Loop test equipment

Abstract

The present invention relates to a test apparatus for testing the performance of a battery, and more particularly, to a cyclic test apparatus for testing the performance of the battery by repeatedly charging and discharging the battery for a long period of time within a predetermined temperature. One embodiment of the present invention may provide a loop test apparatus including: a first refrigerator having a cooling capacity for maintaining a temperature in a chamber at a predetermined temperature in consideration of a thermal load in the chamber; a second refrigerator provided separately from the first refrigerator, and having a cooling capacity greater than that of the first refrigerator to reduce a temperature in the chamber; and a control unit that controls the second refrigerator to be selectively driven in a cooling operation for reducing a temperature in the chamber.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a testing device for testing battery performance, and more specifically, to a cycle testing device for testing battery performance by repeatedly charging and discharging the battery over a long period of time at a constant temperature. Background Technology

[0002] Products such as batteries or semiconductor components can generate heat during operation. Therefore, after manufacturing, products are tested in various environments to verify their performance and whether they are defect-free.

[0003] Specifically, in the case of batteries that require repeated charging and discharging (such as rechargeable batteries), the battery can be tested by placing it in a predetermined space and then charging and discharging it for an extended period of time under constant temperature conditions. Here, the constant temperature can be the room temperature where the battery is used, and the battery's performance can also be tested at very low or very high temperatures (as an example of more demanding temperature conditions).

[0004] Additionally, it can perform tests on the battery using cycle testing equipment to verify or confirm not only the performance of the fully manufactured battery, but also the performance of the battery during the battery design process.

[0005] Generally, battery testing using cycle testing equipment is performed over extended periods, typically several months or longer. The purpose, form, shape, size, characteristics, and materials of a battery can vary significantly depending on the application it will be used in. Therefore, a wide variety of batteries must be designed according to the requirements of the client, necessitating a diverse range of cycle testing equipment.

[0006] Generally, cycle testing equipment is configured to perform constant temperature operation, thereby maintaining a constant temperature within a chamber that houses the battery. Since heat is generated as the battery is repeatedly charged and discharged, cycle testing equipment includes a temperature regulation unit, such as a refrigerator. Additionally, cycle testing equipment includes heaters, etc.

[0007] Depending on the testing conditions, cyclic testing equipment can be categorized into room temperature equipment, cryogenic equipment, and high-performance equipment. Room temperature equipment can be configured for testing between room temperature and high temperatures, cryogenic equipment can be configured for testing between approximately -40°C and high temperatures (+89°C), and high-performance equipment is configured for testing high-performance cooling and heating rates requiring approximately 3 to 4°C per minute. Among these, room temperature equipment is the most commonly used, and the specifications of the chiller (including the compressor) and heater can be determined for each device based on the required performance.

[0008] The temperature control unit includes a compressor that compresses the refrigerant, wherein constant temperature operation can be performed not only at room temperature but also at low temperatures, thus generally providing a compressor with a cooling capacity greater than that required to remove the heat generated during battery testing. Therefore, by using a cooling capacity greater than the heat removal capacity required for constant temperature operation, the heater used to heat the subcooled air can be driven constantly.

[0009] Currently, in the most commonly used room temperature cycling test equipment, compressors ranging from 1 / 2 horsepower (HP) to 5 horsepower (HP) are applied, depending on the specifications of the internal chamber space. That is, due to the use of compressors with lower output compared to those widely used in industrial refrigeration equipment, there are limitations in compressor output control methods (e.g., variable frequency control), resulting in the use of compressors driven by constant speed types as most low-capacity compressors. However, with the increase in battery specifications and cell area, the compressor output tends to increase. Then, reflecting this in the compressor specifications, resistance heaters ranging from 2 to 15 kW are applied.

[0010] As mentioned above, constant-speed compressors are generally used in cyclic testing equipment, resulting in heat removal through the compressor's capacity, regardless of the heat load generated inside the chamber. In many cases, the heat removed by the compressor exceeds the heat load. Therefore, a heater is driven to compensate for the overcooling, maintaining a constant temperature inside the chamber. In other words, unnecessary energy consumption can be considered due to overcooling and heater driving. In particular, the heat removed by overcooling is released to the outside of the chamber in the form of heat generated from the condenser of the refrigeration unit, which increases the heat removal load on the chamber, thereby increasing the capacity of the additional heat removal system for chamber heat removal and increasing the energy consumption required for heat removal. Therefore, it is necessary to improve energy efficiency by minimizing the amount of heat energy unnecessarily removed during constant-temperature operation to maintain a constant temperature over long periods, as well as the energy consumed by overcooling. Then, excessive temperature deviations may occur within the cyclic testing equipment due to energy losses occurring within it. Therefore, efficient and accurate constant-temperature operation is not easily achieved.

[0011] As mentioned above, battery manufacturers require numerous cycle testing devices. This is because the requirements for new batteries are very high, depending on the application. Therefore, it can be argued that as the type and number of cycle testing devices increase, improving the energy efficiency of these devices becomes a necessary requirement.

[0012] Furthermore, setting up multiple cyclic testing devices in a very large test chamber can lead to a heat island effect within the chamber due to the heat emitted from each device. This heat island effect makes the test chamber difficult to operate, and inevitably degrades the energy efficiency of each cyclic testing device.

[0013] Therefore, it is necessary to find a way to improve the energy efficiency of the entire testing facility, including the testing room, as well as the energy efficiency of each cycle testing device. Summary of the Invention

[0014] Technical issues

[0015] This invention is essentially designed to solve the problems of conventional cyclic testing equipment.

