Thermal insulation warehouse and thermal insulation system

Abstract

To provide a heat insulating warehouse and a heat insulating system capable of suppressing a temperature change of inside air even if a demand response is performed.SOLUTION: The cold storage warehouse 10 includes a storage warehouse 11 for storing articles, a refrigerating machine 12 connected to the storage warehouse 11 and configured to adjust an air temperature in the storage warehouse 11 by being supplied with power from the outside, and heat storage means 13 installed in the storage warehouse 11, the heat storage means 13 having a heat storage density larger than that of the articles and including a heat storage material sealed therein, the heat storage material being configured to store or release thermal energy according to the air temperature in the storage warehouse 11.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a thermal insulation warehouse and a thermal insulation system. [Background technology]

[0002] Insulated warehouses, which store goods in a space maintained at a constant target temperature, are widely used. Insulated warehouses use air temperature regulators that consume electricity, so power consumption increases as the outside air temperature rises, peaking at the time when the outside air temperature reaches its highest point. Attempts have been made to suppress this peak by using heat storage materials in insulated warehouses. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an insulated warehouse that includes heat storage panels attached to the walls of the storage facility and containing a fluid heat storage material, and piping for circulating the temperature-regulated heat storage material between the heat storage panels. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-26887 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the insulated warehouse of Patent Document 1, the temperature of the heat storage material circulating through the pipes and heat storage panels is adjusted by a temperature adjustment device. Therefore, when attempting to implement demand response in the insulated warehouse of Patent Document 1 to match the amount of electricity demand with the amount of supply, the temperature of the heat storage material is affected by the demand, and the temperature of the air inside the warehouse changes significantly in response to changes in demand, which is a problem.

[0005] The present invention has been made based on this background, and aims to provide an insulated warehouse and an insulated system that can suppress temperature changes in the air inside the warehouse even when demand response is implemented. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the thermal insulation warehouse according to the present invention comprises: a storehouse for storing items; an air temperature regulator connected to the storage facility and configured to adjust the air temperature inside the storage facility by being externally powered; a heat storage means installed in the storage facility, the heat storage means having a heat storage density greater than that of the goods, and a heat storage material sealed therein that stores and releases thermal energy in accordance with the air temperature in the storage facility; Equipped with. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a thermal insulation warehouse and a thermal insulation system that are capable of suppressing temperature changes in the air inside the warehouse even when demand response is implemented. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a DR system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 10 is a graph showing changes in temperature in a refrigerated warehouse and power consumption of a refrigerator in a demand response. [Figure 3] 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a refrigerated warehouse according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] FIG. 1A is a perspective view showing the configuration of a heat storage material panel according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view showing the heat storage material panels of FIG. 1A arranged side by side on a support member. [Figure 5] 1 is a flowchart showing a flow of DR processing according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of control processing executed when a control device according to an embodiment of the present invention receives an upward DR notification. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart showing a flow of a control process executed when a control device according to an embodiment of the present invention receives a downward DR notification. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, a thermal insulation warehouse and a thermal insulation system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or equivalent parts are designated by the same reference numerals.

[0010] In the embodiments, "heat storage" means storing thermal energy and includes both "hot heat storage" and "cold heat storage." Hot heat storage stores the energy of the temperature difference (hot heat energy) due to a temperature higher than room temperature, and cold heat storage stores the energy of the temperature difference (cold heat energy) due to a temperature lower than room temperature. "Heat storage" also includes both "sensible heat storage" and "latent heat storage." Sensible heat storage uses sensible heat to change the temperature of a substance, so it inevitably involves a temperature change. Latent heat storage uses latent heat required for a substance to change phase between liquid and solid, so although heat generation due to heat of solidification must be taken into consideration, it basically does not involve a temperature change.

