KR20060049468A - Refrigerants supply device and refrigerants supply method - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerant supply device and a refrigerant supply method in which the liquid refrigerant in the refrigerant container can be used to the last, and the weight concentrations of the various liquid refrigerants are included in the specification.

1st container 10A in the refrigerant | coolant supply apparatus which mixes and stores the mixed refrigerant in the refrigerant container which mixes and stores two or more types of refrigerants with different saturation vapor pressures by the pump pump 13A, 13B, and supplies it to a consumption facility through a supply piping. The first mode of supplying the mixed refrigerant only from the second, the second mode of supplying the mixed refrigerant from both the first container 10A and the second container 10B, and the mixed refrigerant only from the second container 10B. It has a supply mode switching means 231 which switches in turn the 3rd mode which supplies.

Pressure pumps, vessels, supply mode switching means, on-off valves, injectors

Description

REFRIGERANTS SUPPLY DEVICE AND REFRIGERANTS SUPPLY METHOD}

1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a refrigerant supply device.

2 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of a refrigerant supply device.

3 is an explanatory view of the operation of the refrigerant supply device.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a control method of a refrigerant supply device.

Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the weight percentage of refrigerant supplied from the refrigerant supply device.

6 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional refrigerant supply method.

7 is a graph showing the weight percentage of refrigerant supplied from a conventional refrigerant supply device.

8 is an explanatory diagram of a refrigerant supplied from a conventional refrigerant supply device.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

10A, 10B, 10C: Refrigerant Container

11A, 11B, 11C: Weigher

12A, 12B, 12C: On / Off Valve

13A, 13B: Pressure Pump

15A, 15B: Injector

17A, 17B, 17C: Check Valve

18: header

Document 1 JP 8-28792 A

The present invention relates to a refrigerant supply device and a refrigerant supply method used to charge a refrigerant in a cooling device such as an air conditioner.

Conventionally, a refrigerant | coolant is divided into a liquid layer and a base layer in the refrigerant container which accommodated the refrigerant | coolant charged to cooling equipment, such as an air conditioner. The state of this liquid layer and a base layer is balanced by the saturated vapor pressure by ambient temperature. Here, in order to charge the coolant in the coolant container to the cooler, the coolant is pumped up from the coolant container. At this time, as shown in Figs. 6A, 6B, and 6C, the refrigerant container 100 absorbs heat from the surroundings and vaporizes the liquid refrigerant in the refrigerant container 100. That is, the level of the liquid refrigerant (liquid layer) 102 is lowered by the pumping of the liquid refrigerant 102, so that the volume of the gas refrigerant (base layer) 101 is increased. Only as the volume of the base layer 101 increases, the liquid refrigerant 102 obtains heat from the surroundings and newly vaporizes to satisfy it.

Here, in the mixed refrigerant, the ratio of vaporization is different from each other by the difference in the saturated vapor pressure. In this embodiment, R407C, which is a mixed refrigerant in which three kinds of refrigerants R32, R125, and R134a are mixed, is used. The saturated vapor pressure of R32 is 1.475 KPa / 20 ° C, the saturated vapor pressure of R125 is 1.205 KPa / 20 ° C, and the saturated vapor pressure of R134a is 0.5717 KPa / ° C.

Therefore, the component of the base layer 101 of (b) and (c) becomes gas which the liquid of R32 and R125 mainly vaporized. In other words, the liquid level of the liquid refrigerant 102 in the container is lowered, and the liquid weight of R32 and R125 in the liquid refrigerant 102 is lowered because the liquid refrigerant 102 of R32 and R125 vaporizes. That is, the ratio of R32 and R125 in the liquid refrigerant 102 decreases, and the weight ratio of R134a increases.

At the start of use of the refrigerant container 100 in the filled state shown in FIG. 6A and in the state where the remaining amount of the liquid refrigerant shown in (c) decreases, as shown in FIG. The weight ratio of R125 is decreasing. 7 represents the time axis, and the vertical axis represents the weight concentration of R32 and R125.

