JP2018040516A - Compressor unit and cooling system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a compressor unit that can utilize energy of oil passing through an oil circulation line.SOLUTION: A compressor unit compresses gas returning from a refrigerator, and supplies it to the refrigerator. The compressor unit comprises: a compressor body for compressing the gas; an oil circulation line provided separately from a gas line for circulating the gas between the compressor body and the refrigerator, to circulate oil for cooling the compressor body; and a power takeoff part 22 for taking power from a flow of the oil circulating through the oil circulation line.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a compressor unit that compresses a gas returning from a refrigerator and supplies the compressed gas to the refrigerator, and a cooling system including such a compressor unit.

  Cryogenic refrigerators such as Gifford-McMahon (GM) refrigerators, pulse tube refrigerators, Stirling refrigerators, and Solvay refrigerators can be used to cool objects from as low as 100K (Kelvin) to as low as 4K. Can be cooled in the range. Such refrigerators are used for cooling superconducting magnets and detectors, cryopumps, and the like.

  The refrigerator is accompanied by a compressor unit for compressing helium gas used as the working gas. In this compressor unit, oil is used as a refrigerant for cooling the compressor body.

JP 2010-255911 A

  In a conventional compressor unit as described in Patent Document 1, pressure loss is caused in oil by providing an orifice in the oil circulation line, and the flow rate of oil flowing inside the oil circulation line is controlled or the oil circulation line is provided. Suppresses the inflow of gas. The energy consumption by the orifice may not be exploited effectively.

  This invention is made | formed in view of such a condition, The objective is to provide the compressor unit which can utilize the energy of the oil which flows through an oil circulation line.

  In order to solve the above problems, a compressor unit according to an aspect of the present invention is a compressor unit that compresses gas returning from a refrigerator and supplies the compressed gas to the refrigerator, and compresses the gas. Separated from the compressor main body and the gas line for circulating gas between the compressor main body and the refrigerator, the oil circulation line for circulating the oil for cooling the compressor main body, and the oil circulation line are circulated A power take-out unit for taking out power from the flow of oil to be removed.

  Another aspect of the present invention is a cooling system. The cooling system includes a refrigerator that uses gas and a compressor unit that compresses the gas returning from the refrigerator and supplies the compressed gas to the refrigerator. The compressor unit is provided separately from the compressor main body for compressing the gas and the gas line for circulating the gas between the compressor main body and the refrigerator, and oil for cooling the compressor main body is provided. An oil circulation line for circulation; and a power take-out unit for taking out power from the flow of oil circulating through the oil circulation line.

  It should be noted that any combination of the above-described constituent elements and those obtained by replacing the constituent elements and expressions of the present invention with each other among apparatuses, methods, systems, etc. are also effective as an aspect of the present invention.

  According to the present invention, the energy of oil flowing through the oil circulation line can be utilized.

It is a schematic diagram which shows the structure of a refrigerator system provided with the compressor unit which concerns on embodiment. It is a figure which shows the power extraction part of FIG. 1, and its periphery. It is a schematic diagram which shows the structure of the refrigerator system which concerns on a modification. It is a figure which shows the power extraction part which concerns on a modification, and its periphery.

  Hereinafter, the same or equivalent components, members, and processes shown in the drawings are denoted by the same reference numerals, and repeated descriptions are appropriately omitted. In addition, the dimensions of the members in each drawing are appropriately enlarged or reduced for easy understanding. Also, in the drawings, some of the members that are not important for describing the embodiment are omitted.

  Drawing 1 is a mimetic diagram showing the composition of refrigerator system 2 provided with compressor unit 10 concerning an embodiment. The refrigerator system 2 includes a GM refrigerator 4 that cools an object, and a compressor unit 10 that is connected to the GM refrigerator 4 by two flexible pipes 8 and 9. The GM refrigerator 4, the compressor unit 10, and the two flexible pipes 8 and 9 constitute a cooling system that cools the object to be cooled.

  The GM refrigerator 4 is a known two-stage GM refrigerator, and may be configured using, for example, the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-190953 filed earlier by the present applicant.

