Chilling unit

Abstract

This chilling unit is provided with: a plurality of apparatuses including a pump for delivering a heat medium to a heat medium heat exchanger that exchanges heat between a refrigerant circulating in a refrigerant circuit and a heat medium circulating in a heat medium circuit; and a control device that controls at least one of the plurality of apparatuses. The pump is provided with a pump part, a pump motor for driving the pump part, a rotary shaft for transmitting a driving force of the pump motor to the pump part, and a fan part for blowing air to the pump motor. The fan part is provided with a pump cooling fan for cooling the pump motor while being fixed to the rotary shaft and disposed so as to oppose the pump motor from the opposite side relative to the pump part, and a cylindrical fan cover extending in the axial direction of the rotary shaft and covering an outer peripheral portion of the pump motor and the pump cooling fan. The chilling unit is provided with a heat sink thermally connected to the control device and cooled by an airflow flowing out of the fan cover as the pump cooling fan is driven.

Description

Chilling Unit

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a chilling unit that constitutes an air conditioner, a heat pump hot water supply system, a refrigeration system, or the like.

[0002] Conventionally, a chilling unit has been proposed that has a heat exchange section and a machine room, with an air heat exchanger and a blower housed in the heat exchange section, and a compressor, heat exchanger, pump, control device, etc. housed in the machine room (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] International Publication No. 2011 / 099629

[0004] The pump and the control device each generate heat during operation and need to be cooled, but Patent Document 1 makes no mention of this. If a cooling fan is provided for each of the pump and the control device to cool them, the chilling unit will be large because installation space for two cooling fans will be required. Since a larger chilling unit will result in increased costs, there is a demand for smaller chilling units.

[0005] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present disclosure aims to provide a chilling unit that is compact yet capable of cooling a pump and a control device.

[0006] The chilling unit according to the present disclosure is a chilling unit comprising a plurality of devices, including a pump that transports a heat medium to a heat medium heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the refrigerant circulating in a refrigerant circuit and the heat medium circulating in a heat medium circuit, and a control device that controls at least one of the plurality of devices, wherein the pump comprises a pump section, a pump motor that drives the pump section, a rotating shaft that transmits the driving force of the pump motor to the pump section, and a fan section that blows air to the pump motor, and the fan section comprises a pump cooling fan that is fixed to the rotating shaft and is positioned opposite the pump section with respect to the pump motor to cool the pump motor, and a cylindrical fan cover that extends in the axial direction of the rotating shaft and covers the pump cooling fan and the outer periphery of the pump motor, and is thermally connected to the control device and comprises a heat sink that is cooled by the airflow flowing out from the fan cover when the pump cooling fan is driven.

[0007] The chilling unit according to the present disclosure is compact yet capable of cooling pumps and control devices.

[0008] 1 is a diagram illustrating the appearance of a chilling unit according to embodiment 1. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a refrigerant circuit and a heat medium circuit in the chilling unit according to embodiment 1. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a machine room of the chilling unit according to embodiment 1. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a pump of the chilling unit according to embodiment 1. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the positional relationship between a pump cooling fan of the chilling unit according to embodiment 1 and a heat sink fixed to the control device. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the positional relationship between a pump fan cover and a pump motor of the chilling unit according to embodiment 1. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of another positional relationship between the pump cooling fan of the chilling unit according to embodiment 1 and a heat sink fixed to the control device. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of another positional relationship between a pump fan cover and a pump motor of the chilling unit according to embodiment 1. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a machine room of a modified example of the chilling unit according to embodiment 1. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the positional relationship between a pump cooling fan and a heat sink fixed to the control device in a modified example of the chilling unit according to embodiment 1. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of another positional relationship between a pump cooling fan and a heat sink fixed to the control device in a modified example of the chilling unit according to embodiment 1. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a pump and a duct of a chilling unit according to embodiment 2. Fig. 10 is a side view of a state in which an upstream duct is fixed to a pump of a chilling unit according to embodiment 2. Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a state in which an upstream duct is fixed to a pump of a chilling unit according to embodiment 2. Fig. 12 is a perspective view showing a part of the upstream duct of a chilling unit according to embodiment 2.

[0009] Hereinafter, a chilling unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following drawings, components with the same reference numerals are the same or equivalent, and are common throughout the entire description of the embodiments described below. In addition, the size relationships between components in the drawings may differ from the actual size relationships. Furthermore, the configurations of the components shown in the entire specification are merely examples and are not limited to the configurations described in the specification.