8A shows the weight concentrations of the three kinds of refrigerants in the refrigerant container 100. The vertical axis represents the weight concentration, and the horizontal axis represents the remaining amount in the refrigerant container 100. The left end is the remaining amount 100, and the right end is the remaining amount 0. In FIG. 8B, the rate of increase and decrease of each of the refrigerants of FIG. The reference value of the three types of mixed refrigerants R407C is 21 to 25 wt%, R125 is 23 to 27 wt%, and R134a is 50 to 54 wt% in the weight concentration. As shown in (b), when the residual amount was 10 wt% or less, there was a problem that the weight concentrations of R32 and R125 were below the minimum reference value of 21 wt% and 23 wt%, respectively.

In order to prevent the problem, the conventional first method is a method of using the non-compensation with the remaining amount of up to 10 wt% as the use limit from the state where the refrigerant container 100 is full.

However, in the conventional method, there is a problem that 10 wt% is wasted, so that the yield is poor and the production cost is increased.

In addition, since the refrigerant container 100 is usually disposed outside the factory building, the environment is greatly different in summer and winter, and even if the weight of 10 wt% is determined in a standard state, the composition may be out of the standard.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and provides a refrigerant supply device and a refrigerant supply method in which a liquid refrigerant in a refrigerant container can be used to the last, and a weight concentration of various liquid refrigerants is included in a standard.

In order to achieve the above object, the refrigerant supply device or the refrigerant supply method of the present invention has the following configuration.

(1) A refrigerant supply device for supplying a mixed refrigerant in a refrigerant container in which two or more kinds of refrigerants having different saturated vapor pressures are mixed and stored by a pressure pump to be supplied to a consumption facility through a supply pipe, wherein the mixing is performed only from the first container. Supply mode which switches between the 1st mode which supplies a refrigerant | coolant, the 2nd mode which supplies the said mixed refrigerant from both a 1st container and a 2nd container, and the 3rd mode which supplies the said mixed refrigerant only from a 2nd container. It has a switching means.

(2) The refrigerant supply device according to (1), wherein the refrigerant is a mixed liquid of three kinds of refrigerants of R32, R125, and R134a.

(3) The refrigerant supply device according to (1) or (2), wherein the control switching valve and the check valve are connected in series to the inlets and outlets of the first vessel and the second vessel.

(4) A refrigerant supplying method in which a mixed refrigerant in a refrigerant container in which two or more kinds of refrigerants having different boiling points are mixed and stored is pumped by a pressure pump and supplied to a consumption facility through a supply pipe, wherein the mixed refrigerant is supplied only from a first container. The 1st process of supplying, and the 2nd process of supplying the said mixed refrigerant from both a 1st container and a 2nd container, and the 3rd process of supplying the said mixed refrigerant only from a 2nd container are switched in turn.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Hereinafter, one Embodiment which actualized the refrigerant | coolant supply apparatus of this invention is described in detail with reference to drawings. Fig. 1 shows a schematic configuration diagram of a refrigerant supply device (direct supply method).

This refrigerant | coolant supply apparatus is provided with three refrigerant | coolant containers 10A, 10B, and 10C. In each refrigerant container, 1000 kg of three kinds of mixed refrigerants R32, R125, and R134a are stored. Weighers 11A, 11B and 11C for measuring the total weight of each refrigerant container are arranged in the refrigerant containers 10A, 10B and 10C. The weighers 11A, 11B, and 11C measure the weight of the whole including the refrigerant and the refrigerant container stored therein, and measure the weight of the refrigerant by subtracting the weight of the empty refrigerant container.

Inlet ports of on-off valves 12A, 12B, and 12C which are air operation valves are connected to the inlets and outlets of the refrigerant containers 10A, 10B, and 10C. The outlet ports of the on-off valves 12A, 12B, and 12C are connected to the header 18 via the check valves 17A, 17B, and 17C, respectively. The header 18 is connected to the pressure feed pumps 13A and 13B. The pressure feed pumps 13A and 13B are connected to the injectors 15A and 15B. Pressure gauges 14A and 14B are provided between the pressure feed pumps 13A and 13B and the injectors 15A and 15B. The injectors 15A and 15B are devices for injecting a refrigerant into an air conditioner which is a product in a factory. The air conditioner is injected with about 20 kg of refrigerant.

2 shows a control device of the refrigerant supply device in a block diagram. Weighers 11A, 11B, 11C and on-off valves 12A, 12B, 12C are connected to control device 20. The control device 20 includes a CPU 21, a RAM 22, and a ROM 23. The ROM 23 stores the control program 231.