[0011] The insulated warehouse according to the embodiment is equipped with a heat storage material installed in the interior space, and even if the power consumption of the air temperature regulator that adjusts the temperature of the air inside the warehouse changes, the action of the heat storage material can suppress the change in the temperature of the air inside the warehouse, making it an insulated warehouse suitable for implementing Demand Response (DR). Specifically, when it is desired to increase power demand, the output of the air temperature regulator is increased to store thermal energy in the heat storage material installed in the interior space, and when it is desired to suppress power demand, the output from the air temperature regulator is suppressed to release thermal energy from the heat storage material.

[0012] A thermal storage material is a material that stores thermal energy, and is used as a heat insulator when storing hot energy, and as a cold insulator when storing cold energy. An air temperature controller is a device that adjusts the air temperature in a target space, and examples of such devices include refrigerators, heaters, and air conditioners.

[0013] DR, also known as electricity demand response, is a mechanism that matches the amount of electricity demand (consumption) on the consumer side with the amount of electricity supply (generation) in order to balance the demand and supply of grid electricity. DR is divided into up-regulation DR, which increases electricity consumption by consumers, and down-regulation DR, which reduces electricity consumption by consumers. Up-regulation DR is used when supply is expected to exceed demand due to power generation from renewable energy sources, while down-regulation DR is used when demand is expected to exceed supply, such as on extremely hot summer days or extremely cold winter days.

[0014] As the proportion of renewable energy in grid power increases, power generation becomes more susceptible to external conditions such as weather, season, and time of day, making it difficult to balance supply and demand. In addition, there are cases where it is desirable to suppress demand in order to avoid imbalance charges and power procurement in the wholesale power market, or to reduce power plant operating costs and capacity contributions. In such cases, it is advisable for the aggregator to send a DR notification to consumers and have them adjust their power consumption. An aggregator is an entity that manages the balance of power supply and demand between power generation companies and consumers, such as a power transmission and distribution company or electricity retailer. Consumers who respond to DR may be provided with incentives by the aggregator, such as a bonus payment or points.

[0015] In the insulated warehouse according to the embodiment, when a notification of an upward DR is received from the aggregator, the output of the air temperature controller is increased to increase power consumption, causing thermal energy to accumulate in the heat storage material. On the other hand, when a notification of a downward DR is received from the aggregator, the output of the air temperature controller is reduced to suppress power consumption, causing thermal energy to be released from the heat storage material. If neither DR notification is received, the air temperature controller is operated normally to maintain the target temperature. This makes it possible to suppress temperature changes in the air inside the warehouse while implementing DR. The target temperature is set for normal operation and is the temperature inside the warehouse that is targeted to be maintained in the interior space of the insulated warehouse.

[0016] The refrigerated warehouse according to the embodiment is installed in, for example, a supermarket or a convenience store, and the items stored in the refrigerated warehouse according to the embodiment are, for example, food, medicine, precision instruments, and materials. Note that if the items tolerate a certain degree of temperature change and have a large heat capacity, such as bottled drinks, these items can be considered as part of the heat storage material, and the amount of heat storage material can be reduced.

[0017] Next, the configuration of a DR system 1 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. In the embodiment, a case will be described below in which a refrigerated warehouse 10 is used as a thermal insulation warehouse and a refrigerator 12 is used as an air temperature regulator.

[0018] The DR system 1 is combined with a cold storage warehouse 10 and is a system that controls the operation of the freezers 12 in the cold storage warehouse 10 based on a DR notification from an aggregator. The DR system 1 includes a control device 100 and a management server 200. The control device 100 is installed, for example, in the cold storage warehouse 10, and the management server 200 is installed, for example, in the management area of ​​the aggregator. The control device 100 and the management server 200 are connected to each other so that they can communicate with each other, for example, via the Internet.

[0019] The cold storage warehouse 10 and the control device 100 constitute a refrigeration system that keeps items stored in the freezer warm even when DR is implemented. The refrigeration system is an example of a heat retention system. The control device 100 is communicably connected to the refrigeration units 12 in the cold storage warehouse 10 via a wired or wireless communication line, and adjusts the amount of power consumed by the refrigeration units 12 based on the DR notification sent from the management server 200.

