Cooling system of laser, control method of cooling system, laser and laser processing equipment

Abstract

The invention provides a cooling system of a laser, a control method of the cooling system, the laser and laser processing equipment, and relates to the technical field of lasers. The control method of the cooling system comprises the steps of obtaining an environment temperature and a working state of a laser; determining a plurality of different refrigeration modes according to the environment temperature and the working state of the laser, wherein the plurality of refrigeration modes comprise a mixed refrigeration mode; in the mixed refrigeration mode, the compressor and the refrigerant pump jointly provide refrigeration. According to the control method of the cooling system of the laser, the refrigerating capacity of the cooling system is guaranteed, and meanwhile the energy consumption of the cooling system is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of laser technology, and in particular to a laser cooling system and a control method thereof, a laser, and laser processing equipment. Background Art

[0002] With the demand for high power fiber lasers, water-cooled heat dissipation units are becoming larger and larger; for this reason, many manufacturers use refrigerants to dissipate heat from related optical devices such as pump sources. However, in related technologies, the refrigerant pump and compressor cannot operate at the same time, and when the ambient temperature is not high, the energy-saving effect brought by the refrigerant pump cannot be effectively utilized. Summary of the invention

[0003] The embodiment of the present invention provides a cooling system for a laser and a control method thereof, a laser, and laser processing equipment. The working states of a compressor and a refrigerant pump are changed according to the ambient temperature and the working state of the laser, thereby realizing coordinated cooling of the compressor and the refrigerant pump, reducing the energy consumption of the cooling system while ensuring the cooling capacity of the cooling system.

[0004] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a method for controlling a cooling system of a laser, comprising:

[0005] Get the ambient temperature and the working status of the laser;

[0006] Different cooling modes are determined according to the ambient temperature and the working state of the laser, and the multiple cooling modes include a mixed cooling mode; in the mixed cooling mode, the compressor and the refrigerant pump jointly provide cooling.

[0007] Optionally, the determining of multiple different cooling modes according to the ambient temperature and the working state of the laser includes:

[0008] If the ambient temperature is less than the first temperature value, the refrigeration mode of the cooling system is controlled to include a mixed refrigeration mode; in the mixed refrigeration mode, the compressor and the refrigerant pump jointly provide refrigeration.

[0009] Optionally, the determining of multiple different cooling modes according to the ambient temperature and the working state of the laser includes:

[0010] If the ambient temperature is lower than the first temperature value and the working state is the light emitting state, the refrigeration mode of controlling the cooling system includes a mixed refrigeration mode; in the mixed refrigeration mode, the compressor and the refrigerant pump jointly provide refrigeration.

[0011] Optionally, the determining of a plurality of different cooling modes according to the ambient temperature and the working state of the laser further includes:

[0012] If the ambient temperature is greater than or equal to the second temperature value and less than the first temperature value, controlling the refrigeration mode of the cooling system to include a mixed refrigeration mode, in which the compressor and the refrigerant pump jointly provide refrigeration;

[0013] If the ambient temperature is less than a second temperature value, the cooling system is controlled to operate in a refrigeration mode of a refrigerant pump. In the refrigeration mode of the refrigerant pump, the refrigerant pump provides refrigeration.

[0014] Optionally, the determining of a plurality of different cooling modes according to the ambient temperature and the working state of the laser further includes:

[0015] Obtaining the ratio of the optical output power of the laser to the maximum optical output power;

[0016] If the ratio of the optical output power of the laser to the maximum optical output power is greater than a preset ratio, the cooling mode of the cooling system is controlled to be the mixed cooling mode, in which the compressor and the refrigerant pump jointly provide cooling;

[0017] If the ratio of the output light power of the laser to the maximum output light power is less than or equal to a preset ratio, the cooling mode of the cooling system is controlled to be a refrigerant pump cooling mode, in which the refrigerant pump provides cooling.

[0018] Optionally, the determining of a plurality of different cooling modes according to the ambient temperature and the working state of the laser further includes:

[0019] If the ambient temperature is greater than or equal to a first temperature value, the cooling system is controlled to operate in a compressor cooling mode, in which the compressor provides cooling.

[0020] Optionally, the determining of a plurality of different cooling modes according to the ambient temperature and the working state of the laser further includes:

[0021] If the working state is a standby state and the ambient temperature is less than a third temperature value, controlling the cooling system to operate in a refrigerant pump cooling mode, wherein the refrigerant pump provides cooling;

[0022] If the working state is a standby state and the ambient temperature is greater than or equal to a third temperature value, the cooling mode of the cooling system is controlled to be a compressor cooling mode, in which the compressor provides cooling.

[0023] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a cooling system for a laser, the cooling system comprising an evaporator, a condenser, a liquid storage container and a flow regulating valve connected in sequence; the cooling system further comprises a compressor, the compressor being connected between the evaporator and the condenser;

[0024] The evaporator is used to cool the optical device of the laser; the gaseous refrigerant enters the compressor, and the gaseous refrigerant formed after compression enters the condenser for heat exchange to form liquid refrigerant; the liquid storage container is used to store the liquid refrigerant;

[0025] The flow regulating valve is connected between the refrigerant pump and the evaporator;

[0026] The cooling system further comprises a refrigerant pump, a first one-way valve and a second one-way valve; the refrigerant pump is connected between the liquid storage container and the evaporator, and the refrigerant pump is used to pressurize the liquid refrigerant;

[0027] The first one-way valve is connected in parallel with the refrigerant pump;

[0028] The second one-way valve is connected in parallel with the compressor;

[0029] The cooling system can determine a plurality of different cooling modes according to the ambient temperature and the working state of the laser, wherein the plurality of cooling modes include a mixed cooling mode; in the mixed cooling mode, the compressor and the refrigerant pump jointly provide cooling.

[0030] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a laser, comprising the cooling system described in the second aspect; and an optical device.

[0031] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a laser processing device, comprising the laser described in the third aspect.

[0032] The control method provided in the embodiment of the present invention determines multiple different cooling modes according to the ambient temperature and the working state of the laser, and the multiple cooling modes include but are not limited to a mixed cooling mode, a compressor cooling mode, and a refrigerant pump cooling mode. In the mixed cooling mode, the compressor and the refrigerant pump jointly provide cooling. The cooling effect of the refrigerant pump with low energy consumption is fully utilized, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the cooling system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a cooling system provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 2 is a flow chart of a method for controlling a cooling system provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 3is a flow chart of a method for controlling a cooling system provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 4 is a flow chart of another cooling system control method provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 5 is a flow chart of another cooling system control method provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 6 is a flow chart of another cooling system control method provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 7 is a flow chart of another cooling system control method provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 8 It is a structural schematic diagram of another cooling system provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Among them, 101, evaporator; 102, compressor; 103, condenser; 104, liquid storage container; 105, refrigerant pump; 106, flow regulating valve; 107, second one-way valve; 108, first one-way valve; 109, first pressure sensor; 110, second pressure sensor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] The present invention will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It is to be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention, rather than to limit the present invention. It should also be noted that, for ease of description, only parts related to the present invention, rather than all structures, are shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0043] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a cooling system provided by an embodiment of the present invention, with reference to Figure 1 The cooling system includes an evaporator 101, a compressor 102, a condenser 103 and a refrigerant pump 105. The evaporator 101 is used to cool the optical components of the laser, which include but are not limited to the pump source, optical fiber, stripper, beam combiner, adapter, and optical lens of the laser. The gaseous refrigerant enters the compressor 102, and the gaseous refrigerant formed after compression enters the condenser 103 for heat exchange to form a liquid refrigerant. The refrigerant pump 105 is used to pressurize the liquid refrigerant.

[0044] Figure 2 is a flow chart of another cooling system control method provided by an embodiment of the present invention, with reference to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , control methods include:

[0045] S11. Obtain the ambient temperature and the working status of the laser.

[0046] Optionally, the cooling system includes a temperature sensor, which can detect the ambient temperature and feed back the ambient temperature to the refrigerant main control module.

[0047] Specifically, the working state of the laser includes the shutdown state, the standby state and the light emitting state. When the laser is in the standby state, the laser does not generate heat. When the laser is in the light emitting state, the laser generates a lot of heat. Of course, the light emitting state includes a high power state and a low power state. The laser main control module obtains the working state of the laser and sends the working state of the laser to the refrigerant main control module.

[0048] Exemplarily, in this step, the ambient temperature and the working state of the laser are obtained at the same time. In other embodiments, the step of obtaining the working state of the laser and the step of obtaining the ambient temperature can be set in different steps. The working state of the laser is obtained first, and then the ambient temperature is obtained. Alternatively, the ambient temperature is obtained first, and then the working state of the laser is obtained.

[0049] S12. Determine multiple different cooling modes according to the ambient temperature and the working state of the laser, wherein the multiple cooling modes include a mixed cooling mode; in the mixed cooling mode, the compressor and the refrigerant pump jointly provide cooling.

