JP6855920B2 - Ice maker - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an ice making device.

Conventionally, this type of ice making device includes a refrigerating circuit for making ice, which comprises a compressor, a condenser, an expansion mechanism and an evaporator. The compressor sucks and compresses the refrigerant. The condenser dissipates heat and condenses the refrigerant compressed by the compressor. The expansion mechanism decompresses the refrigerant condensed by the condenser to perform adiabatic expansion. The evaporator evaporates the refrigerant that has been adiabatically expanded by the expansion mechanism, and is built in the ice making section.

In such an ice making device, when the compressor is driven, the refrigerant compressed by the compressor passes through the condenser, the expansion mechanism, and the evaporator in this order and circulates in the freezing circuit, so that the ice is formed in the ice making section. The generation is performed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2010-169304

However, in the above-mentioned ice making device, the refrigerant supplied to the evaporator evaporates while passing through the evaporator, and it becomes difficult for ice to be generated in the vicinity of the refrigerant outlet of the evaporator. There was some variation. Therefore, in order to generate a constant amount of ice in the ice making section, it takes more time than necessary to drive the compressor.

In view of the above circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide an ice making apparatus capable of satisfactorily producing ice in an ice making section and shortening the driving time of a compressor.

In order to achieve the above object, the ice making apparatus according to the present invention circulates the refrigerant in the order of the compressor, the condenser, the electronic expansion valve and the evaporator when the compressor is driven, thereby causing the evaporator to be circulated. An ice making device equipped with an ice making refrigerating circuit that generates ice in the built-in ice making section. When an ice making command is given, the ice making section increases the circulation amount of the refrigerant in the ice making refrigerating circuit. The circulation amount is reduced according to the reduction of the cooling load in the above, and the circulation amount is adjusted in such a manner that the degree of superheat, which is the difference between the refrigerant temperature at the inlet of the evaporator and the refrigerant temperature at the outlet, is 2 ° C. or less. It is characterized by being provided with a control means for the operation.

Further, in the ice making apparatus of the present invention, when the ice making command is given, the control means responds to the reduction of the cooling load in the ice making section after opening the opening of the electronic expansion valve fully. It is characterized in that the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve is reduced, and the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve is adjusted in such a manner that the degree of superheat is 2 ° C. or lower.

Further, in the ice making apparatus of the present invention, the control means reduces the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve in accordance with the reduction of the cooling load in the ice making portion, and when the degree of superheat approaches, the electronic expansion It is characterized in that the opening degree of the valve is further reduced to increase the degree of superheat, and then the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve is adjusted in such a manner that the degree of superheat is 2 ° C. or less.

Further, in the ice making apparatus of the present invention, the ice making section includes an ice making body in which a plurality of tubular bodies are arranged side by side in a manner in which a plurality of tubular bodies are continuous with each other, and the evaporator is a flat surface in which a plurality of refrigerant passages are arranged side by side. It has a shape-like refrigerant pipe portion, and the refrigerant pipe portion is provided so as to be curved around the ice making main body in such a manner that the inner surface is thermally connected to the front surface and the rear surface of the ice making main body. It is characterized by being built-in.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that, in the ice making apparatus, the ice making main body and the refrigerant pipe portion are made of aluminum.

According to the present invention, when an ice making command is given, the control means increases the circulating amount of the refrigerant in the ice making refrigerating circuit and then decreases the circulating amount in accordance with the reduction of the cooling load in the ice making section. Further, since the circulation amount is adjusted in such a manner that the degree of superheat, which is the difference between the refrigerant temperature at the inlet of the evaporator and the refrigerant temperature at the outlet, is 2 ° C. or less, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of variation in the ice formation time. , The ice making section has the effect that ice can be satisfactorily generated and the driving time of the compressor can be shortened.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view schematically showing an ice making apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing a characteristic control system of the ice making apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view showing a main part of the ice making apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the ice making portion shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the processing content of the ice making control process performed by the control unit shown in FIG.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the ice making apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram schematically showing an ice making device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block schematically showing a characteristic control system of the ice making device according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure. The ice making device 10 illustrated here includes a water storage unit 20, an ice making unit 30, an inlet temperature sensor S1, an outlet temperature sensor S2, and a control unit 40.

