Refrigeration apparatus

Abstract

To provide a refrigeration apparatus capable of preventing damage to tanks even when the number of tanks is increased.MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEM: The refrigeration apparatus includes: a first tank and a second tank that temporarily store a refrigerant circulating through a compressor, a gas cooler, an expansion valve and an evaporator; and a fixing member that fixes the first tank and the second tank so as to maintain a constant distance therebetween.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] The refrigeration system described in Patent Document 1 has a refrigeration circuit including a compressor, a gas cooler, an expander, and an evaporator. The refrigerant compressed by the compressor dissipates heat in the gas cooler. The refrigerant that has dissipated heat in the gas cooler is decompressed by the expander and evaporated in the evaporator. The evaporation of the refrigerant at this time cools the surrounding air.

[0003] In recent years, from the viewpoint of improving the operational efficiency and reliability of refrigeration devices, there has been a need to increase the amount of surplus refrigerant for adjusting the amount of refrigerant used in a refrigeration circuit. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-174402 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the refrigeration device described in Patent Document 1, if two receiver tanks are used to temporarily store the excess refrigerant in order to increase the amount of excess refrigerant, the receiver tanks may come into contact with each other and be damaged due to vibrations during transportation of the refrigeration device.

[0006] Non-limiting examples of the present disclosure contribute to providing a refrigeration device that can prevent damage to tanks even when the number of tanks is increased. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A refrigeration device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a compressor, a gas cooler, an expansion valve, an evaporator, a first tank and a second tank for temporarily storing a refrigerant circulating through the compressor, a gas cooler, an expansion valve, and an evaporator, and a fixing member for fixing the first tank and the second tank so as to maintain a constant distance from each other. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a refrigeration device can be provided that can prevent damage to tanks even when the number of tanks is increased.

[0009] Further advantages and benefits of an embodiment of the present disclosure will become apparent from the specification and drawings. Such advantages and / or benefits may be provided by some of the embodiments and features described in the specification and drawings, respectively, but not necessarily all of them may be provided to obtain one or more identical features. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a refrigeration device according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a left side view of a machine room of a refrigeration device according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a refrigerant circuit of a refrigeration device according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] 1 is a diagram of a receiver tank according to an embodiment of the present invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate. However, more detailed explanation than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed explanation of already well-known matters or redundant explanation of substantially identical configurations may be omitted. This is to avoid unnecessary redundancy in the following explanation and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art.

[0012] The accompanying drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

[0013] A refrigeration device 1 will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is a perspective view of the refrigeration device 1 according to the embodiment. Figure 2 is a view of the machine room 2 of the refrigeration device 1 according to the embodiment as seen from the left side. Figures 1 and 2 are views showing the refrigeration device 1 with a cover covering the side of the machine room 2 removed. Below, the up / down, left / right, and front / rear directions of the refrigeration device 1 are defined by arrows shown in each drawing. The refrigeration device 1 has a machine room 2 and an electrical box 3.

[0014] The machine room 2 is located on the left side of the refrigeration device 1. The machine room 2 accommodates a refrigerant circuit 10.

[0015] The electrical equipment box 3 is provided adjacent to the machine room 2 and is arranged on the right side of the machine room 2. The electrical equipment box 3 houses electronic devices that control the refrigerant circuit 10.

[0016] In the machine room 2, a compressor 11, a duct 20, an exhaust section 30, piping 40, etc. are provided.

[0017] The compressor 11 sucks in and compresses a refrigerant (for example, a CO2 refrigerant). The compressor 11 circulates the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit 10.

[0018] The duct 20 extends in the left-right direction of the refrigeration device 1, connects the electrical box 3 to the left side of the machine room 2, and discharges heat generated by electronic devices housed in the electrical box 3 to the outside of the electrical box 3.

[0019] The exhaust section 30 has a tubular structure and is provided at the opening of the duct 20, and as described above, releases heat generated inside the electrical box 3 to the outside of the machine room 2. The exhaust section 30 also has a dustproof function that prevents moisture, dust, and the like from entering the inside of the machine room 2.

[0020] The pipe 40 is a pipe connected to the oil separator 12. For example, 40is welded to the oil separator 12. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the devices housed in the machine room 2 are connected by piping. Appropriate piping is used depending on the temperature and pressure of the refrigerant passing through. The piping 40 forms a flow path through which the refrigerant flows, and is sometimes called refrigerant piping.

