Refrigerating system and testing equipment

Abstract

The refrigerating system comprises a compressor, a condenser, a throttling device, an evaporator, a throttling branch, a refrigerating bypass, a bypass valve, a plurality of intermediate heat exchangers, a first flow path and a second flow path, the first flow path is located between the condenser and the throttling device, and the second flow path is located between the evaporator and the air suction end of the compressor. The first flow path and the second flow path sequentially exchange heat through the intermediate heat exchangers. The first flow path comprises a liquid-phase flow path section, the two adjacent intermediate heat exchangers on the first flow path communicate with each other through the liquid-phase flow path section, and the liquid-phase flow path section is used for separating a liquid-phase refrigerant of the first flow path and guiding the liquid-phase refrigerant to flow along the first flow path. The throttling branch is connected with the first flow path and the second flow path and used for separating and cooling the gas-phase refrigerant in the first flow path and guiding the gas-phase refrigerant to converge to the second flow path. The refrigeration bypass is used for guiding a refrigerant at the exhaust end of the compressor to the outlet side of the throttling device, and the bypass valve is arranged on the refrigeration bypass.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of semiconductor equipment technology, and in particular to refrigeration systems and testing equipment. Background Art

[0002] At present, semiconductor test equipment mostly uses a two-stage refrigeration system to adjust the test temperature. The two-stage refrigeration system is actually formed by connecting two sets of single-stage compression refrigeration systems in parallel. It is divided into a primary refrigeration system and a secondary refrigeration system according to different working temperature zones. The primary refrigeration system is a high-temperature stage, and the secondary refrigeration system is a low-temperature stage. When working, the refrigerant in the primary refrigeration system is throttled and cooled, and then the refrigerant in the secondary refrigeration system is cooled by the evaporative condenser. Then, the overall test temperature is reduced to the specified temperature through the operation of the secondary refrigeration system.

[0003] The number of important components and associated temperature and pressure sensors inside the two-stage refrigeration system are doubled, which makes it more likely that component failures will cause downtime during production testing; secondly, the system occupies a large volume, resulting in a large area occupied by the test equipment; thirdly, the two-stage refrigeration system has a large temperature zone span and low cooling efficiency. Utility Model Content

[0004] Based on this, it is necessary to provide a refrigeration system and testing equipment to address the problems of a large number of components in a two-stage refrigeration system, easy failure and downtime, large occupied area, and low cooling efficiency.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present application provides a refrigeration system, comprising a refrigeration module for refrigerating a mixed refrigerant in a refrigeration cycle, the refrigeration module comprising:

[0006] A compressor, a condenser, a throttling device and an evaporator are sequentially connected to form a refrigeration cycle; and

[0007] Throttling branch, refrigeration bypass, bypass valve and multiple intermediate heat exchangers;

[0008] The refrigeration cycle includes a first flow path and a second flow path, the first flow path is located between the condenser and the throttling device, the second flow path is located between the evaporator and the suction end of the compressor, and the first flow path and the second flow path sequentially exchange heat via each of the intermediate heat exchangers;

[0009] The first flow path includes a liquid phase flow path section, and two adjacent intermediate heat exchangers arranged on the first flow path are connected via the liquid phase flow path section, and the liquid phase flow path section is used to separate the liquid phase refrigerant of the first flow path and guide the liquid phase refrigerant to flow along the first flow path;

[0010] The throttling branch connects the first flow path and the second flow path, and is used to separate and cool down the gas phase refrigerant in the first flow path, and guide the gas phase refrigerant to flow to the second flow path; wherein the inlet end of the throttling branch is arranged between the two adjacent intermediate heat exchangers arranged on the first flow path, and the outlet end thereof is arranged at the inlet side of the downstream one of the two intermediate heat exchangers;

[0011] One end of the refrigeration bypass is connected to the refrigeration cycle loop between the exhaust end of the compressor and the condenser, and the other end is connected to the refrigeration cycle loop between the throttling device and the evaporator. The bypass valve is arranged on the refrigeration bypass.

[0012] In some embodiments, the intermediate heat exchangers are arranged in ascending order along the refrigerant flow direction of the first flow path;

[0013] Along the refrigerant flow direction of the second flow path, the second flow path first passes through each of the intermediate heat exchangers except the intermediate heat exchanger located at the first position in increasing order of each intermediate heat exchanger, and finally passes through the intermediate heat exchanger located at the first position.

[0014] In some embodiments, the number of the intermediate heat exchangers is the same as the type of refrigerant contained in the mixed refrigerant.

[0015] In some embodiments, the refrigeration module is used for a refrigeration cycle containing a mixed refrigerant of R404a refrigerant, R23 refrigerant and R14 refrigerant with decreasing evaporation temperatures.

[0016] In some embodiments, the refrigeration module further includes a first liquid storage tank and a pressure relief bypass, wherein the first liquid storage tank is disposed in the first flow path and is located between the condenser and all the intermediate heat exchangers, and the pressure relief bypass is connected between the outlet side of the first liquid storage tank and the suction end of the compressor;

[0017] The pressure relief bypass is provided with a pressure relief valve and a first expansion tank.

[0018] In some embodiments, the refrigeration module further includes a second liquid storage tank, which is disposed in the first flow path and located between all the intermediate heat exchangers and the throttling device.

