JP2000274911A - Cooling system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To demonstrate excellent cooling performance while preventing coolers connected in parallel from being affected by other coolers. SOLUTION: In a cooling system 100 wherein there are connected for construction of a closed circuit a brine cooling apparatus 1, a plurality of coolers 27A, 7B, 27C, and 7D connected in parallel with respect to the brine cooling apparatus 1, and circulation pumps 29A, 29B, 29C, 29D for circulating brine cooled in the brine cooling apparatus to these coolers, a plurality of the circulation pumps are provided, each of which is connected in series to each cooler.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cooling system for flowing brine cooled by a cooling device to a plurality of coolers and cooling these coolers.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, in a low-temperature showcase or a refrigerator, a method using chlorofluorocarbon as a refrigerant has been mainly used.
The adverse effect of CFCs on the environment has become a problem, and cooling systems using brine (antifreeze) have been proposed. In a cooling system that cools a plurality of low-temperature showcases using a brine, a brine cooling device, a plurality of coolers of a plurality of low-temperature showcases connected in parallel to the brine cooling device, and a brine cooling device provided to these coolers. A closed circuit is formed by connecting a single circulating pump for circulating the cooled brine.

[0003]

As described above, since the brine cooled by the brine cooling device is supplied to the plurality of coolers by one main circulation pump,
If there is a significant difference in the required flow rate of brine in each cooler, or if there is a cooler in a stopped state where no brine is flowing in, the brine of the required flow rate for each cooler is affected by these factors. It is not secured or brine with an excessive flow rate flows in.

The object of the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and a cooling system in which each of the coolers connected in parallel can exhibit a good cooling capacity without being affected by other coolers. To provide.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a brine cooling device, a plurality of coolers connected in parallel to the brine cooling device, and the above-described brine cooling device connected to these coolers. In a cooling system in which a closed circuit is configured by connecting a circulating pump that circulates cooled brine, a plurality of the circulating pumps are provided, and each of the circulating pumps is connected in series to each of the coolers. .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, each of the coolers is connected in series with a constant flow valve for guiding a brine having a constant flow rate to each of the coolers. It is assumed that.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, in each set of the cooler and the circulating pump connected in series, a head by the circulating pump and a fluid pressure by the cooler are provided. It is characterized in that the difference from the loss is configured to be substantially the same.

[0008] The invention according to claim 4 is the invention according to claims 1 to 3.
In the invention described in any one of the above, a plurality of other coolers are connected in parallel to the cooler connected in series to the circulation pump.

[0009] The invention according to claim 5 is the invention according to claims 1 to 4.
In the invention described in any one of the above,
It is characterized in that brine heating devices for heating the brine are individually connected.

[0010] The invention according to claim 6 is the invention according to claims 1 to 4.
In the invention described in any one of the above,
One brine heating device for heating the brine is selectively connected.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the fifth or sixth aspect of the present invention, the circulating pump for pressurizing the brine from the brine cooling device to the cooler is configured to pressurize the brine from the brine heating device to the cooler. The present invention is characterized in that the pump is also used.

The first aspect of the invention has the following operation.

Since each circulating pump is connected in series with each cooler, each cooler can secure the required flow rate of brine without being affected by other coolers.
Good cooling ability can be demonstrated.

When the circulating pumps provided for each of the coolers are provided integrally with each of the coolers, the main circulation for supplying the brine to the plurality of coolers at the installation site of the cooling system. Since there is no need to install a pump, on-site installation work can be simplified.

The second aspect of the present invention has the following operation.

Even if a pressure fluctuation occurs between the upstream side and downstream side of each circulator and each circulating pump connected in series, a constant flow valve is connected in series to each chiller. An appropriate flow rate of brine can be supplied to each cooler.

The third aspect of the invention has the following operation.

In each set of the cooler and the circulation pump connected in series, the difference between the head by the circulation pump and the fluid pressure loss by the cooler is substantially the same. Even if no valve is provided, any set of coolers can have the required flow rate of brine even if the other set of circulating pumps are stopped.

The invention described in claim 4 has the following operation.

Since a plurality of coolers are connected in parallel to the coolers connected in series to the circulation pumps, brine can be supplied to these coolers from one circulation pump. The number of devices can be reduced, and costs can be reduced.

The invention described in claim 5 has the following operation.

Since the brine heating devices are individually connected to the respective coolers, the brine heated by the brine heating devices can be supplied to the coolers during the defrosting operation of the coolers. Defrosting of the cooler can be performed in a short time in combination with heating of the cooler by the defrost heater.

The invention according to claim 6 has the following operation.

