Absorption type water chiller / heater and operation control method of absorption type water chiller / heater

Abstract

The absorption type cold and hot water machine which performs heat transfer through circulation of a refrigerant and an absorption liquid is provided with a regenerator having a combustor; a medium cooling mechanism for cooling the medium to be subjected to temperature adjustment; a cooling water flow path through which cooling water flows; a fuel supply mechanism; an air supply mechanism; a storage unit that stores a relationship in which the flow rate of air corresponding to the flow rate of fuel supplied to the burner is defined; a control unit that controls a fuel flow rate adjustment mechanism of the fuel supply mechanism and an air flow rate adjustment mechanism of the air supply mechanism; and a temperature-dependent physical quantity detector for the medium to be subjected to temperature adjustment, the control unit comparing the theoretical temperature of the medium to be subjected to temperature adjustment with the measured temperature detected by the temperature-dependent physical quantity detector, and controlling the air flow rate adjustment mechanism so as to reduce the air flow rate when the measured temperature is higher than the theoretical temperature. And the air flow is increased under the condition that the actually measured temperature is lower than the theoretical temperature.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to an absorption chiller and a method for controlling its operation, and particularly to an absorption chiller that supplies fuel with a variable calorific value to a burner and a method for controlling its operation. Background Technology

[0002] An absorption chiller / heater cools the target medium (cold water) by removing the latent heat of vaporization required when the refrigerant liquid evaporates into refrigerant vapor in the evaporator. The refrigerant vapor generated in the evaporator is absorbed by the absorbent liquid in the absorber. The absorbent liquid in the absorber, whose concentration has decreased due to the absorption of refrigerant vapor, is sent to a regenerator where it is heated, thereby increasing its concentration. The absorbent liquid, whose concentration has increased in the regenerator, returns to the absorber and can again absorb the refrigerant vapor generated in the evaporator. One method for heating the absorbent liquid in the regenerator is to install a combustion device that ignites fuel in the regenerator. As an example of such a combustion device, there exists a device that individually controls the supply flow rates of fuel and air to the burner based on pre-stored relationships suitable for combustion in the burner, including the fuel flow rate, air flow rate, and oxygen content in the air, to maintain an appropriate air-fuel ratio (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-223428).

[0003] To date, fossil fuels such as commercial gases and oils have been commonly used in burners. However, as the effects of global warming become more pronounced, the trend to reduce fossil fuel use is growing. Replacing fossil fuels with carbon-free or carbon-neutral fuels could help curb carbon dioxide emissions, a major contributor to global warming. Byproduct hydrogen and biomass fuels hold potential as carbon-free or carbon-neutral fuels for burners. However, when considering byproduct hydrogen, for example, the hydrogen concentration can vary depending on the operating conditions of the hydrogen production process, and consequently, the calorific value may also fluctuate. If the calorific value of the fuel varies, it becomes difficult to adjust the air supply to an appropriate flow rate for combustion. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the above-mentioned issues, this disclosure relates to an absorption chiller that can properly combust fuel when the calorific value of the fuel supplied to the burner may vary, and an operation control method for the absorption chiller.

[0005] The first aspect of this disclosure relates to an absorption chiller / water heater that moves heat through the circulation of a refrigerant undergoing a phase change and an absorbent mixed with the refrigerant. It comprises: a regenerator having a burner for burning fuel whose calorific value may vary in order to generate heat for heating the absorbent; a medium cooling mechanism for cooling the temperature-controlled medium by removing the latent heat of vaporization of the refrigerant when its liquid phase changes to vapor; a cooling water flow path for supplying cooling water to remove at least one of the heat of condensation when the refrigerant's vapor phase changes to liquid and the heat of absorption when the refrigerant's vapor is absorbed by the absorbent; a fuel supply mechanism having a fuel flow regulating mechanism for regulating the flow rate of the fuel supplied to the burner; an air supply mechanism having an air flow regulating mechanism that operates independently of the fuel flow regulating mechanism and regulates the flow rate of air supplied to the burner; and a storage unit storing a predetermined relationship between the flow rate of the air and the flow rate of the fuel supplied to the burner; and a control unit. The control unit controls the fuel flow regulating mechanism to make the temperature of the temperature-regulating medium reach a target value, and controls the air flow regulating mechanism to supply air to the burner at a flow rate corresponding to the flow rate of the fuel supplied to the burner, with reference to a relationship stored in the storage unit; and a temperature-related physical quantity detector detects physical quantities related to the temperature of the temperature-regulating medium. The control unit compares the temperature of the temperature-regulating medium, i.e., the theoretical temperature, which is calculated based at least on the physical quantities related to the flow rate of the fuel supplied to the burner and the physical quantities related to the temperature of the cooling water, with the measured temperature, which is calculated based on the physical quantities related to the temperature of the temperature-regulating medium detected by the temperature-related physical quantity detector. If the measured temperature is higher than the theoretical temperature, the control unit controls the air flow regulating mechanism to reduce the flow rate of air supplied to the burner; if the measured temperature is lower than the theoretical temperature, the control unit controls the air flow regulating mechanism to increase the flow rate of air supplied to the burner.

[0006] If configured in this way, when the calorific value of the fuel supplied to the burner changes, the burner can be supplied with an air flow rate corresponding to the change in calorific value.

[0007] The second aspect of this disclosure relates to an absorption chiller / water heater that moves heat through the circulation of a refrigerant undergoing a phase change and an absorbent liquid mixed with the refrigerant. It comprises: a regenerator having a burner that burns fuel whose calorific value may vary in order to generate heat for heating the absorbent liquid; a medium heating mechanism that heats the temperature-controlled medium using at least one of the combustion heat of the burner, the condensation heat when the refrigerant vapor undergoes a phase change to a liquid, and the absorption heat when the refrigerant vapor is absorbed by the absorbent liquid; a fuel supply mechanism having a fuel flow rate regulating mechanism that regulates the flow rate of the fuel supplied to the burner; an air supply mechanism having an air flow rate regulating mechanism that operates independently of the fuel flow rate regulating mechanism and regulates the flow rate of air supplied to the burner; a storage unit storing a predetermined relationship between the flow rate of air and the flow rate of fuel supplied to the burner; and a control unit that controls the fuel flow rate. The control unit includes an adjustment mechanism to adjust the temperature of the temperature-controlled medium to a target value, and controls the airflow adjustment mechanism to supply air to the burner at a flow rate corresponding to the flow rate of the fuel supplied to the burner, with reference to a relationship stored in the storage unit; and a temperature-related physical quantity detector to detect physical quantities related to the temperature of the temperature-controlled medium. The control unit compares the temperature of the temperature-controlled medium, i.e., the theoretical temperature, which is calculated based at least on the physical quantity related to the flow rate of the fuel supplied to the burner, with the measured temperature calculated based on the physical quantity related to the temperature of the temperature-controlled medium detected by the temperature-related physical quantity detector. If the measured temperature is lower than the theoretical temperature, the control unit controls the airflow adjustment mechanism to reduce the flow rate of air supplied to the burner; if the measured temperature is higher than the theoretical temperature, the control unit controls the airflow adjustment mechanism to increase the flow rate of air supplied to the burner.

[0008] If configured in this way, when the calorific value of the fuel supplied to the burner changes, the burner can be supplied with an air flow rate corresponding to the change in calorific value.

[0009] Furthermore, based on the absorption chiller and hot water unit involved in the first or second aspect of this disclosure, the absorption chiller and hot water unit involved in the third aspect of this disclosure may also be configured such that: the control unit compares the combustion rate of the burner used to make the temperature regulation target medium reach the target value with the combustion rate of the burner at the upper limit for maintaining the proper operation of the absorption chiller and hot water unit, and causes the burner to operate with the smaller combustion rate.

[0010] With this configuration, even if the calorific value of the fuel changes, excessive heat input to the absorption chiller can be prevented, thus maintaining proper operation.

[0011] Furthermore, based on the absorption chiller and hot water unit involved in any of the first to third embodiments of this disclosure, the absorption chiller and hot water unit involved in the fourth embodiment of this disclosure may also be configured to include an acquisition unit that acquires the operating state of the absorption chiller and hot water unit, and the control unit corrects the theoretical temperature based on the past operating state acquired by the acquisition unit.

[0012] If configured in this way, the burner can be supplied with an appropriate flow rate of air according to the inherent characteristics of the equipment.

[0013] Furthermore, based on the absorption chiller and hot water unit involved in any of the first to fourth embodiments of this disclosure, the absorption chiller and hot water unit involved in the fifth embodiment of this disclosure may also be configured as follows: it includes an oxygen concentration-related physical quantity detector, which detects physical quantities related to the oxygen concentration contained in the exhaust gas generated by burning the fuel, and the control unit controls the air flow regulating mechanism so that the physical quantity detected by the oxygen concentration-related physical quantity detector becomes a predetermined value.

[0014] If configured in this way, the oxygen concentration in the exhaust gas can be made to the desired concentration, which can suppress incomplete combustion and misfire.

[0015] Furthermore, based on the absorption chiller and hot water unit involved in any of the first to fifth embodiments of this disclosure, the sixth embodiment of this disclosure can also be configured as follows: the regenerator is configured to introduce at least one of a first fuel and a second fuel with a different calorific value than the first fuel as the fuel to be burned in the burner; the storage unit stores a first relationship specifying the flow rate of air corresponding to the flow rate of the first fuel supplied to the burner, and a second relationship specifying the flow rate of air corresponding to the flow rate of the second fuel supplied to the burner; when the first fuel is supplied to the burner, the control unit controls the air flow rate regulating mechanism with reference to the first relationship stored in the storage unit, so as to supply air to the burner at a flow rate corresponding to the flow rate of the first fuel supplied to the burner; when the second fuel is supplied to the burner, the control unit controls the air flow rate regulating mechanism with reference to the second relationship stored in the storage unit, so as to supply air to the burner at a flow rate corresponding to the flow rate of the second fuel supplied to the burner.

[0016] If configured this way, the appropriate flow of air can be supplied to the burner even when fuels with different calorific values ​​are introduced.

[0017] Furthermore, the absorption chiller according to the seventh aspect of this disclosure is an absorption chiller that cools or heats a temperature-controlled medium by circulating a refrigerant with a phase change and an absorbent mixed with the refrigerant to move heat. It comprises: a regenerator, having a burner that introduces and ignites at least one of a first fuel and a second fuel with a different calorific value than the first fuel to generate heat for heating the absorbent; a fuel supply mechanism, having a first fuel flow regulating mechanism for regulating the flow rate of the first fuel supplied to the burner and a second fuel flow regulating mechanism for regulating the flow rate of the second fuel supplied to the burner; an air supply mechanism, having an air flow regulating mechanism that operates independently of the first fuel flow regulating mechanism and the second fuel flow regulating mechanism and regulates the flow rate of air supplied to the burner; and a storage unit for storing... The device includes a first relationship defining the air flow rate corresponding to the flow rate of the first fuel supplied to the burner, and a second relationship defining the air flow rate corresponding to the flow rate of the second fuel supplied to the burner; and a control unit that controls the first fuel flow rate regulating mechanism or the second fuel flow rate regulating mechanism to make the temperature of the temperature-regulating medium reach a target value, and when the first fuel is supplied to the burner, controls the air flow rate regulating mechanism with reference to the first relationship stored in the storage unit to supply air to the burner at a flow rate corresponding to the flow rate of the first fuel supplied to the burner, and when the second fuel is supplied to the burner, controls the air flow rate regulating mechanism with reference to the second relationship stored in the storage unit to supply air to the burner at a flow rate corresponding to the flow rate of the second fuel supplied to the burner.

[0018] If configured this way, the appropriate flow of air can be supplied to the burner even when fuels with different calorific values ​​are introduced.

[0019] Furthermore, based on the absorption chiller and hot water unit involved in the sixth or seventh aspect of this disclosure, the absorption chiller and hot water unit involved in the eighth aspect of this disclosure may also be configured such that: the fuel supply mechanism has a calorific value measuring mechanism for measuring the calorific value of the fuel supplied to the burner; when the calorific value measured by the calorific value measuring mechanism is less than a predetermined value, the control unit controls the air flow regulating mechanism with reference to the first relationship stored in the storage unit, so as to supply air to the burner at a flow rate corresponding to the flow rate of the first fuel supplied to the burner; when the calorific value measured by the calorific value measuring mechanism is greater than or equal to the predetermined value, the control unit controls the air flow regulating mechanism with reference to the second relationship stored in the storage unit, so as to supply air to the burner at a flow rate corresponding to the flow rate of the second fuel supplied to the burner.

[0020] If configured in this way, it can automatically determine which of the first and second fuels is being supplied to the burner, and can automatically supply the burner with an appropriate flow rate of air.

[0021] Furthermore, the ninth aspect of this disclosure relates to an operation control method for an absorption chiller that controls the operation of an absorption chiller through the circulation of a refrigerant undergoing a phase change and an absorbent liquid mixed with the refrigerant, wherein the absorption chiller includes: a regenerator having a burner for burning fuel whose calorific value may vary in order to generate heat for heating the absorbent liquid; a medium cooling mechanism for cooling the temperature-regulating medium by removing the latent heat of vaporization of the refrigerant when the liquid phase changes to vapor from the temperature-regulating medium; and a cooling water flow path for supplying cooling water to remove at least one of the condensation heat of the refrigerant when the vapor phase changes to liquid and the absorption heat of the refrigerant vapor when it is absorbed by the absorbent liquid. The operation control method includes the following steps: supplying the burner with cooling water to achieve a target temperature for the temperature-regulating medium. The flow rate of the fuel supplied to the burner is determined according to a predetermined relationship; air is supplied to the burner at a flow rate corresponding to the flow rate of the fuel supplied to the burner; a theoretical temperature is determined, which is the temperature of the temperature-regulating medium determined at least based on a physical quantity related to the flow rate of the fuel supplied to the burner and a physical quantity related to the temperature of the cooling water; a physical quantity related to the temperature of the temperature-regulating medium is detected; and the flow rate of the air supplied to the burner is adjusted by comparing the theoretical temperature with the measured temperature determined based on the detected physical quantity related to the temperature of the temperature-regulating medium, so that the flow rate of the air supplied to the burner is reduced when the measured temperature is higher than the theoretical temperature, and the flow rate of the air supplied to the burner is increased when the measured temperature is lower than the theoretical temperature.

[0022] If configured in this way, when the calorific value of the fuel supplied to the burner changes, the burner can be supplied with an air flow rate corresponding to the change in calorific value.

[0023] Furthermore, the tenth aspect of this disclosure relates to an operation control method for an absorption chiller, which controls the operation of an absorption chiller that moves heat through the circulation of a refrigerant undergoing a phase change and an absorbent liquid mixed with the refrigerant. The absorption chiller includes: a regenerator having a burner that burns fuel whose calorific value may vary in order to generate heat for heating the absorbent liquid; and a medium heating mechanism that heats the temperature-regulating medium using at least one of the combustion heat of the burner, the condensation heat when the refrigerant vapor undergoes a phase change to a liquid, or the absorption heat when the refrigerant vapor is absorbed by the absorbent liquid. The operation control method includes the following steps: supplying the burner with the fuel at a flow rate that makes the temperature of the temperature-regulating medium reach a target value. According to a predetermined relationship, air is supplied to the burner at a flow rate corresponding to the flow rate of the fuel supplied to the burner; a theoretical temperature is determined, which is the temperature of the temperature-regulating medium determined at least based on a physical quantity related to the flow rate of the fuel supplied to the burner; a physical quantity related to the temperature of the temperature-regulating medium is detected; and the theoretical temperature and a measured temperature determined based on the detected physical quantity related to the temperature of the temperature-regulating medium are compared to adjust the flow rate of the air supplied to the burner so that if the measured temperature is lower than the theoretical temperature, the flow rate of the air supplied to the burner is reduced, and if the measured temperature is higher than the theoretical temperature, the flow rate of the air supplied to the burner is increased.

[0024] According to this disclosure, when the calorific value of the fuel supplied to the burner changes, it is possible to supply the burner with an air flow rate corresponding to the change in calorific value. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic system diagram of an absorption chiller / hot water heater according to one implementation method.

[0026] Figure 2 This is a graph illustrating an example of the relationship between the flow rate of air used for proper combustion and the flow rate of fuel supplied to the burner.

[0027] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating the control of supplying an appropriate flow rate of air to the burner.

[0028] Figure 4 This is a partial system diagram of an absorption chiller / hot water heater with optional structures.

[0029] Figure 5A This is a schematic system diagram illustrating the first hot water generation method in an absorption chiller according to one embodiment.

[0030] Figure 5B This is a schematic system diagram illustrating a second hot water generation method in an absorption chiller according to one embodiment.

[0031] Figure 5C This is a schematic system diagram illustrating a third hot water generation method in an absorption chiller according to one embodiment.

[0032] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the control of supplying the appropriate flow rate of air to the burner during heating operation.

[0033] Figure 7 This is a block diagram of the hardware structure of the control device of an absorption chiller / hot water heater according to one embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0034] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-180593, filed in Japan on October 19, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated into this application and form part of this application.

[0035] Furthermore, the present invention can be fully understood through the following detailed description. The further scope of application of the present invention becomes clear through the following detailed description. However, the detailed description and specific examples are preferred embodiments of the present invention and are described for illustrative purposes only. This is because those skilled in the art, based on this detailed description, can understand various modifications and alterations within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0036] The applicant does not intend to disclose all the described embodiments. In the disclosed modifications and alternatives, there may be parts that are not included in the claims in terms of wording, but under the principle of equivalents, they are also considered to be part of the present invention.

[0037] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, in each drawing, identical or equivalent parts are labeled with the same or similar reference numerals, and repeated descriptions are omitted.

[0038] First, refer to Figure 1 An absorption chiller / hot water heater 1 according to one embodiment will be described. Figure 1This is a schematic system diagram of an absorption chiller / hot water heater 1. The absorption chiller / hot water heater 1 includes an absorber 10, an evaporator 20, a regenerator 30, and a condenser 40 as the main components for the absorption cycle. Additionally, the absorption chiller / hot water heater 1 includes a combustion device 70 and a control device 60. The absorption chiller / hot water heater 1 performs heat transfer by circulating the refrigerant while undergoing a phase change relative to the absorbent liquid, and typically lowers the temperature of the chilled water C, the temperature-regulating medium, during cooling operation. In this embodiment, the absorption chiller / hot water heater 1 typically lowers the temperature of the hot water H (refer to...) during heating operation. Figures 5A-5C The temperature of the hot water (H) rises, but the operation for lowering the temperature of the cold water (C) will be described first (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "refrigeration operation"). The operation for raising the temperature of the hot water (H) will be described later. In the following description, the absorbent is referred to as "dilute solution Sw," "concentrated solution Sa," etc., depending on its properties and position in the absorption cycle, but when properties are not limited, it is collectively referred to as "absorbent S." Similarly, the refrigerant is referred to as "evaporator refrigerant vapor Ve," "regenerator refrigerant vapor Vg," "refrigerant liquid Vf," etc., depending on its properties and position in the absorption cycle, but when properties are not limited, it is collectively referred to as "refrigerant V." In this embodiment, an aqueous solution of lithium bromide (LiBr) is used as the absorbent S (typically a mixture of absorbent and refrigerant), and water (H2O) is used as the refrigerant V. However, it is not limited to this, and other combinations of refrigerants and absorbents (or absorbents) can also be used.

[0039] The absorber 10 is a device that uses a concentrated solution Sa to absorb the refrigerant vapor Ve generated in the evaporator 20. Inside the absorber tank 17, the absorber 10 has cooling pipes 11 that serve as a cooling water flow path for cooling water D, and concentrated solution spray nozzles 12 that spray the concentrated solution Sa toward the outer surface of the cooling pipes 11. The concentrated solution spray nozzles 12 are positioned above the cooling pipes 11 so that the sprayed concentrated solution Sa falls onto the cooling pipes 11. The absorber 10 stores a dilute solution Sw, whose concentration has decreased due to the absorption of the evaporator refrigerant vapor Ve by the sprayed concentrated solution Sa, in the lower part of the absorber tank 17. In the absorber 10, the cooling water D carries away (removes) the heat of absorption generated when the evaporator refrigerant vapor Ve is absorbed by the concentrated solution Sa.

[0040] The cooling water inlet pipe 11a, through which cooling water D flows, is connected to one end (or the first end) of the cooling pipe 11. The cooling water connecting pipe 14 is connected to the other end (or the second end) of the cooling pipe 11. A cooling water outlet pipe 98 outside the absorption chiller 1 is connected to the cooling water inlet pipe 11a. The cooling water outlet pipe 98 is connected to a cooling tower (not shown) outside the absorption chiller 1. A cooling water pump 91 outside the absorption chiller 1 is installed on the cooling water outlet pipe 98. The absorption chiller 1 is configured such that cooling water D flows within the cooling pipe 11 through the operation of the cooling water pump 91. The cooling water pump 91 can also be configured to regulate the discharge flow rate of cooling water D via an inverter. A cooling water thermometer 51 is installed on the cooling water inlet pipe 11a to detect the temperature of the cooling water D introduced into the cooling pipe 11. The temperature of the cooling water D can be considered one of the physical quantities related to the temperature of the cooling water D, and the cooling water thermometer 51 can be considered one of the detectors for this physical quantity.

[0041] The evaporator 20 is a device that cools the cold water C by removing the latent heat of vaporization required for the refrigerant liquid Vf to change into refrigerant vapor Ve from the cold water C; it is equivalent to a medium cooling mechanism. Inside the evaporator tank 27, the evaporator 20 has an evaporation tube 21 that serves as a cold water flow path for the cold water C, and a refrigerant liquid spray nozzle 22 that sprays the refrigerant liquid Vf toward the outer surface of the evaporation tube 21. The refrigerant liquid spray nozzle 22 is positioned above the evaporation tube 21 so that the sprayed refrigerant liquid Vf falls onto the evaporation tube 21. The evaporator 20 also includes: a refrigerant liquid pipe 28 that guides the refrigerant liquid Vf accumulated in the lower part of the evaporator tank 27 toward the refrigerant liquid spray nozzle 22; and a refrigerant pump 29 that delivers the refrigerant liquid Vf from the refrigerant liquid pipe 28 to the refrigerant liquid spray nozzle 22. The evaporator 20 cools the cold water C by carrying away the heat of vaporization of the refrigerant liquid Vf sprayed onto the outer surface of the evaporator tube 21 to become evaporator refrigerant vapor Ve, and stores the unevaporated refrigerant liquid Vf in the sprayed refrigerant liquid Vf in the lower part of the evaporator tank 27.

