Storage device and its refrigeration method

By employing parallel fluid pipelines and integrated insulation devices in low-temperature cold storage technology, storage equipment utilizes liquid and gaseous refrigerants to circulate and absorb heat from the fluid medium, thus solving the problem of fluid evaporation and waste, and achieving longer storage time and more efficient cooling effect.

CN117516026BActive Publication Date: 2026-05-26PIEDMONT MEDSYST ZHUHAI CO LTD
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
PIEDMONT MEDSYST ZHUHAI CO LTD
Filing Date
2022-07-29
Publication Date
2026-05-26

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    Figure CN117516026B_ABST
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Abstract

This invention discloses a storage device and its cooling method. The storage device includes a fluid pipeline, a refrigerator, a gas-liquid separator, and a storage unit. The input end of the refrigerator is connected to the output end of the fluid pipeline to generate cooling capacity and exchange heat with a refrigerant. The input end of the gas-liquid separator is connected to the output end of the refrigerator to separate the refrigerant into a liquid phase and a gaseous phase. The storage unit has a heat exchange channel, the input end of which is connected to the output end of the gas-liquid separator, and the output end of which is connected to the input end of the fluid pipeline, so that the liquid phase or gaseous phase refrigerant can absorb and remove heat from the fluid medium. This invention extends the low-temperature storage time of the storage medium and reduces the waste of the storage medium. The storage device is a closed-loop system, and the refrigerant can be recycled. Furthermore, it achieves liquid cooling, solving the problem of refrigerant interfering with or causing instability in the operating environment.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of ultra-low temperature storage technology, and in particular to a storage device and its cooling method. Background Technology

[0002] In existing low-temperature cold storage technologies, storage tanks are typically used to store fluid refrigerants. These tanks are generally double-walled with a vacuum interlayer between the two walls, and the outer layer of the inner wall is silver-plated.

[0003] However, such storage tanks have a limited storage time for fluid media and cannot store fluids for long periods of time, as the fluids are prone to evaporation, resulting in waste. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The main objective of this invention is to provide a storage device and its cooling method, which aims to increase the storage time of the fluid medium in the storage device and solve the problem of waste caused by fluid evaporation.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a storage device comprising:

[0006] A fluid pipeline, comprising a first fluid pipeline and a second fluid pipeline connected in parallel with the first fluid pipeline;

[0007] A refrigeration unit, wherein the input end of the refrigeration unit is connected to the output end of the fluid pipeline for generating cooling capacity and exchanging heat with the refrigerant;

[0008] A gas-liquid separator, wherein the input end of the gas-liquid separator is connected to the output end of the refrigerator, for separating the refrigerant into a liquid phase refrigerant and a gas phase refrigerant; and

[0009] A storage device includes an inner shell and an outer shell. The inner shell has a storage cavity for storing a fluid medium. The inner shell and the outer shell form a heat exchange channel. The input end of the heat exchange channel is connected to the output end of the gas-liquid separator, and the output end of the heat exchange channel is connected to the input end of the fluid pipeline, so as to absorb and remove the heat of the fluid medium through the liquid phase refrigerant or the gas phase refrigerant.

[0010] Optionally, the storage device further includes an overall heat insulation device, in which the cold end of the refrigerator and the gas-liquid separator are both disposed within the overall heat insulation device.

[0011] Optionally, the overall thermal insulation device is a vacuum insulation box or an aerogel insulation box.

[0012] Optionally, the heat exchange channel is provided with a heat exchange component to allow the liquid-phase refrigerant or the gas-phase refrigerant to exchange heat with the fluid medium.

