A temperature control system, method, electronic device, and storage medium

By introducing a gas-liquid separator, heat exchanger, and electric heater into the semiconductor temperature control device, and combining it with a PID control algorithm, the problem of insufficient accuracy in intake superheat control in existing technologies has been solved, achieving efficient and rapid temperature control and reducing energy consumption and equipment costs.

CN123047704APending Publication Date: 2026-11-06BEIJING JINGYI AUTOMATION EQUIP CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202611354152.0
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2026-09-02
Publication Date
2026-11-06

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing semiconductor temperature control devices struggle to achieve rapid and precise intake superheat control in extreme low-temperature environments, resulting in high energy consumption, large equipment size, high cost, and reliance on external resources, making it difficult to meet the temperature switching requirements of the process chamber.

Method used

The superheat control device consists of a gas-liquid separator, a heat exchanger, and an electric heater. The electric heater directly heats the refrigerant, and combined with a PID control algorithm, it achieves precise control of the compressor suction superheat, preventing liquid refrigerant from entering the compressor.

Benefits of technology

It improves cooling efficiency, reduces energy consumption and equipment costs, achieves equipment miniaturization, and has a fast response speed and high control precision at extreme low temperatures, and is independent of external resources.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

This application provides a temperature control system, method, electronic device, and storage medium. The system includes a refrigeration device, a superheat control device, and a circulation device. The superheat control device includes a gas-liquid separator, a heat exchanger, and an electric heater. The inlet end of the gas-liquid separator is connected to the outlet end of the evaporator in the refrigeration device, and the outlet end of the gas-liquid separator is connected to the inlet end of the compressor via the heat exchanger. An electric heater is installed on the heat exchanger to heat the refrigerant flowing through it. This application uses an electric heater to heat the refrigerant output from the gas-liquid separator, controlling the compressor's suction superheat, replacing the traditional hot gas bypass valve. This ensures that all the refrigerant discharged from the compressor participates in refrigeration, avoiding energy waste from hot gas and improving refrigeration efficiency. Simultaneously, the electric heater does not rely on an external water or gas source, has a fast response speed and high control precision, which is beneficial for equipment miniaturization and reduces investment and operating costs.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of temperature control technology, and more specifically, to a temperature control system, method, electronic device, and storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] Semiconductor temperature control devices are crucial equipment in the semiconductor integrated circuit manufacturing process. They provide circulating fluid at the required temperature to maintain the temperature of the process chambers. In practical applications, semiconductor temperature control devices precisely control temperature through cooling and heating processes. The process chambers require varying temperatures throughout the manufacturing process, with some chambers needing to periodically switch between -80°C and 20°C, resulting in significant load variations and high control precision requirements. This necessitates the design of cryogenic semiconductor temperature control devices. Traditional designs for cryogenic semiconductor temperature control devices incorporate hot gas bypass valves. Controlling the opening of these valves regulates the intake superheat balance system, preventing liquid refrigerant from being drawn into the compressor and causing liquid slugging damage.

[0003] However, existing technologies increase compressor energy consumption and reduce system refrigeration efficiency by using hot gas to maintain system stability. This results in higher refrigerant charges, lower refrigerant utilization, and the need for larger compressors to increase load capacity at low temperatures, hindering equipment miniaturization. This leads to both high production costs and high energy consumption. Furthermore, under low-temperature conditions, the system requires extremely high precision in controlling suction superheat. Traditional methods using hot gas bypass valves or relying on external heat sources (such as plant circulating water or high-pressure hot gas) suffer from slow response times, insufficient control precision, and dependence on external resources, making it difficult to meet the need for rapid, accurate, and independent establishment of safe suction superheat in extreme low-temperature environments. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the purpose of this application is to provide a temperature control system, method, electronic device and storage medium to overcome the problems in the prior art.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a temperature control system, the system including a refrigeration device, a superheat control device, and a circulation device; The refrigeration device is used to compress, condense, and subcool the refrigerant so that the subcooled refrigerant can exchange heat with the circulating liquid. The circulation device is used to store and transport the circulating liquid, so that the circulating liquid exchanges heat with the refrigerant in the refrigeration device and then controls the temperature of the load equipment. The overheat control device includes a gas-liquid separator, a heat exchanger, and an electric heater; The inlet end of the gas-liquid separator is used to connect to the outlet end of the first heat exchange channel in the evaporator of the refrigeration device, the outlet end of the gas-liquid separator is connected to the inlet end of the heat exchanger, and the outlet end of the heat exchanger is used to connect to the inlet end of the compressor in the refrigeration device. The heat exchanger is equipped with an electric heater for heating the refrigerant flowing through it, thereby controlling the suction superheat of the compressor and maintaining stable system operation.

[0006] In some technical solutions of this application, the electric heater is disposed inside or on the outer surface of the heat exchanger for directly heating the refrigerant flowing through the heat exchanger.

[0007] In some technical solutions of this application, the above system also includes a controller; the controller is used to: calculate the heating power of the electric heater according to the difference between the target value of the intake superheat and the actual value of the collected intake superheat using a PID control algorithm, so as to adjust the amount of heating of the refrigerant output by the heat exchanger to the gas-liquid separator.

[0008] In some technical solutions of this application, the controller is also used to: control the electric heater to operate at maximum power when the actual value of the suction superheat is less than a preset safety threshold, so as to quickly increase the suction superheat of the compressor and prevent liquid refrigerant from entering the compressor.

[0009] In some technical solutions of this application, the electric heater is any one of a PTC electric heater, a resistance electric heater, or a semiconductor heater.

[0010] In some technical solutions of this application, the heating power of the electric heater is linked to the operating status of the compressor; when the compressor starts, the electric heater starts synchronously to establish a safe suction superheat at the initial stage of compressor startup.

[0011] In some technical solutions of this application, the electric heater is integrally formed with the heat exchanger, the heat exchanger provides an installation carrier for the electric heater, and the electric heater is directly embedded in the heat exchange channel of the heat exchanger.

[0012] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a temperature control method applied to the aforementioned temperature control system, the method comprising: According to the received temperature adjustment command of the load device, the components in the temperature control system are controlled so that the refrigerant in the refrigeration device circulates in the refrigeration device, and the refrigerant exchanges heat with the circulating liquid in the circulation device through the evaporator to adjust the temperature of the circulating liquid, thereby controlling the temperature of the load device. In the refrigerant cycle, the gas-liquid separator in the superheat control device is used to separate the refrigerant into gas and liquid components, and the electric heater is used to heat the refrigerant output from the gas-liquid separator in order to control the suction superheat of the compressor and maintain stable system operation.

[0013] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide an electronic device, a processor, a memory, and a bus. The memory stores machine instructions executed by the processor. When the electronic device is running, the processor communicates with the memory via the bus. When the machine instructions are executed by the processor, the steps of the temperature control method described above are performed.

[0014] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a computer storage medium storing a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, performs the steps of the temperature control method described above.

[0015] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this application may include the following beneficial effects: This application provides a temperature control system, which includes a refrigeration device, a superheat control device, and a circulation device. The refrigeration device is used to compress, condense, and subcool a refrigerant so that the subcooled refrigerant exchanges heat with a circulating liquid. The circulation device is used to store and transport the circulating liquid so that the circulating liquid exchanges heat with the refrigerant in the refrigeration device and then controls the temperature of the load equipment. The superheat control device includes a gas-liquid separator, a heat exchanger, and an electric heater. The inlet end of the gas-liquid separator is connected to the outlet end of the first heat exchange channel in the evaporator of the refrigeration device, the outlet end of the gas-liquid separator is connected to the inlet end of the heat exchanger, and the outlet end of the heat exchanger is connected to the inlet end of the compressor in the refrigeration device. The electric heater is provided on the heat exchanger to heat the refrigerant flowing through the heat exchanger to control the suction superheat of the compressor and maintain stable system operation.

