Systems and Methods for Determining Water Pump Status Using Current Consumption

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for determining water pump status using current consumption. Within an HVAC system, water pumps may pump water from an indoor portion to an outdoor coil and/or an outdoor portion to an indoor coil to improve heat transfer within the HVAC system. To monitor the status of the water pumps (assessing whether the water pumps are properly pumping), the current consumption of the water pumps is measured and compared to pre-determined current value ranges. The HVAC system may determine whether the water pump is pumping only water, a combination of water and air, or no water, depending on the current value range that the measured current falls within. When the measured current lies within a particular current value range indicating that a water pump is not properly functioning, the HVAC system may take an action, such as issuing an alert or ceasing system operation.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system comprising:
 an indoor unit including an indoor coil;   an outdoor unit including an outdoor coil;   one or more water pumps configured to, at least one of, pump water from the indoor unit to the outdoor coil or pump water from the outdoor unit to the indoor coil; and   a controller configured to:
 receive an indication of an amount of current being used by the one or more water pumps; 
 determine, based on the amount of current being used, an amount of water being pumped by the one or more water pumps; and 
 perform an action based on the amount of water being pumped. 
   
     
     
         2 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the action comprises at least one of: providing an alert or ceasing operation of the one or more water pumps. 
     
     
         3 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein determining the amount of water being pumped further comprises determining that the amount of current is within a first range of current values instead of a second range of current values. 
     
     
         4 . The HVAC system of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine, based on the determination that the amount of current is within the first range of current values, that the one or more water pumps are blocked.   
     
     
         5 . The HVAC system of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine, based on the determination that the amount of current is within the second range of current values, that the one or more water pumps are pumping both water and air.   
     
     
         6 . The HVAC system of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine, based on the determination that the amount of current is within a third range of current values, that the one or more water pumps are pumping only air.   
     
     
         7 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine a rate of change of the amount of current being used by the one or more water pumps, wherein performing the action is based on the rate of change.   
     
     
         8 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more sensors within the indoor unit, wherein the controller is further configured to:
 receive, from the one or more sensors, an indication that a water level within the indoor unit has reached a threshold water level.   
     
     
         9 . The HVAC system of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise at least one of: a float sensor, an optical sensor, or a precipitation sensor. 
     
     
         10 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a controller of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, an indication of an amount of current being used by one or more water pumps within the HVAC system;   determining, by the controller and based on the amount of current being used, an amount of water being pumped by the one or more water pumps; and   performing, by the controller, an action based on the amount of water being pumped.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the action comprises at least one of: providing an alert or ceasing operation of the one or more water pumps. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein determining the amount of water being pumped further comprises determining that the amount of current is within a first range of current values instead of a second range of current values. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 determining, by the controller and based on the determination that the amount of current is within the first range of current values, that the one or more water pumps are blocked.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 determining, by the controller and based on the determination that the amount of current is within the second range of current values, that the one or more water pumps are pumping both water and air.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 determining, by the controller and based on the determination that the amount of current is within a third range of current values, that the one or more water pumps are pumping only air.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 determining, by the controller, a rate of change of the amount of current being used by the one or more water pumps, wherein performing the action is based on the rate of change.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising one or more sensors within an indoor unit of the HVAC system, wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving, by the controller and from the one or more sensors, an indication that a water level within the indoor unit has reached a threshold water level.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise at least one of: a float sensor, an optical sensor, or a precipitation sensor. 
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions, that when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
 receive an indication of an amount of current being used by one or more water pumps within an HVAC system;   determine, based on the amount of current being used, an amount of water being pumped by the one or more water pumps; and   perform an action based on the amount of water being pumped.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the action comprises at least one of: providing an alert or ceasing operation of the one or more water pumps. 
     
     
         21 . A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system comprising:
 an indoor unit including an indoor coil;   an outdoor unit including an outdoor coil;   one or more water pumps; and   a controller configured to, at least one of, cause the one or more water pumps to pump water from the indoor unit to the outdoor coil or cause the one or more water pumps to pump water from the outdoor unit to the indoor coil.   
     
     
         22 . The HVAC system of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more water pumps comprise a first water pump configured to pump water from the indoor unit to the outdoor coil and a second water pump configured to pump water from the outdoor unit to the indoor coil. 
     
     
         23 . The HVAC system of  claim 21 , further comprising one or more sensors within the indoor unit, wherein the controller is further configured to:
 receive, from the one or more sensors, an indication that a water level within the indoor unit has reached a threshold water level,   wherein cause the one or more water pumps to pump water from the indoor unit to the outdoor coil is based on the indication that the water level has reached the threshold water level.   
     
     
         24 . The HVAC system of  claim 23 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise at least one of: a float sensor, an optical sensor, or a precipitation sensor. 
     
     
         25 . The HVAC system of  claim 21 , further comprising one or more sensors within the outdoor unit, wherein the controller is further configured to:
 receive, from the one or more sensors, an indication that a water level within the outdoor unit has reached a threshold water level,   wherein cause the one or more water pumps to pump water from the outdoor unit to the indoor coil is based on the indication that the water level has reached the threshold water level.   
     
     
         26 . The HVAC system of  claim 21 , wherein the water is pumped to one or more spray nozzles, and wherein the one or more spray nozzles expel the water onto the indoor coil or the outdoor coil.