As shown in FIG. 3, the water storage unit 20 is placed on the base 11, and although not specified in the figure, a plurality (8) upper wall openings are arranged side by side on the upper wall portion 21. It has a formed rectangular shape. An introduction port 22a is formed in the right wall portion 22 of the water storage portion 20, and is connected to the water supply line 50 through the introduction port 22a.

The water supply line 50 is a path for supplying water to the water storage unit 20, and a water supply pump 51 is provided in the middle of the path. The water supply pump 51 constitutes a water supply means for supplying water to the water storage unit 20 through the water supply line 50 when driven. The water storage unit 20 is provided with a cooling means (not shown) for cooling the stored water, and the water stored by the cooling means is cooled to, for example, about 4 ° C.

The ice making section 30 includes an ice making main body 31 and a refrigerant pipe section 32. The ice making body 31 is made of aluminum. The ice-making main body 31 is configured such that a plurality of (eight) tubular bodies having hollow portions 311 extending vertically are continuous with each other so as to be arranged side by side. The ice making main body 31 is placed and installed on the upper wall portion 21 in such a manner that the lower surface opening 311a (see FIG. 4) of each hollow portion 311 communicates with the corresponding upper wall opening. Here, the size of the front-rear width and the left-right width of the hollow portion 311 is substantially the same as the size of the front-rear width and the left-right width of the upper wall opening.

The refrigerant pipe portion 32 is made of aluminum in the same manner as the ice making main body 31. As shown in FIG. 4, the refrigerant pipe portion 32 is a flat multi-hole pipe in which a plurality of refrigerant passages 321 are arranged side by side. Such a refrigerant pipe portion 32 is provided around the ice making main body 31 in a state where its inner surface is thermally connected to the front surface and the rear surface of the ice making main body 31. The refrigerant pipe portion 32 is provided with an inlet header 32a at one end in a manner communicating with each refrigerant passage 321 while an outlet header 32b is provided at the other end portion in a manner communicating with each refrigerant passage 321. There is.

The refrigerant pipe portion 32 constitutes an ice making refrigeration circuit 60 together with a compressor 61, a condenser 62, and an electronic expansion valve 63 as an evaporator. The ice-making refrigeration circuit 60 is configured by sequentially connecting a compressor 61, a condenser 62, an electronic expansion valve 63, and a refrigerant pipe portion (evaporator) 32 by a refrigerant pipe 64, and a refrigerant is sealed inside. ing.

The compressor 61 is driven when the suction unit is connected to the outlet header 32b through the refrigerant pipe 64 and a drive command is given from the control unit 40. When the compressor 61 is driven, the refrigerant is sucked from the refrigerant pipe portion 32, compressed, and discharged through the discharge portion.

The inlet of the condenser 62 is connected to the discharge portion of the compressor 61 through the refrigerant pipe 64. The condenser 62 heat-exchanges the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 61 with the ambient air to condense the refrigerant. A first valve 65 is provided in the middle of the refrigerant pipe 64 connecting the compressor 61 and the condenser 62.

The first valve 65 is a valve body that opens and closes in response to a command given from the control unit 40, and when it is in the open state, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 61 passes toward the condenser 62. On the other hand, when the state is closed, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 61 is restricted from passing toward the condenser 62.

The inlet side of the electronic expansion valve 63 is connected to the outlet of the condenser 62 through the refrigerant pipe 64, while the outlet side is connected to the inlet header 32a through the refrigerant pipe 64. The opening degree of the electronic expansion valve 63 is adjusted according to a command given from the control unit 40, and the refrigerant condensed by the condenser 62 is depressurized, adiabatically expanded, and supplied to the refrigerant pipe unit 32. Is.

By the way, in the refrigerant circuit 60, the refrigerant branching from the upstream side of the first valve 65 in the refrigerant pipe 64 connecting the compressor 61 and the condenser 62 to connect the electronic expansion valve 63 and the inlet header 32a. A bypass pipeline 66 is provided so as to merge in the middle of the conduit 64. A second valve 67 is provided in the middle of the bypass line 66.