[0021] The refrigerant circuit 10 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the refrigerant circuit 10 of the refrigeration device 1 according to the embodiment. The refrigerant circuit 10 has a compressor 11, an oil separator 12, a gas cooler 13, an expansion valve 14, receiver tanks 15 (15a, 15b), a cold energy recovery unit 16, inlet expansion valves 17 (17a, 17b), and evaporators 18 (18a, 18b).

[0022] The compressor 11 draws in and compresses the refrigerant that has flowed out from the evaporators 18a and 18b. The refrigerant compressed by the compressor 11 flows into the oil separator 12.

[0023] The oil separator 12 separates oil contained in the refrigerant that flows out from the compressor 11. The oil separated from the refrigerant is returned from the oil separator 12 to the compressor 11. The refrigerant circuit 10 may be configured without the oil separator 12. In this case, the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 11 flows out to the gas cooler 13.

[0024] The gas cooler 13 is a cooling means that cools the refrigerant that flows out of the compressor 11 by dissipating heat. A gas cooler blower that air-cools the gas cooler 13 is disposed near the gas cooler 13. The refrigerant cooled by the gas cooler 13 flows out to the expansion valve 14.

[0025] The expansion valve 14 expands the high-pressure refrigerant that has flowed out from the gas cooler 13. The expansion valve 14 is an expansion means formed of an electric expansion valve, and the refrigerant expanded by the expansion valve 14 flows into the receiver tank 15. The opening and closing of the expansion valve 14 is controlled, for example, by a control device provided in the refrigerant circuit 10.

[0026] The receiver tank 15 is a tank that temporarily stores excess refrigerant for adjusting the amount of refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit 10. In other words, the receiver tank 15 is a buffer device that stores excess refrigerant for adjusting the amount of refrigerant inside the refrigerant circuit 10. The receiver tank 15 separates the refrigerant expanded by the expansion valve 14 into saturated liquid refrigerant and gas refrigerant and stores them.

[0027] For example, when an increase in the outside air temperature causes an excess of refrigerant inside the refrigerant circuit 10, the refrigerant circuit 10 recovers the excess refrigerant and stores it in the receiver tank 15.

[0028] Furthermore, for example, when the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit 10 becomes insufficient due to a drop in the outside air temperature, the receiver tank 15 releases the insufficient refrigerant into the refrigerant circuit 10.

[0029] In this embodiment, the receiver tank 15 is made up of two tanks, a first tank 15a and a second tank 15b. The receiver tank 15 will be described below using the first tank 15a as an example.

[0030] The recovery pipe 151a is a pipe through which the refrigerant expanded by the expansion valve 14 passes when flowing into the first tank 15a. Liquid refrigerant or mixed refrigerant (liquid / gas mixed refrigerant) flows into the first tank 15a.

[0031] The liquid discharge pipe 152a is a pipe through which the liquid refrigerant stored in the first tank 15a passes when flowing out of the first tank 15a. The liquid refrigerant that has flowed out of the first tank 15a flows into the cold heat recovery device 16.

[0032] Gas release pipe 153a is a pipe through which gas refrigerant stored in first tank 15a passes when flowing out of first tank 15a. The gas refrigerant that has flowed out of first tank 15a passes through gas outlet 153 and flows into gas return valve 154 or pressure relief valve 155.

[0033] The gas return valve 154 is a valve through which the gas refrigerant that has flowed out of the first tank 15a passes before flowing into the compressor 11. For example, when the refrigerant circuit 10 is short of refrigerant, the refrigerant is supplied from the first tank 15a to the compressor 11. The opening and closing of the gas return valve 154 is controlled by an electronic device (for example, an electrical valve coil) housed in the electrical box 3.

[0034] The pressure relief valve 155 is a valve through which the gas refrigerant that has flowed out of the first tank 15a passes before flowing out of the refrigeration apparatus 1. The pressure relief valve 155 adjusts the internal pressure of at least one of the first tank 15a and the second tank 15b by releasing the refrigerant. For example, when the internal pressure of the first tank 15a exceeds a threshold value, the pressure relief valve 155 opens, and the gas refrigerant is released from the first tank 15a.

