Heat medium modifying device, heat medium modifying method, and heat medium using equipment

Abstract

The invention provides a heat medium modifying device, a heat medium modifying method and heat medium using equipment. This heat medium modification device is provided with: a generation unit (200) for generating, on the basis of a commercial power source (6), an excitation signal for exciting a heat medium, said excitation signal having a pulse width of 5-100 nsec and a frequency of 5-50 kHz; and a supply unit (120) that supplies the excitation signal generated by the generation unit (200) to the heat medium. According to the heat medium modifying device, the power consumption of the heat medium using equipment can be reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a heat medium modification device, a heat medium modification method and heat medium use equipment, and in particular to a heat medium modification device, a heat medium modification method and heat medium use equipment applicable to heat medium use equipment such as air conditioners, refrigerators / freezers, and water heaters. Background Art

[0002] Recently, fuel prices have risen sharply and electricity prices are also rising in Japan.

[0003] Non-patent document 1 discloses the contents of power consumption estimated by the Energy Agency. According to non-patent document 1, for example,

[0004] In the case of office buildings, the power consumption of air conditioning is about 48%,

[0005] In the case of wholesale and retail stores, the power consumption of air conditioning is about 48%, and the power consumption of refrigeration and cooling is about 9%.

[0006] In the case of food supermarkets, the power consumption of air conditioning is about 25%, and the power consumption of refrigeration is about 35%.

[0007] In the case of medical institutions, the power consumption of air conditioning is about 38%,

[0008] In the case of hotels and hostels, the power consumption of air conditioning is about 26%,

[0009] In the case of restaurants, the power consumption of air conditioning is about 46%, and the power consumption of heating equipment, etc. is about 22%.

[0010] That is, it can be seen that most of the power consumption is caused by the equipment using the heat medium.

[0011] Therefore, realizing low power consumption and electricity saving by targeting heat medium-using equipment is very effective from the perspective of individual businesses and the national economy, as well as from the perspective of achieving the energy targets disclosed in the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals).

[0012] Prior art documents

[0013] Patent Literature

[0014] Patent Document 1: https: / / www.mhlw.go.jp / stf / houdou / 2r9852000001o9by-att / 2r9852000001oa3e.pdf Summary of the invention

[0015] Problems to be solved by the present invention

[0016] However, although it has not been disclosed at the time of filing this application, the patent specification of the patent application (Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-017482: Patent Document 1) that is subject to patent evaluation describes an invention of a lead sulfate film removal device for removing the lead sulfate film produced on the electrodes of a lead-acid battery.

[0017] The lead sulfate film removal device comprises: a generating unit, which generates a lead sulfate film removal signal having a peak value of 550mA to 750mA, a pulse width of 5nsec to 100nsec, and a frequency of 5kHz to 50kHz based on a signal obtained from a lead-acid battery; and a supply unit, which supplies the removal signal generated by the generating unit to the electrode of the lead-acid battery. The lead sulfate film removal device has the excellent effect of being able to realize its own low power consumption and not causing damage to the electrode of the lead-acid battery.

[0018] The inventors of the present invention have found that although the lead sulfate film removal device and the heat medium using equipment are different in various aspects such as technical fields and uses, when attempting to make several improvements to the lead sulfate film removal device disclosed in Patent Document 1 and install it on the heat medium using equipment, they surprisingly found that the power consumption of the heat medium using equipment could be reduced.

[0019] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a heat medium reforming device which improves the lead sulfate film removal device disclosed in Patent Document 1 so as to be suitable for use in heat medium using equipment.

[0020] Means of solving the problem

[0021] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the inventors of the present invention have provided a heat medium reforming device comprising:

[0022] a generating unit that generates an excitation signal for exciting the heat medium with a pulse width of 5 nsec to 100 nsec and a frequency of 5 kHz to 50 kHz based on a commercial power supply; and

[0023] A supply unit supplies the excitation signal generated by the generation unit to the heat medium.

[0024] The generating unit may be implemented by a digital integrated circuit for a specific purpose.

[0025] A conversion unit connected between a commercial power source and the generating unit for converting AC from the commercial power source into DC may be further provided. In this case, in Japan, the generating unit can generate the excitation signal based on a voltage signal of 12V-24V.

[0026] The peak value of the excitation signal may be 550 mA to 1000 mA.