The second valve 67 is a valve body that opens and closes in response to a command given from the control unit 40, and when it is in the open state, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 61 is directed to the inlet header 32a through the bypass pipe 66. On the other hand, when the compressor is closed, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 61 is restricted from passing through the bypass pipe line 66.

The refrigerant pipe portion 32 cools or heats the ice making main body 31 that is thermally connected by passing the refrigerant that has flowed in through the inlet header 32a through the refrigerant passage 321. That is, when the refrigerant adiabatically expanded by the electronic expansion valve 63 passes through the refrigerant passage 321, the refrigerant pipe portion 32 cools the ice making main body 31 below the freezing point by evaporating the refrigerant, while compressing it by the compressor 61. When the discharged refrigerant flows in through the bypass pipeline 66 and passes through the refrigerant passage 321, the ice making main body 31 is heated.

The inlet temperature sensor S1 is installed in the vicinity of the inlet header 32a of the refrigerant pipe portion 32. The inlet temperature sensor S1 is a detection means for detecting the refrigerant temperature (hereinafter, also referred to as inlet temperature) at the inlet flowing into the refrigerant pipe portion 32, and the inlet temperature which is the detection result is used as an inlet temperature signal at any time in the control unit 40. It is sent to.

The outlet temperature sensor S2 is installed in the vicinity of the outlet header 32b of the refrigerant pipe portion 32. The outlet temperature sensor S2 is a detection means for detecting the refrigerant temperature (hereinafter, also referred to as outlet temperature) at the outlet flowing out from the refrigerant pipe unit 32, and the outlet temperature which is the detection result is used as an outlet temperature signal at any time in the control unit 40. It is sent to.

The control unit 40 is a control means that comprehensively controls the operation of each unit of the ice making refrigeration circuit 60 constituting the ice making device 10 according to the programs and data stored in the memory 49, and is an input processing unit 41 and a determination processing unit 42. A compressor drive processing unit 43, an expansion valve opening degree processing unit 44, and a valve drive processing unit 45 are provided.

The control unit 40 may be realized by, for example, a processing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) executing a program, that is, by software, or by hardware such as an IC (Integrated Circuit). Alternatively, it may be realized by using software and hardware together.

The input processing unit 41 is a main control that comprehensively controls the inlet temperature sent as an inlet temperature signal from the inlet temperature sensor S1, the outlet temperature sent as an outlet temperature signal from the outlet temperature sensor S2, and the operation of the ice making device 10. A command given as a command signal from unit 100 is input.

In the ice making control process described later, the determination processing unit 42 indicates whether or not the outlet temperature input through the input processing unit 41 is 0 ° C. or lower, or the outlet temperature input through the input processing unit 41 and the inlet temperature are substantially equal to each other. It determines whether or not it is.

The compressor drive processing unit 43 sends a drive command and a drive stop command to the compressor 61 to drive and stop the compressor 61.

The expansion valve opening degree processing unit 44 sends an opening degree command to the electronic expansion valve 63 to adjust the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve 63.

The valve drive processing unit 45 sends an open command or a close command to the first valve 65 and the second valve 67 to bring the first valve 65 and the second valve 67 into the open or closed state.

In the ice making device 10 having the above configuration, when an ice making command signal is given from the main control unit 100 and the ice making command is input through the input processing unit 41, the control unit 40 executes the ice making control process.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the processing content of the ice making control process performed by the control unit 40 shown in FIG.

As a premise of the explanation of this ice making control process, the first valve 65 is in the open state and the second valve 67 is in the closed state, and the water stored in the water storage unit 20 is cooled to about 4 ° C. Moreover, it is assumed that the water in the water storage unit 20 has reached the upper limit water level and has entered the hollow portion 311 as ice making water.

In this ice making control process, the control unit 40 sends a drive command to the compressor 61 through the compressor drive processing unit 43, and also sends a full opening command to the electronic expansion valve 63 through the expansion valve opening processing unit 44 to start ice making. (Step S101).