[0010] Embodiment 1. Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the appearance of a chilling unit 100 according to embodiment 1. The chilling unit 100 is used as a heat source device in an air conditioner, a heat pump hot water supply system, a refrigeration system, or the like. The chilling unit 100 supplies cold or hot heat to a load unit (not shown), such as an indoor unit of an air conditioner, by circulating a heat medium or a heat medium such as antifreeze between the chilling unit 100 and the load unit.

[0011] Chilling unit 100 has a machine room 1, an air heat exchanger 2, and an outdoor fan 3. Machine room 1 is a housing that houses devices that make up refrigerant circuit A, which will be described later. Machine room 1 is located below chilling unit 100 and serves as a base that supports chilling unit 100, and is a housing with a rectangular bottom.

[0012] The air heat exchanger 2 is one of the components constituting the refrigerant circuit A and is a fin-and-tube heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the refrigerant and outdoor air. The chilling unit 100 of the first embodiment has four air heat exchangers 2 (2A-2D). The four air heat exchangers 2 (2A-2D) are installed in the upper part of the machine room 1. The air heat exchanger 2A and the air heat exchanger 2B, and the air heat exchanger 2C and the air heat exchanger 2D are paired. The pair of air heat exchangers 2 are arranged opposite each other with a wide gap between their upper sides so that they form a V-shape when viewed from the short side of the machine room 1, as indicated by arrow D. The chilling unit 100 of FIG. 1 has two pairs of air heat exchangers 2 arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction of the machine room 1. The number of air heat exchangers 2 is not limited to four and may be two, six, or more.

[0013] The outdoor fan 3 is a propeller fan that passes outdoor air through the air heat exchanger 2. The outdoor fan 3 is disposed above the pair of air heat exchangers 2, between the pair of V-shaped air heat exchangers 2. The chilling unit 100 of the first embodiment has four outdoor fans 3 (3A, 3B, 3C, 3D). The number of outdoor fans 3 is not limited to four, and may be one, two, or five or more. The outdoor fans 3 are driven via an inverter drive device (not shown) or the like. The airflow of the outdoor fans 3 can be changed by arbitrarily changing the drive frequency based on instructions from the control device 50 (described below).

[0014] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a refrigerant circuit A and a heat medium circuit B in the chilling unit 100 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the refrigerant circuit of the chilling unit 100 according to the first embodiment has four refrigerant circuits A. Each refrigerant circuit A includes a compressor 4, a four-way valve 5, an air heat exchanger 2, a throttling device 6, a heat medium heat exchanger 7, and an accumulator 8, all of which are connected by piping. The chilling unit 100 also has a heat medium circuit B that circulates a heat medium between the chilling unit 100 and the load-side unit. The heat medium circuit B includes a heat medium heat exchanger 7 and a pump 10 that transports the heat medium to the heat medium heat exchanger 7. The heat medium circuit B is connected to the load-side unit via connections P1 and P2, and the pump 10 circulates the heat medium.

[0015] The compressor 4 compresses the drawn refrigerant and discharges it. The compressor 4 is driven via an inverter drive device (not shown) or the like. The compressor 4 can change the capacity of the compressor 4, which is the amount of refrigerant delivered per unit time, by arbitrarily changing the drive frequency based on instructions from a control device 50 (described later).

[0016] The four-way valve 5 switches the flow of the refrigerant. For example, during cooling operation, the four-way valve 5 allows the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 4 to flow into the air heat exchanger 2. During heating operation, the four-way valve 5 allows the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 4 to flow into the heat medium heat exchanger 7.

[0017] The air heat exchanger 2 exchanges heat between the refrigerant and external air. In heating operation to heat the heat medium, the air heat exchanger 2 functions as an evaporator, exchanging heat between the low-pressure refrigerant flowing in from the expansion device 6 side and the air, evaporating the refrigerant. In cooling operation to cool the heat medium, the air heat exchanger 2 functions as a condenser, exchanging heat between the low-pressure refrigerant flowing in from the compressor 4 side and the air, condensing the refrigerant to a liquid. In Figure 2, the air heat exchanger 2 and the outdoor fan 3 that sends external air to the air heat exchanger 2 are in a one-to-one correspondence, but this is not particularly limited.