[0016] This application incorporates a gas-liquid separator, a heat exchanger, and an electric heater into the superheat control device. The gas-liquid separator separates the refrigerant into gas and liquid components, while the electric heater on the heat exchanger directly heats the refrigerant output from the gas-liquid separator. This controls the compressor's suction superheat, replacing the traditional method of using a hot gas bypass valve to maintain stable system operation. This eliminates the need for a portion of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor to be bypassed, ensuring all refrigerant fully participates in the refrigeration cycle, avoiding energy waste from hot gas, effectively improving system refrigeration efficiency and reducing operating energy consumption. Simultaneously, the electric heater, as an active heat-generating element, achieves precise control of suction superheat without relying on external water or gas sources. It offers fast response and high control accuracy under extreme low-temperature conditions, and eliminates the need to increase the power of the compressor, condenser, and evaporator, reducing the refrigerant charge and facilitating equipment miniaturization, thereby lowering investment and operating costs.

[0017] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, preferred embodiments are described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this application and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a temperature control system provided in an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0020] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the accompanying drawings in this application are for illustrative and descriptive purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Furthermore, it should be understood that the schematic drawings are not drawn to scale. The flowcharts used in this application illustrate operations implemented according to some embodiments of this application. It should be understood that the operations in the flowcharts may not be implemented in sequence, and steps without logical contextual relationships may be reversed or implemented simultaneously. In addition, those skilled in the art, guided by the content of this application, may add one or more other operations to the flowcharts, or remove one or more operations from the flowcharts.

[0021] Furthermore, the described embodiments are merely some, not all, of the embodiments of this application. The components of the embodiments of this application described and illustrated herein can typically be arranged and designed in various different configurations. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of this application provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed application, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0022] It should be noted that the term "comprising" will be used in the embodiments of this application to indicate the presence of the features declared thereafter, but does not exclude the addition of other features.

[0023] Semiconductor temperature control devices are crucial equipment in the semiconductor integrated circuit manufacturing process. They provide circulating fluid at the required temperature to maintain the temperature of the process chambers. In practical applications, semiconductor temperature control devices precisely control temperature through cooling and heating processes. The process chambers require varying temperatures throughout the manufacturing process, with some chambers needing to periodically switch between -80°C and 20°C, resulting in significant load variations and high control precision requirements. This necessitates the design of cryogenic semiconductor temperature control devices. Traditional designs for cryogenic semiconductor temperature control devices incorporate hot gas bypass valves. Controlling the opening of these valves regulates the intake superheat balance system, preventing liquid refrigerant from being drawn into the compressor and causing liquid slugging damage.

[0024] However, existing technologies increase compressor energy consumption and reduce system refrigeration efficiency by using hot gas to maintain system stability. This results in higher refrigerant charges, lower refrigerant utilization, and the need for larger compressors to increase load capacity at low temperatures, hindering equipment miniaturization. This leads to both high production costs and high energy consumption. Furthermore, under low-temperature conditions, the system requires extremely high precision in controlling suction superheat. Traditional methods using hot gas bypass valves or relying on external heat sources (such as plant circulating water or high-pressure hot gas) suffer from slow response times, insufficient control precision, and dependence on external resources, making it difficult to meet the need for rapid, accurate, and independent establishment of safe suction superheat in extreme low-temperature environments.

[0025] Based on this, embodiments of this application provide a temperature control system, method, electronic device, and storage medium, which are described below through embodiments. Unless otherwise specified, the following embodiments and features can be combined with each other.

[0026] Figure 1The diagram shows a temperature control system provided in an embodiment of this application. The temperature control system provided in this application includes a refrigeration device 100, a superheat control device, and a circulation device 200. The refrigeration device 100 includes a compressor 112, a condenser 111, an evaporator 116, and a subcooled liquid receiver 114. The superheat control device includes a gas-liquid separator 113, a heat exchanger 115, and an electric heater 103.

