Temperature control system, temperature control method, and program

Abstract

This disclosure provides a temperature control system that suppresses heater output and reduces power consumption. [Solution] The temperature control system in this disclosure comprises a refrigeration device that performs a refrigeration cycle to cool air, a heater that heats the air cooled by the refrigeration device and sends the heated air to a test chamber, an operation unit that receives an operation to set the refrigeration capacity of the refrigeration device and the target temperature of the test chamber, a transmission unit that transmits the refrigeration capacity received by the operation unit to the refrigeration device, a control unit that controls the heater based on a measured value of the temperature of the test chamber and the target temperature, and a control device which performs the refrigeration cycle with the refrigeration capacity received from the control device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a temperature control system, a temperature control method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a temperature control device that aims to save energy while adjusting the temperature of the airflow to be temperature-controlled within a target temperature range. This temperature control device includes a refrigeration cycle, a heating means, a temperature detection means, and a temperature control means. The refrigeration cycle circulates the refrigerant in the order of a compressor, a condenser, an expansion section, and an evaporator, and cools the refrigerant to be temperature-controlled by the refrigerant flowing in the evaporator. The heating means heats the fluid to be temperature-controlled cooled by the evaporator. The temperature detection means detects the temperature of the fluid to be temperature-controlled after heating by the heating means. The temperature control means controls the heating output of the heating means so that the detected temperature by the temperature detection means is within the target temperature range, and performs cooling control to control the rotation speed of the compressor so that the heating output value of the heating means becomes the target heating output value.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide a temperature control system, a temperature control method, and a program that suppress heater output and reduce power consumption.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The temperature control system in this disclosure comprises a refrigeration device that performs a refrigeration cycle to cool air, a heater that heats the air cooled by the refrigeration device and sends the heated air to a test chamber, an operation unit that receives an operation to set the refrigeration capacity of the refrigeration device and the target temperature of the test chamber, a transmission unit that transmits the refrigeration capacity received by the operation unit to the refrigeration device, and a control unit that controls the heater based on a measured value of the temperature of the test chamber and the target temperature, wherein the refrigeration device performs the refrigeration cycle with the refrigeration capacity received from the control unit.

[0006] The temperature control method in this disclosure is a method in which a control device receives the refrigeration capacity of a refrigeration device that performs a refrigeration cycle to cool the air and the setting of a target temperature of the test chamber, transmits the received refrigeration capacity to the refrigeration device, causes the refrigeration device to perform the refrigeration cycle with the refrigeration capacity, heats the air cooled by the refrigeration device, and controls a heater that sends the heated air to the test chamber based on the measured temperature of the test chamber and the target temperature.

[0007] The program in this disclosure is a program that causes a processor to perform the following processes: receiving the refrigeration capacity of a refrigeration device that performs a refrigeration cycle to cool air, and setting the target temperature of a test chamber; transmitting the received refrigeration capacity to the refrigeration device and causing the refrigeration device to perform the refrigeration cycle with the refrigeration capacity; and controlling a heater that heats the air cooled by the refrigeration device and sends the heated air to the test chamber, based on a measured value of the temperature of the test chamber and the target temperature. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] In the temperature control system, temperature control method, and program described herein, when the refrigeration capacity and target temperature of the refrigeration device are set by operating the control unit, the refrigeration device operates at the set refrigeration capacity, and the heater output is controlled to reach the set target temperature. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the use of excess heater output when the refrigeration capacity is excessive, suppress the heater output toward the target temperature, and reduce the amount of electricity consumed for temperature control. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] Diagram showing the configuration of the temperature control system. [Figure 2] Block diagram showing the configuration of the refrigeration unit. [Figure 3] Diagram showing the refrigeration cycle [Figure 4] A diagram showing the relationship between heater power consumption and output. [Figure 5] Flowchart showing the operation of the temperature control unit [Figure 6] Flowchart showing the operation of the temperature control unit. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] (Knowledge and other information that formed the basis of this disclosure) The temperature control device disclosed in Patent Document 1 performs heating control, which controls the heating output of the heating means so that the temperature detected by the temperature detection means falls within a target temperature range. The temperature control device also performs refrigeration control, which controls the compression speed of the compressor so that the heating output value of the heating means in the heating control becomes a target heating output value. However, the temperature control device disclosed in Patent Document 1 has the problem of temporarily consuming excessive power because it is necessary to operate the heater at maximum output once to determine the temperature balance state in order to detect the refrigeration capacity of the refrigeration cycle. The inventors have come to constitute the subject matter of this disclosure in order to solve this problem. Therefore, this disclosure aims to reduce power consumption by suppressing heater output.

