Refrigeration Casing Cooling with Liquid Compression Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigeration apparatuses face reliability issues due to the risk of liquid compression when refrigerant is supplied to a cooling heat exchanger, leading to inefficient cooling of the casing in heat source units, which can increase temperatures and affect work environments.
Innovation Solution
A refrigeration apparatus with a controller that assesses the state of the refrigerant before supplying it to the cooling heat exchanger, determining whether to open or close a valve to prevent liquid compression by ensuring the refrigerant is in a gaseous state, using pressure and temperature measurements to manage the refrigerant flow effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If refrigerant is supplied to the cooling heat exchanger to cool the casing, then the cooling effect is improved, but the risk of liquid compression increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller performs preliminary assessment of refrigerant state (temperature and pressure) before opening the valve to supply refrigerant to the cooling heat exchanger. This advance check ensures the refrigerant is in a suitable state, preventing liquid compression while enabling effective cooling when conditions are appropriate.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors refrigerant temperature and pressure, and the controller uses this feedback information to dynamically control the valve operation. By adjusting valve timing and opening degree based on real-time refrigerant state, the system optimizes cooling effectiveness while preventing liquid compression.
2Reliability
If sensors are installed to detect wet refrigerant state, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller acts as an intermediary that calculates refrigerant state (including wetness assessment) based on temperature and pressure measurements from existing sensors. Rather than installing dedicated wet refrigerant sensors, the system uses the controller's computational capabilities to derive refrigerant state information from readily available sensor data, reducing hardware complexity while maintaining reliability.
3Temperature
If the valve is opened to supply refrigerant continuously, then the cooling performance is improved, but the liquid compression risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The valve operation is made dynamic rather than static. The controller continuously adjusts the valve opening timing and degree based on real-time refrigerant temperature and pressure conditions. This dynamic control allows the system to supply refrigerant effectively for cooling when conditions are favorable while closing the valve when refrigerant state indicates risk of liquid compression.
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 configuration enhances the reliability of the refrigeration apparatus by reducing the occurrence of liquid compression, ensuring efficient cooling of the casing and maintaining a stable temperature, even when using water as a heat source.
Implementation Method 1
the cooling heat exchanger is supplied with the refrigerant to cool the interior of the casing
Implementation Method 2
The compressor compresses a refrigerant
Implementation Method 3
The main heat exchanger causes heat exchange between the refrigerant and a heat source
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a refrigeration apparatus configured to cool the interior of a casing of a heat source unit by a refrigerant. An air conditioner includes a heat source unit, a utilization unit having a utilization heat exchanger and constituting a refrigerant circuit along with the heat source unit, and a controller. The heat source unit causes heat exchange between a refrigerant and a heat source, and cools the interior of the casing, and causes a valve to switch to supply or not to supply the cooling heat exchanger with the refrigerant. The controller assesses, before the refrigerant is supplied to the cooling heat exchanger, whether or not the refrigerant flowing from the cooling heat exchanger toward the compressor comes into a wet state when the refrigerant is supplied, and determines whether or not to open the valve in accordance with an assessment result.