Detecting and quantifying refrigerant leakages in residential heat pumps at an early stage is a major stake to maintain their efficiency and extend their lifespan. It is also of great interest in terms of safety when using flammable refrigerants. Several methods already exist. However, most focus on refrigerating or air-conditioning systems involving fixed-speed compressors and fixed orifice valves, lacking the dynamic aspects of more recent devices tending to smooth out the impacts of a leakage on the system.

The results presented here are part of a thesis work dedicated to the development of a method to determine in real time the refrigerant charge of a residential heat pump. The presentation first provides a brief insight on the state of the art of refrigerant charge determin ...