[0018] The heat medium heat exchanger 7 exchanges heat between the heat medium circulating through the heat medium circuit B and the refrigerant circulating through the refrigerant circuit A. The heat medium heat exchanger 7 serves as a flow path for the refrigerant circuit A and the heat medium circuit B. Therefore, the heat medium heat exchanger 7 serves as a component of the refrigerant circuit A and the heat medium circuit B. During heating operation, the heat medium heat exchanger 7 functions as a condenser, exchanging heat between the refrigerant flowing in from the compressor 4 side and the heat medium, condensing the refrigerant to liquefy or convert it into a two-phase gas-liquid state, and heating the heat medium. During cooling operation, the heat medium heat exchanger 7 functions as an evaporator, exchanging heat between the refrigerant flowing in from the expansion device 6 side and the heat medium, evaporating the refrigerant to vaporize it, and cooling the heat medium.

[0019] The expansion device 6 is a device that adjusts the pressure of the refrigerant passing through the heat medium heat exchanger 7 by changing its opening degree. The expansion device 6 is configured, for example, with an expansion valve. The expansion valve may be, for example, an electronic expansion valve or a temperature-sensitive expansion valve that changes its opening degree based on the temperature of the refrigerant.

[0020] The accumulator 8 is provided on the suction side of the compressor 4 and stores surplus refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit A.

[0021] The pump 10 applies pressure to the heat medium in the heat medium circuit B to transport it. The pump 10 sucks the heat medium in the heat medium circuit B, applies pressure to it, and delivers it to circulate the heat medium through the heat medium circuit B. The pump 10 is driven via an inverter drive device (not shown) or the like. The pump 10 can change the amount of heat medium delivered by arbitrarily changing the drive frequency based on instructions from a control device 50 (described later).

[0022] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the machine room 1 of the chilling unit 100 according to embodiment 1. The machine room 1 is equipped with a pump 10, a control device 50 that controls the various devices that make up the chilling unit 100, and a heat sink 60. Although not shown in Fig. 3, the machine room 1 also includes a compressor 4, a four-way valve 5, an air heat exchanger 2, a throttle device 6, a heat medium heat exchanger 7, and an accumulator 8.

[0023] The pump 10 includes a pump section 20, a pump motor 30, a rotary shaft 30a, and a fan section 40. The configuration of the pump 10 will be described later.

[0024] The control device 50 has a control box 51 that houses a control board (not shown). The control device 50 controls the compressor 4, the outdoor fan 3, the pump 10, etc. The control device 50 may be any device that controls at least one of the multiple devices that make up the chilling unit 100. For example, the control device 50 is a control device that controls the compressor 4, the outdoor fan 3, etc., and the control device that controls the pump 10 may be configured separately from the control device 50 and installed in another location within the machine room 1.

[0025] Heat-generating components such as power modules of an inverter drive device that drives the devices that make up the chilling unit 100 are mounted on the control board. A heat sink 60 is fixed to the outer surface of the control box 51. The heat sink 60 is thermally connected to the outer surface of the control box 51. The heat sink 60 dissipates heat from the control box 51 that has risen in temperature due to the heat from the heat-generating components. The heat sink 60 is made of a metal such as aluminum.

[0026] The heat sink 60 has a configuration in which multiple fins 62 protrude from one surface of a planar base 61. The multiple fins 62 are arranged side by side at intervals in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction so that air flows vertically. In the illustrated example, the position of the upper end surface 60a of the heat sink 60 is the same as the position of the lower end surface 43a of the fan cover 42 (described later) of the fan unit 40, but the position of the upper end surface 60a of the heat sink 60 is not limited to this position. The position of the upper end surface 60a of the heat sink 60 may be lower than the position of the lower end surface 43a of the fan cover 42, or may be higher than the position of the lower end surface 43a of the fan cover 42. Furthermore, in consideration of ventilation, the position of the lower end surface 60b of the heat sink 60 may be located above the pump installation surface 1a, which is the bottom of the machine room.

[0027] 4 is a cross-sectional view of the pump 10 of the chilling unit 100 according to the first embodiment. In the following description, the axial direction is the direction in which the rotating shaft 30a of the pump motor 30 extends, and the radial direction is the direction perpendicular to the rotating shaft 30a.

[0028] As described above, the pump 10 has the pump section 20, the pump motor 30, the rotating shaft 30a, and the fan section 40. The pump section 20 is disposed below the pump motor 30, and the fan section 40 is disposed above the pump motor 30. The pump section 20 is a section that sucks in the heat medium, applies pressure to it, and sends it out. The pump motor 30 is a section that drives the pump section 20. The rotating shaft 30a is a section that transmits the driving force of the pump motor 30 to the pump section 20. The fan section 40 is a section that cools the pump motor 30 with air.

[0029] The configuration of the fan unit 40 will be described in detail below.

