JP2020193763A - Cooling apparatus and cooling system - Google Patents

Abstract

To cool a coolant stably even when a state of an atmosphere in a heat exchanger is changed in the case of accelerating cooling of the coolant circulating in the heat exchanger by evaporation heat at the time of evaporation of water, and to reduce operation costs excellently.SOLUTION: A cooling apparatus includes: a heat exchanger in which a coolant used for cooling circulates in the inside; a water-sprinkling mechanism for sprinkling water to the heat exchanger so as to adhere water on the surface of the heat exchanger; a blowing mechanism for blowing air to the heat exchanger; and a controller for controlling the water-sprinkling mechanism and the blowing mechanism. The controller performs water vapor amount control of controlling at least one of the water-sprinkling mechanism and the blowing mechanism in a direction where a water vapor amount of an atmosphere in the heat exchanger approaches a saturated water vapor amount of the atmosphere, based on a determination factor determining a saturated water vapor amount.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a cooling device for cooling a heat exchanger and a cooling system including the cooling device.

The cooling device used for air conditioning, refrigeration, etc. includes, for example, a cooling unit that cools the object to be cooled by a refrigerant, and a heat exchanger that cools the refrigerant that has been heated for cooling by exchanging heat with the outside air or the like. Efficient heat exchange of the refrigerant in the heat exchanger is desirable from the viewpoint of reducing the operating cost of the cooling device. Therefore, for example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, pure water obtained by treating water by reverse osmosis membrane treatment or the like is sprinkled on an outdoor unit in which a heat exchanger of a cooling device is housed. It is known that the heat of vaporization when the water evaporates promotes the cooling of the refrigerant flowing through the heat exchanger while preventing foreign matter in the water from adhering to the outdoor unit.

JP-A-2010-243144

The cooling effect of the heat of vaporization of water varies depending on the amount of water evaporated. The amount of water evaporation varies depending on the state of the atmosphere in which the water is sprinkled. Therefore, in the above configuration, it may be difficult to stably maintain the heat exchange rate of the refrigerant due to changes in the atmosphere of the heat exchanger. This problem becomes remarkable when the cooling device is operated for a long time, when a plurality of cooling devices are driven, and the like.

Therefore, in the present invention, when the heat of vaporization when water evaporates promotes the cooling of the refrigerant flowing in the heat exchanger, the refrigerant is stably cooled even if the atmosphere of the heat exchanger changes. At the same time, the purpose is to be able to satisfactorily reduce the operating cost of the cooling device.

In order to solve the above problems, the cooling device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a heat exchanger in which the refrigerant used for cooling flows inside, and the heat so that water adheres to the surface of the heat exchanger. A sprinkler mechanism for sprinkling water on the exchanger, a blower mechanism for blowing air on the heat exchanger, and a controller for controlling the sprinkler mechanism and the blower mechanism are provided, and the controller comprises a saturated water vapor amount. The amount of water vapor that controls at least one of the sprinkling mechanism and the blowing mechanism is performed in a direction in which the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere of the heat exchanger approaches the saturated water vapor amount in the atmosphere, based on the determinant that determines the above. ..

According to the above configuration, the controller controls the amount of water vapor, so that the amount of evaporation of water sprinkled on the heat exchanger can be appropriately set according to the state of the atmosphere of the heat exchanger. As a result, the amount of water evaporating from the heat exchanger can be brought close to the maximum amount that can be evaporated at that time, and the cooling effect of the heat exchanger by the heat of vaporization of water can be maximized. Further, when the controller controls the amount of water vapor, the amount of water sprinkled and the amount of air blown to the heat exchanger can be appropriately set. As a result, the amount of water used and power consumption can be reduced. Therefore, even if the atmosphere of the heat exchanger fluctuates, the refrigerant can be stably cooled and the operating cost of the cooling device can be satisfactorily reduced.

The controller may control the amount of water vapor based on the formula 1.
[Equation 1]
a (T) = (217 × e (T)) / (T + 273.15)
However, T is the temperature of the atmosphere [° C.], a (T) is the saturated water vapor amount [g / m ³ ] at the temperature T, and e (T) is the saturated water vapor pressure [hPa] in the air at the temperature T.

The controller may control the amount of water vapor based on the formulas 2 and 3.
[Equation 2]
P _WS = Pc × exp {(A × x + B × x ^1.5 + C × x ³ + D × x ⁶ ) / (1-x)}
[Equation 3]
x = 1-T0 / Tc
However, P _ws is Wagner's strict vapor pressure [kPa], Pc is the critical pressure of 22120 [kPa], Tc is the critical temperature of 647.3 [k], T0 is the absolute temperature [K], and A = -7. It is assumed that .76451, B = 1.45838, C = -2.7758, and D = -1.23303.
Based on each of these equations, the controller can accurately grasp the saturated water vapor amount in the atmosphere of the heat exchanger, and can appropriately control the water vapor amount.