[0024] Since one brine heating device is selectively connected to each cooler, the number of brine heating devices with respect to the number of coolers can be reduced, and the cost can be reduced.

The seventh aspect of the present invention has the following effects.

The circulating pump for pumping the brine from the brine cooling device to the cooler also serves as the pump for pumping the brine from the brine heating device to the cooler. Therefore, the number of pumps can be reduced and the cost can be reduced.

[0027]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[A] First Embodiment (FIGS. 1, 2 and 3) FIG. 1 is a pipeline diagram showing a first embodiment of a cooling system according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 100 indicates a cooling system according to an embodiment of the present invention. This cooling system 10
0 includes a brine cooling device 1 that performs heat exchange using the latent heat of the refrigerant, and a brine circuit 3 in which the brine cooled by the brine cooling device 1 circulates. In addition, as a brine (antifreeze), a mixture of propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, ethanol, or the like and water is used.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the brine cooling device 1, a compressor 11, a condenser 13, a pressure reducing device 15, and an evaporator 17 are sequentially connected by a refrigerant pipe 26. The high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor 11 is supplied to the condenser 13
The liquid refrigerant is condensed into a liquid refrigerant, decompressed by the decompression device 15, vaporized in the evaporator 17 and changed into a gas refrigerant.
Cool the brine flowing through.

As shown in FIG. 1, the brine circuit 3 includes the evaporator 17 of the brine cooling device 1 and the evaporator 17.
Multiple low-temperature showcases 5 arranged in parallel to
A, 5B, 5C, and 5D are brine pipes 21, 23A,
23B, 23C, 23D and 25 form a closed circuit.

Each low-temperature showcase 5A, 5B, 5C, 5
D represents each of the brine pipes 23A, 23B, 23
The coolers 27A, 27B, 27C, and 27D are provided in C and 23D. Furthermore, each low-temperature showcase 5
A, 5B, 5C, and 5D brine pipes 23
A, 23B, 23C and 23D have coolers 27A and 27
B, 27C and 27D each have a circulating pump 2
9A, 29B, 29C and 29D are provided, and the cooler 27 is provided.
A, 27B, 27C, 27D upstream of the constant flow valve 30
A, 30B, 30C, and 30D are provided.

That is, the low-temperature showcase 5A is configured such that a constant flow valve 30A, a cooler 27A, and a circulation pump 29A are sequentially connected in series from the upstream side to the downstream side to the brine pipe 23A. In addition, low-temperature showcase 5B
A constant flow valve 30B, a cooler 27B,
Circulation pumps 29B are sequentially connected in series from the upstream side to the downstream side. Further, the low-temperature showcase 5C is configured such that a constant flow valve 30C, a cooler 27C, and a circulation pump 29C are sequentially connected in series from the upstream side to the downstream side to the brine pipe 23C. Further, the low-temperature showcase 5D has a constant flow valve 30D in the brine pipe 23D,
The cooler 27D and the circulation pump 29D are sequentially connected in series from the upstream side to the downstream side.

Each circulation pump 29A, 29B, 29C, 2
9D converts the brine cooled by the evaporator 17 of the brine cooling device 1 into the corresponding coolers 27A, 27
B, 27C and 27D for circulation. This allows
Each of the low-temperature showcases 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D is cooled.

Each of the constant flow valves 30A, 30B, 30C, 30
D is the low-temperature showcase 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, for example.
Is stopped, and the point X on the upstream side and the point Y on the downstream side of the low-temperature showcases 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D.
Also, when a pressure fluctuation occurs between the low-temperature showcases 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D in operation, a constant flow rate of brine is supplied to the coolers 27A, 27B, 27C, and 27D.

The circulation pump 29A and the constant flow valve 3
0A is a cooler 27A, a circulating pump 29B and a constant flow valve 30B are a cooler 27B, a circulating pump 29C and a constant flow valve 30C are a cooler 27C, and a circulating pump 29D and a constant flow valve 30D are a cooler 27D. , Showcase at low temperature showcases 5A, 5B, etc.
5C and 5D.

Incidentally, reference numerals 31A, 31B, 31 in FIG.
C, 31D are the coolers 27A, 27B, 27C, 27
It is a defrost heater installed outside D to heat the respective coolers 27A, 27B, 27C, 27D during the defrost operation to remove frost.

Therefore, according to the cooling system 100 of the first embodiment, the following effects are obtained.

Each of the circulation pumps 29A, 29B, 29C,
29D is the respective cooler 27A, 27B, 27C, 2
7D, each cooler 27A, 2C
7B, 27C, 27D are other coolers 27A, 27B, 2
Since the required amount of brine can be secured without being affected by 7C and 27D, good cooling capacity can be exhibited.