  The high-pressure flexible pipe 8 supplies a high-pressure operating gas such as helium gas from the compressor unit 10 to the GM refrigerator 4. The low-pressure flexible pipe 9 supplies low-pressure helium gas from the GM refrigerator 4 to the compressor unit 10.

  The compressor unit 10 includes a compression capsule 11, which is a compressor body, a high-pressure side pipe 13, a low-pressure side pipe 14, an oil separator 15, an adsorber 16, a storage tank 17, a bypass mechanism 18, and a power take-out unit. 22, an oil cooling pipe 33, and a cooling fluid pipe 34. The compressor unit 10 raises the pressure of the low-pressure helium gas returned from the GM refrigerator 4 through the low-pressure flexible pipe 9 by the compression capsule 11 and supplies the pressure to the GM refrigerator 4 again through the high-pressure flexible pipe 8.

  The helium gas returning from the GM refrigerator 4 first flows into the storage tank 17 via the low-pressure flexible pipe 9. The storage tank 17 removes pulsation contained in the returning helium gas. Since the storage tank 17 has a relatively large capacity, pulsation can be reduced or eliminated by introducing helium gas into the storage tank 17.

  The helium gas whose pulsation is reduced or removed by the storage tank 17 is led to the low-pressure side pipe 14. The low-pressure side pipe 14 is connected to the compression capsule 11, so that helium gas whose pulsation is reduced or removed in the storage tank 17 is supplied to the compression capsule 11.

  The compression capsule 11 compresses the helium gas in the low pressure side pipe 14 to increase the pressure. The compression capsule 11 is a scroll pump in the present embodiment, and includes a scroll 52, a shaft 54, and a motor 56. The scroll 52 and the motor 56 are arranged so as to be aligned in a substantially vertical direction. The scroll 52 has a pair of spiral-shaped fixed scroll and movable scroll (both not shown). When the motor 56 is driven to rotate the shaft 54, the movable scroll turns. As a result, the volume of the space partitioned by the two scrolls, the fixed scroll and the movable scroll, changes, and helium gas is sucked and compressed. The compression capsule 11 may be a rotary pump.

  The compression capsule 11 sends the pressurized helium gas to the high-pressure side pipe 13A (13). When the pressure of the helium gas is increased by the compression capsule 11, the helium gas is sent out to the high-pressure side pipe 13 </ b> A (13) in a state in which the oil in the compression capsule 11 is slightly mixed.

  The oil cooling pipe 33 circulates oil for cooling the compression capsule 11. Here, in the conventional compressor unit, the oil cooling pipe 33 is provided with an orifice or capillary to cause a pressure loss in the oil, and the flow rate of oil flowing inside the oil cooling pipe 33 is controlled, or the oil cooling pipe 33 is filled with helium. Gas is prevented from flowing in. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the oil cooling pipe 33 is not provided with an orifice or a capillary, but power is taken out from the oil by the power take-out unit 22 to cause a pressure loss in the oil, and the oil flow rate is controlled. The configuration of the power take-out unit 22 will be described later with reference to FIG.

  The cooling fluid pipe 34 circulates a fluid (here, cooling water) for cooling the oil flowing through the oil cooling pipe 33.

  The oil cooling pipe 33 and the cooling fluid pipe 34 constitute the heat exchanger 12. The heat exchanger 12 implements heat exchange for releasing heat generated when the helium gas is compressed in the compression capsule 11 (hereinafter referred to as compression heat) to the outside of the compressor unit 10. The heat exchanger 12 includes an oil heat exchanging unit 26 that cools oil flowing through the oil cooling pipe 33 and a gas heat exchanging unit 27 that cools the pressurized helium gas.

  The oil heat exchanging section 26 has a part 26A of the oil cooling pipe 33 through which oil flows and a part 34A of the cooling fluid pipe 34 through which cooling water flows, and heat exchange is performed between these pipes. Composed. The oil discharged from the compression capsule 11 to the oil cooling pipe 33 has a high temperature due to the compression heat. When such high-temperature oil passes through the oil heat exchanger 26, the heat of the oil is transferred to the cooling water by heat exchange, and the temperature of the oil that exits the oil heat exchanger 26 is the temperature of the oil that enters the oil heat exchanger 26. Lower than. That is, the compression heat is transferred to the cooling water through the oil flowing through the oil cooling pipe 33.