The determinant may be at least one of air temperature, humidity and atmospheric pressure. Based on the factors that are relatively easy to measure in this way, the controller can quickly control the amount of water vapor.

The electric conductivity of the water sprinkled by the sprinkling mechanism may be set to a value in the range of 200 μS / cm or less. As a result, it is possible to prevent foreign matter having electrical conductivity from being mixed into the water sprinkled by the sprinkling mechanism, and it is possible to prevent the foreign matter from adhering to the heat exchanger due to sprinkling of water.

The water sprinkled by the sprinkling mechanism may be pure water treated by at least one of a reverse osmosis membrane separation treatment, an adsorption treatment, a distillation treatment, and an ion exchange treatment. As a result, the purity of the water sprinkled by the sprinkling mechanism can be further increased, and it is possible to prevent fine foreign substances in the water from adhering to the heat exchanger.

A pure water generation unit that generates the pure water may be further provided. As a result, the cooling device can be used alone without supplying pure water from the outside. Therefore, even if the atmosphere of the heat exchanger changes suddenly, it can be dealt with promptly.

A storage tank for storing water sprinkled by the sprinkling mechanism may be further provided. As a result, abundant pure water can be used by the cooling device alone. Therefore, even if the atmosphere of the heat exchanger changes, it can be quickly dealt with. In addition, the water production capacity of the pure water generation unit can be appropriately designed.

The wind blown by the blowing mechanism may be at least one of artificial wind and natural wind. As a result, the selection range of the air blown by the blower mechanism can be expanded, and the evaporation of water from the heat exchanger can be efficiently promoted.

A cooling unit that cools the object to be cooled by circulating the refrigerant inside, and a pipe that circulates the refrigerant between the cooling unit and the heat exchanger may be further provided. As a result, the cooling unit and the heat exchanger can be easily arranged separately. Therefore, water can be efficiently sprinkled on the heat exchanger while preventing water from splashing on the cooling unit.

A calculation unit that calculates the difference in power consumption between the case where the water vapor amount control is performed for a certain period and the case where the water vapor amount control is not performed for a certain period, and a display for displaying the calculation result of the calculation unit. A unit may be further provided. As a result, the effect of controlling the amount of water vapor in the controller can be visually recognized quickly and easily.

The cooling system according to one aspect of the present invention includes any of the above-mentioned plurality of cooling devices, and the air blown by the blowing mechanism of one of the plurality of cooling devices is cooled by the plurality of cooling devices. Exhaust discharged from one or more cooling devices of the device. As a result, the heat exchanger can be efficiently cooled by the heat of vaporization by utilizing the exhaust gas from another cooling device.

According to each aspect of the present invention, when the heat of vaporization when water evaporates promotes the cooling of the refrigerant flowing in the heat exchanger, the refrigerant is used even if the atmosphere of the heat exchanger changes. It can be cooled stably and the operating cost of the cooling device can be satisfactorily reduced.

It is the schematic of the cooling apparatus which concerns on embodiment. It is a functional block diagram of the cooling device of FIG. It is a schematic diagram which shows a part of the cooling system which concerns on 2nd Embodiment.

Hereinafter, each embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

(First Embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the cooling device 1 according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the cooling device 1 of FIG. The cooling device 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is an air conditioner and is a heat pump type. The cooling device 1 includes an indoor unit 2, an outdoor unit (chiller) 3, a controller 4, and two pipes L1 and L2. The pipes L1 and L2 circulate the refrigerant between the indoor unit 2 and the outdoor unit 3. A pump P1 is provided in the middle of the pipe L1.

The indoor unit 2 is arranged in the room R, and the outdoor unit 3 is arranged outside the room R. The indoor unit 2 has a cooling unit 21 that cools the object to be cooled by circulating a refrigerant inside, and a display unit 22 that displays the calculation result of the calculation unit 41 described later. The cooling unit 21 has an introduction port connected to the pipe L1 and into which the refrigerant is introduced from the pipe L1 and a discharge port connected to the pipe L2 and discharging the refrigerant toward the pipe L2. The cooling target of the present embodiment is the air in the room R.

The outdoor unit 3 includes a heat exchanger 30, a sprinkler mechanism 31, a blower mechanism 32, a pure water generator 33, a storage tank 34, a thermometer M1, a hygrometer M2, and a barometer M3. These components 30 to 34 and M1 to M3 are housed in the housing 35 of the outdoor unit 3. That is, the outdoor unit 3 is an integrated type in which the heat exchanger 30 and the sprinkler mechanism 31 are housed in the same housing 35.

