JPH09196512A - Liquid coolant feeding device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a liquid coolant feeding device which is compact, small in the installation space, and excellent in the cooling efficiency. SOLUTION: A liquid cooler 5 by a refrigerating machine R1 comprises a plate type heat exchanger, and an accumulator 6 is integratedly provided on a side of the liquid cooler 5. The cooler 5 and the accumulator 6 are installed in a liquid coolant storage tank 1, a cooling liquid outlet 5h of the liquid cooler 5 is opened in the storage tank 1, the storage tank 1 is divided by a partitioning wall 2a to demarcate a cooling liquid returning chamber 2 having a communication port 2b with a liquid coolant storage chamber 3 side, the liquid coolant from a cooled device T is received by a returning liquid inlet 2c, a liquid coolant feed port 3a is provided in the storage chamber 3, and a returning liquid outlet 2d is connected to a liquid coolant inlet 5g through a piping 11 in which a pump P1 is interposed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for supplying a cooling liquid to various machine tools, electronic devices and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 5 shows an example of a conventional cooling liquid supply device. The cooling liquid supply device includes a refrigerator R and a liquid cooler 70 accommodating a refrigerant evaporator 64 of the refrigerator R. , The cooling liquid storage tank S, and the liquid cooler 70 and the cooling liquid storage tank S.
And are connected by an inflow pipe 81 and an outflow pipe 82, in which a circulation pump P ₁ is interposed, to form a circulation passage for the cooling liquid. Further, the storage tank S and the cooled device T such as a laser beam machine are cooled by a supply pipe 83 in which a cooling liquid supply pump P ₂ is provided and a return pipe 84 from the cooled device. A liquid circulation channel is formed.

The refrigerator R is formed by connecting a refrigerant compressor 60, a refrigerant condenser 61, a heat-sensitive expansion valve 63, a refrigerant evaporator 64, an accumulator 65 and the like through a refrigerant pipe so as to form a refrigerant circulation flow path. And the liquid cooler 70 comprises
A cooling liquid flow path is formed by a baffle plate 71 or the like in a closed container in which tubes forming a refrigerant evaporator are arranged in a meandering or spiral shape so that the evaporator 64 and the cooling liquid exchange heat. It is configured.

Further, the thermal expansion valve 63 controls the flow rate of the refrigerant so that the degree of superheat of the refrigerant gas leaving the evaporator 64 is kept constant. For that purpose, it is necessary to accurately detect the refrigerant temperature at the evaporator outlet. Therefore, in order to detect the temperature, the temperature-sensitive cylinder 67 is attached and fixed to the upper side of the refrigerant pipe 66 connecting the evaporator outlet and the accumulator 65 and at a position as close as possible to the evaporator outlet 64a for heat insulation. The temperature sensing cylinder 67 and the expansion valve 63 are covered by a capillary tube 68 to detect the refrigerant temperature in the vicinity of the outlet 64a, and a temperature sensing cylinder pressure corresponding to the detected temperature is applied to the diaphragm valve of the expansion valve 63. Thus, the opening degree of the expansion valve 63 is determined.

The conventional device as described above is provided with a liquid cooler 70 connected to the refrigerator R via a refrigerant pipe.
And the cooling liquid storage tank S are connected by a cooling liquid circulation passage, the device becomes large and complicated, and when moving from place to place, each pipe However, there is a problem in that it is disconnected from the vehicle and moved, and a large installation space is required. Further, in the cooling liquid storage tank S, the cooling liquid cooled in the liquid cooler 70 and the cooling liquid whose temperature has risen and returned from the device T to be cooled merge, so that the cooling liquid temperature in the storage tank is not constant. ,
Further, the temperature of the cooling liquid passing through the liquid cooler becomes lower than the temperature of the cooling liquid flowing out from the return pipe 84, and there is a drawback that the capacity of the liquid cooler 70 cannot be fully exhibited.

