Patent Grant
11428447
The present invention concerns a single-valve CO2 refrigerating valve and a method for regulation thereof.
In general, the present invention relates to a refrigerating apparatus which uses carbon dioxide as a refrigerant fluid and which may operate according to a transcritical thermodynamic cycle, namely a cycle wherein the dissipation of the operative heat is performed at a temperature higher than the critical temperature, which is 31° C.
Specifically, the present invention relates to a refrigerating apparatus intended for small-scale applications, as in the refrigeration of refrigerated cabinets, for example of supermarket refrigeration systems, and in particular for so-called plug-in or semi plug-in applications wherein there is a refrigeration unit equipped with an exchanger for dissipation of the operative heat which can be connected to a water loop circuit used for refrigeration.
The present invention may also be implemented in connection with single-valve refrigerating apparatus of other types, such as heat pumps for example.
An apparatus according to an application of this type conventionally comprises a compressor assembly, a gas cooler, a single, electronic, expansion valve, an evaporator and a control device which is connected to the expansion valve so as to adjust the opening thereof according to a feedback algorithm designed to follow a predefined superheat value, called set-point value, of the gas at the evaporator outlet.
The expression “gas cooler” is understood as meaning a member which is designed to cool the gaseous carbon dioxide, also in supercritical conditions, i.e. at a pressure greater than 7.377 Mpa and temperature higher than 31° C., wherein there is no condensation of the fluid, or in conditions wherein there is a transition between subcritical conditions and supercritical conditions, differently from several conventional refrigerating apparatus wherein the dissipation of the operative heat involves condensation of the refrigerant fluid.
As already mentioned, the gas cooler may be connected to a exchanger of a water circuit for dissipation of the heat.
This conventional apparatus which below will be identified as a single-valve refrigerating apparatus, while being able to achieve high energy performance values, has a number of limitations in terms of efficiency compared to the larger-size apparatus.
The latter are also equipped with a gas-liquid receiver, upstream of the evaporator, with a high-pressure valve, connected downstream of the gas cooler so as to regulate the pressure thereof, and with a valve, called flash gas valve, connected downstream of the receiver, for regulating the internal pressure thereof, both these valves also being connected to the control device which operates them in a manner coordinated with the electronic expansion valve.
In particular, the control algorithm for a conventional apparatus of this type, in addition to the regulation of the expansion valve in relation to the superheat set point, described above, performs regulation of the high-pressure valve so as to optimize the COP (coefficient of performance) of the compressor assembly depending on the outlet temperature of the gas cooler and regulation of the flash gas valve so as to keep the pressure inside the receiver at a predefined value.
A conventional apparatus of this type therefore has a greater structural complexity, greater dimensions and greater costs which nowadays do not allow competitive use thereof in the aforementioned small-scale applications.
The problem underlying the present invention is to increase the energy efficiency of the single-valve CO2 refrigerating apparatus without increasing substantially the structural complexity or the overall dimensions thereof.
The main task of the present invention consists in providing a single-valve CO2 refrigerating apparatus and a method for regulation thereof, which are able to provide a solution to said problem, while overcoming the drawbacks associated with the conventional apparatus described above.
In connection with this task it is an object of the present invention to propose a single-valve CO2 refrigerating apparatus and a method for regulation thereof which are able to optimize operation with respect to a combination of functional thermodynamic parameters and specifically according to the superheat temperature at the evaporator outlet and according to the maximum cycle pressure.
Another object of the present invention consists in providing a single-valve CO2 refrigerating apparatus which does not have substantially larger dimensions compared to the conventional single-valve apparatus described above.
This task as well as these and other objects which will appear more clearly below are achieved by a single-valve CO2 refrigerating apparatus and a method for regulation thereof according to the attached independent claims.
Detailed characteristic features of a single-valve CO2 refrigerating apparatus and a method for regulation thereof according to the invention are described in the dependent claims which are incorporated here by reference.