[0042] A cold water inlet pipe 21a, through which cold water C flows in, is connected to one end (or the first end) of an evaporator pipe 21. A cold water outlet pipe 21b, through which cold water C flows out of the evaporator pipe 21, is connected to the other end (or the second end) of the evaporator pipe 21. A cold water thermometer 52, for detecting the temperature of the cold water C flowing out of the evaporator pipe 21, is installed on the cold water outlet pipe 21b. The temperature of the cold water C can be considered one of the physical quantities related to the temperature of the cold water C; in this embodiment, the cold water thermometer 52 is equivalent to a temperature-related physical quantity detector. A cold water return pipe 95 outside the absorption chiller 1 is connected to the cold water inlet pipe 21a. A cold water outflow pipe 96 outside the absorption chiller 1 is connected to the cold water outlet pipe 21b. The cold water return pipe 95 and the cold water outflow pipe 96 are connected to a heat utilization device (not shown) that utilizes the hot and cold water C. A cold water pump 92 outside the absorption chiller 1 is installed on the cold water return pipe 95. The absorption chiller 1 is configured such that chilled water C flows within the evaporator tube 21 via the operation of a chilled water pump 92. The chilled water pump 92 may also be configured to regulate the discharge flow rate of the chilled water C via an inverter.

[0043] In this embodiment, the absorber 10 is arranged adjacent to the evaporator 20, and the upper part of the absorber tank 17 is connected to the upper part of the evaporator tank 27. With this structure, the evaporator refrigerant vapor Ve generated inside the evaporator tank 27 can be guided into the interior of the absorber tank 17.

[0044] The regenerator 30 is a device that removes refrigerant V from a dilute solution Sw by introducing and heating it, thereby generating a concentrated solution Sa. In the regenerator 30, the refrigerant V removed from the dilute solution Sw is in a vapor state, and this vapor of refrigerant V is referred to as regenerator refrigerant vapor Vg. The regenerator 30 is also equipped with a combustion device 70 for heating the dilute solution Sw. The regenerator 30 has a regenerator tank 37, which stores the introduced absorbent S. Inside the regenerator tank 37 is a burner 71, which is one of the components of the combustion device 70. The burner 71 generates heat of combustion by introducing fuel F and air A and burning the fuel F. The regenerator 30 generates heat for heating the dilute solution Sw by burning the fuel F in the burner 71.

[0045] In addition to the burner 71, the combustion device 70 also includes a mechanism for supplying fuel F to the burner 71, a mechanism for supplying air A to the burner 71, and a mechanism for discharging exhaust gas E after the fuel F has been burned in the burner 71. In this embodiment, the combustion device 70 uses by-product hydrogen as the fuel F burned in the burner 71. By-product hydrogen has the following characteristics: depending on the operating conditions of the process-type production site (hereinafter referred to as "process") that produces hydrogen, the hydrogen ratio in the fuel varies, and the calorific value may sometimes vary. For example, when the standard hydrogen content (volume of hydrogen / total volume of gas containing hydrogen) in the by-product hydrogen (fuel F) is 70%, the hydrogen content may sometimes vary by about 70% ± 5% depending on the operating conditions of the process. Furthermore, the standard hydrogen content in the by-product hydrogen (fuel F) is not limited to 70%, and may be other values ​​depending on the characteristics of the process, etc.

[0046] The mechanism for supplying fuel F to the burner 71 (equivalent to a fuel supply mechanism) includes a fuel supply pipe 72, a fuel fan 73, and a fuel regulating valve 74. The fuel supply pipe 72 is a pipe that guides the by-product hydrogen generated in the process, i.e., fuel F, to the burner 71. The fuel fan 73 is disposed in the fuel supply pipe 72 and pressurizes the by-product hydrogen generated in the process as fuel F towards the burner 71. The fuel regulating valve 74 is disposed in the fuel supply pipe 72. The fuel regulating valve 74 is capable of regulating the flow rate of fuel F supplied to the burner 71, equivalent to a fuel flow regulating mechanism. The fuel regulating valve 74 is typically configured to regulate the volumetric flow rate of fuel F. From the viewpoint of fuel F flow control, the fuel regulating valve 74 is preferably an opposed-airfoil volumetric regulating valve.

[0047] The mechanism for supplying air A to the burner 71 (equivalent to an air supply mechanism) includes an air supply pipe 75, an air fan 76, and an air regulating valve 77. The air supply pipe 75 is a pipe that guides air A to the burner 71. The air fan 76 is disposed in the air supply pipe 75 and pressurizes air A toward the burner 71. The air regulating valve 77 is disposed in the air supply pipe 75. The air regulating valve 77 can regulate the flow rate of air A supplied to the burner 71, equivalent to an air flow regulating mechanism. The air regulating valve 77 is configured to regulate the volumetric flow rate of air A. The air regulating valve 77 can use a regulating valve of the same type as the fuel regulating valve 74 (e.g., an opposed-wing volumetric regulating valve). The air regulating valve 77 is configured to operate independently of the fuel regulating valve 74. That is, the fuel regulating valve 74 and the air regulating valve 77 are not connected by a commonly used linkage mechanism, and therefore are configured so that their opening adjustments are not linked (linkage), allowing each to adjust its opening arbitrarily.

[0048] The mechanism for discharging exhaust gas E from burner 71 has an exhaust pipe 78. The exhaust pipe 78 is a pipe that serves as a flow path for guiding the exhaust gas E generated by burning fuel F in burner 71 to the outside of the system (outside the absorption chiller 1).

[0049] The condenser 40 is a device that introduces and cools the refrigerant vapor Vg evaporated from the dilute solution Sw in the refrigerant 30 to generate refrigerant liquid Vf, which is then supplied to the evaporator 20. The condenser 40 has a condenser tube 41 inside the condenser tank 47, which forms the flow path (cooling water flow path) for the cooling water D. In this embodiment, the other end (or second end) of the cooling water connecting pipe 14 is connected to one end (or first end) of the condenser tube 41. Furthermore, as described above, one end (or first end) of the cooling water connecting pipe 14 is connected to the cooling pipe 11. A cooling water outlet pipe 41b, supplying the cooling water D flowing from the condenser tube 41, is connected to the other end (or second end) of the condenser tube 41. A cooling water return pipe 99 outside the absorption chiller 1 is connected to the cooling water outlet pipe 41b. The cooling water return pipe 99 is connected to a cooling tower (not shown) outside the absorption chiller 1. With this structure, the cooling water D flowing in the cooling water return pipe 99 is cooled by the cooling tower (not shown) and supplied to the cooling water return pipe 98.

[0050] The condenser tank 47 and the regenerator tank 37 are disposed close to each other. In this embodiment, the upper part of the regenerator tank 37 and the upper part of the condenser tank 47 are connected via a regenerator refrigerant vapor flow path 35 (e.g., constructed by piping). Regenerator refrigerant vapor Vg is introduced into the condenser 40 from the regenerator 30 via the regenerator refrigerant vapor flow path 35. Cooling water D flowing in the condenser tube 41 removes the heat from the regenerator refrigerant vapor Vg, thereby condensing the regenerator refrigerant vapor Vg into refrigerant liquid Vf. In other words, the cooling water D flowing in the condenser tube 41 removes the condensation heat generated during the phase change of the regenerator refrigerant vapor Vg into refrigerant liquid Vf. In this embodiment, the condenser tank 47 and the regenerator tank 37 are disposed above the evaporator tank 27 and the absorber tank 17. The bottom or lower part of the condenser tank 47 is connected to the evaporator tank 27 via a condenser refrigerant liquid pipe 48. Through this structure, the refrigerant liquid Vf in the condenser tank 47 can be guided into the evaporator tank 27 by the position head and the pressure difference between the two.

[0051] The bottom or lower part of the absorber tank 17 is connected to the regenerator tank 37 via a dilute solution pipe 18. A solution pump 19 is provided in the dilute solution pipe 18. The absorption chiller 1 is configured to transport the dilute solution Sw from the absorber tank 17 to the regenerator tank 37 via the solution pump 19. Inside the regenerator tank 37, as the introduced dilute solution Sw moves from the inlet to the outlet, the refrigerant V is separated from the dilute solution Sw, and its concentration increases. The portion of the concentrated solution Sa flowing out of the regenerator tank 37 is connected to the concentrated solution spray nozzle 12 of the absorber 10 via a concentrated solution pipe 38. The absorption chiller 1 is configured to transport the dilute solution Sw to the regenerator tank 37 via the solution pump 19, and the concentrated solution Sa generated by the separation of refrigerant V inside the regenerator tank 37 is introduced into the concentrated solution spray nozzle 12 via the concentrated solution pipe 38. A solution heat exchanger 81 is inserted into and configured in the dilute solution tube 18 and the concentrated solution tube 38. The solution heat exchanger 81 performs heat exchange between the dilute solution Sw flowing in the dilute solution tube 18 and the concentrated solution Sa flowing in the concentrated solution tube 38.

[0052] The control device 60 is a device for controlling the operation of the absorption chiller 1. The control device 60 includes a control unit 61, a receiving unit 62, a storage unit 63, and an arithmetic unit 64. Although these parts are distinguished by function in this embodiment for ease of explanation, they are typically configured to be integrated within the control device 60, or they may be configured to be physically separated into one or more parts.

[0053] The control unit 61 is the part that controls the operation of the various devices and equipment constituting the absorption chiller 1. The control unit 61 is connected to the solution pump 19, refrigerant pump 29, cooling water pump 91, and chilled water pump 92 via communication lines (wired or wireless, hereinafter the same), and can control their start / stop and discharge flow rate. Additionally, the control unit 61 is connected to the fuel fan 73 and air fan 76 via communication lines, and can control their start / stop. Furthermore, the control unit 61 is connected to the fuel regulating valve 74 and air regulating valve 77 via communication lines, and can control their opening degree. The control unit 61 also has a program for properly operating the aforementioned devices and equipment. The control unit 61 may also include a processor and / or a memory (RAM) physical structure.

[0054] The receiving unit 62 is a part that receives the measured values ​​from the various measuring devices of the absorption chiller 1 as signals. The receiving unit 62 is connected to the cooling water thermometer 51 and the cold water thermometer 52 via communication lines, and can receive the temperature of cooling water D from the cooling water thermometer 51 and the temperature of cold water C from the cold water thermometer 52. The receiving unit 62 may also be configured with a communication interface.

[0055] The storage unit 63 is a section that pre-stores data required for the operation of the absorption chiller 1. The storage unit 63 stores the flow rate of fuel F supplied to the burner 71 and the flow rate of air A suitable for proper combustion in the burner 71. Here, proper combustion in the burner 71 typically refers to combustion that does not produce problems such as incomplete combustion, carbon monoxide (CO) generation, or miss fire, and can also be combustion in which the oxygen concentration in the exhaust gas E is a predetermined concentration. The predetermined oxygen concentration (volume of oxygen / total volume of oxygen-containing gas) in the exhaust gas E, which can be considered as proper combustion, is preferably about 1% to 10%, more preferably about 1.5% to 4%. The storage unit 63 may also include a physical structure of a storage device and / or a memory (RAM and / or ROM).

[0056] Figure 2 This is an example illustrating the relationship between the flow rate of air A used for proper combustion and the flow rate of fuel F supplied to burner 71. Figure 2 In the solid line LF shown in the example, assuming the hydrogen content in the standard by-product hydrogen (fuel F) of the illustrated process is 70%, the relationship between the flow rates of fuel F and air A is expressed by the relationship between the opening degree of fuel regulating valve 74 and the opening degree of air regulating valve 77. Figure 2 In the illustrated relationship, as the opening degree of the fuel regulating valve 74 (fuel F flow rate) increases, the opening degree of the air regulating valve 77 (air A flow rate) increases in a manner that reduces the rate of increase, but the manner of increase typically depends on the type of fuel F. This relationship between the opening degree of the fuel regulating valve 74 (fuel F flow rate) and the opening degree of the air regulating valve 77 (air A flow rate) is typically determined based on at least one of the following methods: theory, experiment, simulation, and others, and is stored as a function or table in the storage unit 63.

[0057] Figure 1The calculation unit 64 shown is responsible for calculating control values ​​for the operation of the absorption chiller 1. The calculation unit 64 can calculate the theoretical temperature of the chilled water C. Here, in this embodiment, the theoretical temperature of the chilled water C is a theoretical temperature calculated by calculation using at least the flow rate of fuel F supplied to the burner 71 and the temperature of cooling water D introduced into the absorption chiller 1 as parameters. Furthermore, the parameters for calculating the theoretical temperature may also include the flow rate of cooling water D, the flow rate of chilled water C, and / or the inlet temperature. Against this background, the temperature of the chilled water C supplied from the absorption chiller 1 is mainly affected by the combustion rate of fuel F in the regenerator 30, the temperature and flow rate of cooling water D flowing into the absorption chiller 1, and the temperature and flow rate of chilled water C. The combustion rate of fuel F and the temperature and flow rate of cooling water D affect the concentration of the absorbent S, i.e., the cooling capacity. The flow rate and inlet temperature of chilled water C are related to the heat that should be processed in the absorption chiller 1 to achieve the target temperature for chilled water C. The flow rate and inlet temperature of the chilled water C vary depending on the heat load processed in the heat utilization equipment (not shown). Furthermore, when variable flow control is applied to the cooling water D and / or the chilled water C, a signal from a flow sensor (not shown) can be used as the input value, or a variable flow signal output from the absorption chiller 1 can be used as the flow-related value. Thus, the parameters used to calculate the theoretical temperature are preferably at least the minimum including the flow rate of the fuel F supplied to the burner 71 and the temperature of the cooling water D introduced into the absorption chiller 1, reducing the computational load. The computation unit 64 may also include a processor and / or a physical structure of memory (RAM).

[0058] Next, refer to Figure 1 The operation of the absorption chiller 1 will be explained. In this embodiment, when the absorption chiller 1 is started and the cooling water pump 91 is activated, the cooling water D circulates through the cooling water inlet pipe 98, the cooling water inlet pipe 11a, the cooling pipe 11, the cooling water connecting pipe 14, the condenser pipe 41, the cooling water outlet pipe 41b, the cooling water return pipe 99, and the cooling tower (not shown). Additionally, when the cold water pump 92 is activated, the cold water C circulates through the cold water return pipe 95, the cold water inlet pipe 21a, the evaporator pipe 21, the cold water outlet pipe 21b, the cold water inlet pipe 96, and the heat utilization equipment (not shown).

[0059] Regarding the absorption cycle, when observing the circulation on the refrigerant V side, the refrigerant vapor Vg introduced from the refrigerant vapor flow path 35 from the refrigerant 30 to the condenser 40 is cooled and condensed by the cooling water D flowing in the condenser tube 41, becoming refrigerant liquid Vf and accumulating in the lower part of the condenser tank 47. The temperature of the cooling water D, after cooling the refrigerant vapor Vg, rises and flows out from the cooling water return pipe 99, being supplied to the cooling tower (not shown). The refrigerant liquid Vf in the condenser tank 47 is introduced into the evaporator tank 27 via the condensed refrigerant liquid pipe 48.

[0060] The refrigerant liquid Vf introduced from the condenser tank 47 into the evaporator tank 27 mixes with the unevaporated refrigerant liquid Vf sprayed from the refrigerant liquid spray nozzle 22 and accumulates in the lower part of the evaporator tank 27. The refrigerant liquid Vf in the evaporator tank 27 flows through the refrigerant pump 29 in the refrigerant liquid pipe 28 and reaches the refrigerant liquid spray nozzle 22. The refrigerant liquid Vf reaching the refrigerant liquid spray nozzle 22 is sprayed toward the evaporator tube 21, gaining heat from the cold water C flowing in the evaporator tube 21. Part of it evaporates into evaporator refrigerant vapor Ve and is introduced into the absorber tank 17. The temperature of the cold water C, which has had its heat carried away by the sprayed refrigerant liquid Vf, decreases and flows out from the evaporator tube 21, and is supplied to heat utilization equipment such as air conditioners (not shown). The refrigerant liquid Vf sprayed from the refrigerant liquid spray nozzle 22 but not evaporated mixes with the refrigerant liquid Vf introduced from the condenser tank 47 and accumulates in the lower part of the evaporator tank 27.

[0061] Next, when observing the circulation of the solution S side of the absorption chiller 1, the dilute solution Sw in the absorber tank 17 flows through the dilute solution pipe 18 via the solution pump 19. After its temperature rises in the solution heat exchanger 81, it is introduced into the regenerator tank 37. The dilute solution Sw introduced into the regenerator tank 37 is heated by the heat of combustion when fuel F is burned in the burner 71, and the refrigerant V is released to become the concentrated solution Sa. The refrigerant V, heated by the heat of combustion and released from the dilute solution Sw, is sent to the condenser tank 47 as refrigerant vapor Vg via the refrigerant vapor flow path 35. The concentrated solution Sa generated in the regenerator tank 37 flows in the concentrated solution pipe 38, exchanges heat with the dilute solution Sw in the solution heat exchanger 81, and after its temperature decreases, it reaches the concentrated solution spray nozzle 12.

[0062] The concentrated solution Sa, reaching the concentrated solution spray nozzle 12, is sprayed toward the cooling pipe 11, absorbing the refrigerant vapor Ve introduced from the evaporator 20, thus reducing its concentration to become a dilute solution Sw. Within the absorber tank 17, heat of absorption is generated as the concentrated solution Sa absorbs the refrigerant vapor Ve. This heat of absorption is removed by the cooling water D flowing in the cooling pipe 11. In this embodiment, the cooling water D flowing in the cooling pipe 11 carries away the heat of absorption, causing its temperature to rise, and flows out through the cooling water connecting pipe 14, where it is supplied to the condenser pipe 41 of the condenser 40. The dilute solution Sw generated within the absorber tank 17 accumulates within the absorber tank 17.

[0063] As described above, during the absorption cycle of absorbent S and refrigerant V, control device 60 adjusts the supply flow rate of fuel F to burner 71 to achieve a target temperature for chilled water C, and adjusts the supply flow rate of air A to burner 71 based on the fuel F supply flow rate. Typically, control unit 61 adjusts the opening of fuel regulating valve 74 so that the detected value received by receiving unit 62 in chilled water thermometer 52 reaches the target temperature of chilled water C (e.g., 7°C), and refers to... Figure 2 The solid line LF in the diagram shows the relationship between the opening of the fuel regulating valve 74 stored in the storage section 63 and the opening of the air regulating valve 77. The opening of the air regulating valve 77 is adjusted to correspond to the opening of the fuel regulating valve 74 at that time. The temperature of the chilled water C flowing out of the absorption chiller 1 (i.e., the outlet temperature) can be adjusted by regulating the combustion rate of the fuel F in the regenerator 30 (i.e., the flow rate of fuel F supplied to the burner 71). Furthermore, adjusting the supply flow rate of air A to the burner 71 based on the supply flow rate of fuel F is to maintain the oxygen concentration in the exhaust gas E at a specified concentration and suppress problems such as incomplete combustion.

[0064] In this embodiment, in the above-described control, the relationship between the opening degree of the fuel regulating valve 74 and the opening degree of the air regulating valve 77 referenced by the control unit 61 (refer to...) Figure 2 The solid line LF in the figure assumes that the hydrogen content in the by-product hydrogen (fuel F) is 70%. As mentioned above, the hydrogen ratio in fuel F may vary depending on the operating conditions of the hydrogen production process (not shown). If the hydrogen ratio in fuel F changes, the relationship with storage in storage unit 63 will be affected (see [reference]). Figure 2 The solid line LF in the figure represents the change in the appropriate flow rate of air A. Therefore, in this embodiment, the following control is performed during the operation of the absorption chiller 1 so that even if the ratio (calorific value) of hydrogen in the fuel F changes, an appropriate flow rate of air A can be supplied to the burner 71.

[0065] Figure 3This is a flowchart illustrating the control of supplying an appropriate flow rate of air A to the burner 71. In the following description of the control, references will be made as appropriate when referring to the structure of the absorption chiller 1. Figure 1 During operation of the absorption chiller 1, the control unit 61, referring to the measurement value of the chilled water thermometer 52 received by the receiving unit 62, adjusts the opening of the fuel regulating valve 74 as described above, thereby supplying fuel F (St1) to the burner 71 at a flow rate where the temperature of the chilled water C reaches the target value. Then, the control unit 61 refers to the relationship stored in the storage unit 63 (refer to...). Figure 2 (Solid line LF) supplies air A (St2) to burner 71 at a flow rate matching the supply flow rate of fuel F to burner 71.

[0066] During the aforementioned control process, the calculation unit 64 calculates the theoretical temperature (St3) based on the measurement value received by the receiving unit 62 from the cooling water thermometer 51 and the fuel flow rate obtained from the opening degree of the fuel regulating valve 74 controlled by the control unit 61. Additionally, the receiving unit 62 receives the measurement value from the cooling water thermometer 52 to obtain the measured temperature (St4). Furthermore, in Figure 3 In the example shown, for ease of illustration, the measured temperature (St4) is obtained after the theoretical temperature (St3) is calculated, but they are typically performed simultaneously, or the order may be reversed.

[0067] After calculating the theoretical temperature (St3) and obtaining the measured temperature (St4), the control unit 61 determines whether the measured temperature is equal to the theoretical temperature (St5). Here, the equality of the measured temperature and the theoretical temperature does not mean that they are strictly equal, but also includes cases where the difference is within an acceptable range. The acceptable range can be determined, for example, based on the oxygen concentration in the exhaust gas E falling within an acceptable range. Furthermore, when comparing the measured temperature and the theoretical temperature, in order to stabilize the results (suppress deviation), the average value of a desired time (e.g., 5 minutes) or the value of a capacity variation of a specified range (e.g., ±5%) after a specified time (e.g., more than 5 minutes) can be used. In step (St5), if the measured temperature is equal to the theoretical temperature ("Yes" in St5), it is deduced that an air flow rate corresponding to the supply flow rate of fuel F has been supplied, and the process returns to step (St1), after which the above steps are repeated. On the other hand, in process (St5), if the measured temperature is not equal to the theoretical temperature (in St5, it is "No"), the control unit 61 determines whether the measured temperature is higher than the theoretical temperature (St6).

