A spiral type multi-layer ice storage device and ice storage system

Abstract

This utility model relates to a spiral multi-layer ice storage device and system, solving the problems of low energy utilization efficiency, inconvenient maintenance, and high maintenance costs of existing ice storage devices. It includes a water tank and an ice-making tube assembly. The water tank has a water inlet. The ice-making tube assembly includes an inlet antifreeze main pipe, an outlet antifreeze main pipe, an outlet antifreeze connecting pipe, a distribution pipe, stacked coil assembly modules, and a controller. Each coil assembly module includes a coil support and a spiral ice-making tube mounted on the coil support. The coil assembly modules are stacked, and each module can be individually connected to the inlet and outlet antifreeze main pipes, allowing for individual control of each module's operation. This effectively controls the water and ice output of the ice storage device and allows for precise control of the coil assembly modules at different positions based on the water volume in the tank, thereby saving resources and optimizing energy efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of cold storage technology, specifically to a spiral multi-layer ice storage device and ice storage system. Background Technology

[0002] With the global energy shortage and increasing environmental awareness, cold storage technology has been widely used in building air conditioning and refrigeration due to its significant advantage in balancing grid load. However, traditional ice storage tanks have some inherent design problems, such as complex structure, easy leakage, and low heat exchange efficiency. These problems not only affect the overall performance of the cold storage system, but also increase maintenance costs and difficulty.

[0003] Furthermore, most traditional ice storage tanks employ a single, large-volume design, making precise control based on actual end-load conditions impossible, resulting in low energy utilization efficiency. Therefore, developing a novel ice storage device structure and its control method that overcomes these shortcomings and achieves efficient and reliable operation is of significant practical importance and has broad market prospects for promoting the further development of cold storage technology. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to solve the problems of low energy utilization efficiency, inconvenient maintenance, and high maintenance costs of existing ice storage devices.

[0005] The technical solution adopted to solve the technical problem proposed by this utility model is as follows: The spiral multi-layer ice storage device of this utility model includes a water tank and an ice-making tube assembly disposed in the water tank. The water tank is provided with a water inlet. The ice-making tube assembly includes an inlet antifreeze main pipe, an outlet antifreeze main pipe, an outlet antifreeze connecting pipe, a distribution pipe, a coil assembly module stacked vertically, and a controller. The ice-making tube assembly is connected to the controller. The coil assembly module includes a coil support and a spiral ice-making tube disposed on the coil support. The spiral ice-making tube is provided with a spiral ice-making tube inlet and a spiral ice-making tube outlet. The distribution pipe is connected to each coil assembly module. The spiral ice-making tube of each coil assembly module is connected to the inlet of the coil. Each coil assembly module is equipped with a corresponding antifreeze outlet connection pipe. The outlet of the spiral ice-making tube of each coil assembly module is connected to the inlet of the corresponding antifreeze outlet connection pipe. The outlet of the antifreeze outlet connection pipe of the coil assembly module below the top coil assembly module is connected to the distribution pipe through an antifreeze outlet connection pipe three-way valve. The outlet of the top antifreeze outlet connection pipe, the outlet of the distribution pipe, and the main antifreeze outlet are connected through an outlet three-way valve. The inlet of the main antifreeze outlet is located at the top of the box, and the outlet of the main antifreeze outlet is located at the bottom of the box. The inlet of the distribution pipe is connected to the outlet of the main antifreeze outlet.

[0006] An ice storage system using a spiral multi-layer ice storage device of the present invention includes a central control module, a system water inlet pipe, a system liquid inlet main pipe, a system liquid outlet main pipe, and two or more ice storage devices. The water inlet of each ice storage device is connected to the system water inlet pipe through a system water inlet solenoid valve. The liquid inlet main pipe of each ice storage device is connected to the system liquid inlet main pipe through a system liquid inlet solenoid valve. The liquid outlet main pipe of each ice storage device is connected to the system liquid outlet main pipe through a system liquid outlet solenoid valve. The controller of each ice storage device is connected to the central control module.

[0007] The technical solutions that further define this utility model include:

[0008] A partition is provided between two adjacent coil assembly modules, which separates the two adjacent coil assembly modules into a gap. The outlet end of the antifreeze connection pipe is located inside the gap.