[0027] The circulation device 200 is used to store, transport, and circulate the circulating liquid, so that the circulating liquid exchanges heat with the refrigerant in the refrigeration unit 100 when flowing through the evaporator 116, thereby regulating the temperature of the circulating liquid and controlling the temperature of the load equipment. The circulation device 200 may include, for example, a water tank and a water pump. The inlet end of the water tank serves as the inlet end of the circulation device 200, the outlet end of the water tank is connected to the inlet end of the water pump, the outlet end of the water pump is connected to the liquid inlet corresponding to the load equipment, and the liquid outlet corresponding to the load equipment serves as the outlet end of the circulation device 200. Under the power of the water pump, the circulating liquid is drawn from the water tank and sucked into the water pump. After being pressurized by the water pump, it is transported to the load equipment, exchanges heat with the load equipment, and then returns to the water tank or returns to the water tank via the evaporator 116, forming a circulation loop.

[0028] The outlet end of the compressor 112 is connected to the inlet end of the first heat exchange channel in the condenser 111. The outlet end of the first heat exchange channel in the condenser 111 is connected to the inlet end of the subcooled liquid receiver 114. The outlet end of the subcooled liquid receiver 114 is connected to the inlet end of the first heat exchange channel in the evaporator 116 via the expansion valve 106. The outlet end of the first heat exchange channel in the evaporator 116 is connected to the inlet end of the gas-liquid separator 113. The outlet end of the gas-liquid separator 113 is connected to the inlet end of the compressor 112 via the heat exchanger 115.

[0029] In this process, compressor 112 draws in low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous refrigerant from evaporator 116 using mechanical energy, and then compresses it into high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant. The high-temperature gaseous refrigerant is cooled and condensed into liquid by condenser 111, and then subcooled by subcooling receiver 114. The subcooled liquid refrigerant is then throttled and depressurized by expansion valve 106 before entering evaporator 116, where it exchanges heat with the circulating liquid in circulation device 200, absorbing heat from the circulating liquid and evaporating into low-temperature, low-pressure gas. This low-temperature, low-pressure gas enters gas-liquid separator 113, where any entrained liquid refrigerant is separated. The pure gaseous refrigerant then enters heat exchanger 115, where it exchanges heat with electric heater 103, absorbing heat to ensure complete vaporization, and is finally drawn into compressor 112.

[0030] The subcooled liquid receiver 114 is also equipped with an external cooling pipe. The inlet end of the external cooling pipe is connected to the outlet end of the first heat exchange channel in the condenser 111, and the outlet end of the external cooling pipe is connected to the inlet end of the gas-liquid separator 113. The external cooling pipe is located outside the liquid storage space in the subcooled liquid receiver 114 and is used to cool the refrigerant stored in the liquid storage space. In this way, by cooling the liquid storage space in the subcooled liquid receiver 114 through the external cooling pipe, the temperature of the refrigerant in the liquid storage space can be further reduced and the cooling rate can be increased, thereby indirectly achieving the purpose of increasing the cooling rate of the circulating liquid.

[0031] The heat exchanger 115 is equipped with an electric heater 103 for heating the refrigerant flowing through it. In one possible embodiment, the electric heater 103 is disposed inside or on the outer surface of the heat exchanger 115 to directly heat the refrigerant flowing through it. In another possible embodiment, the electric heater 103 is integrally formed with the heat exchanger 115, with the heat exchanger 115 providing a mounting carrier for the electric heater 103, which is directly embedded in the heat exchange channel of the heat exchanger 115. Thus, the electric heater 103, as an active heat-generating element, can heat the refrigerant without relying on an external water or gas source, exhibiting fast response speed and high control precision under extreme low-temperature conditions, and is not limited by external conditions.