[0016] By way of one example of the present invention, an aim is to provide a cyclic testing apparatus that can improve energy efficiency by operating a chiller for constant temperature operation and a chiller for cooling operation separately.

[0017] By way of one example of the present invention, it is intended to provide a cyclic testing apparatus that can minimize the heat island phenomenon in the test chamber by minimizing the heat emitted from the cyclic testing apparatus.

[0018] Technical solution

[0019] To achieve the above objectives, according to an example of the present invention, a cyclic testing apparatus can be provided, the cyclic testing apparatus providing a constant temperature operation for maintaining the temperature in a chamber at a constant temperature and a cooling operation for reducing the temperature in the chamber, wherein the cyclic testing apparatus is characterized by comprising: a first temperature regulating unit, the first temperature regulating unit being driven during the constant temperature operation; and a second temperature regulating unit, the second temperature regulating unit being driven during the cooling operation, wherein the cooling capacity of the second temperature regulating unit is greater than the cooling capacity of the first temperature regulating unit.

[0020] Cyclic testing equipment can be configured to perform constant temperature operation as a basic function. That is, the temperature within the chamber can be set, and a constant temperature operation that continuously maintains the set temperature can be performed. This constant temperature operation can be performed continuously for a long period of time.

[0021] Cyclic testing equipment can be set up to test the performance of secondary batteries. The safety and performance of the battery can be tested by repeatedly charging and discharging it. Specifically, the battery can be tested for extended periods at the operating temperature (for example, room temperature), where constant temperature operation can be performed to continuously maintain room temperature.

[0022] Furthermore, the battery can also be used by exposing it to very low or high temperature environments. Therefore, battery performance can be tested while maintaining specific low or high temperatures. In other words, constant temperature operation can be performed not only at room temperature but also at specific low or high temperatures.

[0023] Here, if the temperature conditions for constant temperature operation are lower than the current temperature, the test equipment can perform a cooling operation. Conversely, if the temperature conditions for constant temperature operation are higher than the current temperature, the test equipment can perform a heating operation. The cooling operation can be a transitional operation performed during the process of lowering the temperature in the chamber to a newly set low temperature, and the heating operation can be a transitional operation performed during the process of raising the temperature in the chamber to a newly set high temperature. Therefore, constant temperature operation can be performed when either the cooling or heating operation is completed.

[0024] Preferably, the first temperature regulating unit includes a first refrigerator configured to regulate the temperature of the supplied air, and the second temperature regulating unit includes a second refrigerator configured to regulate the temperature of the supplied air, wherein the cooling capacity of the second refrigerator is greater than that of the first refrigerator.

[0025] The first and second refrigeration units may each include different compressors. Furthermore, the first and second refrigeration units may each include different evaporators. That is, preferably, the first and second refrigeration units are configured such that different cooling cycles are driven independently.

[0026] Preferably, the refrigerant compression capacity of the compressor in the second refrigeration unit (the second compressor) is greater than that of the compressor in the first refrigeration unit (the first compressor). That is, when heat removal is performed by driving a cooling cycle, preferably, the heat removal capacity of the second compressor is greater than that of the first compressor.

[0027] The chamber may include an outer shell having a first housing forming a plurality of partition walls and a second housing separated from the first housing, the plurality of partition walls forming a test space for accommodating the battery and conducting tests.

[0028] Preferably, a circulation pipe is provided between the first housing and the second housing, wherein air exhausted from the test space is resupplyed to the test space.

[0029] Preferably, the circulation pipes are respectively equipped with the evaporator of the first refrigeration unit (first evaporator) and the evaporator of the second refrigeration unit (second evaporator). That is, when the cooling cycle of the first refrigeration unit is activated, the refrigerant can be supplied to the first evaporator and recovered, and when the cooling cycle of the second refrigeration unit is activated, the refrigerant can be supplied to the second evaporator and recovered. The refrigerant pipe through which the refrigerant of the first refrigeration unit flows can be configured to be separate from the refrigerant pipe through which the refrigerant of the second refrigeration unit flows.

[0030] Preferably, the evaporators of the first and second refrigeration units are arranged side-by-side in the direction of airflow. That is, air passing through the first evaporator can pass through the second evaporator, and vice versa.

[0031] In the case of a cooling circulation system that cools circulating air, heat exchange occurs, involving the absorption of heat from the circulating air and the dissipation of heat to the surrounding air. Therefore, as the absorbed heat increases, the dissipated heat inevitably increases as well. In other words, the problem of absorbing more heat than necessary implies, conversely, the problem of dissipating more heat than necessary.

[0032] The first temperature regulating unit, particularly the first refrigeration unit, can be configured to operate at a constant temperature. That is, it can be configured to apply cooling performance only to a degree sufficient to calculate the heat load by including the calorific value generated in the chamber and some margin, and then remove the calculated heat load. Specifically, preferably, the compressor of the first refrigeration unit is a constant-speed compressor, which minimizes the heat generated by the compressor itself by having sufficient capacity to remove the heat load. This means that overcooling can be prevented when the compressor is driven, and also means that unnecessarily driving the heater to compensate for the temperature can be prevented if overcooling occurs.

[0033] Cyclic testing equipment can provide a heating operation to raise the temperature in the chamber and includes a heater that is driven during the heating operation. That is, the heater is essentially configured for the heating operation, which can eliminate or minimize the drive during constant temperature operation.

[0034] The heater can be located downstream of the first and second evaporators in the circulation pipe. That is, the air passing through the evaporator can exchange heat with the heater before being supplied to the chamber.