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, detailed descriptions may be omitted more than necessary. For example, detailed descriptions of well-known matters or duplicate descriptions of substantially the same configurations may be omitted. Note that the accompanying drawings and the following description are provided for those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

[0012] [1: Configuration of Embodiment] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of the temperature adjustment system 1. The temperature adjustment system 1 includes a refrigeration cycle, a heater 35 disposed in the air conditioning chamber 30, and a control device 100 disposed in the machine room 80. The refrigeration cycle is composed of a refrigerator 50 and an evaporator 33 disposed in the air conditioning chamber 30.

[0013] FIG. 1 shows a heat-insulated chamber 10 including a test chamber 20 and an air conditioning chamber 30, and a machine room 80. In the test chamber 20, an outdoor unit 21 which is a test machine to be tested, a dry bulb thermometer 23 and a wet bulb thermometer 25 are installed. Further, a steam pipe 41 is laid above the test chamber 20, and steam flows into the test chamber 20 through the steam pipe 41. Furthermore, openings 27A, 27B, 27C, 27D and 27E are formed on the ceiling surface of the test chamber 20. Air whose temperature is adjusted in the air conditioning chamber 30 flows into the test chamber 20 through these openings 27A, 27B, 27C, 27D and 27E.

[0014] In the air conditioning chamber 30, an evaporator 33, a heater 35 and a blower 37 are installed.

[0015] The evaporator 33 is connected to a refrigerator 50 disposed outside the heat insulation chamber 10 via a refrigerant pipe 67. The refrigerator 50 and the evaporator 33 correspond to a "refrigeration device that executes a refrigeration cycle to cool air". That is, a refrigeration cycle is constituted by a compressor 55, a condenser 57, and an expansion valve 59 provided in the refrigerator 50, and the evaporator 33 which is an evaporator. Refrigerant cooled by the expansion valve 59 is supplied to the evaporator 33 via the refrigerant pipe 67. The air conditioning chamber 30 is connected to the test chamber 20 through a plurality of communication holes 31, and the evaporator 33 exchanges heat with the air in the test chamber 20 flowing in through the communication holes 31. Further, when the evaporator 33 takes heat from the air, it dehumidifies and takes humidity from the air.

[0016] The heater 35 reheats the air cooled by the evaporator 33.

[0017] An opening 28 is formed in the upper part of the air conditioning chamber 30, and the air whose temperature is adjusted in the air conditioning chamber 30 flows into the test chamber 20 through the opening 28 and the openings 27A, 27B, 27C, 27D, and 27E. The blower 37 blows the air reheated by the heater 35 into the test chamber 20. The air blown by the blower 37 flows into the test chamber 20 through the opening 28 and the openings 27A, 27B, 27C, 27D, and 27E.

[0018] The refrigerator 50 is disposed outside the heat insulation chamber 10 and the air conditioning chamber 30. FIG. 1 shows an example in which one refrigerator 50 is installed, but a configuration in which a plurality of refrigerators 50 are connected may also be used. The refrigerator 50 preferably has a refrigerating capacity that is 2 to 4 times the refrigerating capacity of the outdoor unit 21 or the air conditioner evaluated in the test chamber. When connecting a plurality of refrigerators 50, the condensers provided in each refrigerator 50 are connected in parallel, and the refrigerating capacity of the connected refrigerators 50 is adjusted by expanding the volume and surface area of the condensers.

[0019] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the refrigerator 50. Here, the configuration of the refrigerator 50 will be described while referring to FIG. 2. The refrigerator 50 includes a motor 51, an inverter 53, a compressor 55, a condenser 57, an expansion valve 59, a refrigerator control unit 60, and a communication unit 65.

[0020] Motor 51 drives the compressor 55. Inverter 53 controls the rotational speed of motor 51. The compressor 55 is driven by motor 51 and compresses the refrigerant. The refrigerant compressed in the compressor 55 releases heat and condenses in the condenser 57, then flows into the expansion valve 59, where it is depressurized and becomes a low-temperature, low-pressure liquid.

[0021] The refrigerator control unit 60 includes a storage unit 61 and a processor 63.

[0022] The memory unit 61 stores control programs that control the operation of the processor 63, as well as various setting information. The memory unit 61 is also used for temporary storage of various data executed by the processor 63.

[0023] Processor 63 is a computing device composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and an MPU (Micro Processor Unit).

[0024] The refrigeration control unit 60 controls the refrigeration capacity of the refrigerator 50. For example, the refrigeration control unit 60 controls the rotational speed of the motor 51 by controlling the frequency of the inverter 53, thereby controlling the amount of refrigerant supplied from the compressor 55 to the condenser 57, and controlling the operation of the refrigeration cycle. That is, when the refrigeration control unit 60 increases the rotational speed of the motor 51, the amount of refrigerant supplied from the compressor 55 to the condenser 57 increases, and the refrigeration capacity of the refrigerator 50 increases. Conversely, when the refrigeration control unit 60 decreases the rotational speed of the motor 51, the amount of refrigerant supplied from the compressor 55 to the condenser 57 decreases, and the refrigeration capacity of the refrigerator 50 decreases.

[0025] Furthermore, the refrigerator control unit 60 may control the cooling capacity of the refrigerator 50 using a hot gas injection method. Figure 3 shows an example of a refrigerant cycle. The refrigerant compressed by the compressor 55 is sent to the input side of the evaporator 33, which is an evaporator, via two paths: a first path 71, which is equipped with a condenser 57, a receiver 68, and an expansion valve 59, and a second path 73, which is a bypass path of the first path 71. The second path 73 connects the output side of the compressor 55 to the input side of the evaporator 33, and a hot gas bypass valve 69 is provided in the middle of the second path 73. The hot gas bypass valve 69 is equivalent to a control valve.

[0026] The refrigeration control unit 60 controls the opening degree of the hot gas bypass valve 69, thereby adjusting the flow rate of the refrigerant flowing through the first path 71 and thus adjusting the refrigeration capacity of the refrigeration unit 50. In addition to the first path 71, a second path 73 is also provided to prevent the evaporator 33 from freezing.

[0027] Furthermore, the refrigerator control unit 60 may adjust the cooling capacity of the refrigerator 50 by controlling the motor 51 via the inverter 53 and controlling the opening degree of the hot gas bypass valve 69.

[0028] The communication unit 65 communicates data with the control device 100.

[0029] The machine room 80 houses an SCR (Silicon Controlled Rectifier) ​​85 and a control device 100.

[0030] SCR85 is composed of thyristors. SCR85 is connected to the control unit 100 and the heater 35. SCR85 is used to regulate the power supplied to the heater 35. SCR85 adjusts the power supplied to the heater 35 according to the control of the temperature control unit 150.

[0031] The control device 100 receives temperature information measured by a dry-bulb thermometer 23 and a wet-bulb thermometer 25 installed in the test chamber 20.

[0032] The control device 100 includes a communication unit 110, an operation unit 120, a display unit 130, and a temperature control unit 150.

[0033] The communication unit 110 communicates data with the refrigerator 50. The control device 100 transmits data to the refrigerator 50, for example, data instructing the rotation speed of the motor 51. The refrigerator control unit 60 may also transmit the rotation speed of the fan and sensor information of the refrigerator 50 to the control device 100 via the communication unit 65.

[0034] The control unit 120 includes hardware buttons or switches that accept user input.

[0035] The display unit 130 includes, for example, a display panel such as a liquid crystal panel or an organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) panel, and displays characters, numbers, images, etc. on the display panel according to the control of the temperature control unit 150.

[0036] The temperature control unit 150 is a computer device comprising a storage unit 151 and a processor 153. The temperature control unit 150 corresponds to an example of a control unit.

[0037] The memory unit 151 includes RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM (Read Only Memory). The RAM is used for temporary storage of various data, while the ROM stores control programs that control the operation of the processor 153, as well as various setting information.

[0038] The processor 153 is an arithmetic processing unit composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and an MPU (Micro Processor Unit). The processor 153 executes a control program to control each part of the control device 100. The processor 153 may be composed of a single processor or multiple processors. Furthermore, the processor 153 may be composed of a System-on-a-chip (SoC) integrated with part or all of the memory unit 151 or other circuits. Alternatively, the processor 153 may be composed of a combination of a CPU that executes programs and a DSP (Digital Signal Processing) that performs predetermined arithmetic processing. In addition, all the functions of the processor 153 may be implemented in hardware, or they may be configured using programmable devices.

[0039] The temperature control unit 150 displays the temperature measured by the dry-bulb thermometer 23 and the humidity calculated based on the temperatures measured by the dry-bulb thermometer 23 and the wet-bulb thermometer 25 on the display unit 130. Furthermore, the temperature control unit 150 displays the target temperature range set by the user using the operation unit 120 on the display unit 130.

[0040] The temperature control unit 150 uses feedback control to adjust the output of the heater 35 so that the temperature of the test chamber 20 is within the target temperature range. For example, PID (Proportional-Integral-Differential) control can be used as the feedback control method. The temperature control unit 150 may also use feedback control to adjust the output of the heater 35 and the output of the refrigerator 50 so that the temperature of the test chamber 20 is within the target temperature range. In addition, the temperature control unit 150 controls the opening degree of the control valve 43 so that the temperature of the test chamber 20 is within the target humidity range.

