Chilling unit and chilling unit system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12038183-B2
Application number	US-201917619283-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 7, 2019
Priority date	Aug 7, 2019
Publication date	Jul 16, 2024
Grant date	Jul 16, 2024

Abstract

A chilling unit includes a machine room unit to accommodate a compressor and a heat exchanger, and a plurality of air heat exchangers placed on top of the machine room unit. The air heat exchangers include a pair of air heat exchangers including two air heat exchangers opposite to each other in a lateral direction. They are inclined such that respective upper end portions of the two air heat exchangers have a spacing between each other greater than a spacing between respective lower end portions of the two air heat exchangers. In the lateral direction, the machine room unit has a top width greater than a heat-exchanger bottom width, the top width is one between side walls in a top face portion of the machine room unit, the bottom width is defined as a width between outer side faces of the respective lower end portions of the two air heat exchangers.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A chilling unit comprising:
a machine room unit formed in a shape of an elongated box and configured to accommodate a compressor and a heat exchanger; and
a plurality of air heat exchangers placed on top of the machine room unit, the plurality of air heat exchangers forming a refrigerant circuit together with the compressor and the heat exchanger,
wherein the plurality of air heat exchangers include a pair of air heat exchangers, the pair of air heat exchangers including two air heat exchangers that are opposite to each other in a lateral direction of the machine room unit, and
wherein the two air heat exchangers are inclined such that respective upper end portions of the two air heat exchangers remote from the machine room unit have a spacing between each other that is greater than a spacing between respective lower end portions of the two air heat exchangers proximate to the machine room unit, and
wherein in the lateral direction, the machine room unit includes a base provided to a top of the machine room unit, the machine room unit having a top width at the base that is greater than a heat-exchanger bottom width, the top width being defined as a width between an outermost surface of side walls in a top face portion of the machine room unit, the heat-exchanger bottom width being defined as a width between an outermost surface of outer side faces of the respective lower end portions of the two air heat exchangers, and the top width and the heat-exchanger bottom width have a difference of less than or equal to 50 mm and configured and adapted to accommodate a heater disposed on an upper surface of the base outside the outermost surface of the outer side faces.

2. The chilling unit of claim 1 ,
wherein in the lateral direction, the machine room unit has a bottom width and a height dimension, the bottom width being defined as a width between side walls in a bottom face portion of the machine room unit, the height dimension being defined as a dimension between the top face portion and the bottom face portion in a vertical direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the machine room unit and to the lateral direction of the machine room unit, and
wherein the machine room unit is formed in a cuboid shape, and the top width, the bottom width, and the height dimension of the machine room unit are equal.

3. The chilling unit of claim 1 ,
wherein in the lateral direction, the machine room unit has a bottom width and a height dimension, the bottom width being defined as a width between side walls in a bottom face portion of the machine room unit, the height dimension being defined as a dimension between the top face portion and the bottom face portion in a vertical direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the machine room unit and to the lateral direction of the machine room unit, and
wherein the machine room unit is formed in a cuboid shape, the top width and the bottom width of the machine room unit are equal, and the top width and the bottom width of the machine room unit are greater than the height dimension of the machine room unit.

4. The chilling unit of claim 1 ,
wherein in the lateral direction, the machine room unit has a bottom width and a height dimension, the bottom width being defined as a width between side walls in a bottom face portion of the machine room unit, the height dimension being defined as a dimension between the top face portion and the bottom face portion in a vertical direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the machine room unit and to the lateral direction of the machine room unit,
wherein the machine room unit has a trapezoidal shape in cross-section taken perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and
wherein the top width of the machine room unit is greater than the bottom width of the machine room unit, and the top width and the height dimension of the machine room unit are equal.

5. The chilling unit of claim 1 ,
wherein in the lateral direction, the machine room unit has a bottom width and a height dimension, the bottom width being defined as a width between side walls in a bottom face portion of the machine room unit, the height dimension being defined as a dimension between the top face portion and the bottom face portion in a vertical direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the machine room unit and to the lateral direction of the machine room unit,
wherein the machine room unit has a trapezoidal shape in cross-section taken perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and
wherein the top width of the machine room unit is greater than the bottom width of the machine room unit, and the top width of the machine room unit is greater than the height dimension of the machine room unit.

6. The chilling unit of claim 1 , further comprising:
a drain pan disposed below the plurality of air heat exchangers to catch droplets of water dripping down from the plurality of air heat exchangers; and
a heater provided to the drain pan and extending along the lower end portions of the plurality of air heat exchangers.

7. A chilling unit system comprising a plurality of the chilling units of claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of chilling units include two adjacent chilling units, and in the lateral direction, the machine room units of the two adjacent chilling units have a spacing between each other of greater than or equal to 400 mm.

8. A chilling unit comprising:
a machine room unit formed in a shape of an elongated box and configured to accommodate a compressor and a heat exchanger; and
a plurality of air heat exchangers placed on top of the machine room unit, the plurality of air heat exchangers forming a refrigerant circuit together with the compressor and the heat exchanger,
wherein the plurality of air heat exchangers include a pair of air heat exchangers, the pair of air heat exchangers including two air heat exchangers that are opposite to each other in a lateral direction of the machine room unit,
wherein the two air heat exchangers are inclined such that respective upper end portions of the two air heat exchangers remote from the machine room unit have a spacing between each other that is greater than a spacing between respective lower end portions of the two air heat exchangers proximate to the machine room unit, and
wherein in the lateral direction, the machine room unit has a top width that is greater than a heat-exchanger bottom width, the top width being defined as a width between side walls in a top face portion of the machine room unit, the heat-exchanger bottom width being defined as a width between outer side faces of the respective lower end portions of the two air heat exchangers,
wherein in the lateral direction, the machine room unit has a bottom width and a height dimension, the bottom width being defined as a width between side walls in a bottom face portion of the machine room unit,
wherein the machine room unit has a trapezoidal shape in cross-section taken perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and
wherein the top width of the machine room unit is greater than the bottom width of the machine room unit.

9. The chilling unit of claim 8 , wherein, when the height dimension is defined as a dimension between the top face portion and the bottom face portion of the machine room unit in a vertical direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and to the lateral direction,
the top width and the height dimension of the machine room unit are equal.

10. The chilling unit of claim 8 , wherein, when a height dimension is defined as a dimension between the top face portion and the bottom face portion in a vertical direction of the machine room unit perpendicular to the lo

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Electric Corp

Inventors

• Mukaitani Naoya
• Takenaka Shohei
• Hikone Takahito
• Kadowaki Kimitaka
• Yamano Yoshio
• Ito Takuya

Classifications

• F24F1/50 Primary

  with outlet air in upward direction · CPC title

• F24F1/46

  Component arrangements in separate outdoor units · CPC title

• F24F1/16 Primary

  Arrangement or mounting thereof · CPC title