JPH04254181A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To contribute to the improvement of the electric power peaks in the daytime in summer and the like especially by a method wherein a normal cooling performance can be obtained even when the electric power consumption of a refrigerator, equipped with a refrigerating cycle, is somewhat reduced in the daytime and is somewhat increased in the nighttime. CONSTITUTION:In a refrigerator 1, in which a refrigerating cycle is constituted of a compressor 8, a condenser 9, expansion pressure reducing means 11A, 11B and evaporators 12A, 12B to cool the inside of the same, a daytime and nighttime operation power consumption regulating means is equipped to accumulate cold heat into a cold heat accumulating tank 15 filled with chemical agent such as ethylene glycol or the like, and in a cold heat accumulating chamber 2 in the nighttime and obtain a desired cooling performance utilizing cold air 19 in the cold heat accumulating chamber 15 in the daytime. According to this method, the inside of the refrigerator is cooled utilizing the cold air generated by the cold heat accumulation in the nighttime whereby the reduction of an electric power consumption in the daytime can be contrived and it can contribute to the improvement of an electric power peak in the daytime in summer and the like wherein cooling operation is needed.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Industrial Application Field] In order to balance the demand for electricity during the day and night, the present invention consumes more power at night when there is less demand for electricity, and consumes less electricity during the day when demand for electricity is high. The present invention relates to a refrigerator that secures a desired cooling capacity while controlling the refrigerator.

0002

[Prior art] In conventional refrigerated showcases and refrigerators,
As described in JP-A-2-93237, a compressor,
It is equipped with a refrigeration cycle that sequentially connects a condenser, pressure reducer, evaporator, etc., and is also equipped with an inverter circuit that supplies driving power to the compressor. By controlling accordingly, you can obtain the optimal ability to respond to the load and stabilize the equipment.
In addition, there are devices designed to improve energy saving effects through efficient operation.

0003

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, although such devices do have an energy-saving effect, they do not take into account the unbalance in day and night power demand in society that is expected to continue forever. In other words, when considering the total demand for commercial power such as industrial and household power, the power demand is higher during the day than at night.Especially in the summer when the cooling season begins, the power supply during the day cannot keep up. There is a possibility that it will develop into a social problem. Therefore, electric power companies etc.
Some people want to reduce daytime electricity demand by introducing a time-of-day pricing system that sets electricity usage charges lower at night than during the day.

[0004] The present invention reduces power consumption by approximately 25% (
Air conditioners were designed in consideration of this shortcoming in refrigerators, which account for approximately 30% of the air conditioners (as of 1990).The purpose of this design is to control operation so that they consume more power at night and less power during the day, while providing the desired cooling. Our goal is to provide refrigerators with guaranteed capacity.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the refrigerator of the present invention comprises a compressor, a condenser, an expansion/decompression means, and an evaporator to form a refrigeration cycle, and is capable of cooling the inside of the refrigerator day and night. Equipped with an operation power consumption adjustment means, the cold storage room is used to store cold at night using a chemical agent such as ethylene glycol, and the cold air from this cold storage room is used during the day to reduce power consumption during the day and achieve desired results. It has a cooling capacity of .

[0006]

[Operation] Since the present invention is constructed as described above, cold storage is performed using a chemical agent such as ethylene glycol that freezes at temperatures below zero using electric power at night, and this is used during the daytime to create a refrigerator with the desired cooling capacity. Operation with reduced power consumption is possible.

[0007]

[Embodiment] A refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view thereof.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a refrigerator body, which is connected from above by an insulating partition plate 7 to a cold storage chamber 2, a freezing chamber 3, and a refrigerator chamber 4.
, vegetable compartment 5. Each room is surrounded by insulated walls. 8 is a variable capacity compressor, 12A, 12
B is an evaporator that constitutes a refrigeration cycle together with a condenser 9, switches 10A and 10B, and pressure reducers 11A and 11B such as expansion valves. 15 is a cold storage tank, which contains ethylene glycol (a type of alcohol, commonly known as antifreeze) that freezes at about -25°C. 13 is a blower that sends cold air to each room. 16 is a compressor 8 and a blower 1
This is a temperature sensor that controls the operation of No. 3.