[0041] The temperature control unit 150 controls the SCR85 to adjust the output of the heater 35. The temperature control unit 150 changes the output of the heater 35 by controlling the gate current of the SCR85, i.e., the thyristor.

[0042] The control device 100 is connected to the control valve 43. The temperature control unit 150 controls the opening degree of the control valve 43 to adjust the flow rate of steam flowing into the test chamber 20.

[0043] The temperature control unit 150 receives user input via the control unit 120. The items that the user sets by operating the control unit 120 include the target temperature, operating mode, and the upper limit of the refrigeration capacity of the chiller 50. There are two user-settable operating modes: a first operating mode and a second operating mode.

[0044] The first operating mode is a mode in which the refrigerator 50 is operated at the upper limit of the refrigeration capacity set by the user. The upper limit of the refrigeration capacity corresponds to the "refrigeration capacity received by the control unit". In this first operating mode, the temperature control unit 150 receives the setting of the upper limit of the refrigeration capacity of the chiller 50 via the operation unit 120 and transmits the received upper limit of refrigeration capacity to the chiller 50. The chiller control unit 60 controls the inverter 53 and the hot gas bypass valve 69 so as not to exceed the upper limit of refrigeration capacity received from the control device 100.

[0045] For example, the temperature control unit 150 displays the current upper limit of the refrigeration capacity of the chiller 50 on the display unit 130. The user sets the upper limit of the refrigeration capacity of the chiller 50 based on the capacity of the outdoor unit 21, which is the test unit installed in the test room 20. When the user wants to change the upper limit of the refrigeration capacity of the chiller 50, they operate the operation unit 120 to input the upper limit of the refrigeration capacity. The temperature control unit 150 outputs the received upper limit of the refrigeration capacity to the chiller control unit 60 of the chiller 50.

[0046] The second operating mode also operates the refrigerator 50 at the upper limit of the cooling capacity set by the user, but if the output of the heater 35 deviates from the preset target output range for a preset period of time or longer, the upper limit of the cooling capacity of the refrigerator 50 is changed.

[0047] Figure 4 shows the relationship between the output [%] of heater 35 and the power consumption [kWh]. In Figure 4, the horizontal axis represents the output of heater 35, and the vertical axis represents the power consumption of heater 35. Figure 4 also shows the target output range, upper limit output, and lower limit output of heater 35. The upper limit of the target output range corresponds to the upper limit output, and the lower limit of the target output range corresponds to the lower limit output. These upper and lower limit outputs are set in relation to the power consumption of heater 35. For example, the upper limit output is set to 60% of the heater 35's output, and the lower limit output is set to 20% of the heater 35's output. The target output range used is the range shown in Figure 4, but the range can be arbitrarily changed by the user.

[0048] If the output of the heater 35 remains above the upper limit output for a set period of time or longer, the temperature control control unit 150 instructs the chiller 50 to reduce its cooling capacity by a set value. For example, the temperature control control unit 150 may transmit to the chiller 50 the upper limit of the chiller capacity after the change, or it may transmit to the chiller 50 the amount of cooling capacity to be reduced from the current upper limit of the chiller 50's chiller capacity. The temperature control control unit 150 may also transmit to the chiller 50 an instruction for the rotational speed of the motor 51 after the change, or it may transmit to the chiller 50 an instruction for the rotational speed to be reduced from the current rotational speed of the motor 51. The temperature control control unit 150 may also transmit to the chiller 50 an instruction for the frequency of the inverter 53 after the change. Furthermore, the temperature control control unit 150 may transmit to the chiller 50 the opening degree of the hot gas bypass valve 69 corresponding to the reduced chiller capacity of the chiller 50.

[0049] Furthermore, if the output of the heater 35 remains below the lower limit output for a preset period of time or longer, the temperature control control unit 150 instructs the chiller 50 to increase its cooling capacity by a preset value. In this case as well, the temperature control control unit 150 may transmit to the chiller 50 the upper limit of the changed cooling capacity, or it may transmit to the chiller 50 the cooling capacity to be increased from the current upper limit of the cooling capacity. The temperature control control unit 150 may also transmit to the chiller 50 an instruction for the changed rotational speed of the motor 51, or it may transmit to the chiller 50 an instruction for the rotational speed to be increased from the current rotational speed of the motor 51. The temperature control control unit 150 may also transmit to the chiller 50 an instruction for the changed frequency of the inverter 53. In addition, the temperature control control unit 150 may transmit to the chiller 50 the opening degree of the hot gas bypass valve 69 corresponding to the increased cooling capacity of the chiller 50.

[0050] Furthermore, the temperature control unit 150 may instruct the refrigerator 50 to reduce its cooling capacity by a preset value if the difference between the dew point temperature and the evaporation temperature is greater than or equal to a preset temperature. The dew point temperature may be directly measured using a dew point thermometer (not shown), or it may be obtained by determining the water vapor pressure from the air temperature and relative humidity, and then finding the temperature at which that water vapor pressure becomes the saturated water vapor pressure. Furthermore, the evaporation temperature is the temperature at which the refrigerant evaporates and boils in the evaporator.

[0051] [2: Operation of the control device] Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the control device 100. The operation of the control device 100 will be explained with reference to the flowchart shown in Figure 5.

[0052] First, the temperature control unit 150 determines whether or not it has received the initial setting input from the operation unit 120 (step S1). Initial setup includes selecting the operating mode, setting the upper limit of the refrigeration capacity of the chiller 50, setting the target temperature, and setting the number of chillers 50 to be operated.

[0053] If the temperature control unit 150 has not received an initial setting input (step S1 / NO), it waits until it receives an initial setting input. Furthermore, when the temperature control unit 150 receives an initial setting input (step S1 / YES), it stores the received initial setting information in the storage unit 151 (step S2).

[0054] Next, the temperature control unit 150 determines whether or not it has received an operation to start temperature and humidity adjustment control (step S3). If the temperature control unit 150 has not received an operation to start temperature and humidity adjustment control (step S3 / NO), it waits until it receives this operation.

[0055] When the temperature control unit 150 receives a command to start temperature and humidity adjustment control (step S3 / YES), it reads the initial setting information stored in the memory unit 151 (step S4). Next, the temperature control unit 150 transmits information to the refrigerator 50 indicating the upper limit of the refrigerator capacity of the refrigerator 50, which is included in the read initial setting information (step S5).

[0056] Next, the temperature control unit 150 determines whether the operating mode setting included in the initial setting information is the first operating mode (step S6). If the operating mode setting is the first operating mode (step S6 / YES), the temperature control unit 150 sends an instruction to start operation to the chiller 50 (step S7). When the chiller control unit 60 receives the instruction to start operation from the control device 100, it controls the inverter 53 so that the rotational speed of the motor 51 becomes the rotational speed corresponding to the upper limit of the refrigeration capacity received from the control device 100.

[0057] Next, the temperature control unit 150 performs feedback control (step S8). The temperature control unit 150 controls the output of the heater 35 by controlling the SCR 85 so that the temperatures measured by the dry-bulb thermometer 23 and the wet-bulb thermometer 25 are within the target temperature range. The target temperature range is set based on the target temperature accepted as an initial setting. The target temperature range is set, for example, within the specified temperature range based on the provisions of JIS or JRA.

[0058] Next, the temperature control unit 150 determines whether or not it has received a command to terminate the temperature and humidity adjustment control (step S9). If the temperature control unit 150 has not received a command to terminate the temperature and humidity adjustment control (step S9 / NO), it returns to step S8 and continues the feedback control. If the temperature control unit 150 has received a command to terminate the temperature and humidity adjustment control (step S9 / YES), it terminates the feedback control (step S10).

[0059] Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the temperature control unit 150 when it is determined in step S6 that the operating mode set by the user is the second operating mode. The operation of the temperature control unit 150 will be explained with reference to the flowchart shown in Figure 6.

[0060] When the temperature control unit 150 determines that the operating mode setting included in the initial setting information is the second operating mode (step S6 / NO), it sends an instruction to start operation to the chiller 50 (step S11) and performs feedback control (step S12).

[0061] Next, after performing feedback control, the temperature control unit 150 determines whether the output of the heater 35 is greater than the upper limit output (step S13). If the output of the heater 35 is greater than the upper limit output (step S13 / YES), the temperature control unit 150 determines whether the state in which the output of the heater 35 is greater than the upper limit output has elapsed for a set time or longer (step S14). If the state in which the output of the heater 35 is greater than the upper limit output has not elapsed for a set time or longer (step S14 / NO), the temperature control unit 150 proceeds to the determination in step S19.

[0062] If the temperature control unit 150 has been at a state where the output of the heater 35 is greater than the upper limit output for a set period of time or longer (step S14 / YES), it instructs the chiller 50 to reduce the rotational speed of the motor 51 by a predetermined number of rotational speeds (step S15). After that, the temperature control unit 150 proceeds to the determination in step S19.

[0063] Furthermore, if the output of the heater 35 is not greater than the upper limit output (step S13 / NO), the temperature control control unit 150 determines whether the output of the heater 35 is less than the lower limit output (step S16). If the output of the heater 35 is not less than the lower limit output (step S16 / NO), the temperature control control unit 150 proceeds to the determination in step S19.