[0030] The fan section 40 has a pump cooling fan 41 and a fan cover 42. The pump cooling fan 41 is a fan that cools the pump motor 30. The pump cooling fan 41 is a propeller fan. The pump cooling fan 41 is fixed to the rotary shaft 30a, rotates as the pump motor 30 is driven, and generates cooling air. The pump cooling fan 41 is disposed above the pump motor 30. The pump cooling fan 41 is disposed axially opposite the pump motor 30, and cools the pump motor 30 by blowing cooling air onto the pump motor 30.

[0031] The fan cover 42 is a cylindrical cover that axially covers the pump cooling fan 41 and the pump motor 30. The fan cover 42 is a component for sending airflow generated by the rotation of the pump cooling fan 41 to the pump motor 30. The fan cover 42 has a plate-shaped top surface portion 42a that covers the pump cooling fan 41 from the side opposite the pump motor 30 in the axial direction, and a cylindrical portion 42b that extends downward from the outer periphery of the top surface portion 42a to cover the outer periphery of the pump motor 30. The top surface portion 42a has a flat portion 42a1 and an inclined portion 42a2 that extends outwardly and downwardly from the outer periphery of the flat portion 42a1. An inlet port 42aa is formed in the flat portion 42a1 of the top surface portion 42a and penetrates the flat portion 42a1 in the axial direction. The inlet port 42aa is an opening for drawing air into the fan cover 42 and sending the air to the pump cooling fan 41. The top surface 42a may be configured to be connected to the cylindrical portion 42b at a right angle without including the inclined portion 42a2. The cylindrical portion 42b has a gap S, which serves as a flow path, between it and the pump motor 30. The gap S is annular when viewed in the axial direction.

[0032] The fan section 40 configured as described above rotates the pump cooling fan 41 when driven by the pump motor 30, and draws air into the interior of the fan cover 42 through the intake port 42aa of the fan cover 42. The air drawn into the interior of the fan cover 42 is guided to the pump motor 30 to cool it, flows through the gap S between the pump motor 30 and the fan cover 42, and then flows out of the fan cover 42 from the lower end 43 of the fan cover 42. In this way, the fan section 40 generates an airflow that passes through the interior of the fan cover 42 using the pump cooling fan 41, guides the airflow to the pump motor 30 via the fan cover 42 to cool it, and then discharges the airflow to the exterior of the fan cover 42.

[0033] FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the positional relationship between the pump cooling fan 41 of the chilling unit 100 according to the first embodiment and the heat sink 60 fixed to the control device 50. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the positional relationship between the fan cover 42 of the pump 10 of the chilling unit 100 according to the first embodiment and the pump motor 30. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of another positional relationship between the pump cooling fan 41 of the chilling unit 100 according to the first embodiment and the heat sink 60 fixed to the control device 50. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of another positional relationship between the fan cover 42 of the pump 10 of the chilling unit 100 according to the first embodiment and the pump motor 30. The arrows in FIGS. 5 to 8 indicate the direction of airflow.

[0034] 5 and 7 , the heat sink 60 is disposed in a position where it contacts the airflow flowing out from the fan cover 42. In other words, the control device 50 is disposed in a position where the airflow flowing out from the fan cover 42 contacts the heat sink 60.

[0035] As a result, the chilling unit 100 can cool both the pump 10 and the control device 50 using the pump cooling fan 41. In other words, the chilling unit 100 can cool the control device 50 by sharing the pump cooling fan 41 with the pump 10. Therefore, the chilling unit 100 can omit a cooling fan for the control device compared to a configuration in which a cooling fan is provided for each of the pump 10 and the control device 50. By eliminating the cooling fan for the control device, the chilling unit 100 can reduce installation space and make the entire chilling unit more compact. Furthermore, the chilling unit 100 can achieve cost reductions due to its smaller size. Specifically, by eliminating the cooling fan for the control device, the chilling unit 100 can achieve cost reductions related to the cooling fan.

[0036] Here, the height H1 of the lower end surface 43a of the fan cover 42 differs between FIGS. 5 and 6 and FIGS. 7 and 8, and the installation position of the heat sink 60 differs. Height H1 is the height of the lower end surface 43a of the fan cover 42 from the pump installation surface 1a. Also, in FIGS. 5 to 8, height H2 is the height of the lower end 30b of the pump motor 30 from the pump installation surface 1a. In the fan cover 42 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, H1 is higher than H2. In other words, there is a relationship of H1 > H2. On the other hand, in the fan cover 42 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, H1 is at the same position as H2. In other words, there is a relationship of H1 = H2.