[0013] Optionally, the first fluid pipeline includes a first refrigerant pump, a regenerator, a first valve, and a second valve. The regenerator is located within the overall insulation device. The cold end inlet of the regenerator is connected to the liquid outlet of the storage device, and the cold end outlet of the regenerator is connected to the input end of the first refrigerant pump. The hot end inlet of the regenerator is connected to the output end of the first refrigerant pump, and the hot end outlet of the regenerator is connected to the input end of the refrigerator. The first valve is located on the pipeline between the hot end of the regenerator and the connection point of the second fluid pipeline, and the second valve is located on the pipeline between the cold end of the regenerator and the connection point of the second fluid pipeline.

[0014] The cold end of the regenerator is used to preheat the refrigerant; the hot end of the regenerator is used to precool the refrigerant.

[0015] Optionally, the second fluid pipeline includes a second refrigerant pump, which is disposed within the overall insulation device. The input end of the second refrigerant pump is connected to the liquid outlet end of the storage device, and the output end of the second refrigerant pump is connected to the input end of the refrigeration unit.

[0016] Optionally, a temperature sensor is provided on the pipeline between the refrigerator and the gas-liquid separator to detect the temperature of the refrigerant output from the output end of the refrigerator.

[0017] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention also proposes a cooling method based on the storage device described above, comprising the following steps:

[0018] Upon receiving the refrigeration start command, the first valve and the second valve of the first fluid line are opened, and the first refrigerant pump of the first fluid line is started.

[0019] Start the refrigeration unit to generate cooling capacity and exchange heat with the refrigerant to cool the refrigerant to the target temperature;

[0020] The gas-liquid separator is controlled to separate the cooled refrigerant into a liquid phase refrigerant and a gas phase refrigerant, and the liquid phase refrigerant or the gas phase refrigerant is introduced into the heat exchange channel of the storage device to absorb the heat of the storage medium inside.

[0021] The refrigerant, after absorbing heat, is returned to the first fluid pipeline via the storage device;

[0022] The temperature of the refrigerant output from the output terminal of the refrigerator is detected, and a temperature signal is generated to calculate the temperature detection value based on the temperature signal.

[0023] Based on the temperature detection value, the first fluid line is switched to the second fluid line so that the refrigerant flows back to the second refrigerant pump in the second fluid line via the storage device;

[0024] Upon receiving a shutdown command, the refrigerator and the second refrigerant pump are shut down sequentially.

[0025] Optionally, the step of switching the first fluid line to the second fluid line based on the temperature detection value, so that the refrigerant flows back to the second fluid line via the storage device, specifically includes:

[0026] When the difference between the detected temperature and the target temperature is less than or equal to a threshold, the second refrigerant pump in the second fluid pipeline is turned on.

[0027] After a first preset time, the first refrigerant pump is turned off;

[0028] After a second preset time, the first valve is closed;

[0029] After a third preset time, the second valve is closed.

[0030] Optionally, before the step of starting the refrigeration unit to generate cooling capacity and exchange heat with the refrigerant to cool the refrigerant to the target temperature, the method further includes:

[0031] The refrigerant is introduced into the hot end of the regenerator to pre-cool the refrigerant.

[0032] The step of controlling the refrigerant after heat absorption to flow back to the first fluid pipeline via the storage device specifically includes:

[0033] The refrigerant flowing out of the storage device is introduced into the cold end of the regenerator to preheat the refrigerant and then flows into the first refrigerant pump.

[0034] In the technical solution of the present invention, the storage device includes a fluid pipeline, a refrigerator, a gas-liquid separator, and a storage device; the fluid pipeline includes a first fluid pipeline and a second fluid pipeline connected in parallel with the first fluid pipeline; the input end of the refrigerator is connected to the output end of the fluid pipeline to generate cooling capacity and exchange heat with the refrigerant; the input end of the gas-liquid separator is connected to the output end of the refrigerator to separate the refrigerant into a liquid phase refrigerant and a gas phase refrigerant; the storage device includes an inner shell and an outer shell, the inner shell is provided with a storage cavity for storing the fluid medium, the inner shell and the outer shell form a heat exchange channel, the input end of the heat exchange channel is connected to the output end of the gas-liquid separator, and the output end of the heat exchange channel is connected to the input end of the fluid pipeline to absorb and remove the heat of the fluid medium through the liquid phase refrigerant or the gas phase refrigerant. In this way, the refrigerant can be separated into liquid and gaseous phases by a gas-liquid separator, and then one of them can be introduced into the heat exchange channel of the storage device to absorb the heat of the fluid medium in the storage chamber. By using a closed circulation pipeline, the heat-absorbing refrigerant is returned to the refrigerant pump and the refrigerator for circulation cooling, thereby increasing the storage time of the fluid medium in the storage device and solving the problem of waste caused by fluid evaporation. Attached Figure Description