[0009] The coil support includes one or more coil support units, the spiral ice-making tube includes one or more spiral ice-making tube units, each coil support unit has one or more spiral ice-making tube units, the coil assembly module includes one or more coil assembly units, each coil assembly unit consists of a coil support unit and a spiral ice-making tube unit disposed on the coil support unit, the liquid distribution pipe is connected to the liquid inlet of each spiral ice-making tube unit, and the liquid outlet of each spiral ice-making tube unit is connected to the liquid inlet of the defreezing liquid connection pipe.

[0010] Two or more spiral ice-making tubes are stacked together.

[0011] The coil support unit consists of two or more support plates arranged in a cross pattern. The support plates are vertically arranged, and the liquid distribution pipe is located at the intersection of the support plates. The support plates are fixedly connected to the outer wall of the liquid distribution pipe. The support plates are provided with spiral ice-making tube unit mounting holes that cooperate with the spiral ice-making tube unit.

[0012] The water tank is provided with a support plate positioning groove that matches the edge of the support plate, and the edge of the support plate is located in the support plate positioning groove.

[0013] The outer surface of the spiral ice-making tube is coated with a layer of polytetrafluoroethylene thermally conductive plastic.

[0014] Both the antifreeze connection pipe three-way valve and the liquid outlet three-way valve are three-way solenoid valves, and they are connected to the controller respectively.

[0015] The ice storage device also includes a temperature sensor for detecting the water temperature in the water tank, and the temperature sensor is connected to the controller.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this utility model through the above technical solution are as follows: The coil component modules of the spiral multi-layer ice storage device of this utility model are stacked one on top of the other. Each coil component module can be individually connected to the inlet and outlet antifreeze main pipes, thereby enabling individual control of the opening of each coil component module. This effectively controls the water output and ice output of the ice storage device. It also allows for precise control of the coil component modules at different positions that need to be opened based on the water volume in the water tank, thereby saving resources and optimizing energy efficiency. In addition, the modular design means that subsequent maintenance only requires disassembling the corresponding modules, which is convenient for disassembly and maintenance and reduces maintenance costs. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a spiral multi-layer ice storage device according to the present invention.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the box body of a spiral multi-layer ice storage device according to this utility model.

[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the planar structure inside the box of a spiral multi-layer ice storage device according to the present invention.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the coil assembly module of a spiral multi-layer ice storage device according to the present invention.

[0021] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the coil assembly module of a spiral multi-layer ice storage device according to the present invention.

[0022] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a single coil assembly of a spiral multi-layer ice storage device according to the present invention.

[0023] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an ice storage system according to the present invention.

[0024] The system includes: a water tank 10, a tank body 101, a top cover 102, a water inlet 11, an antifreeze main pipe 20, an antifreeze main pipe inlet 21, an antifreeze main pipe outlet 22, an antifreeze main pipe outlet 30, an antifreeze main pipe outlet 31, an antifreeze connecting pipe 40, an outlet end 41 of the antifreeze connecting pipe, an antifreeze connecting pipe three-way valve 42, a distribution pipe 50, a coil assembly module 60, a coil support 61, a coil support unit 611, a support plate 6111, an edge of the support plate 61111, a spiral ice-making tube 62, a spiral ice-making tube inlet 621, a spiral ice-making tube outlet 622, a spiral ice-making tube unit 623, a coil assembly unit 63, a partition 70, a slit 71, an outlet three-way valve 80, an ice storage system 90, a system water inlet pipe 91, a system liquid inlet main pipe 92, and a system liquid outlet main pipe 93. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The structure of this utility model will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0026] Reference Figures 1 to 7 The spiral multi-layer ice storage device of this utility model includes a water tank 10 and an ice-making tube assembly disposed in the water tank 10. The water tank 10 is provided with a water inlet 11. The ice-making tube assembly includes an inlet antifreeze main pipe 20, an outlet antifreeze main pipe 30, an outlet antifreeze connecting pipe 40, a distribution pipe 50, a coil assembly module 60 stacked on top of each other, and a controller. The ice-making tube assembly is connected to the controller. In this embodiment, the water tank 10 includes a tank body 101 and a top cover 102 disposed on the top of the tank body. The top cover is sealed to the tank body. The water inlet 11, the inlet 21 of the inlet antifreeze main pipe, and the outlet 31 of the outlet antifreeze main pipe are all located on the top cover. The coil assembly module 60 includes a coil support 61 and a spiral ice-making tube 62 mounted on the coil support 61. The spiral ice-making tube 62 has a spiral ice-making tube inlet 621 and a spiral ice-making tube outlet 622. The distribution pipes 50 are connected to the spiral ice-making tube inlets of each coil assembly module 60. Each coil assembly module 60 is provided with a corresponding defreezing liquid outlet connection pipe 40. The spiral ice-making tube outlet of each coil assembly module 60 is connected to the corresponding defreezing liquid outlet connection pipe inlet. The outlet of the antifreeze connection pipe of the coil assembly module below the top coil assembly module is connected to the distribution pipe 50 via the antifreeze connection pipe three-way valve 42. The outlet of the top antifreeze connection pipe, the outlet of the distribution pipe, and the main antifreeze outlet are connected via the outlet three-way valve 80. The inlet 21 of the main antifreeze outlet is located at the top of the housing, and the outlet 22 of the main antifreeze outlet is located at the bottom of the housing. The inlet 51 of the distribution pipe 50 is connected to the outlet 22 of the main antifreeze outlet. In this embodiment, both the antifreeze connection pipe three-way valve and the outlet three-way valve are three-way solenoid valves, and both are connected to the controller.