[0037] When H1>H2, the airflow flowing out from the fan cover 42 spreads radially outward as it flows downward, as shown by the arrows in Figures 5 and 6. Therefore, the heat sink 60 is positioned to abut on the airflow spreading radially outward from the lower end 43 of the fan cover 42. When H1>H2, the heat sink 60 is positioned outside the fan cover 42 so as not to overlap with the fan cover 42 when viewed in the axial direction.

[0038] On the other hand, when H1 = H2, the airflow flowing out from the fan cover 42 does not spread radially outward as compared to when H1 > H2, but flows downward in a straight line, as shown in Figures 7 and 8. Therefore, the heat sink 60 is positioned to abut against the airflow flowing downward in a straight line from the lower end 43 of the fan cover 42. When H1 = H2, the heat sink 60 is positioned so that at least a portion of the heat sink 60 is located inside the fan cover 42 when viewed in the axial direction.

[0039] In this way, the chilling unit 100 may have either a relationship of H1 > H2 or H1 = H2, as long as the heat sink 60 is positioned at a position where it comes into contact with the airflow flowing out from the fan cover 42.

[0040] Here, the fan cover 42 of the pump 10 has a cylindrical portion 42b that covers the outer periphery of the pump motor 30. Therefore, the fan cover 42 can limit the direction of the airflow generated by the pump cooling fan 41 compared to a configuration that does not have the cylindrical portion 42b. If the fan cover 42 did not have the cylindrical portion 42b and were configured only with the top surface portion 42a, the airflow would spread radially outward. The airflow that spreads radially outward would not be directed toward the pump motor 30 and would not be able to cool the pump motor 30, nor could it be directed efficiently toward the heat sink 60, meaning that neither the pump motor 30 nor the heat sink 60 would be able to be sufficiently cooled.

[0041] In contrast, by having the cylindrical portion 42b, the fan cover 42 can suppress the expansion of the airflow generated by the pump cooling fan 41 and direct it toward the pump motor 30, thereby efficiently cooling the pump motor 30. Furthermore, by having the cylindrical portion 42b, the fan cover 42 can restrict the outflow direction of the airflow flowing out from the fan cover 42 and direct it toward the heat sink 60 compared to a configuration without the cylindrical portion 42b, thereby improving the cooling effect of the heat sink 60.

[0042] An example of the specific dimension of the distance W of the gap S between the pump motor 30 and the fan cover 42 will be described below. The distance W is the distance of the gap S between the pump motor 30 and the fan cover 42 in the direction perpendicular to the rotation shaft 30a. When the output of the pump 10 is 7.5 kW or less and the air volume of the pump cooling fan 41 during cooling is 12 m ３ / min, the distance W should be set to 10 mm to 30 mm. If the distance W is too short, the wind speed will be too high, and if it is too long, the wind speed will be too low, reducing the cooling effect. According to experiments and simulations conducted by the inventors, if the diameter of the pump motor 30 is 220 mm, the distance W is preferably 10 mm to 30 mm. When the distance W is 10 mm, the wind speed is approximately 27.3 m / s, which is within the acceptable range. Furthermore, when the distance W is 30 mm, the wind speed is approximately 8.3 m / s, ensuring the minimum wind speed required to obtain a cooling effect.

[0043] (Variant) In the above, the cooling fan for the control device is omitted, and the chilling unit 100 cools the control device 50 only by the airflow from the pump cooling fan 41, but it may also be configured with a control device cooling fan 70 as shown in the following Figures 9 to 11.

[0044] Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the machine room 1 of a modified example of the chilling unit 100 according to embodiment 1. Fig. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the positional relationship between the pump cooling fan 41 and the heat sink 60 fixed to the control device 50 in a modified example of the chilling unit 100 according to embodiment 1. Fig. 11 is an explanatory diagram of another positional relationship between the pump cooling fan 41 and the heat sink 60 fixed to the control device 50 in a modified example of the chilling unit 100 according to embodiment 1.

[0045] The modified chilling unit 100 includes a control device cooling fan 70 that blows air onto the heat sink 60 to promote heat dissipation from the heat sink 60, thereby cooling the control device 50. The control device cooling fan 70 is fixed above the heat sink 60 on the outer surface of the control box 51. The control device cooling fan 70 creates an airflow that passes through the heat sink 60 in the same direction as the airflow from the pump cooling fan 41, specifically from above to below. The positional relationship between the pump cooling fan 41 and the heat sink 60 fixed to the control device 50 shown in Figures 10 and 11 is the same as the positional relationship shown in Figures 5 and 7.

