ShareNew refrigerant leak detection and isolation technology.
Toshiba has introduced a system which will automatically isolate a specific section of air conditioning pipework in the event of a leak.
Toshiba has introduced a system which will automatically isolate a specific section of air conditioning pipework in the event of a leak.
Conventional approaches shut down the entire system in the event of a leak, impacting occupants throughout a building until the source of the leak can be identified and repaired. According to Toshiba, the new technology means that only the immediate area served by the compromised circuit suffers loss of service. The rest of the system continues to function as normal.
Toshiba’s new refrigerant detection and isolation technology uses a number of separate isolation cells throughout a building, consisting of an RBC-RD3 refrigerant concentration sensor, a pair of motorised isolation valves, and an RBC-RD7 control box. The motorised valves are fitted in refrigerant pipework (liquid and gas) outside each conditioned space, the room sensor is located within the space at low level, and the control box is mounted next to the indoor unit.
If the sensor detects refrigerant in the room, it triggers an alarm and an L30 fault code on the indoor unit, detected in turn by a central controller or BMS, and initiating the isolation sequence. The motorised valves close automatically, effectively isolating the conditioned space from the rest of the system.
At the same time, on-site maintenance staff and service contractors are notified of the alarm status and its location, and can zero-in on the problem to resolve it. The technology is primarily designed for use with Toshiba VRF systems, but can also be used with split systems. It can be specified on new installations or retrofitted on Toshiba equipment on existing sites.
Conventional approaches shut down the entire system in the event of a leak, impacting occupants throughout a building until the source of the leak can be identified and repaired. According to Toshiba, the new technology means that only the immediate area served by the compromised circuit suffers loss of service. The rest of the system continues to function as normal.
Toshiba’s new refrigerant detection and isolation technology uses a number of separate isolation cells throughout a building, consisting of an RBC-RD3 refrigerant concentration sensor, a pair of motorised isolation valves, and an RBC-RD7 control box. The motorised valves are fitted in refrigerant pipework (liquid and gas) outside each conditioned space, the room sensor is located within the space at low level, and the control box is mounted next to the indoor unit.
If the sensor detects refrigerant in the room, it triggers an alarm and an L30 fault code on the indoor unit, detected in turn by a central controller or BMS, and initiating the isolation sequence. The motorised valves close automatically, effectively isolating the conditioned space from the rest of the system.
At the same time, on-site maintenance staff and service contractors are notified of the alarm status and its location, and can zero-in on the problem to resolve it. The technology is primarily designed for use with Toshiba VRF systems, but can also be used with split systems. It can be specified on new installations or retrofitted on Toshiba equipment on existing sites.