[0019] In some embodiments, the refrigeration system also includes a cooling module for cooling an external load, the cooling module includes a cooling flow path for circulating coolant, the cooling flow path is used to connect to the external load to form a circulation loop for the flow of coolant together with the external load; the cooling flow path exchanges heat with the refrigeration circulation loop through the evaporator.

[0020] In some embodiments, the cooling module includes a circulating pump and a heater located in the cooling flow path. In the cooling flow path, the evaporator is located between the circulating pump and the heater. The circulating pump is used to provide power to cause the coolant to circulate in the cooling flow path, and the heater is used to regulate the temperature of the coolant flowing through itself.

[0021] In some embodiments, the cooling module also includes a cooling bypass, one end of the cooling bypass is connected to the cooling flow path located on the outlet side of the heater, and the other end is connected to the cooling flow path located on the inlet side of the circulation pump; the cooling bypass is connected in parallel with the external load between the heater and the circulation pump; and a pressure regulating valve is provided on the cooling bypass.

[0022] In some embodiments, the cooling module further includes an air collecting barrel and a second expansion tank, wherein the air collecting barrel is arranged in the cooling flow path and is located at the inlet side of the circulating pump; the second expansion tank connects the air collecting barrel and the circulating pump; and the air collecting barrel connects the heater.

[0023] In some embodiments, the cooling fluid comprises a fluorinated fluid.

[0024] In a second aspect, the present application provides a testing device, characterized in that it includes a testing terminal and the refrigeration system described in the above embodiment, and the refrigeration system is used to cool the testing terminal.

[0025] The above-mentioned refrigeration system and test equipment only add multiple intermediate heat exchangers to the single-stage refrigeration system. The intermediate heat exchangers are only for the circulation of refrigerant and heat exchange, and have little impact on the performance of the entire system. Compared with the two-stage refrigeration system, which requires the configuration of multiple sets of internal important components such as compressors, it can reduce the risk of system downtime due to failure of these important components and reduce the space occupied by the system.

[0026] Moreover, the refrigeration system can reduce the temperature of the refrigerant with a very low evaporation temperature through heat exchange in a multi-stage intermediate heat exchanger, so that the refrigerant with a very low evaporation temperature can absorb a large amount of heat from the external load when evaporating and gasifying in the evaporator, thereby improving the refrigeration capacity of the refrigeration system. In addition, the refrigeration system is also equipped with a refrigeration bypass and a bypass valve to adjust the temperature of the refrigerant entering the evaporator, so that the refrigeration system can adapt to a wider range of refrigeration needs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reading the detailed description of the preferred embodiments below. The accompanying drawings are only for the purpose of illustrating the preferred embodiments and are not to be considered as limiting the present application. Moreover, the same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to represent the same components. In the drawings:

[0028] Figure 1 A system schematic diagram of a refrigeration system according to some embodiments.

[0029] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The refrigerant cycle schematic diagram of the refrigeration system shown.

[0030] Figure 3 Schematic diagrams of refrigeration systems of other embodiments.

[0031] The reference numerals in the specific implementation manner are as follows:

[0032] 100. Refrigeration system; 10. Refrigeration module; S. Refrigeration cycle; S1. First flow path; d. Liquid phase flow section; S2. Second flow path; 11. Compressor; 12. Condenser; 13. Throttling device; 14. Evaporator; j. Throttling branch; m1. Refrigeration bypass; f1. Bypass valve; 15. Intermediate heat exchanger; 16. First liquid storage tank; m2. Pressure relief bypass; f2. Pressure relief valve; 17. First expansion tank; 18. Second liquid storage tank; 19. Oil separator; 10a. Dry filter; 10b. Pressure controller; 20. Cooling module; Q. Cooling flow path; 21. Circulation pump; 22. Heater; m3. Cooling bypass; f3. Pressure regulating valve; 23. Gas collecting tank; 24. Second expansion tank; 200. External load. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] In order to make the above-mentioned purposes, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the specific implementation methods of the present application are described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the following description, many specific details are set forth to facilitate a full understanding of the present application. However, the present application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar improvements without violating the connotation of the present application, so the present application is not limited by the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0034] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that terms such as “center”, “longitudinal”, “lateral”, “length”, “width”, “thickness”, “up”, “down”, “front”, “back”, “left”, “right”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “top”, “bottom”, “inside”, “outside”, “clockwise”, “counterclockwise”, “axial”, “radial”, “circumferential”, etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, if any, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0035] In addition, if present, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the description of this application, "plurality" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0036] In this application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, if any, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise clearly defined. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0037] In the present application, if it appears, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, a first feature “above” or “below” a second feature may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Moreover, a first feature “above”, “above” and “above” a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature “below”, “below” and “below” a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0038] It should be noted that, if present, when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "disposed on" another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may be a central element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be a central element at the same time. The terms "vertical", "horizontal", "upper", "lower", "left", "right" and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be the only implementation method.

[0039] In response to the problems raised in the background technology, an embodiment of the present application first provides a refrigeration system.

[0040] According to some embodiments of this application, please refer to Figure 1 The refrigeration system 100 provided in the embodiment of the present application includes a refrigeration module 10 for refrigerating a mixed refrigerant cycle. The mixed refrigerant includes at least two refrigerants with different evaporation temperatures, and the mixed refrigerant circulates in a refrigeration cycle S of the refrigeration module 10 for refrigeration.

