IP Library Granted Patent US 9,797,640
Granted Patent B2
US 9,797,640 · App. 14/211,485 · Granted Oct 24, 2017

Refrigerating apparatus and corresponding control device

Inventors: Nobuhiro Umeda (Fishersville, VA); Takatoshi Takigawa (St Louis Park, MN); Fumiaki Onodera (Minnetonka, MN); Nobutoshi Kozono (Osaka, JP)
Assignee: DAIKIN APPLIED AMERICAS INC.
F25B49/02F04D27/00F25B1/053F25B49/022F25B1/10F25B25/005F25B2339/047F25B2400/13F25B2400/23F25B2600/0253F25B2600/2513F25B2700/195F25B2700/197F25B2700/2109F25B2700/21161F25B2700/21162F25B2700/21171Y02B30/741
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,797,640
App. No.
14/211,485
Granted
Oct 24, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A refrigerating apparatus includes a centrifugal compressor, a capacity control mechanism that controls a capacity of the compressor by changing an opening degree of the capacity control mechanism, an expansion mechanism that reduces a pressure of a refrigerant, and a controller. The controller calculates an opening degree of the expansion mechanism using compressor capacity as one of a plurality of indices of change in load. The compressor capacity is obtained from a current rotation number of the compressor, an opening degree of the capacity control mechanism, and a divergence rate of a current operation head from a surge region.

Claims (60)

1. A refrigerating apparatus comprising:

a centrifugal compressor;

a capacity control mechanism configured to control the capacity of the compressor by changing an opening degree of the capacity control mechanism;

an expansion mechanism configured to reduce a pressure of a refrigerant; and

a controller configured to calculate an opening degree of the expansion mechanism using compressor capacity as one of a plurality of indices of change in load, with the compressor capacity being obtained from a current rotation number of the compressor, an opening degree of the capacity control mechanism, and a divergence rate of a current operation head from a surge region.

2. The refrigerating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the refrigerating apparatus has a two-stage refrigeration cycle,

the expansion mechanism includes a high stage side expansion mechanism, and

the controller is configured to calculate the opening degree of the high stage side expansion mechanism.

3. The refrigerating apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the expansion mechanism further includes a low stage side expansion mechanism, and a mechanical float valve is used in the low stage side expansion mechanism.

4. The refrigerating apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

the expansion mechanism further includes a low stage side expansion mechanism,

the low stage side expansion mechanism is controlled by electrical operation, and

the controller is configured to coordinate an opening degree of the low stage side expansion mechanism with a calculated opening degree of the high stage side expansion mechanism.

5. The refrigerating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the refrigerating apparatus has a two-stage refrigeration cycle with an economizer,

the expansion mechanism includes a high stage side expansion mechanism, and

the controller is configured to correct an actual control opening degree of the high stage side expansion mechanism based on a liquid-gas ratio by weight in the economizer obtained from

enthalpy of liquid at an outlet of a condenser of the refrigerating apparatus and

saturated enthalpies of liquid and gas at the economizer.

6. The refrigerating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the refrigerating apparatus has a two-stage refrigeration cycle with an economizer,

the controller is configured to calculate the opening degree of the expansion mechanism using pseudo chilled water inlet and outlet temperature difference, with the pseudo chilled water inlet and outlet temperature difference being obtained from the compressor capacity, evaporator capacity acquired from enthalpy information of an evaporator of the refrigerating apparatus and the economizer, and a standard design flow rate of chilled water supplied to the evaporator.

7. A refrigerating apparatus comprising:

a centrifugal compressor;

a capacity control mechanism configured to control the capacity of the compressor by changing an opening degree of the capacity control mechanism;

an expansion mechanism configured to reduce a pressure of a refrigerant;

an evaporator, a refrigerant decompressed by the expansion mechanism and a chilled water performing heat exchange therebetween in the evaporator; and

a controller configured to estimate a current actual flow rate of chilled water by comparing pseudo chilled water inlet and outlet temperature difference with measured chilled water inlet and outlet temperature difference in actual operation, the pseudo chilled water inlet and outlet temperature difference being obtained from

compressor capacity obtained based on a current rotation number of the compressor and an opening degree of the capacity control mechanism,

evaporator capacity obtained by inlet and outlet refrigerant circuit enthalpy difference of the evaporator, and

a standard design flow rate of chilled water supplied to the evaporator.