A conceptual diagram of the control method performed by the control program 231 is shown in Fig. 3A, the open / close state of the open / close valve 12A is shown in (b-1), and the open / close valve 12B is shown in (b-2). ), The open / close state of the open / close valve 12C is shown in (b-3). 4 shows a flowchart of the control program 231.

First, the flowchart of FIG. 4 will be described. Supply is performed only from the coolant container 10A until the remaining amount of the coolant container 10A is 1/3 or less when the remaining amount is filled (step S1). When the remaining amount of the coolant container 10A becomes 1/3 or less (step S2; YES), the filled coolant container 10B until the remaining amount of the coolant container 10A becomes less than the minimum amount (Step S3; YES) And supply alternately for 30 seconds from the refrigerant container 10A (step S4). As a result, the refrigerant is supplied in equal amounts from the refrigerant container 10A and the refrigerant container 10B.

When the remaining amount of the coolant container 10A becomes less than the minimum amount (step S3; no), the coolant container (until S6; no) until the remaining amount of the coolant container 10B is 1/3 or less when the remaining amount is filled (step S6; The coolant is supplied only from 10B) (step S5). When the remaining amount of the refrigerant container 10B is 1/3 or less (step S6; yes), the filled refrigerant container 10C and the refrigerant container until the remaining amount of the refrigerant container 10B is less than the minimum amount (S7; yes) Supply is alternately performed for 30 seconds from 10B (step S8). As a result, the refrigerant is supplied in equal amounts from the refrigerant container 10B and the refrigerant container 10C.

When the remaining amount of the coolant container 10B is less than the minimum amount (S7; no), the coolant container 10C until the remaining amount of the coolant container 10C is 1/3 or less when the remaining amount of the coolant container 10C is full (S10; No). The coolant is supplied only from (step S9). When the remaining amount of the refrigerant container 10C becomes 1/3 or less (S10; YES), the filled refrigerant container 10A and the refrigerant until the remaining amount of the refrigerant container 10C is less than the minimum amount (Step S11; YES) Supply is alternated for 30 seconds from the container 10C (step S12). As a result, the refrigerant is supplied in equal amounts from the refrigerant container 10C and the refrigerant container 10A. When the remaining amount of the refrigerant container 10C becomes less than the minimum amount (S11; no), the flow returns to step S1.

The weight% of the refrigerant at the time of supplying will be described with reference to FIG. 3. In Fig. 3, the horizontal axis represents the time axis, and the vertical axis represents the weight% of R32 in the supplied refrigerant. The thick line L11 represents the weight% of R32 in the vicinity of the outlet of the pressure feed pumps 13A and 13B. The thick line L12 represents the weight% of R32 in the header 18. Broken line L13 has shown the weight% of R125.

L1 and L4 represent the weight% of R32 in the refrigerant container 10A. L2 and L5 represent the weight% of R32 in the refrigerant container 10B. L3 and L6 represent the weight% of R32 in the refrigerant container 10C. In addition, L7 has shown the weight% of R32 in the filled state in the refrigerant container 10. As shown in FIG.

In step S1, 12 A of opening / closing valves are fully open, and opening / closing valve 12B repeats opening and closing at 30 second intervals. In the state of step S1, since the amount of refrigerant remaining in the refrigerant container 10A is small, the internal pressure is lower than that of the refrigerant container 10B. Therefore, when opening / closing valve 12B is opened in 11 A of open / close valves, check valve 17A will act | operate and coolant will be supplied only from coolant container 10B. In addition, when the open / close valve 12B is closed, the coolant is supplied only from the coolant container 10A. By this phenomenon, the refrigerant can be supplied alternately from the refrigerant container 10A and the refrigerant container 10B by simply opening and closing one open / close valve.

Since the open state of the open / close valve is performed only by the spring force, according to this method, the operation frequency of the open / close valve, which is an air operation valve, can be reduced, and energy saving can be realized. In addition, durability of the on / off valve can be improved by reducing the number of operations of the on / off valve.

Next, the refrigerant supplied when the above control is performed will be described based on Fig. 3A.

At the start of step S1, the weight percentage of R32 in the coolant container 10A is about 22 wt%, and the wt% of R32 at the end of step S1 is less than 21 wt%, which is 23 ± 2 wt. Since the lower limit of 21% may be interrupted, the refrigerant is supplied alternately from the refrigerant container 10B and the refrigerant container 10A in the full state. According to this method, the weight percentage of R32 in the refrigerant container 10B at the start of step S1 is about 24.5 wt%, and R32 in the header 18 is alternately supplied from the refrigerant container 10B and the refrigerant container 10A. The weight% of is slightly over 23 wt%.