[0035] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0036] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 2 This is a schematic flowchart of an embodiment of the cooling method for the storage device of the present invention.

[0038] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0039] 10. Fluid pipeline; 20. Refrigeration unit; 30. Gas-liquid separator; 40. Storage device; 41. Heat exchange assembly; 40a. Heat exchange channel; 40b. Storage chamber; 111. First refrigerant pump; 112. Regenerator; 113. First valve; 121. Second refrigerant pump; 114. Temperature sensor; 115. Storage tank; 116. Second valve; 50. Overall insulation device.

[0040] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0041] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0042] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present invention involve directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indicators are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indicators will also change accordingly.

[0043] Furthermore, if the embodiments of this invention involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, if the word "and / or" appears throughout the text, it means including three parallel solutions; for example, "A and / or B" includes solution A, solution B, or a solution that simultaneously satisfies A and B. Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

[0044] This invention proposes a storage device applicable to storing fluid media, but not limited thereto.

[0045] Reference Figure 1 In one embodiment of the present invention, the storage device includes a fluid pipeline 10, a refrigerator 20, a gas-liquid separator 30, and a storage device 40; the fluid pipeline 10 includes a first fluid pipeline 10 and a second fluid pipeline 10 connected in parallel with the first fluid pipeline 10; the input end of the refrigerator 20 is connected to the output end of the fluid pipeline 10 to generate cooling capacity and exchange heat with the refrigerant; the input end of the gas-liquid separator 30 is connected to the output end of the refrigerator 20 to separate the refrigerant into a liquid phase refrigerant and a gas phase refrigerant; the storage device 40 includes an inner shell and an outer shell, the inner shell is provided with a storage cavity 40b for storing the fluid medium, the inner shell and the outer shell surround to form a heat exchange channel 40a, the input end of the heat exchange channel 40a is connected to the output end of the gas-liquid separator 30, and the output end of the heat exchange channel 40a is connected to the input end of the fluid pipeline 10, so as to absorb and remove the heat of the fluid medium through the liquid phase refrigerant or the gas phase refrigerant.

[0046] In this embodiment, the first fluid pipeline can transport refrigerant by setting a first refrigerant pump 111, which can be a conventional pump or the like. The second fluid pipeline can transport refrigerant by setting a second refrigerant pump 121, which can be a cryogenic pump or the like. The first valve 113 and the second valve 116 can both be solenoid valves and manual valves, etc., and are not limited here.

[0047] In this embodiment, the refrigerator 20 can be a thermoacoustic refrigerator or the like, and the internal circulation medium of the thermoacoustic refrigerator is not limited. The cooling temperature of the refrigerator 20 can be below -100°C, and is not limited here.

[0048] The refrigerant can be a substance with a different boiling point, such as nitrogen, which has a boiling point of -196°C. The refrigerant temperature supplied by the refrigerator 20 to the storage device 40 can reach below -200°C.

[0049] When the refrigerator 20 of the storage device is a thermoacoustic refrigerator, a heat dissipation component can be provided at the heat dissipation end of the thermoacoustic refrigerator. The heat dissipation component can be a fan, a liquid cooling component, or a combination of air cooling and liquid cooling. No limitation is made here.

