JP2015230155A - Cooling/heating device, and method of controlling cooling/heating device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suppress simultaneous start of compressors with a simple constitution even when a plurality of cooling/heating devices respectively having the compressors, are connected to one power source.SOLUTION: Cooling/heating control portions 43a, 43b of cooling/heating units 40a, 40b include setting portions 45a, 45b for setting a vertical relation of the cooling/heating units 40a, 40b in advance, and input/output portions 44a, 44b outputting a suppression signal to the other cooling/heating unit, and inputting a suppression signal from the other cooling/heating unit to the self cooling/heating unit in a different period corresponding to the vertical relation in starting the compressor. The control for outputting the suppression signal to the other cooling/heating unit, and starting the compressor of the self cooling/heating unit simultaneously with the completion of the output of the suppression signal, is implemented in the period corresponding to the vertical relation, when start request of the compressor of the self cooling/heating unit is received, and the suppression signal from the other cooling/heating unit is not input.

Description

  The present invention relates to a cooling device and a method for controlling the cooling device that can suppress simultaneous activation of the compressors with a simple configuration even when a plurality of cooling devices each having a compressor are connected to one power source.

  Conventionally, as a cold storage (cold storage container) used for transporting goods that require refrigeration or freezing, such as fresh food, the storage body, a heat exchanger that cools the interior with a heat medium, and the heat exchanger There is a movable storage provided with detachable connection means for allowing a heat medium to flow over a heat source machine outside the storage (see Patent Document 1).

  Here, the cooling device that cools the inside of the storage with a heat medium includes a cooling device that is connected to one power source and includes a plurality of compressors. In this cooling / heating device, when the compressor motor is started simultaneously, the starting current increases beyond a specified value, so that the starting of each compressor is shifted.

  For example, in Patent Document 2, a vehicle is provided with a single power supply unit using a generator driven by an engine, and a plurality of power outlets for connecting a cold roll box with a built-in cooler are arranged in the vehicle bed. Each cold roll box is independent between each power supply unit and each power outlet based on a restart signal obtained from a detachable current transformer attached to the power cord of each cold roll box. And the activation interval of each cold box is controlled by a predetermined interval time.

  That is, in Patent Document 2, when cold roll boxes each having a built-in compressor are connected to a single power source, the start timings of the cold roll boxes are made different so that the compressors of a plurality of cold roll boxes are not started simultaneously. The capacity of the power supply unit is only required for the starting current for one cold roll box.

JP 2008-286485 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-1873

  However, in the above-described patent document 2, it is necessary to provide a control unit for controlling the cold roll boxes so that the cold roll boxes are not started at the same time. Since it is necessary to provide a current transformer for detection, the configuration of the apparatus becomes complicated and the size must be increased.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and suppresses the simultaneous activation of each compressor with a simple configuration even when a plurality of cooling devices each having a compressor are connected to one power source. An object of the present invention is to provide a cooling device and a method for controlling the cooling device.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, a cooling apparatus according to the present invention includes one or more cooling units each having a cooling circuit having a compressor and connected to one power source. A cooling device to which a cooling target is connected, wherein the cooling control unit of each cooling unit is different from a setting unit that sets a vertical relationship between the cooling units in advance, and corresponding to the vertical relationship when starting the compressor An input / output unit that outputs a suppression signal to the other cooling unit, and inputs a suppression signal from the other cooling unit to the cooling unit, receives a start-up request for the compressor of the cooling unit, and When the suppression signal from another cooling unit is not input, the suppression signal is output to the other cooling unit for a period corresponding to the vertical relationship. , And performs control for starting the compressor of the own thermal unit with output completion of the suppressive signals.

  In the cooling / heating device according to the present invention, in the above invention, the shortest period of the periods exceeds a period until the current at the time of starting the compressor returns to a steady-state current.

  In the cooling device according to the present invention, in the above invention, the object to be cooled cools the regenerator material by a refrigerating medium flowing from the refrigerating unit, and the regenerator object is accommodated by the regenerator material. It is a transportable transport box having an open / close door that keeps the cold insulation heat space in a desired temperature range.

  Moreover, the control method of the cooling / heating device according to the present invention includes a cooling / heating device in which one or more cooling objects are connected to a plurality of cooling units each having a cooling / heating circuit having a compressor and each connected to one power source. In the control method, the cooling control unit of each cooling unit receives the start request of the compressor of the self cooling unit, and when the suppression signal from another cooling unit is not input, the cooling unit set in advance The suppression signal is output to another cooling unit during a period corresponding to the vertical relationship between the units, and control for starting the compressor of the self-cooling unit is performed when the output of the suppression signal is completed.