A distribution channel S is provided inside the housing 35. The outside air taken in from the outside of the outdoor unit 3 circulates in the distribution channel S. The distribution channel S of the present embodiment extends linearly as an example. The distribution path S is arranged inside the housing 35 so that the flow of outside air is suppressed from being disturbed by the components of the outdoor unit 3 and the outside air can be efficiently brought into contact with the heat exchanger 30.

The heat exchanger 30 exchanges heat with the refrigerant flowing through the indoor unit 2 and the pipes L1 and L2. The refrigerant circulates inside the heat exchanger 30. As an example, the heat exchanger 30 has a conduit 36 that is arranged in a meandering manner to allow the refrigerant to flow. The conduit 36 is arranged so as to come into contact with the outside air flowing through the distribution path S and the pure water sprinkled by the sprinkling mechanism 31. The conduit 36 has an introduction port connected to the pipe L2 and into which the refrigerant is introduced from the pipe L2, and a discharge port connected to the pipe L1 and discharging the refrigerant toward the pipe L1.

The water sprinkling mechanism 31 sprinkles water on the heat exchanger 30 so that water adheres to the surface of the heat exchanger 30. The water sprinkling mechanism 31 has a pipe L3 extending from the storage tank 34, a pump P2 provided in the middle of the pipe L3, and a nozzle unit 37 provided at the downstream end of the pipe L3. The storage tank 34 stores water sprinkled by the sprinkling mechanism 31. The pump P2 supplies the water stored in the storage tank 34 to the nozzle unit 37 through the pipe L3.

The nozzle unit 37 is arranged so as to sprinkle water directly on the heat exchanger 30. As an example, the nozzle unit 37 has a plurality of nozzles and sprinkles water on the heat exchanger 30 from above the heat exchanger 30.

The blower mechanism 32 blows air to the heat exchanger 30. As a result, the blower mechanism 32 exchanges heat between the refrigerant in the heat exchanger 30 and the outside air. Further, the ventilation mechanism 32 promotes the evaporation of pure water sprinkled on the heat exchanger 30. In general, the evaporation rate and the amount of evaporation of water increase as the wind speed increases. Therefore, if the wind speed of the blower mechanism 32 is increased in a certain range, the cooling effect of the heat exchanger 30 by the heat of vaporization of water is improved.

The wind blown by the blower mechanism 32 is at least one of artificial wind and natural wind. The artificial wind referred to here refers to a mechanically generated wind. As an example, the blower mechanism 32 has a fan F and a drive unit 38 for driving the fan F. The operation of the drive unit 38 is controlled by the controller 4.

The controller 4 controls the sprinkler mechanism 31 and the blower mechanism 32. The controller 4 of the present embodiment further controls the pumps P1 and P2 and the display unit 22. The controller 4 has a calculation unit and a storage unit. As an example, the arithmetic unit is realized by a CPU, and the storage unit is realized by a ROM, RAM, and HDD. The storage unit stores a water sprinkling mechanism, a ventilation mechanism, and a predetermined control program for the calculation unit to control the display unit.

As shown in FIG. 2, output signals from the thermometer M1, the hygrometer M2, and the barometer M3 are input to the controller 4. The thermometer M1 measures the temperature of the gas introduced into the distribution path S. Further, the hygrometer M2 measures the humidity of the gas introduced into the distribution path S. The barometer M3 measures the atmospheric pressure of the gas introduced into the distribution path S.

Further, the command signal transmitted by the controller 4 to the blower mechanism 32 is fed back back to the controller 4, and the command signal is used for controlling the blower mechanism 32. The controller 4 controls the amount of water vapor described later according to the values of these output signals based on the control program, so that the cooling effect of the heat exchanger 30 obtained by the heat of vaporization of the water sprinkled by the sprinkling mechanism 31 is obtained. The state of the atmosphere of the heat exchanger 30 (in this embodiment, the atmosphere of the region where the gas flowing through the flow path S first contacts the heat exchanger 30 and the atmosphere in the vicinity thereof, on the upstream side of the heat exchanger 30. Optimize according to the atmosphere condition).

In the pure water generation unit 33, the water sprinkled by the sprinkling mechanism 31 is treated by at least one (here, all) of reverse osmosis (RO) membrane separation treatment, adsorption treatment, distillation treatment, and ion exchange treatment. Produces pure water. By using such pure water, the water used for watering the watering mechanism 31 can be maintained in high quality. As a result, in the present embodiment, the electric conductivity of the water sprinkled by the sprinkling mechanism 31 is set to a value in the range of 200 μS / cm or less. The electric conductivity of this water is more preferably 100 μS / cm or less, more preferably 20 μS / cm or less, and further preferably a value in the range of 10 μS / cm or less. As an example, the pure water generation unit 33 generates pure water from tap water. When performing the ion exchange treatment, the pure water generation unit 33 may have an electroregenerative deionization (EDI) device.