[0032] It should be noted that the electric heater 118 can be any one of a PTC electric heater, a resistance electric heater, or a semiconductor heater. PTC electric heaters have self-limiting temperature characteristics, preventing overheating damage and offering high safety; resistance electric heaters have a simple structure and low cost; and semiconductor heaters are small in size and offer high temperature control accuracy. In practical applications, the appropriate type of electric heater can be flexibly selected based on factors such as system power requirements, cost budget, and installation space to adapt to different application scenarios.

[0033] Furthermore, the heating power of the electric heater 118 is linked to the operating status of the compressor 112. When the compressor 112 starts, the electric heater 118 starts synchronously to establish a safe suction superheat at the initial stage of compressor 112 startup. This prevents the compressor 112 from drawing in liquid refrigerant due to incomplete refrigerant vaporization at startup, thereby effectively protecting the compressor 112 and improving the reliability and service life of the system.

[0034] This application utilizes the coordination of a gas-liquid separator 113, a heat exchanger 115, and an electric heater 103 in a superheat control device. The electric heater 103 directly heats the refrigerant output from the gas-liquid separator 113, controlling the suction superheat of the compressor 112 and preventing liquid refrigerant from entering the compressor and causing liquid slugging. In this way, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 112 participates in refrigeration after being cooled by the condenser 111, eliminating the need to bypass some of the hot gas, thus avoiding energy waste and improving refrigeration efficiency. Simultaneously, the electric heater 103 does not rely on an external heat source and can quickly establish a safe suction superheat during system startup.

[0035] The refrigeration device 100 further includes an expansion valve 106 and a subcooling valve 105. The expansion valve 106 is disposed between the outlet end of the subcooled liquid receiver 114 and the inlet end of the first heat exchange channel in the evaporator 116, and is used to throttle and reduce the pressure of the refrigerant entering the evaporator 116 and control the flow rate of the refrigerant entering the evaporator 116. The subcooling valve 105 is disposed between the outlet end of the first heat exchange channel in the condenser 111 and the inlet end of the external cooling pipe, and is used to adjust the flow rate of the refrigerant entering the external cooling pipe of the subcooled liquid receiver 114, thereby controlling the subcooling degree of the refrigerant in the subcooled liquid receiver 114.

[0036] During system operation, the system can be adjusted by the controller using a triple PID control algorithm: based on the difference between the target temperature setpoint and the actual temperature of the circulating liquid, the PID control algorithm calculates the opening degree of the expansion valve 106 to provide sufficient cooling capacity to the circulating system; based on the difference between the target suction pressure and the actual suction pressure, the PID control algorithm calculates the opening degree of the subcooling valve 105 to ensure the suction pressure required at different temperature points, while simultaneously subcooling the refrigerant in the subcooling receiver 114 to increase its cooling capacity; based on the difference between the target suction superheat and the actual suction temperature, the PID control algorithm calculates the heating power of the electric heater 103 to maintain the suction superheat within the required range, ensuring that the system operates in the most economical and stable state.

[0037] For example, in the control of expansion valve 106, the target temperature at the plate outlet (i.e., the target temperature of the circulating liquid) is set as TSV, the real-time temperature at the plate outlet TPV is collected, and the PID calculates the required cooling capacity output value MV1 (0≤MV1≤100). Then, the actual opening degree of expansion valve 106 EXP1=MV1×k1, where k1=f(TSV1, TSV2...TSVn) is the opening degree coefficient at the corresponding temperature point (0≤k1≤1), which is calibrated according to the system operating temperature range.

[0038] For example, in the control of the subcooling valve 105, based on the target suction pressure value PSV and the collected real-time suction pressure value PPV, the PID calculates the output value MV2 (0≤MV2≤100). Then, the actual opening degree of the subcooling valve 105 EXP2=MV2×k2 (0≤k2≤1) to ensure the suction pressure required at different temperature points. The target suction pressure value PSV can be set by the required evaporation temperature, T1=TSV-Ta (Ta≥5℃, the specific value is set according to the system conditions), and the target suction pressure value PSV=f(T1). The relationship between PSV and T1 can be obtained by looking up the relationship between the saturated vapor pressure and temperature of the corresponding refrigerant.

