JP5341008B2 - COOLING DEVICE AND ENVIRONMENTAL TEST DEVICE HAVING THE SAME - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a cooling apparatus used for cooling a predetermined space such as a temperature-controlled room and an environmental test apparatus including the same.

  In the environmental test apparatus, in order to bring the constant temperature and humidity chamber in which the DUT is placed into a desired constant temperature and humidity state, for example, as shown in Patent Document 1, a heat exchanger for cooling and a heating chamber are used. It has a heater and a steam injector for humidification.

  The environmental test apparatus of Patent Document 1 includes a refrigeration system including a refrigerant tank for supplying cold water to the heat exchanger for cooling, and a refrigerator for supplying refrigerant to an evaporator in the refrigerant tank, By using the refrigerator, the water from the heat exchanger is cooled by exchanging heat in the refrigerant tank to be used for air cooling in the constant temperature and humidity chamber.

JP 2006-285454 A

  However, since the environmental test apparatus of Patent Document 1 does not include a heat storage tank in the refrigeration system, the operation time of the refrigerator becomes longer, and the temperature of the constant temperature and humidity chamber is the water temperature associated with the operation of the refrigerator being stopped. There was a difficulty that it was easily subject to instability due to direct fluctuations.

  Thus, for example, a cooling device for an environmental test apparatus that includes a cold water tank as shown in FIG. That is, in this cooling device, a water cooler 102 as a heat exchanger that cools the air in the constant temperature and humidity chamber 100, a heater 103a that is driven by the heating device 103 and heats the air in the constant temperature and humidity chamber 100, and a humidifier A steam injector 104 a that injects steam from 104 to humidify the air in the constant temperature and humidity chamber 100 is disposed. In the water cooler 102, cold water from the cold water tank 105 is separated by a cold water pump 106 through a flow-divided three-way valve 107. On the other hand, the cold water after heat exchange from the water cooler 102 and the cold water from the three-way valve 107 are cooled by exchanging heat with the heat exchanger 108 in the refrigeration cycle, and then returned to the cold water tank 105. . In this case, in the heat exchanger 108, heat is exchanged between the refrigerant from the refrigerator 109 and the water from the water cooler 102.

  In the cooling device 110 having such a configuration, the cold water tank 105 is large in order to store heat as cold water, and a large installation space is required. Furthermore, the three units of the cold water tank 105, the water cooler 102, and the heat exchanger 108 are provided, and piping / wiring work for connecting these units is required, which increases the cost.

  Further, in the cooling device 110, the temperature and humidity chamber 100 is in a desired temperature and humidity state based on the detection output of a humidity sensor and a temperature sensor (not shown) disposed in the temperature and humidity chamber 100 on the water cooler 102 side. The three-way valve 107 is controlled so that the amount of cold water in the cold water tank 105 supplied to the water cooler 102 is controlled. On the other hand, the refrigerator 109 is operated when the water temperature in the water tank 105 rises above the set temperature based on the detection output of a temperature sensor (not shown) disposed on the discharge side of the chilled water pump 106, and is stopped when it falls to the set temperature.

  Thus, since the refrigerator 109 is operated or stopped regardless of the temperature and humidity state in the constant temperature and humidity chamber 100, the refrigerator 109 can be refrigerated even if the temperature and humidity in the constant temperature and humidity chamber 100 are stable. As a result of the machine 109 being operated or stopped and the water temperature of the cold water tank 105 fluctuating, the amount of cold water supplied from the cold water tank 105 to the water cooler 102 must be changed, and the temperature and humidity in the constant temperature and humidity chamber 100 are inadequate. There is also a problem of becoming stable.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described points, and is intended to reduce the temperature fluctuation caused by the operation stop of the refrigerator as much as possible, and to make the whole compact and simplify piping and wiring. An object of the present invention is to provide a cooling device.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is configured as follows.