[0020] The control device 100 is, for example, a control panel. The control panel includes, for example, a touch panel, an input / output interface, and a programmable logic controller (PLC). The PLC includes a memory and a processor, and controls the operation of the chiller 12 in accordance with the DR notification from the management server 200 by executing a program stored in the memory. The PLC constantly measures the current time by counting an internal timer.

[0021] An example of DR will be described below with reference to FIG. 2. When the control device 100 receives an upward DR notification from the management server 200, it stores the upward DR notification in memory and transmits a control signal generated based on the upward DR notification to the refrigerator 12. When the refrigerator 12 receives a control signal instructing upward DR from the control device 100, it increases the output of the refrigerator 12 from the set start time to the set end time, causing cold energy to accumulate in the heat storage material in the cold storage warehouse 10. At this time, the cold energy causes a slight decrease in the air temperature in the storage facility 11, but most of the cold energy is accumulated in the heat storage material, allowing the decrease to be gradual. Furthermore, when the refrigerator 12 achieves a preset power consumption amount during upward DR, the control device 100 causes the refrigerator 12 to end the upward DR and return to normal operation.

[0022] On the other hand, when the control device 100 receives a downward DR notification from the management server 200, it stores the downward DR notification in memory and transmits a control signal generated based on the downward DR notification to the refrigerator 12. When the refrigerator 12 receives a control signal instructing a downward DR from the control device 100, it stops operation of the refrigerator 12, for example, between a set start time and end time, and releases cold energy stored in the heat storage material in the cold storage warehouse 10 into the air. Because the amount of cold energy released from the heat storage material is limited, the air temperature in the storage warehouse 11 rises slightly, but this increase can be moderated. Furthermore, when the temperature inside the storage warehouse 11 reaches an upper limit temperature during the downward DR, the control device 100 causes the refrigerator 12 to terminate the downward DR and return to normal operation. The upper limit temperature is the maximum temperature allowed inside the storage warehouse during the downward DR, and is set by the user and stored in memory. It is preferable that the upper limit temperature be set higher than the target temperature.

[0023] 1, the management server 200 is a server managed by the aggregator, and is, for example, a general-purpose computer. The management server 200 includes an operation device, a display, an input / output interface, a memory, and a processor, and executes a program stored in the memory to transmit a DR notification based on an instruction from the aggregator to the control device 100. Specifically, when the aggregator operates the operation device of the management server 200 to instruct the transmission of an upward DR notification or a downward DR notification, the management server 200 stores either the upward DR notification or the downward DR notification in memory in accordance with the instruction and transmits it to the control device 100.

[0024] The DR notification includes a command related to the power consumption of the chiller 12 set by the aggregator or to turn on / off the chiller 12, and information related to the start and end times of DR. An upward DR notification includes information instructing the chiller 12 to start up or set a higher power consumption than when DR is not performed. A downward DR notification includes information instructing the chiller 12 to stop or set a lower power consumption than when DR is not performed.

[0025] Next, the configuration of a cold storage warehouse 10 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 3. As shown in Fig. 3, the cold storage warehouse 10 includes a storage facility 11 for storing items, a refrigerator 12 installed in the storage facility 11 and cooling the air within the storage facility 11, a heat storage means 13 installed in the storage facility 11 and accumulating cold energy received from the air, and an air agitation means 14 installed in the storage facility 11 and agitating the air within the storage facility 11. The storage facility 11 and the refrigerator 12 may be configured as, for example, a prefabricated freezer.

[0026] The storage facility 11 is a storage facility that is insulated from the outside. The storage facility 11 has, for example, a ceiling, floor boards, and walls that are constructed of insulating panels. An opening is provided on at least one side of the wall for workers to enter and exit, and a door is provided to open and close this opening.

[0027] The refrigerator 12 is communicably connected to the control device 100, and when it receives a control signal from the control device 100, it controls the operation of the refrigerator 12 by prioritizing instructions based on this control signal. The refrigerator 12 is installed on the ceiling side of the interior space of the storage facility 11, and is, for example, a unit that can be installed on the ceiling.

