Refrigeration system for an industrial process or an industrial machine and method for cooling an industrial process or an industrial machine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hydraulic interfaces in refrigeration systems for industrial machines suffer from transmission losses due to heat exchangers and control valves, necessitating larger and more powerful feed pumps, which increase costs and reduce overall efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A refrigeration system with a buffer tank and controller that allows for a wider temperature range in a second operating mode, reducing the frequency of refrigeration machine cycling and enabling the shutdown of energy-consuming components during low-load or standby operations, and a simplified hydraulic interface without a separate heat exchanger.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a heat exchanger and control valve are used in the hydraulic interface, then the cooling water can be pumped through the system, but transmission losses occur and a larger feed pump is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the heat exchanger from the hydraulic interface between the refrigeration system and the machine tool cooling circuit. Instead, the refrigeration system's buffer tank is connected directly to the machine tool's cooling circuit, eliminating the intermediate heat exchanger and its associated transmission losses.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the refrigeration system's buffer tank with the machine tool's cooling circuit by establishing a direct hydraulic connection. This integration eliminates the need for separate heat exchanger and control valve components, reducing transmission losses and simplifying the system.
2Reliability
If a larger and more powerful feed pump is used to compensate for transmission losses, then cooling water can be pumped through the heat exchanger and control valve, but costs increase and overall efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the need for a large, powerful feed pump by removing the heat exchanger and control valve from the hydraulic path. The direct connection between the buffer tank and cooling circuit reduces resistance, allowing a smaller pump to achieve the same cooling water circulation.
Solution Approach 2:
By integrating the buffer tank directly with the cooling circuit, the system reduces hydraulic resistance and eliminates the need for oversized pumping components, thereby improving overall system efficiency and reducing costs.
3Manufacturing precision
If the refrigeration machine cycles frequently to maintain precise temperature control, then the operating temperature of critical heat-generating components is maintained, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic temperature control by introducing a second operating mode with a relaxed temperature range for standby and low-load states. The controller automatically switches between precise temperature control (first mode) and energy-saving temperature range control (second mode) based on machine tool operating conditions, reducing unnecessary cycling of the refrigeration machine.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the temperature control parameter from a fixed precise setpoint to a dynamic range based on operating mode. In the second operating mode, the controller maintains temperature within a broader range rather than at a precise setpoint, significantly reducing refrigeration machine cycling and energy consumption during standby and low-load operations.
4Stability of the object's composition
If energy-consuming components are kept running to maintain precise temperature control, then temperature stability is ensured, but power consumption increases during low-load operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the temperature control strategy dynamic by switching between two operating modes based on machine tool load. During low-load and standby operations, the system transitions to a relaxed temperature range control mode, allowing energy-consuming components to operate at reduced capacity or remain idle, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining adequate temperature stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller changes the temperature control parameters from a narrow precise range to a broader acceptable range during low-load operations. This parameter change allows the system to maintain sufficient temperature stability without continuously running energy-consuming components at full capacity, reducing overall power consumption.
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 approach reduces power consumption and increases overall efficiency by minimizing the cycling of the refrigeration machine and external components, while simplifying the system design and reducing component requirements.
Implementation Method 1
a compression refrigeration machine (chiller)... to be charged by the refrigeration machine with chilled water at a set temperature
Implementation Method 2
an oversizing of the buffer storage tank 6
Implementation Method 3
the transmission losses due to the heat exchanger and the control valve
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigeration system and method for an industrial process or machine that is to be cooled during operation includes a compression refrigeration machine, a buffer tank connected to the refrigeration machine, an interface for supplying cold water from the buffer tank as a supply to a cooling circuit and for receiving the cold water as hot water from the cooling circuit as a return and directing it to the buffer tank. The system includes a controller configured to control the chilled water in the buffer tank by means of the refrigeration machine in a first operation mode to a first set temperature and to control the chilled water in the buffer tank in a second operation mode to a second set temperature. Thereby, the repeated switching on/off of the refrigeration machine can be avoided and the efficiency ratio can be improved.