Each of the coolers 27A, 27B, 27C, 27
Circulation pumps 29A, 29B, 29 provided for each D
C and 29D are the respective coolers 27A, 27B27C,
27D, the cooling system 10
At the installation site 0, a plurality of coolers 27
Since there is no need to install a main circulation pump (not shown) for supplying brine to A, 27B, 27C, and 27D,
On-site installation work can be simplified.

Coolers 27A, 27B, 27C, 27D
Downstream of the coolers 27A, 27B, 27C, 27D
As the brine that has been heat exchanged and rises in temperature flows,
By disposing each circulation pump 29A, 29B, 29C, 29D on the downstream side of each cooler 27A, 27B, 27C, 27D, each circulation pump 29A, 29B, 2D
9C and 29D are capable of pumping brine with small viscosity, and can improve pump efficiency.

Low temperature showcases 5A, 5B, 5C, 5
Even if a pressure fluctuation occurs between the upstream side and the downstream side of D, the constant flow valves 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D are connected in series to the respective coolers 27A, 27B, 27C, and 27D. Flow valves 30A, 30B, 30C, 30D
Thereby, brine having an optimal flow rate can be supplied to each of the coolers 27A, 27B, 27C, and 27D.

Here, a first modification of the cooling system 100 will be described.

In this first modification, each low-temperature showcase 5
In A, 5B, 5C, and 5D, the constant flow valves 30A, 30
B, 30C, and 30D are eliminated, and the difference between the head by the low-temperature showcase 5A and the fluid pressure loss by the cooler 27A, the difference between the head by the low-temperature showcase 5B and the fluid pressure loss by 27B, the head by the low-temperature showcase 5C So that the difference between the head pressure by the low-temperature showcase 5D and the fluid pressure loss by the cooler 27D is substantially the same.
7B, 27C, 27D are designed, and the circulation pump 29A,
29B, 29C, and 29D are selected.

The first modification has the following advantages.

Each cooler 27A, 27 connected in series
B, 27C, 27D and each circulation pump 29A, 29B, 2
Each low-temperature showcase 5 equipped with 9C and 29D
A, 5B, 5C, 5D, each circulating pump 29A,
The head by 29B, 29C, 29D and each cooler 27A,
The low-temperature showcases 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D are provided with the constant flow valves 30A, 30D because the low pressure showcases 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D are configured so that the difference from the fluid pressure loss due to 27B, 27C, and 27D is substantially equal.
Even if B, 30C, and 30D are not provided, the cooler 27 of any low-temperature showcase 5A, 5B, 5C, or 5D
A, 27B, 27C, and 27D have circulating pumps 29A, 29 of other low-temperature showcases 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D.
Even when B, 29C, and 29D stop, it is possible to secure the required flow rate of brine.

As a second modification of the cooling system 100, as shown in FIG.
In all or any one of B, 5C, and 5D, for example, the low-temperature showcase 5A, the coolers 27E and 27F are connected in parallel to the cooler 27A, and the coolers 27A and 27F are connected in parallel.
7E and 27F, circulation pump 29A and constant flow valve 30
A may be used to supply the brine at the same flow rate. Reference numerals 5E and 5F indicate the coolers 27, respectively.
This is a low-temperature showcase provided with E and 27F, and has the same specifications as the low-temperature showcase 5A. These low-temperature showcases 5A, 5E, and 5F store daily items (sandwiches, drinking water, and the like) having a low cooling temperature range.

According to the second modification, the following effects can be obtained.

For example, since a plurality of coolers 27E and 27F are connected in parallel to the cooler 27A connected in series to the circulation pump 29A, these coolers 27A and 27F are connected.
Since brine can be supplied to E and 27F from one circulating pump 29A, the number of devices such as circulating pumps relative to the number of coolers can be reduced, and costs can be reduced.

[B] Second Embodiment (FIG. 4) FIG. 4 is a pipeline diagram showing a cooling system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In this second embodiment,
The same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

The cooling system 20 according to the second embodiment
0, the brine heating circuit 32 is connected to the brine pipes 23A, 23B, 23C of the low-temperature showcases 5A, 5B, 5C.
A, 32B and 32C are respectively connected.

Each of the brine heating circuits 32A, 32B, 32
C is each defrost pipe 33A, 33B, 33
C, a brine heating device 34A, 34B, 34C for heating the brine to a temperature required for defrosting, and a second on-off valve 3
6A, 36B, and 36C are arranged in series.