In the refrigerator R, the refrigerant conduit 66 from the refrigerant outlet of the liquid cooler 70 to the accumulator is absolutely necessary, and the process of connecting the refrigerant conduit 66 to the accumulator 65, which is a pressure-resistant container, is troublesome. In addition, as a whole, there is a drawback that the device becomes complicated and the size becomes larger accordingly. In addition, the temperature sensing cylinder is in contact with the refrigerant through the refrigerant conduit, so that a time lag is unavoidable in controlling the refrigerant flow rate, and an error in the detection amount is likely to occur due to clever mounting, and the temperature sensing cylinder and the refrigerant The surface of the contact portion with the conduit needs to be processed so that heat can be transferred well, and it is necessary to make sure contact so that the conduit can be mounted.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A first object of the present invention is to disclose a cooling liquid supply device which is much smaller than conventional devices and requires a small installation space. A second object of the present invention is to disclose a cooling liquid supply device which is easy to assemble, requires no skill, and has high cooling efficiency. A third object of the present invention is to disclose a cooling liquid supply device provided with a refrigerator in which there is no time lag in detecting the refrigerant temperature in the refrigerant evaporator and the refrigerant flow rate can be accurately controlled.

[0008]

A first aspect of the present invention is to provide a liquid cooler in which a refrigerant evaporator and a cooling liquid flow path of a refrigerator are heat-exchangeably provided, and a cooling cooled by the liquid cooler. In a cooling liquid supply device including a cooling liquid storage tank having a liquid supply port, and a liquid pressure feeding means, the liquid cooler is constituted by a plate heat exchanger, and the accumulator of the refrigerator is set to the plate. The heat exchanger includes a refrigerant outlet opening to the end face plate of the type heat exchanger and is constituted by a pressure vessel integrally provided with the end face plate, and the plate heat exchanger and the accumulator are installed in the storage tank. The cooling liquid outlet of the heat exchanger is opened in the storage tank.

As the plate heat exchanger, heat exchange plates typified by herringbone plates and corrugated plates are superposed on each other via a gasket arranged so as to surround a fluid flow path, and the plates are forward and backward. Heat exchange by sandwiching between a pair of frame plates (front plate and end face plate) and tightening and fixing with bolts and nuts, type that accommodates heat exchange plate in shell, or the above gasket Instead of sealing between the plates,
A type in which the flow path is formed by integrally joining the joints by brazing (brazing) can be used.

Since the plate heat exchanger has a high heat exchange efficiency, the liquid cooler can be easily reduced in size and weight, and the accumulator integrally formed with the liquid cooler can balance the sizes of the two, so it is extremely effective. It is compact and has a sense of unity, and the liquid cooler can be made smaller and lighter and the space can be saved, and the evaporator and the accumulator can be integrally formed. Furthermore, if a plate heat exchanger formed of a circular or substantially circular heat exchange plate is used as the plate heat exchanger, the refrigerant outlet can be opened in the circular end face plate of the plate heat exchanger. You can
If a cylindrical pressure vessel is extended from this end plate while maintaining air and liquid tightness, an accumulator can be formed extremely easily,
Moreover, since the end plate of the evaporator also serves as the wall surface of the accumulator, it is possible to further reduce the size and weight.

Further, since the refrigerant outlet of the liquid cooler is directly opened in the accumulator, the refrigerant conduit connecting the conventional evaporator (liquid cooler 70) and the accumulator is not required, which contributes to the reduction in size and weight. At the same time, the structure is simplified, the assembly is facilitated, and the manufacturing cost is reduced. It also requires less installation space. Further, in the past, since the liquid cooler and the cooling liquid storage tank were provided side by side, a pair of pipes for circulating the cooling liquid between them was absolutely necessary. Since the liquid cooler is housed in the cooling liquid storage tank, and the cooling liquid outlet of the liquid cooler is directly opened in the cooling liquid storage tank, it should be connected to at least the cooling liquid outlet. The outflow pipe is unnecessary, and the entire device has a compact structure, which facilitates transportation and installation.

