Cooling device

Abstract

To provide a cooling device capable of appropriately determining clogging in an environment of an actual installation place.SOLUTION: This automatic vending machine 100 includes: a cooling device body including an evaporator 75, a compressor 72, a condenser 73, and an expansion part 74; and a temperature sensor AS for measuring temperature around the cooling device body. The automatic vending machine 100 includes a control part 8 for acquiring a clogging determination index Afi for determining whether clogging caused by a foreign matter occurs in a path in which air for cooling the condenser 73 flows on the basis of acquisition information including at least one of an ambient temperature around the cooling device body measured by the temperature sensor AS, a compressor coolant temperature acquired on the basis of a coolant temperature of the condenser 73, and a value about compression of the compressor 72 after installing the cooling device body.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooling device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, cooling devices have been known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] The above-mentioned Patent Document 1 discloses a showcase (refrigeration device). This showcase includes a compressor, a condenser, a pressure reducer (expansion section), an evaporator, a dust removal filter, an outside air temperature sensor, a condenser refrigerant outlet temperature sensor, and a control section. The dust removal filter is configured to remove dust and dirt from the air sent to the condenser. The outside air temperature sensor is configured to measure the temperature of the air outside the showcase. The condenser refrigerant outlet temperature sensor is configured to measure the temperature of the refrigerant flowing out from the condenser. The control section performs control to determine whether the dust removal filter is clogged.

[0004] The control unit in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 performs control to determine whether clogging has occurred in the dust removal filter based on an alarm prediction line, which is a threshold value indicating the limit of clogging of the dust removal filter. The alarm prediction line is a correlation curve between the temperature of the air outside the showcase measured by an outside air temperature sensor and the temperature of the refrigerant measured by a condenser refrigerant outlet temperature sensor. The alarm prediction line is calculated in advance based on experimental results before the showcase is installed in its installation location. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-10657 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, in the showcase of Patent Document 1, the alarm prediction line for determining clogging of the dust removal filter is a threshold value calculated in advance based on experimental results before the showcase is installed at the installation location. Here, the environment assumed in the experiment (for example, the ventilation of the installation location, changes in temperature and humidity, etc.) often differs from the environment of the actual installation location, and in such cases, it is thought that clogging of the dust removal filter cannot be properly determined. For this reason, it is desired to properly determine clogging in the environment of the actual installation location.

[0007] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and one object of the present invention is to provide a cooling device that can appropriately determine clogging in the environment of the actual installation location. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A cooling device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a cooling device main body including an evaporator that evaporates expanded refrigerant to cool air, a compressor that compresses the refrigerant evaporated in the evaporator, a condenser that condenses refrigerant discharged from the compressor, and an expansion section that expands the refrigerant condensed by the condenser; a temperature sensor for measuring the ambient temperature of the cooling device main body; and a control unit that, after installation of the cooling device main body, acquires a clogging determination index for determining whether clogging due to foreign matter has occurred in the path through which air flows that cools the condenser, based on acquired information including at least one of the ambient temperature around the cooling device main body measured by the temperature sensor, the condenser refrigerant temperature acquired based on the temperature of the refrigerant in the condenser, and values ​​related to compression of the compressor.

[0009] In one aspect of the present invention, a cooling device includes a control unit that, after installation of the cooling device main body, acquires a clogging determination index for determining whether clogging due to foreign matter has occurred in the path through which air flows to cool the condenser, based on acquired information including at least one of the ambient temperature around the cooling device main body measured by a temperature sensor, the condenser refrigerant temperature acquired based on the temperature of the refrigerant in the condenser, and a value related to the compression of the compressor. By acquiring the clogging determination index based on the ambient temperature and the acquired information acquired after the cooling device is installed at an actual installation location, the acquired clogging determination index is appropriate for the environment of the actual installation location, allowing for appropriate clogging determination in the environment of the actual installation location. Furthermore, the occurrence of clogging can be determined using the clogging determination index based on the ambient temperature and the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature, without using a differential pressure sensor to measure the difference in air pressure before and after the condenser. This reduces the number of components required for the cooling device compared to using a dedicated differential pressure sensor to determine whether clogging has occurred.

[0010] In the cooling device according to the above aspect, the control unit is preferably configured to perform control to sequentially update the clogging determination index based on the measured ambient temperature and acquired information including at least one of the values ​​related to the condenser refrigerant temperature and the compression of the compressor, after the cooling device main body is installed. By configuring in this way, the clogging determination index can be updated in accordance with changes in the environment of the actual installation location by sequentially updating the clogging determination index, thereby making it possible to more appropriately determine clogging in the environment of the actual installation location.

[0011] In the cooling device according to the above aspect, the control unit is preferably configured to perform control to acquire a clogging determination index for each evaporator refrigerant temperature based on acquired information including an evaporator refrigerant temperature of the refrigerant supplied to the evaporator, an ambient temperature, and at least one of a condenser refrigerant temperature and a value related to compression of the compressor. With this configuration, by acquiring a clogging determination index for each evaporator refrigerant temperature, it is possible to set an appropriate clogging determination index for the evaporator refrigerant temperature from the acquired clogging determination indexes, and therefore it is possible to determine clogging using an appropriate clogging determination index even when the evaporator refrigerant temperature of the evaporator (the cooling temperature of the object to be cooled) changes in the cooling device.

[0012] In the cooling device according to the above aspect, the control unit is preferably configured to control the acquisition of a clogging determination index based on the ambient temperature and acquired information including at least one of a condenser refrigerant temperature and a compressor compression value during normal cooling operation, which is performed based on a set temperature for normal cooling of the cooling target. Here, when clogging occurs due to foreign matter contained in the air cooling the condenser, the volume of air cooling the condenser decreases, causing a rise in the temperature of the refrigerant flowing through the condenser. Therefore, unless the ambient temperature and acquired information used in the clogging determination index for determining clogging are values ​​in a state where no temperature rise in the refrigerant flowing through the condenser occurs, clogging cannot be appropriately determined based on the clogging determination index. Therefore, by acquiring the clogging determination index based on the ambient temperature and acquired information during normal cooling operation, when no temperature rise in the refrigerant flowing through the condenser occurs, clogging can be appropriately determined based on the clogging determination index.

