JPH0455676A - Operation control method of water cooler - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To detect a water temperature with a good accuracy even in the area of a cryogenic temperature and obtain much amount of cold water by a method wherein a temperature near the boundary of the lower half and the upper half of the fine diametral part of a tank is measured to control the operation of a water cooler in accordance with the change of the temperature. CONSTITUTION:A temperature detecting device 18 is provided on an outer wall near the boundary of the lower half and the upper half of the fine diametral part 2a of a tank 2 or on the outer periphery of the lower half and a little bit upper part of a cooling section 4. When the temperature of this part has become 8 deg.C, the water temperature of the bottom part of the tank arrives at the equilibrium condition of 4 deg.C and, therefore, the temperature detecting device 18 outputs a signal to an A/D converter while judging that the whole of water in the tank 2 has become the optimum cold water while the converter converts the signal into a digital signal and outputs it to a controller 11 to intercept the conduction of current to a compressor 7 through a driving circuit. On the other hand, when water is used thereafter or water temperature is increased by receiving heat from environment and the detecting water temperature of the temperature detecting device 18 has exceeded 11 deg.C, the conduction of the current to the compressor 7 is started again and water with a stabilized temperature can be supplied with a good accuracy.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] The present invention relates to a method for controlling the operation of a tabletop water cooler.

[Conventional technology]

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, a tabletop water cooler has a tank (2
), and the top opening of the tank (2) is covered with the exterior (1).
It was covered with a lid (3) located on the top surface.

In addition, the tank (2) is formed with a lower half (2a) having a smaller diameter than the upper half, and the tank is hung horizontally within the exterior (1) below the narrower lower half (2a). A tank fixing plate (15) is erected on the holding plate (6), and this tank fixing plate (15)
) The upper part supports the upper half of the tank (2) from below.

Furthermore, in the exterior (1), below the tank (2) is a space as a machine room, where a compressor (7) and a fan (9) are installed.
On the other hand, a condenser (8) is installed on the back side of the exterior (1).
will be established.

A cooler (4) is wound around the circumference of the narrow lower half (2a) of this tank (2), the circumference is covered with a heat insulating material (16), and water is injected to communicate with the bottom of the tank (2). pipe (5)
is guided out of the exterior (1) and an operating lever (13
) was connected to the water inlet valve (12).

This cooler (4) forms a cooling cycle with a compressor (7) and a condenser (8).

The water inlet (12a) provided on the lower surface of the water inlet valve (12)
) and the front of the exterior (1).
14), and the compressor (
In order to control the motor etc. of 7), a control device (11) using a microcomputer or the like is provided.

In this way, the water in the tank (2) is cooled by the cooler (4), and the water injection valve (1) is operated by the operation lever (13).
2) is opened, and the cold water in the tank (2) is discharged from the water inlet (12a) of the water injection valve (12) through the water injection pipe (5), and is used for drinking, etc.

In such a water cooler, the method of detecting the water temperature in the tank (2) and controlling the operation of the cooler (4) in order to obtain chilled water at an appropriate temperature has conventionally been disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application No. 62-38571. As shown, there is a heat-sensitive pipe (17) with a built-in capillary tube at or near the bottom of the tank (2).
is provided, and when this heat-sensitive pipe (17) detects a certain temperature, it is assumed that the desired cold water is available and the operation of the compressor (7) is stopped.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

For example, when trying to obtain extremely low-temperature cold water with a water temperature of 5°C or less, the water temperature at the bottom of the tank reaches an equilibrium state of about 4°C, as shown in Figure 2 (a).

This is because cold water is not convected throughout the tank (2), but accumulates in the lower half (2a), and furthermore, within this lower half (2a), it accumulates from the bottom.

Therefore, in the conventional method of detecting the water temperature using the heat-sensitive pipe (17) installed at the bottom of the tank (2), there are accuracy errors in the heat-sensitive pipe (17) itself, and the need to store water after reaching an equilibrium state to store cold. Considering that the operation continues for a certain period of time, it is almost impossible to detect the water temperature level.

Therefore, in the conventional method, instead of detecting only the water temperature, the heat-sensitive pipe (17) is brought into contact with the cooler (4).
Extremely low temperatures were detected based on the temperature change in 4).

This does not allow for accurate control of water temperature.

The purpose of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned disadvantages of the conventional example, and to provide a method for controlling the operation side of a water cooler that can accurately detect water temperatures even in the extremely low temperature range and can control the temperature so that a large amount of cold water can be obtained. It is about providing.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention disposes a cooling cycle cooler using a compressor or the like on the outer periphery of the small diameter lower half of the tank inside the exterior, and operates a lever outside the exterior of the water injection pipe from the tank. In a water cooler combined with a water injection valve, a temperature detection device is provided on the outer wall near the border between the narrow-diameter lower half and the upper half of the tank, the output of this temperature detection device is introduced into a control device, and the control device The gist of this is to control the compressor on and off using the output.

[Effect]

In a water cooler, the compressor operates to cool the water in the tank, starting from the bottom.

As shown in FIG. 2, even when the water temperature at the bottom of the tank reaches the equilibrium state of 4° C., the water temperature near the border between the narrower lower half and the upper half of the tank is still in a high temperature state.