As a result, in the ice-making refrigeration circuit 60, the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 61 is condensed by the condenser 62, adiabatically expanded by the electronic expansion valve 63, and then passes through each refrigerant passage 321 of the refrigerant pipe portion 32. Then, by fully opening the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve 63, the circulation amount of the refrigerant circulating in the ice-making refrigeration circuit 60 is increased, and the amount of the refrigerant passing through the refrigerant pipe portion 32 is increased.

When a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of step S101 (step S102: Yes), the control unit 40 reduces the cooling load in the ice making unit 30 according to the inlet temperature input at any time through the input processing unit 41. In response to this, an opening degree reduction command is sent to the electronic expansion valve 63 through the expansion valve opening degree processing unit 44 to cool the inlet temperature to 0 ° C. or lower (step S103).

As a result, in the refrigerant pipe portion 32, the inlet temperature is lowered, and the outlet temperature is lowered so as to follow the inlet temperature.

After performing the above step S103, when the control unit 40 determines through the determination processing unit 42 that the outlet temperature input through the input processing unit 41 is 0 ° C. or lower (step S104: Yes), the control unit 40 may use the input processing unit 41 at any time. An opening reduction command is sent to the electronic expansion valve 63 through the expansion valve opening processing unit 44 according to the input inlet temperature, and the entire refrigerant pipe unit 32 is pressed while suppressing the inlet of the refrigerant pipe unit 32 from becoming too cold. By cooling to 0 ° C. or lower, the ice-making water is cooled to 0 ° C. or lower (step S105).

As a result, the ice-making water in the hollow portion 311 of the ice-making portion 30 is cooled, and when the temperature becomes 0 ° C. or lower, the amount of heat absorbed is reduced, so that the degree of superheat, which is the temperature difference between the inlet temperature and the outlet temperature, is reduced.

After performing the above step S105, when the control unit 40 determines through the determination processing unit 42 that the inlet temperature and the outlet temperature input through the input processing unit 41 are close to each other and substantially equal (step S106: Yes), the expansion valve An opening degree reduction command is sent to the electronic expansion valve 63 through the opening degree processing unit 44 to increase the degree of superheat, while maintaining the outlet temperature at 0 ° C. or lower to generate seed ice (step S107).

When a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of step S107 (step S108: Yes), the control unit 40 passes through the expansion valve opening degree processing unit 44 according to the inlet temperature and the outlet temperature that are input at any time through the input processing unit 41. By sending an opening increase command or an opening decrease command to the electronic expansion valve 63, the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve 63 is adjusted so that the degree of superheat becomes 2 ° C. or less (step S109), and then the procedure is returned. And end this process.

According to this, ice can be generated from all the ice-making water of the ice-making unit 30 at substantially the same time, and it is possible to suppress the occurrence of variation in the ice-making time.

By the way, when an ice block is formed in the hollow portion 311 of the ice making main body 31 by the ice making control process, the control unit 40 sends a closing command to the first valve 65 through the valve drive processing unit 45 and sends a closing command to the second valve 67. Send an open command. As a result, the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 61 passes through the bypass pipe line 66 and passes through each refrigerant passage 321 of the refrigerant pipe portion 32 as hot gas. As a result, the ice making body 31 is heated, and the boundary portion of the ice block in contact with the inner wall surface of the hollow portion 311 is melted. After that, by driving the ice carrying-out means (not shown), the ice block of the hollow portion 311 can be carried out to a predetermined portion through the upper surface opening 311b of the hollow portion 311. After the ice block is carried out, the drive of the compressor 61 is stopped.

As described above, according to the ice making device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention, when the ice making command is given, the ice making unit 40 opens the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve 63 fully. Since the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve 63 is reduced according to the reduction of the cooling load at 30 and the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve 63 is adjusted in such a manner that the degree of superheat is 2 ° C. or less, the ice formation time varies. Can be suppressed, and ice can be satisfactorily generated in the ice making section 30 to shorten the driving time of the compressor 61.