Since the cooling device 1 of the present embodiment is provided with such a pure water generation unit 33, the pure water generated by the pure water generation unit 33 is stored in the storage tank 34. In the storage tank 34, the pure water generation unit 33 is driven independently for each operation of the water sprinkling mechanism 31 and the ventilation mechanism 32, so that the pure water generated by the pure water generation unit 33 is stored. As a result, it is prevented that the amount of water is insufficient when the watering mechanism 31 sprinkles water.

During the operation of the cooling device 1, the pure water generation unit 33 generates pure water and stores it in the storage tank 34. Further, the refrigerant used for cooling by the cooling unit 21 is sent to the heat exchanger 30 through the pipe L2. Further, the outside air taken in from the outside of the outdoor unit 3 is circulated through the distribution path S so as to come into contact with the surface of the heat exchanger 30 by the fan F of the blower mechanism 32. As a result, the refrigerant circulating in the heat exchanger 30 exchanges heat with the outside air. The outside air used for heat exchange and passing through the distribution path S is discharged from the outdoor unit 3.

Further, in the housing 35 of the outdoor unit 3, the controller 4 drives the pump P2 at a predetermined timing, so that the pure water supplied from the storage tank 34 by the watering mechanism 31 is brought to the surface of the heat exchanger 30. It is sprinkled so that water adheres. The water adhering to the surface of the heat exchanger 30 evaporates. The heat of vaporization accompanying the evaporation of water cools the heat exchanger 30 and promotes the cooling of the refrigerant flowing in the heat exchanger 30.

The cooling effect of the refrigerant due to the heat of vaporization of water increases as the amount of evaporation of water increases, and decreases as the amount of evaporation of water decreases. For example, when a gas (outside air in this embodiment) circulates so as to come into contact with water adhering to the surface of the heat exchanger 30, the amount of water evaporation increases as the wind speed of the gas increases. In the present embodiment, the blowing mechanism 32 increases the wind speed of the gas to be blown, thereby increasing the cooling effect of the refrigerant by the heat of vaporization of water. After passing through the heat exchanger 30, the refrigerant cooled by the heat exchanger 30 is supplied to the cooling unit 21 again through the pipe L1 and used for cooling the object to be cooled.

Here, the effect of cooling the heat exchanger 30 by the heat of vaporization of water varies depending on the state of the atmosphere of the heat exchanger 30 (for example, the atmosphere in the distribution path S in this embodiment). The amount of water vapor in the atmosphere of the heat exchanger 30 varies depending on a determinant that determines the amount of saturated water vapor.

Therefore, the controller 4 has at least one of the sprinkler mechanism 31 and the blower mechanism 32 in the direction in which the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere of the heat exchanger 30 approaches the amount of saturated water vapor in the atmosphere based on a determinant that determines the amount of saturated water vapor. The amount of water vapor is controlled to control the heat. This determinant is at least one of temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure.

Specifically, the controller 4 grasps the value of this determinant from the output signals of the thermometer M1, the hygrometer M2, and the barometer M3.
Further, the controller 4 controls the amount of water vapor based on the following equation 1.
[Equation 1]
a (T) = (217 × e (T)) / (T + 273.15)
However, T is the temperature of the atmosphere [° C.], a (T) is the saturated water vapor amount [g / m ³ ] at the temperature T, and e (T) is the saturated water vapor pressure [hPa] in the air at the temperature T.

Further, in the present embodiment, the calculation unit 41 calculates the difference in power consumption between the case where the water vapor amount is controlled for a certain period and the case where the water vapor amount is not controlled for a certain period. The display unit 22 displays the calculation result of the calculation unit 41. As a result, the user can easily confirm the effect of reducing the power consumption by controlling the amount of water vapor just by looking at the display content of the display unit 22. The reduction effect in this case may be displayed, for example, as a converted amount obtained by converting the power consumption into a monetary amount. Further, the fixed period referred to here can be appropriately set, but can be set to any one of, for example, 1 to several days, 1 to several months, and 1 to several years.

Further, in the present embodiment, the water sprinkling mechanism 31 sprinkles water on the heat exchanger 30 so as to propagate from above to below on the surface of the heat exchanger 30. The watering mechanism 31 sprinkles pure water from the nozzle unit 37 in the form of water droplets. As an example, the sprinkled pure water flows along the surface of the heat exchanger 30 to be cooled by the pure water from the upper end to the lower end. As a result, the heat of vaporization of the sprinkled water promotes cooling of a wide range of surfaces of the heat exchanger 30.