In the accumulator, conventionally, it is necessary to evaporate the separated refrigerant liquid by providing an appropriate heater on the outer surface of the accumulator, but in the cooling liquid supply device of the present application, the accumulator is Since it is in direct contact with the cooling liquid, the heat transfer efficiency is high,
There is no need for a heater and evaporation of the refrigerant liquid in the accumulator contributes to the cooling of the cooling liquid surrounding it. In some cases, the pressure vessel and the plate heat exchanger forming the accumulator share members (in the case where a part of the wall surface of the pressure vessel also constitutes the side surface of the heat exchanger), or, of course,
It may not be shared. However, if you share
It excels in saving members, reducing weight, and facilitating manufacturing.

A second gist of the present invention is, in the cooling liquid supply apparatus defined by the above first gist, a cooling liquid storage chamber surrounding a plate type heat exchanger by partitioning the inside of the cooling liquid storage tank with a partition wall. A liquid flow path that forms a cooling liquid return chamber, a communication portion with the cooling liquid storage chamber is provided on the partition wall, and the cooling liquid return chamber and the cooling liquid inlet of the heat exchanger are provided with a liquid feeding pump. The cooling liquid supply device is characterized in that they are connected by.

In the cooling liquid supply device according to the second aspect, the return liquid sent from the cooling liquid storage tank to the device to be cooled and then returned to the cooling liquid storage chamber is separated into the cooling liquid return chamber. By accepting, when the return liquid is flowing into the return chamber, it is sent to the liquid cooler as it is without being mixed with the cooling liquid on the cooling liquid storage chamber side, so that the refrigerant can be compared with the conventional case. The temperature difference between the flow passage and the cooling liquid flow passage becomes large, and the capacity of the refrigerator can be fully exerted. The communication part serves as a cooling liquid circulation path at the start when the cooling liquid is not cooled, or when there is no cooling load or when there is a change.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the cooling liquid supply apparatus defined in the first or second aspect, the plate heat exchanger forming the refrigerant evaporator of the refrigerator is a plate heat exchanger. Of the refrigerant, the refrigerant inlet opening to the front plate of the refrigerant, the refrigerant branch flow passage continuing to the refrigerant inlet, the plurality of refrigerant passages adjacent to the cooling liquid passage through the heat exchange plate, and the refrigerant confluence where the refrigerant passages join. A flow path and a refrigerant outlet opening at an end face plate of the plate heat exchanger at the refrigerant merging flow path end are formed, and as a refrigerant flow rate control means to the refrigerant evaporator,
In the cooling liquid supply device, a temperature sensitive tube inserted into the refrigerant merging passage and a thermosensitive expansion valve operated by the pressure of the temperature sensitive tube are provided.

The cooling liquid supply apparatus according to the third aspect is
Since the temperature sensitive tube is inserted directly into the refrigerant confluence channel, which is the channel of the refrigerant that ends heat exchange and goes to the refrigerant outlet, unlike the conventional case where the temperature of the refrigerant conduit is detected as the refrigerant temperature. By directly contacting the refrigerant in the vicinity of the outlet of the evaporator, the refrigerant temperature can be accurately and quickly caught, and the detected amount can be transmitted to the expansion valve, which further improves the temperature control accuracy of the cooler. improves. The location of the temperature-sensitive tube is not limited to the confluent flow path of the heat exchanger, and the temperature-sensitive tube may be provided, for example, in a state of facing the refrigerant outlet opening in the accumulator. Of course, in that case, the connecting pipe connecting the temperature sensing cylinder and the expansion valve needs to pass the pressure vessel constituting the accumulator in a gas- and liquid-tight manner.

[0017]

1 to 4 show the essential parts of one embodiment of a cooling liquid supply apparatus according to the present invention. FIG.
The members having the same functions as those of the conventional device shown in FIG. The cooling liquid storage tank 1 is composed of a box-shaped container, and a partition wall 2a surrounds a corner near the lower left end of the front wall 1a of the storage tank 1 to define a cooling liquid return chamber 2 inside the storage tank 1. As it is formed
A cooling liquid storage chamber 3 including the other storage tank inner space is defined.

