JPH0217362A - Cooling device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent waste of the power of a pump by a method wherein a flow rate control valve is controlled according to a signal from a detecting means to detect the state of a refrigerant in a condenser and output an output signal, responding to the state of the refrigerant, to each of cooling bodies. CONSTITUTION:The state of a refrigerant in condensers 3a to 3n changed in linkage with operation of freezers (cooling bodies) 1a to 1n is detected by pressure detectors (detecting means) 11a to 11n, and an output signal responding to the state of the refrigerant is outputted. According to the output signal, valve controllers (control means) 12a to 12n control flow rate regulating valve 13a to 13n mounted to the freezers 1a to 1n, respectively. The valve controllers control a flow rate of cooling water fed to condensers 3a to 3n of the freezers 1a to 1n, respectively. This constitution prevents the feed of unnecessary cooling water and reduces a consumption amount of a power by means of which a pump 9 is operated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a cooling device having a plurality of cooling bodies such as refrigerators, and particularly to a cooling device suitable for reducing power consumption.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in a cooling device having a refrigerator or the like, the temperature of cooling water is measured and the rotation speed of a pump is changed according to this temperature, as shown in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-134165, for example. A system has been proposed that includes a variable pump rotation speed device and controls the flow rate of cooling water supplied to the condenser by operating the variable pump rotation speed device.

In addition, for cooling systems that have multiple cooling bodies such as refrigerators, in order to reduce equipment costs, cooling towers and pumps may be installed in one
There is one in which only one set is provided, and the piping in which these cooling towers and pumps are interposed is connected to each of the condensers of the cooling body.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] By the way, in the conventional cooling device having a plurality of cooling bodies as described above, the cooling water sent out from one pump passes through the condensers of the plurality of cooling bodies. As a result, there is a problem in that unnecessary cooling water is supplied to the condenser of the cooling body that is not in operation, and the pump that pumps out the cooling water wastes power accordingly. In addition, in the device equipped with the above-mentioned pump rotation speed variable device, the flow rate of cooling water sent out from the pump can be controlled, but the flow rate to each of the plurality of condensers cannot be controlled, and the power of the pump is still wasted. It turns out.

The present invention has been made in view of the actual situation in the prior art, and its purpose is to control the flow rate of cooling water to the condenser of each cooling body according to the operating state of each cooling body. The objective is to provide a cooling device that can

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve this object, the present invention includes a condenser that condenses a refrigerant by cooling cooling water, and at least one cooling body that cools the surroundings via the refrigerant. , a pipe connected to the inlet and outlet of the condenser of the cooling body and through which the cooling water circulates, a cooling tower interposed in the pipe to cool the cooling water from the outlet, and a pipe connected to the cooling tower. and a pump that sends cooling water to the inlet through the cooling device, the flow rate control valve being provided corresponding to each of the cooling bodies and capable of adjusting the flow rate of the cooling water flowing into and out of the condenser of the cooling body. Along with establishing.

Each of the cooling bodies includes a detection means for detecting the state of the refrigerant in the condenser and generating an output signal corresponding to the state of the refrigerant, and controlling the flow rate adjustment valve in accordance with the output signal from the detection means. The configuration is provided with a control means for controlling.

[Function] Since the present invention is configured as described above, the detection means detects the state of the refrigerant in the condenser that changes with the operation of the cooling body, and an output signal corresponding to the state of the refrigerant is generated. Then, in accordance with this output signal, the control means controls the flow rate regulating valve provided for each cooling body,
This controls the flow rate of cooling water supplied to the condenser of each cooling body. That is, the flow rate of cooling water to the condenser of each cooling body can be controlled depending on the operating state of each cooling body.

[Example code] Hereinafter, the cooling device of the present invention will be explained based on the drawings.

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the cooling device of the present invention, and Fig. 2 shows the correlation between the output signal of the pressure detector provided in the cooling device of Fig. 1 and the valve opening of the flow rate control valve. It is a characteristic diagram showing a relationship.

In FIG. 1, reference numerals 18 to 1n designate a cooling body 1, for example, a refrigerator (not shown), which cools the surrounding area through a circulating refrigerant. 2a is a compressor that compresses the refrigerant in the refrigerator 1a, 3a is a condenser that condenses the refrigerant from the compressor 2a by cooling cooling water, 4a is an expansion valve that expands the refrigerant from the condenser 3a, and 5a 6a is an evaporator that removes ambient heat by evaporating the refrigerant from the expansion valve 4a, and 6a is a circulation pipe connecting the compressor 28 to the evaporator 5a in sequence.
The cooling body 1a is composed of a compressor 2a, a condenser 3a, an expansion valve 4a, an evaporator 5a, and a circulation pipe 6a.
Similarly, the other cooling bodies 1b to 1n are condensers 3b to 3n.
It consists of etc.