Here, when setting the watering mechanism 31, it is desirable to set the watering amount so that the watered pure water completely evaporates when it reaches the lower end of the heat exchanger 30, for example. Further, in order to enhance the cooling effect of pure water, it is desirable to set the longest length dimension (representative length dimension) of the region of the heat exchanger 30 in contact with pure water as long as possible as an example.

The controller 4 may control the amount of water vapor at regular time intervals. Further, the controller 4 continuously calculates the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere of the heat exchanger 30 based on the control program, and determines whether or not the difference between the calculated value and the saturated water vapor amount exceeds the permissible range. In this determination, the controller 4 may perform water vapor amount control when it is determined that the difference exceeds the permissible range.

Further, as a watering method of the watering mechanism 31, for example, pure water may be sprayed in a mist form, or pure water may be sprayed as running water. Further, the watering mechanism 31 may have a plurality of nozzle units 37. In this case, the nozzle unit 37 may be arranged so as to sprinkle water on the heat exchanger 30 from a plurality of directions.

Next, a specific content in which the controller 4 controls the sprinkling mechanism 31 and the blowing mechanism 32 in steam control will be illustrated. When steam control is performed by the controller 4, the lower the temperature of the atmosphere of the heat exchanger 30, the smaller the amount of water sprinkled and the larger the amount of air blown. Further, the controller 4 increases the amount of water sprinkled as the temperature of the atmosphere of the heat exchanger 30 increases.

Further, in the controller 4, the lower the humidity of the atmosphere of the heat exchanger 30, the larger the amount of water sprinkled and the appropriate the amount of air blown. Further, the controller 4 reduces the amount of water sprinkled as the humidity of the atmosphere of the heat exchanger 30 increases. Further, in the controller 4, the lower the atmospheric pressure in the atmosphere of the heat exchanger 30, the smaller the amount of water sprinkled and the larger the amount of air blown. Further, the controller increases the amount of water sprinkled as the atmospheric pressure in the atmosphere of the heat exchanger 30 increases.

By adjusting the watering amount and the air blowing amount in this way, the cooling effect of the heat exchanger 30 by the watering of the watering mechanism 31 is further improved. Further, depending on the state of the atmosphere of the heat exchanger 30, the wasteful amount of water sprinkled exceeding the evaporation amount of water and the power consumption due to the wasteful blowing are reduced.

In the controller 4, the lower the wind speed in the atmosphere of the heat exchanger 30, the smaller the amount of water sprinkled and the larger the amount of air blown. Further, in the controller 4, the higher the wind speed in the atmosphere of the heat exchanger 30, the larger the amount of water sprinkled and the smaller the amount of air blown. In this case, by providing an anemometer in the outdoor unit and inputting the input signal of the anemometer to the controller 4, the controller can grasp the wind speed of the atmosphere of the heat exchanger 30.

As described above, according to the cooling device 1, the controller 4 controls the amount of water vapor to evaporate the amount of water sprinkled on the heat exchanger 30 according to the state of the atmosphere of the heat exchanger 30. Can be set appropriately. As a result, the amount of water evaporating from the heat exchanger 30 can be brought close to the maximum amount that can be evaporated at that time, and the cooling effect of the heat exchanger 30 by the heat of vaporization of water can be maximized. Further, when the controller 4 controls the amount of water vapor, the amount of water sprinkled and the amount of air blown to the heat exchanger 30 can be appropriately set. As a result, the amount of water used and power consumption can be reduced. Therefore, even if the atmosphere of the heat exchanger 30 fluctuates, the refrigerant can be stably cooled and the operating cost of the cooling device 1 can be satisfactorily reduced.

Further, since the controller 4 controls the amount of water vapor based on the equation 1, the controller can appropriately control the amount of water vapor.

Further, in the present embodiment, the determinant is at least one of air temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure. Based on the factors that are relatively easy to measure in this way, the controller 4 can quickly control the amount of water vapor.

Further, the electric conductivity of the water sprinkled by the sprinkling mechanism 31 is set to a value in the range of 200 μS / cm or less. As a result, it is possible to prevent foreign matter having electrical conductivity from being mixed into the water sprinkled by the sprinkling mechanism 31, and it is possible to prevent the foreign matter from adhering to the heat exchanger 30 due to sprinkling of water.