[0028] The chiller 12 includes an outdoor unit that cools the refrigerant, an indoor unit that evaporates the refrigerant and supplies cool air, piping that connects the outdoor unit and the indoor unit and circulates the refrigerant between them, and a thermometer that measures the air temperature inside the storage facility 11. The chiller 12 transmits temperature data measured by the thermometer to the control device 100, and the control device 100 controls the operation of the chiller 12 so that the measured temperature measured by the thermometer maintains a target temperature unless a DR notification is received from the management server 200. The temperature control uses, for example, PID (Proportional Integral Differential) control so that the measured temperature maintains the target temperature.

[0029] The heat storage means 13 has a higher heat storage density than the goods stored in the storage facility 11 and includes a plurality of heat storage material panels 13A arranged at intervals. The heat storage material panel 13A is an example of a heat storage material unit in which heat storage material is sealed. The heat storage density is the thermal energy that can be stored per unit mass. As shown in FIG. 4(a), the heat storage material panel 13A includes a housing 13a having an internal space and a heat storage material 13b accommodated in the internal space. The housing 13a is formed from a material that has good thermal conductivity and is easy to mold, such as a resin material, and is sealed to prevent leakage of the heat storage material 13b inside. The housing 13a is formed in a plate shape, for example, rectangular when viewed in the thickness direction. The thickness of the housing 13a is, for example, within a range of 1 cm to 5 cm.

[0030] The heat storage means 13 is installed on the ceiling side of the interior space of the storage facility 11. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the heat storage material panels 13A are arranged side by side on a shelf 15 installed in the cold storage warehouse 10, with the front and back surfaces of the housings 13a facing each other. As shown in FIG. 4(b), the heat storage material panels 13A are supported by support members 16 so that they can be arranged upright on the shelf 15. The support members 16 include a plate-shaped member 16a placed on the shelf 15 and a plurality of vertical members 16b extending upward from the upper surface of the plate-shaped member 16a and arranged at equal intervals. Each heat storage material panel 13A is removably housed in a separate recess formed between the plate-shaped member 16a and a pair of adjacent vertical members 16b. The support members 16 are preferably made of a material with good thermal conductivity, such as aluminum.

[0031] Because the heat storage means 13 is installed on the ceiling side of the interior space of the storage facility 11, it does not interfere with the storage of goods in the cold storage warehouse 10, and the cold air generated by the cold energy released from the heat storage means 13 flows from top to bottom, making it easier to mix the cold air. In the heat storage means 13, the heat storage material panels 13A are arranged at intervals from each other with the front and back surfaces of the casings 13a facing each other, so that the surface area over which the heat storage material exchanges heat can be increased, allowing for efficient heat exchange with the air.

[0032] The heat storage material 13b is a latent heat storage material that uses a phase change material (PCM) that stores heat using latent heat. Because the latent heat storage material absorbs or releases heat using latent heat, it has a higher heat storage density than a sensible heat storage material and does not undergo a temperature change when a phase change occurs. The melting point of the heat storage material 13b is set to match the target temperature of the cold storage warehouse 10. For example, if the target temperature of the cold storage warehouse 10 is -10°C, it is recommended that the heat storage material 13b also have a melting point of -10°C. For example, PATTHERMO (registered trademark) manufactured by Kaneka Corporation may be used as the heat storage material panel 13A.

[0033] Returning to Fig. 3, the air agitation means 14 is installed inside the storage facility 11 so that the air blows onto the heat storage means 13, and is a means for agitating the air that has absorbed the cold energy released from the heat storage means 13. The air agitation means 14 is installed, for example, on the ceiling or wall surface of the storage facility 11, and is a blower fan that can oscillate so as to change the direction of the airflow. It is preferable that the air agitation means 14 constantly agitates the air inside the storage facility 11. The above is the configuration of the cold storage warehouse 10.

