Refrigerating device

Abstract

To provide a refrigerating device capable of cooling storage objects stored in a cooling chamber of the refrigerating device as fast as possible.SOLUTION: A refrigerating device is communicable with a server. When the server acquires information predicting temperature rise in a cooling chamber due to some factor, according to a control method during normal operation, a control part switches a control mode, on the basis of the information received from the server, from a first control mode which performs control on the basis of difference between temperature detected by an internal temperature sensor and set temperature to a second control mode which performs control on the basis of difference between temperature detected by an evaporator outlet sensor and temperature detected by an evaporator inlet sensor.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to refrigeration devices. [Background technology]

[0002] In refrigeration systems, temperature rises in the cooling chamber can affect stored items, so measures to prevent temperature rises in the cooling chamber are being considered.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a compressor motor operating device that can rapidly cool stored items in a refrigerator that have a larger heat capacity than the internal temperature sensor that detects the internal temperature to near the set temperature by cooling them using a second set temperature that is lower than the set temperature when the internal temperature, which is the cooling temperature of the refrigerator, is significantly higher than the set temperature.

[0004] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a refrigerator that, when an alarm related to a cause of a power outage is issued, shifts the operation mode of the refrigerator from a first mode to a second mode in which the temperature inside the refrigerator is lower than that in the first mode, thereby lowering the temperature inside the refrigerator before a power outage occurs and capable of maintaining cooling capacity for a long period of time during a power outage. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Publication number 03-025094 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-196079 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The device disclosed in Patent Document 1 attempts to rapidly cool stored items in a refrigerator to near the set temperature by using a second set temperature lower than the set temperature. However, because the inverter device's operating state is controlled based on the difference between the refrigerator's internal temperature and the set temperature, even if a second set temperature lower than the set temperature is used, the inverter device may stop operating before all stored items are cooled to near the set temperature due to the relative positions of the stored items and the sensor that detects the internal temperature. Furthermore, the time it takes for stored items to be cooled by the cold air inside the refrigerator varies depending on the temperature of the stored items, and the temperature of the stored items changes depending on the sensible heat status, so the stored items may not reach the temperature detected by the sensor that detects the internal temperature. In such cases, it takes a long time for all stored items to be cooled to near the set temperature.

[0007] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a refrigerator control system that can maintain the cooling capacity of a refrigerator for a long period of time during a power outage by lowering the temperature inside the refrigerator before the power outage occurs. When preparing for a power outage, it is desirable to cool stored items as quickly as possible after the power outage is predicted because it is impossible to predict the time from when the power outage is predicted until it actually occurs. However, Patent Document 2 only controls the refrigerator to lower the temperature inside the refrigerator, and does not consider the cooling speed of the stored items inside the refrigerator. Furthermore, if the cooling operation is continued as pre-cooling without using a sensor that detects the temperature inside the refrigerator, and pre-cooling operation (increasing the compressor rotation speed, increasing the cooling fan rotation speed, etc.) continues even when the inside of the refrigerator and stored items are sufficiently cooled, more power than necessary will be consumed.

[0008] The present disclosure is intended to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and aims to provide a refrigeration device that can cool stored items to near the set temperature as quickly as possible when a rise in the temperature inside the storage unit is predicted due to some factor, such as a predicted power outage. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the refrigeration device of the present disclosure is a refrigeration device capable of communicating with a server, and comprises a box body having a cooling chamber, an internal temperature sensor provided in the cooling chamber and detecting the temperature inside the cooling chamber, a compressor constituting a refrigeration circuit that cools the inside of the cooling chamber, an evaporator constituting the refrigeration circuit, an evaporator inlet temperature sensor provided in the inlet piping of the evaporator and detecting the temperature at the evaporator inlet, an evaporator outlet temperature sensor provided in the outlet piping of the evaporator and detecting the temperature at the evaporator outlet, and a control unit that controls the refrigeration device based on information from various sensors and information from the server, and when it is predicted that the internal temperature will rise due to some factor, the control mode of the refrigeration device is switched from a first control mode during normal operation to a second control mode that controls based on the difference between the temperature detected by the evaporator outlet sensor and the temperature detected by the evaporator inlet sensor. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] The refrigeration device of the present disclosure can cool stored items in the refrigerator as quickly as possible when it is predicted that the temperature inside the refrigerator will rise due to some factor. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view of the refrigeration device according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side view of the refrigeration device of FIG. 1 as seen from the right side (the -X side of FIG. 1). [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing an example of a refrigeration circuit according to this embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an evaporator included in the refrigeration device according to this embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a rear view of the refrigeration device according to this embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control system for a refrigeration device according to this embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the control operation of the refrigeration apparatus according to this embodiment. [Figure 8]FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the control operation of the refrigeration device according to this embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiments described below are merely examples, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0013] Fig. 1 is a front view of a refrigeration device 1 according to this embodiment. Fig. 2 is a side view of the refrigeration device 1 of Fig. 1 as seen from the right side (the -X side of Fig. 1). The refrigeration device 1 is, for example, an ultra-low temperature freezer in which the internal temperature of the cooling compartment is -80°C or lower.

