Automatic uniform ice melting system and method for ice storage tank

Abstract

The invention relates to an automatic uniform ice melting system and method for an ice storage tank. The system comprises a track system, a mechanical arm, a water tank and a storage battery, wherein the track system consists of a large arm, a guide rail and a box body; the mechanical arms are installed on the two sides of the ice storage tank, and the rail system is lifted to the position adapting to the height of the ice storage tank through base stretching, joint adjustment and arm rod adjustment. When the rail system works, the box body reciprocates along the guide rail, the guide rail slides along the large arm, and full-coverage dynamic spraying of the ice storage tank is achieved. A rotational flow pressure atomizing nozzle, a camera and a winding shaft are arranged in the box body, the nozzle is used for accurately spraying ice melting water, the camera is used for monitoring the melting state of an ice layer in real time, and the winding shaft manages wiring of a water pipe and a cable to prevent winding from affecting operation of the system. Water in the water tank is conveyed to the nozzle through the metal corrugated pipe, and the storage battery supplies power to the camera through the cable. The system intelligently adjusts the spraying water amount and the coverage area according to a set spraying path and camera feedback, it is ensured that ice melting is uniform, and the problem of local over-melting or incomplete ice melting is solved. And for the super-long ice storage tank, a plurality of track systems can be adopted for cooperative operation, so that the ice melting efficiency is improved. The device is simple in structure, novel in design and convenient for modularization and commercialization. In a non-working state, the track system can be folded and stored to the two sides of the ice storage tank through the mechanical arm, and the space utilization rate and the equipment safety are improved. The ice storage tank can be widely applied to the fields of building air conditioners, cold-chain logistics, industrial cooling and the like, the ice melting efficiency of the ice storage tank is effectively improved, the cold energy utilization rate is increased, and operation energy consumption is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of energy storage technology and ice slurry cold storage, and in particular to an automatic uniform ice melting system and method for an ice storage tank. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, the demand for electricity has increased rapidly, exacerbating the imbalance between electricity supply and demand. At the same time, the consumption of new energy is also an urgent problem that the power system needs to solve. Ice slurry cold storage technology has been widely used in air conditioning, refrigeration, industrial cooling, cold chain logistics and other fields due to its efficient energy storage and stable cold release characteristics. As a typical peak-shaving and valley-filling technology, ice slurry cold storage can produce ice slurry in ice storage tanks when electricity prices are low or new energy power generation is surplus. During peak loads, the ice-rich layer in the ice storage tank is melted to release cold, thereby improving the load regulation capacity of the power grid and promoting the consumption of new energy. Especially in the context of large fluctuations in power supply from new energy sources such as wind power and photovoltaics, the use of ice slurry cold storage technology to regulate the demand for building or industrial cooling will help improve the utilization rate of new energy, reduce the dependence of the cooling field on traditional energy, and improve the economy and stability of cooling.

[0003] However, in the process of releasing cold from the existing ice storage tank, fixed top pipe distributors and top plate distributors are often used as spray melt water distribution devices. The top spray melt water is easy to form channels in the ice-rich layer, that is, the melt water impacts the ice-rich layer and the superimposed ice melting effect gradually forms several channels that penetrate the ice-rich layer. The subsequent melt water flows quickly along the channel to the bottom of the tank, and fails to fully exchange heat with the ice-rich layer, resulting in a significant decrease in the efficiency of releasing cold from the ice storage tank. The existing technology mainly alleviates the channel effect by optimizing the spray arrangement or adjusting the spray speed of the melt water, but it cannot achieve dynamic control, and it is still difficult to effectively control the flow path of the melt water, and it is impossible to eliminate the generation of channels, resulting in insufficient local heat exchange in the ice storage tank and insufficient release of the stored cold. In addition, the existing ice melting system lacks intelligent monitoring and feedback adjustment mechanisms, making it difficult to optimize the ice melting process in real time, affecting the overall energy efficiency of the ice storage system.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for an automated uniform ice-melting system and method, which can dynamically adjust the spray distribution of ice-melting water to ensure uniform contact with the surface of the ice-rich layer, avoid the formation of channels, and achieve uniform melting of the ice-rich layer layer by layer, thereby ensuring stable, efficient and intelligent cold release from the ice storage tank, thereby further enhancing the application value of ice storage technology in peak shaving and valley filling, optimizing energy structure and promoting the consumption of new energy. Summary of the invention