[0050] The control method provided in the embodiment of the present invention determines multiple different cooling modes according to the ambient temperature and the working state of the laser, and the multiple cooling modes include but are not limited to a mixed cooling mode, a compressor cooling mode, and a refrigerant pump cooling mode. In the mixed cooling mode, the compressor and the refrigerant pump jointly provide cooling, making full use of the cooling effect of the refrigerant pump with lower energy consumption, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the cooling system.

[0051] Figure 3 is a flow chart of another cooling system control method provided by an embodiment of the present invention, with reference to Figure 1 and Figure 3 , control methods include:

[0052] S21. Obtain the ambient temperature and the working status of the laser.

[0053] S22: If the ambient temperature is lower than the first temperature value and the working state is the light emitting state, the cooling mode of the cooling system is controlled to include a mixed cooling mode; in the mixed cooling mode, the compressor and the refrigerant pump jointly provide cooling.

[0054] Optionally, before step S22, the method may further include: if the ambient temperature is less than a first temperature value, controlling the refrigeration mode of the cooling system to include a mixed refrigeration mode; in the mixed refrigeration mode, the compressor and the refrigerant pump jointly provide refrigeration.

[0055] S23. If the ambient temperature is greater than or equal to the second temperature value and less than the first temperature value, control the cooling system to adopt a refrigeration mode including a mixed refrigeration mode. In the mixed refrigeration mode, the compressor and the refrigerant pump jointly provide refrigeration.

[0056] S24: If the ambient temperature is lower than the second temperature value, control the cooling system to adopt a refrigerant pump cooling mode. In the refrigerant pump cooling mode, the refrigerant pump provides cooling.

[0057] S25. If the ambient temperature is greater than or equal to the second temperature value and less than the first temperature value, obtain a ratio of the optical output power of the laser to the maximum optical output power.

[0058] S26. If the ratio of the output light power of the laser to the maximum output light power is greater than a preset ratio, the cooling mode of the cooling system is controlled to be a mixed cooling mode. In the mixed cooling mode, the compressor and the refrigerant pump jointly provide cooling.

[0059] S27. If the ratio of the output light power of the laser to the maximum output light power is less than or equal to a preset ratio, the cooling mode of the cooling system is controlled to be a refrigerant pump cooling mode. In the refrigerant pump cooling mode, the refrigerant pump provides cooling.

[0060] S28. If the ambient temperature is greater than or equal to the first temperature value, control the cooling system to operate in a compressor cooling mode. In the compressor cooling mode, the compressor provides cooling.

[0061] S29: If the working state is the standby state and the ambient temperature is less than the third temperature value, the cooling mode of the cooling system is controlled to be a refrigerant pump cooling mode. In the refrigerant pump cooling mode, the refrigerant pump provides cooling.

[0062] S210: If the working state is the standby state and the ambient temperature is greater than or equal to the third temperature value, control the cooling mode of the cooling system to be a compressor cooling mode. In the compressor cooling mode, the compressor provides cooling.

[0063] Figure 4 is a flow chart of another cooling system control method provided by an embodiment of the present invention, with reference to Figure 1 and Figure 4 , control methods include:

[0064] S101, obtaining the ambient temperature and the working status of the laser.

[0065] S102: Determine whether the working state is a light emitting state.

[0066] Specifically, the refrigerant main control module determines whether the working state is a light emitting state.

[0067] S103: If the working state is the light emitting state, determine whether the ambient temperature is less than a first temperature value.

[0068] The first temperature value is a temperature value used to determine which refrigeration mode the cooling system should be in. The first temperature value should be obtained by comprehensive experimental data. For example, the first temperature value is 20° C. The refrigerant main control module determines whether the ambient temperature is less than the first temperature value.

[0069] Specifically, if the working state is the light emitting state, the cooling system needs to cool down the laser. The refrigerant main control module determines whether the ambient temperature is less than the first temperature value to determine the working mode of the cooling system.

[0070] S104: If the ambient temperature is lower than the first temperature value, control the cooling system to adopt a refrigeration mode including a mixed refrigeration mode; in the mixed refrigeration mode, the compressor and the refrigerant pump jointly provide refrigeration.