[0046] With the above configuration, the chilling unit 100 of the modified example cools the control device 50 with the airflow from the control device cooling fan 70 in addition to the airflow from the pump cooling fan 41. Therefore, the chilling unit 100 can reduce the size of the control device cooling fan 70 compared to a configuration in which cooling fans are provided for both the pump 10 and the control device 50, each delivering the amount of air required for cooling. Because the chilling unit 100 can reduce the size of the control device cooling fan 70, the installation space can be reduced, and the entire chilling unit can be made smaller. Furthermore, the chilling unit 100 can achieve cost reductions due to its smaller size. Specifically, the chilling unit 100 can reduce the cost of the cooling fan by reducing the size of the control device cooling fan 70.

[0047] The above-described modified example is effective, for example, when the airflow from the pump cooling fan 41 alone cannot ensure the air volume necessary to cool the control device 50. Note that, although the size of the control device cooling fan 70 is illustrated differently in Figures 10 and 11, the size of the control device cooling fan 70 is not particularly limited, and it is sufficient that it is configured as small as possible from the perspective of miniaturization. The size of the control device cooling fan 70 is set to, for example, the minimum size necessary to ensure the air volume necessary to cool the control device 50 when combined with the air volume from the pump cooling fan 41.

[0048] As described above, the chilling unit 100 of the first embodiment includes a plurality of devices, including the pump 10 that transports a heat medium to the heat medium heat exchanger 7 that exchanges heat between the refrigerant circulating through the refrigerant circuit A and the heat medium circulating through the heat medium circuit B, and a control device 50 that controls at least one of the plurality of devices. The pump 10 includes a pump section 20, a pump motor 30 that drives the pump section 20, a rotating shaft 30a that transmits the driving force of the pump motor 30 to the pump section 20, and a fan section 40 that blows air to the pump motor 30. The fan section 40 is fixed to the rotating shaft 30a and includes a pump cooling fan 41 that is disposed opposite the pump section 20 with respect to the pump motor 30 and cools the pump motor 30. The fan section 40 includes a cylindrical fan cover 42 that covers the pump cooling fan 41 and the pump motor 30 in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 30a. The chilling unit 100 is thermally connected to the control device 50 and includes a heat sink 60 that is cooled by the airflow that flows out from the fan cover 42 when the pump cooling fan 41 is driven. The chilling unit 100 may further include a control device cooling fan 70 that blows air onto the heat sink 60 to cool the control device 50.

[0049] With the above configuration, the chilling unit 100 can cool the control device 50 by sharing the pump cooling fan 41 with the pump 10. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which a cooling fan is provided for each of the pump 10 and the control device 50, the chilling unit 100 can omit or downsize the control device cooling fan 70. Because the chilling unit 100 can omit or downsize the control device cooling fan 70, the chilling unit itself can be downsized. Therefore, the chilling unit 100 can cool the pump section 20 and the control device 50 despite its small size.

[0050] The fan cover 42 comprises a plate-shaped top surface portion 42a that covers the pump cooling fan 41 from the side opposite the pump motor 30, and a cylindrical portion 42b that extends from the outer periphery of the top surface portion 42a along the outer periphery of the pump motor 30.

[0051] With the above configuration, the chilling unit 100 can limit the outflow direction of the airflow from the fan cover 42 compared to a configuration in which the fan cover 42 does not have the cylindrical portion 42b. Therefore, the chilling unit 100 can suppress the spread of the airflow flowing out from the fan cover 42 and limit the outflow direction to head toward the heat sink 60, thereby enabling efficient cooling of the control device 50.

[0052] A height H1 of the lower end surface 43a of the fan cover 42 disposed above the pump motor 30 from the pump mounting surface 1a is higher than a height H2 of the lower end portion 30b of the pump motor 30 from the pump mounting surface 1a. In this configuration, the heat sink 60 is located outside the fan cover 42 when viewed in the axial direction.

[0053] With the above-described configuration, the chilling unit 100 can direct the airflow flowing out from the fan cover 42 onto the heat sink 60, thereby efficiently cooling the control device 50.

[0054] A height H1 of the lower end surface 43a of the fan cover 42 from the pump mounting surface 1a is the same as a height H2 of the lower end portion 30b of the pump motor 30 from the pump mounting surface 1a. In this configuration, at least a portion of the heat sink 60 is located inside the fan cover 42 when viewed in the axial direction.