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to provide an automated uniform ice-melting system and method for an ice storage tank, which dynamically optimizes the distribution and amount of ice-melting water through a track system to drive the precise movement of an ice-melting device, dynamically control a swirl pressure atomizing nozzle, and use a video monitoring feedback mechanism, thereby eliminating ice-rich layer channels, improving the uniformity of ice melting in the ice storage tank, and enhancing the cooling efficiency of the system.

[0006] The technical solution of the present invention to solve the technical problem is as follows:

[0007] The invention relates to an automatic uniform ice melting system and method for an ice storage tank.

[0008] The automatic uniform ice melting system for an ice storage tank of the present invention comprises: a track system arranged above the ice storage tank for moving a spraying device; a water tank (6) for storing and providing ice melting water; a storage battery (7) for storing and providing electricity required for system operation; and a mechanical arm (8) for supporting and adjusting the height and position of the track system.

[0009] The track system comprises: a boom (1) which adopts a "[]"-shaped structure, enhances the load-bearing capacity through a rigid frame, stably supports the track system and the mechanical arm (8), and its inner groove provides a motion guide for the guide rail (2) to ensure the stable sliding of the box (3), while accommodating a limit block to achieve precise motion control, thereby improving the stability, safety and operational reliability of the overall system; the guide rail (2) is installed between the booms (1) and can slide along the booms; the box (3) is installed on the guide rail (2), can move along the guide rail, and carries a spraying device and a monitoring device.

[0010] The spraying device and monitoring equipment include: a swirl pressure atomizing nozzle (4) that drives water flow atomization by pressure to achieve uniform distribution of water mist, avoids local scouring and causing channels, relies on the movement of the track system, combines the monitoring feedback of the camera (5), and adopts a dynamic adjustment of the spraying mode to ensure that the ice-melting water evenly covers the surface of the ice layer and improves the cooling efficiency of the ice storage tank (9); the camera (5) is used to monitor the ice-melting process and provide real-time feedback on the uniformity of ice-melting; the winding shaft (10) is used to manage the flexible wiring of water pipes and cables, dynamically adjust the length of water pipes and cables, release them when the box body (3) moves forward, and recycle them when returning, to ensure that the water supply and power supply lines always adapt to the moving range of the equipment, run without hindrance, and ensure stable operation.

[0011] The mechanical arm (8) adopts a three-section foldable flexible structure, the base (13) can be telescopically adjusted in height, and the arm (14) is connected through a joint (15) to adapt to different ice storage tank heights and sizes. The vacuum grasping mechanism (20) is composed of a vacuum pump (17), a hose (18) and a vacuum suction cup (19), which can be adsorbed on the large arm (1) to support the suspension of the track system.

[0012] The automatic uniform ice melting method for an ice storage tank of the present invention comprises the following steps:

[0013] Connection of water circuit and electric circuit: the water tank (6) supplies water to the swirl pressure atomizing nozzle (4) through the rubber tube (21); the cable (22) is connected to the camera (5) and the battery (7) to ensure stable transmission of water flow and control signals.

[0014] Arrangement of the track system: The mechanical arm (8) adjusts the height of the base (13) and adjusts the track system to the size of the ice storage tank (9) through the arm (14) and the joint (15). The vacuum gripping mechanism (20) is adsorbed on the surface of the arm (1) through the vacuum suction cup (19) to provide additional fixed support for the track system to ensure its stable suspension.

[0015] Spraying control: The track system drives the box (3) to reciprocate along the guide rail (2), and at the same time the guide rail (2) slides on the large arm (1), so that the swirl pressure atomizing nozzle (4) covers the entire ice layer, achieving uniform ice melting.

[0016] Ice melting monitoring and dynamic adjustment: The camera (5) monitors the melting state of the ice layer in real time, detects areas that have not fully melted, and optimizes the ice melting effect by adjusting the amount of water sprayed or the spraying time to ensure uniform ice melting.