[0041] The refrigeration module 10 includes a compressor 11, a condenser 12, a throttling device 13 and an evaporator 14 which are sequentially connected to form a refrigeration cycle S. The refrigeration module 10 also includes a throttling branch j, a refrigeration bypass m1, a bypass valve f1 and a plurality of intermediate heat exchangers 15. It is easy to understand that the exhaust end of the compressor 11 is connected to the condenser 12, the suction end of the compressor 11 is connected to the evaporator 14, and the throttling device 13 is connected between the condenser 12 and the throttling device 13.

[0042] Among them, the refrigeration cycle loop S includes a first flow path S1 and a second flow path S2, the first flow path S1 is located between the condenser 12 and the throttling device 13, and the second flow path S2 is located between the evaporator 14 and the suction end of the compressor 11. The first flow path S1 and the second flow path S2 exchange heat in sequence through each intermediate heat exchanger 15.

[0043] For explanation, each intermediate heat exchanger 15 has a first heat exchange passage located in the first flow path S1 and a second heat exchange passage located in the second flow path S2. The refrigerant flowing through the first heat exchange passage in the first flow path S1 exchanges heat with the refrigerant flowing through the second heat exchange passage in the second flow path S2.

[0044] Generally, the number of the intermediate heat exchangers 15 is equal to the types of refrigerants in the mixed refrigerant. For example, but not limited to, the mixed refrigerant includes three refrigerants, and three intermediate heat exchangers 15 are configured accordingly.

[0045] The first flow path S1 includes a liquid phase flow section d, and two adjacent intermediate heat exchangers 15 on the first flow path S1 are connected via the liquid phase flow section d. The liquid phase flow section d is used to separate the liquid phase refrigerant in the first flow path S1 and guide the liquid phase refrigerant to flow along the first flow path S1.

[0046] In other words, on the first flow path S1, among two adjacent intermediate heat exchangers 15, the liquid-phase refrigerant flowing out of the first heat exchange flow passage of the upstream one flows into the first heat exchange flow passage of the downstream one through the liquid-phase flow section d.

[0047] The throttling branch j connects the first flow path S1 and the second flow path S2, and is used to separate and cool down the gas phase refrigerant in the first flow path S1, and guide the gas phase refrigerant to converge to the second flow path S2. The inlet end of the throttling branch j is arranged between two adjacent intermediate heat exchangers 15 arranged on the first flow path S1, and the outlet end thereof is arranged at the inlet side of the downstream one of the two intermediate heat exchangers 15.

[0048] In other words, in two adjacent intermediate heat exchangers 15 on the first flow path S1, the gas-phase refrigerant flowing out of the first heat exchange channel of the upstream one will not flow into the first heat exchange channel of the downstream one, but the gas-phase refrigerant flowing out of the first heat exchange channel of the upstream one will be diverted through the throttling branch j and merged into the inlet side of the second heat exchange channel of the downstream one.

[0049] It can be seen that, in the two adjacent intermediate heat exchangers 15 in the first flow path S1, under the action of the liquid phase flow section d and the throttling branch j, the refrigerant flowing out from the first heat exchange flow channel of the upstream intermediate heat exchanger 15 will undergo gas-liquid separation, and the separated liquid-phase refrigerant will continue to flow along the first flow path S1 to the downstream intermediate heat exchanger 15 through the liquid phase flow section d, and the separated gas-phase refrigerant will converge into the second flow path S2 through the throttling branch j and enter the inlet end of the second heat exchange flow channel of the downstream intermediate heat exchanger 15.

[0050] In actual operation, the mixed refrigerant discharged from the condenser 12 is a liquid-phase refrigerant. When the mixed refrigerant containing M kinds of refrigerants passes through N intermediate heat exchangers 15 in sequence along the first flow path S1 for heat exchange (usually satisfying: M ≥ N), the first refrigerant to the N-1th refrigerant, which are ranked from high to low according to the evaporation temperature, are successively evaporated into gas phase in the N-1 intermediate heat exchangers 15, and the evaporated gas phase refrigerants are successively converged to the second flow path S2 through each throttling branch j in the order of generation, while the liquid phase refrigerant continues to flow along the first flow path S1 under the guidance of the liquid phase flow path section d.

[0051] After passing through the N-1th intermediate heat exchanger 15, the liquid phase refrigerant in the first flow path S1 includes the Nth refrigerant to the Mth refrigerant. The Nth refrigerant to the Mth refrigerant are further cooled in the Nth intermediate heat exchanger 15 but still remain in the liquid phase, and finally enter the evaporator 14 to cool the external load 200 after being cooled by the throttling device 13. It can be understood that the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant is a negative number, and the lower the value, the more external heat the refrigerant absorbs when evaporating and gasifying, and the better the refrigeration effect.

[0052] It is worth emphasizing that the throttling branch j has a throttling effect and can cool the refrigerant passing through itself. A throttling valve or other device can be set on the throttling branch j, or the throttling branch j can be formed by a capillary tube. Since the temperature of the gas phase refrigerant separated from the first flow path S1 is relatively high, the gas phase refrigerant flow is cooled through the throttling branch j, which can reduce the temperature of the refrigerant on the second flow path S2.

