专利摘要:
The present invention discloses a control system to be applied to any refrigerated cabinet or any refrigerated apparatus equipped with a refrigerated storage compartment. This control system COrl)prises an electronic controller with memory and, if necessary , including a command. interface. This control system uses one or more temperature probes and is able to build a data set by extracting the temperature variation values from said temperat ure probes. This data set is used from the control system to build an analytical model able to identify two different operating modes for the apparatus named the normal mode and the energy saving mode, where the energy saving· mode is defined as an operating period of time, for the apparatus, with a temperature higher than the temperature used during the normal mode.
公开号:DK201570251A1
申请号:DK201570251
申请日:2015-04-29
公开日:2015-05-11
发明作者:Manlio Poto;Paolo Chiaramonte;Roberto Di Tommaso
申请人:Dixell S R L;
IPC主号:
专利说明:

Control system for refrigerated equipment and apparatus with advanced energy saving features
Field of application
The hereafter invention describes a control system for refrigerated equipment arid apparatus (for drinks and not perishable foods, hereinafter referred to as consumer goods) where the above mentioned control system, with or without door for access to the refrigerated stored compartment, implements advanced energy saving features .
State of the art
Refrigerated Equipment is used worldwide because they provide the ability to sell consumer goods at the best temperature (hereafter referred to as business temperature or SETPOINT) in shops, restaurants, shopping centers and so on (hereafter referred to as dealers).
It is commonly known that any refrigerated equipment implements a cooling / freezing circuit where at least a compressor, an evaporator with or without fans, a condenser and an isolated / refrigerated storage compartment are used to maintain consumer goods at a temperature (called the operating SETPOINT ) lower than the environmental one. This makes consumer goods more attractive and promotes their consumption. Generally, some type of electronic or mechanical control equipment is used to maintain the operating temperature in the refrigerated equipment
Maintaining any product at a temperature lower than the ambient environment temperature requires large energy consumption which results in increased operating costs for the dealer. For this reason, during the last several years many energy savings concepts have been introduced in the refrigerated equipment (reducing both energy consumption and operating costs).
Note on state of the art
One of the existing solutions is to maintain the consumer goods at the operating SETPOINT only during the business hours of the dealer and by using a different temperature, higher than the SETPOINT, during non-business hours.
Nowadays, the most effective techniques used to change the working temperature of the refrigerated equipment can be summarized as follows: • Manual change of the SETPOINT: this requires the interaction of an external operator who is required to set a temperature higher than the SETPOINT just before the closing period of the dealer. This solution has the drawback that this operation (changing the SETPOINT) is not always performed and if the SETPOINT was changed and is not changed back during the first hours following the opening of the same dealer, the real temperature of the consumer goods will not be at the required SETPOINT (due to the temperature inertia related to any goods). • Automatic changing of the SETPOINT by using a clock electronic circuit. This solution requires an additional electronic circuit and it is not able to detect variations in the opening or closing hours of the dealer or time, changes due to the beginning or ending of a daylight saving time period. In case of these events, the SETPOINT settings of the refrigerated equipment must be corrected manually from an external operator. • Automatic change of the SETPOINT by using external "use sensors" installed on the refrigerated equipment (for example door sensor, presence sensor, vibration sensor, etc.). EP 1540438 B1 discloses this technique: it is a very efficient technique because of the refrigerated equipment being able to automatically adjust the SETPOINT temperature of the goods depending on the use of the refrigerated equipment itself or changing the opening intervals of the dealer. In the opposite way, this solution needs to install additional components on the refrigerated equipment such as door sensor, presence sensor and so on. This introduces additional costs for both raw materials and assembly time of the refrigerated equipment. • Proactively managing some predictable thermal environments of the refrigerated equipment as disclosed in Patent US2007 / 0225871 A1.
This method uses a predefined set of actions that will be performed when a specific predictor occurs. This solution has no self-adaptive capability and requires the implementation of different predictors for any different apparatus.