[0034] (DR processing) Next, the flow of the DR process executed by the DR system 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 5. The DR process is started by an instruction from the aggregator, and is a process for controlling the amount of power consumed by the chiller 12 based on a DR notification from the aggregator. The control device 100 is assumed to constantly measure the current time by counting an internal timer. Below, an example of DR will be described in which raising DR is performed.

[0035] First, when the aggregator predicts that it is necessary to increase the demand amount in a certain time period, the aggregator operates the operation device of the management server 200 to instruct the control device 100 to send an upward DR notice. The time period when it is necessary to increase the demand amount is, for example, a time period when the amount of solar power generation increases on sunny days in intermediate periods (spring and autumn) when there is little demand for heating and cooling, resulting in surplus power. When the management server 200 accepts an operation by the user (step S11), it transmits an upward DR notice to the control device 100 (step S12). The upward DR notice notifies, for example, that the chiller 12 should be operated at rated speed (output 100%) from 11:00 AM (start time) to 2:00 PM (end time) and that the amount of electricity consumed by the chiller 12 should be maximized.

[0036] When the control device 100 receives an upward DR notification from the management server 200 (step S21), it executes a control process when the upward DR start time arrives (step S22) and terminates the process. The control process is started at the start time included in the DR notification and controls the operation of the refrigerator 12 based on the DR notification.

[0037] On the other hand, when a downward DR is implemented, the DR notification that the management server 200 transmits to the control device 100 in step S12 of the DR process may be a downward DR notification. The downward DR notification may be set to zero the power consumption by the chiller 12 when grid power is tight, such as on a hot summer afternoon or a cold winter evening, for example, from 5 PM (start time) to 8 PM (end time) on a cold winter day. When the control device 100 receives the downward DR notification (step S21), it may execute a control process corresponding to the downward DR notification (step S22). This is the flow of the DR process.

[0038] (control processing) Hereinafter, the flow of the control process executed by the control device 100 that has received the upward DR notification will be described with reference to FIG.

[0039] When the time to start the upward DR arrives, the control device 100 transmits a control signal to the refrigerator 12 instructing it to achieve the power consumption amount set in the upward DR notification, thereby starting the upward DR (step S31). When the upward DR starts, the refrigerator 12 increases its output compared to normal operation, and as a result, the cold energy released from the refrigerator 12 exceeds the amount necessary to maintain the target temperature, and the cold energy is gradually accumulated in the heat storage means 13. At this time, because a phase change material is used as the heat storage material 13b of the heat storage means 13, changes in the air temperature inside the storage facility 11 can be suppressed until the phase change of the phase change material is complete.

[0040] Next, the control device 100 determines whether the refrigerator 12 has achieved a preset power consumption amount (step S32). If it is determined that the preset power consumption amount has been achieved (step S32; Yes), the process proceeds to step S34. On the other hand, if it is determined that the preset power consumption amount has not been achieved (step S32; No), the process proceeds to step S33.

[0041] If the answer is No in step S32, the control device 100 determines whether the set period set in the up-DR notification has elapsed (step S33). If it is determined that the set period has elapsed (step S33; Yes), the process proceeds to step S34. On the other hand, if it is determined that the set period has not elapsed (step S33; No), the process returns to step S32.

[0042] If the answer is Yes in the processing of step S32 or step S33, the control device 100 terminates the upward DR processing, sends a control signal to the refrigerator 12 instructing it to return to normal operation, which operates with the minimum amount of power consumption required to maintain the air temperature in the storage facility 11 at the target temperature (step S34), and returns the processing. The above is the flow of the control process when an upward DR notification is received.

[0043] Next, the flow of the control process executed by the control device 100 that has received a downward DR notification will be described with reference to FIG.

