Cognitive Residential Heat Pump Fault Detection and Diagnostic Datalogger

Millions of heat pumps are used to heat and cool homes and buildings year round. Continuous operation means that components wear out at a greater rate. As a result, maintenance of residential heat pumps is a major cost driver. Current methods focus on reduced use through control settings. Typically, demand has wide swings throughout the day and people are unable to customize controls. Inevitably, energy is wasted until a fault is discovered and a maintenance technician replaces a faulty part. MSI’s patented user-programmable microcontroller module performs sensor data monitoring, datalogging, processing, control, and communications to smartphones and tablets. We propose to exploit this technology for increasing the efficiency of heat pumps and reducing maintenance costs by aggressive goal-seeking control and simultaneous real time monitoring for stresses, degradation, and equipment faults using deductive modeling. Our product vision is an easy-to-install, plug-and-play kit that connects to the existing equipment and household sensors. In Phase I, MSI will start with a cloud demonstration of the current technology in action at our current off-the-grid demonstration site. Next, we will perform research and value engineering to architect and produce a small, form factor prototype specifically for improving heat pump performance, safety, reliability, and ownership costs.