The water sprinkled by the sprinkling mechanism 31 is pure water treated by at least one of a reverse osmosis membrane separation treatment, an adsorption treatment, a distillation treatment, and an ion exchange treatment. As a result, the purity of the water sprinkled by the sprinkling mechanism 31 can be further increased, and it is possible to prevent fine foreign substances in the water from adhering to the heat exchanger 30.

Further, the cooling device 1 includes a pure water generation unit 33 that generates pure water. As a result, the cooling device 1 can be used alone without supplying pure water from the outside. Therefore, even if the state of the atmosphere of the heat exchanger 30 suddenly changes, it can be quickly dealt with. In addition, the water production capacity of the pure water generation unit 33 can be appropriately designed.

Further, the cooling device 1 includes a storage tank 34 for storing water sprinkled by the sprinkling mechanism 31. As a result, abundant pure water can be used by the cooling device 1 alone. Therefore, even if the atmosphere of the heat exchanger 30 changes, it can be quickly dealt with.

Further, in the present embodiment, the wind blown by the blowing mechanism 32 is at least one of artificial wind and natural wind. As a result, the selection range of the air blown by the blower mechanism 32 can be expanded, and the evaporation of water from the heat exchanger 30 can be efficiently promoted.

Further, the cooling device 1 includes a cooling unit 21 that cools the object to be cooled by circulating a refrigerant inside, and pipes L1 and L2 that circulate the refrigerant between the cooling unit 21 and the heat exchanger 30. As a result, the cooling unit 21 and the heat exchanger 30 can be easily arranged apart from each other. Therefore, water can be efficiently sprinkled on the heat exchanger 30 while preventing water from being applied to the cooling unit 21.

Further, the cooling device 1 has a calculation unit 41 for calculating the difference in power consumption between the case where the water vapor amount is controlled for a certain period and the case where the water vapor amount is not controlled for a certain period, and the calculation result of the calculation unit 41. Is provided with a display unit 22 for displaying. As a result, the effect of controlling the amount of water vapor in the controller 4 can be visually recognized quickly and easily.

[Modification example]
The controller 4 according to the first modification controls the amount of water vapor based on the following equations 2 and 3. Equation 2 is also referred to as a Wagner equation.
[Equation 2]
P _WS = Pc × exp {(A × x + B × x ^1.5 + C × x ³ + D × x ⁶ ) / (1-x)}
[Equation 3]
x = 1-T0 / Tc
However, P _ws is Wagner's strict vapor pressure [kPa], Pc is the critical pressure of 22120 [kPa], Tc is the critical temperature of 647.3 [k], T is the absolute temperature, and A = -7.76451. , B = 1.45838, C = -2.7758, D = −1.23303.

The controller 4 according to the second modification controls the amount of water vapor based on the following equation 4. Equation 4 is also referred to as the Tetens equation.
[Equation 4]
e (T) = 6.1078 × 10 ^{{7.5 × T / (T + 273.3)}}
However, e (T) is the saturated water vapor pressure [hPa] in the air at the temperature T, and T is the temperature [° C.].
Also in the first and second modifications, the controller 4 can appropriately control the amount of water vapor as in the first embodiment.

The cooling device according to the third modification does not include a thermometer M1, a hygrometer M2, and a barometer M3. Each value of the temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure of the atmosphere is input to the controller 4 by wireless communication or wired communication from the outside. As each of these values, for example, information provided through the Internet can be used. The controller 4 controls the amount of water vapor based on each of these input values. The same effect as that of the first embodiment can be expected from the third modification.

The determinant that determines the saturated water vapor amount is also a factor that determines the saturated water vapor pressure. The direction in which the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere of the heat exchanger 30 approaches the saturated vapor pressure in the atmosphere is substantially the same as the direction in which the vapor pressure in the atmosphere of the heat exchanger 30 approaches the saturated vapor pressure in the atmosphere. That is, in the water vapor pressure control of the present embodiment, the water sprinkling mechanism 31 and the blower are used in the direction in which the vapor pressure in the atmosphere of the heat exchanger 30 approaches the saturated vapor pressure in the atmosphere based on the determinant that determines the saturated vapor pressure. It also includes controlling at least one of the mechanisms 32. Hereinafter, other embodiments will be described focusing on differences from the first embodiment.

(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a part of the cooling system 101 according to the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the cooling system 101 includes a plurality of cooling devices 1. The downstream end of the introduction pipe L4 for introducing gas is connected to the inlet of the distribution path S of each cooling device 1, and the upstream end of the discharge pipe L5 for discharging gas is connected to the outlet. The upstream end of each introduction pipe L4 and the downstream end of each discharge pipe L5 are connected to the common pipe L6.