[0035] The second tank 15b includes a recovery pipe 151b, a liquid discharge pipe 152b, and a gas discharge pipe 153b. The recovery pipe 151b, the liquid discharge pipe 152b, and the gas discharge pipe 153b have the same functions as the recovery pipe 151a, the liquid discharge pipe 152a, and the gas discharge pipe 153a, respectively, and therefore their explanation will be omitted.

[0036] The gas return valve 154 and the pressure relief valve 155 are connected to at least one of the first tank 15a and the second tank 15b.

[0037] The cold energy recovery device 16 has a liquid refrigerant flow path and a gas refrigerant flow path, and exchanges heat between the refrigerants flowing through both paths. The cold energy recovery device 16 adjusts the temperature of the refrigerant or increases the energy efficiency of the refrigerant circuit 10.

[0038] The inlet expansion valves 17a and 17b expand the refrigerant that flows in from the cold energy recovery unit 16. The refrigerant in the liquid phase or gas-liquid mixed state that flows into the inlet expansion valves 17a and 17b is expanded by the inlet expansion valves 17a and 17b, which are, for example, electrically operated expansion valves. The refrigerant that flows out of the inlet expansion valves 17a and 17b flows into the evaporators 18a and 18b, respectively, via pipes.

[0039] The evaporators 18a and 18b evaporate the refrigerant that flows in through the inlet expansion valves 17a and 17b. The evaporators 18a and 18b absorb the latent heat required for evaporating the refrigerant from the inside of a showcase (not shown) installed in, for example, a supermarket, and cool or freeze the inside of the showcase.

[0040] The receiver tank will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a diagram of the receiver tank 15 according to the embodiment.

[0041] The fixing member 50 is a member that fixes the first tank 15a and the second tank 15b. The fixing member 50 has a cover 51 on the front surface (the rear surface side of the refrigeration device 1). For example, the cover 51 has a screw hole, and the cover 51 is screwed to the main body of the fixing member 50. The cover 51 covers a part of the piping that communicates with the pressure relief valve 155.

[0042] The receiver tank 15 (first tank 15a and second tank 15b) is disposed on the rear side (rear face side) of the refrigeration device 1. The first tank 15a and the second tank 15b are disposed side by side in an upright state (in the vertical direction of the refrigeration device 1).

[0043] A first mounting portion 51a and a second mounting portion 51b are provided above the first tank 15a and the second tank 15b. Screw holes are provided in the first mounting portion 51a and the second mounting portion 51b. The fixing member 50 is fastened to the first mounting portion 51a and the second mounting portion 51b with screws.

[0044] In this way, the first tank 15a and the second tank 15b are fixed above each other while maintaining a certain distance from each other by the fixing member 50 provided between the first mounting portion 51a and the second mounting portion 51b.

[0045] Therefore, the first tank 15a and the second tank 15b do not come into contact with each other, even when vibrations occur due to, for example, the operation, manufacturing, or transportation of the refrigeration device 1. This eliminates the need for measures to prevent the first tank 15a and the second tank 15b from coming into contact with each other.

[0046] 4, the receiver tank 15 (first tank 15a and second tank 15b) is disposed on the rear side of the refrigeration apparatus 1, and the pressure relief valve 155 is fixed so as to release gas toward the outside of the machine room 2. Therefore, the gas released from the pressure relief valve 155 does not affect the components, devices, etc. housed in the machine room 2.

[0047] In consideration of the usage environment of the refrigeration device 1, maintenance, etc., the direction in which the gas refrigerant is released from the pressure relief valve 155 may be fixed in another direction by the fixing member 50.

[0048] In this way, the fixing member 50 fixes the first tank 15a and the second tank 15b so that they do not come into contact with each other, and fixes the pressure relief valve 155 so that the discharge direction of the gas refrigerant discharged from the pressure relief valve 155 is constant.

[0049] Furthermore, because the receiver tank 15 is heavy, workers hang the receiver tank 15 from the ceiling during the manufacturing process. Conventionally, workers attach a dedicated hanging fixture (hooking fixture) to the receiver tank 15 during the manufacturing process, and then remove the hanging fixture after the manufacturing process is completed.