Another technique to reduce energy consumption is to optimize the compressor on / off cycle: its scope is to reduce the compressor on time. • Patent US2012 / 0059522 A1 discloses a method to optimize the compressor on / off cycles by analyzing the real and predicted pattern of use of the apparatus and by measuring the internal and external temperatures. This permits to increase energy efficiency through time, but it requires the use of an external temperature probe, which leads to incremental complexity of the control system used and also introduces additional costs. • Patent EP 2474799 A2 discloses a method for controlling the temperature of the refrigerated storage compartment without using any temperature probes which are placed within the compartment itself. The temperature regulation is performed by measuring and comparing one or both signals arriving from an external temperature probe and a power supply voltage analyzer. An additional signal from a door sensor can also be used. These signals allow the creation of a pattern of operation of the refrigerated equipment which will be used to modify the compressor on / off cycles. This method is based on the assumptions of reaching a stationary behavior of the compressor as soon as the request temperature is reached. It needs to combine Signals arriving from different sources and cannot guarantee accurate temperature control nor allow the actual temperature of the refrigerated storage compartment to be displayed. In addition to this, specific tests must be done to estimate the optimal pattern of operation of any different apparatus which means increasing the complexity and also of the final costs.
Another technique used to increase the efficiency of a refrigerated equipment, and to obtain savings in both energy consumption and costs, is to optimize the defrost cycle. A defrost cycle is required to melt the ice present on the evaporator surface. In fact, the presence of ice on the evaporator surface makes the thermal exchange of the cooling circuit worse, increasing total energy consumption. The existing techniques used to optimize the defrost cycle can be summarized as follows: • Off-cycle defrosts: in this case the compressor, which is part of the cooling circuit, is stopped following a preset schedule and for a predefined interval of time. • Defrost with evaporator temperature control: a temperature probe, placed on the evaporator surface, is used to stop the running defrost cycle as soon as the measured temperature reaches and goes over a preset value. A safety timer is also used to guarantee that the running defrost cycle will be stopped, in case of any malfunction, after elapsing this safety timer. As in the previous case, defrost cycle follows a preset schedule. • The analysis of the evaporator temperature trend measured from the evaporator probe placed on the evaporator surface: in this case the ice melting phase is detected (phase normally known as latent heating) and the heating elements are activated with pulse modulated criteria at the end of the melting phase in order to optimize the duration of the defrost cycle. Patent EP328151 B1 disclosed this method.
In the above mentioned solutions, both the ones that change the SETPOINT and the ones that optimize the defrost cycle, an integrated control system for energy saving is absent. This control system should use only the resources already present in standard refrigerated equipment and automatically optimize energy consumption in any possible way.
The present invention addresses these needs, by combining the ability to maintain the lower SETPOINT temperature of the goods only during the business hours of a dealer, and without introducing into the refrigerated equipment any additional components normally not required for its operation. Moreover, the present invention introduces a new concept of. energy savings through an integrated management and optimization of the various sources, present in the refrigerated equipment, and responsible for the energy consumption.
Summary of the invention
The present invention is intended to be applied to any refrigerated equipment, with or without a door for access to the refrigerated storage compartment, and to make use of the already present temperature probes (both the regulation and the evaporator one) to control the temperature inside the refrigerated storage compartment and for estimating the time periods for Energy Saving Mode activation, where "Energy Saving Mode" is intended to be any working period of time for the refrigerated storage equipment with a temperature higher than the business temperature. For further information, any working period of the refrigerated equipment at the business temperature will be defined hereinafter as "Normal Mode".
Brief description of the drawings FIG. 1: represent a block diagram of the control system object of the. present invention is shown. Inputs, Outputs and their interaction with the electronic controller are reported. See the following TABLE to find the description of the blocks present in the FIG.1.
Legend for Figure 1 Symbol Meaning A Regulation temperature probe B Evaporator temperature probe C Electronic controller D Command interface E Compressor F Evaporator fans G Defrost elements H Lights FIG.2: describes a flow chart related to the method used from the functional model of the invention object of the present patent. FIG.3: Describes a flow chart related to the classification of any temperature variation measured during the operation of the refrigerated equipment. FIG.4: Describes a flow chart related to the management of the defrost cycle during any Energy Saving Mode.
Detailed description
The present invention is intended to be applied to any refrigerated equipment where the regulation of the temperature of the refrigerated storage compartment is controlled by an electronic controller. In the standard literature, the temperature regulation of a refrigerated stored compartment, part of the apparatus, is normally managed from a temperature controlling system and by monitoring one or more characteristic temperature trends, measured by one or more temperature probes. Such temperature controlling system is able to regulate the temperature of the apparatus under its control by supervising all the parts involved (compressor, evaporator, condenser, fans, see Fig.1).