In the middle of the introduction pipe L4, there is a first introduction mode in which the introduction destination of the gas flowing in the introduction pipe L4 is the common pipe L6 and a second introduction mode in which the introduction destination is the outside of the outdoor unit 3. A switching valve V1 for switching is provided. In the middle of the discharge pipe L5, there is a first discharge mode in which the discharge destination of the gas flowing in the discharge pipe L5 is the common pipe L6 and a second discharge mode in which the discharge destination is the outside of the outdoor unit 3. A switching valve V2 for switching is provided. The switching operation of the valves V1 and V2 is individually controlled by the controller 4 of each cooling device 1.

In this cooling system 101, the air blown by the blower mechanism 32 of the cooling device 1 of the plurality of cooling devices 1 is exhausted from the other one or more cooling devices 1 of the plurality of cooling devices. Is.

When driving the cooling system 101, as an example, one of the plurality of cooling devices 1 (hereinafter referred to as cooling device A) sets the valve V1 to the second introduction mode by the controller 4. The valve V2 is set to the first discharge mode. Further, one or more cooling devices 1 (hereinafter referred to as cooling devices B) among the plurality of cooling devices 1 set the valve V1 to the first introduction mode by the controller 4, and set the valve V2 to the second introduction mode. Set to discharge mode.

As a result, the exhaust from the cooling device B circulates through the discharge pipe L5 and the common pipe L6, and then flows through the introduction pipe L4 of the cooling device A. Exhaust gas from the cooling device B circulates in the distribution path S of the cooling device A. The water adhering to the heat exchanger 30 is evaporated by the exhaust gas flowing through the distribution path S. The heat of vaporization of water at this time promotes cooling of the refrigerant flowing in the heat exchanger 30. The exhaust gas that has passed through the distribution path S of the cooling device A is discharged to the outside of the cooling device A.

Since water has a relatively large heat of vaporization (evaporation), even if the temperature of the gas in contact with water is relatively high, the cooling effect of the heat of vaporization of water can be sufficiently obtained. Therefore, even when the temperature of the exhaust gas flowing through the distribution path S is high to some extent, the cooling of the refrigerant flowing through the heat exchanger 30 can be promoted. Therefore, the exhaust gas discharged from the cooling device B may be returned to the common pipe L6 again, and the exhaust gas may be used to promote the cooling of the refrigerant of any of the cooling devices 1.

Further, in the cooling system 101, the controller 4 of each cooling device 1 grasps the temperature of the exhaust of the other cooling device 1 from the output signal from the thermometer M1, and the temperature of the exhaust can be introduced into the distribution path S. The valves V1 and V2 may be controlled so as to introduce the exhaust from the cooling device 1 into the flow path S. As a result, the heat exchanger 30 can be efficiently cooled by the heat of vaporization by utilizing the exhaust gas from another cooling device.

(Third Embodiment)
The cooling target of the cooling device of the third embodiment is the air in a store such as a convenience store. The controller 4 performs cooling control for promoting cooling of the heat exchanger 30 by controlling at least one of the sprinkler mechanism 31 and the blower mechanism 32 based on an influential factor that affects the sales profit of the store.

Influential factors based on the controller 4 performing cooling control include, for example, the number of people including the clerk and the customer in the store, the age and facial expression of the customer (degree of discomfort, etc.) obtained by performing face recognition of the customer. ), Customer's clothing (degree of light clothing, etc.) obtained by performing customer image recognition, number of times the refrigerator or freezer door is opened and closed, expected number of visitors, weather forecast information, product inventory, etc. However, it is not limited to this.

According to the cooling device of the third embodiment, the operating cost of the cooling device can be reduced as in the first embodiment, and the air in the store is made comfortable to promote the purchase motivation of the customer and sell the store. Can contribute to profits. Note that the controller 4 compares the sales profit when cooling control is performed based on these influencing factors at a predetermined timing with the target value, and when the comparison result deviates from the predetermined reference range, The content of the cooling control may be changed so that the amount of deviation is small.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and its configuration can be changed, added, or deleted without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The formula based on the control of the water vapor amount by the controller 4 is not limited to the above formulas 1 to 4, and may be other formulas. Further, the heat exchanger 30 may be of a panel type, for example, or may be of a type having at least one fin capable of contacting the outside air and pure water.

Further, in addition to the thermometer M1, the hygrometer M2, and the barometer M3, instruments such as the thermometer m1, the hygrometer m2, and the barometer m3 may be arranged in the immediate vicinity of the heat exchanger 30. In this case, the controller 4 may control the amount of water vapor in consideration of the value of the output signal from this instrument.