[0013] In the cooling device according to the above aspect, the clogging determination index is preferably an index based on a correlation between the ambient temperature and the numerical value of the acquired information, such that the numerical value of the acquired information, including at least one of the condenser refrigerant temperature and the value related to the compression of the compressor, changes with a change in the ambient temperature. With this configuration, since the clogging determination index is an index based on the correlation between the ambient temperature and the numerical value of the acquired information, the clogging determination index can be obtained using a function or table that associates the ambient temperature with the numerical value of the acquired information based on the correlation, and therefore clogging determination processing based on the clogging determination index can be easily performed.

[0014] In this case, the control unit is preferably configured to set an allowable range of clogging based on the clogging determination index based on the correlation, and to control the display unit to display information about clogging based on the numerical value of the acquired information including at least one of the condenser refrigerant temperature and the value related to the compression of the compressor and the allowable range of clogging. With this configuration, the user can easily visually check the information about clogging on the display unit.

[0015] In the cooling device, the control unit controls the display unit to display information about clogging based on the determination index, the numerical value of the acquired information, and the tolerance range, and the control unit is preferably configured to control the display unit to display information about clogging when the numerical value of the acquired information, which includes at least one of the values ​​related to the condenser refrigerant temperature and the compressor compression, is outside the tolerance range for clogging. With this configuration, the display unit can make the user aware of the occurrence of clogging, thereby urging the user to clean the condenser.

[0016] In the cooling device, the control unit controls the display unit to display information about clogging based on the determination index, the numerical value of the acquired information, and the acceptable range, and the control unit is preferably configured to calculate the degree of clogging based on the numerical value of the acquired information, including at least one of the values ​​related to the condenser refrigerant temperature and the compressor compression, and the acceptable range of clogging, when the numerical value of the acquired information, including at least one of the values ​​related to the condenser refrigerant temperature and the compressor compression, is within the acceptable range of clogging, and to control the display unit to display the calculated degree of clogging as information about clogging. With this configuration, the user can easily visually recognize the degree of clogging by checking the degree of clogging displayed on the display unit.

[0017] In the cooling device according to the first aspect, the control unit is preferably configured to determine whether clogging due to foreign matter has occurred based on a pre-installation clogging determination index acquired before installation of the cooling device main body, and to update the pre-installation clogging determination index to a clogging determination index based on acquired information including a measured ambient temperature and at least one of values ​​related to the condenser refrigerant temperature and the compressor compression after installation of the cooling device main body. With this configuration, the clogging determination index cannot be acquired until a sufficient number of ambient temperatures and acquired information are acquired. Therefore, after the cooling device is installed in the actual installation location, clogging can be determined using the pre-installation clogging determination index until a sufficient number of ambient temperatures and acquired information are acquired. Then, after a sufficient number of ambient temperatures and acquired information are acquired and a clogging determination index is acquired, the pre-installation clogging determination index is updated to the clogging determination index, thereby enabling appropriate clogging determination in the environment of the actual installation location. This allows for continuous clogging determination after the cooling device is installed in the actual installation location.

[0018] The cooling device according to the above aspect preferably further includes a housing that constitutes the cooling device main body and accommodates the compressor, condenser, and temperature sensor. The temperature sensor is located within the housing at a position upstream of the compressor and condenser in the airflow direction of the air flowing toward the condenser, and the control unit is configured to control the acquisition of a clogging determination index based on acquired information including the ambient temperature measured by the temperature sensor and at least one of the condenser refrigerant temperature and a value related to the compression of the compressor. With this configuration, the temperature sensor is located within the housing, which can block heat from outside the cooling device, thereby reducing the impact of heat from outside the cooling device on the temperature sensor. Furthermore, by locating the temperature sensor within the housing at a position upstream of the compressor and condenser in the airflow direction of the air flowing toward the condenser, air heated by heat generated in the compressor and condenser can be flowed downstream, thereby preventing heat generated in the compressor and condenser from being transmitted to the temperature sensor. As a result, the influence of heat outside the cooling device and heat generated in the compressor and condenser on the air temperature measured by the temperature sensor can be suppressed, and the temperature around the cooling device body can be accurately measured. As a result, a clogging determination index can be obtained based on the accurately measured ambient temperature, and a clogging determination index that can more appropriately determine clogging can be obtained.

[0019] In the cooling device according to the above aspect, the control unit is preferably configured to acquire an ambient temperature difference, which is the difference between the ambient temperature immediately before the compressor is stopped and the ambient temperature a predetermined time after the compressor operation is stopped, and to perform control to acquire a clogging determination index based on a post-difference ambient temperature, which is the difference between the ambient temperature acquired while the compressor is operating and the ambient temperature difference, and the acquired information. Here, the ambient temperature difference is caused by heat generated during compressor operation, so the post-difference ambient temperature, which is the difference between the ambient temperature and the ambient temperature difference, is a temperature in which the influence of heat generated during compressor operation is suppressed. In this way, the clogging determination index can be acquired based on the post-difference ambient temperature in which the influence of heat generated during compressor operation is suppressed, thereby making it possible to acquire a clogging determination index that can more appropriately determine clogging.

[0020] The cooling device according to the first aspect preferably further includes an internal temperature sensor for measuring the temperature inside the refrigerator storing the product. The compressor compression-related values ​​acquired during the operation to compress the refrigerant include the pressure of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor, the power supplied to the compressor, and the compressor load factor. The control unit is configured to control the acquisition of a clogging determination index based on the internal temperature measured by the internal temperature sensor, the ambient temperature, and the acquired information on the compressor compression-related values. When clogging occurs due to foreign matter contained in the air cooling the condenser, the volume of air cooling the condenser decreases, causing the temperature of the refrigerant flowing through the condenser to rise. In this case, the energy removed from the refrigerant in the condenser decreases by the amount of the temperature rise. Therefore, in order to maintain the temperature of the cold air supplied to the refrigerator, the compressor compresses the refrigerant to a higher pressure. The clogging determination index can be acquired by using the changes in the compressor compression-related values ​​(e.g., the refrigerant pressure, the power supplied to the compressor, and the compressor load factor) as acquired information. [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] According to the present invention, as described above, it is possible to appropriately determine whether clogging has occurred in the environment of the actual installation location. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which an outer door and an inner door are open in a vending machine according to an embodiment. FIG. [Figure 2] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a vending machine according to an embodiment taken along the X direction. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a refrigerant circuit of a vending machine according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a control configuration of a vending machine according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] 10 is a graph showing a clogging determination index based on the ambient temperature and the condenser refrigerant outlet temperature for each evaporator refrigerant set temperature of a vending machine in one embodiment. [Figure 6] 1 is a pH diagram showing a refrigeration cycle in a normal state and a refrigeration cycle in a clogged state in a vending machine according to an embodiment. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a screen diagram showing a state in which a clogging rate is displayed on a display unit of a vending machine according to an embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a screen diagram showing a state in which a message informing cleaning is displayed on the display unit of the vending machine of the embodiment. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart illustrating a process for calculating a clogging determination index in a vending machine according to an embodiment. [Figure 10] 10 is a flowchart illustrating a process for determining whether a vending machine is clogged in an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] The configuration of a vending machine 100 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 10. The vending machine 100 is an example of the "cooling device" in the claims.