[0014] The refrigeration device 1 is composed of a housing 2 having an opening on the front side, an outer door 3, and a machine room 4.

[0015] The housing 2 is composed of an outer box 21, an inner box 22, a heat insulating material (not shown), etc. The outer box 21 has an opening, and the inner box 22 is stored inside the outer box 21. The heat insulating material is filled between the outer box 21 and the inner box 22. The inner box 22 has an opening on the front, and stored items are stored inside. Hereinafter, the inside of the inner box 22 will be referred to as the interior. An inner door 23 is fixed to the inner box 22 so that the opening can be opened and closed.

[0016] The outer door 3 has an outer panel 32 and an inner panel 31 made of, for example, metal, and the space between the inner panel 31 and the outer panel 32 is filled with foam insulation (not shown). The outer door 3 is fixed to the outside of the inner door 23 with a hinge 33 so that the opening of the housing 2 can be opened and closed. The outer door 3 is provided with a handle 34 that a user grips when opening and closing the outer door 3. A control panel 35 is provided on the entire surface of the outer panel 32 of the outer door 3. The control panel 35 has a display 35a and the like. The display 35a is a touch panel type. Alternatively, the control panel 35 may have a keyboard. Such a control panel 35 is, for example, an input device that allows a user to input the set temperature inside the refrigerator. The display 35a can display, for example, this set temperature.

[0017] Machine room 4 is provided in the lower part of housing 2. Machine room 4 houses refrigeration circuit 101 excluding low-temperature side evaporator 125, which will be described later.

[0018] 3 is a circuit diagram showing an example of a refrigeration circuit 101 according to this embodiment. The refrigeration circuit 101 is a cascade refrigeration circuit having a high-temperature side refrigeration circuit 110 and a low-temperature side refrigeration circuit 120, through which a refrigerant circulates independently of each other.

[0019] The high-temperature side refrigeration circuit 110 includes a high-temperature side compressor 111, a high-temperature side condenser 112, a high-temperature side pressure reducer 113, a high-temperature side evaporator 114, a dryer 115, and a liquid receiver .

[0020] The high temperature side evaporator 114 is an outer tube of the cascade condenser 130, which will be described later, and surrounds the second heat exchanger 123, which will be described later.

[0021] The above-mentioned devices are connected by predetermined piping (high-temperature side piping) so that the refrigerant (high-temperature side refrigerant) discharged from high-temperature side compressor 111 returns to high-temperature side compressor 111. The high-temperature side refrigerant circulates in the direction of the arrows in FIG. 3. That is, in high-temperature side refrigeration circuit 110, the high-temperature side refrigerant flows through high-temperature side compressor 111, high-temperature side condenser 112, dryer 115, high-temperature side pressure reducer 113, high-temperature side evaporator 114, and receiver 116 in this order, before returning to high-temperature side compressor 111. The refrigeration cycle in high-temperature side refrigeration circuit 110 can lower the temperature of the low-temperature side refrigerant in high-temperature side evaporator 114 to approximately -40°C.

[0022] The low-temperature side refrigeration circuit 120 includes a low-temperature side compressor 121 , a first heat exchanger 122 , a second heat exchanger 123 , a low-temperature side decompressor 124 , and a low-temperature side evaporator 125 .

[0023] The first heat exchanger 122 cools the refrigerant passing through it while it remains in the gas phase. Note that the first heat exchanger 122 may be a condenser that condenses the refrigerant passing through it.

[0024] The second heat exchanger 123 is the inner tube of the cascade condenser 130. That is, the second heat exchanger 123, which is the inner tube, is surrounded by the high-temperature side evaporator 114, which is the outer tube. In the cascade condenser 130, heat exchange occurs between the low-temperature refrigerant passing through the high-temperature side evaporator 114 and the high-temperature refrigerant passing through the second heat exchanger 123. At this time, the high-temperature refrigerant passing through the second heat exchanger 123 condenses. Note that when the first heat exchanger 122 is a condenser, the second heat exchanger 123 cools the liquid-phase refrigerant passing therethrough.