[0071] Combination Figure 1 and Figure 4 As shown, if the ambient temperature is lower than the first temperature value, the environment can be used as a natural cold source for the cooling system. At this time, the gaseous refrigerant that has absorbed heat can quickly transfer the heat to the environment. At the same time, the low temperature environment will make it difficult for the compressor 102 to obtain high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant, and the working efficiency of the compressor 102 will be reduced. Therefore, if the ambient temperature is lower than the first temperature value, the compressor 102 and the refrigerant pump 105 jointly provide refrigeration, which can reduce the energy consumption of the cooling system while ensuring the refrigeration effect of the cooling system.

[0072] The control method provided by the embodiment of the present invention changes the working state of the compressor and the refrigerant pump according to the ambient temperature and the working state of the laser. When the working state of the laser is the light emitting state, if the temperature is high, the compressor is the main cooling source of the cooling system, and if the temperature is low, the refrigerant pump is the main cooling source of the cooling system. In this way, the cooling effect of the refrigerant pump with low energy consumption is fully utilized under the premise of ensuring the cooling effect of the cooling system, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the cooling system.

[0073] Figure 5 is a flow chart of another cooling system control method provided by an embodiment of the present invention, referring to Figure 5 , control methods include:

[0074] S201. Obtain the ambient temperature.

[0075] S202: Obtain the working status of the laser.

[0076] S203: Determine whether the working state is a light emitting state.

[0077] S204: If the working state is the light emitting state, determine whether the ambient temperature is less than a first temperature value.

[0078] S205: If the ambient temperature is lower than the first temperature value, determine whether the ambient temperature is greater than or equal to the second temperature value.

[0079] Specifically, the second temperature value is used to determine which refrigeration mode the cooling system should be in, and the value of the second temperature value is smaller than the first temperature value. The second temperature value is obtained by comprehensive experimental data, and illustratively, the second temperature value is 5°C.

[0080] S206: If the ambient temperature is greater than or equal to the second temperature value and less than the first temperature value, control the cooling system to adopt a refrigeration mode including a mixed refrigeration mode. In the mixed refrigeration mode, the compressor and the refrigerant pump jointly provide refrigeration.

[0081] Combination Figure 1 and Figure 5 As shown, specifically, if the ambient temperature is greater than or equal to the second temperature value and less than the first temperature value, the refrigeration capacity of the refrigerant pump 105 cannot meet the refrigeration capacity of the cooling system. Therefore, the refrigerant pump 105 and the compressor 102 are required to cool together to reduce the energy consumption of the cooling system while ensuring the refrigeration capacity of the cooling system.

[0082] S207: If the ambient temperature is lower than the second temperature value, control the cooling system to operate in a refrigerant pump cooling mode. In the refrigerant pump cooling mode, the refrigerant pump provides cooling.

[0083] Combination Figure 1 and Figure 5 As shown, specifically, if the ambient temperature is lower than the second temperature value, the refrigerant transfers heat to the environment faster. At this time, the refrigerant pump 105 working alone can also maintain the temperature of the laser within a suitable working range, so the compressor 102 can stop working to reduce energy consumption.

[0084] S208: If the ambient temperature is greater than or equal to the first temperature value, control the cooling system to operate in a compressor cooling mode. In the compressor cooling mode, the compressor provides cooling.

[0085] Combination Figure 1 and Figure 5 As shown, specifically, if the ambient temperature is greater than or equal to the first temperature value, it is difficult for the refrigerant to transfer heat to the environment. At this time, the compressor 102 with higher cooling efficiency needs to work to cool the laser.

[0086] Figure 6 is a flow chart of another cooling system control method provided by an embodiment of the present invention, referring to Figure 6 , control methods include:

[0087] S301: Obtain the ambient temperature.

[0088] S302: Obtain the working status of the laser.

[0089] S303: Determine whether the working state is a light emitting state.

[0090] S304: If the working state is the light emitting state, determine whether the ambient temperature is less than a first temperature value.

[0091] S305: If the ambient temperature is lower than the first temperature value, determine whether the ambient temperature is greater than or equal to the second temperature value.

[0092] S306: If the ambient temperature is greater than or equal to the second temperature value and less than the first temperature value, determine whether the ratio of the laser output power to the maximum output power is greater than a preset ratio.

[0093] Specifically, the preset ratio is used to determine which cooling mode the cooling system should be in. Exemplarily, the preset ratio is 60%. The laser main control module feeds back the ratio of the laser's optical output power to the maximum optical output power to the refrigerant main control module, and the refrigerant main control module determines whether the ratio of the laser's optical output power to the maximum optical output power is greater than the preset ratio.

[0094] S307: If yes, control the cooling system to adopt a mixed cooling mode. In the mixed cooling mode, the compressor and the refrigerant pump jointly provide cooling.

