Patent Application
20230332813
This application claims priority to German Patent application No. 1 0 2022 109 279.8, filed Apr. 14, 2022, which is incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth.
The invention relates to a valve controller for filling a refrigerating circuit with refrigerant, comprising a valve, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor and a controller .
Such refrigerating circuits are formed in refrigerating installations. These then operate within optimum parameters, i.e. the desired refrigerating capacity is delivered with minimal energy consumption if these installations are filled with the correct amount of refrigerant. The filling of the refrigerating installation is necessary when a new refrigerating installation is to be commissioned. It is also necessary to check refrigerating installations regularly and to top them up if need be, because they are not absolutely seal-tight or leaks can occur.
The object of the invention is to make it easier for a refrigerating circuit to be filled with refrigerant.
To achieve the stated object, one or more of the features according to the invention are provided. In particular, to achieve the stated object in the case of valve controllers of the type described at the beginning, according to the invention it is proposed that the controller calculates a parameter from the measurement data of the temperature sensor and/or the pressure sensor, and that the controller activates the valve until the calculated parameter has reached a target value.
Consequently, the current state of the refrigerating circuit can be described by means of a parameter which is calculated from the data of the temperature sensor and/or the pressure sensor. The calculated parameter may for example describe overheating or supercooling.
A target state to be achieved may also be defined. This may be target overheating and/or target supercooling. The target values may for example be dependent on the temperature and pressure conditions at the filling location and vary over the course of the filling. The valve controller is capable of setting the valve by means of the controller in such a way that the desired target value is reached. It is possible that the valve is opened to varying degrees of length or width in dependence on the difference between the calculated parameter and the target value. The valve may be for example a solenoid valve or a motor-driven valve.
Consequently, it may be possible to specify for example a particular volumetric flow rate, which may be dependent on how far the calculated parameter still is from its target value. Because the parameter is calculated from the data of the temperature sensor and/or the pressure sensor, there is no longer any need for a sensor for determining the volumetric flow rate. The valve may also be controlled in dependence on the magnitude of the relative change in the parameter over time.
The risk of improper filling can be reduced or avoided. In particular, it is possible to avoid the installation being filled with too much refrigerant, which then has to be removed again from the installation. This process is very laborious and requires further equipment.
In the case of an advantageous configuration, it may be provided that a memory keeps thermodynamic data on a refrigerant, which data can be included in the calculation performed by the controller.
The calculation of the parameter from the temperature-sensor and/or pressure-sensor data may be dependent on the refrigerant used and its thermodynamic properties.
In addition, it may be provided that a choice can be made between different refrigerants.
Consequently, depending on the refrigerant used, the respective thermodynamic data can be accessed. A valve controller can consequently be used for filling operations with different refrigerants.
In the case of an advantageous configuration, it may be provided that the temperature sensor and/or the pressure sensor is/are wirelessly connected to the controller.
Consequently, the controller can be formed separately from the other components of the valve controller. For example, the components of the valve controller may be attached to the refrigerating circuit at different positions of the refrigerating installation to be filled. For example, temperature sensors are generally externally attached to refrigerant lines. In the case of inaccessible refrigerating circuits, it is not necessary for the user, generally a service engineer or refrigerating engineer, to spend a long time in areas that are difficult to access. The wireless connection may be a Bluetooth connection. Low-cost data transmission is thus possible.
It may additionally be provided that the data transmission takes place on a number of radio channels simultaneously.
Consequently, the data transmission can take place at a higher speed than in the case of transmission on only one radio channel. The data transmission is also better protected against data losses and/or external influences, for example from further radio networks. It is also possible to transmit sensor data from the sensors to the controller and at the same time control commands from the controller to the valve.
Alternatively or in addition, it may be provided that the data transmission takes place at time intervals of less than 10 seconds.
Consequently, real-time monitoring of the filling of the refrigerating circuit is possible, and it is possible to respond quickly to changes in the parameters, or changes in rates of change of the parameters. Relative or absolute rates of change may be considered for example.
In the case of an advantageous configuration, it may be provided that a flow sensor and/or a balance is/are formed and set up to determine the amount of refrigerant delivered into the refrigerating circuit.
The amount of refrigerant delivered can consequently be monitored directly and independently of the data of the temperature sensor or the pressure sensor. This amount may also be determined exclusively by means of the flow sensor or exclusively by means of the balance. These respective sensor data may also be used together for determining the amount of refrigerant delivered. Thus, discrepancies between the filling amounts calculated by means of different methods can be discovered and for example leakages can be detected. The volumetric flow rate of the refrigerant may also be established by the valve itself, for example a through-flow cross section, so that the amount flowing through is obtained by an integration of the volumetric flow rate over time. The time may be an opening time of the valve. This may involve taking the pressure of the refrigerant in the cylinder into account.