[0025] Low-temperature side evaporator 125 is, for example, a pipe made of copper or aluminum. As illustrated by the dotted line in Fig. 2, low-temperature side evaporator 125 is arranged so that at least a portion thereof is in contact with the outer surface of inner box 22. Furthermore, as illustrated in Fig. 4, low-temperature side evaporator 125 is arranged so that the low-temperature side refrigerant flows from the bottom of the inner box, through the top surface of the inner box, and back to the bottom of the inner box again. Therefore, as the refrigerant evaporates inside low-temperature side evaporator 125, the outer surface of inner box 22 in contact with low-temperature side evaporator 125 is cooled, and ultimately the interior of the refrigerator (the interior of inner box 22) is cooled.

[0026] The above-mentioned devices are connected by predetermined piping (low-temperature side piping) so that the refrigerant (low-temperature side refrigerant) discharged from low-temperature side compressor 121 returns to low-temperature side compressor 121. The low-temperature side refrigerant circulates in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 3. That is, in low-temperature side refrigeration circuit 120, the low-temperature side refrigerant flows through low-temperature side compressor 121, first heat exchanger 122, second heat exchanger 123, low-temperature side decompressor 124, and low-temperature side evaporator 125 in this order, and returns to low-temperature side compressor 121. Note that the refrigeration cycle in low-temperature side refrigeration circuit 120 allows an ultra-low temperature of -80°C or less to be obtained in low-temperature side evaporator 125.

[0027] Next, the configuration of the refrigeration device control system in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0028] Fig. 5 is a rear view of the refrigeration system 1 according to this embodiment. Fig. 5 shows the state before the cascade condenser 130 is installed, with the inlet and outlet piping of the low-temperature side evaporator 125 protruding from the insulating material filled between the inner box 22 and the outer box 21. In this embodiment, the low-temperature side refrigerant flows in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 5.

[0029] 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a refrigeration device control system according to this embodiment. The refrigeration device 1 includes a control unit 50.

[0030] The control unit 50 is a computer that performs overall control of the refrigeration device 1. The control unit 50 includes a storage device that stores a computer program (hereinafter simply referred to as a program) and a processor that executes the program.

[0031] The control unit 50 is electrically connected to an input unit 51, an outside air temperature sensor S1, an inside temperature sensor S2, an evaporator inlet temperature sensor S3, an evaporator outlet temperature sensor S4, a low-temperature side compressor 121, etc. The control unit 50 controls each part of the refrigeration device 1 based on the set temperature input to the input unit 51 and the temperatures detected by various sensors such as the outside air temperature sensor S1, the inside temperature sensor S2, the evaporator inlet temperature sensor S3, and the evaporator outlet temperature sensor S4.

[0032] The outside air temperature sensor S1 is attached to a predetermined position of the refrigeration device 1 so as to be able to detect the ambient temperature of the refrigeration device 1. Hereinafter, the temperature detected by the outside air temperature sensor will be referred to as the outside air temperature.

[0033] The internal temperature sensor S2 is attached to a predetermined position inside the cabinet so as to detect the internal temperature. Hereinafter, the temperature detected by the internal temperature sensor will be referred to as the internal temperature.

[0034] Evaporator inlet temperature sensor S3 is installed so as to detect the piping temperature near the inlet of low-temperature side evaporator 125, which constitutes low-temperature side refrigeration circuit 120, or the temperature of the low-temperature side refrigerant near the inlet. The inlet of low-temperature side evaporator 125 is, for example, as shown by 125a in FIG. 5, the portion upstream of low-temperature side evaporator 125, just before entering the insulating material filled between inner box 22 and outer box 21. Evaporator inlet temperature sensor S3 may be installed inside the insulating material to detect the temperature near the inlet, or may detect the piping temperature or the low-temperature side refrigerant temperature anywhere from just after low-temperature side pressure reducer 124 to the inlet of low-temperature side evaporator 125. Hereinafter, the temperature detected by the evaporator inlet temperature sensor will be referred to as the evaporator inlet temperature.