[0050] In this embodiment, a heat exchange component 41 may be provided in the heat exchange channel 40a of the storage device 40 to accelerate the absorption of heat from the fluid medium in the storage device 40 by the liquid or gaseous refrigerant. This improves the efficiency of heat exchange between the refrigerant and the cooled medium in the storage device 40, thereby further removing heat from the medium in the storage device 40, increasing the low-temperature storage time, and reducing the evaporation and waste of the storage medium.

[0051] The heat exchange component 41 can be a heat exchange tube or the like, and there are no restrictions here.

[0052] refer to Figure 1 When the first fluid pipeline is working, its circulating refrigeration process is as follows: the cold end plate of the refrigerator 20 generates cold energy and exchanges heat with the refrigerant. After the refrigerant is cooled down, it enters the gas-liquid separator 30. The gas-liquid separator 30 separates the refrigerant into liquid refrigerant and gaseous refrigerant. The liquid refrigerant or gaseous refrigerant enters the heat exchange channel 40a of the storage device 40 and can exchange heat with the medium being cooled in the storage device 40 through the heat exchange component 41. After absorbing heat, the refrigerant flows back to the regenerator 112. After absorbing heat at the cold side of the regenerator 112, it enters the first refrigerant pump 111. The first refrigerant pump 111 delivers it to the hot side of the regenerator 112 for heat release and pre-cooling. Then it enters the cold end plate of the refrigerator 20, and so on.

[0053] When the second fluid pipeline is working, its circulating refrigeration process is as follows: the cold end plate of the refrigerator 20 generates cold energy and exchanges heat with the refrigerant. After the refrigerant is cooled down, it enters the gas-liquid separator 30. The gas-liquid separator 30 separates the refrigerant into liquid refrigerant and gaseous refrigerant. The liquid refrigerant or gaseous refrigerant enters the heat exchange channel 40a of the storage device 40 and can exchange heat with the medium being cooled in the storage device 40 through the heat exchange component 41. Then, after absorbing heat, the refrigerant flows back to the second refrigerant pump 121 and is then transported to the cold end plate of the refrigerator 20 by the second refrigerant pump 121. This cycle repeats continuously.

[0054] In the technical solution of the present invention, the storage device includes a fluid pipeline 10, a refrigerator 20, a gas-liquid separator 30, and a storage device 40; the fluid pipeline 10 includes a first fluid pipeline 10 and a second fluid pipeline 10 connected in parallel with the first fluid pipeline 10; the input end of the refrigerator 20 is connected to the output end of the fluid pipeline 10 to generate cooling capacity and exchange heat with the refrigerant; the input end of the gas-liquid separator 30 is connected to the output end of the refrigerator 20 to separate the refrigerant into a liquid phase refrigerant and a gas phase refrigerant; the storage device 40 includes an inner shell and an outer shell, the inner shell is provided with a storage cavity 40b for storing the fluid medium, the inner shell and the outer shell surround to form a heat exchange channel 40a, the input end of the heat exchange channel 40a is connected to the output end of the gas-liquid separator 30, and the output end of the heat exchange channel 40a is connected to the input end of the fluid pipeline 10 to absorb and remove the heat of the fluid medium through the liquid phase refrigerant or the gas phase refrigerant. In this way, the refrigerant can be separated into liquid and gaseous phases by the gas-liquid separator 30, and then one phase can be introduced into the heat exchange channel 40a of the storage device 40. The refrigerant absorbs the heat from the fluid medium stored in the storage chamber 40b, and through a closed-loop circulation pipeline, the heat-absorbing refrigerant is returned to the first refrigerant pump 111 (or the second refrigerant pump 121) and the refrigerator 20 for circulating cooling. This increases the storage time of the fluid medium in the storage device 40 and solves the problem of waste caused by fluid evaporation. Furthermore, this storage device achieves liquid cooling, solving the problem of refrigerant interfering with or causing instability in the operating environment.