[0027] In addition, the heat medium modification method of the present invention comprises:

[0028] A step of generating an excitation signal for exciting a heat medium having a pulse width of 5 nsec to 100 nsec and a frequency of 5 kHz to 50 kHz based on a commercial power supply;

[0029] and a step of supplying the generated excitation signal to the thermal medium.

[0030] Furthermore, the heat medium utilizing equipment of the present invention is equipped with the above-mentioned heat medium reforming device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] Figure 1 This is an explanatory diagram showing a conceptual example of use of the heat medium reforming device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 2 It is partially functional Figure 1 FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of the generating unit 23 in the heat medium reforming device 2 shown in FIG.

[0033] Figure 3 Yes means Figure 2 FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a circuit topology of the generating unit 23. FIG.

[0034] Figure 4 It means in Figure 1 The graph shown is a graph of the measurement results of the current values ​​of the heat medium using equipment before and after the heat medium reforming device 2 is installed.

[0035] Explanation of symbols

[0036] 1. Heat medium equipment

[0037] 2. Heat medium modification device

[0038] 3 Indoor units

[0039] 4 Outdoor unit

[0040] 5 Refrigerant pipe

[0041] 6 Commercial power supply

[0042] 11 Reference power supply circuit

[0043] 12 Constant current circuit

[0044] 13A control circuit

[0045] 13B Inter-terminal switch circuit

[0046] 14 Oscillator Circuit

[0047] 15. The first frequency division circuit

[0048] 16 Second frequency division circuit

[0049] 17 Level Shift Circuit

[0050] 18A drive circuit

[0051] 18B pulse drive circuit

[0052] 19 Driving switch circuit

[0053] 100 Plug

[0054] 110AC-DC adapter

[0055] 120 signal lines

[0056] 120A positive terminal

[0057] 120B Negative terminal

[0058] 130 driving resistor

[0059] 140, 150 voltage divider resistor

[0060] 160 Power supply unit

[0061] 170 Signal Generation Department

[0062] 180 Switching Circuit

[0063] 190 Pulse drive circuit

[0064] 200 Generation Department DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0065] Hereinafter, a heat medium reforming device, a heat medium reforming method, and heat medium using equipment according to embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0066] Figure 1 1 is a conceptual diagram of an air conditioner of a heat medium using device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The heat medium using device 1 includes a characteristic heat medium reforming device 2 in addition to the known indoor unit 3, outdoor unit 4, and refrigerant pipe 5. Figure 1 In the figure, a commercial power source 6 connecting the heat medium reforming device 2, the indoor unit 3, and the outdoor unit 4 is also shown.

[0067] like Figure 1 As shown, the indoor unit 3 and the outdoor unit 4 are connected by a refrigerant pipe 5. These do not need to be prepared in various forms, and the heat medium reforming device 2 can be installed on the equipment already installed in the building. Of course, for example, an embodiment in which the heat medium using device 1 is sold in a state where the heat medium reforming device 2 is installed on the refrigerant pipe 5 passing through the outdoor unit 4 is not excluded from the present invention.

[0068] The indoor unit 3 includes a heat exchanger (not shown) for exchanging heat energy transferred by the refrigerant. The heat exchanger is connected to the refrigerant pipe 5 in the indoor unit 3 as is known in the art.

[0069] The outdoor unit 4 is not shown in the figure, and includes a compressor for compressing the refrigerant, a heat exchanger for exchanging the heat energy moved by the refrigerant, and a decompressor for decompressing the refrigerant. As is known, the compressor, the heat exchanger, and the decompressor are all connected to the refrigerant pipe 5 in the outdoor unit 4. The positional relationship of these is from the upstream to the downstream of the refrigerant during cooling, namely, the compressor, the heat exchanger, and the decompressor.

[0070] The refrigerant pipe 5 is not limited to this, and is made of copper or aluminum in most cases. The refrigerant pipe 5 constitutes a refrigerant cycle. At present, the mainstream refrigerant is mainly composed of a substitute for Freon such as hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC), hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) and perfluorocarbon (PFC), and contains a small amount of lubricant. Of course, the types of the refrigerant pipe 5 are not limited to these types.

[0071] The refrigerant is clustered with the use of the heat medium using device 1. When the refrigerant is clustered, the surface area of ​​the refrigerant molecules is reduced, thereby reducing the refrigerant function, that is, reducing the heat exchange efficiency.