The cooling device of the present invention is a cooling device that supplies cold water to a heat exchanger for cooling the inside of a predetermined space, and an ice heat storage tank that is iced inside by a refrigerator and stores the melted water as cold water, A cushion tank that stores cold water from the ice heat storage tank and supplies the cold water to the heat exchanger, and controls the temperature of the cold water in the cushion tank to a set temperature of the cushion tank, controls the refrigerator, and the ice heat storage Control means for controlling the water level of the tank, and the ice heat storage tank and the cushion tank are partitioned by a first partition so that cold water can be supplied from the ice heat storage tank to the cushion tank in the same tank. and Ri Na constituted by chambers, the ice heat storage tank, and partitioned by a second partition part having a cold water passage downwards, between the ice thermal storage tank and said cushion tank, is disposed a buffer tank, The control means is the ice heat storage tank. When the refrigerator is controlled so that the temperature of the cold water becomes the set temperature of the ice heat storage tank, and cold water is not supplied from the ice heat storage tank to the cushion tank, the cold water passes through the first partition. Controlling the water level of the ice heat storage tank so that the cold water passes through the first partition when the cold water is supplied from the ice heat storage tank to the cushion tank. It is.

  The predetermined space may be a space that needs to be cooled, and is, for example, a constant temperature room, a constant temperature and humidity room, a refrigerator room, or the like.

  In the present invention, heat is stored in the ice heat storage tank instead of the cold water tank, so that the tank can be made small, and the heat exchanger is provided between the ice heat storage tank and the heat exchanger for cooling the predetermined space. Cushion tank for supplying cold water is provided, so even if the temperature of the cold water in the ice heat storage tank fluctuates due to the stoppage of the refrigerator, the cushion tank suppresses fluctuations in the temperature of the cold water supplied to the heat exchanger be able to.

  Furthermore, since the ice heat storage tank and the cushion tank are configured in the same tank, the entire cooling device can be made compact and piping and wiring can be simplified.

  Since the set temperature of the ice heat storage tank is determined according to the set temperature of the cushion tank in this way, it becomes possible to bring the water temperature of the ice heat storage tank close to the water temperature of the cushion tank. Mutual interference due to the difference in water temperature with the tank is suppressed, and the configuration of the partitioning part for partitioning both can be simplified.

  In the present invention, another preferable aspect is that the partition portion is composed of a partition plate erected from a tank bottom wall, and cold water from the ice heat storage tank to the cushion tank is supplied beyond the upper end of the partition plate. It is what

  The material of the partition plate is not particularly limited, and may be a heat insulating plate or a metal plate.

  In the present invention, another preferable aspect is that the partition plate is formed in a notch and a portion at a certain height or more from the tank bottom wall so that the amount of water supplied from the ice heat storage tank to the cushion tank gradually increases. At least one of the through holes is formed.

  The fixed height from the tank bottom wall is equal to or higher than the height of the upper end of the ice heat storage coil, which is a heat exchange part of the ice heat storage tank.

  As described above, since the amount of cold water supplied from the ice heat storage tank to the cushion tank gradually increases, a sudden change in the water temperature of the cushion tank can be suppressed.

In the present invention, the ice heat storage tank, and partitioned by a second partition part having a cold water passage downwards, between the ice thermal storage tank and said cushion tank, bubbling and thermal impact of the ice thermal storage tank A buffer tank that suppresses the influence on the cushion tank is disposed.

  The environmental testing apparatus of the present invention includes a temperature-controlled room and the cooling device of the present invention, and the temperature-controlled room is the predetermined space.

  According to the environmental test apparatus of the present invention, temperature fluctuations in the temperature-controlled room accompanying the stoppage of the refrigerator can be suppressed. In addition, since the ice heat storage tank and the cushion tank are configured in the same tank, the entire cooling device can be made compact and piping and wiring can be simplified.

  Thus, according to the present invention, since the cushion tank is provided between the ice heat storage tank and the heat exchanger, even if the temperature of the cold water in the ice heat storage tank fluctuates with the stop of the operation of the refrigerator. Variations in the temperature of the cold water supplied to the heat exchanger can be suppressed. In addition, since the ice heat storage tank and the cushion tank are configured in the same tank, the entire cooling device can be made compact and piping and wiring can be simplified.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an environmental test apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a view showing a modification of the second partitioning portion. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a conventional environmental test apparatus.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows an environmental test apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes a constant temperature and humidity chamber surrounded by a heat insulating material 11.