[0055] Furthermore, because the storage device employs a first and second fluid pipeline connected in parallel, they can be opened separately to deliver refrigerant to cool the storage medium, or they can be opened simultaneously. When both pipelines are open at the same time, the flow rate and volume of the refrigerant can be significantly increased, thereby improving the cooling effect of the storage device. Moreover, if one pipeline fails, the other pipeline can continue to operate, reducing the frequency of downtime for maintenance.

[0056] refer to Figure 1In one embodiment, the storage device may further include an overall heat insulation device 50, in which the second refrigerant pump 121, the cold end of the refrigerator 20, and the gas-liquid separator 30 are all disposed within the overall heat insulation device 50; the overall heat insulation device 50 may be a vacuum heat insulation box or an aerogel heat insulation box, etc.

[0057] By setting up an overall heat insulation device 50, the heat insulation effect of the storage device is improved, which can minimize heat exchange with the outside world and thus ensure the stability of refrigeration.

[0058] To achieve faster cooling temperature reach, in one embodiment, the first fluid pipeline may include a first refrigerant pump 111, a regenerator 112, a first valve 113, and a second valve 116. The regenerator 112 and the first valve 113 may be housed within the overall insulation device 50. The cold end inlet of the regenerator 112 is connected to the liquid outlet of the storage device 40, and the cold end outlet of the regenerator 112 is connected to the inlet of the first refrigerant pump 111. The hot end inlet of the regenerator 112 is connected to the outlet of the first refrigerant pump 111, and the hot end outlet of the regenerator 112 is connected to the inlet of the refrigerator 20. The first valve 113 is located on the pipeline between the hot end of the regenerator 112 and the connection point of the second fluid pipeline, and the second valve 116 is located on the pipeline between the cold end of the regenerator 112 and the connection point of the second fluid pipeline. The cold end of the regenerator 112 is used to preheat the refrigerant, and the hot end of the regenerator 112 is used to precool the refrigerant.

[0059] The first refrigerant pump 111 can be a conventional pump, etc.

[0060] In this embodiment, a storage tank 115 can be installed on the input pipeline of the first refrigerant pump 111 to store refrigerant, which can stabilize the pressure and effectively ensure the stability of the refrigeration cycle.

[0061] refer to Figure 1 In one embodiment, the second fluid line may include a second refrigerant pump 121, the input end of which is connected to the output end of the storage device 40, and the output end of which is connected to the input end of the refrigerator 20.

[0062] The second refrigerant pump 121 can be a cryogenic pump, etc.

[0063] It should be noted that cryogenic pumps are vacuum pumps that utilize the condensation of gases at low-temperature surfaces; they are also known as condensation pumps. Cryogenic pumps can achieve the highest pumping speed and the lowest ultimate pressure to obtain a clean vacuum, and are widely used in semiconductor and integrated circuit research and production, as well as in molecular beam research, vacuum coating equipment, vacuum surface analysis instruments, ion implanters, and space simulation devices.

[0064] In this embodiment, the first fluid line can also be used to pre-cool the refrigerant; the second fluid line can also be used to pre-cool the refrigerant. This further improves refrigeration efficiency.

[0065] In this embodiment, the refrigerant can be transported through the first fluid pipeline first. When the cooling temperature reaches a certain temperature, the first fluid pipeline is switched to the second fluid pipeline and the second refrigerant pump 121 is used to transport the refrigerant to accelerate the flow of the refrigerant. This allows the cooling temperature to drop to the target temperature at a faster rate and reduces the energy loss caused by the simultaneous opening of the first and second fluid pipelines. This significantly reduces the cooling efficiency and saves costs.

[0066] To improve the cooling accuracy of this storage device, refer to Figure 1 In one embodiment, a temperature sensor 114 is provided on the pipe between the refrigerator 20 and the gas-liquid separator 30 to detect the temperature of the refrigerant output from the output end of the refrigerator 20.