[0017] Coordinated operation of multiple track systems: For an extra-long ice storage tank (9), multiple track systems operate synchronously to cover different areas, thereby improving operation efficiency.

[0018] Track system storage: The robot arm (8) adjusts the base (13) and the joint (15) to fold the track system to both sides of the ice storage tank (9), thereby releasing the top working space for the ice storage tank during maintenance and cleaning, thereby improving the safety of the system.

[0019] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0020] 1. The distance between the guide rails and the distance between the multiple guide rails can be controlled according to the range of water sprayed into the ice storage tank by the nozzle, which can ensure the uniformity of ice melting in the ice storage tank and maximize the efficiency of ice melting and cooling in the ice storage tank.

[0021] 2. Utilize the flexibility of the track system and movable ice melting to achieve uniform melting and cooling of the ice-rich layer layer by layer, and greatly reduce the number of nozzles; the track system can be arranged in single or multi-layer parallel according to the size of the ice storage tank, which can adapt to ice melting needs of different scales.

[0022] 3. The camera can monitor the melting state of the ice layer in real time, and the control system can automatically adjust the track position and spray flow rate to ensure uniform cold release, thereby improving the ice melting and cold release efficiency of the ice storage tank.

[0023] 3. The robotic arm adopts a foldable flexible mechanism, and the base is retractable. The height of the track system can be flexibly adjusted to achieve adjustable spray height, ensuring that the vertical distance between the nozzle and the ice surface is constant during the ice melting process, so that the ice-melting water can quickly reach the ice layer even at the end of the ice melting period.

[0024] 4. The track system is supported by a mechanical arm and can be stored on one side of the ice storage tank when the ice is not being melted, which is convenient for cleaning and maintenance of the track system and the ice storage tank.

[0025] 5. The end of the robot arm adopts a low-energy vacuum gripping mechanism, which does not require a complex mechanical clamping device and is easy to operate. Equipped with an elastic pad, it can prevent the vacuum suction cup from scratching or indenting the surface of the arm, while improving the stability and reliability of adsorption.

[0026] 6. The system is equipped with batteries to reduce peak loads and absorb new energy from the perspective of electricity users, while further reducing the cost of building or industrial cooling. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Figure 1 A top view of an automated uniform ice melting system for an ice storage tank;

[0028] Figure 2 It is an isometric view of an automated uniform ice melting system for an ice storage tank;

[0029] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the track system;

[0030] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the robotic arm;

[0031] Figure 5 This is the connection diagram of the various components of the track system.

[0032] Explanation of reference numerals: 1-arm; 2-guide rail; 3-box; 4-swirl pressure atomizing nozzle; 5-camera; 6-water tank; 7-battery; 8-mechanical arm; 9-ice storage tank; 10-winding shaft; 11-box door; 12-pulley; 13-base; 14-arm; 15-joint; 16-fixed plate; 17-vacuum pump; 18-hose; 19-vacuum suction cup; 20-vacuum grabbing mechanism; 21-rubber tube; 22-cable. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] The present invention is further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be emphasized that the following description is only exemplary and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention and its application.

[0034] Embodiment 1:

[0035] The present invention provides an automatic uniform ice melting system for an ice storage tank, the structure of which is as follows: Figure 1-5 The system comprises a track system, a water tank (6), a storage battery (7) and a mechanical arm (8). The track system is composed of a large arm (1), a guide rail (2) and a box body (3).

[0036] The big arm (1) adopts a "[]"-shaped structure, with a limit block on one side, and supports the guide rail (2) through a pulley (12). In a pair of big arms (1), the head end of one is connected to the water tank (6), and the end of the other is connected to the battery (7), ensuring stable connection of the waterway and the circuit.

[0037] The guide rail (2) slides linearly along the L direction on the large arm (1), and each box (3) moves along the guide rail (2) in the X direction, thereby achieving precise control of the spraying range.

[0038] The box body (3) is provided with a swirl pressure atomizing nozzle (4), a camera (5), a winding shaft (10) and a box door (11); the nozzle (4) is used to spray ice-melting water; the camera (5) monitors the melting state of the ice layer; and the winding shaft (10) is used to manage water pipes and cables to avoid entanglement that affects the flexible operation of the system.