Each low-temperature showcase 5A, 5B, 5
The first on-off valves 35A, 35B, 35C are connected to the downstream side of the circulation pumps 29A, 29B, 29C in the C brine pipes 23A, 23B, 23C, respectively. One end of each of the defrost pipes 33A, 33B, 33C is connected to each of the circulating pumps 29A, 29B, 29C and each of the first on-off valves 35 in the brine pipes 23A, 23B, 23C, respectively.
A, 35B, 35C, and the other end is connected to each of the constant flow valves 30A, 30B, 30C and the coolers 27A, 27B in the brine pipes 23A, 23B, 23C, respectively.
B, 27C.

During the normal cooling operation of the low-temperature showcases 5A, 5B and 5C, the first on-off valves 35A, 35B and 35C
Are operated to open the second on-off valves 36A, 36B and 36C.
Is operated to close the valve. Thereby, the brine cooled by the brine cooling device 1 is supplied to each of the circulation pumps 29A and 29A.
B, each low-temperature showcase 5A by the action of 29C,
It is sent to each cooler 27A, 27B, 27C in 5B, 5C, and cools the low temperature showcases 5A, 5B, 5C.

During the defrosting operation of the low-temperature showcases 5A, 5B and 5C, the first on-off valves 35A, 35B and 35C are closed, and the second on-off valves 36A, 36B and 36C are opened. Thereby, the cooler 27A, the circulation pump 2
Closed loop including 9A and brine heater 34A, cooler 27B, circulating pump 29B and brine heater 34
A closed loop including B, a cooler 27C, a circulation pump 29C, and a brine heating device 34C are respectively configured. Therefore, the brine heating devices 34A, 34B,
The brine heated at 34C is supplied to each circulation pump 29
A, 29B, and 29C, each cooler 27A, 27 in each low-temperature showcase 5A, 5B, 5C.
B, 27C and circulated to the defrost heater 31
A, 31B, 31C coupled with heating, each cooler 27
A, 27B and 27C are defrosted.

In the cooling system 200, as described above, the circulation pumps 29A, 29B, and 29C respectively
It also has the function of a pump that feeds the brine heated by the brine heating devices 34A, 34B, 34C to each of the coolers 27A, 27B, 27C.

The first on-off valves 35A, 35B, 35C
By opening and closing the second on-off valves 36A, 36B, 36C, one of the low-temperature showcases 5A, 5B, 5C can be defrosted and the other can be cooled.

The cooling system 200 of the second embodiment
According to each of the coolers 27A, 27B, 2C, which have the following effects, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment,
7C, brine heating devices 34A, 34B, 3
Brine heating circuit 32A, 32B, 32C with 4C
Are connected individually, the respective coolers 27A, 27
During the defrosting operation of B and 27C, the brine heated by the corresponding brine heating devices 34A, 34B and 34C can be supplied to the coolers 27A, 27B and 27C, respectively, so that the outside of each of the coolers 27A, 27B and 27C. Combined with the heating of the coolers 27A, 27B, 27C by the defrost heaters 31A, 31B, 31C respectively arranged in
Defrosting of each of the coolers 27A, 27B, 27C can be performed in a short time.

Respective circulating pumps 29A, 29B and 29C for pumping the brine from the brine cooling device 1 to the respective coolers 27A, 27B and 27C correspond to the brine from the brine heating devices 34A, 34B and 34C, respectively. Since the pumps for pumping to the coolers 27A, 27B, and 27C are also used, the number of pumps can be reduced, and the cost can be reduced.

[C] Third Embodiment (FIG. 5) FIG. 5 is a pipeline diagram showing a third embodiment of the cooling system according to the present invention. In this third embodiment,
The same parts as those in the first and second embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description is omitted.

The cooling system 30 according to the third embodiment
At 0, one brine heating circuit 37 is installed for a plurality of low-temperature showcases 5A, 5B, and 5C.

The brine heating circuit 37 is configured by disposing a brine heating device 39 in a defrost pipe 38.
One end side of the defrost pipe 38 is branched into a plurality of parts, and these branch parts are provided with second on-off valves 36A, 36B, 36C and each of the brine pipes 23A, 23B, 23C of each of the low-temperature showcases 5A, 5B, 5C. , Each circulating pump 29A, 29B, 29C and each first on-off valve 35
A, 35B, and 35C. Further, the other end of the defrost pipe 38 is also branched into a plurality of parts, and these branch parts include third on-off valves 40A, 40B, 40C, respectively, and each of the low-temperature showcases 5A, 5B, 5C, each of the brine pipes 23A, Each of the constant flow valves 30A, 30B, 30C and the coolers 27A,
7B and 27C.