[0035] Preferably, a fan is provided to supply air that has undergone heat exchange through the first evaporator, the second evaporator, and the heater to the interior of the chamber. When the fan is driven, air circulation can occur.

[0036] The fan can be located upstream of the evaporator or downstream of the heater, or both upstream and downstream. Therefore, at least one fan can be provided.

[0037] Preferably, the system provides: at least one temperature sensor for measuring the temperature in the chamber; and a control unit for controlling the driving of a first temperature regulating unit, a second temperature regulating unit, and a heater based on a set temperature and the temperature in the chamber.

[0038] The control unit can be configured to control the implementation of constant temperature operation, cooling operation, and heating operation.

[0039] The control unit can control constant temperature operation as a basic operation to continuously maintain the set temperature. In other words, the test equipment basically performs constant temperature operation to maintain the set temperature.

[0040] The control unit can control the execution of a constant temperature operation after a cooling operation when the set temperature decreases. Then, the control unit can control the execution of a constant temperature operation after a heating operation when the set temperature increases.

[0041] Cooling and heating operations can be described as transitional operations from constant temperature operations based on the current set temperature to constant temperature operations based on a changed set temperature.

[0042] In constant temperature operation, the drive of the heater can be eliminated or minimized.

[0043] Preferably, the compressor of the second refrigeration unit is driven only during cooling operations.

[0044] The compressor of the first refrigeration unit can also be driven during cooling operations. This allows the new set temperature to be reached more quickly.

[0045] To achieve the above objectives, according to an example of the present invention, a cyclic testing apparatus is provided, the cyclic testing apparatus being configured for a constant temperature operation to maintain the temperature in a plurality of chambers at a constant temperature, and a cooling operation to reduce the temperature in the plurality of chambers, characterized in that the cyclic testing apparatus comprises: a plurality of first temperature regulating units, which are driven during the constant temperature operation to maintain the temperature in the chambers at a constant temperature, and the plurality of first temperature regulating units are configured to correspond to the plurality of chambers respectively; and a second temperature regulating unit, which is driven during the cooling operation to reduce the temperature in the chambers, and the second temperature regulating unit is configured to correspond to the plurality of chambers, wherein the cooling capacity of the second temperature regulating unit is greater than the cooling capacity of the first temperature regulating unit.

[0046] Here, it is preferable to configure only any one of the plurality of chambers to enable the cooling operation.

[0047] When cooling operations are required in two or more of the plurality of chambers, the cooling operations can be performed sequentially. That is, when a cooling operation is performed and terminated in one chamber, a cooling operation can then be performed in another chamber.

[0048] The first temperature regulating unit may include a plurality of first refrigerators, which are configured to correspond to each of the plurality of chambers respectively, thereby regulating the temperature of the supplied air.

[0049] The second temperature control unit may include a single second refrigerator configured to regulate the temperature of the supplied air. This second refrigerator has a greater cooling capacity than the first refrigerator and is configured to correspond to all of the multiple chambers. That is, if there is a one-to-one correspondence between the first refrigerator and the chambers, then the second refrigerator and the chambers can have a one-to-many correspondence.

[0050] Preferably, the second temperature regulating unit includes a plurality of second evaporators connected in parallel with the single second refrigerator, and the plurality of second evaporators are configured to correspond to the plurality of chambers respectively. That is, preferably, the second evaporators in the components of the second refrigerator are configured to have a one-to-many correspondence with the chambers.

[0051] In addition, if there are multiple chambers, a second refrigeration unit can be installed for each chamber separately.

[0052] To achieve the above objectives, according to an example of the present invention, a cyclic testing apparatus can be provided, the cyclic testing apparatus comprising: a first refrigerator having a cooling capacity for maintaining the temperature in the chamber at a constant temperature, taking into account the heat load in the chamber; a second refrigerator disposed separately from the first refrigerator, and the second refrigerator having a cooling capacity greater than that of the first refrigerator to reduce the temperature in the chamber; and a control unit controlling the first refrigerator to be driven in constant temperature operation to maintain the temperature in the chamber at the constant temperature, and controlling the second refrigerator to be driven only in cooling operation for reducing the temperature in the chamber.

[0053] Cooling can be performed when the current temperature in the chamber increases above the control range during constant temperature operation. This can be caused by changes in the set temperature or sudden changes in the heat load in the chamber.

[0054] If a cooling operation is performed and the temperature in the chamber reaches the target temperature, the cooling operation can be terminated and a constant temperature operation can be performed. In the constant temperature operation, the temperature in the chamber can vary within a set range.

[0055] The first and second refrigeration units may each include a refrigerant circuit and a refrigerant pipe, in which the refrigerant circulates and which performs the circulation, and may each include a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator. Furthermore, they may include an expansion valve for expanding the refrigerant between the condenser and the evaporator.

[0056] Specifically, preferably, the first refrigeration unit and the second refrigeration unit each include a compressor and an evaporator that are separate from each other, and the refrigerant compression capacity of the compressor in the first refrigeration unit (first compressor) is greater than the refrigerant compression capacity of the compressor in the second refrigeration unit (second compressor).

[0057] The chamber may include a test space for housing and testing the battery, and may be equipped with a circulation pipe in which air exhausted from the test space is resupplyed to the test space.

[0058] The evaporator of the first refrigeration unit (first evaporator) and the evaporator of the second refrigeration unit (second evaporator) can each be installed in the circulation pipe.

[0059] The first evaporator and the second evaporator can be arranged side by side in the direction of airflow. Preferably, the first evaporator and the second evaporator are arranged such that air passing through the first evaporator passes through the second evaporator.