According to the present invention, a temperature detection device detects the water temperature near the border between the narrow lower half and the upper half of the tank, and when the detected temperature falls below a certain temperature, an appropriate amount of averaged cold water is poured into the tank. Assuming that there is a problem, the control device turns off the power to the compressor.

Next, when the detected temperature exceeds a certain temperature due to replenishment after water removal or due to temperature rise due to natural standing, the compressor is turned on and cooling operation is started.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional side view of a water cooler in which the operation control method of the present invention is implemented, and the same components as in the conventional example shown in FIG. 4 are given the same reference numerals.

The overall configuration of the water cooler is the same as the conventional example shown in Figures 3 and 4, so a detailed explanation will be omitted here.
A tank (2) is housed in the upper half of the exterior (1), and the tank (2) has a lower half (2a) with a narrow diameter, and the outer periphery of the lower half (2a) with a narrow diameter. A cooler (4) was wound around and attached, and a control device (11) using a microcomputer or the like was disposed on the projecting portion of the upper half of the exterior (1) toward the front side.

In the water heater having such a configuration, in the present invention, the tank (2)
A temperature detection device (18) is provided on the outer wall near the boundary between the narrow lower half (2a) and the upper half of the tank, that is, on the outer periphery of the lower half (2a) and slightly above the cooler (4). Ta.

The temperature detection device (18) may be a heat-sensitive pipe using a gas expansion thermostand as in the conventional case, a temperature sensor such as an NTC (negative temperature characteristic) thermistor, or a bimetallic thermostat.

The temperature detection device (18) is connected to the input side of the control device (11).
) is connected to the control device (1) via an A/D converter.
Connect the motor drive circuit of the compressor (7) to the output side of 1).

This control device (11) includes the temperature detection device (
It is set to output an off signal to the drive circuit of the compressor (7) when the water temperature detected in step 18) is, for example, 8°C or lower, and to output an on signal when the water temperature is 11°C or higher.

Next, how to use it will be explained.

During cold water operation, an output is sent from the control device (11) to the drive circuit to start the motor and turn on the compressor (7), which operates the cooler (4) in a cooling cycle to cool the water in the tank (2). do.

If the refrigeration cycle such as the compressor (7) and fan (9) is operated in this way, the cooler (4) will cause the water in the narrow diameter part, which is the lower half (2a), to flow first in the tank (2). cooled down.

The temperature of the water in the tank (2) changes differently depending on its upper and lower positions. For example, as shown in Figure 2, even if the water temperature at the bottom of the tank (A) reaches 4°C in the parallel state, the lower half of the tank Part (2a
) The water temperature near the boundary between the upper part and the upper half (b) is still high.

Therefore, according to the present invention, the temperature detection device (18) detects the change in the water temperature (b) near the boundary between the upper part and the upper part of the tank lower half (2a), so that this temperature is 8. °
When the temperature falls below C, it means that the water temperature at the bottom of the tank (A) has reached the parallel state of 4°C, so the temperature detection device assumes that the entire water in the tank (2) has become moderately cold water. (
18) is output to an A/D converter, where it is converted into a digital signal and output to the control device (11).

Then, in the control device (11), the pressure m@
Turn off the power to (7).

On the other hand, if the water is subsequently used or the water temperature rises due to heat reception from the surroundings and the water temperature detected by the temperature detection device (18) exceeds 11"C, the compressor (7) is energized again.

Thereafter, such turning on and off of the compressor (7) is repeated.

In this way, the temperature detected by the temperature detection device (18) can be set to a temperature with a margin above the equilibrium state of 4°C, taking into account variations in the temperature sensor itself, installation procedures, etc., and the temperature inside the tank (2). Because all of the water is at the desired temperature, water at a stable temperature can be supplied with high precision.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, the water cooler operation control method of the present invention measures the temperature near the boundary between the small diameter lower half and the upper half of the tank, and controls the operation based on the temperature change. In addition to being able to provide a stable supply of sufficiently cool water in the tank,
It can accurately detect water temperatures even in the extremely low temperature range.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 shows one of the water coolers in which the operation control method of the present invention is implemented.
FIG. 2 is a temperature-time correlation diagram showing the operation control operation, FIG. 3 is an overall perspective view of the water cooler, and FIG. 4 is a longitudinal side view showing the conventional example. (1)... Exterior (2)... Tank (2
a) Lower half (3) Lid (4) Cooler (5
)...Water injection pipe (6)...Tank holding plate (7
)...Compressor (9)...Fan (11)...Control device (12a)...Water inlet (14)...Drainage case (16)...Insulation material (18)...・Temperature detection device

Claims (1)

[Claims] A water cooler in which a cooler with a cooling cycle using a compressor or the like is disposed on the outer periphery of the narrow lower half of the tank inside the exterior, and a water injection valve operated by a lever outside the exterior is connected to the water injection pipe from the tank. A temperature detection device is installed on the outer wall near the boundary between the small diameter lower half and the upper half of the tank, and the output of this temperature detection device is introduced into a control device, and the compressor is turned on and off using the output of the control device. A water cooler operation control method characterized by: