Chiller system and control method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9410728-B2
Application number	US-201314094943-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 3, 2013
Priority date	Feb 1, 2013
Publication date	Aug 9, 2016
Grant date	Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

A chiller system and a control method thereof includes a plurality of chiller modules in which a refrigeration cycle is performed to supply cold water, a main control device generating an operation signal to simultaneously or successively operate the plurality of chiller modules, a module control device provided in each of the plurality of chiller modules to control an operation of each of the plurality of chiller modules on the basis of the operation signal of the main control device, and a starting device communicably connected to the module control device to selectively apply power into the plurality of chiller modules.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A chiller system comprising:
a plurality of chiller modules capable of performing a refrigeration cycle to supply cold water, the plurality of chiller modules including a first chiller module and a second chiller module, which are arranged in a row;
a plurality of passages including a coolant inflow passage to allow coolant to be introduced into each of the first and the second chiller modules and a coolant discharge passage to allow the coolant to be discharged from the each of the first and the second chiller modules;
a main control device that generates an operation signal to simultaneously or successively independently operate the first and the second chiller modules;
a plurality of module control devices provided in each of the first and the second chiller modules that control an operation of each of the first and the second chiller modules, respectively, on the basis of the operation signal of the main control device; and
a starting device communicably connected to the module control devices that selectively apply power to the first and the second chiller modules,
wherein each of the first and the second chiller modules comprises:
a condenser and an evaporator;
a support provided at both side of the condenser and the evaporator, the support comprising a condenser support that supports both sides of the condenser and an evaporator support that supports both sides of the evaporator;
a coolant inlet that is disposed at the condenser support and connected with the coolant inflow passage; and
a coolant outlet that is disposed at the condenser support and connected with the coolant discharge passage,

wherein the condenser support of the first chiller module id coupled to the condenser support of the second chiller module.

2. The chiller system according to claim 1 , wherein the main control device controls the plurality of module control devices to increase or decrease a number of chiller modules to be operated, on the basis of operation loads of the plurality of chiller modules.

3. The chiller system according to claim 2 , wherein the starting device is provided in plurality to correspond to the number of chiller modules, and
wherein the main control device controls the plurality of module control devices so that at least one starting device of the plurality of starting devices is turned on or off when the number of chiller modules to be operated increases or decreases.

4. The chiller system according to claim 2 , wherein the starting devices is provided as a single device, and
wherein the single starting device comprises a plurality of switching members respectively connected to the plurality of chiller modules.

5. The chiller system according to claim 4 , wherein the plurality of switching members are switched in a predetermined order when the plurality of chiller modules are successively operated, and
wherein a current applied to the plurality of chiller modules increases by a preset value.

6. The chiller system according to claim 2 , further comprising a load detection part to detect operation loads of the plurality of chiller modules,
wherein load information detected by the load detection part is transmitted into the main control device or the plurality of module control devices.

7. The chiller system according to claim 6 , wherein the load detection part comprises at least one of:
a temperature sensor to detect a temperature of the cold water introduced into the chiller modules;
a refrigerant amount detection part to detect an amount of refrigerant introduced into a compressor of each of the chiller modules; and
a current detection part to detect a current applied to the compressor.

8. The chiller system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of chiller modules are coupled to each other side by side in a longitudinal or transverse direction.

9. The chiller system according to claim 1 , wherein
the first chiller module comprises a first condenser and a first evaporator; and
the second chiller module comprises a second condenser and a second evaporator.

10. The chiller system according to claim 9 , wherein coolant passing through the first and the second condensers flows in a direction opposite to that of coolant passing through the first and the second evaporators.

11. The chiller system according to claim 9 , wherein the plurality of chiller modules further comprise:
a third chiller module comprising a third condenser and a third evaporator; and
a fourth chiller module comprising a fourth condenser and a fourth evaporator.

12. The chiller system according to claim 11 , wherein a coolant inlet through which coolant is introduced is disposed in each of the first and the third chiller modules, and
a coolant outlet through which the coolant is discharged is disposed in each of the second and the fourth chiller modules.

13. The chiller system according to claim 12 , wherein a cold water outlet through which the cold water is discharged is disposed in each of the first and the third chiller modules, and
a cold water inlet through which the cold water is introduced is disposed in each of the second and the fourth chiller modules.

14. The chiller system according to claim 9 , further comprising:
a support supporting two sides of the first and the second condensers; and
a condenser cap provided on the support to define a flow space of the cold water,
wherein the condenser cap guides a flow direction of coolant so that the coolant passing through the first condenser is introduced into the second condenser.

15. The chiller system according to claim 9 , wherein at least one of the first or the second condensers and the first or the second evaporators comprises a shell tube-type heat exchanger or a plate-type heat exchanger.

16. The chiller system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of passages further includes:
a cold water inflow passage to allow cold water to be introduced into each of the first and the second chiller modules; and
a cold water discharge passage to allow the cold water to be discharged from the each of the first and the second chiller module.

17. The chiller system according to claim 16 , wherein the each of the first and the second chiller modules comprises:
a cold water inlet that is disposed at the evaporator support and connected with the cold water inflow passage; and
a cold water outlet that is disposed at the evaporator support and connected with the cold water discharge passage.

18. The chiller system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of passages further includes a plurality of branch ducts extended from the coolant inflow passage towards coolant inlets of the first and the second chiller modules.

19. The chiller system according to claim 9 , wherein the condenser support comprises:
a first support provided at a side of each of the first and the second condensers;
a second support provided at the other side of the first and the second condensers,
wherein the coolant inlet and the coolant outlet are provided at the side of each of the first and the second condensers.

20. The chiller system according to claim 19 , further comprising:
a condenser cap provided at the other side of the each of the first and the second condensers,
wherein the condenser is configured to switch a flow direction of the coolant passing through the first or second condenser.

21. The chiller system according to claim 20 , wherein the each of the first and second condensers comprises a plurality

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Lee Horim
• On Seulki
• Yu Jinhyuk
• Hwang Yoonjei
• Park Hanyoung

Classifications

• F25B43/003

  Filters · CPC title

• F25B31/004

  oil recirculating arrangements · CPC title

• F25B1/053

  of turbine type · CPC title

• F24F13/04

  Air-mixing units (F24F13/06 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F25B2400/0411

  for expansion valves or capillary tubes · CPC title