7 is a return side pipe connected to each outlet of these condensers 38 to 3n, 8 is a cooling tower to which the other end of this return side pipe 7 is connected and cools the cooling water from the condensers 38 to 3n; 9 is a pump connected to this cooling tower 8 and sends out cooling water; 10 is a supply side pipe connected to each inlet of the pump 9 and condensers 38 to 3n; the cooling water is supplied to the cooling tower 8, the pump 9, and the supply side; Side piping 10. The water is circulated through the condensers 3a to 3n and the return pipe 7 in this order.

Then, lla detects the pressure of the refrigerant in the condenser 3a,
A pressure sensor that emits an output signal corresponding to this pressure constitutes a detection means that detects the state of the refrigerant in the condenser 3a using the pressure sensor 11a and emits an output signal that corresponds to the state of the refrigerant. . Reference numeral 12a indicates a control means, such as a valve controller, which operates in response to the output signal P from the pressure sensor 11a. Reference numeral 13a is attached to the condenser 38 portion of the supply side piping 10, and the valve opening degree V is controlled by the valve controller 12a. It is a controlled flow control valve. Note that the pressure sensor 11a described above
The relationship between the output signal P and the valve opening degree V of the flow rate control valve 13a is, for example, as shown in the characteristic diagram of FIG. 2, when the output signal P is the minimum value PO, the valve opening degree V is the minimum value Vo. As the output signal P increases, the valve opening degree V increases,
When the output signal P is the maximum value Pm, the valve opening degree V is the maximum value Vm
The settings are as follows.

In addition, pressure detectors 11b are also installed in the other cooling bodies 1b to 1n.
~lln, valve controllers 12b to 12n, flow rate control valve 13b
~13n are provided, respectively.

Furthermore, 14.15 is the supply side piping 10. A water pressure detector 16 is provided in each of the return pipes 7, and 16 is a water pressure controller that calculates the pressure difference between water pressure signals from these water pressure detectors 14 and 15 and outputs a control signal.

17 is an inverter that controls the rotation speed of the pump 9 based on the control signal from the water pressure controller 16. These water pressure detectors 14, 15, the water pressure controller 16, and the inverter 17 control the pump 9 at a predetermined discharge pressure. It is designed to be driven.

In this embodiment, for example, when the refrigerator 1a continues to operate, the pressure of the refrigerant in the condenser 3a of the refrigerator 1a rises to the rated value, and the pressure detector 11a detects the second The output signal Pm shown in the figure is generated. Therefore, based on this output signal Pm, the valve controller 12a controls the flow rate control valve 13.
a, the flow rate regulating valve 13a is opened to the maximum valve opening degree Vm as shown in FIG. 2, and as a result, the maximum flow rate of cooling water is supplied to the condenser 3a. Similarly, other refrigerator 1
When the condensers b to 1n also continue to operate, the maximum flow rate of cooling water is supplied to the condensers 3b to 3n, respectively. Then, the water pressures of the supply side piping 10 and the return side piping 7 are detected by the water pressure detectors 14 and 15, respectively, and the water pressure controller 16 calculates the pressure difference from these water pressure signals, resulting in a preset pressure difference. The control signal is emitted as follows. Based on this control signal, the inverter 17 is activated and the rotation speed of the pump 9 is controlled. At this time, the flow rate control valves 13a to 13n are opened to the maximum valve opening degree Vm, and the line resistance of the supply side piping 10 is decreasing, so the rotation speed of the pump 9 increases to the maximum value, and the rotation speed of the pump 9 increases to the maximum value. A flow rate of cooling water is delivered at a predetermined discharge pressure.

Next, for example, due to a drop in temperature inside the refrigerator (not shown),
When the compressor 2a of the refrigerator 1a that cools the inside of the refrigerator stops, the supply of refrigerant from the compressor 2a through the circulation pipe 6a is stopped, and the pressure of the refrigerant in the condenser 3a decreases to a low pressure. The pressure gradually decreases until it balances with the pressure in the side evaporator 5a.

Along with this decrease in pressure, the output signal P of the pressure detector 11a also gradually decreases from the maximum value Pm, and as a result, as shown in FIG. V
m, the flow rate of cooling water supplied to the condenser 3a decreases. Eventually, when the pressure of the refrigerant in the condenser 3a equilibrates with the pressure of the refrigerant in the evaporator 5a,
The output signal P generated by the pressure sensor 11a becomes the minimum value PO, and accordingly, the valve opening degree V of the flow rate adjustment valve 13a becomes the minimum value Vo, and the flow rate of the cooling water supplied to the ls compressor 3a becomes Minimum. Similarly, when the compressors 2b-2n of the other refrigerators 1b-in stop, the pressure of the refrigerant in the condensers 3b-3n decreases, and the valve openings V of the flow rate control valves 13b-13n decrease.