The weight to be supplied to the product is about 20 kg, and the weight of the refrigerant stored in the refrigerant container is 1000 kg, for example, so that step S1 is continued while supplying to 16 and 17 products.

In step S1, since refrigerant is alternately supplied from the refrigerant container 10B and the refrigerant container 10A, L12 representing the weight% of R32 in the header 18 represents L2 representing the weight% of R32 in the refrigerant container 10B. And L1 representing the weight% of R32 in the refrigerant container 10A. In addition, the refrigerant | coolant is mixed in the pump pump 13A, 13B, and the weight% of R32 in the vicinity of the exit of pump pump 13A, 13B becomes a line shown by L11.

Next, after supplying to 16 and 17 products in step S1, it switches over in step S2. In step S2, the coolant is supplied only from the coolant container 10B. The weight percentage of R32 in the refrigerant container 10B is a value slightly over 23 wt% at the start of step S2, and is about 22 wt% at the end of step S2, so that the refrigerant in the refrigerant container 10B is left as it is. When supplied, it is stored within 23 ± 2 wt%, which is the allowable value of R32.

The supply state of step S2 is performed about 16 and 17 products. The supply to the first product is a value in which the weight percentage of R32 slightly exceeds 23 wt%, and becomes about 22 wt% at the end of step S2.

Next, if supply is continued only in the coolant container 10B in step S3, since the wt% of R32 at the end of step S3 may be less than 21 wt%, the allowable value may be interrupted. The refrigerant is supplied alternately from the container 10C and the refrigerant container 10B whose remaining amount is about one third. According to this method, the weight percentage of R32 in the refrigerant container 10C at the start of step S3 is about 24.5 wt%, and is supplied to the header 18 when alternately supplied from the refrigerant container 10C and the refrigerant container 10B. The weight% of R32 in the case becomes a value slightly exceeding 23 wt%.

Since the weight supplied to the product is about 20 kg and the refrigerant weight stored in the refrigerant container is, for example, 1000 kg, step S3 is continued while supplying to 16 and 17 products.

Next, in step S4, the coolant is supplied only from the coolant container 10C. The weight% of R32 in the coolant container 10C is slightly more than 23 wt% at the start of step S4, and is about 22 wt% at the end of step S4, so the coolant in the coolant container 10C is supplied as it is. It is stored in 23 ± 2 wt%, which is the allowable value of R32 on the lower surface.

The supply state of step S4 is performed about 16 and 17 products. The supply to the first product is a value in which the weight percentage of R32 slightly exceeds 23 wt%, and becomes about 22 wt% at the end of step S4.

Hereinafter, in steps S5 to S10, the same operations as those in step S1 or less are repeated using the refrigerant containers 10A, 10B, and 10C converted into the filled containers.

In the above description, R32 has been described, but the same operation is performed also for R125, contributing to maintaining the composition of the mixed refrigerant.

Fig. 5 shows the weight percentages of R32, R125 and R134a which are the components of the refrigerant measured for each product. R32 has passed the regulation value within 23 ± 2 wt% in all products. R125 has passed the regulation value within 25 ± 2 wt% in all products. R134a has passed the regulation value within 52 ± 2 wt% in all products.

As described above in detail, according to the refrigerant supplying device or the refrigerant supplying method of the present embodiment, the mixed refrigerant in the refrigerant container in which two or more kinds of refrigerants having different saturated vapor pressures are mixed and stored is pumped and supplied by the pumps 13A and 13B. Refrigerant supply apparatus which supplies to a consumption equipment via piping, WHEREIN: Mixing from both the 1st mode which supplies the said mixed refrigerant only from the 1st container 10A, and both the 1st container 10A and the 2nd container 10B. Since it has a supply mode switching means 231 which switches a 2nd mode which supplies a refrigerant | coolant, and the 3rd mode which supplies a mixed refrigerant | coolant only from the 2nd container 10B in order, it is a mixed refrigerant only from 1st container 10A. A first step of supplying the mixture, a second step of supplying the mixed refrigerant from both the first container 10A and the second container 10B, and a third step of supplying the mixed refrigerant only from the second container 10B. Can switch in turn In the second step, the remaining amount of the refrigerant decreases so that the refrigerant having a lower weight% of R32 and the refrigerant having a higher weight% of R32 in a full state can be mixed in half and supplied. Through the third process it is possible to always maintain the weight% of R32 within the regulated value.

