JP3086605B2 - Refrigerant tank for refrigerating equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a refrigerant replenishing cylinder for replenishing a refrigeration system using a non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant as a refrigerant.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, in a refrigerant circuit of a heat pump type refrigeration system, refrigerant sealed in the refrigerant circuit may leak from a connection portion of a pipe constituting the refrigerant circuit or a refrigeration equipment. As described above, if the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit leaks and becomes insufficient, the refrigeration capacity is reduced. To compensate for the insufficient refrigerant, Japanese Patent Publication No. 56-1546 discloses a technique for replenishing the refrigerant. .

On the other hand, in recent years, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 54-25 / 1979 has been proposed for the purpose of preventing environmental (ozone layer in the atmosphere) destruction.
As disclosed in JP-A-61-61, there is known a refrigerant that does not contain chlorine (HFC) and uses a non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant composed of a high-boiling refrigerant and a low-boiling refrigerant as a refrigerant for a refrigeration apparatus.

[0004]

In such a refrigeration system using a non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant, the composition ratio of each refrigerant is determined in order to perform efficient operation of the mixed refrigerant. By the way, when refrigerant leakage occurs in the refrigeration system,
Since the low-boiling refrigerant out of the mixed refrigerant is more likely to vaporize than the high-boiling refrigerant, the low-boiling refrigerant is significantly leaky. Therefore, when the amount of refrigerant is insufficient due to refrigerant leakage, if the boiling mixture refrigerant having the same composition ratio as originally set is uniformly replenished to compensate for the shortage, a mixed refrigerant close to the initially set composition ratio is obtained. May not be possible.

[0005] As described above, if it becomes impossible to obtain a refrigerant having a composition ratio close to the initial composition ratio, there is a problem that it is impossible to obtain the expected performance.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and in a refrigerating apparatus using a non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture, when a refrigerant is replenished, a composition ratio close to an initial composition ratio is obtained. It is an object of the present invention to provide a refrigerant replenishing cylinder for a refrigeration apparatus capable of obtaining the above.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A first aspect of the present invention is a refrigerant refill for refrigerating a refrigeration system using a non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant obtained by mixing a high-boiling refrigerant and a low-boiling refrigerant at a predetermined composition ratio as a refrigerant. In the cylinder, the refrigerant replenishing cylinder is filled with the low-boiling-point refrigerant at a higher ratio than the predetermined composition ratio.

A second invention provides a refrigerant replenishing cylinder for replenishing refrigerant to a refrigeration system using a non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant in which a high-boiling-point refrigerant and a low-boiling-point refrigerant are mixed at a predetermined composition ratio as a refrigerant. The cylinder is filled with the low boiling point refrigerant at a ratio of 1.1 to 1.5 times the composition ratio initially charged into the refrigeration apparatus.

[0009]

According to the first aspect of the invention, when the non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant becomes insufficient due to leakage or the like, the insufficient amount of the mixed refrigerant is replenished. Since the charged refrigerant is filled at a higher ratio than the initial ratio, the ratio of the mixed refrigerant after replenishment can be made closer to the initial composition ratio of the mixed refrigerant. Therefore, even when the refrigerant is replenished, the same performance as that obtained can be maintained.

According to the second invention, the composition ratio of the low-boiling-point refrigerant to be charged into the refrigerant-supplying cylinder is specifically 1.1 to 1.
Since the range is set to 5, the composition ratio of the mixed refrigerant after filling can be approximated to the initial composition ratio. Therefore, even when the refrigerant is replenished, the same performance as that obtained can be maintained.

It is empirically determined that the ratio of the low-boiling-point refrigerant is within such a range. If the ratio is less than 1.1, the low-boiling-point refrigerant will not be sufficiently replenished by the amount leaked. This is because sufficient performance cannot be obtained in the refrigerating apparatus. When the ratio is more than 1.5, the ratio of the low-boiling-point refrigerant after replenishment exceeds the amount of leakage and becomes excessively higher than the initial composition ratio to obtain sufficient performance. Because they cannot do it.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a refrigerant circuit of a separation type air conditioner 1 as a refrigerating device.
It comprises an outdoor unit 3 and an indoor unit 5. In the air conditioner 1, a non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant including a high-boiling refrigerant and a low-boiling refrigerant is used as the refrigerant circulating in the refrigerant circuit.

A blower 6 and an indoor heat exchanger 7 are arranged in the indoor unit 5 so as to blow air exchanged by the refrigerant into the room.

The outdoor unit 3 includes an outdoor heat exchanger 11
And a fan 13 for blowing air to the outdoor heat exchanger 11 are arranged to exchange heat of the refrigerant in the outdoor unit 3 with the outside air. Further, the outdoor unit 3 includes:
A compressor 15, an accumulator 17, forming a refrigerant circuit,
A four-way valve 19 and an expansion control valve 20 are provided.

The indoor unit 5 and the outdoor unit 3 are connected to open / close valves 21 and 22 by connecting a connection pipe 24, respectively. The on-off valves 21 and 22 are three-way valves, and a refrigerant pipe from the expansion valve 20 is connected to one valve port 22a, and connects the indoor unit 5 and the indoor unit 3 to the other valve port 22b. A nipple 26 provided at an end of the connection pipe 24 is connected. Although the remaining valve port (third valve port) 22c is normally closed, as shown in FIG. 1, when replenishing the mixed refrigerant from the refrigerant replenishing cylinder 31, the refrigerant replenishing cylinder 31 is connected to the remaining valve 22c. The refrigerant circuit is connected to replenish the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit.