[0039] The mechanical arm (8) is fixed to the ground via a base (13) and is connected to a vacuum grabbing mechanism (20) to ensure that the track system is stably suspended above the ice storage tank (9).

[0040] Embodiment 2:

[0041] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, when the system is in working condition, the operation mode of the track system is as follows:

[0042] Single box mode: The track system first fixes the guide rail (2) at the S=0 position, and the box (3) moves back and forth in the X direction to spray once; then the guide rail (2) moves to S=l1, and the box (3) sprays back and forth along the X direction; the operation is repeated successively, and finally the guide rail (2) moves to S=L to ensure that the entire ice layer is sprayed evenly.

[0043] Multiple box mode: When the system uses two boxes (3), the guide rail (2) is fixed at the S=0 position, and the two boxes (3) spray synchronously and reciprocally along the Y=X / 2 direction; the guide rail (2) is moved in sequence until all spraying is completed at the S=L position; if multiple boxes (3) are used, the spraying area is allocated according to Y=X / x to improve the uniformity of spraying.

[0044] Extra-long ice storage tank mode: When the ice storage tank (9) is relatively long, two independent track systems are used to control the spraying on the left and right sides of the length direction of the ice storage tank (9) respectively, so as to ensure full coverage; each track system independently controls the spraying process of the box body (3) according to the above-mentioned operation mode, so as to improve the ice melting efficiency.

[0045] Embodiment 3:

[0046] like Figure 1 and Figure 3As shown, during the spraying process, the system uses a camera (5) for real-time monitoring to ensure uniform ice melting.

[0047] Initial spraying: The swirl pressure atomizing nozzle (4) completes the first full tank spraying according to the set trajectory to ensure that the ice-melting water mist covers the surface of the ice layer.

[0048] Monitoring and feedback: The track system repeats the spraying path described in Example 2, and the camera (5) monitors the melting of the ice layer in real time. If it is found that a local area has not melted sufficiently, the system automatically adjusts the spraying water volume or extends the spraying time to ensure uniform melting of the ice.

[0049] Embodiment 4:

[0050] like Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, the robot arm (8) is responsible for the suspension and storage of the track system.

[0051] The height of the track system is adjusted to fit the ice storage tank (9): the mechanical arm (8) is extended and retracted through the base (13) and the joint (15) is adjusted to make the track system adapt to the size of different ice storage tanks and the height of the ice-rich layer in the ice storage tank; the vacuum gripping mechanism (20) is adsorbed on the surface of the upper arm (1) through the vacuum suction cup (19) to provide additional fixed support to ensure the stable suspension of the track system.

[0052] Storing the track system: After the ice melting task is completed or before the ice storage tank is inspected and cleaned, the robot arm (8) adjusts the base (13) and the joint (15) to flip the track system as a whole to both sides of the ice storage tank (9), thereby saving space and improving convenience and safety.

[0053] The present invention ensures that the ice-rich layer in the ice storage tank is evenly and fully melted, prevents the formation of channels, and improves ice melting efficiency and energy utilization through stable connection of water circuits and circuits, dynamic spraying of the track system, camera monitoring and spraying adjustment, coordinated operation of multiple tracks, and storable design of the track system. The present invention has a novel structure and is simple to manufacture. It is not only suitable for ice storage tanks of any specifications and shapes, but also very convenient for the transformation of ice melting tracks of existing ice storage tanks.