[0055] With the above-described configuration, the chilling unit 100 can direct the airflow flowing out from the fan cover 42 onto the heat sink 60, thereby efficiently cooling the control device 50.

[0056] Embodiment 2. Embodiment 2 differs from embodiment 1 in that a duct is used to guide the airflow flowing out from the fan cover 42 to the outside of the machine room 1. The following description will focus on the configuration of embodiment 2 that differs from embodiment 1, and configurations not described in embodiment 2 are the same as embodiment 1.

[0057] Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the pump 10 and duct 80 of the chilling unit 100 according to embodiment 2. Fig. 13 is a side view of the upstream duct 81 fixed to the pump 10 of the chilling unit 100 according to embodiment 2. Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the upstream duct 81 fixed to the pump 10 of the chilling unit 100 according to embodiment 2. Fig. 15 is a perspective view showing a portion of the upstream duct 81 of the chilling unit 100 according to embodiment 2.

[0058] The chilling unit 100 of the second embodiment has a duct 80 in addition to the components of the chilling unit 100 of the first embodiment. The chilling unit 100 of the second embodiment does not have the control device cooling fan 70. The duct 80 is a duct that guides the airflow flowing out from the fan cover 42 to the outside of the machine room 1. The duct 80 has an upstream duct 81 that guides the airflow flowing out from the fan cover 42 to the heat sink 60, and a downstream duct 84 that guides the airflow after passing through the heat sink 60 to the outside of the machine room 1.

[0059] The upstream duct 81 is fixed to the pump motor 30 below the fan cover 42. The height position H1 of the lower end surface 43a of the fan cover 42 is adjusted in consideration of the attachment of the upstream duct 81. The height position H1 is set to be the same as the height position H2 of the lower end portion 30b of the pump motor 30.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 15 , the upstream duct 81 has a first duct portion 82 and a second duct portion 83 located downstream of the first duct portion 82. The first duct portion 82 is configured in an annular rod shape. The first duct portion 82 has a first flow path 91 that receives the airflow flowing out from the fan cover 42. The first flow path 91 is configured with a recess 82b that is recessed downward from an upper surface 82a that faces the lower end surface 43a of the fan cover 42. The recess 82b is formed in an annular shape when viewed in the axial direction. An opening surface 82b1 of the recess 82b is sized and shaped to overlap the annular region between the cylindrical portion 42b of the fan cover 42 and the outer periphery of the pump motor 30 when viewed in the axial direction.

[0061] 12 , the second duct portion 83 is formed in an elongated shape with one end 83a connected to the first duct portion 82 and the other end 83b located below the heat sink 60. A second flow path 92 communicating with the first flow path 91 is formed inside the second duct portion 83. The second flow path 92 penetrates the inside of the second duct portion 83 in the central axial direction of the second duct portion 83. A downstream opening 92a of the second flow path 92 opens upward at a position below the heat sink 60.

[0062] 12 , the downstream duct 84 has a lower end located above the heat sink 60 and an upper end penetrating the machine chamber upper surface 1 b and extending to the outside of the machine chamber 1. A third flow path 93 is formed inside the downstream duct 84, and the third flow path 93 penetrates the inside of the downstream duct 84 in the direction of the central axis of the downstream duct 84.

[0063] The operation of the above configuration will now be described. The airflow flowing out from the fan cover 42 flows into the first flow path 91 of the first duct, passes through the second flow path 92, and flows out from the downstream opening 92a of the second flow path 92. The airflow flowing out from the downstream opening 92a flows from below to above the heat sink 60, cooling the heat sink 60. Because the downstream opening 92a of the second flow path 92 is located below the heat sink 60, the airflow flowing out from the downstream opening 92a of the second flow path 92 flows concentratedly toward the heat sink 60. This allows the chilling unit 100 to efficiently cool the heat sink 60.

[0064] The airflow after cooling the heat sink 60 passes through the third flow path 93 of the downstream duct 84 located above the heat sink 60 and is led to the outside of the machine room 1. Since the airflow after cooling the heat sink 60 is heated by heat exchange with the heat sink 60 and its temperature increases, leading the airflow to the outside of the machine room 1 prevents the heated air from circulating within the machine room 1. This allows the chilling unit 100 to achieve a higher cooling effect.

[0065] Here, the recess 82b that constitutes the first flow path 91 of the upstream duct 81 is formed to have a size and shape that, when viewed in the axial direction, overlaps with the annular region between the cylindrical portion 42b of the fan cover 42 and the outer periphery of the pump motor 30. Therefore, the upstream duct 81 can guide most of the airflow that has flowed out from the fan cover 42 to the first flow path 91, resulting in a higher cooling effect.