[0044] When the time to start the downward DR arrives, the control device 100 sends a control signal to the refrigerator 12 to instruct it to stop the operation of the refrigerator 12 so that the power consumption becomes zero, and starts the downward DR (step S41). When the downward DR starts, the supply of cold energy from the refrigerator 12 is cut off, but because cold energy is released from the heat storage means 13, it is possible to suppress changes in the air temperature inside the storage facility 11 until the phase change of the latent heat storage material is completed.

[0045] Next, the control device 100 determines whether the temperature of the inside air has reached the upper limit temperature (step S42). If it is determined that the temperature of the inside air has reached the upper limit temperature (step S42; Yes), the process proceeds to step S44. On the other hand, if it is determined that the temperature of the inside air has not reached the upper limit temperature (step S42; No), the process proceeds to step S43.

[0046] If the answer is No in step S42, the control device 100 determines whether the set period set in the downward DR notification has elapsed (step S43). If it is determined that the set period set in the downward DR notification has elapsed (step S43; Yes), the process proceeds to step S44. On the other hand, if it is determined that the set period set in the downward DR notification has not elapsed (step S43; No), the process returns to step S42.

[0047] If the answer is Yes in the processing of step S42 or step S43, the control device 100 terminates the processing of the lowering DR, sends a control signal to the refrigerator 12 instructing it to return to normal operation, which operates with the minimum amount of power consumption required to maintain the air temperature in the storage facility 11 at the target temperature (step S44), and returns the processing. The above is the flow of the control process when a downward DR notification is received.

[0048] At the time when DR implementation begins, the amount of power consumption is increased or decreased to balance the supply and demand of the system power supply, so the temperature of the air inside the storage compartment cannot be kept strictly constant, and the temperature of the air inside the storage compartment and the temperature of the heat storage material 13b may deviate from the target temperature. However, the presence of heat storage material 13b with a high heat storage density inside storage compartment 11 makes it possible to suppress sudden changes in the temperature of the air inside the storage compartment and the temperature of the heat storage material.

[0049] Furthermore, the amount of power consumed by the chiller 12 may be measured by a smart meter installed on a power line that supplies power to the chiller 12, and the smart meter may periodically transmit data indicating changes in the amount of power consumed over time to the management server 200 or another external server. If the data indicating changes in the amount of power consumed over time meets the conditions for a DR notification, the management server 200 or another external server determines that DR has been implemented in accordance with the DR notification and stores this information in memory. This allows the aggregator to determine whether DR has been properly implemented in the chillers 12 managed by the user.

[0050] As described above, the cold storage warehouse 10 according to the embodiment includes a storage facility 11 for storing items, a refrigerator 12 connected to the storage facility 11 and receiving power from an external source to adjust the air temperature inside the storage facility 11, and heat storage means 13 installed inside the storage facility 11 and having sealed therein heat storage material 13b that has a higher heat storage density than the items and stores and releases thermal energy according to the air temperature inside the storage facility 11. Therefore, even if DR is performed in the cold storage warehouse 10, temperature changes inside the storage facility can be suppressed.

[0051] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the following modifications are possible.

[0052] (Variation) In the above embodiment, a small-sized refrigerated warehouse such as a prefabricated refrigerated warehouse is used, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention may be applied to a large-sized refrigerated warehouse made of reinforced concrete.

[0053] In the above embodiment, the refrigerator 12 is installed in the storage 11, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the refrigerator 12 and the storage 11 may be arranged separately from each other and connected to each other via a pipe.

[0054] In the above embodiment, the heat storage material panels 13A are arranged on the shelves 15 with the front and back surfaces of the housings 13a facing each other, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the heat storage material panels 13A may be attached directly to the ceiling or wall of the storage facility 11, or may be suspended from the ceiling of the storage facility 11. The heat storage material panels 13A may also be arranged side by side on the same plane.

[0055] In the above embodiment, the heat storage material panel 13A is installed on the ceiling side of the storage facility 11, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, when storing thermal energy in the heat storage material 13b, the heat storage material panel 13A may be installed on the floor side of the storage facility 11.