[0027] In this embodiment, the coil support 61 includes one or more coil support units 611, and the spiral ice-making tube 62 includes one or more spiral ice-making tube units 623. Each coil support unit 611 is composed of two or more cross-arranged support plates 6111, which are vertically arranged. The liquid distribution tube 50 is located at the intersection of the support plates 6111, and the support plates are fixedly connected to the outer wall of the liquid distribution tube 50. The support plates are provided with spiral ice-making tube unit mounting holes that mate with the spiral ice-making tube units 623. In this embodiment, four support plates are provided; however, multiple plates can be provided as needed in specific implementations. The spiral ice-making tube units pass through the spiral ice-making tube unit mounting holes and are wound into a spiral shape. Each coil support unit has one or more spiral ice-making tube units 623. The coil assembly module 60 includes one or more coil assembly units 63. Each coil assembly unit 63 consists of a coil support unit 611 and spiral ice-making tube units 623 mounted on the coil support unit. A distribution pipe 50 is connected to the inlet of each spiral ice-making tube unit 623, and the outlet of each spiral ice-making tube unit is connected to the inlet of the defreezing fluid connection pipe. During installation, the spiral ice-making tube units and the coil support units are assembled to form a coil assembly unit. In this embodiment, two or more spiral ice-making tube units 623 are stacked. During installation, multiple spiral ice-making tube units can be stacked to form a coil assembly module as needed.

[0028] In this embodiment, the water tank 10 is provided with a support plate positioning groove that mates with the edge of the support plate, and the edge 61111 of the support plate is located in the support plate positioning groove. The support plate can be positioned by inserting the edge of the support plate into the support plate positioning groove in the water tank. Each layer of coil support unit is stacked on top of each other, and the support components between them contact each other, thereby realizing the bottom-up limiting design. No bolts are required for fixing, which is convenient for installation and disassembly, and completes the assembly of all coil pre-installed modules.

[0029] In this embodiment, a partition 70 is provided between two adjacent coil assembly modules 60, creating a gap 71 between them. The outlet end 41 of the antifreeze connection pipe is located within the gap 71. This facilitates the installation of the coil assembly modules and the antifreeze connection pipe, resulting in a simple and compact overall structure with minimal space occupation. In this embodiment, three coil assembly modules are provided; however, multiple modules can be configured as needed in specific implementations. The modular design allows for easy disassembly and maintenance by simply removing the corresponding modules, reducing maintenance costs.

[0030] In this embodiment, the outer surface of the spiral ice-making tube 62 is coated with a layer of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) thermally conductive plastic. This material has excellent thermal conductivity and corrosion resistance, which can effectively extend the service life of the spiral ice-making tube. At the same time, it can also improve the heat transfer efficiency between the ice water and the coil, further enhancing the performance of the ice storage device.