[0072] First, the heat medium using device 1 of this embodiment is equipped with a heat medium reforming device 2, and the heat medium reforming device 2 reforms the refrigerant by supplying an excitation signal to the refrigerant. Thus, the reduction of heat exchange efficiency is improved or prevented. The modification mentioned here, if it is the clustering of the freon replacement molecules, also includes the case of subdividing them.

[0073] The heat medium reforming device 2 is installed in the refrigerant pipe 5, for example, in the outdoor unit 4. As an example, it is not limited to this, and it can be installed between the heat exchanger and the pressure reducer in the refrigerant pipe 5. In addition, the heat medium reforming device 2 can also be installed in the refrigerant pipe 5 in the indoor unit 3. As an example, it is not limited to this, and it can also be installed between the heat exchanger in the indoor unit 3 and the pressure reducer of the outdoor unit 4.

[0074] The heat medium reforming device 2 and the refrigerant pipe 5 can be installed in a ratio of 1:N to N:1. That is, one or more heat medium reforming devices 2 can be installed in one or more refrigerant pipes 5. The number of installations can be determined based on the peak value of the excitation signal generated by the heat medium reforming device 2 and the required amount of refrigerant passing through the refrigerant pipe 5.

[0075] For example, in the case where there are two heat medium using devices 1 each having a small refrigerant capacity, a heat medium reforming device 2 can be installed on the refrigerant pipe 5 of one heat medium using device 1, and the refrigerant pipe 5 and the refrigerant pipe 5 of the other heat medium using device 1 can be connected only by a copper wire or other bonding wire.

[0076] On the other hand, for example, in the case of a heat medium using device 1 with a large refrigerant capacity, a plurality of heat medium reforming devices 2 may be installed on the refrigerant pipe 5. However, this generally increases the installation work, so it is preferable to set the peak value of the excitation signal generated in the heat medium reforming device 2 to be higher.

[0077] Details of the heat medium reforming device 2 Figure 2 as well as Figure 3 As will be described later, the system is generally described as including a generating unit that generates an excitation signal for exciting the refrigerant, and a supplying unit that supplies the excitation signal generated by the generating unit to the refrigerant via the refrigerant pipe 5 .

[0078] Figure 2 It is partially functional Figure 1 A block diagram of the circuit structure of the heat medium reforming device 2 is shown. Figure 2 Also marked Figure 1 The heat medium reforming device 2 is roughly divided into a power plug 100, an AC-DC adapter 110, and a generating unit 200 which are described below.

[0079] The power plug 100 is a component for connecting the main body of the heat medium reforming device 2 to the commercial power source 6. Since socket specifications and plug specifications differ depending on the country or region, the type of the power plug 100 may be appropriately selected according to these specifications.

[0080] The AC-DC adapter 110 is an adapter that converts AC voltage into DC voltage when the commercial power source 6 is an AC power source as in Japan. The value of the converted DC voltage can be, for example, 12 V to 24 V. In addition, when the commercial power source 6 is a DC power source, the AC-DC adapter 110 does not need to be installed. However, it is sometimes necessary to install a DC-DC adapter instead.

[0081] The generating unit 200 includes a signal line 120 , a positive terminal 120A and a negative terminal 120B, a driving resistor 130 , voltage-dividing resistors 140 and 150 , a power supply unit 160 , a signal generating unit 170 , a switch circuit (SW) 180 , and a pulse driving circuit 190 , which are described below.

[0082] Some of the active or passive components of the generator 200 may be implemented by a digital integrated circuit (Application Specific Integrated Circuit, hereinafter referred to as "ASIC") for a specific application. Figure 3 Provide explanation.

[0083] The positive terminal 120A is a terminal located downstream of the AC-DC adapter 110 and upstream of the driving resistor 130 , the voltage dividing resistor 140 , and the power supply unit 160 , which are connected in parallel to each other.

[0084] As described later, the positive terminal 120A is connected to a signal line 120 that transmits an excitation signal to the refrigerant pipe 5. However, since the excitation signal is AC, the connection destination of the signal line 120 may be not the positive terminal 120A but the negative terminal 120B.

[0085] A part of the current passing through the positive terminal 120A flows to the pulse driving circuit 190 located downstream thereof through the driving resistor 130. Another part of the current flows to the voltage dividing resistor 150 and the signal generating unit 170 through the voltage dividing resistor 140. The rest of the current flows to the power supply unit 160.