The inputs of such temperature controlling system are defined as: • the control of the goods temperature by using a "regulation temperature probe" placed in the refrigerated storage compartment of the apparatus; • The control of the evaporator temperature by using an "evaporator probe" placed on the evaporator surface. This input is used for the temperature controlling system to keep high the efficiency of the heating exchange between evaporator and the air into the refrigerated stored compartment. Another use of this input, and also executed from the temperature controlling system, is to avoid ice buildup on the evaporator surface. • The control of the condenser temperature by using a condenser probe placed on the condenser surface. This input is used to maintain the efficiency of the heating exchange between the condenser and the air of the environment surrounding the appliance.
Furthermore, some other functions, parts of the standard knowledge literature, may be included in the temperature controlling system: these functions could be the safety functions used to check the maximum temperature of the goods and the maximum temperature reached from the condenser or the compressor delayed activation, or other functions someone skilled in the art will realize.
Recently, some functions related to energy consumption optimization have been introduced. Some of them are related to the management of the defrost cycle. The current knowledge literature describing the optimization of the defrost methods can be summarized as follows: • passive method: the defrost is performed by compressor cycle off; • Active method: the defrost is performed by using hot gas, also known as cycle inversion, or by using electrical heater elements.
In both of the above cases, the target is to melt the ice present on the evaporator surface. A collateral effect of melting the ice will be introduced: the rise of the temperature of the refrigerated storage compartment depending on the position of the evaporator and the quantity of ice present. For this reason, the first request is to optimize the duration and schedule of the defrost cycle in order to limit the rise of the temperature inside the refrigerated storage compartment. There are different ways to obtain this result: • Use a dedicated temperature probe, the evaporator probe, to check the temperature on the evaporator surface and interrupt the running defrost cycle as soon as the measured temperature value goes over a preset value. This simple solution does not optimize the duration and schedule of the defrost cycle because it does not take into account the actual amount of ice present on the evaporator surface. • Analyze the trend of the evaporator temperature curve in order to detect the ice melting phase, known as the latent heating phase, and interrupt the running defrost cycle only when this melting phase is finished. This method, which works well in case of electrical defrost (active defrost method), cannot be adapted in all cases where a passive defrost method (compressor cycle-off) is used. EP0328151 B1 discloses the state of the art method for defrost cycle. In such a solution, the defrost cycle is made by using electrical heater elements which are actively driven, until the end of the latent heating phase, and pulsing until the end-defrost condition is reached. The evaporator temperature trend is analyzed at preset time intervals in order to detect the end of the latent heating phase and the end-defrost condition.
The present invention introduces an innovative way to extend the analysis of the. evaporator temperature trend also applies to appliances using passive defrost methods by integrating both: • a comparative analysis of the evaporator temperature trend and the regulating temperature obtained from a precise driving method of the compressor and evaporator fans. The difference between regulation and evaporator temperatures is constantly monitored in order to detect when the preset end-defrost condition is reached. • Use the beginning of any "Energy Saving Mode" to start a defrost cycle. This allows the controller to take advantage of the temperature increase, due to the change from "Normal Mode" to "Energy Saving Mode", and use this thermal gradient to reduce the additional energy demand, at the end of any defrost cycle, to reach the SETPOINT temperature.
Another way to obtain energy saving is by using different SET POINT depending on the working condition of the appliance under control. For example, here are some solutions from the existing state of the art: • Change the temperature SETPOINT following a preset schedule. This requires additional hardware, known as Real Time Clock, which must be set manually and depending on the dealer's business hours. This solution does not achieve the expected results if the dealer changes his business hours or if the time changes seasonally. • EP 1540438 B1 discloses a solution that permits to dynamically create and update interval of time where different SETPOINS will be used. A plurality of signals coming from "use sensors" (e.g., by switch or vibration sensor) is used to implement a pattern of use of the appliance under control. In this way, it is possible to use the required SETPOINT when some activity on the appliance is detected, and use a different temperature value, higher than the SETPOINT one, during inactivity intervals. This solution requires the use of at least one of the "use sensors", even if these sensors lead to additional raw material and production costs for the manufacturer.