  The constant temperature and humidity chamber 10 is partitioned by a partition wall 12 into a test piece arrangement chamber 13 and an air conditioning passage 14. A humidity sensor 15 and a temperature sensor 16 are arranged in the test piece arrangement chamber 13. In the air conditioning passage 14, when the air temperature in the test piece arrangement chamber 13 is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, a water cooler (heat exchanger) 17 that cools the air in the test piece arrangement chamber 13 and the air temperature in the test piece arrangement chamber 13. When the temperature is below a predetermined temperature, the heating device 18 heats the air inside the test piece arrangement chamber 13, and when the humidity inside the test piece arrangement chamber 13 is below the predetermined humidity, steam is injected into the test piece arrangement chamber 13 into the air. A humidifier 19 to be mixed and a fan 20 for blowing air in the air conditioning passage 14 into the test piece arrangement chamber 13 are provided.

  In this embodiment, a shared tank 22 is provided, and the inside of the shared tank 22 is partitioned into two chambers 25 and 27 by a plate-like first partition 23. In the following description, the chamber 25 is called an ice heat storage tank, and the chamber 27 is called a cushion tank. Further, in the present embodiment, a buffer tank 26 is provided between the ice heat storage tank 25 and the cushion tank 27. The buffer tank 26 is formed by being partitioned from the cushion tank 27 by the first partition 23 and by being partitioned from the ice heat storage tank 25 by the second partition 24.

  The ice heat storage tank 25 and the buffer tank 26 are partitioned by a second partition portion 24 having a gap 28 serving as a cold water passage from the ice heat storage tank 25 to the buffer tank 26 on the lower end side 24a. Is opposed to the second partition 24 and is erected from the tank bottom wall 22a and is partitioned from the tank bottom wall 22a by a first partition 23 having a predetermined height.

  The height of the upper end side 23a of the first partition 23 from the tank bottom wall 22a is at least equal to or higher than the height H1 of the upper end of the ice heat storage coil 29, which is a heat exchange part in the ice heat storage tank 25. is necessary. The height is preferably set below the overflow pipe 50 provided on the cushion tank 27 side. The overflow pipe 50 is arranged slightly above the water level when the cold water pump 37 described later is not driven. Reference numeral 27 a denotes a suction port through which cold water is sucked from the cushion tank 27 by the cold water pump 37.

  The shape of the first partition 23 is preferably set so that a large amount of cold water is not supplied into the cushion tank 27 at a time when the cold water is supplied from the ice heat storage tank 25 side to the cushion tank 27. .

  In the ice heat storage tank 25, an ice heat storage coil (ice-on-coil) 29 is disposed, and an air bubbling tube (air bubble generating tube) 31 is disposed in the lower part. The air bubbling tube 31 has a large number of openings, and air that is forcibly supplied from an air blower (air blowing device) (not shown) rises from the large number of openings toward the outer periphery of the ice heat storage coil 29 in the form of air bubbles (air bubbles). Supply. The ice heat storage coil 29 is connected to the refrigerator 33. A temperature sensor 35 is disposed in the lower part of the ice heat storage tank 25.

  The control unit 36 including a microcomputer controls the operation stop of the refrigerator 33 according to the temperature detection signal of the temperature sensor 35, starts operation when the detected temperature becomes higher than the set temperature, and decreases to the set temperature. Stop operation. During operation, the refrigerant is supplied from the refrigerator 33 to the ice heat storage coil 29 to make ice on the surface of the ice heat storage coil 29. During this ice making, no air bubbles are generated from the air bubbling tube 31. Further, at the time of stopping, an air blower (not shown) is driven to generate air bubbles from the air bubbling tube 31, and the air heat storage tank 25 is stirred by the air bubbles to obtain a uniform temperature distribution. Dissolve to produce ice-dissolved water.

  This ice-dissolved water is supplied as cold water to the cushion tank 27 via the buffer tank 26.

  The cold water supplied to the cushion tank 27 is supplied by the cold water pump 37 to the input side opening 38 a of the split type first three-way valve 38. One output side opening 38 b of the first three-way valve 38 is connected to the water cooler 17, and the other output side opening 38 c is connected to the input side opening 39 a of the second three-way valve 39. One output side opening 39 b of the second three-way valve 39 is connected to the cushion tank 27, and the other output side opening 39 c is connected to the ice heat storage tank 25.