[0086] The power supply unit 160 includes, for example, a relatively high voltage front-end power supply circuit and a relatively low voltage rear-end power supply circuit, which are connected in series. Therefore, the relatively high voltage output voltage V H The relatively low voltage output voltage V of the subsequent power supply circuit is indirectly applied to the signal generation unit 170 via the switch circuit 180. L Directly applied to the signal generating unit 170. Of course, the output voltage V can also be obtained by physically dividing a power supply circuit. H and output voltage V L structure.

[0087] The driving resistor 130 is a resistor that defines the value of the current flowing in the pulse driving circuit 190. The resistance value of the driving resistor 130 may be determined based on the resistance values ​​of the voltage-dividing resistors 140 and 150 and the input resistance value of the power supply unit 160. However, when these are used as conditions to be described later, it may be set to about 10Ω-30Ω (e.g., about 15Ω).

[0088] The voltage-dividing resistors 140 and 150 are resistors that define the value of the current flowing to the signal generating unit 170. The resistance values ​​of the voltage-dividing resistors 140 and 150 can be determined based on the resistance value of the driving resistor 130 and the input resistance value of the power supply unit 160, and the resistance value of the voltage-dividing resistor 140 can be set to about 0Ω-20kΩ (for example, about 0Ω), and the resistance value of the voltage-dividing resistor 150 can be set to about 100Ω-300kΩ (about 200kΩ).

[0089] The switch circuit 180 is implemented by a transistor such as a FET in this example, and performs a switching operation according to an on / off signal to be described later output from the signal generating unit 170. When the switch circuit 180 is in the on state, the output voltage V H is applied to the signal generating unit 170, and when the switch circuit 180 is in the off state, the output voltage V is stopped from being applied to the signal generating unit 170. H .

[0090] The signal generating unit 170 generates a signal according to the output voltage V H 、V L The on / off signal is generated and supplied to the switch circuit 180. The on / off signal is supplied to the switch circuit 180. In addition, the signal generating unit 170 includes a constant current source output circuit, an oscillator, a frequency dividing circuit, etc., and based on the output voltage V H 、V L A control signal for generating an excitation signal is generated. The control signal has a sawtooth waveform and becomes a gate current output to the pulse drive circuit 190.

[0091] Here, the signal generating unit 170 operates, for example, under the following conditions, so that the excitation signal that ultimately excites the refrigerant passing through the refrigerant pipe 5 becomes a pulse signal having a sawtooth waveform with a peak value (peak value of the output current of the heat medium modification device 2) of 550mA to 1000mA, a pulse width of 5nsec to 100nsec, and a frequency of 5kHz to 50kHz.

[0092] That is, the output voltage V of the preceding power supply circuit of the power supply unit 160 is set to H is about 9.0V to 11.0V (e.g. 10.0V), making the output voltage V L The voltage is about 5.0V to 6.0V (eg, 5.5V), and the oscillation frequency of the oscillator of the signal generating unit 170 is about 1.0MHz to about 5.0MHz (eg, about 2.5MHz). The frequency dividing circuit is composed of, for example, a 2-divide-by-2 circuit and a synchronous 62-divide-by-2 circuit.

[0093] In this way, the former can make the frequency about 0.6MHz to about 2.5MHz (for example, about 1.25MHz), and the latter can make the frequency about 9.67kHz to about 40.32kHz (for example, about 20.16kHz), and a pulse signal with a pulse width of about 5nsec to about 100nsec can be generated according to the divided frequency.

[0094] And, if the pulse signal is supplied to the output voltage V H 、V L The constant current source output circuit composed of a PMOS transistor and a switch composed of an NMOS transistor can generate a sawtooth waveform control signal with a peak value of about 550mA to about 1000mA, a pulse width of about 5nsec to about 100nsec, and a frequency of about 5kHz to about 50kHz.

[0095] The pulse drive circuit 190 generates an excitation signal according to the control signal output from the signal generation unit 170. The pulse drive circuit 190 can be implemented by a transistor such as a FET, for example. In the case of this structure, theoretically, the excitation signal has the same pulse width and the same frequency as the control signal.

[0096] The signal line 120 connects the positive terminal 120A and the refrigerant pipe 5. The signal line 120 supplies the excitation signal generated by the pulse drive circuit 190 to the refrigerant pipe 5. The signal line 120 may include, for example, a core wire and a sheath covering the core wire.