Further characteristic features and advantages will emerge more clearly form the description of a preferred, but non-exclusive embodiment of a single-valve CO2 refrigerating apparatus and a method for regulation thereof, according to the invention, shown by way of a non-limiting example in the attached sets of drawings in which:
With particular reference to the said figures, 10 denotes overall a single-valve CO2 refrigerating apparatus, namely an apparatus which operates with a refrigerant fluid comprising carbon dioxide.
The apparatus 10 comprises, in sequence:
Furthermore the apparatus 10 comprises:
In accordance with the present invention, a method for regulation of the single-valve CO2 refrigerating apparatus 10 comprises:
In connection with the operation A, said primary parameter is chosen from the high pressure HP and the superheat temperature Tsh, wherein the secondary parameter is the superheat temperature Tsh if the primary parameter is the high pressure HP or is the high pressure HP if the primary parameter is the superheat temperature Tsh.
In connection with the operation C, said optimal value Vo may be estimated according to an algorithm for energy optimization of the apparatus 10, as for example described more fully below.
In connection with the operation D, said variation is performed so as to tend to bring the value of the secondary parameter back within the tolerance range It.
If said primary parameter is said high pressure HP, the optimal set-point value may be calculated, in a manner conventional per se, for example as taught in the article “A correlation of optimal heat rejection pressures in transcritical carbon dioxide cycles” by S. M. Liao, T. S. Zhao, A. Jakobsen, published in “Applied Thermal Engineering” Applied Thermal Engineering 20 (2000) 831-841. In accordance with the teaching of said article, the optimal set-point value may be defined by means of the following formula:
Stp=(2.778−0.0157*te)*tc+(0.381*te−9.34)
wherein:
The evaporation pressure pe may be the pressure of the refrigerant fluid detected at the outlet of the evaporator 14 or at the intake of the compressor 11, or at a section between them, as described more fully here below.
For example, a saturated evaporation temperature of −10° C. corresponds to an absolute evaporation pressure pe of 2.648 Mpa.
As can be understood, therefore, the optimal set-point value, when the primary parameter is said high pressure, may be variable and updated continuously or at discrete time intervals according to the formula shown above, or according to other correlations conventional per se and not further described here, depending on the aforementioned values of tc and te measured and/or depending on other parameters useful of the purposes of the calculation of an optimal pressure such as to the maximize the efficiency of the cycle.
If the primary parameter is the superheat temperature Tsh, the optimal set-point value may be set and fixed.
The value of said superheat temperature may be calculated as the difference between the temperature measured ts, detected at the intake of the compressor assembly 11 or at the outlet of the evaporator 14 and the saturated evaporation temperature te, obtained as mentioned further above, namely in the formula Tsh=ts−te.
For example, where an absolute evaporation pressure pe=2.648 Mpa is detected, a saturated temperature te=−10° C. and, if a measured temperature ts=0° C. is detected, there will be an superheat SH=ts−te=10 K.
The operation D may envisage that said variation is limited to values of said set-point value which are comprised within a predefined limit range II which comprises an optimal set-point value.
In connection with the operation B the regulation of the expansion valve 13 may involve a feedback check, preferably of the proportional-integrative-derivative (PID) type, between the value of the primary parameter detected and the set-point value Stp.
In particular, if the primary parameter is the superheat temperature Tsh, if the value of the superheat temperature Tsh is greater than the set-point value Stp, the expansion value 13 may be operated so as to increase the opening thereof in order to reduce the superheat temperature Tsh or, vice versa, if the value of the superheat temperature Tsh is less than the set-point value Stp, the expansion valve 13 may be operated so as to reduce the opening thereof in order to increase the superheat temperature value Tsh.
Similarly, if the primary parameter is the high pressure HP, if the value of the high pressure HP is greater than the set-point value Stp, the expansion valve 13 may be operated so as to increase the opening thereof in order to reduce the high pressure HP or, vice versa, if the value of the high pressure HP is less than the set-point value Stp, the expansion valve 13 may be operated so as to reduce the opening thereof in order to increase the value of the high pressure HP.
