Cooling module

Abstract

Disclosed is a cooling module having a first fluid circuit with a cold generator, the components of the first fluid circuit being arranged in an insulated housing. At least one component of the first fluid circuit is coupled to at least one section of a second fluid circuit, which section runs in the housing, wherein said housing includes connections for the at least one second fluid circuit, and a negative pressure prevails in the housing.

Claims

1. A refrigerating module comprising a first fluid circuit with a coldness generator, wherein components of the first fluid circuit are arranged in an insulated hermetically closed housing, at least one component of the components of the first fluid circuit is coupled with at least one section, which is guided in the housing, of a second fluid circuit, the housing has hermetically sealed connections for the at least one second fluid circuit, a sub-atmospheric pressure prevails in the housing, the components have a tight arrangement within the housing, wherein the components are physically adjacent to one another without the components being subject to a mutual thermal influencing between the components, wherein the housing comprises a support structure and at least one barrier film, wherein the housing surrounds a support core and the support core surrounds the components of the first fluid circuit, wherein the support core forms the support structure, and wherein the support core is configured to prevent compressing of the barrier film due to the sub-atmospheric pressure.

2. The refrigerating module according to claim 1, wherein at least one sensor for detection of physical variables is arranged in the housing, and wherein the at least one sensor is associated with a control device.

3. The refrigerating module according to claim 2, wherein the coldness generator comprises a compressor, an evaporator, a condenser and an expansion valve.

4. The refrigerating module according to claim 1, wherein the support core is formed of an evacuatable non-combustible material.

5. The refrigerating module according to claim 4, wherein at least one sensor for detection of physical variables is arranged in the housing, and the at least one sensor is associated with a control device.

6. The refrigerating module according to claim 4, wherein the coldness generator comprises a compressor, an evaporator, a condenser and an expansion valve.

7. The refrigerating module according to claim 1, wherein the coldness generator comprises a compressor, an evaporator, a condenser and an expansion valve.

8. The refrigerating module according to claim 7, wherein the condenser is coupled with at least one section, which is guided in the housing, of a third fluid circuit, and/or the evaporator is coupled with the second fluid circuit by way of the at least one section, which is guided in the housing.

9. The refrigerating module according to claim 7, wherein the compressor is coupled with a separate cooling circuit which is led out of the housing by way of corresponding connections.

10. The refrigerating module according to claim 7, wherein the compressor is coupled with the evaporator.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further advantages, features and possibilities of embodiment are evident from the following figure description of embodiments, which are to be understood as non-limiting.

(2) In the drawings:

(3) FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a refrigerating module which is coupled to a refrigerant circuit and a heating medium circuit;

(4) FIG. 2 shows a farther refrigerating module which is coupled to a coolant circuit and a heating medium circuit; and

(5) FIG. 3 shows yet another refrigeration module according to the present disclosure.

(6) In the drawings, parts provided with the same reference numerals substantially correspond with one another insofar as nothing to the contrary is indicated. Moreover, description of components substantially not required for an understanding the technical teaching disclosed herein has been dispensed with.

(7) In the following description of figures, refrigerating modules 10 are described which comprise a refrigerant circuit 16 as a first fluid circuit, a coolant circuit 30 as a second fluid circuit and a heating medium circuit 40 as a third fluid circuit. However, this does not constitute a limitation of the teaching described herein, since other fluids instead of coolants, refrigerants and heating media can be used without departing from the essence of the technical teaching described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

(8) FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a refrigerating module 10, which is coupled to a coolant circuit 30 and a heating medium circuit 40. The refrigerating module 10 comprises a housing 12, which in one form of embodiment is a solid steel housing. In a further form of embodiment the housing 12 comprises a support structure and a barrier film surrounding the support structure. The support structure can enclose a support core or be formed by the support core itself. A support core is made out of an evacuatable non-combustible material. In addition, the housing 12 can also comprise a cladding surrounding the barrier film.