  The control unit 36 controls the first test chamber 13 so that the environment inside the test strip placement chamber 13 becomes a predetermined environment based on detection signals from the humidity sensor 15 and the temperature sensor 16 placed in the test strip placement chamber 13 in the constant temperature and humidity chamber 10. 1 The three-way valve 38 is controlled to supply the cold water in the cushion tank 27 to the water cooler 17. When the water cooler 17 is not used, the control unit 36 controls the first three-way valve 38 so that the cold water in the cushion tank 27 is not supplied to the water cooler 17, and all of the cold water is supplied to the second three-way valve 39. Supply.

  Moreover, the control part 36 controls the 2nd three-way valve 39 so that the water temperature in the cushion tank 27 may become preset temperature from the detection signal of the temperature sensor 42 arrange | positioned at the cold water pump 37 discharge side pipe line.

  On the other hand, the refrigerator 33 for storing heat in the ice heat storage tank 25 starts operation when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 35 becomes higher than the set temperature, and stops operation when the temperature decreases to the set temperature.

  In this embodiment, since the water temperature in the cushion tank 27 is controlled to be constant, even if the temperature of the cold water in the ice heat storage tank 25 fluctuates as the refrigerator 33 stops operating, That is, the temperature of the cold water supplied to the water cooler 17 can be controlled to be constant, thereby preventing the temperature of the constant temperature and humidity chamber 10 from fluctuating as the operation of the refrigerator 33 is stopped. .

  In this embodiment, as described above, in order to house the ice heat storage tank 25 and the cushion tank 27 in the common tank 22, the water temperature of the ice heat storage tank 25 is made closer to the water temperature of the cushion tank 27. .

  That is, the water temperature setting temperature of the ice heat storage tank 25 is not uniquely determined for heat storage, but is determined according to the water temperature setting temperature of the cushion tank 27. When the set temperature of the water temperature of the cushion tank 27 is determined according to the set temperature or the like in the test piece arrangement chamber 13, the set temperature of the ice heat storage tank 25 is determined according to the set temperature of the water temperature of the cushion tank 27. .

  With this setting, the water temperature of the ice heat storage tank 25 is made closer to the water temperature of the cushion tank 27, mutual interference due to the water temperature difference between the ice heat storage tank 25 and the cushion tank 27 is suppressed, and the ice heat storage tank 25 and the cushion tank 27 can be integrated, and the first partition 23 for partitioning both tanks 25 and 27 can also have a simple configuration, for example, a metal partition plate.

  Moreover, since the buffer tank 26 is formed by providing the 2nd partition part 24 between the ice thermal storage tank 25 and the cushion tank 27, it prevents that the bubbling of the ice thermal storage tank 25 affects the cushion tank 27. In addition, the ice heat storage tank 25 and the cushion tank 27 can be insulated to further reduce interference due to a temperature difference.

  Since the cushion tank 27 and the ice heat storage tank 25 are configured by partitioning the inside of the same tank 22 with the partition portion 23 in this manner, the cushion tank 27 and the ice heat storage tank 25 are configured as separate tanks. Thus, the size of the cooling device and the complicated piping and wiring can be eliminated.

  Next, a desirable shape of the first partition 23 will be described with reference to FIG. The water surface height (water level) of the cold water B in the cushion tank 27 needs to be at least equal to or higher than the upper end height of the ice heat storage coil 29, which is a heat exchange part in the ice heat storage tank 25.

  The cold water in the ice heat storage tank 25 enters the cushion tank 27 beyond the upper end side 23 a of the first partition 23.

  In such a case, if a large amount of cold water having a very low temperature enters the cushion tank 27 from the ice heat storage tank 25 at a time, the water temperature in the cushion tank 27 rapidly decreases, and the water temperature in the cushion tank 27 is reduced. Cannot be controlled stably.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, the shape of the upper end side 23a of the first partition part 23 may gradually enter cold water so that a large amount of cold water having a low temperature from the ice heat storage tank 25 does not enter the cushion tank 27 at a time. It has a shape that can be done.

