough, wherein the retention bracket extends along the refrigerant circuit conduit, and the refrigerant sensor assembly is configured to be disposed above the refrigerant circuit conduit, relative to a direction of gravity, in the installed configuration of the refrigerant sensor assembly within the housing. 
     
     
         8 . The rooftop unit of  claim 7 , wherein the refrigerant circuit conduit extends between an evaporator of the rooftop unit and a compressor of the rooftop unit, and the refrigerant circuit conduit is configured to direct the refrigerant from the evaporator toward the compressor. 
     
     
         9 . The rooftop unit of  claim 7 , comprising a condensate blowoff panel disposed within the housing, wherein the condensate blowoff panel extends above the retention bracket, the refrigerant sensor assembly, or both, relative to the direction of gravity, in the installed configuration of the refrigerant sensor assembly within the housing. 
     
     
         10 . The rooftop unit of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting bracket is integrally formed from a single piece of material. 
     
     
         11 . The rooftop unit of  claim 1 , wherein the housing defines a blower section of the rooftop unit, the rooftop unit comprises a blower disposed within the blower section, and the retention bracket is disposed within the blower section. 
     
     
         12 . A packaged unit of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
 a housing defining a blower section;   a blower disposed within the blower section of the housing;   a refrigerant circuit conduit extending through the blower section of the housing;   a retention bracket mounted within the blower section of the housing, wherein the retention bracket defines a retention channel; and   a refrigerant sensor assembly, comprising:
 a refrigerant detection sensor configured to detect a refrigerant; and 
 a mounting bracket configured to support the refrigerant detection sensor, wherein the mounting bracket comprises a mounting surface, a plurality of side flanges extending from the mounting surface, and a mounting flange extending from the mounting surface, the refrigerant detection sensor is configured to be attached to the mounting surface, and the mounting flange is configured to be secured to the retention bracket in a predetermined orientation of the refrigerant sensor assembly relative to the retention bracket. 
   
     
     
         13 . The packaged unit of  claim 12 , wherein the refrigerant detection sensor is disposed atop the mounting surface, relative to a direction of gravity, in the predetermined orientation of the refrigerant sensor assembly. 
     
     
         14 . The packaged unit of  claim 13 , wherein the retention bracket comprises a retention surface, a first retention flange extending from the retention surface, and a second retention flange extending from the retention surface, and wherein the retention surface, the first retention flange, and the second retention flange define a retention channel. 
     
     
         15 . The packaged unit of  claim 14 , wherein the mounting flange comprises a first plurality of apertures, the retention surface comprises a second plurality of apertures, and, in the predetermined orientation of the refrigerant sensor assembly, the mounting flange is configured to be disposed within the retention channel and the first plurality of apertures and the second plurality of apertures are configured to align with one another and receive corresponding mechanical fasteners therethrough to secure the mounting bracket to the retention bracket. 
     
     
         16 . The packaged unit of  claim 15 , wherein the retention channel is configured to receive the mounting flange in an alternative orientation of the refrigerant sensor assembly relative to the retention bracket, and, in the alternative orientation or the refrigerant sensor assembly, the first plurality of apertures and the second plurality of apertures are misaligned with one another. 
     
     
         17 . The packaged unit of  claim 12 , wherein the refrigerant sensor assembly is disposed above the refrigerant circuit conduit, relative to a direction of gravity, in an installed configuration of the refrigerant sensor assembly within the housing. 
     
     
         18 . The packaged unit of  claim 17 , wherein the refrigerant circuit conduit is a suction conduit configured to direct the refrigerant from an evaporator of the packaged unit to a compressor of the packaged unit. 
     
     
         19 . A rooftop unit of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
 a housing;   a refrigerant circuit extending through the housing, wherein the refrigerant circuit comprises a suction conduit configured to direct a refrigerant from a heat exchanger of the rooftop unit to a compressor of the rooftop unit;   a retention bracket mounted within the housing, wherein the retention bracket extends along the suction conduit, the retention bracket comprises a retention surface, and the retention bracket defines a retention channel; and   a refrigerant sensor assembly, comprising:
 a refrigerant detection sensor configured to detect a refrigerant; and 
 a mounting bracket configured to support the refrigerant detection sensor, wherein the mounting bracket comprises a mounting surface, a plurality of side flanges extending from the mounting surface, and a mounting flange extending from the mounting surface, the refrigerant detection sensor is configured to be attached to the mounting surface, and the mounting flange is configured to be disposed within the retention channel and secured to the retention surface in an installed configuration of the refrigerant sensor assembly within the housing, 
   wherein, in the installed configuration of the refrigerant sensor assembly, the refrigerant detection sensor is disposed atop the mounting surface, relative to a direction of gravity, and the refrigerant sensor assembly is disposed above the suction conduit, relative to the direction of gravity.   
     
     
         20 . The rooftop unit of  claim 19 , wherein the mounting flange comprises a first plurality of apertures, the retention surface comprises a second plurality of apertures, the mounting flange is configured to abut the retention surface in a first orientation of the refrigerant sensor assembly and in a second orientation of the refrigerant sensor assembly, the first plurality of apertures and the second plurality of apertures are aligned with one another in the first orientation, the first plurality of apertures and the second plurality of apertures are misaligned with one another in the second orientation, and the refrigerant sensor assembly is in the first orientation in the installed configuration of the refrigerant sensor assembly.