[0039] For example, in the control of electric heater 103, the PID controller calculates the output power of electric heater 103 based on the difference between the target value of suction superheat and the actual value of suction superheat. The actual value of suction superheat is calculated based on the actual suction temperature at the inlet of compressor 112 and the saturation temperature determined by the actual suction pressure; the target value of suction superheat is determined by the sum of the set suction superheat and the target evaporation temperature. When the actual value of suction superheat is less than a preset safety threshold, the controller controls electric heater 103 to operate at maximum power to quickly increase the suction superheat of compressor 112 and prevent liquid refrigerant from entering the compressor. The heating power of electric heater 103 is linked to the operating status of compressor 112; when compressor 112 starts, electric heater 103 starts synchronously to establish a safe suction superheat in the initial stage of compressor 112 startup.

[0040] Through the optimization of the above system and the corresponding control algorithm, this application avoids the waste of system energy caused by using hot gas to control the superheat of the suction gas while ensuring stable system operation. This ensures that all the refrigerant discharged from the compressor participates in refrigeration, effectively improving the system's refrigeration efficiency. Simultaneously, the electric heater 103 does not rely on an external water or gas source, exhibits fast response and high control precision under extreme low-temperature conditions, broadening the equipment's applicability. This allows for the selection of smaller-power compressors in future system designs, reducing the refrigerant charge, miniaturizing the equipment, lowering investment and operating costs while improving system refrigeration efficiency.

[0041] This application also provides a temperature control method, which can be applied to the temperature control system described in any of the above embodiments, specifically as a controller in the temperature control system. The refrigeration device 100 includes a compressor 112, a condenser 111, an evaporator 116, and a subcooled liquid receiver 114; the superheat control device 300 includes a gas-liquid separator 113, a heat exchanger 115, and an electric heater 118; the circulation device 200 includes a water tank and a water pump. The controller, through communicative connection with each component in the temperature control system, can obtain the current operating parameters of each component and send control commands to each component to adjust its operating parameters.

[0042] Specifically, the temperature control method includes: According to the received temperature adjustment command from the load device, the components in the temperature control system are controlled to make the refrigerant in the refrigeration device 100 circulate in the compressor 112, condenser 111, subcooled liquid receiver 114, and evaporator 116. The refrigerant exchanges heat with the circulating liquid in the circulation device 200 through the evaporator 116 to adjust the temperature of the circulating liquid, thereby controlling the temperature of the load device. During the refrigerant circulation process, the gas-liquid separator 113 in the superheat control device 300 is used to separate the refrigerant into gas and liquid, and the electric heater 118 is used to heat the refrigerant output from the gas-liquid separator 113 to control the suction superheat of the compressor 112 and maintain stable system operation.

[0043] In one possible implementation, the method further includes: calculating the heating power of the electric heater 118 using a PID control algorithm based on the difference between the target value of the suction superheat and the actual value of the collected suction superheat, so as to adjust the heating amount of the refrigerant output by the heat exchanger 115 to the gas-liquid separator 113. The actual value of the suction superheat is calculated based on the actual value of the suction temperature at the inlet of the compressor 112 and the saturation temperature determined by the actual value of the suction pressure; the target value of the suction superheat is determined based on the sum of the set suction superheat and the target evaporation temperature.

[0044] In another possible implementation, when the actual value of the suction superheat is less than a preset safety threshold, the electric heater 118 is controlled to operate at maximum power to quickly increase the suction superheat of the compressor 112 and prevent liquid refrigerant from entering the compressor.

[0045] In another possible implementation, the method further includes: controlling the electric heater 118 to start synchronously when the compressor 112 starts, so as to establish a safe suction superheat at the initial stage of compressor 112 startup.

[0046] Furthermore, the refrigeration device 100 also includes an expansion valve 106 and a subcooling valve 105. The expansion valve 106 is disposed between the outlet end of the subcooled liquid receiver 114 and the inlet end of the first heat exchange channel in the evaporator 116; the subcooling valve 105 is disposed between the outlet end of the first heat exchange channel in the condenser 111 and the inlet end of the external cooling pipe of the subcooled liquid receiver 114.