Further, 17 is a damper that switches the path of cold air, and 18 is a damper that adjusts the amount of cold air. The temperature in each room is controlled by opening and closing these dampers.

Regarding the refrigerator configured as above,
Let's explain its operation. Freezer compartment 3 in refrigerator 1, refrigerator 4
, vegetables 5 each contain foods that need to be chilled, but at night, a refrigeration cycle consisting of a compressor 8, an evaporator 12A, a condenser 9, and a pressure reducer 11A and a blower 1 are used.
3, the cold air cooled by the evaporator 12A is sent to each room by setting the damper 17 to the C position. Separately, in a refrigeration cycle consisting of a route including a pressure reducer 11B and an evaporator 12B, the ethylene glycol contained in the cold storage tank 15 is cooled and stored in the evaporator 12B.

During the day, the switch 10A is closed and the pressure reducer 11 is closed.
A. Damper 1 without using the refrigeration cycle of evaporator 12A
The position 7 is set as the D position, and a blower 13 blows air into the cold storage chamber where cold is stored during the night, so that cold air 19 from the cold storage chamber is sent to each room. At this time, the temperature in each room is determined by the temperature detector 16 installed in each room.
3, and the damper 18 is operated as necessary to control the temperature within the desired temperature setting range.

As a result of this, the power consumption of the refrigerator during the day and night becomes as shown in FIG. That is, the power consumption according to the present invention increases at night compared to the conventional one, but can be reduced during the day. As a result, it is possible to reduce the daytime power demand in general society.

[0014] The reason why conventional power consumption is higher during the day than at night is because doors are opened and closed more frequently during the day than at night, and because the outside temperature is higher, the temperature inside the refrigerator rises faster. This is because it is faster and does not get cold easily, so the driving time is longer.

[0015] In the present invention, a timer (not shown) with a power outage compensation function is used to switch between night and daytime operation modes, but it is also possible to use a detection method that can distinguish between day and night based on the brightness and darkness of sunlight, etc. It may also be performed by a sensor.

[0016] Furthermore, the refrigerator may be divided into a normal operation mode (conventional operation method without cold storage) and an automatic operation mode, and the automatic operation mode may be provided with the functions of the present invention, thereby widening the range of operation. Reference numeral 6 in FIG. 2 is a liquid crystal panel that also serves to set and display these operation details and to display products whose freshness has expired.

In the present invention, ethylene glycol is used as a cold storage agent, but any liquid that has a freezing point at around -25°C may be used, and the phase change from solid to solid at temperatures below this temperature to liquid at temperatures above this temperature is utilized. , the latent heat at that time can be used.

[0018]

Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, in a refrigerator that includes a compressor, a condenser, an expansion/depressurization means, and an evaporator to form a refrigeration cycle and cools the inside of the refrigerator, the refrigerator is equipped with a means for adjusting power consumption during day and night operation. A chemical agent such as ethylene glycol is used to store cold in the cold storage chamber, and the cold air in the cold storage chamber is used during the day to provide the desired cooling capacity, which has the effect of reducing power consumption during the day. Therefore, it can contribute to reducing the daytime power demand of general society.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the refrigerator.

FIG. 3 is a graph showing the effects of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

2... Cold storage room, 8... Compressor, 9... Condenser, 10B... Switch, 11B... Pressure reducer, 12B... Evaporator, 13... Blower, 1
5...Cold storage tank, 17...Damper, 19...Cold air.

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claim 1: A refrigerator that includes a compressor, a condenser, an expansion/depressurization means, and an evaporator to form a refrigeration cycle and cools the inside of the refrigerator, and is equipped with a means for adjusting power consumption during day and night operation to reduce power consumption during the day. A refrigerator characterized by having a desired cooling capacity.