[0050] In this embodiment, during the manufacturing process of the receiver tank 15, in order to suspend the first tank 15a from the ceiling, workers use the first mounting portion 51a, which has a threaded hole, as a mounting portion for attaching a hanging bracket. As with the first tank 15a, when suspending the second tank 15b from the ceiling, workers use the second mounting portion 51b, which has a threaded hole, as a mounting portion for attaching a hanging bracket.

[0051] After the manufacturing process is completed, a worker screws the first mounting portion 51a to the fixing member 50, and screws the second mounting portion 51b to the fixing member 50. As a result, the first tank 15a and the second tank 15b are fixed to each other while maintaining a certain distance therebetween.

[0052] In this way, the first mounting portion 51a and the second mounting portion 51b can be used not only as members for fixing the first tank 15a and the second tank 15b, but also as members for suspending the first tank 15a and the second tank 15b.

[0053] <Summary of the embodiment> As described above, the refrigeration device of this embodiment comprises a compressor, a gas cooler, an expansion valve, an evaporator, a first tank and a second tank for temporarily storing the refrigerant circulating through the compressor, a gas cooler, an expansion valve, and an evaporator, and a fixing member for fixing the first tank and the second tank so as to maintain a constant distance from each other.

[0054] This configuration meets the need to secure a large amount of spare refrigerant in order to improve the operating efficiency and reliability of the refrigeration system 1. In this embodiment, the receiver tank 15 is composed of two tanks (first tank 15a and second tank 15b), and can secure a larger amount of spare refrigerant than conventionally.

[0055] Furthermore, the fixing member 50 fixes the first tank 15a and the second tank 15b at a certain distance from each other to prevent them from coming into contact with each other. As a result, even if vibrations occur due to operation, transportation, etc. of the refrigeration device 1, the first tank 15a and the second tank 15b do not come into contact with each other and are therefore not damaged. Therefore, the receiver tank 15 can maintain its original function of temporarily storing surplus refrigerant to adjust the amount of refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit 10.

[0056] Furthermore, fixing member 50 can fix pressure relief valve 155 so as to maintain a constant discharge direction of gas refrigerant discharged from pressure relief valve 155. This reduces the impact of the gas discharged from pressure relief valve 155 on refrigeration device 1, devices surrounding refrigeration device 1, and workers performing maintenance on refrigeration device 1.

[0057] In this embodiment, the first tank 15a and the second tank 15b are fixed above each other by the fixing members 50, but the fixing method is not limited to this. The first tank 15a and the second tank 15b may be configured to be fixed (connected) at multiple points.

[0058] In the above-described embodiments, the notation "... part" used for each component may be replaced with other notations such as "... circuitry," "... assembly," "... device," "... unit," or "... module."

[0059] Although the embodiments have been described above with reference to the drawings, the present disclosure is not limited to such examples. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can conceive of various modifications or alterations within the scope of the claims. It is understood that such modifications or alterations also fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the components in the embodiments may be combined in any manner without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. [Industrial Applicability]

[0060] The present disclosure is useful as a refrigeration device. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] 1 Refrigeration equipment 2 Machine room 3 Electrical box 10 Refrigerant circuit 11 Compressor 13 Gas Cooler 15 Receiver Tank 15a First Tank 15b Second Tank 17 Inlet expansion valve 18 Evaporator 20 Duct 30 Exhaust section 40 Piping 50 Fixing member 155 Pressure relief valve

Claims

1. a first tank and a second tank for temporarily storing the refrigerant circulating through the compressor, the gas cooler, the expansion valve, and the evaporator; a fixing member that fixes the first tank and the second tank so as to maintain a constant distance from each other; A refrigeration device comprising:

2. a pressure relief valve that adjusts the internal pressure of at least one of the first tank and the second tank by releasing the refrigerant; The fixing member fixes the pressure relief valve so that the direction of the refrigerant released by the pressure relief valve is constant. The refrigeration system of claim 1.

3. the fixing member fixes the pressure relief valve so that the release direction is opposite to a side on which the first tank and the second tank are arranged.

3. The refrigeration system of claim 2.

4. the first tank further includes a first mounting portion to which a member for suspending the first tank is attached, the second tank further includes a second mounting portion to which a member for suspending the second tank is attached, The fixing member is provided between the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion. The refrigeration system of claim 1.

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