[0067] In this embodiment, the refrigeration system can adjust the refrigeration temperature of the refrigerator 20 in a timely manner according to the cooling temperature detected in real time by the temperature sensor 114, so that the temperature of the gas phase refrigerant or liquid phase refrigerant reaches the optimal value to meet the needs of different application scenarios.

[0068] The present invention also proposes a cooling method, based on the above-described storage device, with reference to... Figure 1 and Figure 2 In one embodiment of the present invention, the refrigeration method includes the following steps:

[0069] Step S10: When the refrigeration start command is obtained, open the first valve and the second valve of the first fluid pipeline, and start the first refrigerant pump of the first fluid pipeline.

[0070] refer to Figure 1 In this embodiment, the first refrigerant pump 111 can be a conventional pump. When the control system of the storage device receives the user's command to start the refrigeration, it sequentially controls the first valve 113, the second valve 116, and the first refrigerant pump 111 to open so as to start delivering refrigerant to the refrigeration unit 20.

[0071] Step S20: Start the refrigeration unit to generate cooling capacity and exchange heat with the refrigerant to cool the refrigerant to the target temperature.

[0072] Among them, the refrigeration unit 20 is preferably a thermoacoustic refrigeration unit, and the target temperature can be below -100℃, but this is not limited.

[0073] In this embodiment, the control system controls the refrigerator 20 to start the refrigeration operation, cooling the refrigerant to below -100°C, thereby obtaining gaseous and liquid refrigerants.

[0074] Step S30: Control the gas-liquid separator to separate the cooled refrigerant into a liquid phase refrigerant and a gas phase refrigerant, and pass the liquid phase refrigerant or the gas phase refrigerant into the heat exchange channel of the storage device to absorb the heat of the storage medium inside.

[0075] Step S40: Control the refrigerant after heat absorption to flow back to the first fluid pipeline through the storage device.

[0076] During this process, refer to Figure 1 The circulation direction of the refrigerant is as follows: the cold end plate of the refrigerator 20 generates cold energy and exchanges heat with the refrigerant. After the refrigerant is cooled down, it enters the gas-liquid separator 30. The gas-liquid separator 30 separates the refrigerant into liquid phase and gas phase refrigerant. The liquid phase refrigerant or gas phase refrigerant enters the heat exchange channel 40a of the storage device 40, and can exchange heat with the medium being cooled in the storage device 40 through the heat exchange component 41. After absorbing heat, the refrigerant flows back to the regenerator 112, and after absorbing heat at the cold side of the regenerator 112, it enters the first refrigerant pump 111. The first refrigerant pump 111 delivers it to the hot side of the regenerator 112 for heat release and pre-cooling, and then it enters the cold end plate of the refrigerator 20. This cycle repeats continuously.

[0077] Step S50: Detect the temperature of the refrigerant output from the output terminal of the refrigerator and generate a temperature signal to calculate the temperature detection value based on the temperature signal.

[0078] In this embodiment, the temperature of the refrigerant is monitored in real time by the temperature sensor 114 and the temperature signal is fed back to the refrigeration control system. The refrigeration control system determines whether the current temperature has reached the threshold, and then controls the refrigerator 20 to work or switches the fluid pipeline 10, etc., as appropriate.

[0079] Step S60: Based on the temperature detection value, switch the first fluid line to the second fluid line so that the refrigerant flows back to the second refrigerant pump in the second fluid line via the storage device.

[0080] In this embodiment, the second refrigerant pump 121 can be a cryogenic pump.

[0081] After the switching is completed, the circulation direction of the refrigerant is as follows: the cold end plate of the refrigerator 20 generates cold energy and exchanges heat with the refrigerant. After the refrigerant is cooled down, it enters the gas-liquid separator 30. The gas-liquid separator 30 separates the liquid phase and the gas phase refrigerant. The liquid phase or gas phase refrigerant enters the heat exchange channel 40a of the storage device 40 and can exchange heat with the medium being cooled in the storage device 40 through the heat exchange component 41. Then, the refrigerant that has absorbed heat flows back to the second refrigerant pump 121 and is then transported to the cold end plate of the refrigerator 20 by the second refrigerant pump 121. This cycle repeats.