[0025] 1, the vending machine 100 is a machine that cools or heats (warms) a product Me, which may include canned drinks, PET bottled drinks, etc. The product Me is an example of an "object to be cooled" in the claims.

[0026] 1, the vending machine 100 includes a housing 1, an outer door 2, an inner door 3, a partition member 4, a storage compartment 5, a machine room 6, a refrigerant circuit device 7, a control unit 8, and a remote control 9. The configuration including the housing 1 and the refrigerant circuit device 7 is an example of the "cooling device main body" in the claims.

[0027] Here, the horizontal direction from the housing 1 toward the outer door 2 is referred to as the X1 direction (forward direction), the opposite direction to the X1 direction is referred to as the X2 direction (rear direction), and the X1 and X2 directions together are referred to as the X direction. The upward direction is referred to as the Z1 direction, the downward direction is referred to as the Z2 direction, and the Z1 and Z2 directions together are referred to as the Z direction. The direction perpendicular to the X and Z directions is referred to as the Y direction, and one of the Y directions is referred to as the Y1 direction, and the other of the Y directions is referred to as the Y2 direction. The X2 direction is an example of the "air flow direction" in the claims.

[0028] The housing 1 has a storage space that houses a storage compartment 5, a refrigerant circuit device 7, a machine chamber 6, and a control unit 8. The storage space of the housing 1 is open in the X1 direction. The outer door 2, together with the inner door 3, is configured to close the opening of the housing 1 that opens in the X1 direction. The inner door 3 is located on the X2 side of the outer door 2. The outer door 2 includes an air vent 31 and a filter unit 32. The air vent 31 is an opening for passing air into the machine chamber 6 of the storage space. The air vent 31 is located at the end of the outer door 2 on the Z2 side. The filter unit 32 is configured to remove foreign matter, including dust and dirt, from the air passing through the air vent 31. The partition member 4 is configured to divide the storage space of the housing 1 into a space on the Z1 side and a space on the Z2 side. The storage compartment 5 is located in the space on the Z1 side of the storage space. The storage compartment 5 stores a product Me. The machine room 6 is provided in the space on the Z2 direction side of the accommodation space. The machine room 6 is a space in which a compressor 72, a condenser 73, etc., described below, of the refrigerant circuit device 7, and a control unit 8 are disposed.

[0029] 2 and 3, the refrigerant circuit device 7 has a function of cooling or heating (warming) the product Me stored in the storage 5. The refrigerant circuit device 7 includes a refrigerant circuit 71, a compressor 72, a condenser 73, an expansion valve 74, and an evaporator 75. The expansion valve 74 is an example of an "expansion section" in the claims.

[0030] 3, refrigerant circuit 71 is a circuit for causing refrigerant to flow through compressor 72, condenser 73, expansion valve 74, and evaporator 75 in this order. Refrigerant circuit 71 has piping that interconnects compressor 72, condenser 73, expansion valve 74, and evaporator 75. Refrigerant circuit 71 is provided with temperature sensor AS, condenser inlet refrigerant temperature sensor CS1, condenser outlet refrigerant temperature sensor CS2, evaporator inlet refrigerant temperature sensor ES1, evaporator outlet refrigerant temperature sensor ES2, and in-compartment temperature sensor TS.

[0031] 2, the temperature sensor AS is a sensor for measuring the temperature around the condenser 73. The temperature sensor AS is disposed in the machine chamber 6 of the housing 1, at a position farther in the X1 direction (upstream in the air flow direction) than the compressor 72 and the condenser 73. The temperature sensor AS is disposed on the Z1 side of the vent 31 and on the Z2 side of the partition wall member 4.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 3 , the condenser inlet refrigerant temperature sensor CS1 is a sensor for measuring the temperature of high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant flowing from the compressor 72. The condenser outlet refrigerant temperature sensor CS2 is a sensor for measuring the temperature of low-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant obtained by condensing high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant in the condenser 73. The evaporator inlet refrigerant temperature sensor ES1 and the evaporator outlet refrigerant temperature sensor ES2 are provided in the evaporator 75. The evaporator inlet refrigerant temperature sensor ES1 provided in the evaporator 75 is a sensor for measuring the temperature of low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant that flows out of the condenser 73 and is expanded in the expansion valve 74. The evaporator outlet refrigerant temperature sensor ES2 provided in the evaporator 75 is a sensor for measuring the temperature of high-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant that flows out of the evaporator 75.

[0033] The inside temperature sensor TS is a sensor for measuring the temperature inside the storage compartment 5 to which air cooled in the evaporator 75 is supplied.

[0034] The compressor 72 is configured to compress the high-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant flowing out from the evaporator 75 to produce a high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant. The condenser 73 is configured to cool the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant flowing out from the compressor 72 to produce a low-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant by exchanging heat between the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant flowing out from the compressor 72 and outside air. Air is sent to the condenser 73 by the blower CF through the vent 31. The condenser 73 includes a plurality of fins 73a (see FIG. 1) that radiate heat from the refrigerant compressed in the compressor 72.

[0035] The expansion valve 74 is configured to expand the low-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant flowing out from the condenser 73 to produce a low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant.

[0036] The evaporator 75 is configured to cool the air by evaporating the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant flowing out from the expansion valve 74 through heat exchange between the air and the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant. Air is sent to the evaporator 75 by a blower EF. This supplies cool air into the storage 5.