[0053] Combination Figure 2 For understanding, taking the mixed refrigerant including three refrigerants a, b, and c with decreasing evaporation temperatures, and the refrigerant flow direction along the first flow path S1, three intermediate heat exchangers 15 h1, h2, and h3 are sequentially arranged on the first flow path S1 as an example, the general process of the refrigeration system 100 refrigeration cycle mixed refrigerant is described as follows:

[0054] 1) The high-temperature and high-pressure gas-phase mixed refrigerant discharged from the exhaust end of the compressor 11 is cooled by the condenser 12 and becomes a medium-temperature and high-pressure liquid-phase mixed refrigerant;

[0055] 2) The medium-temperature and high-pressure liquid mixed refrigerant passes through the first flow path S1 and exchanges heat in each intermediate heat exchanger 15 in sequence, and then enters the evaporator 14 to cool the external load. Specifically:

[0056] First, the medium-temperature and high-pressure liquid mixed refrigerant flows through the intermediate heat exchanger h1. The temperature provided by the refrigerant in the second heat exchange flow channel of the intermediate heat exchanger h1 can make refrigerant a reach the evaporation temperature first and evaporate into a gas phase. Refrigerant a absorbs the heat of refrigerant b and refrigerant c during the vaporization process, so that the temperature of both is reduced and maintained in the liquid phase, and the primary heat exchange refrigerant flowing out of the first heat exchange flow channel of the intermediate heat exchanger h1 is obtained;

[0057] In the process of the primary heat exchange refrigerant flowing from the intermediate heat exchanger h1 to the intermediate heat exchanger h2, a primary gas-liquid separation is performed, specifically: the liquid refrigerant b and the liquid refrigerant c in the primary heat exchange refrigerant are separated from the gaseous refrigerant a, and the liquid refrigerant b and the liquid refrigerant c both flow to the first heat exchange flow channel of the intermediate heat exchanger h2 through the liquid flow section d1, and the gaseous refrigerant a flows into the second flow path S2 through the throttling branch j1, and is mixed with the refrigerant flowing out of the evaporator 14 on the second flow path S2 to obtain a primary mixed refrigerant, and the primary mixed refrigerant flows to the second heat exchange flow channel of the intermediate heat exchanger h2;

[0058] Then, liquid refrigerant b and liquid refrigerant c flow through the intermediate heat exchanger h2. The temperature provided by the primary mixed refrigerant heat exchange in the second heat exchange flow channel of the intermediate heat exchanger h2 can make refrigerant b reach the evaporation temperature first and evaporate into gas phase. Refrigerant b absorbs the heat of refrigerant c during the vaporization process to further reduce its temperature and maintain the liquid phase, obtaining the secondary heat exchange refrigerant flowing out of the first heat exchange flow channel of the intermediate heat exchanger h2;

[0059] In the process of the secondary heat exchange refrigerant flowing from the intermediate heat exchanger h2 to the intermediate heat exchanger h3, the secondary gas-liquid separation is performed, specifically: the liquid refrigerant c in the secondary heat exchange refrigerant is separated from the gaseous refrigerant b, and the liquid refrigerant c flows into the first heat exchange flow channel of the intermediate heat exchanger h3 through the liquid phase flow section d2, and the gaseous refrigerant b flows into the second flow path S2 through the throttling branch j2, and is mixed with the primary mixed refrigerant flowing out of the intermediate heat exchanger h2 on the second flow path S2 to obtain the secondary mixed refrigerant, and the secondary mixed refrigerant flows to the second heat exchange flow channel of the intermediate heat exchanger h3;

[0060] Then, the liquid phase refrigerant c flows through the intermediate heat exchanger h3, and the liquid phase refrigerant c is cooled by the secondary mixed refrigerant in the second heat exchange flow channel of the intermediate heat exchanger h3, and continues to flow out of the intermediate heat exchanger h3 in liquid form. The low-temperature liquid phase refrigerant c enters the throttling device 13 for further throttling and cooling, and then evaporates in the evaporator 14 to absorb a large amount of heat from the external load 200, and obtains the low-temperature gas phase refrigerant c flowing out of the evaporator 14;

[0061] 3) The refrigerant flowing out of the evaporator 14 exchanges heat with the refrigerant on the first flow path S1 in each intermediate heat exchanger 15 in turn through the second flow path S2. Specifically:

[0062] First, the low-temperature gas-phase refrigerant c flows along the second flow path S2 and mixes with the gas-phase refrigerant a discharged from the throttling branch j1 to obtain the above-mentioned primary mixed refrigerant; the primary mixed refrigerant exchanges heat with the liquid-phase refrigerant b and the liquid-phase refrigerant c on the first heat exchange flow path of the intermediate heat exchanger h2 in the intermediate heat exchanger h2;

[0063] Then, the primary mixed refrigerant flows out of the intermediate heat exchanger h2 and mixes with the gas phase refrigerant b discharged from the throttling branch j2 to obtain the secondary mixed refrigerant mentioned above; the secondary mixed refrigerant exchanges heat with the liquid phase refrigerant c on the first heat exchange flow path of the intermediate heat exchanger h3 in the intermediate heat exchanger h3 to cool the liquid phase refrigerant c;

[0064] Then, after the secondary mixed refrigerant flows out of the intermediate heat exchanger h3, it enters the intermediate heat exchanger h1, exchanges heat with the medium-temperature and high-pressure liquid mixed refrigerant on the first heat exchange flow path of the intermediate heat exchanger h1, and finally flows back to the compressor 11.

[0065] One end of the refrigeration bypass m1 is connected to the refrigeration cycle S between the exhaust end of the compressor 11 and the condenser 12, and the other end is connected to the refrigeration cycle S between the throttling device 13 and the evaporator 14. The bypass valve f1 is arranged on the refrigeration bypass m1.