[0056] In the above embodiment, the heat storage material 13b is housed in a plate-shaped heat storage material panel 13A, but the present invention is not limited to this. The heat storage material 13b may be housed in a heat storage material panel 13A having a shape other than a plate, for example, a columnar, cylindrical, spherical, or honeycomb shape. The heat storage material 13b may also be housed in a heat exchanger provided with a large number of fins.

[0057] In the above embodiment, the air is agitated using a blower fan, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, if the size of the storage facility 11 is small and natural convection is sufficient to agitate the air, the blower fan may be omitted.

[0058] In the above embodiment, the goods are frozen using the freezer 12, but the present invention is not limited to this. The goods may be stored in a refrigerated, room temperature, or heated state. The freezer 12 may be replaced with a freezer / refrigerator, or a heater or heat pump, depending on the target temperature of the insulated warehouse. The melting point of the PCM may be selected depending on the target temperature of the insulated warehouse. PCMs with melting points within the range of -50°C to +50°C are available.

[0059] In the above embodiment, the upward DR notification and the downward DR notification are used separately, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a DR notification may be used that instructs the user to perform an upward DR in a certain time period and a downward DR in another time period.

[0060] In the above embodiment, the control device 100 does not perform any particular process after causing the refrigerator 12 to perform DR based on the DR notification, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, after causing the refrigerator 12 to perform DR based on the DR notification, the control device 100 may transmit a completion notification to the management server 200 indicating that DR has been completed. The completion notification may include, for example, data on the amount of power consumed by the refrigerator 12. Upon receiving the completion notification from the control device 100, the management server 200 stores information indicating that DR corresponding to the DR notification transmitted to the control device 100 has been completed in memory in association with an equipment ID (Identification). The equipment ID is identification information individually assigned to the cold storage 10. At this time, the management server 200 may determine whether DR has been properly performed based on the amount of power consumed by the refrigerator 12.

[0061] In the above embodiment, the power consumption of the refrigerator 12 is controlled based on the DR notification, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a PLC may be used as a demand controller to perform demand control in the cold storage warehouse 10. Specifically, a watt-hour meter may be connected to the refrigerator 12 in the cold storage warehouse 10 to measure the amount of power consumed by the refrigerator 12, and when the amount of power measured by the watt-hour meter exceeds a predetermined target value for demand, thinning operation may be performed to stop the operation of the refrigerator 12. The control device 100 may accept an operation of an operation device by a user and store in advance in memory a control that should be prioritized when demand control and control based on DR conflict.

[0062] In the above embodiment, the upper limit temperature is set higher than the target temperature, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the upper limit temperature may be set lower than the target temperature to prevent the temperature of the items or the temperature inside the refrigerator from becoming higher than the target temperature. In this case, it is necessary to predict the reception of a downward DR notice before receiving the downward DR notice and to cool the refrigerator temperature below the upper limit temperature in advance.

[0063] The control device 100 predicts whether a downward DR notice will be received within a certain time from the current time based on data acquired from outside, and when it predicts that a downward DR notice will be received within the certain time from the current time, it increases the output of the refrigerator 12 and stores thermal energy in advance in the heat storage material 13b. The control device 100 may increase the output of the refrigerator 12 at the time when it predicts that a downward DR notice will be received. To predict a downward DR notice, for example, data related to a weather forecast and an electricity market price may be acquired.

[0064] As an example, the control device 100 may acquire data on the next day's electricity market price, determine whether there is a time period when the spot price exceeds an upper limit, and predict that a DR notification instructing a downward DR will be received during the time period when the spot price exceeds the upper limit. Furthermore, the control device 100 may store past downward DR notifications and corresponding weather data in advance in a memory, periodically acquire weather forecast data, and compare the acquired weather forecast data with the past weather data stored in the memory to predict whether a DR notification will be received. For example, the control device 100 may determine whether there is a time period when the temperature in the weather forecast is higher than the temperature when a downward DR notification was previously received, and predict that a DR notification instructing a downward DR will be received during the time period when the temperature in the weather forecast is higher.