[0068] In process (St6), if the measured temperature is higher than the theoretical temperature ("Yes" in St6), the control unit 61 reduces the flow rate of air A (St7) based on the difference between the measured and theoretical temperatures by adjusting the opening of the air regulating valve 77. Here, the reduction in the flow rate of air A is based on the following reasoning: Since the measured temperature is higher than the theoretical temperature, it can be inferred that the combustion rate of fuel F is less than expected (the value calculated using the theoretical temperature), resulting in a decrease in refrigeration capacity. For this reason, it is conceivable that the hydrogen content in the byproduct hydrogen (fuel F) is less than the standard value. In this case, if the relationship stored in the storage unit 63 (see...) Figure 2 If air A (as shown by the solid line LF) is supplied to burner 71, then it is conceivable that more oxygen (air A) than required is supplied to burner 71. Therefore, in order to supply burner 71 with an air A flow rate that balances the combustion amount of fuel F, the flow rate of air A is matched with the smaller combustion amount of fuel F. In this way, by matching the flow rate of air A with the combustion amount of fuel F, the oxygen concentration in exhaust gas E can be maintained at a predetermined concentration (preferably about 1% to 10%), and problems such as incomplete combustion can be suppressed.

[0069] On the other hand, in process (St6), if the measured temperature is lower than the theoretical temperature (No in St6), the control unit 61 increases the flow rate of air A based on the difference between the measured and theoretical temperatures by adjusting the opening of the air regulating valve 77 (St8). When the measured temperature is lower than the theoretical temperature, it can be inferred that the combustion rate of fuel F is higher than expected due to factors such as a higher hydrogen content in the byproduct hydrogen (fuel F) than the standard value, resulting in increased cooling capacity. Therefore, in this embodiment, the flow rate of air A supplied to the burner 71 is adjusted according to the increase in the combustion rate of fuel F, relative to the relationship stored in the storage unit 63 (see reference). Figure 2 The solid line LF in the middle is increased. In this way, by matching the flow rate of air A with the combustion amount of fuel F, the oxygen concentration in exhaust gas E is made to a specified concentration, suppressing problems such as incomplete combustion, which is the same as process (St7).

[0070] After determining the flow rate of air A to decrease (St7) or increase (St8) according to the judgment in step (St6), the control unit 61 determines whether there is an instruction (St9) to stop the absorption chiller 1. The instruction to stop the absorption chiller 1 is typically issued by the operator pressing the stop button, or by a stop signal generated due to the start of a timer, etc. If there is no instruction to stop the absorption chiller 1 ("No" in St9), the process returns to step (St1), and the above steps are repeated. On the other hand, if there is an instruction to stop the absorption chiller 1 ("Yes" in St9), typically, after residual operation to reduce the concentration of the absorbent S, the operation of the absorption chiller 1 is stopped.

[0071] As explained above, according to the absorption chiller 1 of this embodiment, since the flow rate of air A supplied to the burner 71 increases or decreases according to the deviation between the measured temperature and the theoretical temperature, even if the calorific value of the fuel F supplied to the burner 71 changes, an appropriate flow rate of air A can be supplied.

[0072] The absorption chiller / hot water heater 1 described above may also have the following additional features (options).

[0073] As a first option, an upper limit can also be set on the combustion rate of fuel F in burner 71 of regenerator 30. In regenerator 30, as described above, the combustion heat of burner 71 is used to heat dilute solution Sw to generate concentrated solution Sa. However, the higher the combustion rate (heating rate), the more refrigerant V evaporates in dilute solution Sw, and the higher the concentration of the generated concentrated solution Sa. However, if the concentration of concentrated solution Sa becomes too high, there is a possibility that the absorbent S may crystallize, causing poor flow of absorbent S, which may make it difficult to maintain proper operation of absorption chiller 1 (operation within the range of preventing excessive heat input (overload)). In particular, in this embodiment where the calorific value of fuel F may vary, if the hydrogen content of by-product hydrogen (fuel F) increases, the combustion rate may unexpectedly increase, potentially resulting in a state where the concentration of concentrated solution Sa becomes too high. Therefore, the control unit 61 preferably compares the combustion rate of the burner 71 when the supply flow rate of fuel F to the burner 71 is adjusted to achieve the target temperature of the chilled water C with a set upper limit combustion rate, and controls the fuel regulating valve 74 to make the burner 71 operate with the smaller combustion rate. The upper limit combustion rate can be set as the combustion rate used to achieve the target temperature or pressure of the regenerator 30 (typically inside the regenerator tank 37), or the concentration of the concentrated solution Sa. This target value is preferably set as the combustion rate that provides a heating amount that is below the concentration at which the concentrated solution Sa crystallizes. If the upper limit combustion rate is set in this way, even if the hydrogen content of the by-product hydrogen (fuel F) increases and the combustion rate increases, the combustion rate will temporarily increase before the increased heat is fed back and reflected in the target temperature of the chilled water C, thus preventing the concentration of the concentrated solution Sa from rising to crystallization. As a result, even if the calorific value of fuel F changes, the proper operation of the absorption chiller 1 can be maintained.

[0074] As a second option, such as Figure 4 As shown, it can also be configured to set up an acquisition unit 65 to acquire (record) the operating status of the absorption chiller 1, so that the operating status previously acquired by the acquisition unit 65 is reflected in the theoretical temperature. Figure 4This is a partial system diagram of an absorption chiller / hot water unit 1 with various optional structures. The operating state of the absorption chiller / hot water unit 1 is typically a set of measured values ​​of at least one or more of the following physical quantities at a given time: the temperature of chilled water C, the temperature of cooling water D, the opening degree of fuel regulating valve 74 (or the flow rate of fuel F), the opening degree of air regulating valve 77 (or the flow rate of air A), and other physical quantities. The temperature of chilled water C can be calculated from at least one of the inlet temperature of chilled water C, the outlet temperature of chilled water C, and the evaporation temperature of refrigerant vapor Ve in the evaporator. The temperature of cooling water D can be calculated from at least one of the inlet temperature of cooling water D, the outlet temperature of cooling water D, the temperature of the dilute solution Sw (typically the temperature at the outlet of absorber 10), and the temperature at which refrigerant vapor Vg in the regenerator condenses into refrigerant liquid V. The opening degree of the fuel regulating valve 74 (or the flow rate of fuel F) can be calculated based on at least one of the following: the temperature of the exhaust gas E, the temperature of the regenerator 30 (typically inside the regenerator tank 37), the pressure of the regenerator 30 (typically inside the regenerator tank 37), and the concentration of the concentrated solution Sa. The acquisition unit 65 preferably acquires the operating status of the absorption chiller 1 in a continuous or intermittent manner (e.g., at predetermined time intervals). The acquisition unit 65 may include the physical structure of a storage device and / or a memory (RAM and / or ROM). The acquisition unit 65 may be included in the control device 60, or it may be included in a computer located remote from the absorption chiller 1 and connected to the control device 60 via a communication line (e.g., the Internet).

[0075] With the acquisition unit 65 provided, the calculation unit 64 can also acquire the past operating status of the absorption chiller 1 from the acquisition unit 65, and make parameter corrections based on the past operating status when calculating the theoretical temperature. For example, if there is a value in the calculation formula used to calculate the theoretical temperature that is derived or calculated from measured values, and this value is different from the value of the past operating status, the value of the past operating status can be used to replace the value, or the value of the past operating status can be used for correction. In this way, when the theoretical temperature calculated by the calculation unit 64 is corrected based on the past operating status of the absorption chiller 1, an appropriate flow rate of air A according to the inherent characteristics of the absorption chiller 1 can be supplied to the burner 71. In other words, the absorption chiller 1 may have slightly different characteristics such as ease of operation or difficulty in operation, but by accumulating the past conditions of each unit and correcting the theoretical temperature based on this data, the differences in unit characteristics can be offset.

[0076] As a third option, a structure can be added to the mechanism for supplying fuel F to burner 71 to supply a fuel with a different calorific value than fuel F (byproduct hydrogen) (hereinafter referred to as "second fuel F2"). As the second fuel F2, fuel with a hydrogen content of 100% (hereinafter referred to as "100% hydrogen") can also be used. 100% hydrogen (second fuel F2) can be used as a substitute fuel when the supply of byproduct hydrogen (fuel F) from the process is stopped or insufficient. 100% hydrogen (second fuel F2) is, for example, filled and supplied to a gas cylinder 85, which can also be connected to the fuel supply pipe 72 via a second fuel pipe 86. Alternatively, an on / off valve 87 can be provided on the second fuel pipe 86, and an on / off valve 88 can be provided on the fuel supply pipe 72 upstream of the connection to the second fuel pipe 86. By switching the opening and closing of the two on / off valves 87 and 88, fuel F and second fuel F2 can be selectively supplied to burner 71. In this case, fuel F is equivalent to the first fuel, and second fuel F2 is equivalent to the second fuel. The two on / off valves 87 and 88 are typically two-way valves, each connected to the control unit 61 via a communication line. They can also be configured to control opening and closing based on commands from the control unit 61. Alternatively, instead of the two on / off valves 87 and 88, a three-way valve can be installed at the connection between the fuel supply pipe 72 and the second fuel pipe 86.

[0077] When a structure capable of supplying a second fuel F2 is incorporated into the mechanism for supplying fuel F to the burner 71, the storage unit 63 preferably also stores the relationship between the flow rate of air A for proper combustion and the flow rate of the second fuel F2 supplied to the burner 71. That is, as Figure 2 As shown, preferably, in the storage unit 63, in addition to the relationship between the flow rates of fuel F and air A illustrated by the solid line LF, the relationship between the flow rates of a second fuel F2 and air A illustrated by the dashed line LF2 is also stored. At this time, Figure 2 The relationship between the flow rates of fuel F and air A, illustrated by the solid line LF, corresponds to the first relationship, while the relationship between the flow rates of the second fuel F2 and air A, illustrated by the dashed line LF2, corresponds to the second relationship. Furthermore, when a structure is adopted that allows selective supply of fuel F and the second fuel F2 to the burner 71, the control unit 61 preferably refers to the following when fuel F is supplied: Figure 2The flow rate of air A supplied to burner 71 is determined by the relationship shown by the solid line LF. When the second fuel F2 is supplied, the flow rate of air A supplied to burner 71 is determined by referring to the relationship shown by the dashed line LF2. Furthermore, regardless of whether fuel F or the second fuel F2 is supplied, the methods for calculating the theoretical temperature and detecting the measured temperature remain as described above. Whether fuel F or the second fuel F2 is supplied to burner 71, in other words, which of the two on / off valves 87 and 88 is opened, can be determined based on a signal (external signal) received by the receiving unit 62 indicating that the process has stopped (including emergency stop). For example, during process operation, it can be inferred that byproduct hydrogen (fuel F) is being generated, so on / off valve 87 is opened and on / off valve 88 is closed; when the process has stopped, it can be inferred that the generation of byproduct hydrogen (fuel F) has stopped, so on / off valve 87 is closed and on / off valve 88 is opened.