[0060] Preferably, it includes one or more temperature sensors for measuring the temperature in the test space, wherein the control unit controls the drive of the first and second refrigerators by distinguishing between constant temperature operation and cooling operation based on a set temperature and the temperature sensed by the temperature sensors.

[0061] Constant temperature operation is an operation used to maintain a set temperature. Once the temperature in the chamber reaches the initial set temperature, the operation used to maintain that temperature can be called constant temperature operation.

[0062] Preferably, the control unit controls the drive of the second refrigerator only during cooling operation. The cooling operation can be performed during constant temperature operation when the set temperature decreases, and can also be performed during constant temperature operation when the temperature inside the chamber rises due to unforeseen reasons, for example, when the temperature exceeds the control range of constant temperature operation.

[0063] The control unit can control the first refrigerator to be driven constantly, or to be driven when the temperature in the chamber reaches the set temperature for performing constant temperature operation.

[0064] In constant temperature operation, the drive of the heater can be controlled, and the heater is configured to change the output by receiving feedback of the temperature in the receiving chamber.

[0065] The first compressor can be a constant-speed compressor with a compression capacity of less than 1 / 2 HP, and the second compressor can be a constant-speed compressor or a variable-frequency controlled compressor with a compression capacity of 2 HP or more. As an example, when a compressor with a capacity of 2 HP or more is provided and operated constantly, more heat removal than required is always performed, and therefore, the heater output becomes higher than necessary. Consequently, the energy consumed by the compressor and the energy consumed by the heater inevitably increase.

[0066] On the other hand, by using a constant-speed compressor of less than 1 / 2 HP, the energy consumed by the compressor and the energy consumed by the heater can be significantly reduced during constant operation. Of course, by operating a high-capacity compressor of more than 2 HP only during cooling operation (which is a limited condition), the cooling capacity required for the cyclic test equipment can be met.

[0067] To achieve the above objectives, according to an example of the present invention, a cyclic testing apparatus can be provided, the cyclic testing apparatus providing a constant temperature operation for maintaining the temperature in a plurality of chambers at a constant temperature and a cooling operation for reducing the temperature in the plurality of chambers, characterized in that the cyclic testing apparatus comprises: a plurality of first refrigerators, the plurality of first refrigerators being driven during the constant temperature operation to maintain the temperature in the chambers at a constant temperature, and the plurality of first refrigerators being configured to correspond to the plurality of chambers respectively; and a single second refrigerator, the second refrigerator being driven during the cooling operation for reducing the temperature in the chamber, and the second refrigerator being configured to correspond to the plurality of chambers, wherein the cooling capacity of the second refrigerator is greater than the cooling capacity of the first refrigerator.

[0068] The space for performing tests, i.e., chambers, can be divided within a single cycle test device, and the target temperature can be set independently for each chamber.

[0069] Any one of the plurality of chambers may be configured to enable cooling operations.

[0070] When cooling operations are required in two or more of the plurality of chambers, the cooling operations can be performed sequentially.

[0071] The second refrigeration unit may include a plurality of second evaporators connected in parallel with a single second refrigeration unit, and the plurality of second evaporators are configured to correspond to the plurality of chambers respectively, and the second evaporators may be placed sequentially to correspond one-to-one with the evaporators of the first refrigeration unit.

[0072] The control unit can control the multiple first refrigerators to be driven independently, and can control the driving of the second refrigerator when it is necessary, but the cooling performance of the second refrigerator can be controlled variably. As an example, when the compressor of the second refrigerator is a variable frequency compressor, the cooling performance can be variably controlled by distinguishing between the case where the cooling operation is performed in one chamber and the case where the cooling operation is performed in multiple chambers.

[0073] The compressor of the second refrigeration unit is configured as a single compressor, and it can also selectively block the flow of refrigerant into the evaporator of the second refrigeration unit located in each chamber. As an example, refrigerant can be supplied only to the evaporator connected to the chamber performing the cooling operation, and the supply of refrigerant to the evaporator connected to the chamber performing the constant temperature operation can be blocked.

[0074] Beneficial effects

[0075] By way of one example of the present invention, a cyclic testing apparatus can be provided that can improve energy efficiency by operating a chiller for constant temperature operation and a chiller for cooling operation separately.

[0076] By way of one example of the present invention, a cyclic testing apparatus can be provided that can minimize the heat island phenomenon in the test chamber by minimizing the heat emitted from the cyclic testing apparatus.

[0077] Through one example of the present invention, the performance of a refrigerator that needs to be constantly running can be minimized within a range capable of handling the heat load within the chamber. Therefore, the inefficient energy wasted in constant-on operation (i.e., constant-temperature operation) can be significantly reduced. In other words, the energy wasted for driving the refrigerator can be reduced.

[0078] In one example of the present invention, in a test chamber for long-term temperature maintenance, a low-capacity first refrigerator is driven to operate at a constant temperature under temperature maintenance conditions (constant temperature operation), and a high-capacity second refrigerator is driven only under temporary temperature changes (cooling operation), thereby significantly reducing the energy consumed in the test chamber. Attached Figure Description

[0079] Figure 1 A schematic cross-section of a cyclic testing apparatus according to an example of the present invention is shown, and

[0080] Figure 2 The outline of a cyclic testing device according to an example of the present invention is shown.