[0035] Evaporator outlet temperature sensor S4 is installed so as to detect the piping temperature near the outlet of low-temperature side evaporator 125, which constitutes low-temperature side refrigeration circuit 120, or the temperature of the low-temperature side refrigerant near the outlet. The outlet of low-temperature side evaporator 125 refers to the portion immediately after it leaves the insulating material filled between inner box 22 and outer box 21, downstream of low-temperature side evaporator 125, as shown by 125b in FIG. 5 . Evaporator outlet temperature sensor S4 may be installed inside the insulating material to detect the temperature near the outlet, or may detect the temperature anywhere between the outlet of low-temperature side evaporator 125 and immediately before entering low-temperature side compressor 121, as long as it is within a range where the piping temperature or the low-temperature side refrigerant does not come into contact with outside air or does not undergo heat exchange. Hereinafter, the temperature detected by the evaporator outlet temperature sensor will be referred to as the evaporator outlet temperature.

[0036] The control unit 50 is also connected to a communication device 61 for communication, and controls each part of the refrigeration device 1 based on information or instructions from the communication device 61.

[0037] The communication device 61 is provided inside or outside the refrigeration device 1, and communicates with the server 62 via an external network (Internet) NE, transferring data between the control unit 50 and the server 62.

[0038] The server 62 is an information processing device, and acquires information relating to factors that cause the temperature inside the refrigerator to rise via an external network NE, and controls the operation of the refrigeration device 1.

[0039] The information related to factors that cause the temperature inside the storage unit to rise includes, for example, information on the issuance of weather warnings related to factors that cause power outages, information on planned power outages, information on rising outside temperatures, etc. Weather warnings related to factors that cause power outages include, for example, warnings about heavy rain, heavy snow, high tides, floods, high waves, strong winds, blizzards, etc.

[0040] When server 62 acquires information relating to the cause of the rise in temperature inside the refrigerator, it transmits to refrigeration device 1 switching instruction information to switch the control mode of refrigeration device 1 from the first control mode to the second control mode. Furthermore, when server 62 acquires information indicating that the cause of the rise in temperature inside the refrigerator has disappeared, it transmits to refrigeration device 1 termination instruction information to switch the control mode of refrigeration device 1 from the second control mode to the first control mode and terminate the second control mode. Note that server 62 may transmit the acquired information to control unit 50 instead of switching instruction information or termination instruction information.

[0041] The control unit 50 switches the control mode of the refrigeration device 1 between a first control mode, which is a control method used during normal operation, in which control is based on the difference between the temperature inside the refrigerator and the set temperature, and a second control mode in which control is based on the difference between the evaporator outlet temperature and the evaporator inlet temperature.

[0042] In refrigeration device 1, the low-temperature side refrigerant flowing in low-temperature side refrigeration circuit 120 cools the interior of the refrigerator via inner box 22 by the heat absorption effect when evaporating inside low-temperature side evaporator 125. For this reason, the refrigerant flowing in from the inlet of low-temperature side evaporator 125 repeatedly evaporates sequentially toward the outlet of low-temperature side evaporator 125, and eventually evaporates near the outlet of low-temperature side evaporator 125. In other words, the interior of the refrigerator also begins to cool from the surface in contact with the inlet side of low-temperature side evaporator 125, and eventually the surface in contact with the outlet side of low-temperature side evaporator 125 is cooled, and so on.

[0043] As described above, since the inside of low-temperature side evaporator 125 cools most effectively near the inlet, it can be said that the entire inside of low-temperature side evaporator 125 has been completely cooled when the evaporator outlet temperature becomes the same as the evaporator inlet temperature. However, in reality, due to differences in the refrigeration capacity of the refrigeration device, the evaporator outlet temperature does not necessarily become the same as the evaporator inlet temperature. For this reason, it can be determined that the entire inside of low-temperature side evaporator 125 has been completely cooled when the temperature difference between the evaporator outlet temperature and the evaporator inlet temperature has narrowed to a certain extent, that is, when the temperature difference becomes equal to or less than a predetermined value.

[0044] 4, low-temperature side evaporator 125 is arranged so as to run from the bottom of the inner box to the top surface of the inner box, snaking along to cover the entire surface of inner box 22 except for the opening. From this, it can be determined that the entire interior of the refrigerator has been cooled when the temperature difference between the evaporator outlet temperature and the evaporator inlet temperature falls below a predetermined value (when the entire interior of low-temperature side evaporator 125 has been cooled completely). Although low-temperature side evaporator 125 is not arranged on the bottom surface in FIG. 4, it may also be arranged on the bottom surface.