The flow rates of cooling water supplied to these condensers 3b to 3n also decrease.

Then, the valve opening degree V of these flow rate control valves 13a to 13n
When becomes smaller, the pipe resistance of the supply side pipe 1o increases,
The water pressure within this supply side piping 10 increases. In response to this increase in water pressure, based on the control signal from the water pressure controller 1G,
The pump 9 is decelerated via the inverter 17, and as a result, a reduced flow rate of cooling water is delivered at a predetermined discharge pressure.

After that, when the compressor 2a of the refrigerator 1a operates again due to a rise in the temperature inside the refrigerator, contrary to the case of the above-mentioned stop,
The pressure of the refrigerant in the condenser 3a increases, and the pressure detector 11
The output signal P emitted by a also gradually increases from the minimum value Po,
Along with this, the valve opening degree V of the flow rate control valve 13a also reaches the minimum value vO.
gradually increases from Eventually, when the pressure of the refrigerant in the condenser 3a reaches the rated value, the output signal P of the pressure detector 11a reaches the maximum value Pm, and the valve opening degree ■ of the flow rate control valve 13a also reaches the maximum value Vm. The maximum flow rate of cooling water is again supplied to the condenser 3a. Similarly, on other refrigerators b~1
When the Ig compressors 2b to 2n operate again, the Ig compressor 3b
The pressure of the refrigerant in ~3n increases, and the flow rate control valves 13b~1
As the valve opening degree V of 3n increases, the flow rates of cooling water supplied to these condensers 3b to 3n also increase.

At this time, since these flow #C control valves 13a to 13n open, the pipe resistance in the supply side piping 10 decreases, and the water pressure in the supply side piping 10 increases. In response to this increase in water pressure, the speed of the pump 9 is increased via the inverter 17 based on a control signal from the water pressure controller 16, and as a result,
The increased flow rate of cooling water is delivered at a predetermined discharge pressure.

In the embodiment configured in this way, the refrigerators 1a to 1
The flow rate of cooling water to the condensers 38 to 3n of these refrigerators 18 to In is controlled depending on the operating state of the refrigerators 18 to In, and the pump 14 that sends out this cooling water through the supply plumber 0 is adjusted appropriately. It can be operated at a certain rotation speed.

In addition, in this embodiment, although the refrigerators 18 to 1n that cool the inside of the refrigerator are illustrated as cooling bodies, these refrigerators 18
In place of ~1n, it is also possible to provide something with a similar configuration, for example an air conditioner.

[Effects of the Invention] Since the present invention is configured as described above, the flow rate of cooling water to the condenser of each cooling body can be controlled according to the operating state of each cooling body. Supplying cooling water is prevented and reduces power consumption to operate the pump.

This has the effect of reducing operating costs.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the cooling device of the present invention, and Fig. 2 shows the correlation between the output signal of the pressure detector provided in the cooling device of Fig. 1 and the valve 141 degrees of the flow rate control valve. It is a characteristic diagram showing a relationship. 18~1n... Refrigerator (cooling body), 38~3n...
・Condenser, 7.10...Piping, 8...Cooling tower, 9...Pump, lla~lln...
Pressure detector (detection means), 12a to L2n... Valve controller (control means), 13a to 13n... Flow rate adjustment valve, 14° 15... Water pressure detector, 16 ...
...Water pressure controller, 17...Inverter.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) At least one cooling body that includes a condenser that condenses a refrigerant by cooling the cooling water and cools the surrounding area via the refrigerant, and the cooling water that is connected to the inlet and outlet of the condenser of this cooling body. A cooling device having a pipe through which the cooling water circulates, a cooling tower interposed in the pipe to cool the cooling water from the outlet, and a pump connected to the cooling tower and sending the cooling water to the inlet via the pipe, A flow rate control valve is provided corresponding to each of the cooling bodies and can adjust the flow rate of cooling water flowing into and out of the condenser of the cooling body, and each of the cooling bodies is provided with a flow rate control valve that can adjust the flow rate of cooling water flowing into and out of the condenser of the cooling body. A cooling device comprising: a detection means for detecting the state of the refrigerant and emitting an output signal corresponding to the state of the refrigerant; and a control means for controlling the flow rate regulating valve according to the output signal from the detection means. Device.