[0081] Figure 3 This is a control configuration diagram of a cyclic testing apparatus according to an example of the present invention; and

[0082] Figure 4 This is a control flow diagram of a cyclic testing device according to an example of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0083] In the following, a cyclic testing apparatus according to an example of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0084] In the following text, reference will be made to Figure 1 and Figure 2 A test apparatus according to an example of the present invention is described in detail.

[0085] Figure 1 A cross-section of a cyclic testing apparatus according to an example of the present invention is schematically shown, and Figure 2 The outline of the cyclic testing equipment is schematically shown.

[0086] The test equipment (10) may include a cabinet (11) that forms a shape. The cabinet (11) may be provided with an outer shell (20) that forms separate chambers (30) and a room (40) in which components forming a refrigerator are provided.

[0087] The control panel (50) can be installed on the front surface of the cabinet (11). The control panel (50) can be equipped with an operating section that can input the temperature or time conditions inside the chamber, and a display section that can display the current status.

[0088] The housing (20) may include a chamber (30) having a test space (31) therein. It may then include circulation ducts (32) surrounding at least three sides of the chamber (30). As an example, air exhausted to one side of the chamber may be moved to the rear of the chamber and then supplied to the interior of the chamber through the other side. That is, air circulation can be performed.

[0089] Multiple chambers (30) can be set up in a test device (10), and as an example, Figure 2 The image shows a device with two chambers.

[0090] In the test space (31), various types of battery performance tests, such as battery charging and discharging tests, can be performed.

[0091] Specifically, the housing (20) may include a first housing (21) forming a plurality of partition walls and a second housing (22) separated from the first housing (21), wherein the plurality of partition walls form a test space (31).

[0092] In addition to the front surface connected to the outside via the door (60), the first housing (21) can be configured to have an upper wall, a lower wall, a left wall, a right wall and a rear wall.

[0093] A circulation conduit (32) may be disposed or formed between the first housing (21) and the second housing (22). As shown, air in the chamber may be discharged to one side wall of the first housing (21) to flow into the rear of the first housing (21), and then air may flow into the interior of the chamber through the other side wall of the first housing (21). Multiple through holes may be formed in one and the other side wall of the first housing (21) to allow air to flow in and out.

[0094] Battery testing can be performed for extended periods, and the start and end of a particular battery test are typically performed within the same chamber (30). This is because the input and output factors during battery testing are highly sensitive, and the accuracy of these factors can be compromised by changes in the chamber (30). Therefore, when the types or quantities of batteries to be tested vary widely, a very large amount of testing equipment (10) can be considered necessary.

[0095] Heat can be generated in the battery during the battery testing process. The battery testing process is generally carried out for a long time at a constant temperature. Therefore, in order to maintain a constant temperature, a temperature control unit is needed to control the temperature inside the chamber (30).

[0096] This temperature control can be performed by circulating air through the circulation pipe (32). This temperature control method can be referred to as convection type. Specifically, a heat exchanger is installed in the circulation pipe (32) to absorb heat from the air. That is, the heat generated in the chamber can be removed by the heat exchanger in the circulation pipe (32).

[0097] Preferably, a circulation pipe (32) is provided for each chamber.

[0098] As shown in the figure, different heat exchangers can be placed side by side in the circulation pipe (32). For example, air discharged into the chamber can exchange heat as it passes through the first heat exchanger (150) and the second heat exchanger (250) in sequence. Here, the heat exchangers can be part of the components forming a refrigeration cycle, and the first heat exchanger (150) and the second heat exchanger (250) can be components forming different refrigeration cycles from each other. In terms of the refrigerant, these heat exchangers can be referred to as evaporators. That is, the liquid refrigerant flowing into the evaporator absorbs heat from the surrounding air and becomes gaseous refrigerant.

[0099] Here, the first heat exchanger (150) may be a part of the first temperature regulating unit or the first refrigerator, which will be described below, and the second heat exchanger (250) may be a part of the second temperature regulating unit or the second refrigerator, which will be described below.

[0100] Furthermore, the circulation pipe (32) may be equipped with a heater (115). The heater may be configured to intentionally increase the temperature in the chamber. Of course, by supplying heat during supercooling, the heater (115) may be configured to compensate for supercooling with appropriate cooling.

[0101] A circulating fan (170) can be configured for air circulation in the circulating duct (32). The fan can be configured as a Sirocco fan that draws in and exhausts air, and when the fan is operated, air inside the chamber can be drawn in and air can be exhausted back into the chamber. The motor (171) for operating the circulating fan (170) can be located in the machine room (40) instead of inside the circulating duct (32).

[0102] The first and second temperature regulating units, which are applicable to a test apparatus according to an example of the present invention, will be described in more detail below.

[0103] like Figure 3 As shown, the testing device may include a first temperature regulating unit (100) and a second temperature regulating unit (200). The testing device may include multiple chambers, wherein a temperature regulating unit is provided for each chamber individually, so that temperature control can be performed independently. That is, in the case of multiple chambers, multiple first temperature regulating units (100) may also be provided. Figure 2 An example is shown where two first temperature regulating units (100) are provided in the context of two chambers.

[0104] The first temperature regulating unit (100) may include a first refrigerator (110) that absorbs heat from the air flowing into the chamber to cool the air. That is, it may include a first refrigerator (110) capable of performing a cooling cycle.

[0105] The first refrigeration unit (110) may include a first compressor (120) for compressing refrigerant, a first condenser (130) for converting high-temperature gaseous refrigerant into liquid refrigerant, a first expansion valve (140) for expanding the refrigerant, and a first heat exchanger (150) for performing heat exchange to convert the refrigerant into low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous refrigerant. Furthermore, the first refrigeration unit (110) may include a refrigerant pipe (180) that provides a pathway for the refrigerant to move through via connecting components.