[0054] The above is only a preferred specific embodiment of the present invention, but the protection scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily thought of by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed by the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention should be based on the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An automatic uniform ice melting system for an ice storage tank, characterized in that: The system comprises a track system, a water tank (6), a storage battery (7) and a mechanical arm (8); The track system comprises a large arm (1), a guide rail (2) and a box (3); The upper arm (1) is in the shape of a "[]", made of stainless steel, with the inner side concave inwards, and limit blocks evenly arranged on the concave groove; The number of the big arms (1) is one or two pairs, the head end of one big arm (1) in each pair is connected to the water tank (6), and the tail end of the other big arm (1) is connected to the battery (7); The two ends of the guide rail (2) are respectively installed between the two booms (1) via pulleys (12); the guide rail (2) can travel in a straight line along the boom (1); and the travel distance of a single guide rail (2) on the boom (1) is L; The top of the box (3) is inserted into the groove at the lower end of the guide rail (2) through a pulley (12), and the box (3) can travel in a straight line along the guide rail (2). The travel distance of a single box (3) on the guide rail (2) is X; The top projection of the pair of large arms (1) and the single guide rail (2) is in an I-shape; The mechanical arms (8) are respectively connected to the middle parts of a pair of large arms (1), and the mechanical arms (8) are placed on both sides of the ice storage tank (9) so that the track system is suspended above the ice storage tank (9).

2. The automatic uniform ice melting system for ice storage tank according to claim 1, characterized in that: The guide rail (2) is made of stainless steel, has two grooves on the front and rear sides respectively, and has a groove at the bottom, and limit blocks are evenly arranged on the grooves. Two pulleys (12) are installed at the lower parts of both ends to support the guide rail (2) to slide in the groove of the upper arm (1), and the sliding range is L; The number of the guide rails (2) is one or more.

3. The automatic uniform ice melting system for ice storage tank according to claim 1, characterized in that: The box (3) has a rectangular appearance and is made of stainless steel. A pulley base is welded on the top. The connecting pulley is inserted into the groove at the bottom of the guide rail (2). The sliding range of the pulley is X. The box body (3) comprises a swirl pressure atomizing nozzle (4), a camera (5), a winding shaft (10) and a box door (11); A through hole with different diameters is respectively provided on both sides of the box body (3); Two winding shafts (10) are welded to the rear side of the box body (3); The outer side of the lower part of the box body (3) is fixed with a swirl pressure atomizing nozzle (4) and a camera (5) by means of bolts, and the swirl pressure atomizing nozzle (4) and the camera (5) are respectively in the same vertical position with the winding shaft (10) above them; The number of the boxes (3) is one or more.

4. The automatic uniform ice melting system for ice storage tank according to claim 1, characterized in that: The box door (11) is arranged on the front side of the box body (3), and the hinges are installed on the left and right edges of the front side, and can be rotated to realize two opening directions, left and right, and the box door (11) opens outwards.

5. The automatic uniform ice melting system for ice storage tank according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mechanical arm (8) is a three-section foldable flexible mechanical arm, the base (13) is retractable and made of cast steel; The bottom of the mechanical arm (8) is fixed to the ground by anchor bolts, a vacuum grabbing mechanism (20) is arranged on the top, and the middle part is composed of three arm rods (14) connected in sequence by joints (15).

6. The automatic uniform ice melting system for ice storage tank according to claim 5, characterized in that: The vacuum grasping mechanism (20) comprises a fixing plate (16), a vacuum pump (17), a hose (18) and a vacuum suction cup (19); A vacuum pump (17) is welded on the upper part of the fixing plate (16), and a vacuum suction cup (19) is connected to the lower flange; The top end of the vacuum pump (17) is connected to the air extraction piston pipeline, and the two sides are respectively connected to the hose (18), and the other end of the hose (18) is respectively connected to the vacuum suction cup (19); The inner surface of the vacuum suction cup (19) is provided with an elastic pad; The number of the hoses (18) and the vacuum suction cups (19) is two or more and is an even number.

7. The automatic uniform ice melting system for ice storage tank according to claim 5, characterized in that: The telescopic section and the joint (15) of the base (13) are both provided with locking devices.

8. The automatic uniform ice melting system for ice storage tank according to claim 1, characterized in that: The water tank (6) is made of stainless steel, is placed outside the track, and is connected to the head end of a large arm (1); the rubber tube (21) is made of thermoplastic polyurethane rubber, Kevlar braided layer, and thermoplastic polyurethane rubber from the inside to the outside, one end of which is connected to the water tank (30) and the other end of which is connected to the swirl pressure atomizing nozzle (4).

9. The automatic uniform ice melting system for ice storage tank according to claim 1, characterized in that: The storage battery (7) is placed outside the track and connected to the tail end of another large arm (1), and can be charged in advance to store electrical energy; The storage battery (7) is used to preferentially store valley electricity or generate electricity from new energy sources.