[0037] (Control unit) As shown in Fig. 4, the control unit 8 controls the compressor 72, expansion valve 74, blowers CF, EF, etc. based on the measurement values ​​of various sensors. That is, the control unit 8 performs cooling control and heating control of the vending machine 100. The control unit 8 controls the display of information on a display unit 9a (described later) of the remote control 9. The control unit 8 also performs control to stop the cooling control for a predetermined period of time and raise the temperature of the evaporator 75 in order to defrost the evaporator 75. The control unit 8 also performs cooling control by setting a cooling temperature that is lower than the set temperature for normal cooling of the product Me, and rapidly cooling the inside of the storage compartment 5 to rapidly cool the product to the set temperature.

[0038] The control unit 8 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 81, a storage unit 82 such as an SSD (Solid State Drive) or an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), and memories such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory).

[0039] The remote control 9 is a terminal that performs operations such as checking and changing various settings of the vending machine 100, reporting and inspecting malfunctions such as clogging, and switching between cooling and heating within the storage compartment 5. The remote control 9 is attached to the X2 side of the outer door 2 (see Figure 1). The remote control 9 has a display unit 9a. The display unit 9a is an LCD display or the like.

[0040] (Clogging determination process) 5, after the vending machine 100 is installed, the control unit 8 of this embodiment performs control to acquire a clogging determination index Afi for determining whether clogging has occurred based on the ambient temperature and the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature of the condenser 73. The condenser outlet refrigerant temperature is an example of the "condenser temperature" and "acquired information" in the claims.

[0041] Here, the ambient temperature is the temperature inside the machine room 6 measured by the temperature sensor AS. The temperature inside the machine room 6 is slightly different from the outside air temperature around the vending machine 100 because the space inside the machine room 6 is connected to the space outside the vending machine 100 by the ventilation opening 31 and the effects of sunlight and other factors outside the vending machine 100 are suppressed by the housing 1. The condenser outlet refrigerant temperature is the temperature of the refrigerant measured by the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature sensor CS2.

[0042] Clogging includes clogging between the fins 73a of the condenser 73 due to foreign matter, including dust and dirt, adhering to the fins 73a, and clogging due to foreign matter, including dust and dirt, removed by the filter unit 32. Thus, clogging occurs in the fins 73a and the filter unit 32 in the path through which air flows to cool the condenser 73, flowing in from the ventilation opening 31, passing through the filter unit 32 and the condenser 73, and flowing out of the machine room 6. Clogging refers to a state in which the amount of air sent by the fan CF toward the condenser 73 has fallen below a predetermined amount, to the extent that cleaning of the condenser 73 and the filter unit 32 is necessary.

[0043] Here, a decrease in cooling efficiency due to clogging will be explained with reference to Figure 6. In Figure 6, the dotted line indicates the refrigeration cycle during normal cooling. The solid line indicates the refrigeration cycle in a clogged state. The dashed-dotted line indicates the saturated liquid line. The dashed-two-dot line indicates the saturated vapor line. The vertical axis indicates pressure, and the horizontal axis indicates specific enthalpy. The refrigerant is compressed in part A1 of the refrigeration cycle. The refrigerant is condensed in part A2 of the refrigeration cycle. The refrigerant is expanded in part A3 of the refrigeration cycle. The refrigerant is evaporated in part A4 of the refrigeration cycle.

[0044] When clogging occurs, the amount of airflow hitting the condenser 73 decreases, reducing the amount of heat dissipated from the fins 73a of the condenser 73, causing the temperature of the refrigerant at the outlet of the condenser 73 to rise. That is, in FIG. 6, the temperature of the refrigerant at the outlet of the condenser 73 rises from an isothermal line passing through point Tc1 to an isothermal line passing through point Tc2. In this case, after the temperature of the refrigerant at the outlet of the condenser 73 rises, the refrigerant is compressed to a higher pressure in the compressor 72 so that the amount of specific enthalpy energy removed in the A2 portion of the refrigeration cycle during normal cooling (C1) is approximately equal to the amount of specific enthalpy energy removed in the A2 portion of the refrigeration cycle during clogging (C2). However, the increased workload of the compressor 72 reduces the cooling efficiency.

[0045] Therefore, in order to prevent a decrease in cooling efficiency, it is necessary to clean the filter portion 32 and the spaces between the fins 73a, and therefore it is necessary to appropriately determine that clogging has occurred and notify the user of this.

[0046] Therefore, as shown in Figure 5, the control unit 8 acquires a clogging determination index Afi based on the ambient temperature and the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature of the condenser 73 measured after the vending machine 100 is installed, and performs control to determine clogging based on the acquired clogging determination index Afi.

[0047] The clogging determination index Afi is an index based on the correlation between ambient temperature and condenser outlet refrigerant temperature, such that the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature changes with changes in ambient temperature. The clogging determination index Afi is a regression model equation obtained based on multiple ambient temperatures and multiple condenser outlet refrigerant temperatures of the condenser 73 measured after installation of the vending machine 100. For example, when the evaporator set temperature is -5°C, the control unit 8 controls to calculate the clogging determination index Afi1 based on multiple coordinates Afc1 indicated by the ambient temperatures measured after installation and the condenser outlet refrigerant temperatures corresponding to the ambient temperatures. Furthermore, for example, when the evaporator set temperature is -10°C, the control unit 8 controls to calculate the clogging determination index Afi2 based on multiple coordinates Afc2 indicated by the ambient temperatures measured after installation and the condenser outlet refrigerant temperatures corresponding to the ambient temperatures.

[0048] Here, the multiple ambient temperatures and multiple condenser outlet refrigerant temperatures used to calculate the clogging determination index Afi are temperatures measured during normal cooling operation. Normal cooling operation is a cooling temperature based on a set temperature for performing normal cooling on the product Me. That is, normal cooling operation is an operation other than an operation in which the refrigerant temperature at the outlet of the condenser 73 rises, as shown in FIG. 6 . Normal cooling operation is, for example, an operation other than a defrosting operation of the evaporator 75 and a cooling operation inside the storage compartment 5. In this way, the clogging determination index Afi is calculated based on multiple ambient temperatures and multiple condenser outlet refrigerant temperatures when the refrigerant temperature at the outlet of the condenser 73 is stable. As a result, by using the clogging determination index Afi based on multiple ambient temperatures and multiple condenser outlet refrigerant temperatures in a stable state, it is possible to determine whether the refrigerant temperature at the outlet of the condenser 73 has risen (becomes unstable).