[0047] During system operation, the controller can use a triple PID control algorithm to regulate the system: based on the difference between the target temperature setpoint and the actual temperature of the circulating liquid, the PID control algorithm calculates the opening of the expansion valve 106 to provide sufficient cooling capacity to the circulating system; based on the difference between the target suction pressure and the actual suction pressure, the PID control algorithm calculates the opening of the subcooling valve 105 to ensure the suction pressure required at different temperature points, while simultaneously subcooling the refrigerant in the subcooling receiver 114 to increase its cooling capacity; based on the difference between the target suction superheat and the actual suction temperature, the PID control algorithm calculates the heating power of the electric heater 118 to maintain the suction superheat within the required range, ensuring that the system operates in the most economical and stable state.

[0048] For example, in the control of expansion valve 106, the target temperature at the plate outlet (i.e., the target temperature of the circulating liquid) is set as TSV, the real-time temperature at the plate outlet TPV is collected, and the PID calculates the required cooling capacity output value MV1 (0≤MV1≤100). Then, the actual opening degree of expansion valve 106 EXP1=MV1×k1, where k1=f(TSV1, TSV2...TSVn) is the opening degree coefficient at the corresponding temperature point (0≤k1≤1), which is calibrated according to the system operating temperature range.

[0049] For example, in the control of the subcooling valve 105, based on the target suction pressure value PSV and the collected real-time suction pressure value PPV, the PID calculates the output value MV2 (0≤MV2≤100). Then, the actual opening degree of the subcooling valve 105 EXP2=MV2×k2 (0≤k2≤1) to ensure the suction pressure required at different temperature points. The target suction pressure value PSV can be set by the required evaporation temperature, T1=TSV-Ta (Ta≥5℃, the specific value is set according to the system conditions), and the target suction pressure value PSV=f(T1). The relationship between PSV and T1 can be obtained by looking up the relationship between the saturated vapor pressure and temperature of the corresponding refrigerant.

[0050] For example, in the control of electric heater 118, the PID controller calculates the output power of electric heater 118 based on the difference between the target value of suction superheat and the actual value of suction superheat. When the actual value of suction superheat is less than a preset safety threshold, the controller controls electric heater 118 to operate at maximum power to quickly increase the suction superheat of compressor 112 and prevent liquid refrigerant from entering the compressor. The heating power of electric heater 118 is linked to the operating status of compressor 112. When compressor 112 starts, electric heater 118 starts synchronously to establish a safe suction superheat in the initial stage of compressor 112 startup.

[0051] Through the optimization of the above system and the corresponding control algorithm, this application avoids the waste of system energy caused by using hot gas to control the superheat of the suction gas while ensuring stable system operation. This ensures that all the refrigerant discharged from the compressor participates in refrigeration, effectively improving the system's refrigeration efficiency. Simultaneously, the electric heater 118 does not rely on an external water or gas source, exhibits fast response and high control precision under extreme low-temperature conditions, broadening the equipment's applicability. This allows for the selection of smaller-power compressors in future system designs, reducing the refrigerant charge, miniaturizing the equipment, lowering investment and operating costs while improving system refrigeration efficiency.

[0052] like Figure 2 As shown, this application provides an electronic device for executing the temperature control method of this application. The device includes a memory, a processor, a bus, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor. When the processor executes the computer program, it implements the steps of the temperature control method described above.

[0053] Specifically, the aforementioned memory and processor can be general-purpose memory and processor, without any specific limitations. When the processor runs the computer program stored in the memory, it can execute the aforementioned temperature control method.

[0054] Corresponding to the temperature control method in this application, this application embodiment also provides a computer storage medium storing a computer program, which is executed by a processor to perform the steps of the above-described temperature control method.