[0066] The chilling unit 100 of embodiment 2 achieves the same effects as embodiment 1, and by providing a duct 80, it is possible to prevent heated air from circulating within the machine room 1, thereby achieving a higher cooling effect.

[0067] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Machine room, 1a Pump installation surface, 1b Machine room upper surface, 2 Air heat exchanger, 2A Air heat exchanger, 2B Air heat exchanger, 2C Air heat exchanger, 2D Air heat exchanger, 3 Outdoor fan, 3A Outdoor fan, 3B Outdoor fan, 3C Outdoor fan, 3D Outdoor fan, 4 Compressor, 5 Four-way valve, 6 Throttle device, 7 Heat medium heat exchanger, 8 Accumulator, 10 Pump, 20 Pump section, 30 Pump motor, 30a Rotating shaft, 30b Lower end, 40 Fan section, 41 Pump cooling fan, 42 Fan cover, 42a Top surface, 42a1 Flat portion, 42a2 Inclined portion, 42aa Inlet, 42b Cylindrical portion, 43 Lower end, 43a Lower end surface, 50 Control device, 51 Control box, 60 Heat sink, 60a upper end surface, 60b lower end surface, 61 base, 62 fins, 70 cooling fan for control device, 80 duct, 81 upstream duct, 82 first duct portion, 82a upper surface, 82b recessed portion, 82b1 opening surface, 83 second duct portion, 83a one end portion, 83b other end portion, 84 downstream duct, 91 first flow path, 92 second flow path, 92a downstream opening, 93 third flow path, 100 chilling unit, A refrigerant circuit, B heat medium circuit.

Claims

1. A chilling unit comprising a plurality of devices including a pump that transports a heat medium to a heat medium heat exchanger that exchanges heat between a refrigerant circulating in a refrigerant circuit and a heat medium circulating in a heat medium circuit, and a control device that controls at least one of the plurality of devices, wherein the pump comprises: a pump section; a pump motor that drives the pump section; a rotating shaft that transmits the driving force of the pump motor to the pump section; and a fan section that blows air to the pump motor, wherein the fan section comprises: a pump cooling fan that is fixed to the rotating shaft and is positioned opposite the pump section with respect to the pump motor to cool the pump motor, and a cylindrical fan cover that extends in the axial direction of the rotating shaft and covers the pump cooling fan and the outer periphery of the pump motor, and the chilling unit comprises: a heat sink that is thermally connected to the control device and is cooled by airflow that flows out from the fan cover when the pump cooling fan is driven.

2. The chilling unit according to claim 1, wherein the fan cover comprises a top surface portion in the shape of a plate covering the pump cooling fan from the side opposite the pump motor and having an intake port for the pump cooling fan, and a cylindrical portion extending from the outer periphery of the top surface portion along the outer periphery of the pump motor.

3. A chilling unit as described in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the height H1 of the lower end surface of the fan cover arranged above the pump motor from the pump installation surface is higher than the height H2 of the lower end of the pump motor from the pump installation surface.

4. The chilling unit according to claim 3, wherein the heat sink is located outside the fan cover when viewed in the axial direction.

5. A chilling unit according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the height H1 of the lower end surface of the fan cover from the pump installation surface is the same as the height H2 of the lower end of the pump motor from the pump installation surface.

6. The chilling unit according to claim 5, wherein at least a portion of said heat sink is located inside said fan cover when viewed in said axial direction.

7. A chilling unit according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a control device cooling fan that blows air onto the heat sink to cool the control device.

8. A chilling unit as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising: a machine room in which the pump, the control device, and the heat sink are installed; and a duct fixed below the fan cover for directing the airflow flowing out of the fan cover to the outside of the machine room.

9. A chilling unit as described in claim 8, which is dependent on claim 2, wherein the duct includes an upstream duct that guides the airflow flowing out from the fan cover to the heat sink, the upstream duct having a first duct section configured in the shape of an annular rod, and a second duct section having one end connected to the first duct section and the other end located below the heat sink, the first duct section having a first flow path that receives the airflow flowing out from the fan cover, the first flow path being formed by a recess that is recessed downward from an upper surface that faces the lower end surface of the fan cover arranged above the pump motor, and the opening surface of the recess is formed in a size and shape that overlaps with the annular region between the cylindrical portion of the fan cover and the outer periphery of the pump motor when viewed in the axial direction.

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