A real-time monitoring system that monitors various aspects of the operation of a
refrigerant-cycle
system is described. In one embodiment, the
system includes a processor that measures power provided to the
refrigerant-cycle
system and that gathers data from one or more sensors and uses the sensor data to calculate a
figure of merit related to the efficiency of the system. In one embodiment, the sensors include one or more of the following sensors: a suction line temperature sensor, a suction line
pressure sensor, a suction
line flow sensor, a hot gas line temperature sensor, a hot gas line
pressure sensor, a hot gas
line flow sensor, a
liquid line temperature sensor, a
liquid line pressure sensor, a
liquid line flow sensor. In one embodiment, the sensors include one or more of an
evaporator air temperature input sensor, an
evaporator air temperature output sensor, an
evaporator air flow sensor, an evaporator
air humidity sensor, and a
differential pressure sensor. In one embodiment, the sensors include one or more of a condenser
air temperature input sensor, a condenser air temperature output sensor, and a condenser air flow sensor, an evaporator
air humidity sensor. In one embodiment, the sensors include one or more of an
ambient air sensor and an
ambient humidity sensor.