[0049] In this way, the control unit 8 performs control to acquire the clogging determination index Afi based on the ambient temperature and the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature during normal cooling operation.

[0050] Furthermore, at a predetermined timing after installation of the vending machine 100, the control unit 8 calculates the clogging determination index Afi based on multiple ambient temperatures and multiple condenser outlet refrigerant temperatures of the condenser 73 measured up to the predetermined timing. The predetermined timing may be, for example, the timing when a predetermined number of ambient temperatures and condenser outlet refrigerant temperatures are acquired, or a predetermined time of day. Each of the multiple ambient temperatures may be, for example, an average value of multiple ambient temperatures measured by the temperature sensor AS within one hour. Furthermore, each of the multiple condenser refrigerant inlet temperatures may be, for example, an average value of multiple condenser refrigerant outlet temperatures measured by the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature sensor CS2 within one hour.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 5, the control unit 8 determines whether clogging due to foreign matter has occurred based on the pre-installation clogging determination index acquired before the vending machine 100 is installed, and then updates the pre-installation clogging determination index to a clogging determination index Afi based on the measured ambient temperature and condenser outlet refrigerant temperature at a predetermined timing after the vending machine 100 is installed. The pre-installation clogging determination index is an index calculated in advance based on the measured ambient temperature and condenser outlet refrigerant temperature in an environment assumed by the user (for example, changes in ventilation, temperature and humidity, and outside air temperature). The pre-installation clogging determination index is then updated to a clogging determination index Afi based on the ambient temperature and condenser outlet refrigerant temperature measured in the actual environment. The updated clogging determination index Afi is then stored in the memory unit 82.

[0052] Furthermore, after the vending machine 100 is installed, the control unit 8 performs control to sequentially update the clogging determination index Afi based on the measured ambient temperature and condenser outlet refrigerant temperature. That is, the control unit 8 performs control to calculate the clogging determination index Afi at a predetermined timing after the vending machine 100 is installed, based on the ambient temperature and condenser outlet refrigerant temperature measured up to the predetermined timing. Then, at a predetermined timing after calculating the clogging determination index Afi, the control unit 8 performs control to calculate the clogging determination index Afi based on the ambient temperature and condenser outlet refrigerant temperature measured up to the predetermined timing after calculating the clogging determination index Afi, and updates the clogging determination index Afi to the calculated clogging determination index Afi. Here, the updated clogging determination index Afi is stored in the memory unit 82. This control to update to the clogging determination index Afi is repeated.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 5, the control unit 8 performs control to set an allowable clogging range Ra for the clogging determination index Afi.

[0054] That is, the control unit 8 sets an allowable clogging range Ra based on the clogging determination index Afi based on the correlation, and determines whether clogging has occurred based on the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature and the set allowable clogging range Ra. The allowable clogging range Ra is set within a range of set values ​​for the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature on the clogging determination index Afi based on a set value previously set by the user (for example, 5% of the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature (°C) or +5°C of the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature (°C)). In FIG. 5, the allowable clogging range Ra is a range that is equal to or higher than the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature of the clogging determination index Afi and is equal to or lower than an upper limit value that is higher by a predetermined temperature Td than the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature of the clogging determination index Afi.

[0055] 5, the control unit 8 performs control to acquire a clogging determination index Afi for each evaporator refrigerant set temperature based on the evaporator refrigerant set temperature, the ambient temperature, and the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature. The evaporator refrigerant set temperature is an example of the "evaporator refrigerant temperature" in the claims.

[0056] Specifically, the control unit 8 performs control to acquire the clogging determination index Afi for each evaporator refrigerant set temperature based on the evaporator refrigerant set temperature of the refrigerant supplied to the evaporator 75, the ambient temperature, and the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature. Then, the control unit 8 performs control to store the acquired clogging determination index Afi for each evaporator refrigerant set temperature in the memory unit 82. The evaporator refrigerant set temperature of the evaporator 75 is set in advance by the user according to conditions such as summer and winter.

[0057] 5 shows, as an example, the clogging determination index Afi1 when the evaporator refrigerant set temperature of the evaporator 75 is set to -5°C. Also, as an example, FIG. 5 shows the clogging determination index Afi2 when the evaporator refrigerant set temperature of the evaporator 75 is set to -10°C. Each of these clogging determination indexes Afi1 and Afi2 is stored in the storage unit 82. Also, a clogging allowable range Ra is set for each of these clogging determination indexes Afi1 and Afi2.

[0058] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the control unit 8 sets the clogging tolerance range Ra based on the clogging determination index Afi, which is based on a correlation, and controls the display unit 9a of the remote control 9 to display information about clogging based on the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature and the set clogging tolerance range Ra.

[0059] Specifically, as shown in Fig. 7, when the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature is within the clogging tolerance range Ra (in the case of point Tc1 indicated by the black circle in Fig. 5), the control unit 8 calculates the degree of clogging based on the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature and the clogging tolerance range Ra, and controls the display unit 9a of the remote control 9 to display the calculated degree of clogging as information related to clogging. Here, the control unit 8 controls to calculate the degree of clogging by dividing the difference Dr between the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature (point Tc1 indicated by the black circle in Fig. 5) and the upper limit of the clogging tolerance range Ra by a predetermined temperature Td, which is the difference between the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature of the clogging determination index Afi and the upper limit of the clogging tolerance range Ra. The control unit 8 controls to display the clogging rate on the display unit 9a of the remote control 9 as a message, such as "Clogging rate of filter section: 50%."

[0060] For example, the control unit 8 may perform control to display the clogging rate on the display unit 9a of the remote control 9 based on detecting that the outer door 2 has been opened. For example, the control unit 8 may, based on calculating the degree of clogging, send the degree of clogging to a management control device communicatively connected to the vending machine 100 and display it on the display unit of the management control device. Furthermore, for example, the control unit 8 may, based on calculating the degree of clogging, send the degree of clogging to a mobile terminal communicatively connected to the vending machine 100 and display it on the display unit of the mobile terminal.