The partition wall 2a of the return chamber 2 is provided with a communication port 2b serving as a communication portion with the storage chamber 3. Further, the return liquid inlet 2c and the return liquid outlet 2d are provided on the front wall 1a of the return chamber 2.
But it is open. On the other hand, a coolant supply port 3a is opened in the coolant storage chamber 3. A liquid cooler 5 and an accumulator 6 are housed in the cooling liquid storage chamber 3. R ₁ is the same compressor (6
0), the condenser (61) and the thermal expansion valve (63) are stored in a refrigerator case, and the refrigerator body R is
Reference numeral ₁ is connected to a refrigerant inlet 5c of a liquid cooler 5 serving as an evaporator of a refrigeration cycle and a suction pipe 8 connecting an accumulator 6 and a refrigerant compressor by a refrigerant conduit to form a series of refrigeration cycles as a whole. doing.

The liquid cooler 5 comprises a plate type heat exchanger, and a large number of circular heat exchange plates 50 as shown in FIG. 3 are provided between a substantially circular front plate 5a and an end plate 5b of the same shape. , 50, ... The heat exchange plate 50 is formed by press-forming a large number of herringbone-shaped protrusions 51, 51, ... Provided with substantially elliptical openings (52 to 55) at four positions near the peripheral edge of a circular corrugated plate. .

In the liquid cooler 5, such a heat exchange plate 50 is hard brazed (brazing) by contacting the herringbone pattern in a staggered manner with each other next to each other in a staggered manner. A heat exchange flow path is formed between adjacent heat exchange plates. The opening 53 provided in each heat exchange plate communicates with the refrigerant inlet 5c opening at the lower part of the front plate 5a, and the refrigerant introduced from the refrigerant inlet 5c is provided between the heat exchange plates 50 ,. A series of refrigerant diversion flow paths 5d for diversion to the refrigerant flow path is configured. The refrigerant inlet 5c penetrates the front plate 1a of the storage tank 1 in a liquid-tight manner and is exposed to the outside of the storage tank, and a low-pressure refrigerant pipe line extended from the heat-sensitive expansion valve of the refrigerator main body R ₁ is provided therein. Connected.

Similarly, in the opening 52, the refrigerator refrigerant is
A refrigerant merging flow channel 5e is formed, which flows into the respective refrigerant flow channels from the diverting flow channel 5d, exchanges heat with the adjacent cooling liquid such as water via the heat exchange plate, and then merges again. A refrigerant outlet 5f formed in the end face plate 5b is opened at an end portion of the refrigerant confluent passage on the end face plate 5b side.

On the other hand, in FIG. 3, openings 52 and 53,
The openings 55 and 54, which are provided symmetrically with respect to the vertical diameter of the heat exchange plate 50, respectively, similarly divert the cooling liquid to the cooling liquid passages formed adjacent to the respective refrigerant passages. And a cooling liquid merging flow passage (54) for the cooling liquid that has passed through the cooling liquid flow passage.
The cooling liquid dividing flow channel (55) and the merging flow channel (54) correspond to the ends of both of these flow channels, and the cooling liquid inlet 5g provided in the front plate 5a and the end face plate 5b are opened. The cooling liquid outlets 5h are connected to each other. Like the refrigerant inlet 5c, the cooling liquid inlet 5g is kept liquid-tight from the front plate 1a of the storage tank 1 and is exposed to the outside of the tank. Further, the cooling liquid outlet 5h opens into the cooling liquid storage chamber 3 at the lower part of the end plate 5b.