[0097] The connection method between the positive terminal 120A and the refrigerant tube 5 includes: connecting one end of the core wire to the positive terminal 120A, and then (1) contacting the other end of the core wire with the refrigerant tube 5 under the condition that the refrigerant tube 5 is not grounded, (2) passing the sheath over the refrigerant tube 5, (3) winding the sheath around the refrigerant tube 5, etc. In the above cases (2) to (3), the core wire does not directly contact the refrigerant tube 5.

[0098] In the case of (1) above, both the AC component and the DC component of the excitation signal are supplied to the refrigerant pipe 5 and the refrigerant passing through the refrigerant pipe 5. In the case of (2) above, only the AC component of the excitation signal is supplied to the refrigerant pipe 5 and the refrigerant passing through the refrigerant pipe 5 by AC coupling. In the case of (3) above, only the AC component of the excitation signal is supplied to the refrigerant pipe 5 and the refrigerant passing through the refrigerant pipe 5 by AC coupling.

[0099] As described above, the refrigerant pipe 5 is generally made of, for example, copper. Therefore, in the case of (1) above, an excitation signal is supplied through the core wire of the signal wire 120 to cause current to flow.

[0100] In the above cases (2) to (3), even if an excitation signal is supplied through the sheath of the signal line 120, the refrigerant pipe 5 is applied with an electric field, so that current flows weakly through AC coupling. In addition, the refrigerant is considered to be excited by AC coupling, and there are also cases where current flows directly.

[0101] In addition, the refrigerant is clustered with the use of the heat medium using device 1. Thus, the surface area of ​​the freon substitute molecules is reduced, thereby reducing the refrigerant function, that is, the heat exchange efficiency.

[0102] First, the heat medium using equipment 1 of this embodiment is equipped with a heat medium reforming device 2, which reforms the refrigerant by supplying an excitation signal to the refrigerant. The reformation mentioned here includes the case where the freon-substituting molecules are clustered, and the clustering is also included.

[0103] Since the refrigerant is ionized, it is affected by electrochemical action when current flows through the refrigerant pipe 5. In addition, when the refrigerant is excited or current flows through the refrigerant, a mechanical action such as cluster movement occurs.

[0104] In short, as described later, by installing the heat medium reforming device 2, the driving current of the compressor of the outdoor unit 4 is actually reduced, confirming the power saving effect of the heat medium using equipment 1. This is an indisputable fact and is the basis for proving the refrigerant reforming.

[0105] In addition, when the excitation signal is a signal with a peak value of 550mA to 1000mA, a pulse width of 5nsec to 100nsec, and a frequency of 5kHz to 50kHz, it is confirmed that one heat medium reforming device 2 can be preferably used for a total refrigerant capacity of 20L to 100L (in the case of using Figure 2 In the case of the values ​​exemplified in parentheses in the description of , it is approximately 40 L) for one or more heat medium using devices 1.

[0106] Figure 3 Yes means Figure 2 FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a circuit topology of a generator 200 in a heat medium reforming device 2. As described above, the generator 200 can be realized by an ASIC. The generator 200 in this case includes a reference power supply circuit 11, a constant current circuit 12, a control circuit 13A, a terminal switch circuit 13B, an oscillation circuit 14, a first frequency division circuit 15, a second frequency division circuit 16, a level shift circuit 17, a drive circuit 18A, a pulse drive circuit 18B, and a drive switch circuit 19, which are described below.

[0107] Here, Figure 2 The parts shown and Figure 3The relationship between the parts shown does not represent all the corresponding parts in each figure, and is not necessarily 1:1 corresponding, so it is conceptually organized as follows.

[0108] Right now,

[0109] · Figure 2 The power supply unit 160 shown in FIG. Figure 3 It is not directly shown in the figure, corresponding to the high power supply voltage V DDH (Equivalent to using Figure 2 The output voltage V H ”) and low supply voltage V DDL (Equivalent to using Figure 2 The output voltage V L ”),

[0110] · Figure 2 The driving resistor 130 shown corresponds to Figure 3 The portion (not shown) connected to the driving circuit 18A shown,

[0111] · Figure 2 The voltage divider resistors 140 and 150 shown correspond to Figure 3 The driving circuit 18A shown,

[0112] · Figure 2 The switch circuit 180 shown corresponds to Figure 3 The driving switch circuit 19 shown,

[0113] · Figure 2 The signal generating unit 170 shown corresponds to Figure 3 The reference power supply circuit 11, the constant current circuit 12, the control circuit 13A, the inter-terminal switch circuit 13B, the oscillation circuit 14, the first frequency division circuit 15 and the second frequency division circuit 16 are shown.