[0065] The above modification is not limited to the case where the upper limit temperature is set lower than the target temperature, but may be applied to the case where the upper limit temperature is set higher than the target temperature. This allows the heat storage material 13b to be sufficiently cooled in advance, thereby extending the implementation time of the downward DR.

[0066] In the above embodiment, when a DR notification is not received, PID control is performed on the refrigerator 12 based on the deviation between the measured temperature and the target temperature so that the measured temperature follows the target temperature, but the present invention is not limited to this. Proportional control or ON / OFF control may be performed on the refrigerator 12 based on the deviation between the measured temperature and the target temperature.

[0067] In the above embodiment, the control device 100 and the management server 200 are connected to each other so that they can communicate with each other via a communication line such as the Internet, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the control device 100 and the management server 200 may be connected to each other so that they can communicate with each other via a dedicated communication line.

[0068] In the above embodiment, various data are stored in the memory of the control device 100 and the management server 200, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, all or part of the various data may be stored in an external control device or computer via a communication network.

[0069] In the above embodiment, the control device 100 and the management server 200 operate based on programs stored in their respective memories, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the functional configuration realized by the programs may be realized by hardware.

[0070] In the above embodiment, the management server 200 is, for example, a general-purpose computer, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the management server 200 may be realized by a computer provided on a cloud.

[0071] In the above embodiment, the processing performed by the control device 100 and the management server 200 was realized by a device having the above-mentioned physical configuration executing a program stored in memory, but the present invention may also be realized as a program or as a storage medium on which the program is recorded.

[0072] In addition, a program for executing the above-mentioned processing operations may be stored and distributed on a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium such as a flexible disk, a CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read-Only Memory), a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), or an MO (Magneto-Optical Disk), and the program may be installed on a computer to configure an apparatus that executes the above-mentioned processing operations.

[0073] The above-described embodiments are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to these. Various embodiments are possible within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims. The components described in the embodiments and modifications can be freely combined. Furthermore, inventions equivalent to the inventions set forth in the claims are also included in the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 1. DR System 10. Refrigerated Warehouse 11 Storage 12 Refrigeration unit 13 Heat storage means 14 Air agitation means

Claims

1. a storehouse for storing items; an air temperature regulator connected to the storage facility and configured to adjust the air temperature inside the storage facility by being externally powered; a heat storage means installed in the storage facility, the heat storage means having a heat storage density greater than that of the goods, and a heat storage material sealed therein that stores and releases thermal energy in accordance with the air temperature in the storage facility; A heat-insulating warehouse equipped with:

2. The heat storage material is a latent heat storage material having a melting point equal to a target temperature to be maintained in the internal space of the heat-retaining warehouse. The insulated warehouse according to claim 1.

3. the heat storage means includes a plurality of heat storage material units each having the heat storage material sealed therein; The heat storage material units are arranged side by side at intervals in the storage facility. The heat-retaining warehouse according to claim 1 or 2.

4. Each heat storage material unit is formed in a plate shape and is arranged side by side with the front and back surfaces of the heat storage material unit facing each other. The heat-retaining warehouse according to claim 3.

5. The insulated warehouse is a warehouse in which the goods are refrigerated or frozen, The heat storage means is installed on the ceiling side of the storage facility and stores and releases cold energy according to the air temperature inside the storage facility. The heat-retaining warehouse according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The heat storage means is installed on a shelf installed in the storage facility. The heat-retaining warehouse according to claim 5.

7. The storage facility further includes an air agitation means that is installed in the storage facility so that wind blows on the heat storage means and agitates the air that has absorbed the thermal energy released from the heat storage material. The heat-retaining warehouse according to claim 1 or 2.

8. The heat-retaining warehouse according to claim 1 or 2; a control device that is communicatively connected to the air temperature regulator in the thermal insulation warehouse and that adjusts the amount of power consumed by the air temperature regulator based on a notification regarding a demand response transmitted from a management server; A heat retention system.

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