[0066] In other words, under the control of the bypass valve f1, the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the exhaust end of the compressor 11 can be diverted to the refrigeration bypass m1, and then mixed with the refrigerant flowing out of the throttling device 13, and finally flow into the evaporator 14, which can provide additional heat load to the evaporator 14 to control the temperature of the refrigerant entering the evaporator 14 at the required temperature.

[0067] When the refrigeration system 100 is working, the mixed refrigerant flows through each intermediate heat exchanger 15 on the first flow path S1, and the gas phase refrigerant with a higher evaporation temperature is separated into gas and liquid by evaporating into a gas phase, and the liquid phase refrigerant with a lower evaporation temperature is retained. During the evaporation process, the refrigerant can continuously absorb the heat of the liquid phase refrigerant with the lowest evaporation temperature in the first flow path S1, so that the liquid phase refrigerant with the lowest evaporation temperature has a very low temperature. When the liquid phase refrigerant with the lowest evaporation temperature enters the evaporator 14 after throttling, it evaporates and gasifies due to reaching its evaporation temperature and absorbs a large amount of heat from the external load 200, which can provide a greater refrigeration effect for the external load 200.

[0068] The refrigeration system 100 in the embodiment of the present application only adds a plurality of intermediate heat exchangers 15 to the single-stage refrigeration system 100. The intermediate heat exchanger 15 is only used for the circulation of refrigerant and heat exchange, and has little impact on the performance of the entire system. Compared with the two-stage refrigeration system 100, which needs to be configured with multiple sets of internal important components such as the compressor 11, the risk of system downtime due to failure of these important components can be reduced, and the space occupied by the system can be reduced.

[0069] Moreover, the refrigeration system 100 can reduce the temperature of the refrigerant with a very low evaporation temperature by heat exchange through the multi-stage intermediate heat exchanger 15, so that when the refrigerant with a very low evaporation temperature evaporates and gasifies in the evaporator 14, it can absorb a large amount of heat from the external load 200, thereby improving the refrigeration capacity of the refrigeration system 100. Moreover, the refrigeration system 100 is also provided with a refrigeration bypass m1 and a bypass valve f1 to adjust the temperature of the refrigerant entering the evaporator 14, so that the refrigeration system 100 can adapt to a wider range of refrigeration needs.

[0070] In order to achieve gas-liquid separation of the gas-phase refrigerant and the liquid-phase refrigerant in the first flow path, the following embodiments may be adopted.

[0071] In one embodiment, the refrigeration system 100 includes a gas-liquid separator, and a gas-liquid separator is provided between each two adjacent intermediate heat exchangers 15 on the first flow path S1, and the liquid phase outlet of the gas-liquid separator is located on the first flow path S1, so that the liquid phase refrigerant can flow from the upstream intermediate heat exchanger 15 to the downstream intermediate heat exchanger 15 on the first flow path S1. The gas phase outlet of the gas-liquid separator is connected to the throttling branch j to guide the gas phase refrigerant of the first flow path S1 to the second flow path S2 through the throttling branch j. In this way, the separation of the gas phase refrigerant and the liquid phase refrigerant in the first flow path S1 is achieved by the gas-liquid separator, and the flow path between the inlet and the liquid phase outlet of the gas-liquid separator can be regarded as the liquid phase flow path section d.

[0072] In another embodiment, the liquid-phase flow section d is formed by a section of pipe located on the first flow path S1, and the throttling branch j can be arranged above the liquid-phase flow section d. The gas-phase refrigerant on the first flow path S1 floats up and enters the throttling branch j due to its light mass, while the liquid-phase refrigerant sinks to the liquid-phase flow section d due to its large gravity, thereby achieving the separation of the gas-phase refrigerant and the liquid-phase refrigerant in the first flow path S1.

[0073] It is worth adding that the structural forms of the various intermediate heat exchangers 15 may be the same or different, and there is no specific limitation.

[0074] It should be noted that when the intermediate heat exchangers 15 are arranged in ascending order along the refrigerant flow direction of the first flow path S1, the order in which the second flow path S2 passes through the intermediate heat exchangers 15 along its refrigerant flow direction has no specific limiting relationship with the arrangement of the intermediate heat exchangers 15 on the first flow path S1.

[0075] Taking the three intermediate heat exchangers 15 including h1, h2, and h3 as an example, the order of the intermediate heat exchangers h1, h2, and h3 along the refrigerant flow direction on the first flow path S1 is ascending, that is, the first flow path S1 passes through the intermediate heat exchanger h1, the intermediate heat exchanger h2, and the intermediate heat exchanger h3 in sequence. In contrast, the second flow path S2 can pass through the intermediate heat exchanger h3, the intermediate heat exchanger h2, and the intermediate heat exchanger h1 in sequence, or it can pass through the intermediate heat exchanger h2, the intermediate heat exchanger h3, and the intermediate heat exchanger h1 in sequence. The specific needs depend on the type of refrigerant contained in the mixed refrigerant, and the arrangement order of each intermediate heat exchanger 15 on the second flow path S2 is determined according to the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant.

[0076] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 2 , the intermediate heat exchangers 15 are arranged in ascending order along the refrigerant flow direction of the first flow path S1. Along the refrigerant flow direction of the second flow path S2, the second flow path S2 first passes through each intermediate heat exchanger 15 except the first intermediate heat exchanger 15 in ascending order according to the refrigerant flow direction of the second flow path S2, and finally passes through the first intermediate heat exchanger 15.