Further, instead of the pump P2, a valve capable of adjusting the flow rate of pure water flowing through the pipe L3 may be used. The valve opening / closing operation in this case is controlled by the controller 4. The water sprinkling mechanism 31 may sprinkle water on the heat exchanger 30 from the outside of the housing 35 of the outdoor unit 3. Further, the sprinkling mechanism 31 may have a configuration in which the surplus water sprinkled on the heat exchanger 30 is recovered and used again for sprinkling.

Further, the watering device 31 does not have to sprinkle water so as to directly adhere the water to the heat exchanger 30, for example, the water droplets are moved by the wind blown by the blower mechanism 32 to adhere the water to the heat exchanger 30. You may let me. Further, the distribution channel S does not have to extend linearly, and may extend in a curved line.

Further, the blower mechanism 32 may mechanically generate wind by a configuration other than the fan F. Further, the ventilation mechanism 32 may have, for example, a distribution path S for circulating natural air toward the heat exchanger and a valve for adjusting the flow rate of the outside air flowing through the distribution path S. In this case, the valve opening / closing operation is controlled by the controller 4.

Further, the positions of the fan F and the nozzle unit 37 in the distribution direction of the outside air of the distribution path S can be appropriately set. For example, in the distribution direction, the fan F may be arranged on the upstream side and the nozzle unit 37 may be arranged on the downstream side, or the fan F and the nozzle unit 37 may be arranged in the opposite direction.

Further, the cooling device of the first and second embodiments is an air conditioner for indoor use, but may be an air conditioner for other purposes, a refrigerating device, a refrigerating device, or a mold cooling device or a machine in molding. It may be a cooling device such as an operating heat cooling system. The refrigerating device, refrigerating device, and cooling device may be, for example, for home use, for business use, or for industrial use.

L1, L2 Piping 1, A, B Cooling device 4 Controller 21 Cooling unit 22 Display unit 30 Heat exchanger 31 Water sprinkling mechanism 32 Blower mechanism 33 Pure water generation unit 34 Storage tank 41 Calculation unit 101 Cooling system

Claims (12)

A heat exchanger in which the refrigerant used for cooling flows inside,
A watering mechanism that sprinkles water on the heat exchanger so that water adheres to the surface of the heat exchanger.
A ventilation mechanism that blows air to the heat exchanger,
A controller for controlling the watering mechanism and the blowing mechanism is provided.
The controller is at least one of the sprinkler mechanism and the blower mechanism in a direction in which the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere of the heat exchanger approaches the amount of saturated water vapor in the atmosphere based on a determinant that determines the amount of saturated water vapor. A cooling device that controls the amount of water vapor. The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls the amount of water vapor based on the formula 1.
[Equation 1]
a (T) = (217 × e (T)) / (T + 273.15)
However, T is the temperature of the atmosphere [° C.], a (T) is the saturated water vapor amount [g / m ³ ] at the temperature T, and e (T) is the saturated water vapor pressure [hPa] in the air at the temperature T. The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls the amount of water vapor based on the formulas 2 and 3.
[Equation 2]
P _WS = Pc × exp {(A × x + B × x ^1.5 + C × x ³ + D × x ⁶ ) / (1-x)}
[Equation 3]
x = 1-T0 / Tc
However, P _ws is Wagner's strict vapor pressure [kPa], Pc is the critical pressure of 22120 [kPa], Tc is the critical temperature of 647.3 [k], T0 is the absolute temperature [K], and A = -7. It is assumed that .76451, B = 1.45838, C = -2.7758, and D = -1.23303. The cooling device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the determinant is at least one of air temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure. The cooling device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the electric conductivity of the water sprinkled by the sprinkling mechanism is set to a value in the range of 200 μS / cm or less. Any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the water sprinkled by the sprinkling mechanism is pure water treated by at least one of a reverse osmosis membrane separation treatment, an adsorption treatment, a distillation treatment, and an ion exchange treatment. The cooling device according to item 1. The cooling device according to claim 6, further comprising a pure water generating unit that generates the pure water. The cooling device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a storage tank for storing water sprinkled by the sprinkling mechanism. The cooling device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the air blown by the blowing mechanism is at least one of artificial wind and natural wind. A cooling unit that cools the object to be cooled by circulating the refrigerant inside,
The cooling device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising a pipe for circulating a refrigerant between the cooling unit and the heat exchanger. An arithmetic unit that calculates the difference in power consumption between the case where the water vapor amount control is performed for a certain period and the case where the water vapor amount control is not performed for a certain period.
The cooling device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising a display unit for displaying the calculation result of the calculation unit. The cooling device according to any one of claims 1 to 11 is provided.
A cooling system in which the air blown by the blower mechanism of one of the plurality of cooling devices is exhaust discharged from one or more of the other cooling devices of the plurality of cooling devices.

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