[0082] Step S70: When the refrigeration shutdown command is obtained, the refrigeration unit and the second refrigerant pump are shut down in sequence.

[0083] At this point, the refrigeration system receives the user's shutdown command and ends the refrigeration operation.

[0084] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 In one embodiment, step S60, which involves switching the first fluid line to the second fluid line based on the temperature detection value so that the refrigerant flows back to the second fluid line via the storage device, specifically includes:

[0085] Step S61: When the difference between the detected temperature value and the target temperature is less than or equal to the threshold, turn on the second refrigerant pump in the second fluid pipeline;

[0086] Step S62: After the first preset time, turn off the first refrigerant pump;

[0087] Step S63: After the second preset time, close the first valve;

[0088] Step S64: After a third preset time, close the second valve.

[0089] In this embodiment, temperature sensor 114 detects the temperature of the refrigerant output from the cold plate of the thermoacoustic refrigeration unit. The refrigeration system determines whether to switch to the second refrigerant pump 121 based on the temperature detection value. If |T-T0|≤a, the second refrigerant pump 121 is started, the first refrigerant pump 111 is turned off after a first preset time t1, the first valve 113 is closed after a second preset time t2, and the second valve 116 is closed after a third preset time t3. Wherein, T is the temperature detection value, T0 is the target temperature, and a is a system preset threshold.

[0090] In this embodiment, the refrigerant is first transported through the first fluid pipeline. Once the cooling temperature reaches a certain level, the first fluid pipeline is switched to the second fluid pipeline to transport the refrigerant, thereby accelerating the flow of the refrigerant and allowing the cooling temperature to drop to the target temperature at a faster rate. This also reduces energy loss caused by the simultaneous operation of the first and second fluid pipelines, significantly improving cooling efficiency and saving costs.

[0091] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 In one embodiment, when the first refrigerant pump 111 is a conventional pump, before step S20 of starting the refrigerator to generate cooling capacity and exchange heat with the refrigerant to cool the refrigerant to the target temperature, the method further includes:

[0092] Step S11: The refrigerant is introduced into the hot end of the regenerator to pre-cool the refrigerant.

[0093] Step S40, in which the refrigerant after heat absorption is returned to the first fluid pipeline via the storage device, specifically includes:

[0094] Step S41: The refrigerant flowing out of the storage device is introduced into the cold end of the regenerator to preheat the refrigerant and then the refrigerant flows into the first refrigerant pump.

[0095] In this embodiment, the combination of a conventional pump and a regenerator 112 can achieve the technical effect of a cryogenic pump.

[0096] refer to Figure 1 In this embodiment, the cold end of the regenerator 112 can preheat the refrigerant and can work with the first refrigerant pump 111 to deliver the refrigerant at a faster speed. The hot end of the regenerator 112 can precool the refrigerant, further improving the refrigeration efficiency.

[0097] The above description is merely an optional embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. All equivalent structural transformations made using the contents of the present invention's specification and drawings under the inventive concept of the present invention, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A storage device, comprising: include: A fluid pipeline, comprising a first fluid pipeline and a second fluid pipeline connected in parallel with the first fluid pipeline; A refrigeration unit, wherein the input end of the refrigeration unit is connected to the output end of the fluid pipeline for generating cooling capacity and exchanging heat with the refrigerant; A gas-liquid separator, the input end of which is connected to the output end of the refrigerator, for separating the refrigerant into a liquid phase refrigerant and a gas phase refrigerant; as well as A storage device includes an inner shell and an outer shell. The inner shell has a storage cavity for storing a fluid medium. The inner shell and the outer shell form a heat exchange channel. The input end of the heat exchange channel is connected to the output end of the gas-liquid separator, and the output end of the heat exchange channel is connected to the input end of the fluid pipeline, so as to absorb and remove the heat of the fluid medium through the liquid phase refrigerant or the gas phase refrigerant.