[0078] In the above example, the second fuel pipe 86 is connected to the fuel supply pipe 72, and the fuel (fuel F or second fuel F2) supplied to the burner 71 passes through the fuel supply pipe 72, which is downstream of the connection with the second fuel pipe 86, regardless of the type of fuel. However, the second fuel pipe 86 can also be directly connected to the burner 71 without being connected to the fuel supply pipe 72. In this way, both fuel F and second fuel F2 can be burned simultaneously in the burner 71. However, even when the second fuel pipe 86 is directly connected to the burner 71 separately from the fuel supply pipe 72, fuel F can be burned under normal conditions (when by-product hydrogen (fuel F) can be supplied), and second fuel F2 can be burned in emergency situations (when by-product hydrogen (fuel F) cannot be supplied). When the second fuel pipe 86 is directly connected to the burner 71, it is preferable to also provide a second fuel regulating valve 84 on the second fuel pipe 86 to regulate the supply flow rate of second fuel F2. In this case, the fuel regulating valve 74 installed on the fuel supply pipe 72 is equivalent to the first fuel flow regulating mechanism, and the second fuel regulating valve 84 installed on the second fuel pipe 86 is equivalent to the second fuel flow regulating mechanism. Alternatively, a calorific value meter 89 (in this modified example, installed on the second fuel pipe 86) can be installed on the fuel supply pipe 72 or the second fuel pipe 86 as a calorific value measuring mechanism for measuring the calorific value of the fuel (fuel F or second fuel F2), and the flow rate of air A supplied to the burner 71 can be adjusted based on the measured value of the calorific value meter 89. For example, if the measured value of the calorific value meter 89 is less than a predetermined value, reference can be made to... Figure 2The flow rate of air A supplied to burner 71 is determined by the relationship shown by the solid line LF. When the measured value of the calorific value of the calorific value meter 89 is above a predetermined value, the flow rate of air A supplied to burner 71 is determined by referring to the relationship shown by the dashed line LF2. This predetermined value is one that allows differentiation between fuel F and second fuel F2 supplied to burner 71 based on the measured value of the calorific value meter 89. For example, it could be a value between the calorific value of fuel F and the calorific value of second fuel F2 (e.g., the calorific value in the case of fuel with a hydrogen content of 90%). Furthermore, the calorific value meter 89 can also be applied to a structure that connects the second fuel pipe 86 to the fuel supply pipe 72, selectively supplying either fuel F or second fuel F2 to burner 71. For example, the calorific value meter 89 can be installed downstream of the connection between the fuel supply pipe 72 and the second fuel pipe 86, and the flow rate of air A supplied to burner 71 can be adjusted based on the measured value of the calorific value meter 89.

[0079] When the burner 71 is configured to selectively or simultaneously supply fuel F and the second fuel F2, i.e., when fuels with substantially constant calorific value are used for both fuel F and the second fuel F2, it is not necessary to adjust the air flow rate based on the difference between the theoretical temperature and the measured temperature. In this case, the calculation of the theoretical temperature in the calculation unit 64 can also be omitted, reducing the computational load. Furthermore, fuels with substantially constant calorific value are typically those for which incomplete combustion or other problems do not occur even if the air flow rate is not adjusted based on the relationship between the supply flow rates of fuels F and F2 stored in the storage unit 63 and the supply flow rate of air A.

[0080] As a fourth option, such as Figure 4As shown, an oxygen concentration meter 79 can also be installed in the mechanism that discharges exhaust gas E from the burner 71. The oxygen concentration meter 79 is typically an instrument installed in the exhaust pipe 78 to measure the oxygen concentration in the exhaust gas E. The oxygen concentration in the exhaust gas E is a physical quantity related to the oxygen concentration contained in the exhaust gas E, and the oxygen concentration meter 79 is equivalent to a detector for this oxygen concentration-related physical quantity. The oxygen concentration meter 79 can also be connected to a receiving unit 62 via a communication line, and the receiving unit 62 can also receive the oxygen concentration in the exhaust gas E measured by the oxygen concentration meter 79 as a signal. Furthermore, the control unit 61 preferably controls the opening of the air regulating valve 77, thereby controlling the flow rate of air A supplied to the burner 71, so that the detection value of the oxygen concentration meter 79 received by the receiving unit 62 becomes a predetermined value. This predetermined value can be considered as a predetermined oxygen concentration in the exhaust gas E for proper combustion (preferably about 1% to 10%, more preferably about 1.5% to 4%), and can also have a range within a numerical range. In this way, the oxygen concentration contained in the exhaust gas E can be made to a desired concentration, and problems such as incomplete combustion can be suppressed. When the flow rate of air A is controlled based on the value of oxygen concentration meter 79, especially when fuel F and second fuel F2 are simultaneously supplied to burner 71, an appropriate flow rate of air A can be supplied to burner 71. Furthermore, when fuel F and second fuel F2 are hydrogen, no carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide is produced, so the supply flow rate of air A can be precisely adjusted based on the oxygen concentration in exhaust gas E. Moreover, control of the air flow rate based on the measurement value of oxygen concentration meter 79 can replace control based on the relationship stored in storage unit 63 (see reference). Figure 2 The flow rate of air A can be controlled or applied in combination with that of oxygen concentration meter 79. When the flow rate control of air A based on the measurement value of oxygen concentration meter 79 is applied in combination with the flow rate control of air A based on the relationship stored in storage unit 63, the deviation of the flow rate of air A supplied to burner 71 from the appropriate flow rate can be suppressed before the measurement value of oxygen concentration meter 79 is fed back to the opening of air regulating valve 77. In addition to oxygen concentration meter 79, nitrogen oxide meter and the like can also be used as detectors for oxygen concentration-related physical quantities.

[0081] The above options can be applied individually or in combination to the absorption chiller 1 according to the above embodiment. In addition, the options listed below can also be applied to the absorption chiller 1 according to the above embodiment or to an absorption chiller 1 to which one or more of the above options are applied.

[0082] In the above description, byproduct hydrogen is used as fuel F to be burned in burner 71, but biomass fuel or other fuels whose calorific value may vary may also be used. In this case, a fuel other than 100% hydrogen can be used as the second fuel F2, or a fuel that can be used in combination with fuel F can be used as a fuel other than 100% hydrogen.

[0083] In the above description, the airflow regulating mechanism is the air regulating valve 77. However, it can also be configured to regulate the supply flow by making the rotational speed of the air fan 76 variable using an inverter or the like, thus replacing the air regulating valve 77. In this case, it is preferable to set the "air fan inverter frequency" instead. Figure 2 The relationship shown refers to "air conditioning valve opening". Additionally, while the fuel flow regulation mechanism is a fuel regulating valve 74, it can also be configured to regulate the supply flow by making the rotational speed of the fuel fan 73 variable using an inverter or similar device, thus replacing the fuel regulating valve 74. In this case, it is preferable to set the "fuel fan inverter frequency" instead. Figure 2 The relationship shown is for "fuel regulating valve opening".

[0084] In the above description, in order to confirm whether the cold water C is the target temperature, the temperature of the cold water C is directly measured using a cold water thermometer 52. However, as an alternative to directly measuring the temperature of the cold water C, the temperature of the cold water C can also be inferred from the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant liquid Vf in the evaporator 20 (typically inside the evaporator tank 27), the evaporation pressure of the refrigerant liquid Vf in the evaporator 20 (typically inside the evaporator tank 27) which is related to the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant liquid Vf, or the pressure of the absorber 10 (typically inside the absorber tank 17) which is connected to the evaporator 20 and has a pressure that is approximately the same as the evaporation pressure.

[0085] In the above description, the theoretical temperature is calculated using at least the flow rate of fuel F supplied to burner 71 and the temperature of cooling water D introduced into absorption chiller 1 as parameters. However, instead of the flow rate of fuel F, at least one of the following physical quantities related to the fuel flow rate can be used: the opening degree of fuel regulating valve 74, the temperature of exhaust gas E, the temperature of regenerator 30 (typically inside regenerator tank 37), the pressure of regenerator 30 (typically inside regenerator tank 37), and the concentration of concentrated solution Sa. Furthermore, instead of the inlet temperature of cooling water D, the outlet temperature of cooling water D, the temperature of dilute solution Sw at the outlet of absorber 10, and the condensation temperature of regenerator refrigerant vapor Vg in condenser 40 can be used as physical quantities related to the cooling water temperature.

[0086] In the above description, the absorption cycle is single-effect, but a high-temperature regenerator can also be set up to make it dual-effect or triple-effect.

[0087] The above description mentions the function of the absorption chiller / hot water heater 1 in lowering the temperature of the chilled water C, which is the medium for temperature regulation. However, by switching modes (e.g., switching between cooling and heating modes), the temperature of the hot water H, which is the medium for temperature regulation (see reference...), can also be lowered. Figures 5A-5C The temperature rise of the hot water H. The operation in the absorption chiller 1 that raises the temperature of the hot water H (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as "heating operation"), for example, has... Figures 5A-5C The diagram illustrates several methods. Furthermore, regardless of the method used to raise the temperature of the hot water H, additional piping and other structures may be required, but the basic structure of the device can be used... Figure 1 The structure of the absorption chiller / hot water heater 1 is shown. Therefore, in Figures 5A-5C For structures that are omitted or not shown, refer to [reference needed]. Figure 1 .

[0088] exist Figure 5A In the first hot water generation method shown, heat source water U is supplied to the evaporation tube 21 of the evaporator 20, causing hot water H, which is the temperature-regulating medium, to flow to the cooling tube 11 of the absorber 10 and the condenser tube 41 of the condenser 40. At this time, the absorbent S and refrigerant V circulate in the same way as in the case of cooling cold water C. Moreover, the heat source water U flowing in the evaporation tube 21 is supplied to provide the latent heat of vaporization to the refrigerant liquid Vf flowing into the evaporator 20. The hot water H flowing as described above is first heated by the heat absorbed in the absorber 10, then heated by the heat condensed in the condenser 40, and then supplied to the heat utilization equipment (not shown). In this method, the absorber 10 and the condenser 40 are equivalent to the medium heating mechanism. In this method of generating hot water H, the flow path of the temperature-regulating medium in the absorption chiller 1 changes from the evaporation tube 21 in the case of cold water C to a cooling water flow path including the cooling tube 11 and the condenser tube 41. Therefore, piping, switching valves, etc. (not shown) for switching the flow path of the temperature-regulating medium are provided. In addition, in the evaporator pipe 21, the heat source water U flows through instead of the cold water C generated when the cold water C is produced (i.e., the medium for temperature regulation), so piping, switching valves, etc. (not shown) are installed to switch these flow paths.

[0089] During the operation of generating hot water H, the combustion rate of fuel F in burner 71 is adjusted to ensure that the supply temperature (i.e., outlet temperature) of hot water H reaches the target temperature. Furthermore, the relationship between the opening degree of fuel regulating valve 74 (or the flow rate of fuel F) and the opening degree of air regulating valve 77 (or the flow rate of air A) remains consistent during heating operation as during cooling operation, allowing for [further control / management]. Figure 2The relationship is shown. Furthermore, the calculation unit 64 can calculate the theoretical temperature of the hot water H. Since cooling water D is not introduced during heating operation, the parameters used to calculate the theoretical temperature of the hot water H include at least the flow rate of fuel F supplied to the burner 71, and may also include at least one of the temperature of the heat source water U, the flow rate of the heat source water U, the flow rate of the hot water H, and the inlet temperature of the hot water H. In this embodiment, the absorption chiller 1 also performs the same control as during cooling operation. Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the control process during heating operation. Figure 6 The flowchart shown illustrates the control process during heating operation. Figure 3 The flowcharts for refrigeration operation shown share many commonalities, and the same reference numerals are used for the common procedures. For heating operation control (refer to...),... Figure 6 The control during refrigeration operation (refer to) Figure 3 The differences, firstly, can be listed as follows: Figure 3 The "cold water temperature" in process (St1) is... Figure 6 In process (St1A), the temperature is changed to "hot water temperature". This is because the object of temperature regulation is cold water (C) during cooling operation and hot water (H) during heating operation. Additionally, Figure 3 In the process (St7), the "reduction of airflow" is in Figure 6 In the process (St7A), it is changed to "increased airflow". Figure 3 In the process (St8), the "increased airflow" is in Figure 6 In process (St8A), the change is to "reduced airflow". This change is because, in heating operation, unlike cooling operation, a measured temperature lower than the theoretical temperature indicates that the amount of fuel F burned is less than expected (the value used in the calculation of the theoretical temperature), resulting in reduced heating capacity. Other controls during heating operation (see...) Figure 6 ) and control during refrigeration operation (refer to Figure 3 The same applies. In this method, since the flow rate of air A supplied to burner 71 increases or decreases based on the deviation between the measured temperature and the theoretical temperature, an appropriate flow rate of air A can be supplied even if the calorific value of the fuel F supplied to burner 71 changes. Furthermore, when the acquisition unit 65 is provided, the acquired operating state includes the temperature of hot water H. The temperature of hot water H can be calculated based on the inlet temperature of hot water H, the outlet temperature of hot water H, the evaporation temperature of refrigerant liquid Vf, and the temperature of dilute solution Sw. In this description, the hot water H is heated using the heat absorbed in absorber 10 and the heat condensed in condenser 40, but either the heat absorbed or the heat condensed can be used for heating.

