JP4286042B2 - Ice thermal storage air conditioner - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an ice heat storage air conditioner, and more particularly to a water level sensor that detects the water level of an ice heat storage tank.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, an ice heat storage air conditioner has an ice heat storage tank for storing water or ice, and the ice in the ice heat storage tank is frozen to produce ice. Since the water level rises, the ice making amount is calculated and set based on the width of the water level rise.
[0003]
During the ice making operation, the ice making operation is terminated when a preset ice making amount is reached, that is, when the water level reaches a preset position. Therefore, for example, a temperature sensor as a water level sensor is provided at a set water level position, and when the temperature sensor detects a low temperature below a predetermined temperature when the temperature sensor is immersed in water, the ice making is completed and the ice making operation is finished ( For example, Patent Document 1).
[0004]
Moreover, the conventional ice thermal storage type air conditioner employs the same type of ice thermal storage tank for a plurality of types of models having different air conditioning capabilities, and a different amount of ice making is set for each model. Therefore, a water level position for completion of ice making is set for each model, and a water level sensor is attached at a different position for each model. However, the amount of water injected is constant regardless of the model.
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-243215 [0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, in the ice heat storage type air conditioner as described above, the ice heat storage tanks having the same form are manufactured at the same time as a series of models even if the models have different air conditioning capabilities, and the position of the water level sensor is installed. However, if the model is different for each model, there is a risk of mounting the water level sensor in the wrong position.
[0007]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional problems, and in the case where an ice heat storage tank of the same form is mounted on a plurality of models, an ice heat storage type in which the mounting position of the water level sensor is correctly attached. An object is to provide an air conditioner.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, an invention according to claim 1 includes an ice heat storage tank for storing water or ice, a heat storage heat exchanger disposed in a submerged state in the ice heat storage tank, and a water level position at completion of ice making. In the ice heat storage type air conditioner, the ice storage operation is terminated when the water level sensor detects the water level of completion of ice making at the time of ice making operation. A U-shaped tube connected to the heat storage heat exchanger is arranged, and a plurality of bottomed cylindrical sensor fixtures are attached to the U-shaped tube at different heights. When the tank is used for a plurality of models with different ice making amounts, the height of the water level for completion of ice making is calculated in advance for each model, and the water level sensor is a sensor attachment that is the water level position for completion of ice making according to the model. Removably attached to And wherein the door.
[0010]
The invention according to claim 2 is the ice heat storage type air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the water level sensor is a temperature sensor for detecting temperature.
[0011]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the ice heat storage air conditioner according to the first or second aspect, the water level sensor is fixed in close contact with a refrigerant pipe through which a high-temperature refrigerant flows during ice making operation. To do.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0013]
1 to 3 are refrigerant circuit diagrams of an ice heat storage air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows a flow of refrigerant during ice making operation, and FIG. 2 shows refrigerant during ice cooling operation. FIG. 3 shows the flow of the refrigerant during the normal cooling operation.
[0014]
In FIG. 1, an ice heat storage air conditioner 1 includes an indoor unit 2 and an outdoor unit 3, and the indoor unit 2 and the outdoor unit 3 are connected by an inter-unit pipe including a gas refrigerant pipe 4 and a liquid refrigerant pipe 5. And further includes a control device 6.
[0015]
The indoor unit 2 includes an indoor heat exchanger 7, and both ends thereof are connected to the gas refrigerant 4 and the pipe liquid refrigerant pipe 5 of the inter-unit pipe.
[0016]
The outdoor unit 3 includes a compressor chamber 8 and an ice heat storage chamber 9 (see FIG. 4). The compressor chamber 8 includes an accumulator 12 and a four-way valve 13 via a refrigerant pipe on the suction side of the compressor 11. Are sequentially connected, and the four-way valve 13, the outdoor heat exchanger 14, and the outdoor expansion valve 15 are sequentially connected to the discharge side of the compressor 11 via a refrigerant pipe.
[0017]
The ice heat storage chamber 9 has an ice heat storage tank 16 in which a heat storage heat exchanger 17 is housed. A U-shaped refrigerant pipe (hereinafter referred to as a U-shaped pipe) 18, a heat storage expansion valve 19, On-off valve 21, second on-off valve 22, third on-off valve 23, first check valve 24, second check valve 25, indoor expansion valve 26 and two-way valve 27 are connected by a refrigerant pipe. .
[0018]
One end of the U-shaped pipe 18 is connected to the outdoor expansion valve 15 by a refrigerant pipe, the other end is branched into two, one of which is a heat storage expansion valve 19, a first on-off valve 21, and a first check valve 24. Are connected sequentially to the indoor expansion valve 26 and the liquid pipe 5 of the unit pipe, and the other is sequentially connected to the second on-off valve 22 and the second check valve 25, and further, the heat storage heat exchanger 17 and the two-way valve 27. And connected respectively. The other end of the heat storage heat exchanger 17 is connected between the heat storage expansion valve 19 and the first on-off valve 21, and the other end of the two-way valve 27 is connected between the gas pipe 4 of the unit pipe and the four-way valve 13. Is done. The U-tube 18 and the second on-off valve 22 are connected to the first check valve 24 and the indoor expansion valve 26 via a third on-off valve 23 through a refrigerant pipe.
[0019]
FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the inside of the outdoor unit, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing a longitudinal section of the ice heat storage tank.
[0020]
4 and 5, the ice heat storage tank 16 is filled with water as a secondary medium, and the heat storage heat exchanger 17 is disposed in a submerged state. During the ice making operation as the cold heat storage of the air conditioner 1, the liquid refrigerant as the primary medium from the outdoor heat exchanger 14 flows into the heat storage heat exchanger 17 and evaporates, whereby the heat storage heat exchanger Ice is formed on the outer periphery of the 17 refrigerant pipes. As water becomes ice, the water level rises in the ice heat storage tank 16. Further, at the time of cooling operation using ice as heat storage heat dissipation, high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant from the compressor 11 flows into the heat storage heat exchanger 17 and melts the ice adhering to the outer periphery of the heat storage heat exchanger 17. As the ice melts, the water level falls in the ice heat storage tank 16.
[0021]
Here, the ice heat storage type air conditioner 1 employs the ice heat storage tank 16 having the same configuration with three types of compressor output of 4, 5, 6 horsepower, and the outdoor unit 3 is a compressor Except for the output, it has almost the same form. In these three models, different ice making amounts are set for each model, the amount of water injected into the ice heat storage tank is made constant, and the water level at the completion of ice making is calculated and set for each model. A temperature sensor that detects the water temperature in contact with the rising water is used as a water level sensor for detecting the water level when the ice making is completed.
[0022]
Next, the temperature sensor, the sensor fixture to which the temperature sensor is attached, and the U-shaped tube for fixing the sensor fixture will be described.
[0023]
The U-shaped tube 18 is disposed in the upper portion of the ice heat storage tank 16, and three sensor fittings 31, 32, 33 made of copper and having a bottomed cylindrical shape are fixed to the U-shaped tube 18 by brazing. . These sensor fixtures 31, 32, and 33 have the same diameter and different lengths, and their bottom surfaces are adjusted to the water level position when ice making is completed according to the model. It is located above the water surface of the ice heat storage tank 16 during the ice making operation, and the bottom surface is immersed in water when the ice making operation is completed. Moreover, the sensor fixtures 31, 32, and 33 have good thermal conductivity, and easily transmit external heat to the inside.
[0024]
The temperature sensor 34 is connected to the control device 6 by a signal line, inserted from the upper opening of the sensor fixture 31 (or 32, 33), and the lower end of the temperature sensor 34 is connected to the sensor fixture 31 (or 32, 33) so as to be in contact with the bottom. Further, since the temperature sensor 34 can be detachably attached to the respective sensor fixtures 31, 32, 33, the temperature sensor 34 can be changed according to the model to be mounted. As a result, the amount of ice making set according to the model can be ensured, and can be easily reattached if a mistake is made.
[0025]
In the temperature sensor 34, the sensor fixtures 31, 32, 33 and the U-shaped pipe 18 configured as described above, the U-shaped pipe 18 has a high temperature flowing out from the outdoor heat exchanger 14 as a condenser during the ice making operation. (30-40 ° C.) The refrigerant flows, and the temperature sensor 34 is kept at a temperature higher than 5 ° C. even if it is low. If the water level of the heat storage tank 16 rises and the sensor fixtures 31, 32, 33 are immersed in water, the sensor fixtures 31, 32, 33 are cooled by this water, and the temperature sensor 34 detects a temperature of 5 ° C. or less. . When the temperature sensor 34 detects a temperature of 5 ° C. or less, the detected temperature is transmitted to the control device 6, and the control device 6 recognizes that ice making is completed. As a result, the control device 6 stops the operation of the compressor 11 and ends the ice making operation.
[0026]
The control device 6 switches and switches the four-way valve 13 for operation and stop of the compressor 11, cooling operation or heating operation, the degree of opening of the outdoor expansion valve 15, the heat storage expansion valve 19 and the indoor expansion valve 26, and The opening / closing operations of the first opening / closing valve 21, the second opening / closing valve 22, the third opening / closing valve 23, and the two-way valve 27 are controlled.
[0027]
The air conditioner is controlled by the control device 6, and ice making operation, ice cooling operation, normal cooling operation, hot water heat storage operation, hot water heating operation and normal heating operation are selected and executed.
[0028]
Next, the ice making operation, the ice-utilizing cooling operation, and the normal cooling operation will be described. In addition, description is abbreviate | omitted about warm water heat storage operation, warm water utilization heating operation, and normal heating operation.
[0029]
(A) Ice making operation (Fig. 1)
The cooling operation is stopped, ice is made in the ice heat storage tank 16, and ice heat storage is performed. In this case, the opening degree of the heat storage expansion valve 19 is controlled, the outdoor expansion valve 15 and the two-way valve 27 are opened, the first on-off valve 21, the second on-off valve 22, the third on-off valve 23, and the indoor expansion. The valve 26 is closed to form a path indicated by a thick line in FIG.
[0030]
The refrigerant discharged from the compressor 11 is the four-way valve 13 of the outdoor unit 3, the outdoor heat exchanger 14, the outdoor expansion valve (full open) 15, the heat storage expansion valve (opening control) 19, the heat storage heat exchanger 17, two-way It circulates through the valve 27, the four-way valve 13, and the accumulator 12 in order to return to the compressor 11. Accordingly, the outdoor heat exchanger 14 functions as a condenser and the heat storage heat exchanger 17 functions as an evaporator, and ice is formed in the ice heat storage tank 16.
[0031]
When ice is generated in the ice heat storage tank 16, the water level rises and the water level reaches the completion position of the ice making operation, the temperature sensor detects a temperature of 5 ° C. or lower indicating the completion of the ice making operation, and based on this detection result The control device 6 stops the compressor 11.
[0032]
As described above, the temperature sensor 34 is provided in close contact with the U-shaped pipe 18 through which the warm refrigerant condensed during the ice making operation flows, and at a position above the water surface during the ice making operation, and a position where the ice is submerged when the ice making is completed. Therefore, at least 5 ° C. is detected during the ice making operation, and 5 ° C. or less is detected when the ice making operation is completed. Due to the temperature change (temperature decrease) of the detected value, the control device 6 can recognize the completion of ice making and can stop the compressor 11.
[0033]
(B) Cooling operation using ice (Figure 2)
Using the ice in the ice heat storage tank 16, an ice-based cooling operation is performed. In this case, the outdoor expansion valve 15, the first on-off valve 21, the second on-off valve 22, and the third on-off valve 23 are opened, the opening degree of the indoor expansion valve 26 is controlled, and the heat storage expansion valve 19 and the two-way valve The valve 27 is closed and a path shown by a thick line in FIG. 2 is formed.
[0034]
The refrigerant discharged from the compressor 11 passes through the four-way valve 13, the outdoor heat exchanger 14, and the outdoor expansion valve (fully open) 15 of the outdoor unit 3 and enters the heat storage chamber 9 in order. The heat storage chamber 9 is branched into two, one leading to the indoor expansion valve (opening control) 26 via the third on-off valve 23, and the other on the second on-off valve 22, the second check valve 25, and heat storage heat exchange. It reaches the indoor expansion valve (opening control) 26 through the container 17, the first on-off valve 21, and the first check valve 24. The refrigerant joined by the indoor expansion valve 26 is depressurized by the indoor expansion valve 26, and circulates back to the compressor 11 through the indoor heat exchanger 7, the four-way valve 13, and the accumulator 12 in order. Thereby, the heat storage heat exchanger 17 functions as a condenser and the indoor heat exchanger 7 functions as an evaporator, respectively, and performs ice-based cooling operation using ice in the ice heat storage tank.