[0106] The first refrigeration unit (110) uses a refrigerant to perform a cooling cycle, thereby performing heat removal, wherein the cooling capacity, freezing capacity, or heat removal capacity is determined. In particular, the capacity of the first refrigeration unit (110) may be determined by the capacity or performance of the first compressor (120).

[0107] Meanwhile, the first refrigeration unit (110) may include a fan (170) and may include a cooling fan (150) for cooling the first condenser (130) by supplying ambient air to it. Since air circulation occurs through the fan (170), the fan may also be referred to as a circulating fan.

[0108] The first temperature regulating unit (100) may also include a heater (115). In other words, in order to regulate the temperature in the chamber, the cooling component may be referred to as the first refrigerator (110), and the heating component may be referred to as the heater (115).

[0109] The components of the first temperature regulating unit (100) in an example test apparatus according to the present invention may be the same as those of the temperature regulating unit in a conventional test apparatus. However, the two apparatuses differ in various aspects, such as freezing capacity, operating time, and interlocking with the heater.

[0110] The first refrigerator (110) can essentially have the cooling capacity required for optimal heat removal to maintain the temperature of the chamber. In other words, it can have the optimal cooling capacity for constant temperature operation. This means that the first refrigerator (110) does not require additional cooling capacity that is capable of performing not only constant temperature operation but also cooling operation.

[0111] As an example, the operation of the test equipment may include constant temperature operation, cooling operation, and heating operation. Constant temperature operation can be used to maintain the temperature in the chamber at a set temperature; cooling operation can be a temporary operation performed when the set temperature changes to a temperature lower than the current temperature; and heating operation can be a temporary operation performed when the set temperature changes to a temperature higher than the current temperature. Then, when a new set temperature is reached through cooling and heating operations, constant temperature operation can be performed again to maintain the new set temperature.

[0112] It can be assumed that this testing equipment operates for a very long time and basically performs constant temperature operation, while the cooling or heating operations are very limited and temporary.

[0113] When performing constant temperature operation, a cooling capacity sufficient to remove heat load is required to maintain the temperature inside the chamber. However, when performing cooling operation, a greater cooling capacity is required because the temperature inside the chamber must be reduced.

[0114] In conventional testing equipment, temperature controllers or refrigerators with relatively large cooling capacities are used to account for cooling operations. That is, the cooling capacity is determined even considering limited cooling operations, thus leading to the problem of overcooling during constant-temperature operations. Specifically, to address overcooling, heaters are unnecessarily driven, resulting in unnecessary energy consumption from both the refrigerator and heater operation, which reduces energy efficiency. Of course, this excessive energy consumption also leads to an increase in the ambient temperature of the testing equipment.

[0115] According to one example of the invention, the first temperature regulating unit (100) or the first refrigerator (110) may have the cooling capacity required for constant temperature operation, and when cooling operation is performed, the second temperature regulating unit (200) or the second refrigerator (210) provided separately from the first temperature regulating unit (100) or the first refrigerator (110) may have the required cooling capacity.

[0116] In other words, the first temperature regulating unit (100) can be driven during constant temperature operation, which is the main operation of the test equipment, and the second temperature regulating unit (200) can be driven during cooling operation, which is a very limited auxiliary operation of the test equipment. Here, preferably, the cooling capacity of the second temperature regulating unit is greater than that of the first temperature regulating unit. Therefore, since the driving of the second temperature regulating unit (200) with a large cooling capacity is limited during constant temperature operation, energy consumption can be significantly reduced.

[0117] Meanwhile, the testing device according to an example of the present invention may include multiple chambers. For example, if two chambers are provided, two first temperature regulating units (100) may be provided. Preferably, the two first temperature regulating units (100) are provided independently of each other and driven independently of each other. This means that two first refrigerators (110) are also provided and driven independently of each other. As the number of chambers increases, the number of first temperature regulating units (100) may be set to be the same as the number of chambers.

[0118] The test apparatus according to one example of the present invention may include a second temperature regulating unit (200) or a second refrigerator (210). The components forming the second temperature regulating unit (200) or the second refrigerator (210) may be similar to the components forming the first temperature regulating unit (100) or the first refrigerator (110) as described above.

[0119] The second refrigeration unit (210) may include components that form a cooling cycle. Specifically, it may include a second compressor (220), a second condenser (230), a second expansion valve (240), a second heat exchanger (250), and refrigerant lines (280). The functions of these components can be considered to be the same as those of the components of the first refrigeration unit.

[0120] A refrigeration machine includes a compressor, and its cooling capacity is generally achieved by compressing the refrigerant in the compressor.

[0121] Preferably, the refrigerant compression capacity of the second compressor (220) in the second refrigeration unit (210) is greater than that of the first compressor (120) in the first refrigeration unit (110). That is, preferably, the specifications of the second compressor (220) are greater than those of the first compressor (120).

[0122] A first compressor (120) can be selected, which has performance corresponding to heat removal capacity during basic and main constant temperature operation.

[0123] As an example, a first compressor with a 1 / 2 HP specification can be applied to a room temperature testing device that can be used in environments ranging from room temperature to high temperatures. Compared to the use of 1 to 3 HP compressors in conventional room temperature testing devices under the same conditions, a compressor with a much lower specification can be applied in this example. Therefore, energy waste corresponding to 1 / 2 to 5 / 2 HP can be reduced when operating at constant temperature.