According to the ice making device 10, when the control unit 40 reduces the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve 63 according to the reduction of the cooling load in the ice making unit 30 and the degree of superheat approaches, the electronic expansion valve 63 is opened. Since the degree is further reduced and the degree of superheating is increased, seed ice can be generated and water can be prevented from remaining in the supercooled state.

According to the ice making device 10, since the ice making main body 31 and the refrigerant pipe portion 32 constituting the ice making portion 30 are made of aluminum, the manufacturing cost can be reduced and the heat transfer performance can be improved. be able to. Moreover, since the ice making main body 31 and the refrigerant pipe portion 32 are joined by the same type of metal, there is no possibility that galvanic corrosion or the like, which is a problem in the conventional joining of dissimilar metals between copper and stainless steel, will occur.

According to the ice making device 10, the ice making main body 31 is formed in such a manner that a plurality of tubular bodies are continuous with each other, and the refrigerant pipe portion 32 has a flat shape in which a plurality of refrigerant passages 321 are arranged side by side. Therefore, the ice making main body 31 and the refrigerant pipe portion 32 can be thermally connected by surface contact, and the heat transfer area can be increased to improve the heat transfer efficiency.

Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications can be made.

In the above-described embodiment, the circulation amount of the refrigerant in the ice-making refrigeration circuit 60 is adjusted by increasing or decreasing the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve 63, but in the present invention, the rotation speed of the compressor is increased or decreased. Thereby, the circulation amount of the refrigerant in the ice making refrigeration circuit may be adjusted.

Although not particularly mentioned in the above-described embodiment, when ice is generated in the ice making section, the temperature of the refrigerant passing through the refrigerant pipe is suddenly changed to cause cracks in the generated ice. You may. According to this, it is possible to reduce the load required for crushing the generated ice.

10 Ice making device 20 Water storage part 30 Ice making part 31 Ice making body 31a Cylindrical body 311 Hollow part 32 Refrigerant pipe part 321 Refrigerant passage 32a Inlet header 32b Outlet header 40 Control unit 41 Input processing unit 42 Judgment processing unit 43 Compressor drive processing unit 44 Expansion valve opening processing unit 45 Valve drive processing unit 50 Water supply line 51 Water supply pump 60 Ice making refrigeration circuit 61 Compressor 62 Condenser 63 Electronic expansion valve 64 Refrigerant pipeline 65 1st valve 66 Bypass pipeline 67 2nd valve S1 inlet Temperature sensor S2 Outlet temperature sensor

Claims (3)

When the compressor is driven, it is provided with an ice-making refrigeration circuit that generates ice in the ice-making section containing the evaporator by circulating the refrigerant in the order of the compressor, the condenser, the electronic expansion valve, and the evaporator. It is an ice making device
When an ice making command is given, the opening of the electronic expansion valve is fully opened to increase the circulation amount of the refrigerant in the ice making refrigerating circuit, and then the electrons are reduced in response to the reduction of the cooling load in the ice making section. the Rukoto reducing the circulation rate by decreasing the opening degree of the expansion valve, the refrigerant temperature at the outlet of the evaporator inlet evaporator refrigerant temperature after the 0 ℃ below the 0 ℃ below, the evaporating When the degree of superheat, which is the difference between the refrigerant temperature at the inlet of the vessel and the refrigerant temperature at the outlet, approaches 0 ° C., the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve is further reduced to increase the degree of superheat, and the degree of superheat is increased. An ice making apparatus including a control means for adjusting the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve to adjust the circulation amount in a mode of 2 ° C. or lower. The ice-making unit includes an ice-making body in which a plurality of tubular bodies are arranged side by side in a manner in which a plurality of tubular bodies are continuous with each other.
The evaporator has a flat refrigerant pipe portion in which a plurality of refrigerant passages are arranged side by side, and the refrigerant pipe portion is configured such that the inner surface is thermally connected to the front surface and the rear surface of the ice making main body. The ice-making apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ice-making apparatus is provided so as to be curved around the ice-making main body and is incorporated in the ice-making portion. The ice making apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the ice making main body and the refrigerant pipe portion are made of aluminum.

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