The present invention introduces the possibility of avoiding any "use sensors" but still providing the benefits of energy savings. , the invention discloses a method of analyzing the temperature variations instead of activity signals (generated from use sensors). In this way, the production process is simplified and the final costs for the manufacturer are reduced. It is also possible to replace or refurbish in a short amount of time and in a simple way any kind of appliance (refrigerated equipment) already present in the field. Another aspect of the present invention is that it uses different energy saving methods and merges them into the same control system, resulting in a better performing solution.
Analytical model used to identify periods of Energy Saving
The modes of operation of a control system (Fig. 1) and the object of the present invention can be distinguished between:
• "Normal Mode": this mode of operation is identified with an interval of time while the regulation temperature for the refrigerated storage compartment is equal to the SETPOINT • "Energy Saving Mode": this mode of operation is identified with an interval of time where the regulation temperature for the refrigerated storage compartment is higher than the SETPOINT.
The control system of the present invention makes use of an electronic controller (C of Fig.1) which provides the data collection from the available temperature probes used in the refrigerated equipment (A, B of Fig.1). This electronic controller converts the data collected into a data set, and then analyzes this data set. The result of the analysis is an analytical model capable of automatically changing the mode of operation of the refrigerated equipment by acting on the available outputs (E, F, G and H of Fig. 1).
In general, a control system object of the present invention is made of: • One or more temperature probes (A, B or Fig. 1) placed in the refrigerated storage compartment and used to regulate the temperature and detect any temperature variation. Said temperature variation, measured by the temperature probes, can be classified as follows: - Short-period variation, which is defined as an instantaneous temperature variation. It is due to any change in the balance conditions of the appliance under control. This can be due to a door opening or to any refilling operation of the refrigerated stored compartment. - Medium-period variation, which is defined as a slow temperature variation. It may be due to the thermal dispersion of the appliance under control towards the surrounding environment or following day-night temperature changes or due to seasonal temperature variations.
One of these temperature probes can be placed on the evaporator surface in order to measure the evaporator temperature and control any defrost cycle. • An electronic controller (C or Fig. 1) able to collect, analyze, classify, process and store the temperature variations detected from the available temperature probes (data set processing). This electronic controller operates the available loads, where the means of "loads" is all the elements, parts of the appliance under control, which require energy, such as the compressor, the fans, the lights and the heater elements of the appliance (E, F, G, H or Fig. 1). From the data set processing, and using an internal algorithm, the electronic controller is able to build an analytical model of operation. By using this model, the electronic controller is able to adapt the functioning of the apparatus to any specific case, giving the best optimization between business temperature and energy saving request. In this way, the analytical model is able to enable two different operating conditions for the apparatus: the "Energy Saving Mode" mentioned above and the "Normal Mode". The analytical model identifies the "Normal Mode" with any interval of time where temperature variations are detected and the "Energy Saving Mode" with any interval of time where no temperature variations had been detected. When in "Energy Saving Mode": - The SETPOINT will be moved to a value higher than the SETPOINT business and depending on a preset value. - A defrost cycle will be performed at the beginning of any "Energy Saving mode" (Fig.4). - The duration of this defrost cycle is optimized by controlling the difference between the regulation and the evaporator probe temperature (17, 18, 19 of Fig. 4). By analyzing this difference, it is possible to decide the right moment to stop running defrost. This permits to automate the defrost cycle, without any external third party interaction. - Having defrost cycle automated and optimized reduces the temperature rise of the temperature increase of the goods in the refrigerated storage compartment (due to the physics related to any defrost process) with less energy request to maintain the SETPOINT after finishing the running defrost.