[0031] In this embodiment, the ice storage device also includes a temperature sensor connected to the controller. The temperature sensor detects the water temperature in the tank in real time. When the detected water temperature exceeds or falls below a preset temperature range, the temperature sensor immediately transmits a control signal to the controller. The controller then controls the corresponding solenoid valves based on the received signal, thereby adjusting the number of coil assembly modules that are open to achieve precise control of the terminal system temperature.

[0032] In use, the spiral multi-layer ice storage device of this invention introduces antifreeze through the inlet 21 of the top antifreeze main pipe during ice making. After passing through the main pipe 20, the antifreeze enters the distribution pipe 50. The controller then controls the opening and closing of the coil assembly modules 60 as needed via the three-way valve on the antifreeze connection pipe and the outlet three-way valve, thereby controlling the antifreeze outlet path. Each coil assembly module 60 can be individually connected to the inlet and outlet antifreeze main pipes 20 and 30, allowing for individual control of each module's opening and closing. This effectively controls the water and ice output of the ice storage device. Furthermore, it allows for precise control of the coil assembly modules 60 at different positions based on the water volume in the water tank 10, thus saving resources and optimizing energy efficiency. The antifreeze finally exits from the outlet 31 of the antifreeze main pipe. This process can form an approximately isothermal heat exchange, resulting in higher heat exchange efficiency. At the same time, during ice melting, hot unfreezing liquid enters from the bottom, and the bottom melts first. Due to the thermal expansion and contraction effect, the density decreases, and the liquid naturally rises. The low-temperature water in the upper part that has not melted sinks, forming a continuous convection circulation of water between the upper and lower parts, resulting in higher ice melting efficiency.

[0033] An ice storage system 90 employing the spiral multi-layer ice storage device of this invention includes a central control module, a system inlet pipe 91, a system liquid inlet main pipe 92, a system liquid outlet main pipe 93, and two or more ice storage devices. The inlet 11 of each ice storage device is connected to the system inlet pipe 91 via a system inlet solenoid valve. The liquid inlet main pipe 21 of each ice storage device is connected to the system liquid inlet main pipe 92 via a system liquid inlet solenoid valve. The liquid outlet main pipe 31 of each ice storage device is connected to the system liquid outlet main pipe 93 via a system liquid outlet solenoid valve. The controller of each ice storage device is connected to the central control module. Thus, multiple ice storage devices are connected in parallel in the system liquid inlet and system liquid outlet main pipes of the ice storage system. Each ice storage device can be independently connected to the ice storage system. The central control module achieves precise control of each ice storage device by controlling the corresponding system liquid inlet and system liquid outlet solenoid valves, thereby effectively controlling the water output and ice output of each ice storage device. When the temperature sensor detects that the water temperature exceeds or falls below the preset temperature range, it immediately transmits a control signal to the ice storage system. The central control module then controls the corresponding solenoid valves based on the received signal, thereby adjusting the number of ice storage devices open to achieve precise temperature control of the terminal system.

[0034] The control method of this invention for the ice storage system significantly improves the system's response speed and greatly enhances the temperature control accuracy of the terminal system. Furthermore, because it can precisely control the operating status of each ice storage device according to actual needs, energy efficiency is optimized, resulting in considerable economic benefits.

[0035] The specific control logic is as follows:

[0036] Where Ts is the setpoint temperature, and Two is the temperature detected by the temperature sensor. When Two > Ts + 3 for 3 minutes, the central control module immediately sends an opening signal to the corresponding system inlet and outlet solenoid valves, causing the corresponding ice storage device to start working and replenish the cooling capacity. When Ts + 3 ≥ Two ≥ Ts for 3 minutes, the central control module maintains the existing open state of the system inlet and outlet solenoid valves. When Ts > Two for 3 minutes, the central control module sends a closing signal to the corresponding system inlet and outlet solenoid valves, causing the corresponding ice storage device to stop working and preventing excessive cooling capacity injection. Through this precise control, the system's operating efficiency is greatly improved.