[0055] Specifically, the storage medium can be a general-purpose storage medium, such as a removable disk or hard disk. When the computer program on the storage medium is run, it can execute the temperature control method described above.

[0056] In the embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems and methods can be implemented in other ways. The system embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For example, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and there may be other division methods in actual implementation. Furthermore, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Additionally, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some communication interface; the indirect coupling or communication connection between systems or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0057] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment, depending on actual needs.

[0058] In addition, the functional units in the embodiments provided in this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit.

[0059] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0060] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures. In addition, the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0061] Finally, it should be noted that the above-described embodiments are merely specific implementations of this application, used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and not to limit them. The protection scope of this application is not limited thereto. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that any person skilled in the art can still modify or easily conceive of changes to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features, within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application; and these modifications, changes, or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application. All should be covered within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this application should be determined by the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A temperature control system, characterized in that, The system includes a refrigeration unit, an overheat control unit, and a circulation unit; The refrigeration device is used to compress, condense, and subcool the refrigerant so that the subcooled refrigerant can exchange heat with the circulating liquid. The circulation device is used to store and transport the circulating liquid, so that the circulating liquid exchanges heat with the refrigerant in the refrigeration device and then controls the temperature of the load equipment. The overheat control device includes a gas-liquid separator, a heat exchanger, and an electric heater; The inlet end of the gas-liquid separator is used to connect to the outlet end of the first heat exchange channel in the evaporator of the refrigeration device, the outlet end of the gas-liquid separator is connected to the inlet end of the heat exchanger, and the outlet end of the heat exchanger is used to connect to the inlet end of the compressor in the refrigeration device. The heat exchanger is equipped with an electric heater for heating the refrigerant flowing through it, thereby controlling the suction superheat of the compressor and maintaining stable system operation.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The electric heater is disposed inside or on the outer surface of the heat exchanger and is used to directly heat the refrigerant flowing through the heat exchanger.

3. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The system also includes a controller; the controller is used to: calculate the heating power of the electric heater based on the difference between the target value of the intake superheat and the actual value of the intake superheat collected, using a PID control algorithm, so as to adjust the amount of heat exchanger applied to the refrigerant output by the gas-liquid separator.

4. The system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The controller is also used to: when the actual value of the suction superheat is less than a preset safety threshold, control the electric heater to operate at maximum power to quickly increase the suction superheat of the compressor and prevent liquid refrigerant from entering the compressor.

5. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The electric heater is any one of a PTC electric heater, a resistance electric heater, or a semiconductor heater.

6. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heating power of the electric heater is linked to the operating status of the compressor; when the compressor starts, the electric heater starts synchronously to establish a safe suction superheat in the early stage of compressor startup.

7. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The electric heater is integrally formed with the heat exchanger, the heat exchanger provides an installation carrier for the electric heater, and the electric heater is directly embedded in the heat exchange channel of the heat exchanger.

8. A temperature control method, characterized in that, Applied to the temperature control system according to any one of claims 1 to 7; the method includes: According to the received temperature adjustment command of the load device, the components in the temperature control system are controlled so that the refrigerant in the refrigeration device circulates in the refrigeration device, and the refrigerant exchanges heat with the circulating liquid in the circulation device through the evaporator to adjust the temperature of the circulating liquid, thereby controlling the temperature of the load device. In the refrigerant cycle, the gas-liquid separator in the superheat control device is used to separate the refrigerant into gas and liquid components, and the electric heater is used to heat the refrigerant output from the gas-liquid separator in order to control the suction superheat of the compressor and maintain stable system operation.

9. An electronic device, characterized in that, include: The device includes a processor, a memory, and a bus. The memory stores machine instructions that the processor executes. When the electronic device is running, the processor communicates with the memory via the bus. When the machine instructions are executed by the processor, they perform the steps of the temperature control method as described in claim 8.

10. A computer storage medium, characterized in that, The computer storage medium stores a computer program that, when executed by a processor, performs the steps of the temperature control method as described in claim 8.