10. An automated uniform ice melting method for an ice storage tank according to claims 1-10, characterized in that: The method is based on the operation of the automatic uniform ice melting system for ice storage tanks according to claims 1-10, and comprises the following steps: Water circuit and circuit connection: When the track system is working, the water in the water tank (6) is transported to the swirl pressure atomizing nozzle (4) through the rubber tube (21). The rubber tube (21) is arranged along the grooves on the upper arm (1) and the guide rail (2), passes through the through hole on one side of the box body (3), bypasses the winding shaft (10), and is connected to the swirl pressure atomizing nozzle (4); the cable (22) connected to the camera (5) is wound around the winding shaft (10), and then led out from the through hole on the other side of the box body (3), and is wired along the grooves on the guide rail (2) and the upper arm (1), and finally connected to the battery (7). Track system layout: according to the size and height of the ice storage tank (9), a reasonable number of track systems, guide rails (2) and boxes (3) are arranged; the mechanical arm (8) is adjusted by the base (13) to extend and retract, the joint (15) to adjust and the arm (14) to make the track system rise and fall to a suitable height; the vacuum pump (17) in the vacuum gripping mechanism (20) extracts the gas in the vacuum suction cup (19) through the hose (18), so that the vacuum suction cup (19) is adsorbed on the surface of the upper arm (1), supporting the entire track system to be suspended on the ice storage tank (9); a limit sensor is provided between the upper arm (1) and the mechanical arm (8) in the track system, which is used to detect the current position of the mechanical arm (8) and provide a position signal to control the track system to control the spraying area. Spraying area control: the value of l is set according to the water area sprayed into the ice storage tank (9) by the swirl pressure atomizing nozzle (4) to realize the control of the track system, where l is the diameter of the circle formed by the water sprayed by the swirl pressure atomizing nozzle (4) falling into the ice storage tank (9); When the number of the box (3) is one, the guide rail (2) is located at S=0 and remains stationary, and the box (3) moves back and forth once in a straight line along the guide rail (2); the guide rail (2) moves to S=l1 and remains stationary, and the box (3) moves back and forth once in a straight line along the guide rail (2); the guide rail (2) is located at S=l2 and remains stationary, and the box (3) repeats the back and forth movement; the operation is performed in sequence until the guide rail (2) is located at S=L, and the box (3) completes the spraying operation of the entire area; wherein 0≤S≤L, 0<l1<l2<…<L. When the number of boxes (3) is two, the guide rail (2) is located at S=0 and remains stationary, and the two boxes (3) respectively move back and forth once along the guide rail (2) according to the rule Y=X / 2; the operation is repeated until the guide rail (2) is located at S=L. When there are multiple boxes (x), the guide rail (2) is located at S=0 and remains stationary, and the x boxes (3) respectively move back and forth once along the guide rail (2) according to the rule Y=X / x; the operation is performed in sequence until the guide rail (2) is located at S=L, and the boxes (3) complete the full-area spraying work. Automatic adjustment of the spraying amount: the swirl pressure atomizing nozzle (4) is closed after completing the spraying of the entire ice storage tank (9) for the first time; the guide rail (2) repeats the path in the above-mentioned spraying area control, and the camera (5) is turned on at this time to monitor the melting state of the ice-rich layer in the ice storage tank (9) in real time; when the ice melting in a certain area is uneven, the swirl pressure atomizing nozzle (4) is reopened, and the amount of ice-melting water sprayed is adjusted according to the monitoring image of the camera (5); and the operation is repeated until the ice-rich layer in the ice storage tank (9) is completely melted. Coordinated control of multiple track systems: When the ice storage tank (9) is relatively long, two independent track systems are used to spray the left and right parts of the ice storage tank (9) respectively; the operation mode of each track system is the same as that of the above-mentioned single track system. Folding and storage of the track system: When the track system stops working, the mechanical arm (8) turns over and stores (stands) the entire track system on both sides of the ice storage tank (9) through the lifting and lowering of the base (13) and the bending and folding of the arm rod (14) and the joint (15).

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