[0064] If the output of the heater 35 is less than the lower limit output (step S16 / YES), the temperature control control unit 150 determines whether or not a set time has elapsed since the output of the heater 35 fell below the lower limit output (step S17). If the temperature control control unit 150 determines that a set time has not elapsed since the output of the heater 35 fell below the lower limit output (step S17 / NO), it proceeds to the determination in step S19.

[0065] If the temperature control unit 150 has been at a lower output level than the lower limit for a set period of time or longer (step S17 / YES), it instructs the refrigerator 50 to increase the rotational speed of the motor 51 by a predetermined number of rotational speeds (step S18). After that, the temperature control unit 150 determines whether or not it has received a request to terminate the temperature and humidity adjustment control (step S19). If the temperature control unit 150 has not received a request to terminate the temperature and humidity adjustment control (step S19 / NO), it returns to step S12 and continues the feedback control. If the temperature control unit 150 has received a request to terminate the temperature and humidity adjustment control (step S19 / YES), it terminates the feedback control (step S20).

[0066] The flowcharts in Figures 5 and 6 illustrate the case where the cooling capacity of the refrigerator 50 is changed by changing the rotational speed of the motor 51. Alternatively, as shown in the hot gas injection method in Figure 3, the temperature control unit 150 may transmit an instruction to increase or decrease the cooling capacity to the refrigerator 50, and the refrigerator control unit 60 may control the opening degree of the hot gas bypass valve 69 according to the received instruction.

[0067] [3: Effects, etc.] As described above, the temperature control system 1 of this embodiment comprises a refrigeration device consisting of a refrigerator 50 and an evaporator 33, a heater 35, and a control device 100. A refrigeration system cools the air by performing a refrigeration cycle. The heater 35 heats the air cooled by the refrigeration device and sends the heated air to the test chamber 20. The control device 100 includes an operation unit 120, a communication unit 110, and a temperature control unit 150. The control unit 120 accepts commands to set the refrigeration capacity of the refrigeration device and the target temperature of the test chamber 20. The communication unit 110 transmits the refrigeration capacity received by the operation unit 120 to the refrigeration device. The temperature control unit 150 controls the heater 35 based on the measured temperature of the test chamber 20 and the target temperature. The refrigeration system executes the refrigeration cycle using the refrigeration capacity received from the control device 100. Therefore, by operating the control unit 120 to set the refrigeration capacity and target temperature of the refrigeration system, the refrigeration system can be operated at the user-set refrigeration capacity, and the heater 35 can be operated to reach the user-set target temperature. This prevents the use of excess heater output when the refrigeration capacity is excessive, suppresses the heater output toward the target temperature, and reduces the amount of electricity consumed for temperature control.

[0068] The control device 100 includes a storage unit 151 that stores the upper limit of the allowable range of the heater 35's output. The temperature control unit 150 instructs the refrigeration system to reduce the refrigeration capacity by a preset value if the output of the heater 35 remains above the upper limit for a preset period of time or longer. Therefore, if the output of the heater 35 remains above the upper limit for a preset period of time or longer, the cooling capacity of the refrigeration system can be reduced by a preset value. This suppresses the output of the heater 35 and reduces power consumption.

[0069] The memory unit 151 stores the lower limit of the acceptable range. The temperature control unit 150 instructs the refrigeration system to increase its refrigeration capacity by a preset value if the output of the heater 35 remains below a lower limit for a preset period of time or longer. Therefore, if the heater's output 35 remains below the lower limit for a preset period of time or longer, the refrigeration capacity of the refrigeration system can be increased by a preset value. This allows the refrigeration system and heater 35 to be used within an appropriate range.

[0070] The refrigeration system includes a compressor 55 and a motor 51 that drives the compressor 55. The refrigeration system changes the rotational speed of the motor 51 according to instructions received from the control device 100. Therefore, the rotational speed of the motor 51 is changed according to the instructions received from the control device 100. As a result, the cooling capacity of the refrigeration system can be increased or decreased according to the instructions from the control device 100.

[0071] The refrigeration system includes a first path 71 comprising a compressor 55, a condenser 57, an expansion valve 59, and an evaporator 33, and a second path 73 that sends the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 55 to the input side of the evaporator 33. The second path 73 is provided with a hot gas bypass valve 69 that controls the flow rate of the refrigerant, and the refrigeration system changes the opening degree of the hot gas bypass valve 69 according to instructions received from the control device 100. Therefore, the refrigeration system changes the flow rate of the refrigerant through the second path 73 by changing the opening degree of the hot gas bypass valve 69 in accordance with instructions received from the control device 100. As a result, the refrigeration capacity of the refrigeration system can be increased or decreased according to the instructions of the control device.