Reference numeral 7 is a temperature-sensitive tube, which is provided by being inserted into the refrigerant merging passage 5e. The temperature-sensitive cylinder 7 penetrates the upper part of the front plate and the front plate 1a of the storage tank in a gas- and liquid-tight manner, and extends outside the front wall 1a of the storage tank from a connecting portion 5k provided outside the refrigerant merging flow path. The tube 7a protruding to the upper side communicates with the upper space of the diaphragm of the thermosensitive expansion valve (not shown) included in the refrigerator main body R ₁ .

Surrounding the refrigerant outlet 5f opening in the end face plate 5b of the liquid cooler 5 as described above, integrally from the end face plate,
Cylindrical portion 6b whose one side is closed by the end plate portion 6a
However, by being extended, the accumulator 6 that constitutes the pressure vessel together with the end face plate 5b is integrally provided on the side surface of the liquid cooler 5. This accumulator 6
One end 8a of the suction pipe 8 is opened in the upper space inside, and the suction pipe 8 penetrates the pressure container in a gas- and liquid-tight manner (6c) and projects to the outside of the pressure container, and the other end is connected to the refrigerator body. It is connected to the compressor inlet of R ₁ . 6d is an accumulator 6
Is a support plate for fixing the above to the inner bottom of the storage tank 1.

The cooling liquid inlet 5g of the liquid cooler 5 is connected to a return liquid outlet opening to the cooling liquid return chamber 2 by a cooling liquid conduit 11 in which a circulation pump P ₁ is provided. or,
A cooling liquid supply port 3a is opened in the cooling liquid storage chamber 3, and the supply port 3a is connected to the cooled device T by a cooling liquid supply pipe 12 in which a supply pump P ₂ is provided. To do. The cooling liquid supplied to the cooled device T through the supply pipe 12 returns to the cooling liquid return chamber 2 through the cooling liquid return pipe 13 that connects the cooled device T and the returning liquid inlet 2c. 14 is
When the water level in the coolant storage chamber 3 falls below a certain level by the water level detection float, water is automatically supplied.

[0026]

In the cooling liquid supply device, the refrigerant flowing from the expansion valve of the refrigerator body into the refrigerant distribution flow path 5d of the liquid cooling device 5 is
While exchanging heat with the cooling liquid adjacent to both sides through the heat exchange plate 50 while rising in the refrigerant flow path, the refrigerant merging flow path 5e flows around the temperature-sensing cylinder 7, and from the refrigerant outlet 5f to the inside of the accumulator 6. to go into. Since the temperature-sensitive cylinder 7 directly contacts the vaporized refrigerant immediately after the heat exchange, the temperature of the refrigerant can be detected promptly, there is no time lag in the operation of the thermal expansion valve on the refrigerator body side, and the control accuracy of the refrigerant flow rate is also improved. Improve further.

The cooling liquid that has entered the liquid cooling device from the cooling liquid inlet 5g descends while undergoing heat exchange with the refrigerant in a counterflow state, and directly enters the cooling liquid storage chamber 3 from the cooling liquid outlet 5h. When a plate heat exchanger having a circular heat exchange plate is adopted as the liquid cooler, in FIG.
A fluid such as a refrigerant or a cooling fluid that flows in and out of the heat exchangers and the heat exchange passages does not have a corner portion around which the fluid tends to stagnant, and the fluid flows in the arc-shaped portions 52a, 53a, 54a, 55a. Since it is guided and flows in eight directions from the opening, it is possible to prevent the flow from stagnating at one corner and depositing and depositing dirt on the surface of the heat exchange plate, which deteriorates the heat exchange performance as in the conventional case. .

Further, the temperature of the cooling liquid in the storage chamber 3 sent to the device to be cooled T through the supply pipe 12 by the supply pump P ₂ rises and enters the cooling liquid return chamber 2 via the return pipe 13. However, the return chamber 2 and the storage chamber 3 are substantially isolated from each other except when the supply pump P ₂ is stopped, and there is no alternating current of the cooling liquid that affects the liquid temperature. The returned liquid is sent as it is to the liquid cooler 5 from the return liquid outlet 2d. Therefore, compared to the conventional case,
This means that the temperature difference between the cooling liquid temperature passing through the liquid cooler 5 and the refrigerant evaporation temperature is expanded, and the performance of the liquid cooler is improved.

