JPH1114222A - Cooling equipment with regenerative brine tank - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] Low-temperature tank 1 and high-temperature tank 3 for storing brine
In a two-tank regenerative cooling system having
Even if a phenomenon occurs in which the temperature of the low-temperature brine from 5 is not sufficiently low, sufficiently rapid cooling of the thermal load 7 is enabled. A low-temperature brine from a refrigerator (25) is stored in a low-temperature tank (1) and then sent to a thermal load (7). The low-temperature brine is returned to the low-temperature tank 1 through the return pipe 31. At this time, the temperature of the low-temperature brine passing through the return pipe 31 is detected by the temperature sensor 33. If the temperature is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature, the three-way valve 37 is controlled by the control means 35, and a part of the low-temperature brine is transferred to the intake pipe 27. It is bypassed. Thereby, the low-temperature brine is mixed with the high-temperature brine from the high-temperature tank, and the temperature of the low-temperature brine from the refrigerator can be sufficiently reduced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cooling system having a tank for temporarily storing brine (refrigerant) cooled by a refrigerator.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, using a cold heat source such as a refrigerator,
In order to cool an object to be cooled, which is a heat load, to a predetermined temperature within a predetermined time, the total heat capacity necessary for this cooling is divided by the predetermined time, and the resulting refrigerator capable of generating a heat capacity per unit time. Had determined the ability.

[0003] However, refrigerators having such capacity are often too large in capacity. That is, for example, as in the case where the heat load is due to cooling of a batch-type reaction vessel, a predetermined number of high-temperature objects to be cooled are collectively sent to the reaction vessel, cooled to a predetermined temperature within a predetermined time, and the cooling is completed. If the predetermined temperature is to be maintained, the capacity of the refrigerator is too large to maintain the predetermined temperature, resulting in uneconomical equipment cost.

Therefore, cooling equipment having a tank for storing cold heat has conventionally been proposed. This cooling facility
For example, brine (refrigerant) cooled by a refrigerator is stored as low-temperature brine in a low-temperature tank, and a necessary amount of low-temperature brine is sent from the low-temperature tank to a heat load. The high-temperature brine that has returned to a high temperature from the heat load is stored in a high-temperature tank, and then sent to a refrigerator to be cooled. The low-temperature brine cooled by the refrigerator is stored again in the low-temperature tank.

[0005] In this manner, when the predetermined temperature is maintained after cooling to a predetermined temperature such as in a batch reactor, the brine can be cooled and stored in the low-temperature tank in advance. When the object to be cooled is rapidly cooled to a predetermined temperature, it is sufficient to use the low-temperature brine in the low-temperature tank, so that the capacity of the refrigerator is small.

[0006]

However, the temperature of the high-temperature brine returned from the heat load and the temperature of the low-temperature brine returned from the refrigerator are not always constant and may fluctuate. That is, in the above example, the number of cooling objects to be sent to the batch reactor can fluctuate or the capacity of the refrigerator may not be constant for some reason.

In such a case, the low-temperature brine returned from the refrigerator may not be at a sufficiently low temperature, and when such brine is returned to the low-temperature tank,
The temperature of the entire low-temperature brine stored in the low-temperature tank is not sufficiently low. In that case,
Despite the fact that the low-temperature tank had previously stored low-temperature brine at a sufficiently low temperature, the low-temperature brine sent to the batch reactor, which is the heat load, was not at a sufficiently low temperature, and the cooling target Cannot be rapidly cooled to a predetermined temperature within a predetermined time.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and the temperature of the high-temperature brine returned from the heat load and the temperature of the low-temperature brine returned from the refrigerator may not always be constant and fluctuate. Even if there is, an object of the present invention is to provide a cooling facility having a regenerative brine tank capable of sufficiently lowering the temperature of the low-temperature brine sent from the low-temperature tank to the heat load and allowing sufficiently rapid cooling at the heat load. .

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present invention is to provide a low-temperature tank for storing a cooled low-temperature brine, and a high-temperature tank which is sent from the low-temperature tank to a heat load and returns to a high temperature. A high-temperature tank for storing the high-temperature brine, a cold heat source for taking in and cooling the high-temperature brine of the high-temperature tank through an intake pipe, a return pipe for returning the low-temperature brine cooled by the cold heat source to the low-temperature tank, and a return pipe. A three-way valve that bypasses part of the low-temperature brine to the high-temperature tank side, a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the low-temperature brine that passes through the return pipe, and controls the three-way valve when the detected temperature is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature. A cooling system having a heat storage type brine tank, comprising: a control unit for performing the bypass.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the cooling equipment having the regenerative brine tank according to the first aspect, wherein the high temperature tank side is located in the middle of the intake pipe.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 1, in this embodiment, the tank for storing brine is a two-tank type of a low-temperature tank 1 and a high-temperature tank 3. In this specification, the term “brine” includes, in addition to calcium chloride, sodium chloride, ethylene glycol, and the like generally included in the concept, all fluids that can be used for storing cold heat such as water.

A low-temperature brine 5 is provided at the bottom of the low-temperature tank 1.
Is connected to a batch type reaction vessel 7 which is a heat load. A pump 11 for sending the low-temperature brine 5 and a three-way valve 13 are provided in the middle of the forward pipe 9. The three-way valve 13 is a reflux pipe 15 for bypassing a part of the low-temperature brine 5 and returning to the low-temperature tank 1.
Connected to The temperature sensor 17 is provided in the reaction vessel 7.
The three-way valve 1 is provided via a control means (TIC) 19 based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 17.
3 is controlled.

A return pipe 2 is provided at the outlet of the high-temperature brine of the reaction vessel 7.
1 is connected, and this return pipe is connected to the high temperature tank 3. At the bottom of the high-temperature tank 3, a take-in pipe 27 for taking the high-temperature brine 23 into a refrigerator 25 as a cold heat source is connected, and a pump 29 is provided in the take-up pipe 27.

A return pipe 31 is connected to the low-temperature brine outlet of the refrigerator 25, and this return pipe is connected to the low-temperature tank 1. In the middle of the return pipe 31, a low-temperature brine passing through the return pipe 31 is connected. A temperature sensor 33 for detecting a temperature is provided. A control means (TIC) 35 is connected to the temperature sensor 33, and when the detected temperature is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, the three-way valve 37 is controlled to partially bypass the low-temperature brine.

The three-way valve 37 is provided in the middle of the return pipe 31 so that a part of the low-temperature brine passing through the return pipe 31 is bypassed to the middle of the intake pipe 27 through the bypass pipe 39. The capacities of the low-temperature tank 1 and the high-temperature tank 3 are set so that a sufficient amount of low-temperature brine can be secured to rapidly cool one batch of cooling objects sent to the batch-type reaction vessel 7. I do.

Hereinafter, the operation of this embodiment will be described. The low-temperature brine cooled by the refrigerator 25 is returned to the return pipe 3
1 and stored in the cryogenic tank 1. The low-temperature brine 5 in the low-temperature tank 1 is sent by a pump 11 through a forward pipe 9 to a heat load that is a batch-type reaction vessel 7. The temperature inside the batch type reaction vessel 7 is detected by a temperature sensor 17. If the detected temperature is not so high, that is, if the detected temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature, the amount of the low-temperature brine 5 to be sent is reduced. 19 operates to cause the three-way valve 13 to return a part of the low-temperature brine to the low-temperature tank 1 through the return pipe 15.

Since one batch of cooling objects has been sent to the reactor 7, the temperature of the reactor 7 is high (see FIG. 3) and is cooled by the sent low-temperature brine. . The high-temperature brine which has been cooled in the reaction vessel 7 and has become high temperature is returned from the return pipe 21 to the high-temperature tank 3.

High temperature brine 23 stored in high temperature tank 3
Is taken into the refrigerator 25 from the intake pipe 27 by the pump 29. The brine cooled by the refrigerator 25 becomes low-temperature brine, passes through the return pipe 31, and is returned to the low-temperature tank 1. The temperature of the low-temperature brine is detected by the temperature sensor 33. It is determined that the proper cooling is not performed, and the three-way valve 37 is controlled by the control device 35.
Is controlled, and a part of the low-temperature brine is
9 and is sent to the middle of the intake pipe 27.

In the intake pipe 27, only the high-temperature brine has been introduced into the refrigerator 25 until then. However, by this bypass, the high-temperature brine and the low-temperature brine are taken in a mixed state. Brine having a lower temperature is taken in and cooled by the refrigerator 25. Therefore, the temperature of the low-temperature brine exiting the refrigerator 25 immediately decreases, and the sufficiently low-temperature brine is returned to the low-temperature tank 1.

Therefore, low-temperature brine whose temperature is not sufficiently low is not returned to the low-temperature tank 1. Therefore, the temperature of the low-temperature brine 5 stored in the low-temperature tank 1 can be maintained at a sufficiently low state.

By using the low-temperature brine 5 having a sufficiently low temperature, it is possible to cool the object to be cooled in the batch-type reaction vessel 7 which is a heat load, and to perform sufficiently rapid cooling.

This rapid cooling has been performed by the cryogenic tank 1
Low-temperature brine 5 (tanks 1 and 3 in FIG. 1)
1) in the batch reactor 7
At the point in time when cooling of the objects to be cooled for the batch is completed (see FIG. 3), most of the low-temperature brine in the low-temperature tank 1 is consumed and stored as high-temperature brine in the high-temperature tank 3 (FIG. 2A). reference).