In addition, the refrigerant having a lower weight% of R125 and a refrigerant having a higher weight% of R125 can be mixed in half and supplied in a filled state, so that the weight% of R125 is always regulated through the first step, the second step, and the third step. I can keep it inside.

Here, since the control opening / closing valve and the check valve are connected in series with the inlet and outlet of the 1st container 10A, the 2nd container 10B, and the 3rd container 10C, for example, the 1st container of low pressure in step S1. By opening / closing and controlling the high pressure second container 10B with the 10A always open, it is possible to alternately supply the refrigerant of the first container 10A and the second container, thereby opening / closing the valve of the first container 10A. Since it completes without driving 12A, energy saving can be realized. Here, the check valve prevents the high pressure refrigerant of the second container 10B from flowing back to the low pressure first container 10A when the first container 10A and the second container 10B are open.

In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, A part of structure can be changed suitably and can be implemented as follows in the range which does not deviate from the meaning of invention.

In the present embodiment, three refrigerant containers are used, but two can be implemented, and four or more can be implemented. In addition, although the capacity | capacitance of the refrigerant container used is said to be the same in this Example, it is the same also if using refrigerant containers of other capacity.

Next, operations and effects of the refrigerant supply device and refrigerant supply method of the present invention having the above-described configuration will be described.

A refrigerant supply device in which a mixed refrigerant in a refrigerant container in which two or more kinds of refrigerants having different saturated vapor pressures are mixed and stored is fed by a pump to be supplied to a consumption facility through a supply pipe, wherein the mixed refrigerant is supplied only from a first container. Supply mode switching means for switching between the 1st mode to supply, the 2nd mode which supplies the said mixed refrigerant from both a 1st container and a 2nd container, and the 3rd mode which supplies the said mixed refrigerant only from a 2nd container. And the first step of supplying the mixed refrigerant only from the first container, the second step of supplying the mixed refrigerant from both the first container and the second container, and the mixed refrigerant only from the second container. Since the 3rd process to supply can be switched one by one, in the 2nd process, the residual amount of refrigerant | coolant becomes small, and the refrigerant | coolant with which the weight% of the refrigerant | coolant with a large saturated vapor pressure fell was full, It is possible to mix the refrigerant having a high weight percent of the refrigerant having a high saturated vapor pressure in the filled state, so that the weight percent of the refrigerant having a high saturated vapor pressure can always be maintained within a regulated value through the first, second, and third processes.

Here, since the control opening / closing valve and the check valve are connected in series to the inlet and outlet of the 1st container and the 2nd container, in a 2nd process, the low pressure 1st container is always kept open, and the high pressure 2nd container is opened and closed. It is possible to alternately supply the refrigerant of the first vessel and the second vessel, and complete without driving the opening / closing valve of the first vessel, thereby achieving energy saving. Here, the check valve prevents the high pressure refrigerant of the second container from flowing back to the low pressure first container when the first container and the second container are open.

Claims (4)

A refrigerant supply apparatus for supplying a mixed refrigerant in a refrigerant container in which two or more kinds of refrigerants having different saturated vapor pressures are mixed and stored by a pressure pump to be supplied to a consumption facility through a supply pipe. A first mode of supplying the mixed refrigerant only from a first container; A second mode for supplying the mixed refrigerant from both the first container and the second container, And a supply mode switching means for sequentially switching a third mode for supplying the mixed refrigerant only from a second container. The refrigerant supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerant is a mixed liquid of three types of refrigerants R32, R125, and R134a. The refrigerant | coolant supply apparatus of Claim 1 or 2 in which the control switching valve and the check valve are connected in series with the entrance and exit of the 1st container and the 2nd container. In the refrigerant supplying method of mixing the mixed refrigerant in the refrigerant container for storing two or more kinds of refrigerants having different boiling points by the pressure pump to supply to the consumer equipment through the supply pipe, A first step of supplying the mixed refrigerant only from a first container; A second step of supplying the mixed refrigerant from both the first container and the second container, And a third step of sequentially supplying the mixed refrigerant only from the second container.

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