[0077] Taking the refrigeration system 100 including three intermediate heat exchangers 15, h1, h2, and h3 as an example, at this time, the intermediate heat exchangers h1, h2, and h3 are arranged in ascending order along the refrigerant flow direction on the first flow path S1, and the intermediate heat exchanger 15 located first is the intermediate heat exchanger h1, and the second flow path S2 passes through the intermediate heat exchanger h2, the intermediate heat exchanger h3, and finally passes through the intermediate heat exchanger h1.

[0078] In actual application, the order of the various intermediate heat exchangers 15 on the second flow path S2 is related to the required evaporation temperature of the refrigerant. As long as the mixed refrigerant passes through the various intermediate heat exchangers 15 in sequence along the first flow path S1, each refrigerant in the mixed refrigerant can evaporate and absorb heat in order from high to low evaporation temperatures, so as to continuously cool down the refrigerant with the lowest evaporation temperature. It can be understood that the lower the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant, the better its cooling effect. When the refrigerant with the lowest evaporation temperature flows through the last intermediate heat exchanger 15 (the intermediate heat exchanger 15 with the largest order), it continues to be cooled down and maintains the liquid phase.

[0079] Specifically, in the embodiment, the number of the intermediate heat exchangers 15 is the same as the type of refrigerant contained in the mixed refrigerant, so that the design of the refrigeration system 100 can be simplified.

[0080] Specifically in the embodiment, the refrigeration module 10 is used for a refrigeration cycle containing a mixed refrigerant of R404a refrigerant, R23 refrigerant and R14 refrigerant with decreasing evaporation temperatures. R404a refrigerant, R23 refrigerant, and R14 refrigerant are three conventional refrigerants. The evaporation temperature (under atmospheric pressure) of R14 refrigerant is usually around -70°C, and its refrigeration capacity is strong. When evaporating and gasifying in the evaporator 14, it can absorb a large amount of heat from the external load 200, and the refrigeration effect is good.

[0081] In a specific embodiment, the mixed refrigerant includes the above three refrigerants, and the intermediate heat exchangers 15 include h1, h2 and h3. The three intermediate heat exchangers 15 h1, h2 and h3 are arranged in ascending order in the refrigerant flow direction of the first flow path S1. Along the refrigerant flow direction of the second flow path S2, the second flow path S2 passes through the three intermediate heat exchangers 15 h2, h3 and h1 in sequence, and is finally connected to the suction end of the compressor 11.

[0082] In some embodiments, reference Figure 1 The refrigeration module 10 further includes a first liquid storage tank 16 and a pressure relief bypass m2. The first liquid storage tank 16 is disposed in the first flow path S1 and is located between the condenser 12 and all the intermediate heat exchangers 15. The pressure relief bypass m2 is connected between the outlet side of the first liquid storage tank 16 and the suction end of the compressor 11. A pressure relief valve f2 and a first expansion tank 17 are disposed on the pressure relief bypass m2.

[0083] The first liquid storage tank 16 is used to store the liquid phase components in the mixed refrigerant and stabilize the circulation volume of the liquid phase mixed refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle S. The pressure relief valve f2 automatically opens and closes according to the working pressure, and opens to release pressure when the set pressure is exceeded, ensuring that the refrigerant pressure on the outlet side of the first liquid storage tank 16 is below the set pressure. When the refrigerant pressure on the outlet side of the first liquid storage tank 16 exceeds the set pressure, the pressure relief valve f2 opens to divert part of the refrigerant to the suction side of the compressor 11. When the refrigerant flows through the pressure relief bypass m2, it expands and cools down through the first expansion valve.

[0084] In some embodiments, reference Figure 1 The refrigeration module 10 further includes a second liquid storage tank 18, which is disposed in the first flow path S1 and is located between all the intermediate heat exchangers 15 and the throttling device 13. The second liquid storage tank 18 has the same function as the first liquid storage tank 16, and is used to store the liquid phase component in the refrigerant and stabilize the circulation amount of the liquid phase refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle S.

[0085] It is worth adding that the refrigeration system 100 can directly cool down the external load 200 through the evaporator 14 of the refrigeration module 10. In other embodiments, the schemes in the following embodiments can also be adopted to achieve cooling down the external load 200.

[0086] In some embodiments, reference Figure 3 The refrigeration system 100 further includes a cooling module 20 for cooling an external load 200. The cooling module 20 includes a cooling flow path Q for circulating a coolant. The cooling flow path Q is used to connect to the external load 200 to form a circulation loop for the coolant to flow together with the external load 200. The cooling flow path Q exchanges heat with the refrigeration circulation loop S through the evaporator 14.

[0087] That is, the evaporator 14 of the refrigeration module 10 cools the coolant in the cooling flow path Q, and then uses the coolant to cool the external load 200. It can be understood that the external load 200 is provided with a pipeline connected to the cooling flow path Q to form a circulation loop for the coolant to flow. During the circulation process, the coolant can flow through the pipeline on the external load 200 and directly cool the external load 200.

[0088] Specifically, the evaporator 14 includes a first pipeline and a second pipeline that can exchange heat with each other. The first pipeline is connected to the refrigeration cycle S for circulating refrigerant. The second pipeline is connected to the cooling flow path Q for circulating coolant. In this way, the cooling flow path Q and the refrigeration cycle S can exchange heat through the evaporator 14.