[0072] [4: Other Embodiments] As described above, the above embodiments have been explained as examples disclosed in this application. However, the technology in this disclosure is not limited to these embodiments and can be applied to embodiments that have been modified, replaced, added, or omitted. Furthermore, it is possible to create new embodiments by combining the components described in the above embodiments.

[0073] The operation steps shown in Figures 5 and 6 are divided according to the main processing content to facilitate understanding of the processing of the control device 100, and the present invention is not limited by the way the processing units are divided or the names of the units. Depending on the processing content, it may be further divided into more steps. Alternatively, it may be divided so that one step unit includes even more processing. Furthermore, the order of the steps may be changed as appropriate, as long as it does not impede the spirit of the present invention.

[0074] Furthermore, the temperature control method can be implemented by having the processor 153 of the control device 100 execute a control program. This control program can also be recorded on a recording medium that is readable by a computer. As the recording medium, a magnetic, optical, or semiconductor memory device can be used.

[0075] Specifically, examples include portable or fixed recording media such as flexible disks, HDDs, CD-ROMs (Compact Disk Read Only Memory), DVDs, Blu-ray® Discs, magneto-optical disks, flash memory, and card-type recording media. Alternatively, the recording media may be non-volatile storage devices such as RAM and ROM, which are internal storage devices of server equipment.

[0076] [5: Addendum] Based on the above description of embodiments, the following technologies are disclosed.

[0077] (Technology 1) A temperature control system comprising: a refrigeration device that performs a refrigeration cycle to cool air; a heater that heats the air cooled by the refrigeration device and sends the heated air to a test chamber; an operating unit that receives operations to set the refrigeration capacity of the refrigeration device and the target temperature of the test chamber; a transmitting unit that transmits the refrigeration capacity received by the operating unit to the refrigeration device; and a control unit that controls the heater based on a measured temperature of the test chamber and the target temperature, wherein the refrigeration device performs the refrigeration cycle with the refrigeration capacity received from the control unit.

[0078] With this configuration, the user can operate the control unit to set the refrigeration capacity and target temperature of the refrigeration system, thereby operating the refrigeration system at the user-set refrigeration capacity and operating the heater to reach the user-set target temperature. This prevents the use of excess heater output when the refrigeration capacity is excessive, suppresses the heater output towards the target temperature, and reduces the amount of electricity consumed for temperature control.

[0079] (Technology 2) The temperature control system according to Technical 1, wherein the control device includes a storage unit that stores an upper limit of the allowable range of the heater output, and the control unit instructs the refrigeration device to reduce the refrigeration capacity by a preset value if the heater output remains above the upper limit for a preset period of time or longer.

[0080] With this configuration, if the heater output remains above the upper limit for a preset period of time or longer, the refrigeration capacity of the refrigeration system can be reduced by a preset value. Therefore, the heater output can be suppressed, and power consumption can be reduced.

[0081] (Technology 3) The temperature control system according to Technical Reference 2, wherein the memory unit stores the lower limit of the allowable range, and the control unit instructs the refrigeration device to increase the refrigeration capacity by a preset value if the heater output remains below the lower limit for a preset period of time or longer.

[0082] With this configuration, if the heater output remains below the lower limit for a preset period of time or longer, the refrigeration capacity of the refrigeration system can be increased by a preset value. Therefore, the refrigeration system and heater can be used within an appropriate range.

[0083] (Technology 4) The refrigeration device comprises a compressor and a motor that drives the compressor, and the rotational speed of the motor is changed according to the instruction received from the control device, as described in the temperature control system according to Technology 2 or 3.

[0084] In this configuration, the motor's rotation speed is changed according to instructions received from the control unit. Therefore, the refrigeration capacity of the refrigeration system can be increased or decreased according to the instructions from the control unit.

[0085] (Technology 5) The refrigeration system comprises a first path including a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator, and a second path for sending the refrigerant compressed by the compressor to the input side of the evaporator, wherein the second path is provided with a control valve for controlling the flow rate of the refrigerant, and the refrigeration system changes the opening degree of the control valve in accordance with the instructions received from the control device, according to the temperature control system of technology 2 or 3.

[0086] In this configuration, the refrigeration system changes the flow rate of the refrigerant through the second path by changing the opening degree of the control valve in response to instructions received from the control device. Therefore, the refrigeration capacity of the refrigeration system can be increased or decreased according to the instructions from the control device.

[0087] (Technology 6) A temperature control method comprising: a control device receiving the cooling capacity of a refrigeration device that executes a refrigeration cycle to cool the air, and the setting of a target temperature of the test chamber; transmitting the received cooling capacity to the refrigeration device; causing the refrigeration device to execute the refrigeration cycle with the cooling capacity; and controlling a heater that heats the air cooled by the refrigeration device and sends the heated air to the test chamber, based on the measured temperature of the test chamber and the target temperature.