[0095] Combination Figure 1 and Figure 6 As shown, specifically, if the ratio of the laser's optical output power to the maximum optical output power is greater than the preset ratio, it means that the laser's optical output power is large, the laser generates more heat, and the laser has higher requirements on the cooling capacity of the cooling system. Therefore, the refrigerant pump 105 and the compressor 102 are required to cool together, reducing the energy consumption of the cooling system while ensuring the cooling capacity of the cooling system.

[0096] S308: If not, control the cooling system to operate in a refrigerant pump cooling mode. In the refrigerant pump cooling mode, the refrigerant pump provides cooling.

[0097] S309: If the ambient temperature is lower than the second temperature value, control the cooling system to adopt a refrigerant pump cooling mode. In the refrigerant pump cooling mode, the refrigerant pump provides cooling.

[0098] If the ratio of the laser's output power to the maximum output power is less than or equal to the preset ratio, it means that the laser's output power is small, the heat generated by the laser is small, and the laser's requirements for the cooling capacity of the cooling system are low. Therefore, the refrigerant pump 105 can work alone to maintain the temperature of the laser within a suitable operating temperature range.

[0099] The control method provided by the embodiment of the present invention adjusts the working state of the cooling system according to the ratio of the optical output power of the laser to the maximum optical output power. If the ratio of the optical output power of the laser to the maximum optical output power is high, a compressor with a stronger cooling capacity is used for cooling. If the ratio of the optical output power of the laser to the maximum optical output power is low, a refrigerant pump with lower power consumption is used for cooling. In this way, while ensuring the cooling effect of the cooling system, the cooling effect of the refrigerant pump with lower energy consumption is fully utilized, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the cooling system.

[0100] Figure 7 is a flow chart of another cooling system control method provided by an embodiment of the present invention, referring to Figure 7 , control methods include:

[0101] S401: Obtain ambient temperature.

[0102] S402: Obtain the working status of the laser.

[0103] S403: Determine whether the working state is a light emitting state.

[0104] S404: If the working state is not the light emitting state, determine whether the working state is the standby state.

[0105] S405: If the working state is the standby state, determine whether the ambient temperature is less than a third temperature value.

[0106] Specifically, the third temperature value is used to determine which cooling mode the cooling system should be in. The third temperature value is obtained by comprehensive experimental data. Exemplarily, the third temperature value is 20° C. In the standby state, the laser does not generate heat, but the cooling system needs to pre-cool the laser to ensure that when the laser is converted from the standby state to the light emitting state, the cooling system can quickly keep up with the heat dissipation demand of the laser, so that the temperature of the laser is controlled within a suitable operating temperature range.

[0107] S406: If the ambient temperature is lower than the third temperature value, control the cooling system to adopt a refrigerant pump cooling mode. In the refrigerant pump cooling mode, the refrigerant pump provides cooling.

[0108] Combination Figure 1 and Figure 7 As shown, specifically, if the ambient temperature is lower than the third temperature value, the environment can be used as a natural cold source for the cooling system. At this time, the gaseous refrigerant that has absorbed heat can quickly transfer the heat to the environment. At the same time, the low temperature environment will make it difficult for the compressor 102 to obtain the high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant, and the working efficiency of the compressor 102 will be reduced. Therefore, if the ambient temperature is lower than the third temperature value, the refrigerant pump operates alone for refrigeration, and the compressor 102 does not work.

[0109] S407: If the ambient temperature is greater than or equal to a third temperature value, control the cooling system to operate in a compressor cooling mode. In the compressor cooling mode, the compressor provides cooling.

[0110] Combination Figure 1 and Figure 7 As shown, specifically, if the ambient temperature is greater than or equal to the third temperature value, the efficiency of the refrigerant that has absorbed heat to transfer the heat to the environment is low, and at this time, the cooling capacity of the refrigerant pump 105 is difficult to meet the cooling requirements of the laser, but the compressor 102 has a higher working efficiency in a high temperature environment. Therefore, if the ambient temperature is greater than or equal to the third temperature value, the compressor 102 is the main cooling source of the cooling system, and the refrigerant pump 105 should work at a lower power or not work.

[0111] The control method provided in the embodiment of the present invention changes the working states of the compressor and the refrigerant pump according to the ambient temperature when the laser is in the standby state. If the temperature is high, the compressor is the main cooling source of the cooling system. If the temperature is low, the refrigerant pump is the main cooling source of the cooling system. In this way, while ensuring the cooling effect of the cooling system, the cooling effect of the refrigerant pump with low energy consumption is fully utilized, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the cooling system.