[0037] Although specific embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, this should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention. Various modifications and variations that can be made by those skilled in the art without inventive effort within the scope described in the claims still fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A spiral multi-layer ice storage device, comprising a water tank and an ice-making pipe assembly disposed within the water tank, wherein the water tank is provided with a water inlet, characterized in that: The ice-making tube assembly includes an inlet antifreeze main pipe, an outlet antifreeze main pipe, an outlet antifreeze connecting pipe, a distribution pipe, stacked coil assembly modules, and a controller. The ice-making tube assembly is connected to the controller. Each coil assembly module includes a coil support and a spiral ice-making tube mounted on the coil support. The spiral ice-making tube has a spiral ice-making tube inlet and a spiral ice-making tube outlet. The distribution pipe is connected to the spiral ice-making tube inlet of each coil assembly module. Each coil assembly module has a corresponding antifreeze connecting pipe. The spiral ice-making tube outlet of each coil assembly module is connected to the corresponding antifreeze connection tube inlet. The antifreeze connection tube outlet of the coil assembly module below the top coil assembly module is connected to the distribution pipe through an antifreeze connection tube three-way valve. The antifreeze connection tube outlet, the distribution pipe outlet, and the antifreeze main pipe outlet are connected through an outlet three-way valve. The antifreeze main pipe inlet is located at the top of the box, the antifreeze main pipe outlet is located at the bottom of the box, and the distribution pipe inlet is connected to the antifreeze main pipe outlet.

2. A helical multi-story ice storage device as set forth in claim 1, wherein: A partition is provided between two adjacent coil assembly modules, which separates the two adjacent coil assembly modules into a gap. The outlet end of the antifreeze connection pipe is located inside the gap.

3. A helical multi-story ice storage device as set forth in claim 1, wherein: The coil support includes one or more coil support units, the spiral ice-making tube includes one or more spiral ice-making tube units, each coil support unit has one or more spiral ice-making tube units, the coil assembly module includes one or more coil assembly units, each coil assembly unit consists of a coil support unit and a spiral ice-making tube unit disposed on the coil support unit, the liquid distribution pipe is connected to the liquid inlet of each spiral ice-making tube unit, and the liquid outlet of each spiral ice-making tube unit is connected to the liquid inlet of the defreezing liquid connection pipe.

4. A helical multi-story ice storage device as set forth in claim 3, wherein: Two or more spiral ice-making tubes are stacked together.

5. A helical multi-story ice storage device as set forth in claim 3, wherein: The coil support unit consists of two or more support plates arranged in a cross pattern. The support plates are vertically arranged, and the liquid distribution pipe is located at the intersection of the support plates. The support plates are fixedly connected to the outer wall of the liquid distribution pipe. The support plates are provided with spiral ice-making tube unit mounting holes that cooperate with the spiral ice-making tube unit.

6. A helical multi-story ice storage device as set forth in claim 5, characterized by: The water tank is provided with a support plate positioning groove that matches the edge of the support plate, and the edge of the support plate is located in the support plate positioning groove.

7. A helical multi-story ice storage device as set forth in claim 1, wherein: The outer surface of the spiral ice-making tube is coated with a layer of polytetrafluoroethylene thermally conductive plastic.

8. A helical multi-story ice storage device as set forth in claim 1, wherein: Both the antifreeze connection pipe three-way valve and the liquid outlet three-way valve are three-way solenoid valves, and they are connected to the controller respectively.

9. A helical multi-story ice storage device as set forth in claim 1, wherein: The ice storage device also includes a temperature sensor for detecting the water temperature in the water tank, and the temperature sensor is connected to the controller.

10. An ice storage system using the spiral multi-layer ice storage device as described in any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that: The ice storage system includes a central control module, a system water inlet pipe, a system liquid inlet main pipe, a system liquid outlet main pipe, and two or more ice storage devices. The water inlet of each ice storage device is connected to the system water inlet pipe through a system water inlet solenoid valve. The liquid inlet main pipe of each ice storage device is connected to the system liquid inlet main pipe through a system liquid inlet solenoid valve. The liquid outlet main pipe of each ice storage device is connected to the system liquid outlet main pipe through a system liquid outlet solenoid valve. The controller of each ice storage device is connected to the central control module.

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