The four-way valve 19 is positioned so as to flow the refrigerant as indicated by the solid line during the cooling operation, and is positioned as indicated by the broken line during the heating operation. By switching the four-way valve 19 in this manner, the cooling and heating refrigerant flow paths are switched.

As the non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture, for example, R13
4a at 52 Wt%, R125 at 25 Wt%, R32 at 2
A mixed refrigerant mixed at 3 Wt% is used. In general, R
The boiling point of 134a is -26 degrees Celsius, the boiling point of R125 is -48 degrees Celsius, and the boiling point of R32 is -52 degrees Celsius. In the mixed refrigerant having such a composition ratio, if there is a leakage of the refrigerant, the refrigerant having a low boiling point such as R32 or R125 is likely to leak first, and the composition ratio is largely disturbed. R32 or R125 having a higher refrigerant leaks first, and the pressure change due to the leakage is generally larger than that of a single refrigerant. Also,
The non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture is set to such a composition ratio (mixing ratio) because a predetermined coefficient of performance can be obtained and the refrigeration capacity can be effectively exhibited.

The refrigerant replenishing cylinder 31 is separate from the refrigeration cycle of the air conditioner 1, and is carried by a repair or maintenance worker to make up for the insufficient refrigerant. The refrigerant replenishing cylinder 31 is a general cylinder for replenishing the refrigerant. The present invention is characterized by the composition ratio of the mixed refrigerant filled therein.

That is, the refrigerant replenishing cylinder is filled with a low-boiling-point refrigerant at a ratio higher than the composition ratio of the mixed refrigerant initially charged in the refrigerant circuit of the air conditioner.

Specifically, R134a: R125: R3
The composition ratio of 2 is 52:25:
23, the refrigerant replenishing cylinder 31 according to the present embodiment is filled with a mixed refrigerant having a composition ratio of 40:30:30. The reason why the composition ratio between R125 and R32 is set high is that R125 and R32 leak more than R134a as described above. Therefore, in the case of replenishing the non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant, the refrigerating device is refilled with R125 and R32 more than the initial ratio, thereby replenishing the mixed refrigerant in accordance with the leakage amount. The ratio of the mixed refrigerant after filling can be made closer to the initial ratio. Thus, even when the refrigerant is replenished, sufficient performance can be maintained as in the initial stage of installation.

The composition ratio of the low-boiling refrigerants R125 and R32 filled in the refrigerant replenishing cylinder is not particularly limited, and it may be used in summer, winter, etc., or in Okinawa, Hokkaido, etc. In any case, the low-boiling-point refrigerant is 1.1 to 1..
A 5x ratio range is desirable. Specifically, R125
Is 1.3 times the initial composition ratio 23.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described.

In the refrigerant circuit 1 shown in FIG. 1, when the refrigerant leaks or the like and the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit becomes insufficient, the leaked portion is repaired, and then the non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant is replenished.

When replenishing the mixed refrigerant, it is preferable to fill the refrigerant immediately after the pressure is reduced. During the cooling operation indicated by the solid line arrow in FIG. The third valve port 22c is opened, and the mixed refrigerant in the refrigerant supply cylinder 31 is replenished from here.

The refrigerant replenishing cylinder 31 contains R having a low boiling point.
Since the ratio between 125 and R32 is set high and more leaky R125 and R32 are replenished than R134a, refrigerant can be replenished according to the amount of leakage.

As described above, by replenishing the refrigerant in accordance with the amount of leakage, the composition ratio of the mixed refrigerant after filling can be approximated to the initially set composition ratio of the mixed refrigerant, and the predetermined performance originally maintained is maintained. can do.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above,
Various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

For example, a non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture is not limited to a mixture of three types of refrigerants, but may be a mixture of two or four types of refrigerants, as long as the ratio of the low boiling point refrigerant is increased. Thus, effects similar to those of the above-described embodiment can be obtained.

[0030]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the refrigerant replenishing cylinder is filled with a low-boiling-point refrigerant at a ratio higher than the ratio initially charged into the refrigerating apparatus according to the amount of leakage. Can be made closer to the initial ratio. Therefore, even when the refrigerant is replenished, the same sufficient performance as that obtained initially can be maintained.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the ratio of the low-boiling refrigerant to be charged into the refrigerant replenishing cylinder is specifically set to 1.1 to 1.5.
Even if the refrigerant is replenished,
The ratio of the mixed refrigerant after the replenishment can be made closer to the initial ratio.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a refrigerant circuit diagram of an air conditioner used in an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 air conditioner (refrigerator) 31 refrigerant refill cylinder

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Koji Inoue 2-5-5 Keihanhondori, Moriguchi-shi, Osaka Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-8-28792 (JP, A) JP 54-5245 (JP, A) JP-A-3-168571 (JP, A) JP-A 64-22968 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) F25B 45 / 00

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A refrigerant replenishing cylinder for replenishing a refrigerant to a refrigeration system using a non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant in which a high-boiling refrigerant and a low-boiling refrigerant are mixed at a predetermined composition ratio as a refrigerant, A refrigerant charging cylinder for a refrigeration system, wherein the low boiling point refrigerant is charged at a ratio higher than the predetermined composition ratio. 2. A refrigerant replenishing cylinder for replenishing a refrigerant to a refrigeration system using a non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant obtained by mixing a high-boiling refrigerant and a low-boiling refrigerant at a predetermined composition ratio, wherein the refrigerant replenishing cylinder includes: A refrigerant replenishing cylinder for a refrigeration apparatus, wherein the low boiling point refrigerant is filled at a ratio of 1.1 to 1.5 times the predetermined composition ratio.