Refrigerant control system and cooling system
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing refrigerant control systems face challenges in efficiently adjusting refrigerant pressure and flow when the temperature range of the cooling target is wide, leading to potential deterioration of the low source refrigeration cycle due to accumulation of saturated vapor or condensate in the expansion tank.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerant control system that includes a storing section, first and second pipes connected to the outlet and inlet sides of the compression section, and opening/closing valves controlled by a temperature-setting method to manage the flow of refrigerant, preventing excessive pressure and maintaining efficient refrigerant circulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If the expansion tank is connected to the intake side pipe of the low source side compressor to adjust refrigerant pressure, then the refrigerant pressure can be adjusted, but saturated vapor or condensate accumulates in the expansion tank causing deterioration of the low source refrigeration cycle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful accumulation function from the expansion tank by introducing a separate refrigerant amount adjusting valve in the suction pipe. This allows the expansion tank to serve primarily as a pressure adjustment device while the separate valve handles refrigerant quantity control, preventing saturated vapor and condensate accumulation that would otherwise occur in the expansion tank.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the refrigerant control functions by separating pressure adjustment (handled by the expansion tank) from refrigerant amount adjustment (handled by the dedicated adjusting valve in the suction pipe). This functional segmentation prevents the mixing of different control purposes that leads to harmful substance accumulation.
2Device complexity
If the electromagnetic valve is used to control refrigerant flow to the expansion tank, then the pressure control is simplified, but the system cannot efficiently adjust refrigerant amount for wide temperature ranges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enhances the universality of the pressure control system by adding a refrigerant amount adjusting valve that works in conjunction with the existing electromagnetic valve and expansion tank. This combination allows the system to perform multiple functions: pressure control via the expansion tank, refrigerant quantity control via the adjusting valve, and adaptation to wide temperature ranges through coordinated operation of both components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution effectively maintains the refrigerant's temperature and prevents pressure increases, ensuring the refrigerant control system's usability and preventing the deterioration of the refrigeration cycle by efficiently managing refrigerant flow and pressure.
Implementation Method 1
a first pipe which is connected to an outlet side pipe constituting the circulation passage and located on the side of an outlet of the compression section and flows the refrigerant in the outlet side pipe to the storing section through the first pipe
Implementation Method 2
a second pipe which is connected to an inlet side pipe constituting the circulation passage and located on the side of an inlet of the compression section and flows the refrigerant in the storing section to the inlet side pipe through the second pipe
Implementation Method 3
a compression section which compresses the refrigerant; a circulation passage which allows the refrigerant compressed by the compression section to flow
Implementation Method 4
circulating the refrigerant so as to exchange heat between a cooling target and the refrigerant compressed by the compression section
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerant control system for controlling a first refrigerant flowing through a first circulation passage connected to a compression unit, including a storing unit which stores a first refrigerant, a first sub-pipe which is connected to an outlet side pipe, a second sub-pipe which is connected to an inlet side pipe, a first opening/closing valve which is provided in the first sub-pipe and is capable of switching whether to flow the first refrigerant in the outlet side pipe to the storing unit, a second opening/closing valve which is provided in the second sub-pipe and is capable of switching whether to flow the first refrigerant in the storing unit to the inlet side pipe, and an opening/closing control unit which controls an opening/closing state of the first opening/closing valve and the second opening/closing valve on the basis of a setting temperature of a second refrigerant set according to a predetermined method.