In addition, it may be provided that the measurement data of the flow sensor and/or the balance are processed by the controller.
The measurement data of the flow sensor and/or the balance can consequently be used by the controller to monitor the filling operation.
In particular, the expected filling time can be calculated. Depending on the current data situation, the remaining filling time can also be determined. The user can be notified correspondingly. The notification may take place for example by means of an optical and/or acoustic output unit. The user may also be notified when a cylinder, in particular a refrigerant cylinder, has been almost or completely emptied over the course of the filling, or at what time approximately this will be. The user can then change the cylinder at the correct time in order to continue the filling operation. Errors arising in a manual filling operation, which may cause the installation to be damaged, can be avoided.
The filling can consequently take place on the basis of target values of the weight or on the basis of target values of the calculation from the data of the temperature sensor and/or the pressure sensor. The two types of data can also be processed combined.
In the case of an advantageous configuration, it may be provided that a weighing platform is formed on the balance as a standing surface for a cylinder.
Consequently, a cylinder which provides the refrigerant can be placed on the balance in order to monitor the progress of the filling operation by way of the weight loss of the cylinder and to determine from it the amount of refrigerant already introduced during filling. The weighing platform may be configured in such a way as to make it possible for the cylinder to stand safely.
In the case of an advantageous configuration, it may be possible that a largest dimension of the weighing platform corresponds to a largest dimension of the standing area of a cylinder.
In this way, the balance may be adapted to a particular cylinder size. The balance may for example be adapted to a largest cylinder size, so that the balance can also be used for smaller cylinders. The balances may in each case be formed as compactly as possible and at the same time as large as necessary in order to ensure safe standing of the cylinder.
In addition, it may be provided that a diagonal of the weighing platform corresponds to a diameter of the cylinder.
Consequently, the size of the weighing platform may even be smaller than the size of the cylinder. In the state in which it is being used with a cylinder, the weighing platform may be completely covered by the cylinder or the bottom of the cylinder.
In the case of an advantageous configuration, it may be provided that an input unit is formed, enabling the user to establish target parameters, filling amounts and/or other data describing the refrigerating circuit, the refrigerant and/or the filling operation.
The user is consequently capable of specifying all of the necessary data before the beginning of the filling operation, so that the further filling operation can proceed in an automated manner. It is also possible during the filling operation to intervene in the filling operation, for example to update data.
In the case of an advantageous configuration, it may be provided that the controller is set up to control the filling operation in dependence on the amount of refrigerant delivered.
The amount of refrigerant delivered may be determined here for example by means of a flow sensor or a balance, in particular as described above. For example, the magnitude of the volumetric flow rate may be modulated over the time period of the filling operation.
Alternatively or in addition, it may be provided that the controller is set up to perform the filling operation iteratively.
It may thus be envisaged to feed varying amounts of refrigerant to the refrigerating circuit at varying time intervals, depending on the relative and/or absolute deviation of the calculated parameter from the target value. It is also possible to add a defined amount of refrigerant at the beginning of the filling operation and then to perform the further filling iteratively, for example in dependence on the sensor data.
In the case of an advantageous configuration, it may be provided that the controller is set up to detect an inadmissible state.
It may be provided here that an inadmissible state is filling with an excessive amount of refrigerant.
An inadmissible state may also be the occurrence of leakages.
Such states can consequently be detected in an automated manner. These states should be avoided during the filling operation since they can cause damage to the refrigerating installations or refrigerating circuits.
In the case of an advantageous configuration, it may be provided that the controller is set up to inform the user when an inadmissible state is detected.
Consequently, the user can intervene in the operation and for example interrupt it in order to be able to end or rectify the inadmissible state.
In addition, it may be provided that the controller is set up to interrupt the filling operation when an inadmissible state is detected.
The filling operation can consequently be interrupted in an automated manner when an inadmissible state occurs. Damage to the refrigerating installations or refrigerating circuits can in this way be reduced or avoided.
The invention will now be described in more detail on the basis of an exemplary embodiment, but is not restricted to the exemplary embodiment. Further exemplary embodiments are provided by combining the features of one or more of the claims with one another and/or with one or more features of the exemplary embodiment.
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| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 102022109279.8 | Apr 2022 | DE | national |