[0112] An embodiment of the present invention provides a cooling system for a laser. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a cooling system provided by an embodiment of the present invention, with reference to Figure 1 The cooling system includes an evaporator 101, a condenser 103, a liquid storage container 104 and a flow regulating valve 106 which are connected in sequence. The cooling system also includes a compressor 102 which is connected between the evaporator 101 and the condenser 103.

[0113] The evaporator 101 is used to cool the optical device of the laser. The gaseous refrigerant enters the compressor 102, and the gaseous refrigerant formed after compression enters the condenser 103 for heat exchange to form a liquid refrigerant. The liquid storage container 104 is used to store the liquid refrigerant. The flow control valve 106 is connected between the refrigerant pump 105 and the evaporator 101, and the flow control valve 106 controls its opening according to the control instruction.

[0114] The cooling system further includes a refrigerant pump 105, a first one-way valve 108 and a second one-way valve 107. The refrigerant pump 105 is connected between the liquid storage container 104 and the evaporator 101, and is used to pressurize the liquid refrigerant. The first one-way valve 108 is connected in parallel with the refrigerant pump 105, and the first one-way valve 108 is connected between the liquid storage container 104 and the flow regulating valve 106. The second one-way valve 107 is connected in parallel with the compressor 102, and the second one-way valve 107 is connected between the condenser 103 and the evaporator 101. Among them, the power consumption of the refrigerant pump 105 is lower than that of the compressor 102, and the system refrigeration capacity can be adjusted according to the speed of the refrigerant pump 105. If the working state of the laser is the light emitting state, and the ambient temperature is less than the first temperature value, the refrigeration mode of the cooling system includes a mixed refrigeration mode, in which the compressor 102 and the refrigerant pump 105 jointly provide refrigeration.

[0115] Exemplarily, the first one-way valve 108 and the second one-way valve 107 are used to switch the cooling mode of the cooling system between the compressor cooling mode, the refrigerant pump cooling mode and the mixed cooling mode according to the ambient temperature and the working state of the laser. In the compressor cooling mode, the cooling system provides cooling through the compressor 102. In the refrigerant pump cooling mode, the cooling system provides cooling through the refrigerant pump 105. In the mixed cooling mode, the cooling system provides cooling through the compressor 102 and the refrigerant pump 105.

[0116] refer to Figure 1 When the cooling system is working, the liquid refrigerant evaporates and absorbs heat in the evaporator 101, thereby absorbing the heat of the optical device to cool the optical element. The liquid refrigerant evaporates and absorbs heat to become gaseous. The gaseous refrigerant is output from the evaporator 101 and enters the compressor 102 to be compressed. The compressed gaseous refrigerant enters the condenser 103 and is recondensed into liquid refrigerant.

[0117] The liquid storage container 104 is mainly used to store liquid refrigerant in the cooling system. In the cooling system, the circulation volume of the refrigerant will change according to the change of the cooling load. The light output power of the laser is different, and its heat dissipation requirements are also different. When the cooling load is large, the liquid refrigerant in the liquid storage container 104 can be added to the cooling system; when the cooling load is small, the excess liquid refrigerant is stored in the liquid storage container 104, thereby ensuring the stable operation of the cooling system.

[0118] In addition, in the refrigerant pump refrigeration mode or the mixed refrigeration mode, the liquid storage container 104 needs to store a certain amount of liquid refrigerant to avoid cavitation of the refrigerant pump 105. The liquid refrigerant in the liquid storage container 104 is pressurized by the refrigerant pump 105 and then transferred to the evaporator 101. The refrigerant pump 105 extracts a liquid refrigerant because the pressure of the gaseous refrigerant is difficult to control. The refrigerant pump 105 is arranged on the liquid side of the cooling system, that is, the refrigerant pump 105 is arranged on the side of the cooling system where the refrigerant is in liquid state, so that the refrigerant pump 105 can accurately adjust the pressure of the refrigerant when it is working, thereby accurately adjusting the temperature of the evaporator 101.

[0119] The flow regulating valve 106 can adjust the flow of the refrigerant. By changing the opening of the flow regulating valve 106, the amount of refrigerant flowing into the evaporator 101 per unit time can be accurately adjusted, thereby adjusting the refrigeration capacity of the cooling system and controlling the temperature of the optical device within a suitable working range. Optionally, the flow regulating valve 106 includes an electronic expansion valve. The flow regulating valve 106 includes but is not limited to an electronic expansion valve, a solenoid valve, and a throttle valve. In the embodiment of the present application, the flow regulating valve 106 is an electronic expansion valve.