  The gas heat exchanging unit 27 includes a part 13C of the high-pressure side pipe 13A through which high-pressure helium gas flows and another part 34B of the cooling fluid pipe 34 through which cooling water flows. About the gas heat exchange part 27, like the oil heat exchange part 26, compression heat is transferred to cooling water via helium gas which flows through the inside of the high-pressure side pipe 13A (13).

  The heat transferred to the cooling water is discharged to the outside. In particular, it receives wind from the air cooling fan 40 and is discharged to the outside.

  The helium gas pressurized by the compression capsule 11 and cooled by the gas heat exchange unit 27 is supplied to the oil separator 15 through the high-pressure side pipe 13A (13). The oil separator 15 separates oil contained in the helium gas and removes impurities and dust contained in the oil.

  The helium gas from which oil has been removed by the oil separator 15 is sent to the adsorber 16 through the high-pressure side pipe 13B (13). The adsorber 16 is for removing a particularly vaporized oil component contained in the helium gas. And if the oil component vaporized in the adsorber 16 is removed, helium gas will be guide | induced to the high voltage | pressure flexible piping 8, and, thereby, will be supplied to the GM refrigerator 4. FIG.

  The bypass mechanism 18 includes a bypass pipe 19, a high pressure side pressure detection device 20, and a bypass valve 21. The bypass pipe 19 is a pipe that connects the high-pressure side pipe 13 </ b> B and the low-pressure side pipe 14. The high pressure side pressure detection device 20 detects the pressure of the helium gas in the high pressure side pipe 13B. The bypass valve 21 is an electric valve device that opens and closes the bypass pipe 19. Further, although the bypass valve 21 is a normally closed valve, it is configured to be driven and controlled by the high pressure side pressure detector 20.

  Specifically, when the high pressure side pressure detection device 20 detects that the pressure of the helium gas from the oil separator 15 to the adsorber 16 (that is, the pressure in the high pressure side pipe 13B) is equal to or higher than a predetermined pressure, the bypass valve 21 is configured to be opened by being driven by the high pressure side pressure detector 20. Thereby, possibility that helium gas more than predetermined pressure will be supplied to GM refrigerator 4 is reduced.

  The oil return pipe 24 has a high pressure side connected to the oil separator 15 and a low pressure side connected to the low pressure side pipe 14. A filter 28 for removing dust contained in the oil separated by the oil separator 15 and an orifice 29 for controlling the return amount of the oil are provided in the middle of the oil return pipe 24.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the power take-out unit 22 in FIG. 1 and its surroundings. The power take-out unit 22 includes a first rotating body 42 and a second rotating body 44. The first rotating body 42 is formed in a substantially gear shape and is disposed in the oil cooling pipe 33. In particular, the first rotating body 42 has an oil cooling pipe 33 such that the rotation axis R1 is substantially orthogonal to the extending direction of the oil cooling pipe 33 where the first rotating body 42 is arranged, that is, the oil flowing direction. Placed in. Further, the first rotating body 42, particularly the rotation axis R <b> 1 is arranged in the oil cooling pipe 33 so as to be located at a position away from the center axis C <b> 1 of the oil cooling pipe 33. The first rotating body 42 rotates when the teeth 42a receive the flow of oil, causing pressure loss in the oil.

  The second rotating body 44 is formed in a substantially gear shape like the first rotating body 42, and is disposed in the cooling fluid pipe 34 in a non-contact manner directly or indirectly with the first rotating body 42. . In particular, the rotation axis R2 of the second rotating body 44 is substantially perpendicular to the extending direction of the portion of the cooling fluid pipe 34 where the second rotating body 44 is disposed, that is, the direction in which oil flows, and the first rotation. It arrange | positions in the cooling fluid piping 34 so that it may become substantially parallel to the rotating shaft R1 of the body 42. FIG. In addition, the second rotating body 44 is particularly located in the cooling fluid pipe 34 so that the rotating shaft R1 is located at a position away from the central axis C2 of the oil cooling pipe 33, preferably at a position away from the first rotating body 42 side. Placed in.