  According to the present invention, when the cooling control unit of each cooling unit receives a request for starting the compressor of the cooling unit and no suppression signal is input from another cooling unit, the cooling unit set in advance is set. During the period corresponding to the vertical relationship between the units, the suppression signal is output to another cooling unit, and control for starting the compressor of the self-cooling unit is performed when the output of the suppression signal is completed. Therefore, even if each cooling / heating unit is connected to one power source, the simultaneous activation of the compressors of each cooling / heating unit can be suppressed with a simple configuration.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an outline of a physical distribution cycle using a transport box targeted for cooling by the cooling apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a connection state and configuration between the cooling / heating device and the transport box in the distribution center. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross-sectional structure of the heat insulating box. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a cooling control process procedure related to compressor start-up by the cooling control unit. FIG. 5 is a time chart illustrating an example of the cooling control process related to the compressor activation by the cooling control unit.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(Overview of logistics cycle)
First, an outline of a physical distribution cycle using a transport box targeted for cooling by the cooling / heating apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an outline of a physical distribution cycle using a transport box targeted for cooling by the cooling apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, between a plurality of distribution centers 110 to which products 101 are delivered and a store 120 that displays the products, the products 101 are stored in a plurality of transport boxes 1 that are reused by trucks 111. The transport box 1 that has been delivered to the store 120 and emptied is returned to the delivery center 110 by the truck 112. Note that the transport box 1 emptied at the store 120 may be returned to another distribution center 110.

  First, in the delivery center 110, the product 101 is delivered from the delivery source. The delivery center 110 receives the product 101 and sorts it by store. The sorted products 101 are stored in the transport box 1 sent to the delivery destination store 120. The inside of the transport box 1 is empty in the cold insulation heat space in which the product 101 is stored, and is kept at a desired temperature by the cold heat material. The truck 111 loads the transport box 1 storing the product 101 and delivers it to the delivery destination store 120. At the delivery destination store 120, the transport box 1 is unloaded from the truck 111, and the product 101 in the transport box 1 is taken out. The taken product 101 is displayed in a showcase or the like. The empty transport box 1 is temporarily held in the store 120. The delivered truck 111 loads the transport box 1 temporarily held as the truck 112 last time, and returns the transport box 1 to the distribution center 110.

  Here, the information collection device 30 is arranged in the store 120. The transport box 1 that is empty after the product 101 is taken out is communicatively connected to the information collecting device 30. The information collecting apparatus 30 sends the transport box history information such as the temperature history acquired by the transport box 1 at the time of delivery together with the transport box identification information to the upper information management apparatus 130 via the network N.

  On the other hand, the information collection device 30 and the cooling / heating device 40 are arranged in the distribution center 110. When the empty transport box 1 returned by the truck 112 is lowered from the truck 112, it is connected to the information collecting device 30 and the cooling / heating device 40. The information collection device 30 sends the transport box history information including the temperature history from when the product 101 is stored to the present to the upper information management device 130 via the network N together with the transport box identification information. The refrigeration apparatus 40 flows a chilled medium into the connected transport box 1 to store the refrigerated heat storage material in a cold state, and brings the cool heat storage space to a desired temperature. The empty transport box 1 set to the desired temperature is reused as the transport box 1 for delivering the product 101 again.

  The host information management device 130 connected to the network N uses the transport box history information and the transport box identification information sent from the information collection device 30 of the distribution center 110 or the store 120 to manage the temperature management state of the transported product 101. Analyze etc.

(Cooling device and transport box)
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a connection state and configuration between the cooling / heating device 40 and the transport box 1 in the distribution center 110. As shown in FIG. 2, the cooling / heating device 40 includes two cooling / heating units 40 a and 40 b, and each is connected to one power source via a power cable 46. Each of the cooling / heating units 40a and 40b includes cooling / cooling circuits 41a and 41b and cooling / cooling control units 43a and 43b, respectively.

  The cooling / heating circuit 41a of the cooling / heating unit 40a is connected to the two transport boxes 1a and 1b via the cooling / heating pipes L2a and L2b and the connection part C2, respectively. The cooling / heating circuit 41b of the cooling / heating unit 40b is connected to the two transport boxes 1c and 1d via the cooling / heating pipes L2c and L2d and the connection part C2, respectively.