[0114] · Figure 2 The pulse drive circuit 190 shown corresponds to Figure 3 The pulse driving circuit 18B is shown.

[0115] The reference power supply circuit 11 can be constituted by a so-called BGR (bandgap reference) circuit and is supplied with a low power supply voltage V DDL , generating P as a reference signal (reference current) TAT signal, the P TAT The signal is output to the constant current circuit 12, the control circuit 13A and the oscillation circuit 14 (in addition, regarding the signal used as the reference signal, Figure 3 The same applies to the following.)

[0116] The constant current circuit 12 is supplied with a low power supply voltage V DDL, input P output from the reference power supply circuit 11 TAT signal, based on the P TAT Signal Generation C TAT signal, the C TAT The signal is output to the control circuit 13A, the oscillation circuit 14, and the drive circuit 18A.

[0117] The control circuit 13A is supplied with a low power supply voltage V DDL , input P output from the reference power supply circuit 11 TAT signal and C output from the constant current circuit 12 TAT signal, generating the P TAT signal and the C TAT The device can generate a confluence signal of the signal and control the switching of on / off of the output of the confluence signal.

[0118] Specifically, the control circuit 13A is set with the low power supply voltage V DDL The comparison threshold S L and threshold S H , if the threshold S L ≤Low power supply voltage V DDL ≤Threshold S H , a control is performed to output a merging signal to the inter-terminal switch circuit 13B, and in other cases, a control is performed not to output a merging signal to the inter-terminal switch circuit 13B.

[0119] The terminal switching circuit 13B can be composed of, for example, an NMOS transistor, which comprises: a gate to which a merge signal from the control circuit 13A is input; a source connected to the positive terminal 120A; and a drain connected to the negative terminal 120B via an element such as a resistor or a diode for voltage and current adjustment, and switches the electrical connection between the positive terminal 120A and the negative terminal 120B according to the presence or absence of the output of the merge signal.

[0120] The oscillation circuit 14 is supplied with a low power supply voltage V DDL , input P output from the reference power supply circuit 11 TAT signal and C output from the constant current circuit 12 TAT signals, generates a pulse signal based on these signals, and outputs the pulse signal to the first frequency dividing circuit 15. The oscillation circuit 14 is configured to generate a pulse signal having an oscillation frequency of, for example, 2.5 MHz.

[0121] The first frequency dividing circuit 15 is supplied with a low power supply voltage V DDL , a pulse signal with an oscillation frequency of, for example, 2.5 MHz output from the oscillation circuit 14 is input, the oscillation frequency of the pulse signal is divided into 1 / 2, that is, for example, 1.25 MHz, and the divided signal is output to the second frequency dividing circuit 16.

[0122] The second frequency dividing circuit 16 is a synchronous circuit, which inputs a pulse signal with an oscillation frequency of, for example, 1.25 MHz output from the first frequency dividing circuit 15, divides the oscillation frequency of the pulse signal into, for example, 1 / 62, i.e., 20.16 kHz, and outputs the divided signal to the level shift circuit 17 and the drive switch circuit 19.

[0123] In addition, the frequency division conditions of the first frequency division circuit 15 and the second frequency division circuit 16 are such that the pulse width of the pulse signal output from the second frequency division circuit 16 is 800 nsec in this example. Therefore, it should be noted that the frequency division condition is not limited to "1 / 2" frequency division or "1 / 62" frequency division, and the number of frequency division circuits is not limited to "2".

[0124] The level shift circuit 17 is supplied with a low power supply voltage V DDL and high supply voltage V DDH A pulse signal with a pulse width of 800 nsec, for example, is input from the second frequency dividing circuit 16, and the low power supply voltage V is adjusted based on the pulse signal. DDL and high supply voltage V DDH The level of the voltage is shifted, and the level-shifted voltage signal is output to the drive circuit 18A.