[0120] refer to Figure 1 If the ambient temperature is high, the efficiency of the refrigerant that has absorbed heat to transfer the heat to the environment is low. At this time, the refrigeration capacity of the refrigerant pump 105 is difficult to meet the cooling needs of the laser, but the compressor 102 has a higher working efficiency in a high temperature environment. Therefore, if the ambient temperature is high, the compressor 102 is the main cooling source of the cooling system, and the refrigerant pump 105 should work at a lower power or not work. Among them, the first one-way valve 108 only allows the refrigerant to pass in one direction. The refrigerant output from the liquid storage container 104 can flow to the evaporator 101 through the first one-way valve 108, but cannot flow in the opposite direction. When the refrigerant pump 105 is working, the refrigerant pump 105 can actively extract most of the condensing agent output from the liquid storage container 104, and only a small part of the condensing agent output from the liquid storage container 104 will pass through the first one-way valve 108. When the refrigerant pump 105 is not working, the refrigerant can pass quickly from the first one-way valve 108.

[0121] If the ambient temperature is low, the environment can be used as a natural cold source for the cooling system. At this time, the gaseous refrigerant that has absorbed heat can quickly transfer the heat to the environment. At the same time, the low temperature environment will make it more difficult for the compressor 102 to obtain high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant, and the working efficiency of the compressor 102 will be reduced. Therefore, if the ambient temperature is low, the refrigerant pump 105 should cooperate with the compressor 102 for cooling, and the compressor 102 should work at a lower power or not work. Among them, the second one-way valve 107 only allows the refrigerant to pass in one direction. The refrigerant output from the evaporator 101 can flow to the condenser 103 through the second one-way valve 107, but cannot flow in the opposite direction.

[0122] When the compressor 102 is working, the compressor 102 can actively extract the refrigerant output from the evaporator 101, and the second one-way valve 107 can prevent the refrigerant from flowing back at the outlet of the compressor 102; when the compressor 102 is not working, the refrigerant can quickly pass through the second one-way valve 107. Since the power consumption of the refrigerant pump 105 is lower than that of the compressor 102, the energy consumption of the refrigerant pump 105 and the compressor 102 for refrigeration in cooperation or the refrigerant pump 105 for refrigeration alone is less than that of the compressor 102 for refrigeration alone.

[0123] The cooling system provided by the embodiment of the present invention changes the working state of the compressor and the refrigerant pump according to the ambient temperature and the working state of the laser, so as to realize the coordinated cooling of the compressor and the refrigerant pump. When the working state of the laser is the light emitting state, if the temperature is high, the compressor is the main cooling source of the cooling system, and if the temperature is low, the refrigerant pump is the main cooling source of the cooling system, so that the cooling effect of the refrigerant pump with low energy consumption is fully utilized under the premise of ensuring the cooling effect of the cooling system, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the cooling system; in addition, by installing the refrigerant pump on the liquid side, the refrigerant pressure can be accurately adjusted when the refrigerant pump is working, thereby accurately adjusting the temperature of the evaporator.

[0124] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of another cooling system provided by an embodiment of the present invention, referring to Figure 8 The cooling system further includes a first pressure sensor 109, which is connected between the liquid storage container 104 and the refrigerant pump 105; and / or a second pressure sensor 110, which is connected between the refrigerant pump 105 and the evaporator 101. The first pressure sensor 109 and the second pressure sensor 110 can detect the pressure at the location.

[0125] Optionally, the cooling system also includes a refrigerant main control module, and the first pressure sensor 109 and the second pressure sensor 110 are electrically connected to the refrigerant main control module. The first pressure sensor 109 and the second pressure sensor 110 feed back the collected pressure data to the refrigerant main control module, and the refrigerant main control module controls the working state of the refrigerant pump 105 according to the pressure data to achieve refrigerant pressure regulation.

[0126] Based on the same inventive concept, an embodiment of the present invention provides a laser, including a cooling system and an optical device provided by any embodiment of the present invention. Since the laser includes the cooling system provided by any embodiment of the present invention, the laser has the same or corresponding technical effect as the cooling system.

[0127] Based on the same inventive concept, an embodiment of the present invention provides a laser processing device, and the laser processing device includes the laser in the above embodiment. The laser processing device outputs a laser beam to the surface of the workpiece to achieve processing of the workpiece. Since the laser processing device includes the laser in the above embodiment, and the laser includes the cooling system in the above embodiment, the laser processing device has the same or corresponding technical effect as the cooling system.

