Patent Application
20150241134
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-channel refrigerant controller with changeable refrigerant evaporation, which, by directing refrigerant to selectively flow through different refrigerant channels with different directions and capacities, allows a phase-change cooler to perform low-temperature operations, high-temperature operations and consistent-temperature control as required in chip testing and features protecting a cooling system using the same from being damaged at its key component, i.e. the compressor, and the insulating material of its refrigerant return tube, improving cooling efficiency and cooling capability, and eliminating the risk that the related operators otherwise get scalded by high-heat melted insulating material coveting the refrigerant return tube.
2. Description of Related An Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98
As shown in
In operation, the compressor 10 compresses low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant into high-temperature, high-pressure, gaseous refrigerant. After cooled by the condenser 11, the gaseous refrigerant condenses into ambient-temperature, high-pressure, liquid refrigerant. After depressurized by the refrigerant controller 12, the liquid refrigerant flows into the evaporator 13 as a low-temperature fluid for absorbing heat through evaporation. The refrigerant then becomes low-temperature, low-pressure gas that returns to the compressor 10 for the next cycle of cooling operation. In this way, the compressor 10 works over time to realize continuous refrigeration for various low-temperature cooling applications.
However, the traditional cooling system 1 as described above is only applicable to low-temperature cooling, and is suitable for neither high-temperature nor consistent-temperature applications. In the event where it is forced to perform high-temperature operation anyway, the high-temperature gas generated by the system when returning to the compressor 10 along with the refrigerant, is likely to be too hot for the motor coil in the compressor 10 to endure, and, as a result, damage the compressor 10, making the cooling system 1 unusable, which means loss of money.
With years of experience in developing, manufacturing and improving cooling systems, the inventor recognizes that the existing cooling systems are defective for being limited, to low-temperature cooling operation and not applicable to high-temperature applications, and that when used in high-temperature applications anyway, the existing cooling systems can have the compressor therein damaged. With the attempt to expanding the use of the existing cooling systems, the inventor, basing on extensive expertise and long experience, has conducted repeated experiments, modifications and improvements, and finally invented the subject matter of the present invention.
The present invention provides a multi-channel refrigerant controller with changeable refrigerant evaporation, which uses a multi-channel approach to control the flow and direction of its refrigerant, so as to allow a phase-change cooler to adaptive to both high-temperature operations ranging from 30 to 150° C. and low-temperature operations ranging from 0 to −90° C. The ability of the disclosed the structure to adapt the phase-change cooler for both high-temperature and low-temperature operation depends on its unique configuration composed of a refrigerant-channel assembly, a solenoid-valve assembly, a capillary-tube assembly and an execution controller. The refrigerant-channel assembly has two or more two-end refrigerant channels. Each of the refrigerant channels has one end connected to a solenoid valve. These solenoid valves are connected to two-end capillary tubes of different flow capacities, These capillary tubes have their opposite ends connected to a cooling system at different locations. The refrigerant channels of the refrigerant-channel assembly have their opposite ends mutually communicated and then connected to a condensing tube of a condenser of a phase-change cooler. The execution controller serves to control the solenoid valves, a cooling unit of the cooling system (also referred to as an evaporation room in a general cooling system), the compressor, and so on.
For the phase-change cooler to operate, a user can set operational temperature as required at the execution controller, so the controller will correspondingly open refrigerant channels with different flow capacities to direct the refrigerant to the different locations on the cooling system for evaporative cooling. Thereby, the cooler is allowed to perform high-temperature operations, low-temperature operations, and consistent-temperature control. Meantime, since the returned gas has been cooled, the compressor of the cooling system and the insulating material peripherally covering the refrigerant return tube can be prevented from being burnt out during high-temperature operations. In addition, when there is a need to switch to a low-temperature operation from a previous high-temperature operation, the system can have the cooling unit cooled rapidly and have its cooling capability improved. More importantly, related operators are protected from scald in high-temperature operations. To sum up, the present invention is truly progressive.
Please first refer to
Please keep referring to
The refrigerant return tube 33 connecting between the cooling unit 31 and the compressor 32 is designed as a low-temperature return tube for guiding post-evaporation cool gas, and has to be covered with a layer of insulating material so as to keep the post-evaporation returning refrigerant cool enough to cool the compressor 32. However, in a high-temperature operation, the returning refrigerant running through the refrigerant return tube 33 from the cooling unit 31 to the compressor 32 is gas of a very high temperature. In some extreme cases, the insulating material covering the refrigerant return tube 33 can be melted by the high temperature of the gaseous refrigerant, and making the refrigerant return tube 33 become ineffective in terms of insulation for later low-temperature operations. At this time, the execution controller 23 will drive the solenoid valve 212 to open the refrigerant channel 202, for guiding the refrigerant to a preparation tube in front of the refrigerant return tube 331 for evaporation cooling, so as to prevent the insulating material from being melted by the otherwise high-temperature gas. Thereby, the effectiveness of the refrigerant return tube 33 for low-temperature operations is well ensured.
Please also refer to
At last, please refer to
To sum up, the disclosed multi-channel refrigerant controller with changeable refrigerant evaporation, b controlling the direction and flow of the refrigerant that performs evaporation cooling at different sites of the cooling system, well supports low-temperature tests, high-temperature tests and consistent-temperature control in chip manufacturing, and prevents the compressor of the cooling system and the insulating material of the refrigerant return tube from being burnt down by high-temperature gaseous refrigerant. In addition, the disclosed multi-channel refrigerant controller has the advantageous of rapid cooling and improved cooling capability, and protects operators from being scalded by the otherwise hot refrigerant return tube in high-temperature operations. With all the merits, the present invention does meet the patent requirement of inventive step, and a patent application is filed thereto. The present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments and it is understood that the embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Moreover, as the contents disclosed herein should be readily understood and can be implemented by a person skilled in the art, all equivalent changes or modifications which do not depart from the concept of the present invention should be encompassed by the appended claims.