  The first rotating body 42 and the second rotating body 44 constitute a magnet gear. The rotational force of the first rotator 42 is transmitted to the second rotator 44 through the magnetic force without contact between the rotators. Therefore, when the teeth 42 a of the first rotating body 42 are rotated by receiving the flow of oil, the second rotating body 44 rotates in the opposite direction to the first rotating body 42. When the second rotating body 44 rotates, the teeth 44 a of the second rotating body 44 sprinkle cooling water, and the cooling water circulates in the cooling fluid pipe 34. That is, the second rotating body 44 is used as a drive source for circulating the cooling water.

  The shape of the first rotator 42 and the second rotator 44 (the size of the diameter, the number of teeth, the length of the teeth, etc.) is determined by experiment or simulation in consideration of pressure loss generated in oil, the flow rate of cooling water, and the like. It may be determined based on.

  According to the compressor unit 10 according to the embodiment described above, pressure loss can be caused in the oil flowing inside by taking out power from the oil flow by the power take-out unit 22. That is, according to the compressor unit 10, at least a part of the pressure loss generated in the oil cooling pipe 33 in order to control the oil flow rate can be recovered, and the energy of the oil flowing through the oil cooling pipe 33 can be utilized.

  Further, according to the compressor unit 10 according to the embodiment, the rotational force of the first rotating body 42 is transmitted to the second rotating body 44 through the magnetic force without contact between the rotating bodies. Here, when the shaft for transmitting the rotation of the first rotating body 42 to the second rotating body 44 is protruded from the oil cooling pipe 33, it is necessary to seal the oil so as not to leak. Since the oil cooling pipe 33 has a relatively high pressure, it is difficult to seal the oil so as not to leak. On the other hand, as described above, the rotation of the first rotating body 42 is transmitted to the second rotating body 44 in a non-contact manner, that is, it is necessary to project the shaft for transmitting the rotation from the oil cooling pipe 33 to the outside. Therefore, such a problem does not occur.

  Moreover, according to the compressor unit 10 which concerns on embodiment, the cooling water of the cooling fluid piping 34 can be circulated with the motive power taken out from the flow of oil by the motive power extraction part 22. FIG. Thereby, the pump for circulating cooling water becomes unnecessary and the manufacturing cost of the compressor unit 10 can be reduced. Note that the power extracted by the power extraction unit 22 is not sufficient for circulating the cooling water, and a pump may be necessary. Even in this case, since the amount of energy input to the pump can be suppressed, the running cost of the compressor unit 10 can be reduced.

  Heretofore, the compressor unit 10 according to the embodiment and the refrigerator system 2 including the compressor unit 10 have been described. This embodiment is an exemplification, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made to combinations of the respective components, and such modifications are also within the scope of the present invention.

(Modification 1)
In the embodiment, a so-called vertical type compressor in which the scroll 52 and the motor 56 of the compression capsule 11 are arranged so as to be aligned in a substantially vertical direction has been described. The technical idea according to the present embodiment may be applied to a so-called horizontal type compressor arranged so as to be arranged in a substantially horizontal direction.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of a refrigerator system 102 according to a modification. FIG. 3 corresponds to FIG. The refrigerator system 102 includes a GM refrigerator 4 and a compressor unit 110 connected to the GM refrigerator 4 by two flexible pipes 8 and 9.

  The compressor unit 110 includes a compression capsule 111, a high-pressure side pipe 13, a low-pressure side pipe 14, an oil separator 15, an adsorber 16, a storage tank 17, a bypass mechanism 18, a power take-out unit 22, oil cooling A pipe 33, a cooling fluid pipe 34, and a bulk oil separator 160 are included. Bulk oil separator 160 separates oil from helium gas. The horizontal type compressor is described in detail in JP 2011-99669A.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the power take-out portion 22 can be provided between the oil cooling pipe 33 and the cooling fluid pipe 34 also in the horizontal type compressor.