  Each of the cooling / heating circuits 41a and 41b is a known refrigeration cycle apparatus including a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, an evaporator, and the like (not shown). The compressor (compressor) includes compressor motors 42a and 42b in the cooling circuits 41a and 41b. Each of the cooling circuits 41a and 41b, for example, rapidly cools the cooling medium to a desired temperature range under the control of the cooling control units 43a and 43b, and the rapidly cooled cooling medium is supplied to each of the cooling pipes L2a, L2b, It supplies to each cooler 21a, 21b, 21c, 21d of each transport box 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d via L2c, L2d. Each of the coolers 21a, 21b, 21c, and 21d performs livestock cooling on each of the livestock coolers 22a, 22b, 22c, and 22d, and the cooler thermal space 23 is maintained at a desired temperature by each of the livestock coolers 22a, 22b, 22c, and 22d. Is done. Each cooling circuit 41a, 41b is provided with a circulation pump (not shown) for circulating a cooling medium. The cold medium is a so-called brine medium such as water or antifreeze.

  Each of the heat control units 43a and 43b includes input / output units 44a and 44b and setting units 45a and 45b. Each setting part 45a, 45b sets up-and-down relation between each cooling unit 40a, 40b beforehand. For example, the setting unit 45a sets the cooling / heating unit 40a as a higher level (parent unit), and the setting unit 45b sets the cooling / heating unit 40b as a lower level (child unit). The input / output units 44a and 44b are connected to each other via a communication line. The input / output units 44a and 44b are preferably in a full duplex system. The input / output units 44a and 44b, when starting the compressor motors 42a and 42b in the respective cooling and heating circuits 41a and 41b, output suppression signals to other cooling and heating units for different periods corresponding to the above-mentioned vertical relationship. At the same time, a suppression signal from another cooling unit is input to the self-cooling unit. And each cooling-heat control part 43a, 43b receives the starting request | requirement of a compressor, and when the suppression signal from the other cooling-heat unit is not input, the said suppression signal is set to another for the period corresponding to the said up-and-down relationship. It outputs to a cooling unit, and the control which starts the compressor of a self-cooling unit is performed with the completion of the output of this suppression signal.

  The simultaneous activation of the compressors of the cooling units 40a and 40b can be suppressed by the control of the cooling control units 43a and 43b. In addition, by suppressing the simultaneous start-up of the compressor, it is possible to suppress the generation of a start-up current exceeding the power supply capacity, and it is possible to reduce the size of the facility in which the cooling / heating device 40 is arranged.

  In addition, each conveyance box 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d is a heat insulation box which formed the cold insulation heat space 23 which accommodates cold insulation heat | fever objects, such as fresh food and a pharmaceutical. Each transport box 1 a, 1 b, 1 c, 1 d is provided with an opening / closing door 24 having a heat insulating performance that opens and closes the front opening of the cold insulation heat space 23. Opening / closing of the open / close door 24 is detected by an open / close sensor 27. A plurality of temperature sensors 25 for detecting the temperature in the cold insulation heat space 23 are arranged in the cold insulation heat space 23. Moreover, the caster 28 is provided in the lower part of each conveyance box 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, and the movement of the conveyance box 1 is made easy.

  The above-described coolers 21a, 21b, 21c, and 21d and the regenerator materials 22a, 22b, 22c, and 22d are disposed in the heat insulation box. The coolers 21a, 21b, 21c, and 21d cool / freeze or store heat in the cold storage materials 22a, 22b, 22c, and 22d, respectively. The refrigerators 21a, 21b, 21c, and 21d are metal pipes such as copper pipes through which a cooling medium flows, meandering shapes and spiral shapes, and being closely attached to flat inner surfaces such as a ceiling wall and side surfaces.

  The cold storage heat materials 22a, 22b, 22c, and 22d are for cooling or storing heat in the box. The cold storage heat material 22 may be a known material in which water, a gelling agent, and the like are enclosed in a resin case such as polyethylene, for example, and is formed in a flat plate shape, for example.

