Refrigeration device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016201956-A1
Application number	US-201414904878-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 7, 2014
Priority date	Jul 17, 2013
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A refrigeration apparatus ( 100 ) includes a container ( 11 ) such as an evaporator, a compressor ( 12 ), a heat exchange circulation path ( 4 ), and a heat storage flow path ( 6 ). The heat exchange circulation path ( 4 ) is a circulation path having a heat exchanger ( 20 ) and adapted to allow a refrigerant liquid to circulate via the heat exchanger ( 20 ). The heat storage flow path ( 6 ) is a flow path used in a heat storage operation for storing heat in the container ( 11 ), and is configured to allow the refrigerant liquid flowing from the container ( 11 ) to return to the container ( 11 ) without passing through the heat exchanger ( 20 ).

First claim

1 . A refrigeration apparatus comprising:
a first container in which heat is stored using latent heat of a refrigerant; a compressor that is connected to the first container and compresses the refrigerant; a heat exchange circulation path comprising: a heat exchanger; a feed flow path connecting an inlet of the heat exchanger and the first container; and a return flow path connecting an outlet of the heat exchanger and the first container, the heat exchange circulation path being adapted to allow a refrigerant liquid retained in the first container to circulate via the heat exchanger, the refrigerant liquid being the refrigerant in a liquid phase; a heat storage flow path that is a flow path used in a heat storage operation for storing heat in the first container, the heat storage flow path connecting the feed flow path and the return flow path, the heat storage flow path being configured to allow the refrigerant liquid flowing from the first container to return to the first container without passing through the heat exchanger; and a flow path switching mechanism that selects one of the heat exchange circulation path and the heat storage flow path as a flow path into which the refrigerant liquid flowing from the first container should be introduced.

2 . The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the first container is an evaporator that retains the refrigerant liquid, the compressor draws a refrigerant vapor from the evaporator so as to evaporate the refrigerant liquid retained in the evaporator, and compresses the refrigerant vapor drawn from the evaporator, the refrigerant vapor being the refrigerant in a vapor phase, and the heat storage flow path is a cold storage flow path used in a cold storage operation for storing cold in the evaporator using latent heat of evaporation of the refrigerant liquid.

3 . The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the compressor draws the refrigerant vapor from the evaporator so as to solidify, inside the evaporator, the refrigerant liquid retained in the evaporator, and in the cold storage operation, the refrigerant in solid form is stored in the evaporator.

4 . The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the heat exchange circulation path has an upstream end connected to the first container, and the heat storage flow path is a flow path that is branched from the heat exchange circulation path at a branch point between the inlet of the heat exchanger and the upstream end of the heat exchange circulation path so that the refrigerant liquid flowing from the first container bypasses the heat exchanger and is returned to the first container.

5 . The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the flow path switching mechanism comprises a three-way valve provided at the branch point of the heat storage flow path from the heat exchange circulation path.

6 . The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the flow path switching mechanism comprises: an on-off valve provided in the heat exchange circulation path at a position closer to the heat exchanger than the branch point of the heat storage flow path from the heat exchange circulation path; and another on-off valve provided in the heat storage flow path.

7 . The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant liquid returned to the first container via the heat exchange circulation path or the heat storage flow path falls in a shower inside the first container.

8 . The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a pump that draws and discharges the refrigerant liquid retained in the evaporator; and a controller that controls the pump and the compressor so that one of a thawing operation and a follow-up operation is selectively performed, the thawing operation being an operation in which the refrigerant liquid is allowed to circulate in the heat exchange circulation path via the heat exchanger while operation of the compressor is stopped, and the follow-up operation being an operation in which the refrigerant liquid is allowed to circulate in the heat exchange circulation path via the heat exchanger while the compressor is operated so as to cool the refrigerant liquid retained in the evaporator.

9 . The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the controller further controls the pump and the compressor so that the cold storage operation is selectively performed, the cold storage operation being an operation in which the refrigerant liquid is allowed to circulate via the cold storage flow path while the compressor is operated so as to cool and solidify the refrigerant liquid inside the evaporator.

10 . The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising a heat absorption circulation path comprising a heat absorption heat exchanger that heats a heat medium cooled in the heat exchanger, the heat absorption circulation path being adapted to allow the heat medium to circulate via the heat absorption heat exchanger.

11 . The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the heat absorption heat exchanger is an indoor heat exchanger to be disposed in an indoor space to cool the indoor space.

12 . The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising: a condenser that condenses the refrigerant vapor compressed by the compressor; and a heat release circulation path comprising a heat release heat exchanger that cools the refrigerant liquid retained in the condenser or another heat medium heated in the condenser, the heat release circulation path being adapted to allow the refrigerant liquid or the another heat medium to circulate via the heat release heat exchanger.

13 . The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a heat storage body disposed inside the first container, wherein the heat storage body comprises a latent heat storage material having a melting point different from that of the refrigerant.

14 . The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first container is a condenser that condenses a refrigerant vapor compressed by the compressor, the refrigerant vapor being the refrigerant in a vapor phase, and the heat storage flow path is used in a heat storage operation for storing heat in the condenser using latent heat of condensation of the refrigerant liquid.

15 . The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a filter that is disposed inside the first container and prevents the refrigerant in solid form from being drawn into the feed flow path.

16 . The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a heat storage body disposed inside the first container, wherein
the heat storage body comprises a second container and a latent heat storage material disposed in the second container.

Assignees

• Panasonic Ip Man Co Ltd

Inventors

• Tamura Tomoichiro
• Taguchi Hidetoshi
• Kawano Bunki
• Matsuura Takahiro

Classifications

• F24F5/0017

  using cold storage bodies, e.g. ice · CPC title

• F25B2700/00

  Sensing or detecting of parameters; Sensors therefor · CPC title

• F25B2600/0251

  with on-off operation · CPC title

• F25B2400/04

  Refrigeration circuit bypassing means · CPC title

• F25B2400/23

  Separators · CPC title