Refrigerant circulating apparatus and method of circulating refrigerant

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11609035-B2
Application number	US-201616060994-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2016
Priority date	Dec 21, 2015
Publication date	Mar 21, 2023
Grant date	Mar 21, 2023

Abstract

In a phase-change cooling apparatus including an indoor unit and an outdoor unit, a configuration to prevent dew condensation in the indoor unit causes the cooling performance to decrease; therefore, a refrigerant circulating apparatus according to an exemplary aspect of the present invention includes refrigerant-liquid thermal equilibrium means for mixing a first refrigerant liquid with a second refrigerant liquid and sending a reflux refrigerant liquid composed of the first refrigerant liquid and the second refrigerant liquid, the first refrigerant liquid being a liquid-phase refrigerant included in a gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant flowing in from heat receiving means, the second refrigerant liquid arising due to the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant cooled by heat radiating means; a refrigerant passage configured for the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant and the reflux refrigerant liquid to circulate between the heat receiving means and the refrigerant-liquid thermal equilibrium means; refrigerant-liquid reflux means for refluxing the reflux refrigerant liquid to the heat receiving means through the refrigerant passage; and refrigerant-liquid flow control means for controlling a flow rate of the reflux refrigerant liquid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerant circulating apparatus, comprising:
a tank with inlets and outlets for piping, the tank configured to mix a first refrigerant liquid with a second refrigerant liquid and send a reflux refrigerant liquid composed of the first refrigerant liquid and the second refrigerant liquid, the first refrigerant liquid being a liquid-phase refrigerant included in a gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant flowing in from a heat receiving section, the second refrigerant liquid arising due to the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant cooled by a heat radiating section;
a refrigerant passage configured for the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant and the reflux refrigerant liquid to circulate between the heat receiving section and the tank;
a pump configured to reflux the reflux refrigerant liquid to the heat receiving section through the refrigerant passage;
a variable flow rate valve configured to control a flow rate of the reflux refrigerant liquid;
a refrigerant-liquid temperature measuring section configured to measure a temperature of the reflux refrigerant liquid flowing back to the heat receiving section and output a refrigerant liquid temperature; and
a controller configured to control the variable flow rate valve based on the refrigerant liquid temperature,
wherein the variable flow rate valve is located in the refrigerant passage between the heat receiving section and the pump, and is configured to control the flow rate of the reflux refrigerant liquid flowing into the heat receiving section,
the heat radiating section is disposed in an outdoor unit,
the heat receiving section is disposed inside a room, and
the controller controls the variable flow rate valve so as to increase the flow rate of the reflux refrigerant liquid flowing into the heat receiving section when the refrigerant liquid temperature is lower than or equal to a dew-point temperature in an environment where the heat receiving section is located.

2. The refrigerant circulating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the tank is configured to store the first refrigerant liquid and the second refrigerant liquid.

3. The refrigerant circulating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the variable flow rate valve includes a second variable flow rate valve configured to control a flow rate of the first refrigerant liquid flowing into the tank, and
the controller
controls the second variable flow rate valve so as to increase the flow rate of the first refrigerant liquid flowing into the tank when the refrigerant liquid temperature is lower than or equal to a predetermined temperature, and
controls the second variable flow rate valve so as to reduce the flow rate of the first refrigerant liquid flowing into the tank when the refrigerant liquid temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature.

4. The refrigerant circulating apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the controller controls the second variable flow rate valve so that a liquid level of the first refrigerant liquid may be formed on an inflow side of the second variable flow rate valve.

5. The refrigerant circulating apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the variable flow rate valve includes a third variable flow rate valve configured to control a flow rate of the first refrigerant liquid having passed through the tank and flowing out to the heat radiating section, and
the controller controls the third variable flow rate valve so as to reduce the flow rate of the first refrigerant liquid flowing out to the heat radiating section when the refrigerant liquid temperature is lower than or equal to a predetermined temperature.

6. A phase-change cooling apparatus, comprising:
a heat receiving section;
a heat radiating section; and
a refrigerant circulating apparatus,
wherein the refrigerant circulating apparatus includes:
a tank with inlets and outlets for piping, the tank configured to mix a first refrigerant liquid with a second refrigerant liquid and send a reflux refrigerant liquid composed of the first refrigerant liquid and the second refrigerant liquid, the first refrigerant liquid being a liquid-phase refrigerant included in a gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant flowing in from the heat receiving section, the second refrigerant liquid arising due to the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant cooled by the heat radiating section;
a refrigerant passage configured for the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant and the reflux refrigerant liquid to circulate between the heat receiving section and the tank;
a pump configured to reflux the reflux refrigerant liquid to the heat receiving section through the refrigerant passage;
a variable flow rate valve a configured to control a flow rate of the reflux refrigerant liquid;
a refrigerant-liquid temperature measuring section configured to measure a temperature of the reflux refrigerant liquid flowing back to the heat receiving section and output a refrigerant liquid temperature; and
a controller configured to control the variable flow rate valve based on the refrigerant liquid temperature,
wherein the variable flow rate valve is located in the refrigerant passage between the heat receiving section and the pump, and is configured to control the flow rate of the reflux refrigerant liquid flowing into the heat receiving section, and
the controller controls the variable flow rate valve so as to increase the flow rate of the reflux refrigerant liquid flowing into the heat receiving section when the refrigerant liquid temperature is lower than or equal to a dew-point temperature in an environment where the heat receiving section is located,

wherein the heat receiving section is disposed inside a room and is configured to contain a refrigerant and generate the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant by receiving heat,
the heat radiating section is disposed in an outdoor unit and is configured to condense and liquefy the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant and generate the second refrigerant liquid supercooled to an outside air temperature.

7. The phase-change cooling apparatus according to claim 6 , further comprising
a first vapor-phase pipe with one end connected to the heat receiving section;
a second vapor-phase pipe connecting the heat radiating section to a branch portion of a predetermined place of the first vapor-phase pipe; and
a bypass pipe connecting another end of the first vapor-phase pipe to the refrigerant-liquid thermal equilibrium section, wherein
the second vapor-phase pipe constitutes a passage through which a vapor phase refrigerant included in the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant flows upward from the first vapor-phase pipe toward the heat radiating section.

Assignees

• Nec Corp

Inventors

• Yoshikawa Minoru
• Sakuma Hisato
• Chiba Masaki

Classifications

• H10W40/43

  by flowing gases, e.g. forced air cooling · CPC title

• F28D15/06

  Control arrangements therefor · CPC title

• F25B23/006

  boiling cooling systems · CPC title

• G06F1/20 Primary

  Cooling means · CPC title

• H05K7/2079

  within rooms for removing heat from cabinets · CPC title