[0128] Note that the above are only preferred embodiments of the present invention and the technical principles used. Those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, and that various obvious changes, readjustments, combinations and substitutions can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, although the present invention has been described in more detail through the above embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and may include more other equivalent embodiments without departing from the concept of the present invention, and the scope of the present invention is determined by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A control method for a cooling system of a laser, characterized in that: include: Get the ambient temperature and the working status of the laser; Different cooling modes are determined according to the ambient temperature and the working state of the laser, and the multiple cooling modes include a mixed cooling mode; in the mixed cooling mode, the compressor and the refrigerant pump jointly provide cooling.

2. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that: Determining different cooling modes according to the ambient temperature and the working state of the laser includes: If the ambient temperature is less than the first temperature value, the refrigeration mode of the cooling system is controlled to include a mixed refrigeration mode; in the mixed refrigeration mode, the compressor and the refrigerant pump jointly provide refrigeration.

3. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that: Determining different cooling modes according to the ambient temperature and the working state of the laser includes: If the ambient temperature is lower than the first temperature value and the working state is the light emitting state, the refrigeration mode of controlling the cooling system includes a mixed refrigeration mode; in the mixed refrigeration mode, the compressor and the refrigerant pump jointly provide refrigeration.

4. The control method according to claim 3, characterized in that: The method of determining different cooling modes according to the ambient temperature and the working state of the laser also includes: If the ambient temperature is greater than or equal to the second temperature value and less than the first temperature value, controlling the refrigeration mode of the cooling system to include a mixed refrigeration mode, in which the compressor and the refrigerant pump jointly provide refrigeration; If the ambient temperature is less than a second temperature value, the cooling system is controlled to operate in a refrigeration mode of a refrigerant pump. In the refrigeration mode of the refrigerant pump, the refrigerant pump provides refrigeration.

5. The control method according to claim 4, characterized in that: The method of determining different cooling modes according to the ambient temperature and the working state of the laser also includes: Obtaining the ratio of the optical output power of the laser to the maximum optical output power; If the ratio of the optical output power of the laser to the maximum optical output power is greater than a preset ratio, the cooling mode of the cooling system is controlled to be the mixed cooling mode, in which the compressor and the refrigerant pump jointly provide cooling; If the ratio of the output light power of the laser to the maximum output light power is less than or equal to a preset ratio, the cooling mode of the cooling system is controlled to be a refrigerant pump cooling mode, in which the refrigerant pump provides cooling.

6. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The method of determining different cooling modes according to the ambient temperature and the working state of the laser also includes: If the ambient temperature is greater than or equal to a first temperature value, the cooling system is controlled to operate in a compressor cooling mode, in which the compressor provides cooling.

7. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The method of determining different cooling modes according to the ambient temperature and the working state of the laser also includes: If the working state is a standby state and the ambient temperature is less than a third temperature value, controlling the cooling system to operate in a refrigerant pump cooling mode, wherein the refrigerant pump provides cooling; If the working state is a standby state and the ambient temperature is greater than or equal to a third temperature value, the cooling mode of the cooling system is controlled to be a compressor cooling mode, in which the compressor provides cooling.

8. A cooling system for a laser, characterized in that: The cooling system comprises an evaporator, a condenser, a liquid storage container and a flow regulating valve connected in sequence; the cooling system also comprises a compressor, which is connected between the evaporator and the condenser; The evaporator is used to cool the optical device of the laser; The gaseous refrigerant enters the compressor, and the gaseous refrigerant formed after compression enters the condenser for heat exchange to form liquid refrigerant; the liquid storage container is used to store the liquid refrigerant; The flow regulating valve is connected between the refrigerant pump and the evaporator; The cooling system further comprises a refrigerant pump, a first one-way valve and a second one-way valve; the refrigerant pump is connected between the liquid storage container and the evaporator, and the refrigerant pump is used to pressurize the liquid refrigerant; The first one-way valve is connected in parallel with the refrigerant pump; The second one-way valve is connected in parallel with the compressor; The cooling system can determine a plurality of different cooling modes according to the ambient temperature and the working state of the laser, wherein the plurality of cooling modes include a mixed cooling mode; in the mixed cooling mode, the compressor and the refrigerant pump jointly provide cooling.

9. A laser, characterized in that: Comprising the cooling system of claim 8; and an optical device.

10. A laser processing device, characterized in that: Comprising the laser as claimed in claim 9.

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