[0125] The drive circuit 18A can be formed of, for example, a PMOS transistor and is supplied with a high power supply voltage V DDH The voltage signal output from the level shift circuit 17 and the C output from the constant current circuit 12 are input. TAT signal and a switch signal output from the drive switch circuit 19, based on the voltage signal and the C TAT The signal generates a driving signal, and outputs the driving signal to the pulse driving circuit 18B according to the switching signal.

[0126] The drive switch circuit 19 can be composed of, for example, an NMOS transistor and is supplied with a low power supply voltage V DDL , comprising: a gate to which a pulse signal having a pulse width of, for example, 800 nsec output from the second frequency dividing circuit 16 is input, and a source and a drain to which the switching signal is output to the driving circuit 18A based on the pulse signal.

[0127] The pulse drive circuit 18B can be formed of, for example, an NMOS transistor, and includes a gate to which the drive signal output from the drive circuit 18A is input, a drain connected to the input terminal 100 via the drive resistor 130 , and a source connected to the output terminal 120B.

[0128] Figure 4 Yes means Figure 1 The graphs shown are effect measurements before and after installation of the heat medium reforming device 2. Figure 4The right vertical axis of the graph shows the temperature [℃] released by the Meteorological Bureau when measured near the effect measurement site (0℃-30℃, with 5℃ increments). Figure 4 The left vertical axis of represents the total value of the drive current per unit time [A / h] of the compressor of the outdoor unit 4 (0A to 1600A, with increments of 200A). Figure 4 The horizontal axis represents the measurement time (0:00-23:00, with increments of 1 hour).

[0129] In addition, Figure 4 In the graph shown, in order to exclude the measured values ​​in the idle state of the heat medium using device 1 and the sudden measured values ​​which can be evaluated as measurement errors, the measured values ​​of about 5% included in the mean value ±2 standard deviations are excluded.

[0130] The measurement conditions are as follows.

[0131] (1) The heat medium using equipment 1 as the measurement object is the same equipment used before and after the installation of the heat medium reforming device 2. The heat medium using equipment 1 as the measurement object is Daikin's "RXYP140B", "RXYP560F", and "RZRP112BC" installed on the first floor of a company office in Nagai City, Yamagata Prefecture. Their outdoor units 4 are also installed on the first floor. The heat medium using equipment 1 as the measurement object has been in use for about 12 years, and no repairs or parts replacement have been made during the use.

[0132] (2) The specifications of each component of the installed heat medium reforming device 2 are based on the Figure 2 The numerical values ​​indicated in brackets in the description of . That is, taking the driving resistor 130 as an example, a value of about 15Ω is adopted. The heat medium reforming device 2 is installed in the refrigerant pipe 5 in the outdoor unit 4 of "RXYP140B", and the refrigerant pipe 5 is connected to the refrigerant pipe 5 of "RXYP560F" and "RZRP112BC" through a jumper.

[0133] (3) The measurement period before the installation of the heat medium reforming device 2 is from May 9, 2023 (Tuesday) to May 12, 2023 (Friday). In addition, the measurement period after the installation of the heat medium reforming device 2 is from June 13, 2023 (Tuesday) to June 16, 2023 (Friday). The reason for setting a one-month interval between these measurement periods is that, assuming that the refrigerant is clustered, it is considered that it will take about one month after the installation of the heat medium reforming device 2 to subdivide it (through subsequent experiments, sufficient reformation can be confirmed after installation for about two weeks), and the two measurement periods are unified from Tuesday to Friday.

[0134] (4) An ammeter is installed on the power line of the compressor provided in the outdoor unit 4, and the driving current value of the compressor is measured every 2 minutes by the ammeter. Figure 4 The total current values ​​from "00 minutes" to "58 minutes" per hour are summarized as the total drive current value per unit time of the compressor.

[0135] The measurement results and their considerations are described below.

[0136] First, see Figure 4 The thick dashed line A and the thin dashed line B in FIG. The thick dashed line A represents the air temperature during the effect measurement period before the heat medium reforming device 2 is installed. The thin dashed line B represents the air temperature during the effect measurement period after the heat medium reforming device 2 is installed.

[0137] from Figure 4 As can be seen from the graph shown, the measurement period of the thick dotted line A is mid-May, so the temperature is relatively low, and the measurement period of the thin dotted line B is mid-June, so the temperature is relatively high.

[0138] Next, refer to Figure 4 The thick solid line a and the thin solid line b are shown in FIG. The thick solid line a represents the current value during the effect measurement before the heat medium reforming device 2 is installed. The thin solid line b represents the current value during the effect measurement after the heat medium reforming device 2 is installed.