[0045] In this way, when a rise in the temperature inside the refrigerator is predicted or when the temperature inside the refrigerator has already risen, the refrigeration device 1 controls the temperature difference between the evaporator outlet temperature and the evaporator inlet temperature, thereby being able to cool the entire refrigerator to a temperature lower than the set temperature, for example, to about -90°C. Note that the target value for the temperature difference between the evaporator outlet temperature and the evaporator inlet temperature may be set arbitrarily for each device.

[0046] In the second control mode, the control unit 50 changes the rotation speed of the low-temperature side compressor 121 to the maximum rotation speed or a rotation speed higher than the rotation speed in the first control mode, and operates the compressor continuously. If the low-temperature side compressor 121 is a compressor with a rated output, the control unit 50 changes the operation of the low-temperature side compressor 121 to continuous operation in the second control mode. This makes it possible to cool the inside temperature more rapidly in the second control mode than in the first control mode during normal operation.

[0047] In the second control mode, the control unit 50 calculates the temperature difference between the evaporator outlet temperature and the evaporator inlet temperature, and when the temperature difference becomes equal to or less than a predetermined value, operates the low-temperature side compressor 121 for a predetermined time.

[0048] In this way, by continuing operation for a predetermined time after the temperature difference between the evaporator outlet temperature and the evaporator inlet temperature falls below a predetermined value, the entire interior of the refrigerator can be reliably cooled, and all stored items in the refrigerator can be cooled to a set temperature or below. The predetermined time is the time required for the entire refrigerator to be sufficiently cooled, and varies depending on conditions such as the refrigeration capacity of the refrigeration device and the outside temperature, but is, for example, 60 minutes or more. Alternatively, the user may be able to set the time at their own discretion, beyond a predetermined time required for the entire refrigerator to be sufficiently cooled.

[0049] When the control unit 50 determines that the internal temperature is higher than the set temperature by a predetermined value or more, it switches the control mode of the refrigeration device 1 from the first control mode to the second control mode. When a predetermined time has elapsed since the temperature difference between the evaporator outlet temperature and the evaporator inlet temperature became equal to or less than a predetermined value, the control unit 50 switches the control mode of the refrigeration device 1 from the second control mode to the first control mode and ends the second control mode. Note that the predetermined value may be set arbitrarily by a user or may be changed depending on the cause of the rise in internal temperature. Furthermore, while the condition for switching to the second control mode is when the internal temperature is higher than the set temperature by a predetermined value or more, this condition is not limiting. For example, the control unit 50 may switch to the second control mode when a predetermined condition other than the internal temperature condition is met in addition to the internal temperature condition, such as when a predetermined time has elapsed since the internal temperature became higher than the set temperature by a predetermined value or more.

[0050] When the control unit 50 receives switching instruction information from the server 62 to switch the control mode to the second control mode, the control unit 50 switches the control mode of the refrigeration device 1 from the first control mode to the second control mode. When a predetermined time has elapsed since the temperature difference between the evaporator outlet temperature and the evaporator inlet temperature became equal to or less than a predetermined value, or when the control unit 50 receives termination instruction information from the server 62 to terminate the second control mode, the control unit 50 switches the control mode of the refrigeration device 1 from the second control mode to the first control mode and terminates the second control mode. Note that the control unit 50 may receive information acquired by the server 62 itself rather than instruction information from the server 62, and the control unit 50 may determine whether to switch to the second control mode or terminate the second control mode based on that information, and switch to the second control mode or terminate the second control mode.

[0051] When the control unit 50 receives an operation from the user to end the second control mode during control in the second control mode, the control unit 50 switches the control mode of the refrigeration device 1 from the second control mode to the first control mode and ends the second control mode. For example, when the user performs an operation to end the second control mode from the keyboard 35a of the control panel 35, the second control mode is ended.

[0052] Next, the control of the refrigeration device in this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 7 and 8. Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of control unit 50 when the temperature inside the refrigerator rises. Figure 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of control unit 50 when a temperature rise inside the refrigerator is predicted.

[0053] First, a case where the temperature inside the refrigerator rises will be described with reference to Fig. 7. At the start of the flowchart shown in Fig. 7, the control mode of the refrigeration device 1 is the first control mode.

[0054] The control unit 50 determines whether the internal temperature is higher than the set temperature by a predetermined value or more (S10). The predetermined value may be set arbitrarily by a user or the like, and may be changed depending on the cause of the rise in internal temperature.