The low temperature state of the object to be cooled obtained by the cooling is maintained for a predetermined time thereafter (FIG. 3).
reference). While the low temperature is maintained, the refrigerator 25 continues to operate, cools the high temperature brine 23 from the high temperature tank 3 and returns it to the low temperature tank 1 as a low temperature brine. Therefore, after the time for maintaining the low temperature has ended, the low-temperature tank 1
Low temperature brine is full (FIG. 2B).

Thereafter, the object to be cooled for one batch is sent out from the reaction vessel 7, and the object to be cooled for another batch is sent to the reaction vessel 7, so that the temperature of the reaction vessel 7 rapidly rises to a high temperature. (See FIG. 3), low-temperature brine is sent to the reaction vessel 7 again, and cooling is started.

(Other Embodiment) In the above embodiment, the high temperature tank 3 side where the bypass pipe 39 bypasses is, specifically, in the middle of the intake pipe 27, but in another embodiment, the return pipe 21 is used. Alternatively, the high temperature tank 3 can be directly used. In this case, the ratio of the low temperature brine mixed with the high temperature brine becomes small,
Although it takes a long time to sufficiently lower the temperature of the low-temperature brine coming out of the refrigerator 5, the refrigerator 2
Compared to the case where all the low-temperature brine from 5 is returned to the low-temperature tank 1, sufficiently rapid cooling of the batch-type reactor 7 is enabled.

In the above embodiments, the heat load relates to the cooling of the batch reactor, but in other embodiments, the other heat load relates to the cooling in, for example, a cold trap for vacuum exhaust equipment. The present invention is effective as long as the heat load fluctuates.

In other words, in the above embodiment, since the heat load is related to the cooling of the batch type reaction vessel 7, it has been described that rapid cooling and subsequent operation of maintaining the low temperature are necessary. In the embodiment of the present invention, it is not always necessary to use a batch-type reaction vessel, and even if the heat load is related to a normal freezer, rapid cooling and subsequent low-temperature holding by a cooling object (for example, food or the like) entering and exiting. The operation is required, and in this case, the present invention can be implemented.

In the above embodiment, the reaction vessel 7
When the temperature becomes lower than the predetermined temperature and rapid cooling is not required, the three-way valve 13 operates to adjust the amount of the low-temperature brine. In other embodiments, the three-way valve 13 is The amount of low-temperature brine may be adjusted by making the discharge amount of the pump 11 variable without using it.

[0029]

As described above, claim 1 or claim 2
According to the invention, when the temperature of the low-temperature brine from the refrigerator is not sufficiently low, the temperature of the low-temperature brine is detected by the temperature sensor, and the detected temperature is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature. Controls the three-way valve to bypass part of the low-temperature brine to the high-temperature tank side, so that a mixture of high-temperature brine from the high-temperature tank and low-temperature brine from the refrigerator is taken into the refrigerator again,
The temperature of the low-temperature brine from the refrigerator can be sufficiently reduced. The low-temperature brine, which has become sufficiently low in temperature, is stored in the low-temperature tank, so that the low-temperature brine sent from the low-temperature tank to the heat load has a sufficiently low temperature, and allows sufficiently rapid cooling at the heat load.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a part of the low-temperature brine bypassed by the three-way valve is mixed with the high-temperature brine in the middle of the intake pipe. The ratio of low-temperature brine to high-temperature brine can be increased, and the low-temperature brine from the refrigerator can immediately reach a sufficiently low temperature.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall schematic circuit diagram of a cooling facility having a regenerative brine tank according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate the operation of the cooling equipment by the low-temperature tank and the high-temperature tank of FIG. 1, wherein FIG. 2A shows a state in which cooling is completed, and FIG. The figure which shows the state in which the tank was full again.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a temporal change in the temperature of a batch-type reaction vessel that is a heat load in the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Low-temperature tank 3 High-temperature tank 7 Batch-type reaction vessel (heat load) 11, 29 Pump 13, 37 Three-way valve 17, 33 Temperature sensor 19, 35 Control means 25 Refrigerator 27 Intake pipe 31 Return pipe 39 Bypass pipe

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A low-temperature tank for storing cooled low-temperature brine, a high-temperature tank for storing high-temperature brine returned from the low-temperature tank to a heat load and returning to a high temperature, and a high-temperature brine of the high-temperature tank via an intake pipe. A cold heat source that takes in and cools down, a return pipe that returns the low-temperature brine cooled by the cold heat source to the low-temperature tank, a three-way valve that is provided in the return pipe and bypasses part of the low-temperature brine to the high-temperature tank, and passes through the return pipe. A regenerative brine tank, comprising: a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the low-temperature brine; and a control unit that controls the three-way valve to perform the bypass when the detected temperature is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature. Having cooling equipment. 2. A cooling system having a regenerative brine tank according to claim 1, wherein the high-temperature tank side is in the middle of an intake pipe.