The limit range may comprise:
The limit bands may be established depending on safety criteria of the system intended to avoid reaching too high or too low set-point values which may create problems, or acceptable bands for optimization of the system itself derived from experiments and/or from empirical tests carried out on the specific apparatus provided.
For example, if the primary parameter is the superheat temperature Tsh, the limit bands may be set so as to avoid reaching set-point values Stp which are too high, i.e. which may create temperatures too high for the outlet of the compressor 11 or vice versa values which are too low and which may create problems of liquid return to the compressor 11.
If the primary parameter is the high pressure HP, the said limit bands may be set so as to avoid reaching values of the high pressure HP which are too high or too low so not to lose the optimization of the system in terms of energy efficiency.
For example, if the primary parameter is the superheat temperature Tsh and the set-point value Stp is equal to 10 K, the maximum limit value of the upper limit band H-offset may be 10 K in order to reach a maximum set point Stp equal to 20 K so as not to have problems associated with too high outlet temperatures of the compressor 11, and the maximum limit value of the lower limit band L-offset may be 7 K for a minimum resultant set-point value of 3 K so as not to have problems of liquid return to the compressor 11. If the primary parameter is the high pressure, the upper limit value of the upper limit band H-offset may be 5 bar and the lower limit value of the lower limit band L-offset may be 3 bar.
If said secondary pressure is the high pressure HP, said optimal value Vo may be calculated, in connection with the operation V, by means of the following formula, already discussed further above:
Vo=(2.778−0.0157*te)*tc+(0.381*te−9.34)
wherein:
In this case the optimal value Vo will be variable, as represented by a continuous line in
If said secondary parameter is the superheat temperature Tsh, said optimal value Vo, in connection with the operation C, may be defined with a fixed value, as represented by a broken line in
Said method may also comprise an operation E of detecting an optimization temperature value To, consisting of the temperature of said refrigerant fluid downstream of the gas cooler 12.
In particular, if said primary parameter is the high pressure HP, the set-point value may be set so as to optimize the COP of the compressor assembly 11 depending on the optimization temperature value To, in a per se conventional manner.
If said primary parameter is the superheat temperature Tsh the optimal set-point value may be set so as to optimize the efficiency of the evaporator and to a value such as to prevent liquid return to the compressor 11.
Said variation of the set-point value Stp may consist in an increase of the set-point value if the value of the secondary parameter is lower than the optimal value Vo or may be a decrease if the value of the secondary parameter is greater than the optimal value Vo.
The tolerance range It may comprise:
The dead bands Hdb and Ldb may be established depending on the same criteria used for definition of the said upper and lower limit bands.
For example, if the secondary parameter is the superheat temperature Tsh, the upper limit value of the upper dead band HdB may be 10° C. and the lower limit value of the lower dead band Ldb may be 3° C.
If the secondary parameter is the high pressure, the upper limit value of the upper dead band Hdb may be 4 bar and the lower limit value of the lower dead band Ldb may be 2 bar.
In general, the present invention also relates to a single-valve CO2 refrigerating apparatus which comprises, in sequence:
Wherein the apparatus 10 furthermore comprises:
The temperature detection means 15a, 15b may comprise:
The pressure detection means may comprise a third sensor 16b designed to detect directly or indirectly a pressure of the refrigerant fluid at the outlet of the gas cooler 12, for detecting said high pressure Hp; they may also comprise a fourth sensor 16a designed to detect directly or indirectly a pressure of the refrigerant fluid at the outlet of the evaporator 14 or at the intake of the compressor 11, for detecting the evaporation pressure pe.
The operation of an apparatus 10, in accordance with a regulation method as described above, according to the present invention, may be as follows.
If the primary parameter is the superheat temperature Tsh and therefore the secondary parameter is the high pressure Hp, then, if the value of the high pressure Hp detected, for example by means of the third sensor 16a, is within the said tolerance range It, the set-point value Stp will not be varied.