[0029]

[Effects] The above-described cooling liquid supply apparatus of the present application employs a plate heat exchanger as a liquid cooler, and further, a liquid cooler and an accumulator forming an evaporator of a refrigerator are integrally configured and connected to each other. By omitting the refrigerant conduit, cost reduction, downsizing and simplification of the shape are achieved, and further, by storing these liquid cooler units in the cooling liquid storage tank and immersing them in the cooling liquid, conventionally, All of the wasted space surrounded by the case etc. is used as a cooling liquid storage space, and the size of the device is greatly reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory cross-sectional view showing a main part of an embodiment of a cooling liquid supply apparatus of the present application.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of the entire configuration of the cooling liquid supply device shown in FIG. 1 as seen from the plane direction.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a heat exchange plate that constitutes a liquid cooler of the device of the present application.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional explanatory view of the cooling liquid storage tank of the device of the present application as seen from the front surface.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a conventional cooling liquid supply device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Cooling liquid storage tank 2 Cooling liquid return chamber 2a Partition wall 2b Communication port 2c Returning liquid inlet 2d Returning liquid outlet 3 Cooling liquid storage chamber 5 Liquid cooler 5a Front plate 5b End face plate 5c Refrigerant inlet 5d Refrigerant outlet 5g Cooling liquid inlet 5h Coolant outlet 6 Accumulator 7 Temperature sensitive tube 8 Suction pipe R ₁ Refrigerator body T Cooled device P ₁ , P ₂ Pump

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A cooling liquid storage tank having a liquid cooler in which a refrigerant evaporator and a cooling liquid flow path of a refrigerator are heat-exchangeably provided, and a supply port of the cooling liquid cooled by the liquid cooler. And a cooling liquid supply device including a liquid pressure feeding means,
The liquid cooler is configured by a plate heat exchanger, and the accumulator of the refrigerator includes a refrigerant outlet opening to an end face plate of the plate heat exchanger and a pressure provided integrally with the end face plate. Consisting of a container,
The plate heat exchanger and the accumulator,
A cooling liquid supply apparatus, which is installed in the storage tank, and a cooling liquid outlet of the heat exchanger is opened in the storage tank. 2. A cooling liquid storage chamber is partitioned by a partition wall to form a cooling liquid storage chamber and a cooling liquid return chamber that surround the plate heat exchanger, and the cooling liquid supply port is provided in the cooling liquid storage chamber. The partition wall is provided with a communicating portion with the cooling liquid storage chamber, and the cooling liquid return chamber and the cooling liquid inlet of the heat exchanger are connected by a liquid flow path having a liquid feeding pump interposed therebetween. The cooling liquid supply device according to claim 1, wherein 3. A heat exchange plate constituting a plate heat exchanger has a substantially circular shape, and an accumulator surrounds a refrigerant outlet opening in a substantially circular end face plate of the plate heat exchanger so as to extend from the end face plate. The cooling liquid supply device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cooling liquid supply device is formed by a cylindrical pressure vessel that extends in a gas- and liquid-tight manner. 4. A plate-type heat exchanger forming a refrigerant evaporator of a refrigerator, wherein a refrigerant inlet opening to a front plate of the plate-type heat exchanger, a refrigerant diversion flow path continuing to the refrigerant inlet, and a heat exchanger. A plurality of refrigerant channels adjacent to the cooling fluid channel via the plate, a refrigerant merging channel where the refrigerant channels merge, and an opening at the end face plate of the plate heat exchanger at the end of the refrigerant merging channel And a thermosensitive expansion valve that is operated by the pressure of the thermosensitive cylinder, the thermosensitive cylinder being provided by being inserted into the refrigerant confluent channel as a refrigerant flow rate control means to the refrigerant evaporator. The cooling liquid supply apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: