JPS6050248B2 - Refrigeration equipment - Google Patents

Description

【発明の詳細な説明】 本発明は冷凍装置にかかり、特に冷凍室と冷蔵室のよう
な２つまたはそれ以上の異なつた温度の室を有し、それ
らの各室をそれぞれ独立して冷却し得るようにした冷蔵
庫の如き冷凍装置に関する。DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a refrigeration system, and in particular has two or more chambers with different temperatures, such as a freezing chamber and a refrigerator chamber, and each of these chambers is cooled independently. The present invention relates to a refrigeration device such as a refrigerator.

一般に、上述のようにそれぞれ異なつた温度に冷却する
必要がある冷凍室および冷蔵室を有する冷蔵庫において
は、上記各室をそれぞれ別個に冷却するため、各室にそ
れぞれ専用の冷凍室用蒸発器或は冷蔵室用蒸発器を設け
、それらを結ふ配管中に設けられた電磁弁の開閉によつ
て上記両蒸発器に冷媒を流したり或はその一方のみに冷
媒を流す等の制御を行なつている。Generally, in a refrigerator that has a freezer compartment and a refrigerator compartment that need to be cooled to different temperatures as described above, in order to cool each of the compartments separately, each compartment is equipped with a dedicated freezer compartment evaporator or refrigerator. is equipped with an evaporator for the refrigerator compartment, and controls the flow of refrigerant to both of the evaporators or only one of them by opening and closing a solenoid valve installed in the piping connecting them. ing.

ところが、このようなものにおいては電磁弁のような機
械的な可動部を有する弁装置を必要とし、しかもそれら
の弁装置は断熱壁中に埋設する関係上、一旦組立てた後
はその保守点検が不可能であり、冷蔵庫としての寿命と
信頼性が必ずしも十分でない等の問題点があり、また構
造上からも高価なものとなる等の不都合がある。However, such devices require valve devices with mechanically movable parts, such as solenoid valves, and since these valve devices are buried in the insulation wall, maintenance and inspection are difficult once they are assembled. However, there are problems in that the lifespan and reliability of the refrigerator are not necessarily sufficient, and the structure is expensive.

そこで、最近機械的可動部分がなく、簡単な構造で冷媒
の流れに対して弁作用を行なわせる気泡ポンプを使用し
た冷蔵庫が提案されている。Recently, refrigerators have been proposed that have no mechanically moving parts, have a simple structure, and use bubble pumps that act as valves on the flow of refrigerant.

本発明は上記気泡ポンプによつて冷媒の切換えを行なう
ようにしたものにおいて、その切換が確実に行なわれ不
作動中の蒸発器への冷媒の演出が確実に防止されるよう
にした冷凍装置を提供することを目的とする。フ 以下
、添付図面を参照して本発明の一実施例について説明す
る。The present invention provides a refrigeration system in which the refrigerant is switched using the above-mentioned bubble pump, in which the switching is reliably performed and refrigerant is reliably prevented from flowing into an inactive evaporator. The purpose is to provide. An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

第１図において、符号１は圧縮機であつて、その圧縮機
１で圧縮された冷媒の高温ガスはコンデンサ２で凝縮さ
れキャピラリチューブ等からなる圧力調整器３を経て液
体タンク４に溜められる。In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a compressor, and high-temperature refrigerant gas compressed by the compressor 1 is condensed in a condenser 2 and stored in a liquid tank 4 through a pressure regulator 3 made of a capillary tube or the like.

上記液体タンク４内には、第３図に示すように、Ｕ字状
導管５の一端が底壁を貫通して適宜高さまで突設されて
おり、そのＵ字状導管５の他端はアキュムレータ６の底
部に開口せしめられている。上記アキュムレータ６には
さらにその底壁を貫通し所定高さ位置で開口する導管７
が装着されており、その導管７がキャピラリチューブの
如き圧力調整器８を経て冷蔵室用蒸発器９に連接されて
いる（第１図）。上記冷蔵室用蒸発器９にはさらに連結
管１０を介して冷凍室用蒸発器１１が連接され、この冷
凍室用蒸発器１１が前記圧縮機１の吸込側に接続され一
つの閉サイクルが構成されている。前記液体タンク４に
は、さらにもう一つのＵ字状の導管１２の一端がその底
部に開口せしめられており、そのＵ字状の導管１２の他
端側垂直立上り部１２ａは前記アキュムレータ６に連接
された導管７の頂端より上方まで延び、そこで逆Ｕ字状
に屈曲され、管継手１３を介して導管１４に接続されて
いる。In the liquid tank 4, as shown in FIG. 3, one end of a U-shaped conduit 5 penetrates the bottom wall and protrudes to an appropriate height, and the other end of the U-shaped conduit 5 is connected to an accumulator. It is opened at the bottom of 6. The accumulator 6 further has a conduit 7 that penetrates through its bottom wall and opens at a predetermined height position.
is installed, and its conduit 7 is connected to a refrigerator compartment evaporator 9 via a pressure regulator 8 such as a capillary tube (FIG. 1). A freezer compartment evaporator 11 is further connected to the refrigerator compartment evaporator 9 via a connecting pipe 10, and this freezer compartment evaporator 11 is connected to the suction side of the compressor 1 to form one closed cycle. has been done. One end of yet another U-shaped conduit 12 is opened at the bottom of the liquid tank 4, and the vertically rising portion 12a at the other end of the U-shaped conduit 12 is connected to the accumulator 6. It extends above the top end of the conduit 7 , where it is bent into an inverted U shape and connected to the conduit 14 via a pipe joint 13 .

その導管１４にはその途中にキャピラリチューブの如き
圧力調整器１５が設けられて−おり、さらにその導管１
４は前記冷蔵室用蒸発器９と冷凍室用蒸発器１１とを結
ぶ連結管１０の途中に接続されている。ところで、上記
Ｕ字状の導管１２の管継手１３側垂直立上り部１２ａの
下方部外周には気泡ホン．プヒータ１６が巻装されてお
り、さらに前記アキュムレータ６および管継手１３はそ
れぞれ均圧管１７，１８を介して液体タンク４に接続さ
れている。The conduit 14 is provided with a pressure regulator 15 such as a capillary tube in the middle thereof, and furthermore, the conduit 14 is provided with a pressure regulator 15 such as a capillary tube.
4 is connected in the middle of a connecting pipe 10 that connects the evaporator 9 for the refrigerator compartment and the evaporator 11 for the freezer compartment. By the way, on the outer periphery of the lower part of the vertical rising part 12a on the side of the pipe joint 13 of the U-shaped conduit 12, there is a bubble horn. A heater 16 is wound thereon, and the accumulator 6 and pipe joint 13 are connected to the liquid tank 4 via pressure equalizing pipes 17 and 18, respectively.

第２図は上記装置の電気制御回路図であつて、除霜スイ
ッチ２０が接点ａ側に接し、かつ冷凍室コントロールス
イッチ２１が０Ｎ状態の場合に圧縮機１が駆動され、冷
蔵室の温度が所定温度以下になり冷蔵室コントロールス
イッチ２２が０Ｎ状態になると気泡ポンプヒータ１６、
連結管ヒータ・２３、樋ヒータ２４に通電され、冷凍室
が所定温度に冷却され冷凍室コントロールスイッチ２１
が０ＦＦとなると、圧縮機１の駆動が停止される。FIG. 2 is an electrical control circuit diagram of the above device, and when the defrosting switch 20 is in contact with the contact a side and the freezer compartment control switch 21 is in the ON state, the compressor 1 is driven and the temperature of the refrigerator compartment is When the temperature drops below a predetermined temperature and the refrigerator compartment control switch 22 turns ON, the bubble pump heater 16,
The connecting pipe heater 23 and the gutter heater 24 are energized, and the freezer compartment is cooled to a predetermined temperature, and the freezer compartment control switch 21 is turned on.
When becomes 0FF, driving of the compressor 1 is stopped.

また、除霜スイッチ２０を接点ｂ側に切り換えると従来
の冷蔵庫と全く同様に除霜ヒータ２５および除霜感熱管
ヒータ２６に通電される。なお、図中符号２７は除霜検
知バイメタル、２８はドアスイッチ、２９は庫内灯、３
０は排水口ヒータ、３１は冷凍室コントロールスイッチ
ヒータ、３２はヒューズである。しかして、冷蔵室およ
び冷凍室の両室がそれぞれ所定の温度に達せず、所定の
温度以上の場合には冷凍室コントロールスイッチ２１が
０Ｎとなノリ、冷蔵室コントロールスイッチ２２が０Ｆ
Ｆ状態にある。Furthermore, when the defrost switch 20 is switched to the contact b side, the defrost heater 25 and the defrost heat-sensitive tube heater 26 are energized, just like a conventional refrigerator. In the figure, reference numeral 27 is a defrost detection bimetal, 28 is a door switch, 29 is an interior light, and 3
0 is a drain heater, 31 is a freezer compartment control switch heater, and 32 is a fuse. Therefore, if both the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment do not reach their respective predetermined temperatures and the temperatures exceed the predetermined temperatures, the freezer compartment control switch 21 is set to 0N, and the refrigerator compartment control switch 22 is set to 0F.
It is in F state.

したがつて、気泡ポンプヒータ１６がオフ状態のまま圧
縮機１が駆動される。このようにして圧縮機が駆動され
ると、この圧縮機によつて圧縮され、その後コンデンサ
２によつて凝縮された冷媒が液体タンク４内に溜まる。
液体タンク４に液冷媒が溜まりその液面が上昇すると、
その液冷媒がＵ字状導管５を経てアキュムレータ６内に
流入し、さらに導管７および圧力調整器８を経て冷蔵室
用蒸発器９および冷凍室用蒸発器１１を順次流通し、上
記両蒸発器９，１１によつてそれぞれ冷蔵室および冷凍
室の冷却が行なわれる。この状態においては、他方のＵ
字状の導管１２にも液冷媒は流入するが、液体タンク牡
アキュムレータ６および管継手１３はそれぞれ均圧管１
７，１８によつて連通されており、液体タンク４、アキ
ュムレータ６およびＵ字状の導管１２内の液面は同一と
なつており、しかもＵ字状の導管１２の垂直立上り部１
２ａの頂部が前記アキュムレータ６に開口された導管７
の開口部より上方まで延びているので、液冷媒が管継手
１３を経て導管１４側へ流入することはない（第３図）
。こ）で、冷蔵室が所定温度まで冷却されると、冷蔵室
コントロールスイッチ２２が０Ｎ側に切り換り、気泡ポ
ンプヒータ１６に通電される。気泡ポンプヒータ１６に
通電され立上り管部１２ａが加熱されると、立上り管部
１２ａ内部の液状冷媒が沸騰して冷媒蒸気からなる気泡
が発生し、その気泡によるポンプ作用によつて液冷媒が
押し上げられ（第４図）、立上り管部１２ａの頂部から
管継手１３に溢流し、その溢流した液冷媒が導管１牡圧
力調整器１５を経て冷凍室用蒸発器１１に流入し、冷凍
室の冷却作用が行なわれる。一方、このとき、液体タン
ク４内の液冷媒は気泡ポンプ作用によつて冷凍室用蒸発
器１１側に流れるため、液体タンク４内の液面が下がり
、アキュムレータ６側への液冷媒の流れが止まり、冷蔵
室用蒸発器９へ液冷媒が流れることはなく、冷蔵室の冷
却は中断される。Therefore, the compressor 1 is driven with the bubble pump heater 16 in the OFF state. When the compressor is driven in this way, the refrigerant that is compressed by the compressor and then condensed by the condenser 2 is stored in the liquid tank 4.
When liquid refrigerant accumulates in the liquid tank 4 and its liquid level rises,
The liquid refrigerant flows into the accumulator 6 through the U-shaped conduit 5, and further passes through the conduit 7 and the pressure regulator 8, and sequentially flows through the evaporator 9 for the refrigerator compartment and the evaporator 11 for the freezer compartment. 9 and 11 cool the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment, respectively. In this state, the other U
The liquid refrigerant also flows into the letter-shaped conduit 12, but the liquid tank male accumulator 6 and the pipe joint 13 are connected to the pressure equalizing pipe 1, respectively.
7 and 18, and the liquid levels in the liquid tank 4, accumulator 6, and U-shaped conduit 12 are the same, and the vertical rising portion 1 of the U-shaped conduit 12
A conduit 7 whose top part 2a is opened to the accumulator 6
Since the refrigerant extends above the opening of the pipe, liquid refrigerant does not flow into the pipe 14 through the pipe joint 13 (Fig. 3).
. When the refrigerator compartment is cooled to a predetermined temperature, the refrigerator compartment control switch 22 is switched to the ON side, and the bubble pump heater 16 is energized. When the bubble pump heater 16 is energized and the riser pipe part 12a is heated, the liquid refrigerant inside the riser pipe part 12a boils and bubbles made of refrigerant vapor are generated, and the liquid refrigerant is pushed up by the pumping action of the bubbles. (Fig. 4), overflows from the top of the riser pipe section 12a into the pipe joint 13, and the overflowing liquid refrigerant flows into the freezer compartment evaporator 11 through the conduit 1 pressure regulator 15, and the freezer compartment is heated. A cooling effect takes place. On the other hand, at this time, the liquid refrigerant in the liquid tank 4 flows to the freezer compartment evaporator 11 side due to the bubble pump action, so the liquid level in the liquid tank 4 decreases and the flow of liquid refrigerant to the accumulator 6 side is reduced. The liquid refrigerant does not flow to the refrigerator compartment evaporator 9, and cooling of the refrigerator compartment is interrupted.

以後、冷凍室の温度の上下に応じて圧縮機１の駆動停止
が繰り返され、その間冷蔵室の温度が所定以上になると
、冷蔵室コントロールスイッチ２２が０ＦＦ側に切り換
り、気泡ポンプの作動が停止し、前述のように液冷媒は
アキュムレータ６を経て冷蔵室用蒸発器および冷凍室用
蒸発器を順次流れ両室の冷却作用を行なう。Thereafter, the drive of the compressor 1 is repeatedly stopped depending on the rise and fall of the temperature of the freezer compartment, and when the temperature of the refrigerator compartment reaches a predetermined level or higher during that period, the refrigerator compartment control switch 22 is switched to the 0FF side, and the bubble pump is stopped. Then, as described above, the liquid refrigerant passes through the accumulator 6 and sequentially flows through the refrigerator compartment evaporator and the freezer compartment evaporator to cool both compartments.

ところで、気泡ポンプではポンプ揚程すなわち前記アキ
ュムレータ６に装着された導管７の頂端開口部と垂直立
上り管部１２ａの頂端屈曲部との垂直高さΔＨの大きさ
がポンプ能力に関係し、冷蔵庫の冷却性能に影響を及ぼ
す。By the way, in a bubble pump, the pump head, that is, the vertical height ΔH between the top end opening of the conduit 7 attached to the accumulator 6 and the top bent part of the vertical riser pipe section 12a is related to the pump capacity, and the cooling of the refrigerator is Affects performance.

すなわち、上記ポンプ揚程が大きすぎると、所定の出力
の気泡ポンプヒータを使用した場合、所定量の液冷媒の
汲み上げが不可能となり、気泡ポンプヒータの出力をア
ップする必要が生じ消費電力が大きくなる等の不都合が
生ずる。In other words, if the pump head is too large, it becomes impossible to pump up a predetermined amount of liquid refrigerant when a bubble pump heater with a predetermined output is used, and the output of the bubble pump heater needs to be increased, resulting in increased power consumption. Such inconveniences may occur.

また上記ポンプ揚程を小さくした場合には、気泡ポンプ
等の据付状態におけるわすかな傾斜或は外気温の影響に
よつて気泡ポンプの非作動時にも液体タンク４から冷媒
が導管１４側に流入する可能性があり、その揚程の最少
値にはおのずから制限がある。一方、気泡ポンプヒータ
１６の出力としては、外気温度の影響によつて気泡ポン
プが自然に作動することを防止するとともに消費電力を
できるだけ少なくするには、５Ｗ程度が望ましい。また
、実験の結果、気泡ポンプヒータの出力とポンプ揚程と
の関係は第５図に示すようになり、ポンプ揚程のΔＨが
約８０Ｔｓｎ以上になると、気泡ポンプヒータはその出
力が５Ｗ以上であることが必要であることが判つた。Furthermore, when the pump head is made small, refrigerant may flow from the liquid tank 4 into the conduit 14 even when the bubble pump is not operating due to a slight inclination in the installed state of the bubble pump or the influence of outside temperature. There is a natural limit to the minimum value of the head. On the other hand, the output of the bubble pump heater 16 is preferably about 5 W in order to prevent the bubble pump from operating spontaneously due to the influence of outside air temperature and to reduce power consumption as much as possible. Also, as a result of the experiment, the relationship between the output of the bubble pump heater and the pump head is shown in Figure 5, and when the pump head ΔH is about 80Tsn or more, the output of the bubble pump heater is 5W or more. was found to be necessary.

このようなことから、本発明においては、ポンプ揚程を
８０Ｔｎ！ｎ以下としたものである。For this reason, in the present invention, the pump head is set to 80Tn! n or less.

しかして、本発明は上述のようにポンプ揚程を特定範囲
とすることにより、気泡ポンプ作用が何ら外気温の影響
を受けることもなく、常に必要に応じて所定量の液冷媒
を汲み上げ所定の蒸発器に供給することができ、機械的
な可動部分を有することなく、冷媒流の切換を行なうこ
とができて、冷凍装置として長期間にわたつて信頼性を
与えることができる。なお、上記実施例においては、気
泡ポンプ作用時に冷凍室用蒸発器のみに冷媒が流れるよ
うにしたものを示したが、逆に冷蔵室用および冷凍室用
の両蒸発器に冷媒を流す場合に気泡ポンプを作用せしめ
るようにしてもよい。Therefore, by setting the pump head within a specific range as described above, the bubble pump action is not affected by the outside temperature, and a predetermined amount of liquid refrigerant is always pumped up and evaporated as required. The refrigerant flow can be switched without having any mechanically moving parts, and the refrigerating system can be reliable over a long period of time. In addition, in the above example, the refrigerant was made to flow only to the evaporator for the freezer compartment when the bubble pump was activated, but conversely, when the refrigerant was made to flow to both the evaporators for the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment, A bubble pump may also be activated.

゛図面の簡単な説明第１図は本発明の冷凍装置の冷凍サ
イクル図、第２図はその電気制御回路図、第３図および
第４図は気泡ポンプ構成部の拡大図であり、第３図は気
泡ポンプ不作用時、第４図は気泡ポンプ作用時、を示す
説明図、第５図は気泡ポンプヒータの出力とポンプ揚程
を示す線図である。゛Brief explanation of the drawings Fig. 1 is a refrigeration cycle diagram of the refrigeration system of the present invention, Fig. 2 is its electric control circuit diagram, Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged views of the bubble pump components, and Fig. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing when the bubble pump is not operating, FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing when the bubble pump is operating, and FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the output of the bubble pump heater and the pump lift.

Claims (1)

【特許請求の範囲】[Claims] １ 複数個の蒸発器と、圧縮機から吐出されコンデンサ
によつて凝縮せしめられた液冷媒を貯溜する液体タンク
と、上記液体タンクに接続され、ヒータの作動時に上記
液体タンク内の液冷媒を所定の蒸発器側に送給する気泡
ポンプ装置と、一端が上記液体タンク内の上部に開口し
他端が他方の蒸発器に接続され、上記ヒータの非作動時
に上記液体タンク内の液冷媒を他方の蒸発器に送給する
導管とを設け、さらに上記気泡ポンプのポンプ揚程を８
０ｍｍ以下としたことを特徴とする冷凍装置。1 A plurality of evaporators, a liquid tank that stores liquid refrigerant discharged from the compressor and condensed by a condenser, and a liquid refrigerant connected to the liquid tank and configured to control the liquid refrigerant in the liquid tank to a predetermined level when the heater is activated. a bubble pump device for supplying liquid refrigerant in the liquid tank to the evaporator side, one end of which is open at the top of the liquid tank and the other end connected to the other evaporator; and a conduit for feeding the air to the evaporator, and further increase the pump head of the bubble pump to 8.
A refrigeration device characterized in that the thickness is 0 mm or less.