  Hereinafter, several examples of the shape of the upper end side 23a of the first partition portion 23 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  The first partition 23A shown in its front configuration in FIG. 2 (a) has a maximum height as one side in the left-right direction in the figure of the upper end side 23a goes upward from the position of the predetermined minimum height H1 from the lower end of the partition. The width Wx is a notch 241 that gradually increases until reaching H2. The maximum height H2 is the maximum width Wmax.

  Thus, in the first partition 23A having the notch 241 on the upper end side 23a, when the water level of the cold water from the ice heat storage 25 reaches the height H1 of the upper end side 23a of the first partition 23A, The amount of water that enters the cushion tank 27 increases as the water level rises. As the water level height increases, the width Wx of the notch 241 gradually increases, so that the amount of water entering the cushion tank 27 does not increase suddenly, and the water temperature fluctuation in the cushion tank 27 is thereby suppressed.

  The first partition portion 23B shown in the front configuration in FIG. 2B has its Wx gradually increased from the upper end 23a in the left-right central direction to the maximum height H2 as it goes upward from the predetermined minimum height H1. The cutout 242 is enlarged. In the case of FIG. 2B as well, as in FIG. 2A, when the water level of the cold water from the ice heat storage tank 25 reaches the height H1 of the upper end side 23a of the first partition 23B, the cold water is stored in the cushion tank. 27, the water level rises, but the amount of water entering the cushion tank 27 does not increase suddenly, thereby suppressing fluctuations in the water temperature in the cushion tank 27.

  The first partition portion 23C shown in the front configuration in FIG. 2C has a plurality of through holes 243 having a constant width ΔW between the predetermined minimum height H1 and the maximum height H2 in the width direction over the entire width direction. It has a shape. When the water level of the cold water from the ice heat storage tank 25 reaches the through hole 243 on the upper end side 23a of the first partition 23C, the cold water starts to enter the cushion tank 27, and the amount of water entering the cushion tank 27 as the water level rises. Increase. Since the width of the through hole 243 is restricted to the width defined by the plurality of through holes 243 rather than the entire first partition portion 23C, the amount of water entering the cushion tank 27 does not increase suddenly. Water temperature fluctuation is suppressed.

  A part of the plurality of through holes 243 of the first partition 23C is enlarged and shown in a circle C1.

  The first partition 23D shown in the front configuration in FIG. 2D has a plurality of inverted triangular shapes in which ΔWx gradually increases upward from a predetermined minimum height H1 to a maximum height H2 over the entire width direction. The through holes 244 are arranged in the width direction. The width at the maximum height H2 is ΔWmax. In this through-hole 244, the increase width of each width ΔWx of each through-hole 244 is set small between the minimum height H1 and the maximum height H2, so that cold water begins to enter the cushion tank 27, and as the water level rises The rate of increase in the amount of water entering the cushion tank 27 is suppressed, and the water temperature in the cushion tank 27 can be made constant.

  A part of the plurality of through holes 244 of the first partition 23D is enlarged and shown in a circle C2.

  When the water level of the cold water from inside the ice heat storage tank 25 reaches the minimum height H1 of the through hole 244 on the upper end side 23a of the first partition 23D, the cold water starts to enter the cushion tank 27, and the cushion tank is accompanied by the rise in the water level. The amount of water entering 27 increases. As the water level height increases, the width ΔWx of the through-hole 244 gradually increases and is restricted to a width defined by the plurality of through-holes 244 rather than the entire first partition portion 23D, and therefore enters the cushion tank 27. The amount of water does not increase suddenly, and thereby the water temperature fluctuation in the cushion tank 27 is suppressed.

  By making the shape of the upper end of each of the first partition parts 23A-23D as described above, when cold water is supplied from the ice heat storage tank 25 side to the cushion tank 27 via the buffer tank 26, a large amount is formed at a time. It is not necessary to supply cold water, so that the water temperature in the cushion tank 27 is not disturbed.

