INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Autonomous sensor technology : Real-time feedback to businesses
Purdue University
Researchers at Purdue University have developed a sensor to monitor the oil circulation ratio in real time for heating , ventilation , air conditioning and refrigeration systems .
The West Lafayette university ’ s ( Indiana , US ) new autonomous sensor technology may help businesses monitor refrigeration and heating systems in real time much faster and easier than current options .
Researchers at Purdue University developed the sensor to monitor the oil circulation ratio in real time for heating , ventilation , air conditioning and refrigeration systems . The oil circulation ratio provides data on the health and functionality of the overall system .
“ Our technology is needed as more businesses use variable-speed HVAC systems ,” said Orkan Kurtulus , a senior research engineer at Purdue ’ s Ray W . Herrick Laboratories . “ The ability to measure the OCR is critical to ensure the system is using the correct amount of oil for effectiveness and efficiency . Our sensor allows businesses to check the oil circulation without disrupting the system or requiring the tedious process previously used to monitor circulation .”
Capacity control in HVAC & R systems is being used by a growing number of businesses because it increases the efficiency and reduces costs by slowing the speed and energy level when a system does not need to operate at full capacity . “ Our cutting-edge approach for OCR quantification allows otherwise immiscible refrigerant pairs to be separated and analysed by a sensor in the suction line of HVAC & R systems ,” said Vatsal Shah , a research assistant at Herrick Labs . “ There remains an unmet need to mitigate oil retention in vapor compression systems , as this can cause inefficiency and even shorten the lifetime of HVAC & R equipment , especially in lieu of new
The team verified the autonomous sensor method using the latest standards from ASHRAE . variable speed and tandem compressor technologies , which implement repeated cycles .”
The Purdue team verified the autonomous sensor method using the latest standards from the American Society of Heating , Refrigerating and Air- Conditioning Engineers ( ASHRAE ).
The other members of the Purdue team are James Braun , the Herrick Professor of Engineering ; Eckhard Groll , the William E . and Florence E . Perry Head of Mechanical Engineering ; and Travis Horton , an associate professor of civil engineering .
The team worked with partners in the Ray W . Herrick Labs and the Center for High Performance Buildings . Founded in 1957 , Herrick Labs supports world-class mechanical engineering research for students , faculty and industry . Among the facilities in the 83,000 square feet of space are HVAC & R and indoor air quality labs ; advanced engine test cells ; acoustics , noise , and vibration testing ; and unique perception-based engineering labs .
The Purdue innovators worked with the Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology Commercialisation to patent this technology . The researchers are looking for partners to continue developing their technology .
The Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology Commercialisation operates one of the most comprehensive technology transfer programmes among leading research universities in the US . Services provided by this office support the economic development initiatives of Purdue University and benefit the university ' s academic activities through commercialising , licensing and protecting Purdue intellectual property . The office recently moved into the Convergence Center for Innovation and Collaboration in Discovery Park District , adjacent to the Purdue campus . In fiscal year 2020 , the office reported 148 deals finalised with 225 technologies signed , 408 disclosures received and 180 issued US . patents .
The office is managed by the Purdue Research Foundation , which received the 2019 Innovation and Economic Prosperity Universities Award for Place from the Association of Public and Landgrant Universities . In 2020 , IPWatchdog Institute ranked Purdue third nationally in start-up creation and in the top 20 for patents . The Purdue Research Foundation is a private , non-profit foundation created to advance the mission of Purdue University .
COLD LINK AFRICA • March / April 2021 www . coldlinkafrica . co . za 13
CLA