[0139] The current value shown by the thick solid line a arrives at a later time period when it rises, and arrives at an earlier time period when it falls due to the relatively low temperature of the thick dotted line A. In addition, the current value shown by the thin solid line b arrives at an earlier time period when it rises, and arrives at a later time period when it falls due to the relatively high temperature of the thin dotted line B.

[0140] The current value shown by the thick solid line a is a measured value when the temperature is relatively low, as shown by the thick dotted line A, but its peak value is relatively large. In addition, the current value shown by the thin solid line b is a measured value when the temperature is relatively high, as shown by the thin dotted line B, but its peak value is relatively small.

[0141] Figure 4 The shaded area of ​​" / " in the figure represents the current of the thick solid line a from 14:00 to 19:00 on the first day (Tuesday, May 9, 2023) of the effect measurement "before" the installation of the heat medium reforming device 2. Although this current is the measured value of the thick dotted line A when the temperature is relatively low, it is more. In addition, Figure 4 The shaded area of ​​“\” in the middle represents the current of the thin solid line b from 14:00 to 19:00 on the first day (Tuesday, June 13, 2023) of the effect measurement “after” installing the heat medium reforming device 2. Although this current is the measured value of the thin dotted line B when the temperature is relatively high, it is small.

[0142] When comparing the peak current values ​​shown by the thick solid line a and the thin solid line b with the current amount related to the above area, if we consider the relationship between the high and low temperatures, it should not be Figure 4This study can also be derived based on the effect measurement results from the 2nd to 4th day of effect measurement.

[0143] But, in fact, because it is Figure 4 The behavior shown is that the refrigerant is reformed and the heat exchange efficiency is improved by installing the heat medium reforming device 2 on the heat medium using equipment 1. And, if the so-called reformation is assumed to be refrigerant clustering, it is reasonable to think that it is subdivided.

[0144] In addition, although it is still within the scope of imagination, if the heat medium reforming device 2 is installed on the heat medium using equipment 1 one month before May 9, 2023 (Tuesday) and the refrigerant is fully reformed, it can be expected that there will be a difference in temperature between May 9, 2023 (Tuesday) and June 13, 2023 (Tuesday). Figure 4 The converted value of the current shown by the thick solid line a is considerably lower than the current shown by the thin solid line b.

[0145] Although it is difficult to accurately predict the area of ​​the " / " portion converted in this case, it can be roughly considered that the converted area in this case will be as follows: Figure 4 It is not surprising that the actual area of ​​the “ / ” part is about 1 / 3.

[0146] In this way, the electricity fee in Japan can be calculated by the formula [basic fee based on contracted electricity] + [electricity fee based on electricity consumption] + [levy for promoting renewable energy power generation]. According to the heat medium reforming device 2 of this embodiment, the current amount that is the premise for calculating the electricity consumption can be greatly reduced, so it can be easily imagined that its power saving effect is great.

[0147] In summary, the heat medium reforming device 2 of this embodiment and the heat medium using equipment 1 equipped with the device are as follows: Figure 4 As can be understood from the effect measurement shown, since the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe 5 can be reformed, the power saving effect of the heat medium using device 1 can be obtained.

Claims

1. A heat medium reforming device, comprising: a generating unit that generates an excitation signal for exciting the heat medium with a pulse width of 5 nsec to 100 nsec and a frequency of 5 kHz to 50 kHz based on a commercial power supply; and A supply unit supplies the excitation signal generated by the generation unit to the heat medium.

2. The heat medium reforming device according to claim 1, wherein: The generating unit is implemented by a digital integrated circuit for a specific purpose.

3. The heat medium reforming device according to claim 1, wherein: The heat medium reforming device further includes a conversion unit connected between a commercial power source and the generating unit and configured to convert an AC voltage of the commercial power source into a DC voltage.

4. The heat medium reforming device according to claim 1, wherein: The peak value of the excitation signal is 550mA-1000mA.

5. A method for modifying a heat medium, comprising: A step of generating an excitation signal for exciting a heat medium having a pulse width of 5 nsec to 100 nsec and a frequency of 5 kHz to 50 kHz based on a commercial power supply; and a step of supplying the generated excitation signal to the thermal medium. 6 . A heat medium using equipment, equipped with the heat medium reforming device according to claim 1 .

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