[0035]
(C) Normal cooling operation (Fig. 3)
When the temperature does not rise so much (eg, the cooling load is small) such as at night in summer, a normal cooling operation is performed. In this case, in the ice heat storage chamber 9, the third on-off valve 23 is opened, the opening of the indoor expansion valve 26 is controlled, and the heat storage expansion valve 19, the first on-off valve 21, and the second on-off valve 22 are closed. By operating, a path shown by a thick line in FIG. 3 is formed.
[0036]
The refrigerant discharged from the compressor 11 circulates. The compressor 11 passes through the four-way valve 13, the outdoor heat exchanger 14, the outdoor expansion valve 15, the third on-off valve 23, the indoor expansion valve 26, the indoor heat exchanger 7, the four-way valve 13, and the accumulator 12 in this order. Cycle to return to. As a result, the outdoor heat exchanger 14 functions as a condenser and the indoor heat exchanger 7 functions as an evaporator, and a normal cooling operation that does not use ice in the ice heat storage tank 16 is performed.
[0037]
As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated based on one Embodiment, this invention is not limited to this, It can change in the range which does not deviate from a summary.
[0038]
In the present embodiment, the ice heat storage tank 16 having the same form is employed in three types of models having different ice making amounts, but may be employed in two types or four or more types.
[0039]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the ice heat storage type air conditioner of the present invention calculates and sets the water level position at the time of completion of ice making for each model when the ice heat storage tank is used for a plurality of models with different ice making amounts, Since the sensor attachment is provided at the water level and the water level sensor is detachably attached to the sensor attachment, it is possible to select the ice making amount according to each model and to easily change the ice making amount. it can.
[0040]
Moreover, since the amount of ice making can be easily changed even after the manufacture of the outdoor unit is completed, the efficiency of the manufacturing process can be improved and the complexity of installing the air conditioner can be reduced.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a refrigerant circuit diagram of an ice regenerative air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the flow of refrigerant during an ice making operation.
FIG. 2 is a refrigerant circuit diagram of FIG. 1 and shows a refrigerant flow during an ice-based cooling operation.
3 shows the flow of refrigerant during normal cooling operation in the refrigerant circuit diagram of FIG.
FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the inside of the outdoor unit.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing a longitudinal section of an ice heat storage tank.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ice heat storage type air conditioner 2 Indoor unit 3 Outdoor unit 6 Control device 7 Indoor heat exchanger 11 Compressor 14 Outdoor heat exchanger 15 Outdoor expansion valve 16 Ice heat storage tank 17 Heat storage heat exchanger 18 U-shaped refrigerant pipe 19 Thermal storage expansion Valve 21 First on-off valve 22 Second on-off valve 23 Third on-off valve 26 Indoor expansion valves 31, 32, 33 Sensor fixture 34 Temperature sensor (water level sensor)

Claims (3)

An ice heat storage tank for storing water or ice, a heat storage heat exchanger disposed in a submerged state in the ice heat storage tank, and a water level sensor provided at a water level position where ice making is completed, and during the ice making operation, the water level sensor In the ice heat storage air conditioner that ends the ice making operation when the water level of ice making is detected, a U-shaped tube connected to the heat storage heat exchanger is arranged in the upper part of the ice heat storage tank. A plurality of bottomed cylindrical sensor fixtures are attached to the character tube at different heights, and this changed height means that the ice heat storage tank is used for a plurality of models with different ice making quantities. The ice storage type is characterized in that the water level position for completion of ice making is calculated in advance, and the water level sensor is detachably attached to a sensor fixture that is the water level position for completion of ice making according to the model. Air conditioner. The ice heat storage type air conditioner according to claim 1 , wherein the water level sensor is a temperature sensor that detects temperature. The ice storage type air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 2 , wherein the sensor fixture is fixed in close contact with a refrigerant pipe through which a high-temperature refrigerant flows during ice making operation.

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