[0061] 8, when the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature (in the case of point Tc2 indicated by the black circle in FIG. 5) is outside the clogging tolerance range Ra, the control unit 8 performs control to display the occurrence of clogging as information related to clogging on the display unit 9a of the remote control 9. For example, the control unit 8 performs control to display the occurrence of clogging as a message such as "Please clean the filter unit" on the display unit 9a of the remote control 9.

[0062] For example, the control unit 8 may perform control to display the occurrence of clogging on the display unit 9a of the remote control 9 based on detecting that the outer door 2 has been opened. For example, when the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature is outside the clogging tolerance range Ra, the control unit 8 may send a signal to a management control device communicatively connected to the vending machine 100 indicating that clogging has occurred, and display a message informing the user of the occurrence of clogging on the display unit of the management control device. Furthermore, for example, when the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature is outside the clogging tolerance range Ra, the control unit 8 may send a signal to a mobile terminal communicatively connected to the vending machine 100 indicating that clogging has occurred, and display a message informing the user of the occurrence of clogging on the display unit of the mobile terminal.

[0063] (Clogging determination index calculation process) Referring to FIG. 9, the clogging determination index calculation process executed by the control unit 8 of the vending machine 100 will be described.

[0064] As shown in Figure 9, in step S1, the ambient temperature is measured by the temperature sensor AS, and the condenser refrigerant outlet temperature is measured by the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature sensor CS2. In step S2, a clogging determination index Afi is calculated based on the set evaporator refrigerant temperature and the measured ambient temperature and condenser refrigerant outlet temperature. This updates the pre-installation clogging determination index Afi to the clogging determination index Afi. Furthermore, the previously calculated clogging determination index Afi is updated to the currently calculated clogging determination index Afi. Furthermore, the clogging allowable range Ra is calculated based on the calculated clogging determination index Afi.

[0065] In step S2, after the clogging determination index Afi is calculated, the clogging determination index calculation process is terminated.

[0066] (Clogging determination process) Referring to FIG. 10, the clogging determination process executed by the control unit 8 of the vending machine 100 will be described.

[0067] As shown in Fig. 10, in step S101, the current condenser refrigerant outlet temperature is measured by the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature sensor CS2. In step S102, it is determined whether the current condenser refrigerant outlet temperature measured by the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature sensor CS2 is within the clogging tolerance range Ra. If the current condenser refrigerant outlet temperature is within the clogging tolerance range Ra (in the case of point Tc1 indicated by the black circle in Fig. 5), the process proceeds to step S103, and if the current condenser refrigerant outlet temperature is outside the clogging tolerance range Ra (in the case of point Tc2 indicated by the black circle in Fig. 5), the process proceeds to step S105.

[0068] In step S103, the clogging rate is calculated based on the current condenser refrigerant outlet temperature and the clogging tolerance range Ra. In step S104, the calculated clogging rate is displayed on the display unit 9a of the remote controller 9, and then the process returns to step S101.

[0069] In step S105, after a message indicating that cleaning will be performed is displayed on the display unit 9a of the remote controller 9, the clogging determination process is terminated.

[0070] (Effects of this embodiment) In this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

[0071] In this embodiment, as described above, the vending machine 100 is equipped with a control unit 8 that, after installation of the vending machine 100, acquires a clogging determination index Afi for determining whether clogging due to foreign matter has occurred in the path through which the air that cools the condenser 73 flows, based on the ambient temperature around the vending machine 100 measured by the temperature sensor AS and the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature acquired based on the temperature of the refrigerant in the condenser 73. By acquiring the clogging determination index Afi based on the ambient temperature and acquired information acquired after the vending machine 100 is installed at its actual installation location, the acquired clogging determination index Afi becomes an index appropriate for the environment of the actual installation location, making it possible to appropriately determine whether clogging has occurred in the environment of the actual installation location. Furthermore, without using a differential pressure sensor to measure the difference in air pressure before and after the condenser 73 to determine whether clogging has occurred, it is possible to determine whether clogging has occurred using the clogging determination index Afi based on the ambient temperature and the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature. This makes it possible to suppress an increase in the number of components of the vending machine 100 compared to when a dedicated differential pressure sensor is provided to determine whether clogging has occurred.

[0072] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, the control unit 8 performs control to sequentially update the clogging determination index Afi based on the measured ambient temperature and the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature after installation of the vending machine 100. By sequentially updating the clogging determination index Afi, it is possible to update the clogging determination index Afi in accordance with changes in the environment of the actual installation location, thereby making it possible to more appropriately determine clogging in the environment of the actual installation location.

[0073] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, the control unit 8 performs control to acquire a clogging determination index Afi for each evaporator refrigerant set temperature based on the evaporator refrigerant set temperature, the ambient temperature, and the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature of the refrigerant supplied to the evaporator 75. In this way, by acquiring a clogging determination index Afi for each evaporator refrigerant set temperature, it is possible to set an appropriate clogging determination index Afi for the evaporator refrigerant set temperature from the acquired clogging determination indexes Afi. Therefore, even if the evaporator refrigerant set temperature of the evaporator 75 (the cooling temperature of the product Me) changes in the vending machine 100, it is possible to determine clogging using the appropriate clogging determination index Afi.

[0074] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, the control unit 8 performs control to acquire the clogging determination index Afi based on the ambient temperature and the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature during normal cooling operation, which is performed based on the set temperature for normal cooling of the product Me. Here, if clogging occurs in the filter unit 32 or the like due to foreign matter contained in the air cooling the condenser 73, the air volume of the air cooling the condenser 73 decreases, causing a rise in the temperature of the refrigerant flowing through the condenser 73. Therefore, unless the ambient temperature and acquired information used for the clogging determination index Afi for determining clogging are values ​​in a state where no rise in the temperature of the refrigerant flowing through the condenser 73 occurs, clogging cannot be appropriately determined based on the clogging determination index Afi. Therefore, by acquiring the clogging determination index Afi based on the ambient temperature and acquired information during normal cooling operation, when no rise in the temperature of the refrigerant flowing through the condenser 73 occurs, clogging can be appropriately determined based on the clogging determination index Afi.

