JPH04306433A - Thermo accumulative cooling device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a peak cut during a day time where a high amount of demand for electric power and to protect a refrigerant circuit even if a rapid variation of flow of refrigerant occurs by a method wherein cooling liquid in a thermo-accumulative tank is changed into ice with a night-time electric power, a thermo-accumulative operation is performed during a day-time from the thermo-accumulative tank, a liquid receiving device is provided to store refrigerant after its cooling action. CONSTITUTION:In the case of performing a day-time thermo-accumulative operation such as a peak-cut operation utilizing a thermo-accumulation of low temperature, direction changing- over valves 23, 24 and 25 of a refrigerant circuit 16 are operated so as to constitute a refrigerant cycle in which an indoor coil 11 and a condensing coil 13 are passed to circulate refrigerant. Refrigerant of this refrigerant cycle is circulated under an operation of a refrigerant pump, the cooling liquid changed into ice in the thermo-accumulative tank 6 when the liquid passes in the condensing coil 1-3 is heat exchanged with it and cooled, thereby indoor air is cooled by the indoor device 11 under its heat exchanging operation. A liquid receiving device 17 is connected to the lower part of the condensing coil 13, a predetermined amount of refrigerant is stored from the condensing coil 13, any one of the direction changing-over valves in the refrigerant circuit 16 is operated and thus a damage of the equipment in the circuit caused by a variation of rapid flow of refrigerant when the circuit is changed over.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a heat storage cooling device that uses nighttime electricity to save energy.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 6 shows a conventional heat storage cooling device. In the figure, 1 is an outdoor unit consisting of a refrigeration compressor 2 and a condenser 3, 4 is an indoor unit having a heat exchanger,
5 is a water cooler, 6 is a heat storage tank, 7 is a cooling coil having a pump 8, and 9 is a cooling circuit having a pump 10.

Next, the operation will be explained. In the outdoor unit 1, a refrigerant circulation circuit is formed, and this refrigerant is circulated by a pump 8 in the water cooler 5 and cools the cooling liquid in the cooling coil 7 through heat exchange. The cooling liquid filled in the tank is cooled by heat exchange. These operations are powered by nighttime electricity. Next, during daytime cooling operation, the refrigeration compressor 2 is stopped and the pump 10 is driven to circulate the coolant in the heat storage tank 6 through the cooling circuit 9 and exchange heat with the air in the indoor unit 4. A fan supplies cold air into the room.

0004

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Since the conventional heat storage cooling device is configured as described above, the cooled liquid in the heat storage tank is directly taken out and used for cooling the indoor unit, resulting in indirect cooling, which improves cooling efficiency. There was a problem that the value was low.

The present invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a heat storage cooling device that can improve cooling efficiency by using a refrigerant.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems] A heat storage cooling device according to the present invention comprises an outdoor unit, an indoor unit, a condensing coil inserted into the cooling liquid of the heat storage tank, and a water cooler for cooling the cooling liquid of the heat storage tank. The refrigerant circuits of these devices are connected by directional switching valves.

Furthermore, a liquid receiver for storing refrigerant is provided below the condensing coil.

[0008]

[Operation] The heat storage cooling device according to the present invention operates a directional switching valve to perform a heat storage operation using electric power at night, a daytime operation using this heat storage, and a normal operation without using heat storage, thereby saving energy.

Furthermore, by providing a liquid receiver below the condensing coil, fluctuations and interruptions in the flow of the cooling liquid due to switching of the cooling circuit can be prevented.

0010

[Example] Example 1. An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 4, 11 is an expansion valve 1
2 is an indoor unit, and 13 is a condensing coil which is immersed in the cooling liquid of the heat storage tank 6 and cools the refrigerant by exchanging heat with the cooling liquid. 14 is a water pump, 15 is a refrigerant pump, 16 is a refrigerant circuit, outdoor unit 1, water cooler 5
, each indoor unit 11, and the condensing coil 13 are provided in communication with each other, and three-way valves 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25 are disposed at predetermined positions between the above-mentioned devices as shown in the figure. Note that the directional switching valve 25 is disposed within the outdoor unit 11 between the heat exchanger and the expansion valve 12.