[0088] According to this system, the refrigeration unit can accept settings for its refrigeration capacity and target temperature, operate the refrigeration unit with the accepted refrigeration capacity, and operate the heater to reach the accepted target temperature. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the use of excess heater output when the refrigeration capacity is excessive, reduce the heater output towards the target temperature, and reduce the amount of electricity consumed for temperature control.

[0089] (Technology 7) A program that causes a processor to perform the following processes: receiving the cooling capacity of a refrigeration device that performs a refrigeration cycle to cool the air, and setting the target temperature of the test chamber; transmitting the received cooling capacity to the refrigeration device and causing the refrigeration device to perform the refrigeration cycle with the cooling capacity; and controlling a heater that heats the air cooled by the refrigeration device and sends the heated air to the test chamber, based on the measured temperature of the test chamber and the target temperature.

[0090] According to this system, the refrigeration unit can accept settings for its refrigeration capacity and target temperature, operate the refrigeration unit with the accepted refrigeration capacity, and operate the heater to reach the accepted target temperature. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the use of excess heater output when the refrigeration capacity is excessive, reduce the heater output towards the target temperature, and reduce the amount of electricity consumed for temperature control. [Industrial applicability]

[0091] As described above, the temperature control system, temperature control method, and program of this disclosure can be used for the purpose of maintaining a constant temperature in a test chamber. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0092] 1. Temperature control system 10 Insulated Room 20 Test Rooms 21 Outdoor unit 27, 28 aperture 30 Air conditioned room 31 Communication hole 33 Evaporator 35 Heater 37 Blower 41 Steam piping 43 Control valve 50 Refrigeration units 51 Motor 53 Inverter 55 Compressor 57 Condenser 59 Expansion valve 60 Refrigeration Unit Control 61 Storage section 63 processors 65 Communications Department 67 Refrigerant piping 68 Receiver 69 Hot gas bypass valve 71 Route 1 73 Second Route 80 Machine room 100 Control device 110 Communications Department 120 Operation section 130 Display section 150 Temperature control unit 151 Storage section 153 processors

Claims

1. A refrigeration system that cools the air by performing a refrigeration cycle, A heater that heats the air cooled by the aforementioned refrigeration device and sends the heated air to the test chamber, An operating unit that receives operations to set the refrigeration capacity of the refrigeration device and the target temperature of the test chamber, A transmitting unit that transmits the refrigeration capacity received by the operating unit to the refrigeration device, A control unit that controls the heater based on the measured temperature of the test chamber and the target temperature, A control device comprising, Equipped with, The aforementioned refrigeration device is a temperature control system that executes the refrigeration cycle using the refrigeration capacity received from the control device.

2. The control device includes a storage unit that stores the upper limit of the allowable range of the heater output, The temperature control system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit instructs the refrigeration device to reduce the refrigeration capacity by a preset value if the output of the heater remains above the upper limit for a preset period of time or longer.

3. The storage unit stores the lower limit of the allowable range, The temperature control system according to claim 2, wherein the control unit instructs the refrigeration device to increase the refrigeration capacity by a preset value if the output of the heater remains below the lower limit for a preset period of time or longer.

4. The refrigeration apparatus comprises a compressor and a motor that drives the compressor. The temperature control system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the rotation speed of the motor is changed according to the instruction received from the control device.

5. The aforementioned refrigeration device is A first path comprising a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator, The system includes a second path that sends the refrigerant compressed by the compressor to the input side of the evaporator, The second path is provided with a control valve for controlling the flow rate of the refrigerant. The temperature control system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the refrigeration device changes the opening degree of the control valve in accordance with the instruction received from the control device.

6. The control device, The system accepts the refrigeration capacity of the refrigeration equipment that performs the refrigeration cycle to cool the air, and the setting of the target temperature of the test room. The received refrigeration capacity is transmitted to the refrigeration device, causing the refrigeration device to execute the refrigeration cycle with the refrigeration capacity. A temperature control method comprising heating the air cooled by the refrigeration device and controlling a heater that sends the heated air to a test chamber based on a measured temperature of the test chamber and the target temperature.

7. In the processor, The process involves receiving the refrigeration capacity of a refrigeration system that performs a refrigeration cycle to cool the air, and the setting of the target temperature of the test chamber. The process involves transmitting the received refrigeration capacity to the refrigeration device and instructing the refrigeration device to execute the refrigeration cycle using the refrigeration capacity, A process for controlling a heater that heats the air cooled by the refrigeration device and sends the heated air to the test chamber, based on the measured temperature of the test chamber and the target temperature. A program that executes something.

Images