[0075] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, the clogging determination index Afi is an index based on the correlation between the ambient temperature and the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature, such that the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature changes with changes in the ambient temperature. As a result, since the clogging determination index Afi is an index based on the correlation between the ambient temperature and the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature, the clogging determination index Afi can be obtained using a function or table that associates the ambient temperature with the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature based on the correlation, and therefore the clogging determination process based on the clogging determination index Afi can be easily performed.

[0076] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, the control unit 8 sets the clogging tolerance range Ra based on the clogging determination index Afi based on the correlation, and performs control to display information about clogging on the display unit 9a of the remote control 9 based on the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature and the set clogging tolerance range Ra. This allows the user to easily visually check the information about clogging on the display unit 9a of the remote control 9.

[0077] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, when the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature is outside the clogging tolerance range Ra, the control unit 8 performs control to display the occurrence of clogging as information related to clogging on the display unit 9a of the remote control 9. This allows the display unit 9a of the remote control 9 to make the user aware of the occurrence of clogging, thereby urging the user to clean the condenser 73.

[0078] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, when the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature is within the clogging tolerance range Ra, the control unit 8 calculates the degree of clogging based on the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature and the clogging tolerance range Ra, and performs control to display the calculated degree of clogging as information about clogging on the display unit 9a of the remote controller 9. This allows the user to easily visually recognize the degree of clogging by checking the degree of clogging displayed on the display unit 9a.

[0079] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, the control unit 8 determines whether clogging due to foreign matter has occurred based on the pre-installation clogging determination index acquired before the vending machine 100 is installed, and then, after the vending machine 100 is installed, performs control to update the pre-installation clogging determination index to the clogging determination index Afi based on the measured ambient temperature and the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature. As a result, the clogging determination index Afi cannot be acquired until a sufficient number of ambient temperatures and acquired information are acquired. Therefore, after the vending machine 100 is installed in its actual installation location, clogging can be determined using the pre-installation clogging determination index until a sufficient number of ambient temperatures and acquired information are acquired. Then, after a sufficient number of ambient temperatures and acquired information are acquired and the clogging determination index Afi is acquired, the pre-installation clogging determination index is updated to the clogging determination index Afi, thereby making it possible to appropriately determine clogging in the environment of the actual installation location. As a result, clogging determination can be continuously performed after the vending machine 100 is installed in its actual installation location.

[0080] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, the vending machine 100 comprises a housing 1 that constitutes the cooling device main body and houses the compressor 72, condenser 73, and temperature sensor AS. The temperature sensor AS is located within the housing 1 at a position upstream of the compressor 72 and condenser 73 in the air flow direction (direction X2) of the air flowing toward the condenser 73. The control unit 8 performs control to acquire the clogging determination index Afi based on the ambient temperature measured by the temperature sensor AS and the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature. As a result, by placing the temperature sensor AS within the housing 1, the housing 1 can block heat from outside the vending machine 100, thereby reducing the impact of heat from outside the vending machine 100 on the temperature sensor AS. Furthermore, by arranging the temperature sensor AS in a position within the housing 1 that is further upstream than the compressor 72 and the condenser 73 in the air flow direction (X2 direction) of the air flowing toward the condenser 73, air heated by the heat generated in the compressor 72 and the condenser 73 can be flowed downstream, thereby preventing the heat generated in the compressor 72 and the condenser 73 from being transmitted to the temperature sensor AS. As a result, the influence of heat outside the vending machine 100 and heat generated in the compressor 72 and the condenser 73 on the air temperature measured by the temperature sensor AS can be suppressed, allowing the temperature around the vending machine 100 to be measured accurately. As a result, the clogging determination index Afi can be obtained based on the accurately measured ambient temperature, making it possible to obtain a clogging determination index Afi that allows for more appropriate determination of clogging.

[0081] [Variations] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims rather than the above description of the embodiments, and further includes all modifications (variations) within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0082] For example, in the above embodiment, the vending machine 100 is shown as an example of the "refrigeration device" in the claims, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the refrigeration device may be a showcase, a refrigerator, a refrigerated warehouse, an air conditioner, etc.

[0083] In the above embodiment, the condenser refrigerant outlet temperature measured by the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature sensor CS2 is used as an example of the "acquired information" in the claims, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the acquired information may be a value related to the compression of the compressor. Specifically, the value related to the compression of the compressor may be any one of the pressure of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor, the power supplied to the compressor, and the load factor of the compressor. In this case, the control unit performs control to acquire a clogging determination index based on the internal temperature measured by the internal temperature sensor, the ambient temperature, and the value related to the compression of the compressor as acquired information.

[0084] If clogging occurs due to foreign matter contained in the air cooling the condenser, the volume of air cooling the condenser decreases, causing the temperature of the refrigerant flowing through the condenser to rise. In this case, the energy removed from the refrigerant in the condenser decreases by the amount of temperature rise, so the compressor compresses the refrigerant to a higher pressure in order to maintain the temperature of the cold air supplied to the refrigerator. A clogging determination index can be obtained by using the changes in values ​​related to the compressor's compression (e.g., refrigerant pressure, power supplied to the compressor, and compressor load factor) as acquired information.

[0085] In the above embodiment, the condenser refrigerant outlet temperature measured by the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature sensor CS2 is shown as an example of the "condenser refrigerant temperature" in the claims, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the condenser refrigerant temperature may be a condenser refrigerant temperature difference, which is the difference between the condenser refrigerant inlet temperature measured by the condenser inlet refrigerant temperature sensor and the condenser refrigerant outlet temperature measured by the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature sensor. In this case, the control unit performs control to acquire a clogging determination index based on the internal temperature measured by the internal temperature sensor, the ambient temperature, and the condenser refrigerant temperature difference as acquired information.

[0086] In the above embodiment, the control unit 8 performs control to acquire the clogging determination index Afi based on the ambient temperature and the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature during normal cooling operation, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the control unit may be configured to acquire an ambient temperature difference, which is the difference between the ambient temperature immediately before the compressor is stopped and the ambient temperature a predetermined time after the compression operation is stopped, and to perform control to acquire the clogging determination index based on the acquired information and a post-difference ambient temperature, which is the difference between the ambient temperature acquired while the compressor is operating and the ambient temperature difference.