Next, the operation will be explained. First, in the case of heat storage operation such as ice making operation using nighttime electricity, etc., operate the directional switching valves 21 and 22 of the refrigerant circuit 16 to drive the compressor 2 to circulate the refrigerant between the outdoor unit 1 and the water cooler 5. Configure the cycle. On the other hand, the coolant in the heat storage tank 6 is circulated through the water cooler 5 by driving the water pump 14. As a result, the cooling liquid in the water cooler 5 sequentially undergoes heat exchange as it is circulated and is gradually cooled down, and the cooling liquid in the heat storage tank 6 gradually freezes.

Next, in the case of daytime heat storage operation such as during peak cut using the low temperature heat storage, the indoor coil 11 and the condensing coil 13 are switched by operating the directional control valves 23, 24 and 25 of the refrigerant circuit 16. It constitutes a refrigerant cycle that communicates and circulates. The refrigerant in this refrigerant cycle is circulated by driving the refrigerant pump 10, and as it passes through the condensing coil 13, it exchanges heat with the cooling liquid made in the heat storage tank 6 and is cooled, and the indoor unit 11 heats the indoor air. Cool by exchange. This operation is continued until the coolant in the heat storage tank 6 is thawed by heat exchange and rises to a predetermined temperature.

Next, in the case of normal daytime operation that does not utilize heat storage, the directional control valves 21, 22, 23, 2 of the refrigerant circuit 16
4 and 25 to connect outdoor unit 1 and indoor unit 11.
It constitutes a refrigerant cycle that circulates. The refrigerant in this refrigerant cycle is circulated by the drive of the compressor 2, and the refrigerant liquefied in the outdoor unit 1 passes through the expansion valve 12 and cools the indoor air in the indoor unit 11 by heat exchange.

Example 2. FIG. 5 shows another embodiment in which the liquid receiver 17 is connected to the lower part of the condensing coil 13, in which a predetermined amount of refrigerant from the condensing coil 13 is stored and one of the directional control valves in the refrigerant circuit 16 is connected. This is to prevent any equipment on the circuit from being damaged due to rapid fluctuations in the flow of refrigerant when the circuit is activated and switched. Note that when the liquid receiver 17 is installed in the heat storage tank 6, it is further cooled by the cooling liquid to enhance the cooling effect.

In FIG. 5, the liquid receiver 17 is shown as being installed inside the heat storage tank 6, but if it is installed outside the heat storage tank 6, maintenance and inspection becomes easier and the heat storage tank 6 can also be made smaller. In this case, it is natural to cover the outer periphery of the liquid receiver 17 with a heat insulating material to keep it cool.

As described above, in any of the embodiments, when operating the indoor unit 11 that provides output, the refrigerant is used directly for cooling, so the temperature difference during heat exchange is reduced. increases, cooling efficiency increases, and
Since the piping of the refrigerant circuit 16 may have a small diameter, equipment costs can be reduced.

[0017]

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the cooling liquid in the heat storage tank is made into ice using electricity at night, and the heat storage tank is operated to store heat during the day, so that the electricity rate is reduced and the electricity demand is reduced. This has the effect of cutting peak demand during the daytime, when there is a lot of traffic.

Furthermore, since the liquid receiver is provided to store the refrigerant after cooling, the refrigerant circuit can be protected even if rapid fluctuations in the flow of the refrigerant occur.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing nighttime heat storage operation of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing daytime heat storage operation of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing normal daytime operation of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a conventional device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Outdoor unit 5 Water cooler 6 Heat storage tank 11 Indoor unit 13 Condensing coil 16 Refrigerant circuit 17 Liquid receiver

Claims (2)

[Claims] [Claim 1] An outdoor unit having a refrigerant circuit connected to a compressor and a condenser, an indoor unit having a refrigerant circuit connected to an indoor heat exchanger and an expansion valve, and a refrigerant circuit connected to a refrigerant circuit filled with cooling liquid. It consists of a heat storage tank in which a condensing coil is immersed, and a water cooler that exchanges heat between the cooling liquid cooling circuit of the heat storage tank and the refrigerant circuit of the outdoor unit, the outdoor unit, the indoor unit, the condensing coil, and the water cooler. a circulation circuit which connects each refrigerant circuit with a directional control valve, and cools the cooling water of the heat storage tank with the refrigerant from the outdoor unit via the water cooler, the condenser in the heat storage tank, and the indoor unit. A heat storage cooling device comprising a circulation circuit for a refrigerant and a circulation circuit for flowing a refrigerant to the indoor unit. 2. The heat storage cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the condensing coil has a liquid receiver connected to a lower portion thereof to store the refrigerant.