[0055] When the control unit 50 determines that the internal temperature is not higher than the predetermined value (S10: NO), the control unit 50 ends the process and continues the first control mode.

[0056] If it is determined that the temperature inside the refrigerator is higher than a predetermined value (S10: YES), the control unit 50 switches the control mode of the refrigeration device 1 from the first control mode to the second control mode (S11). Specifically, when the control mode of the refrigeration device 1 switches to the second control mode, the rotation speed of the low-temperature side compressor 121 is changed to the maximum rotation speed or a rotation speed higher than that in the first control mode, and continuous operation is performed. If the low-temperature side compressor 121 is a compressor with rated output, the operation of the low-temperature side compressor 121 is changed to continuous operation. This increases the cooling capacity of the low-temperature side refrigeration circuit 120, and the low-temperature side evaporator 125 and therefore the inside of the refrigerator are rapidly cooled.

[0057] Next, control unit 50 determines whether the temperature difference between the evaporator outlet temperature and the evaporator inlet temperature of low-temperature side evaporator 125 is equal to or less than a predetermined value (S12). Note that the predetermined value is a value determined in advance based on the type of refrigerant, the compressor capacity (performance or specifications), the outside air temperature, etc., and is an optimum value for determining that the entire inside of low-temperature side evaporator 125 has been completely cooled.

[0058] If it is determined that the temperature difference between the evaporator outlet temperature and the evaporator inlet temperature is not equal to or less than the predetermined value (S12: NO), the control unit 50 repeatedly executes the processing of step S12 until the temperature difference between the evaporator outlet temperature and the evaporator inlet temperature becomes equal to or less than the predetermined value.

[0059] If it is determined that the temperature difference between the evaporator outlet temperature and the evaporator inlet temperature is equal to or less than the predetermined value (S12: YES), the control unit 50 determines whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the temperature difference between the evaporator outlet temperature and the evaporator inlet temperature became equal to or less than the predetermined value (S13). The predetermined time is the time required for the entire refrigerator interior to be sufficiently cooled, and varies depending on conditions such as the refrigeration capacity of the refrigeration device and the outside air temperature, but is, for example, 60 minutes or more. Alternatively, the user may be allowed to set the predetermined time beyond the time required for the entire refrigerator interior to be sufficiently cooled.

[0060] If it is determined that a predetermined time has not elapsed since the temperature difference between the evaporator outlet temperature and the evaporator inlet temperature became equal to or less than a predetermined value (S13: NO), the control unit 50 repeatedly executes the processing of step 13 until a predetermined time has elapsed since the temperature difference between the evaporator outlet temperature and the evaporator inlet temperature became equal to or less than the predetermined value.

[0061] If it is determined that a predetermined time has elapsed since the temperature difference between the evaporator outlet temperature and the evaporator inlet temperature became equal to or less than a predetermined value (S13: YES), the control unit 50 switches the control mode of the refrigeration device 1 from the second control mode to the first control mode and ends the second control mode (S14).

[0062] In this way, by the operation of Figure 7 described above, even if the temperature of the stored items rises due to an increase in the temperature inside the refrigeration device 1, the entire inside of the refrigeration device 1, and in turn all of the stored items inside the refrigeration device 1, can be rapidly cooled to below the set temperature and then returned to the set temperature. This shortens the time it takes for the stored items to cool down to near the set temperature, preventing deterioration in the quality of the stored items. Furthermore, during normal operation, energy-saving performance is maintained through precise control using the inside temperature sensor, and in the event of an abnormality such as a power outage where the inside temperature rises above a predetermined value, the control mode can be switched to quickly cool or supercool the stored items, contributing to energy conservation by not consuming more power than necessary.

[0063] Next, a case where a rise in the inside temperature is predicted will be described with reference to Fig. 8. At the start of the flowchart in Fig. 8, the control mode of the refrigeration device 1 is the first control mode.

[0064] First, the control unit 50 determines whether or not a switching instruction to switch the control mode has been received from the server 62 (S20).

[0065] For example, when the server 62 acquires information relating to the cause of the temperature rise inside the refrigerator, such as the issuance of a weather warning, the server 62 sends a switching instruction to the control unit 50 to switch the control mode, or sends the acquired information to the control unit. The control unit 50 switches the control mode in response to an instruction from the server 62.

[0066] When the control unit 50 determines that a switching instruction has not been received from the server 62 (S20: NO), the control unit 50 repeats step S20 again.