[0124] At the same time, the specifications of a conventional compressor are determined taking into account cooling operations. As an example, a 3HP compressor exhibits 3HP performance during cooling operations and performs sufficient cooling. However, in the case of a constant-speed compressor, even in constant-temperature operation where only 1 / 2 HP performance is required, it must still exhibit 3HP performance.

[0125] On another front, according to this example, a second compressor (220) is set up separately for the cooling operation, which significantly reduces wasted energy. This is because the cooling operation is performed for a very limited and short time, while the constant temperature operation is performed for a very long time.

[0126] According to this example, even if a single test device is provided with multiple chambers, a single second refrigerator (210) is preferably provided. However, in the detailed components of the second refrigerator (210), the number of second heat exchangers (250) is preferably set to be the same as the number of chambers.

[0127] In the case of two chambers, the second heat exchanger (250) may include two heat exchangers (250a, 250b) that are different from each other. Then, the second expansion valve (240) may include two expansion valves (240a, 240b) corresponding to it.

[0128] Here, preferably, the corresponding second heat exchangers (250a, 250b) are separately arranged in the circulation pipe near the relevant chamber. As an example, preferably, when a cooling operation is performed in the first chamber, the refrigerant is controlled to flow into a specific second heat exchanger (250a), and when a cooling operation is performed in the second chamber, the refrigerant is controlled to flow into another second heat exchanger (250b).

[0129] Preferably, the second heat exchanger (250) is located downstream of the first heat exchanger (150). In the case of cooling operation, cooling through the first heat exchanger (150) and cooling through the second heat exchanger (250) can be performed simultaneously. In this case, preferably, cooling is first performed through the first heat exchanger (150) with a small cooling capacity, and then cooling is performed through the second heat exchanger (250) with a large cooling capacity.

[0130] The refrigerant flowing through a second compressor (220) and a second condenser (230) can be selectively introduced into a second heat exchanger (250a, 250b) arranged in parallel with each other. For this purpose, a flow switching valve can be provided; as an example, a three-way valve (235) can be provided.

[0131] The second refrigeration unit (210) may include a cooling fan (260) for cooling the second condenser (230).

[0132] As described above, the maximum cooling capacity of the first compressor (120) and the second compressor (220) is determined by the compressor specifications. Therefore, overcooling may occur during the current temperature control process when the first compressor and the second compressor are driven. Therefore, it is preferable to control the process so that only the necessary heat can be removed.

[0133] The control unit (300) controls the operation of the first temperature regulating unit (100) and the second temperature regulating unit (200), which in particular can be performed based on the sensed temperature of at least one temperature sensor (190).

[0134] The temperature sensor (190) can be configured to sense the temperature inside the chamber, or it can be configured to sense the temperature of the air flowing into the chamber. Of course, the temperature sensor can also be configured to have multiple sensors in each chamber.

[0135] The heat load inside the chamber can also vary depending on the maintenance temperature inside the chamber. Therefore, preferably, the amount of heat removal (heat exchange) can be adjusted according to the heat load.

[0136] First, in the components of the first temperature regulating unit (100), the first expansion valve (140) is configured as a temperature-automatic expansion valve, and the valve opening rate is controlled according to the temperature maintenance conditions of the chamber, thereby ultimately controlling the amount of heat removal by the first heat exchanger (150). Of course, a manual expansion valve capable of manually adjusting the valve opening rate can also be used. The characteristics of such an expansion valve can be applied equivalently to the second temperature regulating unit (200).

[0137] In the following text, see references Figure 3 The control method of a cyclic testing device according to an example of the present invention will be described in detail.

[0138] When the testing equipment starts operating (S10), a constant temperature operation that essentially maintains the set temperature can be performed (S20). That is, an operation to maintain the temperature in the chamber at the set temperature can be performed.

[0139] Preferably, if the set temperature conditions do not change, the constant temperature operation (S20) is performed for a very long period of time. During the constant temperature operation, the battery performance or safety is tested while repeatedly charging and discharging. Then, during this constant temperature operation (S20), the first temperature regulating unit (100) is driven and the driving of the second temperature regulating unit (200) is stopped.

[0140] During constant temperature operation, the set temperature can be changed, and when such a change in the set temperature is sensed (S30), it can be determined whether the set temperature is increased or decreased (S40), and depending on the determination result, a cooling operation or a heating operation can be performed.

[0141] If the new set temperature is set to be lower than the current set temperature, a cooling operation (S50) can be performed. Since the first temperature regulating unit (100) only has the ability to remove the heat load from the chamber, it may be difficult to achieve sufficient cooling using the cooling capacity of the first temperature regulating unit. Even if maximum cooling is performed through the first temperature regulating unit (100), it may take a long time to reach the new set temperature. Therefore, it is preferable to drive the second temperature regulating unit (200) when the cooling operation begins.

[0142] At this time, in order to cool down faster, the first temperature regulating unit (100) can also be driven together with the second temperature regulating unit (200).

[0143] A new set temperature is reached through a cooling operation, and then a constant temperature operation based on the new set temperature can be performed again. Therefore, the cooling operation can be described as a transitional operation temporarily performed between constant temperature operations, making the cooling operation time only a very small part of the total operating time of the equipment.

[0144] The new set temperature is set higher than the current set temperature, and a heating operation (S70) can be performed. The first temperature regulating unit (100) drives the heater (115) to raise the temperature. The heating operation to increase the air temperature can be performed by adding the heat from the heater to the heat load of the chamber. Of course, preferably, the driving of the second temperature regulating unit (200) is excluded in the heating operation. Furthermore, preferably, the fan (170) of the first temperature regulating unit (100) is driven for air circulation.