[0089] At this time, the refrigeration system 100 cools the external load 200 through the cooling module 20 , and its coolant can directly flow in the pipeline of the external load 200 , which has a better cooling effect on the external load 200 , and the cooling capacity utilization rate of the refrigeration system 100 is higher.

[0090] The cooling liquid may include fluorinated liquid or other low-temperature coolants, and the freezing point of the coolant is usually required to be lower than the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant to be exchanged.

[0091] In some embodiments, reference Figure 3 The cooling module 20 includes a circulating pump 21 and a heater 22 located in the cooling flow path Q. On the cooling flow path Q, the evaporator 14 is located between the circulating pump 21 and the heater 22. The circulating pump 21 is used to provide power to cause the coolant to circulate in the cooling flow path Q, and the heater 22 is used to adjust the temperature of the coolant flowing through itself.

[0092] The circulation pump 21 can speed up the flow rate of the coolant in the cooling flow path Q, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency of the coolant to the external load 200. At the same time, after the coolant is cooled in the evaporator 14, it is heated and adjusted to the required temperature by the heater 22, so that the temperature of the external load 200 can be adjusted more accurately, and the refrigeration system 100 can be used with external loads 200 with different temperature requirements.

[0093] Specifically, the heater 22 has a heating pipeline, which is located on the cooling flow path Q and can be used to circulate the coolant. In other examples, the heater 22 can also heat the cooling flow path Q directly from the outside.

[0094] In some embodiments, reference Figure 3 The cooling module 20 further includes a cooling bypass m3, one end of which is connected to the cooling flow path Q at the outlet side of the heater 22, and the other end is connected to the cooling flow path Q at the inlet side of the circulation pump 21. The cooling bypass m3 is connected in parallel with the external load 200 between the heater 22 and the circulation pump 21. A pressure regulating valve f3 is provided on the cooling bypass m3.

[0095] In actual application, the opening of the pressure regulating valve f3 can be adjusted to control the coolant content entering the external load 200 and the liquid supply pressure of the cooling flow path Q, so that the cooling effect of the coolant on the external load 200 can be adjusted according to demand.

[0096] Specifically, when the supply pressure is too high, the opening of the pressure regulating valve f3 is increased to reduce the amount of coolant flowing through the external load 200. When the supply pressure is too low, the opening of the pressure regulating valve f3 is reduced to increase the amount of coolant flowing through the external load 200 and reduce the amount of coolant flowing through the cooling bypass m3.

[0097] In some embodiments, reference Figure 3The cooling module 20 also includes an air collecting barrel 23 and a second expansion tank 24. The air collecting barrel 23 is arranged in the cooling flow path Q and is located at the inlet side of the circulating pump 21. The second expansion tank 24 connects the air collecting barrel 23 and the circulating pump 21, and the air collecting barrel 23 is connected to the heater 22.

[0098] The air collecting barrel 23 can be used to discharge the air in the coolant, reduce the probability of air entering the circulation pump 21, and improve the reliability of the circulation pump 21. At the same time, the air collecting barrel 23 and the second expansion tank 24 can also store the coolant to buffer and stabilize the cooling module 20. It can be understood that the air collecting barrel 23 is connected to the outlet side of the heater 22 through the external load 200 or the cooling bypass m3.

[0099] In addition, in other embodiments, Figure 3 As shown, the refrigeration system 100 may also include an oil separator 19, a dryer, and a pressure controller 10b. The oil separator 19 is located in the refrigeration cycle S and is connected between the compressor 11 and the condenser 12. The dryer is located in the refrigeration cycle S and is connected between the condenser 12 and the first liquid storage tank 16. The pressure controller 10b is connected to the compressor 11 and is used to monitor and control the pressure on the exhaust side / intake side of the compressor 11. In addition, temperature monitors, pressure monitors, etc. can be set on the refrigeration cycle S and the cooling flow path Q to monitor the pipeline temperature and pressure. The oil separator 19, the dryer, and the pressure controller 10b are commonly used devices in this field, and the specific types are not limited here.

[0100] In addition, the embodiment of the present application further provides a test device, including a test terminal and the refrigeration system 100 in the above embodiment, wherein the refrigeration system 100 is used to cool the test terminal. At this time, the test terminal serves as an external load 200 of the refrigeration system 100 and is cooled by the refrigeration system 100.

[0101] The test equipment can be a sorting test equipment or a probe station equipment, which is used for testing semiconductor devices such as chips or wafers. The test terminal can be a test pressure head, a test cavity, a wafer carrier, etc. The test cavity is a cavity structure for providing a test space, and a plurality of chips or wafers can be stored in the test space. The evaporator 14 of the refrigeration system 100 can be arranged in the test space to adjust the test temperature of the test space. The test pressure head refers to a pressure head structure that can be pressed down and abutted on the chip. It is in direct contact with the chip to regulate the temperature of the chip. The cooling flow path Q of the refrigeration system 100 is connected to the pipeline in the test pressure head to adjust the temperature of the test pressure head. The wafer carrier refers to a wafer carried by adsorption. The cooling flow path Q of the refrigeration system 100 is connected to the pipeline in the wafer carrier to adjust the test temperature of the wafer.

[0102] The technical features of the above-described embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. To make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-described embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0103] The above-mentioned embodiments only express several implementation methods of the present application, and the descriptions thereof are relatively specific and detailed, but they cannot be understood as limiting the scope of the present application. It should be pointed out that, for a person of ordinary skill in the art, several variations and improvements can be made without departing from the concept of the present application, and these all belong to the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application shall be subject to the attached claims.