[0067] When the control unit 50 determines that a switching instruction has been received from the server 62 (S20: YES), it switches the control mode of the refrigeration device 1 from the first control mode to the second control mode (S21). Specifically, when the control mode of the refrigeration device 1 switches to the second control mode, the rotation speed of the low-temperature side compressor 121 is changed to the maximum rotation speed or a rotation speed higher than that in the first control mode, and continuous operation is performed. If the low-temperature side compressor 121 is a compressor with a rated output, the operation of the low-temperature side compressor 121 is changed to continuous operation. This increases the cooling capacity of the low-temperature side refrigeration circuit 120, and the low-temperature side evaporator 125 and therefore the interior of the refrigerator are rapidly cooled.

[0068] Subsequently, the control unit 50 determines whether or not an end instruction to end the second control mode has been received from the server 62 (S22).

[0069] When the server 62 receives information that the possibility of an increase in temperature inside the refrigerator has been lifted, for example, because a weather warning has been lifted, the server 62 sends an end instruction to the control unit 50 to end the control mode. The control unit 50 switches the control mode in response to an instruction from the server 62.

[0070] When it is determined that the instruction to end the second control mode has been received (S22: YES), the control unit 50 switches the control mode of the refrigeration device 1 from the second control mode to the first control mode, and ends the second control mode (S25).

[0071] When it is determined that the instruction to end the second control mode has not been received (S22: NO), the control unit 50 determines whether the temperature difference between the evaporator outlet temperature and the evaporator inlet temperature of the low-temperature side evaporator 125 is equal to or less than a predetermined value (S23). The predetermined value is determined in advance based on the type of refrigerant, the capacity (performance or specifications) of the compressor, the outside air temperature, etc., and is an optimum value for determining that the entire inside of the low-temperature side evaporator 125 has been completely cooled.

[0072] If it is determined that the temperature difference between the evaporator outlet temperature and the evaporator inlet temperature is not equal to or less than the predetermined value (S23: NO), the control unit 50 repeatedly executes steps S22 and S23 until the temperature difference between the evaporator outlet temperature and the evaporator inlet temperature becomes equal to or less than the predetermined value.

[0073] If it is determined that the temperature difference between the evaporator outlet temperature and the evaporator inlet temperature is equal to or less than the predetermined value (S23: YES), the control unit 50 determines whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the temperature difference between the evaporator outlet temperature and the evaporator inlet temperature became equal to or less than the predetermined value (S24). The predetermined time is the time required for the entire interior of the refrigerator to be sufficiently cooled, and varies depending on conditions such as the refrigeration capacity of the refrigeration device and the outside temperature, but is, for example, 60 minutes or more. Alternatively, the user may be allowed to set the predetermined time beyond the time required for the entire interior of the refrigerator to be sufficiently cooled.

[0074] If it is determined that a predetermined time has not elapsed since the temperature difference between the evaporator outlet temperature and the evaporator inlet temperature became equal to or less than a predetermined value (S24: NO), the control unit 50 repeatedly executes step S24 until a predetermined time has elapsed since the temperature difference between the evaporator outlet temperature and the evaporator inlet temperature became equal to or less than the predetermined value.

[0075] If it is determined that a predetermined time has elapsed since the temperature difference between the evaporator outlet temperature and the evaporator inlet temperature became equal to or less than a predetermined value (S24: YES), the control unit 50 switches the control mode of the refrigeration device 1 from the second control mode to the first control mode and ends the second control mode (S25).

[0076] In this way, when it is predicted that the temperature inside the refrigerator will rise due to some factor, the operation of Figure 8 described above makes it possible to rapidly cool the entire refrigerator, and in turn all stored items inside, to below the set temperature. This allows for quicker preparation for a temperature rise inside the refrigerator, and even in the event of a power outage or other event that causes the temperature inside the refrigerator to rise, it is possible to prevent a deterioration in the quality of stored items.

[0077] The present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications of the present embodiments are also included within the scope of the present disclosure, provided that they do not deviate from the gist of the present disclosure.

[0078] For example, while the embodiment described a refrigeration system having a dual cascade refrigeration circuit, the refrigeration circuit does not necessarily have to be a dual cascade refrigeration circuit. A refrigeration system using two independent refrigeration circuits to cool the interior of a refrigerator may also be used. In this case, an evaporator inlet temperature sensor and an evaporator outlet temperature sensor are provided in each of the evaporators in the two refrigeration circuits, and the control unit 50 controls each part of the refrigeration system, including the two refrigeration circuits, based on information from various sensors and the server 62. In the second control mode, the control unit 50 simultaneously switches the operation of the compressors in both circuits, and ends the second control mode after a predetermined period of operation when the difference between the evaporator outlet temperature and the evaporator inlet temperature both become equal to or less than a predetermined value. Other details of the operation of the control unit 50 are as described above.