(Modification 2)
In the embodiment, the GM refrigerator 4 has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the technical idea according to the present embodiment may be applied to a compressor that supplies operating gas to the refrigerator. Such a refrigerator may be, for example, a GM type or Stirling type pulse tube refrigerator, a Stirling refrigerator, or a Solvay refrigerator.

(Modification 3)
In the embodiment, the case where the cooling water of the cooling fluid pipe 34 is circulated by the power extracted by the power extraction unit 22 is described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the power extracted by the power extraction unit 22 may be used to generate power with a generator. In this case, even if the generator is driven by the second rotating body 44, the second rotating body 44 may be a part of the generator.

(Modification 4)
In the embodiment, the case where the first rotating body 42 and the second rotating body 44 of the power extraction unit 22 are formed in a substantially gear shape has been described, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Various shapes are conceivable as the shapes of the first rotating body and the second rotating body of the power extraction unit.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the power take-out unit 122 and its surroundings according to a modification. The first rotating body 142 includes a first impeller 142a and a first magnet gear portion 142b. The 1st impeller 142a and the 1st magnet gear part 142b are integrally formed substantially coaxially, and rotate simultaneously. The first rotating body 142 is disposed in the oil cooling pipe 33 so that the rotation shaft R3 of the first impeller 142a and the first magnet gear portion 142b is substantially orthogonal to the direction in which the oil flows. The second rotating body 144 includes a second impeller 144a and a second magnet gear portion 144b. The second impeller 144a and the second magnet gear portion 144b are configured similarly to the first impeller 142a and the first magnet gear portion 142b, respectively. The second rotating body 144 is a cooling fluid pipe so that the rotation shaft R4 of the second impeller 144a and the second magnet gear portion 144b substantially overlaps the rotation shaft R3 of the first impeller 142a and the first magnet gear portion 142b. 34.

  When the first impeller 142a and then the first magnet gear portion 142b rotate in response to the oil flow, the rotational force is transmitted to the second magnet gear portion 144b via the magnetic force, and the second magnet gear portion 144b and then the second blade. The car 144a rotates. The second impeller 144a circulates by cooling the cooling fluid piping 34.

  Any combination of the above-described embodiments and modifications is also useful as an embodiment of the present invention. The new embodiment generated by the combination has the effects of the combined embodiment and the modified examples. In addition, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the functions to be fulfilled by the constituent elements described in the claims are realized by the individual constituent elements shown in the embodiments and the modified examples or by their linkage. . For example, the oil circulation line described in the claims may be realized including the oil cooling pipe 33. Further, for example, the gas line recited in the claims may be realized including the high-pressure side pipe 13 and the low-pressure side pipe 14. Further, for example, the cooling fluid circulation line described in the claims may be realized including the cooling fluid pipe 34.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Compressor unit, 22 Power take-out part, 42 1st rotary body, 44 2nd rotary body, 110 Compressor unit, 122 Power take-out part, 142 1st rotary body, 144 2nd rotary body.

Claims (4)

A compressor unit that compresses the gas returning from the refrigerator and supplies the compressed gas to the refrigerator,
A compressor body for compressing gas;
An oil circulation line provided separately from a gas line for circulating gas between the compressor body and the refrigerator, and for circulating oil for cooling the compressor body;
A compressor unit comprising: a power extraction unit for extracting power from a flow of oil circulating in the oil circulation line. The power take-out part is
A first rotating body that rotates by the flow of oil circulating in the oil circulation line;
2. The compressor unit according to claim 1, further comprising: a second rotating body that is disposed in contact with the first rotating body and configured to rotate based on the rotation of the first rotating body. . A cooling fluid circulation line for circulating the cooling fluid;
The cooling fluid circulation line performs heat exchange with the oil circulation line to cool the oil circulation line,
The compressor unit according to claim 2, wherein the second rotating body is used as a drive source for circulating a cooling fluid. A refrigerator that uses gas,
A compressor unit that compresses the gas returning from the refrigerator and supplies the compressed gas to the refrigerator,
The compressor unit is
A compressor body for compressing gas;
An oil circulation line provided separately from a gas line for circulating gas between the compressor body and the refrigerator, and for circulating oil for cooling the compressor body;
And a power extractor for extracting power from the oil flow circulating in the oil circulation line.

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