[0090] Figure 5BThe second hot water generation method shown is configured such that hot water H flows in the evaporator tube 21 of the evaporator 20, and regenerator refrigerant vapor Vg generated in the regenerator 30 is guided to the evaporator 20 and condensed thereon. The condensation heat of the regenerator refrigerant vapor Vg in the evaporator 20 is used to heat the hot water H flowing in the evaporator tube 21. In this method, the evaporator 20 functions as a condenser (condensation section), which is equivalent to a medium heating mechanism. In this method, since the chilled water C in cooling operation and the hot water H in heating operation flow in the same evaporator tube 21, it has the advantage of a system that does not require switching the temperature-regulating medium (chilled water C, hot water H). However, in this modified example, a regenerator refrigerant vapor flow path 135 (e.g., composed of piping) is added to guide the regenerator refrigerant vapor Vg from the regenerator 30 to the evaporator 20. The refrigerant liquid Vf produced by the condensation of refrigerant vapor Vg in the regenerator in evaporator 20 can be sent to absorber 10, mixed with absorbent S, and returned to regenerator 30 as a dilute solution Sw via dilute solution pipe 18. In this case, the system of absorbent S can be combined with... Figure 5A The method shown operates similarly, but with the addition of a refrigerant liquid pipe 118 that guides the refrigerant liquid Vf from the evaporator 20 to the absorber 10. Alternatively, although the illustration is omitted, the refrigerant liquid Vf generated by the condensation of refrigerant vapor Vg in the regenerator in the evaporator 20 can be directly returned to the regenerator 30. In this case, it is preferable to stop the operation of the absorbent S system. In this method, the opening of the fuel regulating valve 74 is also adjusted to make the temperature of the hot water H the target temperature, the opening of the air regulating valve 77 is adjusted according to the opening of the fuel regulating valve 74, and the flow rate of air A is adjusted based on the difference between the theoretical temperature and the measured temperature, which is consistent with... Figure 5A The method shown is the same.

[0091] Figure 5C The third hot water generation method shown is configured such that hot water H flows in the evaporation tube 21 of the evaporator 20, and the regenerator refrigerant vapor Vg and concentrated solution Sa generated in the regenerator 30 are guided to the evaporator 20 respectively. The heat absorbed by the concentrated solution Sa in the evaporator 20 when absorbing the regenerator refrigerant vapor Vg is used to heat the hot water H flowing in the evaporation tube 21. In this method, the evaporator 20 functions as an absorber (absorption section), which is equivalent to a medium heating mechanism. In this method, since the chilled water C in the cooling operation and the hot water H in the heating operation flow in the same evaporation tube 21, it also has the advantage of not needing to switch the temperature-regulating medium (chilled water C, hot water H). However, in this modified example, an additional... Figure 5BThe refrigerant vapor flow path 135 of the regenerator is the same as shown, and the concentrated solution pipe 138 guides the concentrated solution Sa from the regenerator 30 to the evaporator 20. The dilute solution Sw produced by the concentrated solution Sa absorbing the refrigerant vapor Vg in the evaporator 20 can also be returned to the regenerator 30 via the dilute solution pipe 18 after being sent to the absorber 10. In this case, an additional dilute solution pipe 128 is provided to guide the dilute solution Sw from the evaporator 20 to the absorber 10. In this method, the opening degree of the fuel regulating valve 74 is also adjusted to make the temperature of the hot water H the target temperature, and the opening degree of the air regulating valve 77 is adjusted according to the opening degree of the fuel regulating valve 74. The flow rate of air A is adjusted based on the difference between the theoretical temperature and the measured temperature, which is consistent with... Figure 5A The method shown is the same.

[0092] In addition, as another method of hot water generation, although not illustrated, the absorption cycle of absorbent S and refrigerant V can be stopped, and the hot water H can be heated using the combustion heat of burner 71. In this case, a pipe for supplying hot water H is installed at a location where the combustion heat of burner 71 can be used to heat the hot water H. In this case, the temperature of hot water H can also be adjusted using the combustion heat of burner 71. Therefore, it is preferable to adjust the combustion rate (or the opening degree of fuel regulating valve 74) to make the temperature of hot water H the target temperature, and supply air A to burner 71 corresponding to the aforementioned combustion rate, referring to the relationship stored in storage unit 63.

[0093] This disclosure describes an absorption chiller / hot water heater capable of producing chilled water (C) and hot water (H) by switching modes. However, it is clear that the features of this disclosure can be applied to specialized equipment for chilled water production (absorption chillers) and specialized equipment for hot water production (absorption heat pumps). Therefore, the concept of an absorption chiller / hot water heater in this disclosure also includes absorption chillers and absorption heat pumps.

[0094] The control device 60 of the absorption chiller 1 described above can be configured using the following structure.

[0095] Figure 7 This is a block diagram illustrating an example of the physical structure of the control device 60. The control device 60 includes a processor 102, a memory 104, a storage device 106, and a communication interface 108. The control device 60 may also be a computer.

[0096] The processor 102 processes various information from the control device 60. This information includes the content and timing of control signals sent to the various devices and equipment constituting the absorption chiller 1. The processor 102 can be a single processor or two or more processors. The processor 102 may also include a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a microprocessor, a circuit board, or other electrical circuits. The processor 102 is capable of executing programs and manipulating data to perform actions of the control device 60, including actions using any of the algorithms, methods, functions, processes, and steps described in this disclosure.

[0097] The memory 104 (which can also be considered a first memory) temporarily or permanently records programs and / or data used for information processing in the control device 60. The memory 104 may also store programs used by the control device 60 to perform various decisions and judgments. In other words, the memory 104 may also store programs executed in the control unit 61. Figure 3 and Figure 6 The procedure shown is for the calculations performed in the arithmetic unit 64 (including the calculation of the theoretical temperature). This procedure can be added to and modified afterwards (i.e., after the control device 60 is manufactured). Furthermore, if the control device 60 is equipped with an acquisition unit 65, the memory 104 can record data acquired by the acquisition unit 65 related to the operating status of the absorption chiller 1. The memory 104 can be a single memory or two or more memories. The memory 104 can also include volatile memory such as RAM and cache, and non-volatile memory such as ROM.

[0098] Storage device 106 (which can also be considered a second memory) temporarily or permanently records programs and / or data used for information processing in control device 60. Storage device 106 may also store, as needed, other data. Figure 2 The illustrated relationship between the flow rate of air A for proper combustion and the flow rate of fuel F supplied to burner 71 is used to perform... Figure 3 and Figure 6 The procedures shown are as follows. From another perspective, the storage device 106 can also store the processes executed in the control unit 61. Figure 3 and Figure 6The storage device 106 includes the procedures for the steps shown, the data stored in the storage unit 63, and the procedures for calculations (including the calculation of theoretical temperature) performed in the calculation unit 64. Additionally, if the control device 60 is equipped with an acquisition unit 65, the storage device 106 may also store data on the operating status of the absorption chiller 1 acquired by the acquisition unit 65. Furthermore, the storage device 106 may also store the relationship between values ​​used for various calculations and their substitute values. Furthermore, the storage device 106 can record data related to the acquired operating status of the absorption chiller 1 as needed. The storage device 106 may also hold other programs, including an operating system, that can be executed by the control device 60 or other devices. The storage device 106 may also include a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid-state drive (SSD), and / or flash memory.

[0099] Communication interface 108 communicates with solution pump 19, refrigerant pump 29, cooling water pump 91, and chilled water pump 92. Communication interface 108 can send control signals related to start / stop and discharge flow rate to solution pump 19, refrigerant pump 29, cooling water pump 91, and chilled water pump 92. Additionally, communication interface 108 communicates with fuel fan 73 and air fan 76. Communication interface 108 can send control signals related to start / stop to fuel fan 73 and air fan 76. Furthermore, communication interface 108 communicates with fuel regulating valve 74 and air regulating valve 77. Communication interface 108 can send control signals related to opening degree to fuel regulating valve 74 and air regulating valve 77. Additionally, communication interface 108 communicates with cooling water thermometer 51 and chilled water thermometer 52. Communication interface 108 can receive temperature-related control signals from cooling water thermometer 51 and chilled water thermometer 52. Finally, communication interface 108 communicates with oxygen concentration meter 79. The communication interface 108 can receive control signals related to oxygen concentration from the oxygen concentration meter 79. Additionally, the communication interface 108 can receive control signals related to the operating status of the absorption chiller 1 as needed. The communication interface 108 may also have the function of receiving signals in the receiving unit 62.

[0100] The components of the control device 60 (including the processor 102, memory 104, storage device 106, and communication interface 108) are interconnected and communicate with each other via buses such as system bus and control bus. Additionally, the control device 60 has a power supply 110. The power supply 110 typically includes a power plug that draws power from a commercial power source or other power source. The power supply 110 may include a replaceable or non-replaceable battery, which may also be able to receive power from a commercial power source or other power source for charging.

[0101] In the above description of the hardware structure of the control device 60, the programs and / or data stored in the memory 104 and / or storage device 106 may also be stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium. The non-transitory computer-readable medium stores computer-readable commands and / or data used by executing methods implemented by a computer. Computer-readable media may include optical disks and optical storage devices, as well as digital video discs (DVDs), CD-ROMs, DVD+ / -Rs, DVD-RAMs, DVD-ROMs, HD-DVDs, and BLURAY (registered trademark), etc. Computer-readable media may also include magnetic devices such as magnetic tapes, magnetic tape cassettes, cassette tapes, and removable discs. Each program (including program products) may include one or more modules of computer program commands encoded on a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium for execution by an information processing device including a computer (in this embodiment, the control device 60), or for controlling the operation of the information processing device. Additionally, programs and / or data may also be downloaded from an external device via a network.

[0102] All references in this specification, including publications, patent applications and patents, are incorporated herein by reference to the same extent that each reference is specifically shown and incorporated by reference, and its entire contents are described herein.

[0103] The use of nouns and similar designations in connection with the description of the invention (particularly with the following claims) shall be construed as including both single and multiple parties unless otherwise specified in this specification or obviously contradictory to the context. The terms “possessing,” “having,” “comprising,” and “including” shall be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including but not limited to”) unless otherwise specified. Detailed descriptions of numerical ranges in this specification, unless otherwise specified in this specification, are intended only to serve as abbreviations for individually referring to values ​​corresponding to those ranges, incorporating them into the specification as individually listed herein. All methods described in this specification can be performed in all suitable orders unless otherwise specified in this specification or obviously contradictory to the context. All examples or illustrative terms used in this specification (e.g., “etc.”) are intended only to better illustrate the invention and not to limit its scope unless otherwise specified. No wording in the specification should be construed as essential to the implementation of the invention for any element not recited in the claims.