During the normal cooling operation of the low-temperature showcases 5A, 5B and 5C, the first on-off valves 35A, 35B and 35C
Are operated to open the second on-off valves 36A, 36B, and 36
C and the third on-off valves 40A, 40B and 40C are closed.

Thus, the brine cooled by the brine cooling device 1 is supplied to each of the circulation pumps 29A, 29B, 29
By the action of C, each low-temperature showcase 5A, 5B,
It is sent to each cooler 27A, 27B, 27C in 5C, and cools the low-temperature showcases 5A, 5B, 5C, respectively.

When one or two of the low-temperature showcases 5A, 5B and 5C, for example, the defrosting operation of the low-temperature showcase 5A, the first on-off valves 35B and 35C are in the open state, the second on-off valves 36B and 36C and the third On-off valve 40
B and 40C maintain the closed state, and the first on-off valve 3
5A is closed, and the second on-off valve 36A and the third on-off valve 40A are opened. Thereby, the cooler 27A,
A closed loop including the circulation pump 29A and the brine heating device 39 is configured. Therefore, the brine heated by the brine heating device 39 is fed to the cooler 27A by the operation of the circulation pump 29A, and performs the defrosting operation of the cooler 27A in combination with the heating of the defrost heater 31A.

Also in this cooling system 300, the circulation pumps 29A, 29B, and 29C use the brine heated by the brine heating device 39 to cool the respective coolers 27A, 27B, and 27C.
Acts as a pump to feed to

According to the cooling system 300 of the above embodiment, the following effects are obtained in addition to the effects of the first embodiment to the effects similar to those of the second embodiment. In each of the coolers 27A, 27B, and 27C, one brine heating circuit 37 including a brine heating device 39 includes first on-off valves 35A, 35B, 35C and second on-off valves 36A, 36A.
B, 36C and the third on-off valves 40A, 40B, 40C were selectively connected by opening and closing operations.
Brine heating device 3 for the number of A, 27B, 27C
9 and the cost can be reduced.

Although the present invention has been described based on the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this.
For example, in each of the above embodiments, the coolers 27A, 27
B, 27C and 27D are low-temperature showcases 5A, 5B. 5
C. Although what was equipped with 5D was described, what was equipped with the refrigerator and the air conditioner may be used.

[0069]

As described above, according to the cooling system of the present invention, a plurality of circulating pumps for circulating the brine cooled by the brine cooling device are provided in the plurality of coolers connected in parallel to the brine cooling device. Since each of the coolers is connected in series to each of the coolers, each of the coolers connected in parallel can exhibit a good cooling capacity without being affected by other coolers.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a pipe diagram showing a first embodiment of a cooling system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a pipeline diagram showing the brine cooling device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a pipeline diagram showing a modification of the cooling system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a pipeline diagram showing a second embodiment of the cooling system according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a pipeline diagram showing a third embodiment of the cooling system according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Brine cooling device 5A, 5B, 5C Low temperature showcase 27A, 27B, 27C, 27D Cooler 29A, 29, B29C 29D Circulation pump 30A, 30B, 30C, 30D Constant flow valve 32A, 32B, 32C Brine heating circuit 34A, 34B, 34C brine heating device 35A, 35B, 35C first on-off valve 36A, 36B, 36C second on-off valve 37 brine heating circuit 39 brine heating device 40A, 40B, 40C third on-off valve 100 cooling system 200 cooling system 300 cooling system

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A brine cooling device, a plurality of coolers connected in parallel to the brine cooling device, and a circulating pump for circulating the brine cooled by the brine cooling device to the coolers. In a cooling system having a closed circuit, a plurality of circulation pumps are provided, each of which is connected in series to each of the coolers. 2. The cooling system according to claim 1, wherein each of the coolers is connected in series with a constant flow valve for guiding a brine having a constant flow rate to each of the coolers. 3. In each set of the cooler and the circulation pump connected in series, the difference between the head by the circulation pump and the fluid pressure loss by the cooler is substantially the same. The cooling system according to claim 1, wherein: 4. The cooling system according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of other coolers are connected in parallel to the cooler connected in series to the circulation pump. 5. The cooling system according to claim 1, wherein a brine heating device for heating brine is individually connected to each of the coolers. 6. The cooling system according to claim 1, wherein one brine heating device for heating brine is selectively connected to each of the coolers. 7. The circulating pump for pumping brine from a brine cooling device to a cooler also serves as a pump for pumping brine from a brine heating device to a cooler. Cooling system.