  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross-sectional structure of the heat insulating box. As shown in FIG. 3, the heat insulating material 51, the vacuum heat insulating material 52, the cooler / heater 21 (21a, 21b, 21c, 21d), and the regenerative heat material 22 (22a, 22b, 22c) sequentially from the outside of the box to the inside of the box. 22d), the metal plate 53 is overlaid. The heat insulating material 51 is formed of, for example, foamed polystyrene or foamed urethane. As the vacuum heat insulating material 52, for example, a known material in which a core material is covered with a laminate film and the inside is reduced in vacuum to be sealed may be used. The vacuum heat insulating material 52 has extremely high heat insulating performance as compared with the general heat insulating materials such as the above-mentioned expanded polystyrene. The metal plate 53 defines the cold insulation heat space 23 and is disposed so as to contact the cold storage heat material 22. The metal plate 53 is formed of, for example, a stainless plate. Although not shown, it is preferable that one surface is disposed in close contact with the outer surface side of the regenerator material 22 and the other surface is disposed in close contact with the inner surface side of the refrigerating device 21 and provided with a metal plate. This metal plate is formed of a metal having a good thermal conductivity, for example, a plate material of aluminum or copper, and the cold heat from the cooler 21 can be efficiently transmitted to the cool storage heat material 22.

  In addition, the information management part 10 of each transport box 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d is connected to the information collection apparatus 30 via the connection part C1 and the communication line L1 containing a power source line. When the information management unit 10 is connected to the information collection device 30, a battery (not shown) is charged via the power line. The information management unit 10 sequentially holds the temperature history information that records the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 25 over time as one of the transport box history information, and the opening / closing history that records the opening / closing state of the opening / closing sensor 27 over time. Information is held as one of the transport box history information, and when the information collection device 30 is connected, the stored transport box history information is sent to the information collection device 30.

  The information management unit 10 includes a display unit such as an LED or a liquid crystal (not shown). For example, when the temperature in the cold insulation heat space 23 holds a desired temperature for a predetermined time, the LED is lit in green and the desired temperature is set. When the LED is not held, the LED is lit red.

(Cooling control processing related to compressor startup)
Next, based on the flowchart shown in FIG. 4, a description will be given of a cooling / heating control processing procedure related to compressor activation. Note that this cooling / heating control process is autonomously performed by each of the cooling / cooling control units 43a and 43b. As shown in FIG. 4, first, each cooling control unit 43a, 43b determines whether there is a request to start each compressor motor 42a, 42b, that is, a compressor (step S101). If there is no request to start the compressor (No in step S101), the determination process in step S101 is repeated. On the other hand, if there is a request to start the compressor (step S101, Yes), it is further determined whether or not a suppression signal is input (step S102). When the suppression signal is input (Yes at Step S102), the determination process at Step S102 is repeated, and the process waits until there is no input of the suppression signal.

  On the other hand, when the suppression signal is not input (step S101, No), it is further determined whether or not the parent unit (upper) is set (step S103). When the parent unit is set (step S103, Yes), the suppression signal is output to another cooling unit for a period tA, for example, for 5 seconds (step S104), and the process proceeds to step S106. On the other hand, when it is not set to the parent unit (step S103, No), that is, when it is set to the child unit, the suppression signal is output to another cooling unit for a period tB, for example, 10 seconds. (Step S105), the process proceeds to Step S106. Note that the periods tA and tB have different values. Further, the smaller value of the periods tA and tB is a value exceeding the period until the current at the time of starting the compressor returns to the steady-state current.

  Thereafter, it is determined whether or not the output of the suppression signal is completed (step S106). When the output of the suppression signal is not completed (No at Step S106), the process of Step S106 is repeated and the process waits until the output of the suppression signal is completed. On the other hand, when the output of the suppression signal is completed (step S106, Yes), the compressor is started (step S107).

  Thereafter, it is determined whether or not the compressor has been stopped (step S108). If the compressor is not stopped (No at step S108), the determination process is repeated to maintain the compressor driving state. On the other hand, when the compressor is stopped (step S108, Yes), the process proceeds to step S101 and the above-described processing is repeated.

(Example of cooling control process for compressor start-up)
Next, on the basis of the time chart shown in FIG. This example shows a case where the cooling / heating unit 40a is set as a parent unit, the cooling / heating unit 40b is set as a child unit, and a start-up request for the compressor is first generated on the parent unit side.

  In FIG. 5, first, when a start request for the compressor is generated on the parent unit side immediately before time t1, since the suppression signal is not output from the child unit side immediately before time t1, the suppression is not displayed on the parent unit side. No signal is input. For this reason, the parent unit outputs a suppression signal to the child unit during the period from time t1 to t3 (between tA) in order to inform the child unit of the right of the own unit to start the compressor. Then, the parent unit completes the output of the suppression signal at time t3, and starts the compressor at time t3.