[0145] By raising the temperature to a new set temperature, a constant temperature operation based on the new set temperature can be performed again. Therefore, the raising operation can be described as a transitional operation temporarily performed between constant temperature operations, making the raising operation time a very small part of the overall equipment operation time.

[0146] Therefore, in the case of test equipment that can operate continuously and mostly at a constant temperature, operating only the first refrigerator, which has the capability to handle the heat load inside the chamber, can significantly reduce energy waste. This means that the amount of heat emitted to the outside of the test equipment can be significantly reduced, thereby effectively preventing the heat island phenomenon in test chambers with many chambers.

[0147] According to this example, the performance of a refrigerator that needs to be constantly running can be minimized within the range that can handle the heat load inside the chamber. Therefore, the inefficient energy wasted in constant-on operation (i.e., constant-temperature operation) can be significantly reduced. In other words, the energy wasted to drive the refrigerator can be reduced.

[0148] Furthermore, in constant temperature operation, the energy excessively removed from the chamber circulating air is compensated by the heater, wherein, according to this example, energy waste due to heater drive can be reduced by minimizing the removed energy.

[0149] Furthermore, according to this example, the amount of heat discharged to the outside of the chamber can be reduced, thereby mitigating the heat island effect.

[0150] According to this example, in a test chamber that performs long-term temperature maintenance, a low-capacity first refrigerator is driven under constant operating temperature maintenance conditions (constant temperature operation), and a high-capacity second refrigerator is driven only under temporary temperature change conditions (cooling operation), thereby significantly reducing the energy consumed in the test chamber.

[0151] Industrial applicability

[0152] It is described in specific embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A cyclic testing device, comprising: A first refrigerator has a cooling capacity to maintain the temperature in the chamber at a constant temperature, taking into account the heat load in the chamber. A second refrigeration unit is provided separately from the first refrigeration unit, and the second refrigeration unit has a greater cooling capacity than the first refrigeration unit, in order to reduce the temperature in the chamber; as well as The control unit controls the first refrigerator to be driven in constant temperature operation to maintain the temperature in the chamber at the constant temperature, and controls the second refrigerator to be driven only in cooling operation to lower the temperature in the chamber.

2. The cyclic testing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first refrigeration unit and the second refrigeration unit each include a compressor and an evaporator that are separate from each other, and the refrigerant compression capacity of the compressor in the first refrigeration unit, i.e. the first compressor, is greater than the refrigerant compression capacity of the compressor in the second refrigeration unit, i.e. the second compressor.

3. The cyclic testing device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The chamber includes a test space for housing and testing batteries, and is equipped with a circulation pipe in which air discharged from the test space is resupplyed to the test space.

4. The cyclic testing device according to claim 3, characterized in that... include: The housing has a first housing and a second housing, the first housing forming a plurality of partition walls for forming the test space, the second housing being separated from the first housing, wherein the circulation pipe is disposed between the first housing and the second housing.

5. The cyclic testing device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The evaporator of the first refrigeration unit, i.e. the first evaporator, and the evaporator of the second refrigeration unit, i.e. the second evaporator, are each installed in the circulation pipe.

6. The cyclic testing device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The first evaporator and the second evaporator are placed side by side in the direction of air flow.

7. The cyclic testing device according to claim 5, characterized in that... include: One or more temperature sensors are used to measure the temperature in the test space, wherein the control unit controls the drive of the first refrigerator and the second refrigerator by distinguishing between the constant temperature operation and the cooling operation based on a set temperature and the temperature sensed by the temperature sensors.

8. The cyclic testing device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The control unit controls the second refrigerator to be driven only during the cooling operation.

9. The cyclic testing device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The control unit controls the first refrigerator to operate at a constant temperature, or controls the first refrigerator to operate when the temperature in the chamber reaches the set temperature to perform the constant temperature operation.

10. The cyclic testing device according to claim 9, characterized in that: In the constant temperature operation, the drive of the heater is controlled, and the heater is configured to change its output by receiving feedback on the temperature in the chamber.

11. The cyclic testing device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The first compressor is equipped with a constant speed compressor with a compression capacity of less than 1 / 2 HP, and the second compressor is equipped with a constant speed compressor or a variable frequency control compressor with a compression capacity of more than 2 HP.

12. A cyclic testing apparatus, the cyclic testing apparatus providing a constant temperature operation for maintaining the temperature in a plurality of chambers at a constant temperature and a cooling operation for reducing the temperature in the plurality of chambers, characterized in that... include: A plurality of first refrigerators are driven during the constant temperature operation to maintain the temperature in the chamber at a constant temperature, and the plurality of first refrigerators are configured to correspond to the plurality of chambers respectively; as well as A single second refrigerator, which is driven during the cooling operation to reduce the temperature in the chambers, and the second refrigerator is configured to correspond to the plurality of chambers, wherein... The cooling capacity of the second refrigerator is greater than that of the first refrigerator.

13. The cyclic testing device according to claim 12, characterized in that: Only one of the plurality of chambers is configured to enable the cooling operation to be performed.

14. The cyclic testing device according to claim 13, characterized in that: When a cooling operation is required in two or more of the plurality of chambers, the cooling operation is performed sequentially.

15. The cyclic testing device according to claim 12, characterized in that: The second refrigerator includes a plurality of second evaporators connected in parallel with the single second refrigerator, and the plurality of second evaporators are configured to correspond to the plurality of chambers respectively, and the second evaporators are placed sequentially to correspond one-to-one with the evaporators of the first refrigerator.

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