2. The storage device of claim 1, wherein, The storage device also includes an overall heat insulation device, in which the cold end of the refrigerator and the gas-liquid separator are both located.

3. The storage device of claim 2, wherein, The overall heat insulation device is a vacuum heat insulation box or an aerogel heat insulation box.

4. The storage device as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The heat exchange channel is equipped with heat exchange components to enable the liquid-phase coolant or the gas-phase coolant to exchange heat with the fluid medium.

5. The storage device as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that, The first fluid pipeline includes a first refrigerant pump, a regenerator, a first valve, and a second valve. The regenerator is located within the overall insulation device. The cold end inlet of the regenerator is connected to the liquid outlet of the storage device, and the cold end outlet of the regenerator is connected to the input end of the first refrigerant pump. The hot end inlet of the regenerator is connected to the output end of the first refrigerant pump, and the hot end outlet of the regenerator is connected to the input end of the refrigerator. The first valve is located on the pipeline between the hot end of the regenerator and the connection point of the second fluid pipeline, and the second valve is located on the pipeline between the cold end of the regenerator and the connection point of the second fluid pipeline. The cold end of the regenerator is used to preheat the refrigerant; the hot end of the regenerator is used to precool the refrigerant.

6. The storage device as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that, The second fluid pipeline includes a second refrigerant pump, which is located inside the overall insulation device. The input end of the second refrigerant pump is connected to the liquid outlet end of the storage device, and the output end of the second refrigerant pump is connected to the input end of the refrigeration unit.

7. The storage device as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that, A temperature sensor is installed on the pipeline between the refrigeration unit and the gas-liquid separator to detect the temperature of the refrigerant output from the output end of the refrigeration unit.

8. A cooling method, based on the storage device as described in claim 7, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Upon receiving the refrigeration start command, the first valve and the second valve of the first fluid line are opened, and the first refrigerant pump of the first fluid line is started. Start the refrigeration unit to generate cooling capacity and exchange heat with the refrigerant to cool the refrigerant to the target temperature; The gas-liquid separator is controlled to separate the cooled refrigerant into a liquid phase refrigerant and a gas phase refrigerant, and the liquid phase refrigerant or the gas phase refrigerant is introduced into the heat exchange channel of the storage device to absorb the heat of the storage medium inside. The refrigerant, after absorbing heat, is returned to the first fluid pipeline via the storage device; The temperature of the refrigerant output from the output terminal of the refrigerator is detected, and a temperature signal is generated to calculate the temperature detection value based on the temperature signal. Based on the temperature detection value, the first fluid line is switched to the second fluid line so that the refrigerant flows back to the second refrigerant pump in the second fluid line via the storage device; Upon receiving a shutdown command, the refrigerator and the second refrigerant pump are shut down sequentially.

9. The refrigeration method as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The step of switching the first fluid line to the second fluid line based on the temperature detection value, so that the refrigerant flows back to the second fluid line through the storage device, specifically includes: When the difference between the detected temperature and the target temperature is less than or equal to a threshold, the second refrigerant pump in the second fluid pipeline is turned on. After a first preset time, the first refrigerant pump is turned off; After a second preset time, the first valve is closed; After a third preset time, the second valve is closed.

10. The refrigeration method as described in claim 9, characterized in that, Prior to the step of starting the refrigeration unit to generate cooling capacity and exchange heat with the refrigerant to cool the refrigerant to the target temperature, the method further includes: The refrigerant is introduced into the hot end of the regenerator to pre-cool the refrigerant. The step of controlling the refrigerant after heat absorption to flow back to the first fluid pipeline via the storage device specifically includes: The refrigerant flowing out of the storage device is introduced into the cold end of the regenerator to preheat the refrigerant and then flows into the first refrigerant pump.