The following paragraphs present a detailed description of the analytical model: A. After powering on (1 of Fig.2) the data storage of the electronic controller is reset. The electronic controller performs the regulation for reaching the SETPOINT business (the one used during any "Normal Mode") and then starts calculating the coefficient CDS (dispersion coefficient of the appliance) by using the temperature variation analysis (3, 4, 5 , 8 or Fig.2) and (Fig.3). B. During the setup phase of a new PERIOD of analysis (2 of Fig. 2), and depending on the preset configuration, the electronic controller will begin a new PERIOD of analysis of predefined duration (from 1 to 20 days). Any PERIOD is divided into sub intervals of 30 min each and named CELLS. A CELL is used to collect, analyze and classify all temperature data coming from the available temperature probes (Fig. 3). C. During any 30-minute interval equivalent to a CELL (Fig. 3), the algorithm stores the number of temperature variations (VT) (14 of Fig. 3) higher than the coefficient CDS (11, 12, 13 or Fig. 3). At the end of any CELL, the medium coefficient of dispersion of that CELL (CDC) is updated (15 of Fig.3). D. One time a day, or any 48 CELLS, the average number of temperature variations (MVT) as the average of the last 48 stored values of VT: Then the CDS coefficient is updated (8 of Fig. 2) as the average of the last 48 stored CDC values. Then the algorithm classifies the CELLS, belonging to the just finished PERIOD, depending on their proper VT number: - If the VT number of the nth-CELL is higher or equal to the average value MVT (11 of Fig. 2), then the nth-CELL will be classified as belonging to the "Normal Mode" (NM-CELL). - If the VT number of the nth-CELL is lower than the average value MVT (11 of Fig. 2), then the nth-CELL will be classified as belonging to the "Energy Saving Mode" (ES-CELL). - The last operation of the algorithm is to create the functional model for the apparatus (11 of Fig.2) as grouping of the CELLS belonging to the same mode. A filter is used to force any ES-CELL sequence lower that a preset value (which depends on the configuration) belongs to the "Normal Mode". E. During any new PERIOD of analysis the following steps are performed: - Operations of the above section (B) are repeated - Operations of the above sections (C) are repeated - If the actual CELL under analysis shows to belong to a different mode (respect to the previous PERIOD), then the operating mode of this CELL is immediately changed (6, 7 of Fig. 2) - Operations of the above section (D) are repeated
The following paragraphs provide a detailed description for automatic defrost management: A. At the beginning of any "Energy Saving Mode" a new defrost cycle starts (16 ofFig.4) B. The outputs (compressor (E of Fig. 1), evaporator fans (F of Fig. 1) and heating elements (G of Fig. 1)) are driven from the electronic controller according to the difference in temperature between the regulation and the evaporator temperature probes (17 of Fig. 4). C. The electronic controller continuously calculates the difference in temperature between the regulation and the evaporator temperature probes. D. The electronic controller stops the running defrost cycle as soon as the above temperature difference reaches a preset value (19 of Fig.4). E. At the end of the running defrost cycle, the electronic controller will restart the regulation in order to reach and maintain the required SETPOINT (20 of Fig.4).
权利要求:
Claims (5)
[1] 1. A control system suitable for refrigerated cabinet as well as any refrigerated apparatus equipped with a refrigerated storage compartment, - said control system able to operate in a normal mode or in an energy saving mode; - said control system comprising an electronic controller with memory and, if necessary, including a command interface; - said control system including one or more temperature probes used to measure and regulate the temperature into said refrigerated storage compartment; - said control system able to build a data set by extracting the temperature variations values from the signals measured from said temperature probes; Characterized by: - the capability to use the said data set to create an analytical model which is used to define intervals of operation in a normal mode or in an energy . saving mode.
[2] 2. The system of Claim 1 wherein the application of the analytical model permits to activate two different operational, modes said normal mode, where temperature variations are detected, and energy saving mode, where no temperature variations are detected.
[3] 3. The system of Claim 2, wherein each activation of said energy saving mode activate also a defrost cycle.
[4] 4. The system of Claims 3 where one of said temperature probes, the regulation probe, is used to regulate the temperature of said refrigerated storage compartment and where another temperature probe, placed on the evaporator surface and defined as the evaporator probe, is used to control any defrost cycle.
[5] 5. The system of Claims 4 wherein the defrost cycle termination is automatically identified by using the difference between the regulation probe and the evaporator probe.
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法律状态:
优先权:
申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题
IT001677A|ITMI20121677A1|2012-10-08|2012-10-08|CONTROL SYSTEM FOR REFRIGERATED EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEMS WITH ADVANCED ENERGY SAVING FUNCTIONS|
ITMI20121677|2012-10-08|
PCT/IB2013/002205|WO2014057331A1|2012-10-08|2013-10-02|Control system for refrigerated equipment and apparatus with advanced energy saving features|
IB2013002205|2013-10-02|
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