[0104] Preferred embodiments of the invention have been described in this specification, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of these preferred embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors anticipate that experts will appropriately apply such variations and intend to carry out the invention using methods other than those specifically described in this specification. Therefore, as permitted by applicable law, the invention includes modifications and equivalents to all contents recited in the appended claims. Furthermore, any combination of the foregoing elements in all variations is also included in the invention unless specifically indicated in this specification or obviously contradicted by the context.

Claims

1. An absorption chiller / hot water heater that moves heat through the circulation of a refrigerant undergoing a phase change and an absorbent mixed with said refrigerant, comprising: A regenerator having a burner that allows for the combustion of fuel with a variable calorific value in order to generate heat for heating the absorbent liquid; The medium cooling mechanism cools the temperature-regulated medium by removing the latent heat of vaporization of the refrigerant when the liquid phase changes to vapor from the temperature-regulated medium. A cooling water flow path is provided for cooling water to remove at least one of the heat of condensation when the vapor of the refrigerant changes to a liquid phase and the heat of absorption when the vapor of the refrigerant is absorbed by the absorbent liquid. The fuel supply mechanism includes a fuel flow regulating mechanism for regulating the flow rate of the fuel supplied to the burner; An air supply mechanism having an air flow regulating mechanism that operates independently of the fuel flow regulating mechanism and regulates the flow rate of air supplied to the burner; The storage unit stores a defined relationship between the flow rate of air and the flow rate of fuel supplied to the burner. The control unit controls the fuel flow regulating mechanism to make the temperature of the temperature-regulating medium reach the target value, and controls the air flow regulating mechanism with reference to the relationship stored in the storage unit to supply air to the burner at a flow rate corresponding to the flow rate of the fuel supplied to the burner. as well as A temperature-related physical quantity detector detects physical quantities related to the temperature of the medium being regulated. The control unit compares the temperature of the temperature-regulating medium, i.e., the theoretical temperature, which is determined based at least on physical quantities related to the flow rate of the fuel supplied to the burner and physical quantities related to the temperature of the cooling water, with the measured temperature, which is determined based on physical quantities related to the temperature of the temperature-regulating medium detected by the temperature-related physical quantity detector. If the measured temperature is higher than the theoretical temperature, the control unit controls the air flow regulating mechanism to reduce the flow rate of air supplied to the burner. If the measured temperature is lower than the theoretical temperature, the control unit controls the air flow regulating mechanism to increase the flow rate of air supplied to the burner.

2. An absorption chiller / hot water heater that moves heat through the circulation of a refrigerant undergoing a phase change and an absorbent liquid mixed with the refrigerant, comprising: A regenerator having a burner that allows for the combustion of fuel with a variable calorific value in order to generate heat for heating the absorbent liquid; The medium heating mechanism uses at least one of the combustion heat of the burner, the condensation heat when the refrigerant vapor changes to liquid, and the absorption heat when the refrigerant vapor is absorbed by the absorbent liquid to heat the medium to be regulated. The fuel supply mechanism includes a fuel flow regulating mechanism for regulating the flow rate of the fuel supplied to the burner; An air supply mechanism having an air flow regulating mechanism that operates independently of the fuel flow regulating mechanism and regulates the flow rate of air supplied to the burner; The storage unit stores a defined relationship between the flow rate of air and the flow rate of fuel supplied to the burner. The control unit controls the fuel flow regulating mechanism to make the temperature of the temperature-regulating medium reach the target value, and controls the air flow regulating mechanism with reference to the relationship stored in the storage unit to supply air to the burner at a flow rate corresponding to the flow rate of the fuel supplied to the burner. as well as A temperature-related physical quantity detector detects physical quantities related to the temperature of the medium being regulated. The control unit compares the temperature of the temperature-regulating medium, i.e., the theoretical temperature, which is determined based at least on a physical quantity related to the flow rate of the fuel supplied to the burner, with the measured temperature, which is determined based on a physical quantity related to the temperature of the temperature-regulating medium detected by the temperature-related physical quantity detector. If the measured temperature is lower than the theoretical temperature, the control unit controls the air flow regulating mechanism to reduce the flow rate of air supplied to the burner. If the measured temperature is higher than the theoretical temperature, the control unit controls the air flow regulating mechanism to increase the flow rate of air supplied to the burner.

3. The absorption chiller / hot water heater according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The control unit compares the combustion rate of the burner used to bring the temperature regulation target medium to the target value with the combustion rate of the burner at the upper limit for maintaining proper operation of the absorption chiller, and causes the burner to operate at the lower combustion rate.

4. The absorption chiller / hot water heater according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, It includes an acquisition unit that acquires the operating status of the absorption chiller / hot water heater. The control unit corrects the theoretical temperature based on the past operating states obtained by the acquisition unit.

5. The absorption chiller / hot water heater according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, It is equipped with an oxygen concentration-related physical quantity detector that detects physical quantities related to the oxygen concentration contained in the exhaust gas produced by burning the fuel. The control unit controls the airflow regulating mechanism so that the physical quantity detected by the oxygen concentration-related physical quantity detector becomes a specified value.

6. The absorption chiller / hot water heater according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The regenerator is configured to introduce at least one of a first fuel and a second fuel with a different calorific value than the first fuel as the fuel to be burned in the burner. The storage unit stores a first relationship between the flow rate of the first fuel supplied to the burner and the flow rate of the air corresponding to the flow rate of the first fuel supplied to the burner, and a second relationship between the flow rate of the second fuel supplied to the burner and the flow rate of the air corresponding to the flow rate of the second fuel supplied to the burner. For the control unit, when the first fuel is supplied to the burner, the air flow regulating mechanism is controlled with reference to the first relationship stored in the storage unit so as to supply air to the burner at a flow rate corresponding to the flow rate of the first fuel supplied to the burner. When the second fuel is supplied to the burner, the air flow regulating mechanism is controlled with reference to the second relationship stored in the storage unit so as to supply air to the burner at a flow rate corresponding to the flow rate of the second fuel supplied to the burner.

7. An absorption chiller / hot water heater that cools or heats a temperature-regulating medium by circulating a refrigerant undergoing a phase change and an absorbent liquid mixed with the refrigerant, comprising: A regenerator having a burner that introduces and ignites at least one of a first fuel and a second fuel with a different calorific value than the first fuel in order to generate heat for heating the absorbent liquid; The fuel supply mechanism includes a first fuel flow regulating mechanism for regulating the flow rate of the first fuel supplied to the burner and a second fuel flow regulating mechanism for regulating the flow rate of the second fuel supplied to the burner. An air supply mechanism has an air flow regulating mechanism that operates independently of the first fuel flow regulating mechanism and the second fuel flow regulating mechanism and regulates the flow rate of air supplied to the burner. The storage unit stores a first relationship between the flow rate of air and the flow rate of the first fuel supplied to the burner, and a second relationship between the flow rate of air and the flow rate of the second fuel supplied to the burner. as well as The control unit controls either the first fuel flow regulating mechanism or the second fuel flow regulating mechanism to make the temperature of the temperature-regulating medium reach a target value. When the first fuel is supplied to the burner, the air flow regulating mechanism is controlled with reference to the first relationship stored in the storage unit to supply air to the burner at a flow rate corresponding to the flow rate of the first fuel supplied to the burner. When the second fuel is supplied to the burner, the air flow regulating mechanism is controlled with reference to the second relationship stored in the storage unit to supply air to the burner at a flow rate corresponding to the flow rate of the second fuel supplied to the burner.

8. The absorption chiller / hot water heater according to claim 6, wherein, The fuel supply mechanism includes a calorific value measuring mechanism for measuring the calorific value of the fuel supplied to the burner. When the calorific value measured by the calorific value measuring mechanism is less than a predetermined value, the control unit controls the air flow regulating mechanism with reference to the first relationship stored in the storage unit, so as to supply air to the burner at a flow rate corresponding to the flow rate of the first fuel supplied to the burner. When the calorific value measured by the calorific value measuring mechanism is greater than or equal to the predetermined value, the control unit controls the air flow regulating mechanism with reference to the second relationship stored in the storage unit, so as to supply air to the burner at a flow rate corresponding to the flow rate of the second fuel supplied to the burner.

9. A method for controlling the operation of an absorption chiller / water heater, comprising a method for controlling the operation of the absorption chiller / water heater, which moves heat through the circulation of a refrigerant undergoing a phase change and an absorbent mixed with the refrigerant. The absorption chiller / hot water heater includes: A regenerator having a burner that allows for the combustion of fuel with a variable calorific value in order to generate heat for heating the absorbent liquid; The medium cooling mechanism cools the temperature-regulating medium by removing the latent heat of vaporization of the refrigerant when its liquid phase changes to vapor; and the cooling water flow path supplies cooling water to remove at least one of the heat of condensation when the refrigerant's vapor phase changes to liquid and the heat of absorption when the refrigerant's vapor is absorbed by the absorbent liquid. The operation control method of the absorption chiller includes the following steps: The burner is supplied with fuel at a flow rate that brings the temperature of the temperature-regulated medium to a target value. According to a predetermined relationship, air is supplied to the burner at a flow rate corresponding to the flow rate of the fuel supplied to the burner; The theoretical temperature is determined based at least on physical quantities related to the flow rate of the fuel supplied to the burner and physical quantities related to the temperature of the cooling water, which are the temperatures of the temperature-controlled medium. Detect physical quantities related to the temperature of the medium being regulated; as well as The theoretical temperature is compared with the measured temperature, which is determined based on a physical quantity related to the temperature of the medium being regulated. The flow rate of the air supplied to the burner is adjusted so that when the measured temperature is higher than the theoretical temperature, the flow rate of the air supplied to the burner is reduced, and when the measured temperature is lower than the theoretical temperature, the flow rate of the air supplied to the burner is increased.

10. A method for controlling the operation of an absorption chiller / water heater, comprising a method for controlling the operation of the absorption chiller / water heater, which moves heat through the circulation of a refrigerant undergoing a phase change and an absorbent mixed with the refrigerant. The absorption chiller / hot water heater includes: A regenerator having a burner that allows for the combustion of fuel with a variable calorific value in order to generate heat for heating the absorbent liquid; The medium heating mechanism utilizes at least one of the following: the combustion heat of the burner, the condensation heat when the refrigerant vapor changes to a liquid phase, or the absorption heat when the refrigerant vapor is absorbed by the absorbent liquid, to heat the medium to which the temperature is to be regulated. The operation control method of the absorption chiller includes the following steps: The burner is supplied with fuel at a flow rate that brings the temperature of the temperature-regulated medium to a target value. According to a predetermined relationship, air is supplied to the burner at a flow rate corresponding to the flow rate of the fuel supplied to the burner; The theoretical temperature is determined based at least on a physical quantity related to the flow rate of the fuel supplied to the burner, which is the temperature of the temperature-controlled medium. Detect physical quantities related to the temperature of the medium being regulated; as well as The theoretical temperature is compared with the measured temperature, which is determined based on a physical quantity related to the temperature of the medium being regulated. The flow rate of the air supplied to the burner is adjusted so that if the measured temperature is lower than the theoretical temperature, the flow rate of the air supplied to the burner is reduced, and if the measured temperature is higher than the theoretical temperature, the flow rate of the air supplied to the burner is increased.

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