8. The refrigerating apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein

the controller is configured to stop the refrigerating apparatus, issue an alarm, or request an increment or decrement of a water amount when the estimated actual flow rate of chilled water is outside a design acceptable flow rate range of chilled water.

9. A control device adapted for a refrigerating machine having a centrifugal compressor, a capacity control mechanism configured to control the capacity of the compressor by changing an opening degree of the capacity control mechanism, and an expansion mechanism configured to reduce a pressure of a refrigerant, the control device comprising:

a processing unit configured to calculate an opening degree of the expansion mechanism using compressor capacity as one of a plurality of indices of change in load, with the compressor capacity being obtained from a current rotation number of the compressor, an opening degree of the capacity control mechanism, and a divergence rate of a current operation head from a surge region.

10. The control device according to claim 9 , wherein

the refrigeration machine has a two-stage refrigeration cycle,

the expansion mechanism includes a high stage side expansion mechanism, and

the processing unit is configured to calculate the opening degree of the high stage side expansion mechanism.

11. The control device according to claim 10 , wherein

the expansion mechanism further includes a low stage side expansion mechanism,

the low stage side expansion mechanism is controlled by electrical operation, and

the processing unit is configured to coordinate an opening degree of the low stage side expansion mechanism with a calculated opening degree of the high stage side expansion mechanism.

12. The control device according to claim 9 , wherein

the refrigerating machine has a two-stage refrigeration cycle with an economizer,

the expansion mechanism includes a high stage side expansion mechanism, and

the processing unit is configured to correct an actual control opening degree of the high stage side expansion mechanism based on a liquid-gas ratio by weight in the economizer obtained from

enthalpy of liquid at an outlet of a condenser of the refrigerating machine and

saturated enthalpies of liquid and gas at the economizer.

13. The control device according to claim 9 , wherein

the refrigerating machine has a two-stage refrigeration cycle with an economizer,

the processing unit is configured to calculate the opening degree of the expansion mechanism using pseudo chilled water inlet and outlet temperature difference, with the pseudo chilled water inlet and outlet temperature difference being obtained from the compressor capacity, evaporator capacity acquired from enthalpy information of an evaporator of the refrigerating machine and the economizer, and a standard design flow rate of chilled water supplied to the evaporator.

14. A control device adapted for a refrigerating machine having a centrifugal compressor, a capacity control mechanism configured to control the capacity of the compressor by changing an opening degree of the capacity control mechanism, an expansion mechanism configured to reduce a pressure of a refrigerant, and an evaporator, a refrigerant decompressed by the expansion mechanism and a chilled water performing heat exchange therebetween in the evaporator, the control device comprising:

a processing unit configured to estimate a current actual flow rate of chilled water by comparing pseudo chilled water inlet and outlet temperature difference with measured chilled water inlet and outlet temperature difference in actual operation, the pseudo chilled water inlet and outlet temperature difference being obtained from

compressor capacity obtained based on a current rotation number of the compressor, and an opening degree of the capacity control mechanism,

evaporator capacity obtained by inlet and outlet refrigerant circuit enthalpy difference of the evaporator, and

a standard design flow rate of chilled water supplied to the evaporator.

15. The control device according to claim 14 , wherein

the processing unit is configured to stop the refrigerating machine, issue an alarm, or request an increment or decrement of a water amount when the estimated actual flow rate of chilled water is outside a design acceptable flow rate range of chilled water.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 22, 2021
From: DAIKIN APPLIED AMERICAS INC.
To: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
Reel/Frame 058180/0318 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 30, 2016
From: UMEDA, NOBUHIRO; TAKIGAWA, TAKATOSHI; ONODERA, FUMIAKI; KOZONO, NOBUTOSHI
To: DAIKIN APPLIED AMERICAS INC.
Reel/Frame 039585/0878 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61790596 · Mar 15, 2013
Related Publication 20140260385A1 · Sep 18, 2014