Claims

1. A refrigeration system (100), characterized in that: A refrigeration module (10) for refrigerating a mixed refrigerant in a refrigeration cycle is provided, wherein the refrigeration module (10) comprises: A compressor (11), a condenser (12), a throttling device (13) and an evaporator (14) are sequentially connected to form a refrigeration cycle (S); and A throttling branch (j), a refrigeration bypass (m1), a bypass valve (f1) and a plurality of intermediate heat exchangers (15); The refrigeration cycle (S) comprises a first flow path (S1) and a second flow path (S2), the first flow path (S1) is located between the condenser (12) and the throttling device (13), the second flow path (S2) is located between the evaporator (14) and the suction end of the compressor (11), and the first flow path (S1) and the second flow path (S2) exchange heat in sequence via each of the intermediate heat exchangers (15); The first flow path (S1) comprises a liquid phase flow path section (d), and two adjacent intermediate heat exchangers (15) arranged on the first flow path (S1) are connected via the liquid phase flow path section (d), and the liquid phase flow path section (d) is used to separate the liquid phase refrigerant of the first flow path (S1) and guide the liquid phase refrigerant to flow along the first flow path (S1); The throttling branch (j) connects the first flow path (S1) and the second flow path (S2), and is used to separate and cool down the gas-phase refrigerant in the first flow path (S1), and guide the gas-phase refrigerant to flow into the second flow path (S2); wherein the inlet end of the throttling branch (j) is arranged between two adjacent intermediate heat exchangers (15) arranged on the first flow path (S1), and the outlet end thereof is arranged at the inlet side of the downstream one of the two intermediate heat exchangers (15); One end of the refrigeration bypass (m1) is connected to the refrigeration cycle circuit (S) located between the exhaust end of the compressor (11) and the condenser (12), and the other end is connected to the refrigeration cycle circuit (S) located between the throttling device (13) and the evaporator (14), and the bypass valve (f1) is arranged on the refrigeration bypass (m1).

2. The refrigeration system (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: Arrange the intermediate heat exchangers (15) in ascending order along the refrigerant flow direction of the first flow path (S1); Along the refrigerant flow direction of the second flow path (S2), the second flow path (S2) first passes through each of the intermediate heat exchangers (15) except the intermediate heat exchanger (15) located at the first position in the increasing order of each of the intermediate heat exchangers (15), and finally passes through the intermediate heat exchanger (15) located at the first position.

3. The refrigeration system (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The number of the intermediate heat exchangers (15) is the same as the type of refrigerant contained in the mixed refrigerant; and / or, The refrigeration module (10) is used for a refrigeration cycle containing a mixed refrigerant of R404a refrigerant, R23 refrigerant and R14 refrigerant with evaporation temperatures set in descending order.

4. The refrigeration system (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The refrigeration module (10) further comprises a first liquid storage tank (16) and a pressure relief bypass (m2), wherein the first liquid storage tank (16) is arranged in the first flow path (S1) and is located between the condenser (12) and all the intermediate heat exchangers (15), and the pressure relief bypass (m2) is connected between the outlet side of the first liquid storage tank (16) and the suction end of the compressor (11); The pressure relief bypass (m2) is provided with a pressure relief valve (f2) and a first expansion tank (17).

5. The refrigeration system (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The refrigeration module (10) further comprises a second liquid storage tank (18), wherein the second liquid storage tank (18) is arranged in the first flow path (S1) and is located between all the intermediate heat exchangers (15) and the throttling device (13).

6. The refrigeration system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The refrigeration system (100) further comprises a cooling module (20) for cooling an external load (200), the cooling module (20) comprising a cooling flow path (Q) for circulating a cooling liquid, the cooling flow path (Q) being used to connect to the external load (200) so as to form a circulation loop for the flow of the cooling liquid together with the external load (200); the cooling flow path (Q) exchanges heat with the refrigeration circulation loop (S) via the evaporator (14).

7. The refrigeration system (100) according to claim 6, characterized in that: The cooling module (20) comprises a circulation pump (21) and a heater (22) located in the cooling flow path (Q). On the cooling flow path (Q), the evaporator (14) is located between the circulation pump (21) and the heater (22). The circulation pump (21) is used to provide power to cause the coolant to circulate in the cooling flow path (Q), and the heater (22) is used to adjust the temperature of the coolant flowing through itself.

8. The refrigeration system (100) according to claim 7, characterized in that: The cooling module (20) further comprises a cooling bypass (m3), one end of the cooling bypass (m3) being connected to the cooling flow path (Q) located at the outlet side of the heater (22), and the other end being connected to the cooling flow path (Q) located at the inlet side of the circulation pump (21); the cooling bypass (m3) and the external load (200) being connected in parallel between the heater (22) and the circulation pump (21); and a pressure regulating valve (f3) being arranged on the cooling bypass (m3).

9. The refrigeration system (100) according to claim 7, characterized in that: The cooling module (20) further comprises an air collecting barrel (23) and a second expansion tank (24); the air collecting barrel (23) is arranged in the cooling flow path (Q) and is located at the inlet side of the circulation pump (21); the second expansion tank (24) is connected to the air collecting barrel (23) and the circulation pump (21); and the air collecting barrel (23) is connected to the heater (22).

10. A testing device, characterized in that: It comprises a test terminal and a refrigeration system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the refrigeration system (100) is used for cooling the test terminal.

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