(9) The housing 12 of the refrigerating module 10 surrounds a refrigerant circuit 16. A refrigerant which is combustible and/or toxic is conducted in the refrigerant circuit 16. For this reason it has to be ensured that in the event of leakage in the refrigerant circuit 16 no refrigerant is delivered to the environment. Accordingly, the housing 12 is constructed to be insulating and does not permit escape of refrigerant.

(10) The refrigerant circuit 16 comprises a compressor 18. The refrigerant is compressed in the compressor 18 and fed to a condenser 22. The condenser 22 is coupled to a heat exchanger by way of which the heat of the refrigerant can be transferred to the heating medium circuit 40. The refrigerant is fed from the condenser 22 to the evaporator 20 by way of an expansion valve 24 in which the refrigerant expands, in which case the pressure of the refrigerant decreases and the refrigerant cools down and partly evaporates. The evaporator 20 takes up heat from the coolant circuit 30 by way of a heat exchanger and in that case causes cooling of the coolant conducted in the coolant circuit. The refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit 16 is in that case heated.

(11) A brine or a water in the heating medium circuit 40 and a brine in the coolant circuit 30 are thus not in direct contact with the refrigerant. The transfer of the thermal energy of the refrigerant always takes place by way of heat exchangers. The heat exchangers are arranged in the housing 12. For that purpose the housing 12 additionally has connections, which are not illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and by way of which the coolant circuit 30 and the heating medium circuit 40 can be connected with corresponding sections fixedly installed in the housing 12.

(12) The coolant circuit 30 has in the forward run 32 a fluid conveying device, for example a pump 34, which in further embodiments can be a speed-regulated pump 34. In the following embodiment the fluid conveying device is a speed-regulated pump 34, wherein other fluid conveying devices can also be used instead of a pump 34 without departing from the essence of the technical teaching described herein.

(13) In addition, the coolant circuit 30 comprises a cooling device 36 with a heat exchanger 37 and a fan 38. Rooms or refrigerators, for example, can be cooled by way of the cooling device 36, wherein the coolant in the coolant circuit 30 takes up heat. The heated coolant is conducted into the refrigerating module 10 by way of the return 33 and a corresponding connection in the housing 12. Cooling by way of a heat exchanger and the evaporator 20 takes place therein.

(14) The heating medium circuit 40 is connected by a forward run 42 by way of a corresponding connection with a corresponding section guided in the housing 12. A fluid conveying device is disposed in the forward run 42. The fluid conveying device can be a pump 44, for example a speed-regulated pump 44. In the following embodiment the fluid conveying device is a speed-regulated pump 44, wherein instead of a pump 44 use can also be made of different fluid conveying devices without departing from the essence of the technical teaching described herein.

(15) A heated brine or a heated water is fed by way of the speed-regulated pump 44 to a heating device 46. The heating device 46 comprises a heat exchanger 47 and a fan 48. It is possible, for example, to heat a room by way of the heating device 46. The water conducted in the heating medium circuit 40 in that case cools down and is conducted by way of the return 43 back to the refrigerating module 10, in which case heating of the heating medium takes place therein by way of a heat exchanger and the condenser 22.

(16) The coolant circuit 30 and the heating medium circuit 40 can comprise further cooling devices 36 and heating devices 46, which can also be divided into further fluid sub-flows. In addition, further conveying devices such as, for example, speed-regulated pumps, valves, speed and temperature measuring devices and further devices required for those purposes can be provided.

(17) By comparison with devices known from the prior art, a sub-atmospheric pressure prevails in the interior space 14 in the refrigerating module 10. A high level of sub-atmospheric pressure is preferably generated in the interior space 14. The sub-atmospheric pressure makes it possible to arrange the components of the refrigerant circuit 16, for example compressor 18, evaporator 20, condenser 22 and expansion valve 24, physically adjacent to one another without a resultant high transfer of heat between the components. Consequently, there is a further advantage, since the housing 12 has small dimensions and the interior space 14 has a small volume. If a refrigerant escapes from the refrigerant circuit 16 then due to the small volume of the interior space 14 the escape can be clearly recognised more quickly than in the case of large-volume devices. In addition, in the cases of construction of the housing 12 with a barrier film, escape of refrigerant can be recognised just through deformation of the film.