  On the other hand, when a request for starting the compressor is generated at the time point t2 on the child unit side, since the suppression signal is input from the parent unit side at the time point t2 on the child unit side, the suppression signal can be output. First, the output of the suppression signal is suspended until there is no input of the suppression signal from the parent unit side, that is, until time t3. Thereafter, when the input of the suppression signal from the parent unit side disappears at time t3, the child unit outputs the suppression signal to the parent unit side during the period from time t3 to t4 (between tB). Then, the child unit completes the output of the suppression signal at time t4, and starts the compressor at time t4.

  As a result, the compressor of the parent unit is started at time t3, and the compressor of the child unit is started at time t4. The compressor is started at different times.

  Although the period tA and the period tB are different periods, this is because, in the initial state, the compressor is simultaneously started for the compressor of the parent unit (cooling unit 40a) and the compressor of the child unit (cooling unit 40b). This is because, when a request is generated, since no suppression signal is input to each of the cooling / heating units 40a and 40b, it is considered that each of the cooling / heating units 40a and 40b outputs a suppression signal at the same time. In this case, if the period A and the period tB are the same time, the compressor is activated at the same time. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, for example, in FIG. 5, when the cooling units 40a and 40b are simultaneously requested to start the compressor immediately before time t1, the cooling units 40a and 40b are simultaneously started from time t1. Although the suppression signal is output, the periods tA and tB during which the suppression signal is output are different, so that simultaneous start-up of the compressor can be reliably prevented.

  In the above-described embodiment, the two cooling units 40a and 40b have been described. However, the present invention can also be applied to three or more cooling units. In this case, the vertical relationship may be set in the setting unit of each cooling / heating unit, and the output period of the suppression signal may be varied according to the vertical relationship. That is, since the cooling / heating units 40a and 40b can autonomously perform the suppression control of the simultaneous activation of the compressor with a simple configuration, the cooling units can be easily added.

1, 1 a, 1 b, 1 c, 1 d Carrying box 10 Information management unit 21, 21 a, 21 b, 21 c, 21 d Refrigerator 22, 22 a, 22 b, 22 c, 22 d Sensor 28 Caster 30 Information collecting device 40 Cooling device 40a, 40b Cooling unit 41a, 41b Cooling circuit 42a, 42b Compressor motor 43a, 43b Cooling control unit 44a, 44b Input / output unit 45a, 45b Setting unit 46 Power cable 51 Insulating material 52 Vacuum Thermal insulation 53 Metal plate 101 Product 110 Distribution center 111, 112 Truck 120 Store 130 Upper information management device C1, C2 Connection L1 Communication line L2a, L2b, L2c, L2d Cold heat pipe N Network t1-t4 Time tA, tB Period

Claims (4)

A cooling apparatus in which one or more cooling targets are connected to a plurality of cooling units each having a cooling circuit having a compressor and connected to one power source,
The cooling control unit of each cooling unit is
A setting unit for setting the vertical relationship between each cooling unit in advance;
An input / output unit that outputs a suppression signal to another cooling unit during a different period corresponding to the vertical relationship when starting the compressor, and inputs a suppression signal from the other cooling unit to the self-cooling unit;
When the start request of the compressor of the self-cooling unit is received and the suppression signal from another cooling unit is not input, the suppression signal is output to the other cooling unit for a period corresponding to the vertical relationship And a control for starting the compressor of the self-cooling unit when the output of the suppression signal is completed.   2. The cooling / heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shortest period among the periods exceeds a period until the current at the start of the compressor returns to a steady-state current.   The cold object is a portable open / close door that cools the regenerator material with a refrigerating medium flowing from the refrigerating unit, and holds the refrigerating heat space in which the regenerator object is accommodated in the desired temperature range. The cooling / heating device according to claim 1, wherein the cooling / heating device is a transporting box having a head. A method for controlling a cooling device in which one or more cooling targets are connected to a plurality of cooling units each having a cooling circuit having a compressor and connected to one power source,
The cooling control unit of each cooling unit is
When a start request of the compressor of the self-cooling unit is received and a suppression signal from another cooling unit is not input, the suppression signal is set for another period corresponding to a preset vertical relationship between the cooling units. A control method for a cooling device, wherein the control is performed so that the compressor of the self-cooling unit is started upon completion of output of the suppression signal.

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