  In particular, as the air temperature in the constant temperature and humidity chamber 10 changes in the vicinity of the target temperature, cold water is supplied from the ice heat storage tank 25 to the cushion tank 27 via the upper end of the first partition 23 to thereby provide the cushion tank 27. When adjusting the internal water temperature, it is difficult to adjust the water temperature if a large amount of cold water has been supplied at one time. Therefore, in the embodiment, the upper end shape of the first partition 23 is formed as shown by the first partition 23A in FIG. 2A to the first partition 23D in FIG. A large amount of cold water is not supplied at a time, and the water temperature can be controlled to be constant in the cushion tank 27, and the water cooler 17 to which cold water is supplied from the cushion tank 27 has a constant temperature and constant temperature. The inside of the wet chamber 10 can be cooled stably.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, by determining the set temperature of the ice heat storage tank 25 according to the set temperature of the cushion tank 27, the water temperature of the ice heat storage tank 25 and the water temperature of the cushion tank 27 are brought close to each other. Since it is integrated in the common tank 22, as in the case where the cushion tank and the ice heat storage tank are configured as separate tanks, the overall cooling device is increased in size and the piping connection is complicated. There is no need to take time for maintenance such as cleaning, cost, and frequency of water leakage.

  Although the buffer tank 26 is provided between the ice heat storage tank 25 and the cushion tank 27 in the above-described embodiment, the buffer tank 26 may be omitted in other embodiments of the present invention.

  In other embodiment of this invention, the upper end 23a of the 1st partition part 23 does not need to have a notch and a through-hole.

  In the above-described embodiment, the flow is divided using the three-way valves 38 and 39. However, the flow is not limited to the three-way valve, and any flow can be divided. For example, two flow valves may be provided to form a flow dividing valve.

  The present invention is useful as a cooling device and an environmental test device for cooling a predetermined space such as a temperature-controlled room.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Constant temperature and humidity chamber 11 Heat insulating material 13 Test piece arrangement | positioning chamber 14 Air conditioning passage 15 Humidity sensor 16 Temperature sensor 17 Water cooler 18 Heating device 19 Humidifier 20 Fan 22 Tank 23 1st partition part 24 2nd partition part 25 Ice storage tank 26 Buffer tank 27 Cushion tank 33 Refrigerator 37 Cold water pump 38 First three-way valve 39 Second three-way valve

Claims (4)

A cooling device for supplying cold water to a heat exchanger for cooling the inside of a predetermined space,
An ice heat storage tank that is made into ice by a refrigerator and stores the melted water as cold water;
A cushion tank that stores cold water from the ice heat storage tank and supplies the cold water to the heat exchanger ;
Controlling the temperature of the cold water in the cushion tank to the set temperature of the cushion tank, and controlling the refrigerator, and a control means for controlling the water level of the ice heat storage tank ,
Said ice thermal storage tank and said cushion tank, Ri from the ice heat storage tank in the same tank name constituted by chambers that partitioned by the first partitioning portion to allow the cold water supply to the cushion tank,
The ice heat storage tank is partitioned by a second partition having a cold water passage below, and a buffer tank is disposed between the cushion tank and the ice heat storage tank,
The control means controls the refrigerator so that the temperature of the cold water in the ice heat storage tank becomes a set temperature of the ice heat storage tank, and does not supply cold water from the ice heat storage tank to the cushion tank. Controls the water level of the ice heat storage tank so that cold water does not pass through the first partition, and when supplying cold water from the ice heat storage tank to the cushion tank, the cold water passes through the first partition. Control the water level of the ice storage tank,
A cooling device characterized by that. The first partition is a partition plate erected from the tank bottom wall,
Cold water from the ice heat storage tank to the cushion tank is supplied beyond the upper end of the partition plate,
The cooling device according to claim 1. The first partition portion is a partition plate erected from the tank bottom wall, and the amount of water supplied from the ice heat storage tank to the cushion tank gradually increases from the tank bottom wall to a portion of a certain height or more. As such, at least one of the notch and the through hole is formed ,
Cold water from the ice heat storage tank to the cushion tank is supplied beyond the notch or from the through hole.
The cooling device according to claim 1 . Comprising a temperature-controlled room and the cooling device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the temperature-controlled room is the predetermined space.
An environmental test apparatus characterized by that.

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