Otherwise, if the value of the high pressure Hp detected is lower than the optimal value Vo less the lower dead band Ldb, then, in connection with the operation D, said variation of the set-point value Spt is performed, for example in a linearly proportional manner with respect to the high-pressure value Hp detected so as to cause an increase of the set-point value Stp such that the superheat temperature Tsh is lower than this set-point value Stp and, in connection with the operation B, the expansion valve 13 will tend to close so as to increase the value of the superheat temperature in order to reach the set-point value Stp.
This gradual closing of the expansion valve 13 tends to increase the value of the high pressure Hp, preventing it therefore from falling further and causing it to return back within the tolerance range It or finding an equilibrium for the system.
The maximum variation of the set point value Stp will be determined by the maximum value of the limit range II defined for the set point value Stp.
Following any further reduction of the high pressure Hp, the set point value Stp preferably will not vary further.
Vice versa, if the high pressure Hp increases beyond the optimal value Vo plus the upper dead band Hdb, the set-point value Stp of the superheat temperature decreases such that the expansion valve 13 will tend to open so as to follow the set point Stp and, in so doing, tends to cause a reduction of the high pressure Hp.
The lower value which limits the variation of the set point Stp will be determined by the minimum value of the limit range II defined for the set-point value Stp.
Following any further increase of the high pressure Hp, the set-point value Stp preferably will not vary further.
The same operating principle, mutatis mutandis, exists where the primary parameter is the high pressure Hp.
It can therefore be understood how the invention is able to solve the problem posed and fulfil the aforementioned task and achieve the aforementioned objects. In particular, with a single-valve CO2 refrigerating apparatus and a method for regulation thereof, according to the present invention, it is possible to increase the energy efficiency without increasing substantially the structural complexity or dimensions thereof.
Furthermore, it is possible to optimize the operation with respect to a combination of functional thermodynamic parameters and specifically according to the superheat temperature at the outlet of the evaporator or at the inlet of the compressor, or in section between them, and according to the maximum cycle pressure, namely the aforementioned high pressure Hp.
In particular, in the case of regulation with the primary parameter consisting of the superheat temperature and secondary parameter consisting of the high pressure, the advantage is that of controlling superheat, but limiting the possible variations of the high pressure so as not to deviate too far from the optimal pressure which maximizes the efficiency of the system.
In the case, instead, of regulation with the primary parameter consisting of the high pressure and secondary parameter consisting of the superheat temperature, the advantage is that of regulating the system based on the pressure which optimizes the efficiency of the cycle, while keeping under control superheat so as to avoid creating problems for the compressor with too low or too high superheat. The invention thus devised may be subject to numerous modifications and variations, all of which fall within the scope of protection of the attached claims. Moreover all the details may be replaced by other technically equivalent elements.
In practice the materials used as well as the associated forms and dimensions may be varied depending on the particular requirements and the state of the art. Where the constructional characteristics and the techniques mentioned in the following claims are followed by reference numbers or symbols, these reference numbers or symbols have been assigned with the sole purpose of facilitating understanding of the said claims and consequently they do not limit in any way the interpretation of each element which is identified, purely by way of example, by said reference numbers or symbols.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 102019000021534 | Nov 2019 | IT | national |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7000413 | Chen | Feb 2006 | B2 |
| 8745996 | Qiao | Jun 2014 | B2 |
| 9958190 | West | May 2018 | B2 |
| 10451325 | Sun | Oct 2019 | B2 |
| 20130180272 | Ono | Jul 2013 | A1 |
| 20140151015 | Sun | Jun 2014 | A1 |
| 20210180835 | Barta | Jun 2021 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 113227678 | Aug 2021 | CN |
| 112008002404 | Jul 2010 | DE |
| 102019001638 | Sep 2020 | DE |
| 3130870 | Feb 2017 | EP |
| 3961129 | Mar 2022 | EP |
| 102372489 | Mar 2022 | KR |
| 2013016403 | Jan 2013 | WO |
| WO-2020083823 | Apr 2020 | WO |
| Entry |
|---|
| Search Report dated Apr. 28, 2020 from Italian Application No. IT 201900021534. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20210148618 A1 | May 2021 | US |