[0079] Furthermore, whether or not to switch the control mode when the control mode switching conditions are met can be set in advance by the user or administrator.

[0080] Furthermore, as a control for when the inside temperature rises, the operation mode is switched to the second operating mode when the inside temperature is higher than the set temperature by a predetermined value or more, but this predetermined value may be changed depending on the type of operation that occurred before the inside temperature rose and that caused the inside temperature to rise (power-on, power outage, door opening / closing, etc.). In this case, steps are executed before step S10 in Figure 7 to determine whether the power has been turned on, whether a power outage has occurred, whether the door has been opened / closed, etc.

[0081] For example, when determining whether the power is turned on or whether there is a power outage, this can be determined by whether or not there is an input to the input unit 51 from the power switch to start the refrigeration device 1 when the refrigeration device 1 is started. Also, when determining whether the door is open or closed, this can be determined by whether or not there is an input from a sensor provided in the refrigeration device 1 that can detect whether the door is open or closed.

[0082] After determining the type of operation that will cause the temperature inside the refrigerator to rise in the step prior to step S10, step S10 is executed based on the predetermined value set for each operation. The subsequent operation of control unit 50 is as described above. [Industrial Applicability]

[0083] The refrigeration device according to the present disclosure can be applied to various refrigeration devices. [Explanation of symbols]

[0084] 1 Refrigeration equipment 2. Case 3 outer door 4 Machine room 21 Outer box 22 Inner box 23 Inner door 31 Inner plate 32 Outer Panel 33 Hinge 101 Refrigeration circuit 110 High temperature side refrigeration circuit 111 High temperature side compressor 112 High temperature side condenser 113 High temperature side pressure reducer 114 High temperature side evaporator 115 Dryer 116 Receiver 120 Low temperature side refrigeration circuit 121 Low temperature side compressor 122 1st heat exchanger 123 Second heat exchanger 124 Low temperature side pressure reducer 125 Low temperature side evaporator 130 Cascade Capacitor 50 control section 51 Input section S1 Outside air temperature sensor S2 Chamber temperature sensor S3 Evaporator inlet temperature sensor S4 Evaporator outlet temperature sensor 61 Communication equipment 62 servers Networks external to the NE

Claims

1. A refrigeration device capable of communicating with a server, a box having a cooling chamber; an internal temperature sensor provided in the cooling chamber for detecting a temperature inside the cooling chamber; a compressor constituting a refrigeration circuit that cools the inside of the cooling chamber; an evaporator constituting the refrigeration circuit; an evaporator inlet temperature sensor provided in an inlet pipe of the evaporator and configured to detect a temperature at the inlet of the evaporator; an evaporator outlet temperature sensor provided in an outlet pipe of the evaporator and configured to detect a temperature at the outlet of the evaporator; a control unit that controls the refrigeration device based on information from various sensors and information from the server, When the server acquires information that predicts that the temperature inside the cooling chamber will rise due to some factor, The control unit switches the control mode from a first control mode, which is a control method used during normal operation and controls based on the difference between the temperature detected by an internal temperature sensor and the set temperature, to a second control mode, which controls based on the difference between the temperature detected by an evaporator outlet sensor and the temperature detected by an evaporator inlet sensor, based on the information received from the server.

2. When the server acquires information indicating that the cause of the temperature rise in the cooling chamber has disappeared, the control unit and terminating the second control mode based on the information received from the server. The refrigeration system of claim 1.

3. the control unit terminates the second control mode after a predetermined time has elapsed since a temperature difference between the temperature detected by the evaporator outlet sensor and the temperature detected by the evaporator inlet temperature sensor becomes equal to or less than a predetermined value in the second control mode.

3. The refrigeration system of claim 2.

4. the control unit terminates the second control mode when an operation to terminate the second control mode is received from a user of the refrigeration apparatus.

4. The refrigeration system of claim 3.

5. Whether or not to switch the control mode of the refrigeration device from the first control mode to the second control mode when the control mode switching condition is satisfied is set in advance by a user.

5. The refrigeration system of claim 4.

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