[0087] Here, the ambient temperature difference is caused by heat generated during compressor operation, so the difference between the ambient temperature and the ambient temperature difference, or the post-difference ambient temperature, is a temperature in which the influence of heat generated during compressor operation is suppressed. This makes it possible to obtain a clogging determination index based on the post-difference ambient temperature in which the influence of heat generated during compressor operation is suppressed, making it possible to obtain a clogging determination index that can more appropriately determine clogging.

[0088] In the above embodiment, the allowable clogging range Ra is equal to or greater than the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature of the clogging determination index Afi and equal to or less than an upper limit value that is greater than the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature of the clogging determination index Afi by a predetermined temperature Td, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the allowable clogging range may be equal to or greater than a lower limit value that is less than the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature of the clogging determination index by a predetermined temperature Td and equal to or less than an upper limit value that is greater than the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature of the clogging determination index by a predetermined temperature Td.

[0089] In the above embodiment, the control unit 8 calculates the degree of clogging based on the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature and the clogging tolerance range Ra when the condenser outlet refrigerant temperature is within the clogging tolerance range Ra, and displays the calculated degree of clogging on the display unit 9a of the remote control 9 as information about clogging, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the control unit may display the calculated degree of clogging on the display unit when the condenser refrigerant temperature is within the clogging tolerance range, and may also display the estimated number of days remaining until cleaning is performed that corresponds to the degree of clogging.

[0090] In the above embodiment, for convenience of explanation, the control processing of the control unit 8 is explained using a flow-driven flowchart in which processing is performed sequentially according to a processing flow, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the control processing of the control unit may be performed by event-driven processing in which processing is performed on an event-by-event basis. In this case, the control processing may be performed completely event-driven, or may be performed in a combination of event-driven and flow-driven processing. [Explanation of symbols]

[0091] 1. Housing 5 Storage facility (inside the warehouse) 8 Control Unit 9a Display section 72 Compressor 73 Condenser 73a Fin 74 Expansion valve (expansion section) 75 Evaporator 100 Vending machine (refrigeration device) AS Temperature Sensor Afi, Afi1, Afi2 Clogging determination index Me product (to be cooled) Ra Clogging tolerance TS internal temperature sensor

Claims

1. a cooling device body including an evaporator that evaporates expanded refrigerant to cool air, a compressor that compresses the refrigerant evaporated in the evaporator, a condenser that condenses the refrigerant discharged from the compressor, and an expansion section that expands the refrigerant condensed by the condenser; a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature around the cooling device body; a control unit that, after installation of the cooling device main body, acquires a clogging determination index for determining whether clogging due to foreign matter has occurred in the path through which air flows to cool the condenser, based on acquired information including at least one of the ambient temperature around the cooling device main body measured by the temperature sensor, the condenser refrigerant temperature acquired based on the temperature of the refrigerant in the condenser, and a value related to compression of the compressor.

2. 2. The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to, after installation of the cooling device main body, perform control to sequentially update the clogging determination index based on the measured ambient temperature and the acquired information including at least one of the condenser refrigerant temperature and a value related to compression of the compressor.

3. 2. The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to perform control to acquire the clogging determination index for each evaporator refrigerant temperature based on the acquired information including at least one of an evaporator refrigerant temperature of the refrigerant supplied to the evaporator, the ambient temperature, the condenser refrigerant temperature, and a value related to compression of the compressor.

4. 2. The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to perform control to acquire the clogging determination index based on the ambient temperature and the acquired information including at least one of a value related to the condenser refrigerant temperature and a value related to compression of the compressor during normal cooling operation that is performed based on a set temperature for normal cooling of a cooling object.

5. 2. The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the clogging determination index is an index based on a correlation between the ambient temperature and a numerical value of the acquired information, such that the numerical value of the acquired information, including at least one of the condenser refrigerant temperature and a value related to compression of the compressor, changes with a change in the ambient temperature.

6. 6. The cooling device according to claim 5, wherein the control unit is configured to set an allowable range of clogging based on the clogging determination index based on the correlation, and to control a display unit to display information about clogging based on a numerical value of the acquired information including at least one of the condenser refrigerant temperature and a value related to compression of the compressor, and the set allowable range of clogging.

7. 7. The cooling device according to claim 6, wherein the control unit is configured to perform control to display an occurrence of clogging as information related to the clogging on the display unit when a numerical value of the acquired information including at least one of the condenser refrigerant temperature and a value related to compression of the compressor is outside the clogging tolerance range.

8. 7. The cooling device according to claim 6, wherein the control unit is configured to, when a numerical value of the acquired information including at least one of the condenser refrigerant temperature and a value related to compression of the compressor is within the allowable clogging range, calculate a degree of clogging based on the numerical value of the acquired information including at least one of the condenser refrigerant temperature and a value related to compression of the compressor and the allowable clogging range, and perform control to display the calculated degree of clogging on the display unit as information related to the clogging.

9. 2. The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to determine whether or not clogging due to the foreign matter has occurred based on a pre-installation clogging determination index acquired before installation of the cooling device main body, and to control updating the pre-installation clogging determination index to the clogging determination index after installation of the cooling device main body based on the acquired information including the measured ambient temperature and at least one of the condenser refrigerant temperature and a value related to compression of the compressor.

10. a housing portion that configures the cooling device main body and accommodates the compressor, the condenser, and the temperature sensor therein; the temperature sensor is disposed in the housing at a position upstream of the compressor and the condenser in an air flow direction of the air flowing toward the condenser, 2. The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to perform control to acquire the clogging determination index based on the ambient temperature measured by the temperature sensor and the acquired information including at least one of the condenser refrigerant temperature and a value related to compression of the compressor.

11. 2. The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to acquire an ambient temperature difference, which is the difference between the ambient temperature immediately before the compressor is stopped and the ambient temperature a predetermined time after the compressor operation is stopped, and to perform control to acquire the clogging determination index based on the acquired information and a post-difference ambient temperature, which is the difference between the ambient temperature acquired while the compressor is operating and the ambient temperature difference.

12. Further provided is an internal temperature sensor for measuring the temperature inside the storage compartment in which the product is stored; the value related to compression of the compressor acquired during an operation to compress a refrigerant includes any one of a pressure of a refrigerant discharged from the compressor, electric power supplied to the compressor, and a load factor of the compressor; 2. The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to perform control to acquire the clogging determination index based on the internal temperature measured by the internal temperature sensor, the ambient temperature, and a value related to compression of the compressor as the acquired information.

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