(18) In addition, in departure from the illustration in FIGS. 1 and 2, a device for detection of physical variables can be provided at a refrigerating module 10. The device for detection of physical variables can be, for example, a sensor device which detects escape of refrigerant. For example, the sensor device is a pressure sensor which reacts to small pressure differences and emits an alarm. Alternatively or additionally to emitting an alarm, switching-off of the compressor 18 can also be undertaken by way of a control device.

(19) Moreover, due to the fact that a sub-atmospheric pressure prevails in the interior space 14 a combustible air and refrigerant gas mixture cannot form or the gas mixture contained therein very rapidly passes through the state of capability of explosion. If the housing 12 comprises a barrier film and a support core of an evacuatable non-combustible material an explosion-safeguarded arrangement is similarly provided.

(20) In that case, the provision of sub-atmospheric pressure in the interior space 14 offers several advantages, since the housing 12 or the refrigerating module 10 can be constructed to be of very small form, no additional insulation of the components of the refrigerant circuit 16 is required in view of the fact that no transfer of heat or only a very small transfer of heat takes place within the housing 12, detection of escaping refrigerant is possible in a very rapid and simple manner due to the small volume and the low pressure, and escaping refrigerant is prevented by way of the sealed construction of the housing 12 with insulation.

(21) The housing 12 has appropriate connections which are hermetically arranged in the housing 12. By way of the connections it is possible, for example, to realise a signal line for a bidirectional communication with the components of the refrigerant circuit 16, an internal control unit and/or a sensor device such as, for example, a pressure sensor. In addition, the housing 12 has connections for the coolant circuit 30 and the heating medium circuit 40. Sections of a coolant circuit and a heating medium circuit extend from these connections by way of a heat exchanger so that the heat/coldness provided by way of the refrigerant circuit 16 can be conducted by way of the refrigerant to the outside. The refrigerating module 10 can thus be connected by means of ‘plug and play’ to already existing cooling and heating plants.

(22) FIG. 2 shows a further schematic construction of a refrigerating module 10, which is similarly coupled to a coolant circuit 30 and a heating medium circuit 40.

(23) In the case of the refrigerating module 10 shown in FIG. 2, cooling of the compressor 18 takes place by way of a separate cooling circuit 26, which is led out of the housing 12. Connections, which are similarly not denoted, are provided for that purpose. A further coolant which is, for example, cooled by ambient air by way of a plate heat exchanger can be conducted in the cooling circuit. In addition, a conveying device which conveys a coolant conducted in the cooling circuit 26 can also be provided.

(24) Instead of external cooling of the compressor 18, internal cooling of the compressor 18 can also be achieved. For that purpose, for example, a heat exchanger, which supplies heat to the refrigerant and thus causes cooling of the compressor 18, is arranged in the region of the evaporator 20. A further conveying device can be provided for such an internal additional cooling circuit.

(25) FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of another embodiment of a refrigerating module 10, which is coupled to a coolant circuit 30 and a heating medium circuit 40. The refrigerating module 10 comprises a housing 12, which in one form of embodiment is a solid steel housing. The FIG. 3 embodiment is similar to the FIG. 1 embodiment, in which, however, the housing 12 comprises a support structure 50 and a barrier film 52 surrounding the support structure. The support structure can enclose a support core or be formed by the support core itself. A support core is made out of an evacuatable non-combustible material. In addition, the housing 12 can also comprise a cladding surrounding the barrier film.

REFERENCE NUMERAL LIST

(26) 10 refrigerating module 12 housing 14 interior space 16 refrigerant circuit 18 compressor 20 evaporator 22 condenser 24 expansion valve 26 cooling circuit 30 coolant circuit 32 forward run 33 return run 34 pump 36 cooling device 37 heat exchanger 38 fan 40 heating medium circuit 42 forward run 43 return run 44 pump 46 heating device 47 heat exchanger 48 fan