JPH102644A - Ice cold heat storage apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To simplify a constitution by disposing a plurality of icemakers at a bottom of a reservoir in case of making ice by freezing water in the reservoir in the icemakers, freezing the water in the reservoir at their icemaking surfaces to make ice, thereby raising the made ices by buoyancy and depositing it at a upper part of the reservoir. SOLUTION: When a refrigerator 15 is operated by a command from a controller 19 and an icemaking timer 20 is started, an antifreeze solution lowered at its temperature by the refrigerator 15 is pumped to respective icemakers 13 via an antifreeze solution discharge tube 16 by an antifreeze solution circulation pump 18. Then, icemaking surfaces 13a of the icemakers 13 become a low temperature at the solution to freeze up water 12 at a periphery of a recess. When the timer 20 is operated after a predetermined icemaking time is elapsed, electric heaters arranged on the respective surfaces 13a are energized. Thus, fixed surfaces of ice blocks 21 fixed to the respective surfaces 13a are melted, the blocks 21 are released from the surfaces 13a and floated in water. Thus, the blocks 21 are gradually deposited in an upper part in a reservoir 11.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a method for producing ice water that can be used as a low-temperature heat source by using cheap electric power at night,
The present invention relates to an ice heat storage device of a harvest type (in which ice production and deicing are repeatedly performed by an ice making device) in which this is stored in a storage tank to provide economical air conditioning and cold heat supply.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional harvest-type ice heat storage device includes:
An ice making device is installed at the top of the ice making tank, water is constantly pumped from the storage tank, and the ice is grown by sprinkling it on a low-temperature ice making surface installed vertically. The ice-making method of dropping and storing ice-shaped ice, or supplying water to a dish-shaped ice maker to make ice, then heating the ice and inverting the ice-making equipment to drop and detach the ice is used. .

FIG. 7 shows an example of the construction of such a conventional harvest type ice heat storage device. Reference numeral 1 denotes a storage tank for storing ice, and an ice making device 2 is installed above the storage tank 1. A water sprinkler 6 for supplying water 4 pumped by a water circulation pump 3 from the bottom of the storage tank 1 through a pipe 5 is disposed at an upper portion of the ice making device 2. An ice crushing device 7 for dropping is arranged.

[0004] The ice making device 2 is connected to the refrigeration device 8 so as to form a circulation path. The ice making surface 2 a sprinkled from the water sprinkling device 6 by the low-temperature antifreeze supplied from the refrigeration device 8. The surrounding water is frozen.

Therefore, in the ice heat storage device having such a configuration, the plate-like ice dropped from the ice making surface 2a by gravity is fragmented by the ice crushing device 7 and drops and accumulates on the upper portion of the storage tank 1. Scattered with a gap between each other's ice. As a result, when the ice is thawed, an infinite number of water flow paths are formed between the ices and extremely good heat exchange is achieved, so that there is an advantage that low-temperature cold water can be stably extracted.

[0006]

However, in such a conventional harvest type ice heat storage device, ice produced on the ice making surface 2a of the ice making device 2 is dropped into the storage tank 1 by gravity, so that It is necessary to install the device 2 above the storage tank 1, and there are many problems such as being limited in space.

That is, an installation space for the ice making device 2 of about 3 m is required above the ice making tank 1, and an installation space for the ice crushing device 7 is further required below the installation space. Further, a pipe 5 for supplying water to the ice making surface 2a of the ice making device 2, a water circulation pump 3, and an ice crushing device 7 for subdividing the ice when the ice generated on the ice making surface 2a is plate-like are required. In addition, when a block-shaped ice is generated, an ice-making surface reversing device or the like for dropping the ice is required, which is problematic in terms of space and energy saving.

Further, since it is necessary to install the ice making device 2 and the ice crushing device 7 above the storage tank 1, it is almost impossible to convert an existing water heat storage device into an ice heat storage device. The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, obtains a reliable ice detachment performance, further eliminates the need for supplying water to the ice making surface, and raises the produced ice by buoyancy to the upper part of the storage tank. It is an object of the present invention to provide an ice heat storage device that can be deposited and has a simple configuration and high reliability.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an ice heat storage device using the following means. The invention corresponding to claim 1 is to freeze the water contained in the storage tank by a plurality of ice making devices to produce ice, and to separate the ice from the ice making device according to its growth, and to remove the ice into the storage tank. In the ice heat storage device, each ice making device is installed at the bottom of the storage tank, and ice is produced by freezing water in the storage tank on the ice making surface.

Therefore, in the ice heat storage device according to the first aspect of the present invention, when ice is manufactured by an ice making device installed in the water at the bottom of the storage tank, the ice is produced by a difference in density (buoyancy). Since the water is automatically supplied after the ice floats while floating, no components are required at the upper part of the storage tank except for the water spray nozzle for melting ice. This makes it possible to convert existing water storage systems to ice storage systems,
In addition, a new ice heat storage device can provide a harvest-type ice heat storage device with good space efficiency.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, an electric heating means is provided on an ice making surface of each ice making device, and the size of the ice produced on the ice making surface is a predetermined size. The ice making surface is heated by the electric heating means to release the ice on the condition that the growth of the ice is detected or the predetermined ice making operation time has elapsed.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage tank in which water is stored, and which can be swelled outward when the pressure of the antifreeze flowing into the storage tank reaches a predetermined pressure. A plurality of ice-making devices having an ice-making surface; a refrigerating device provided outside the storage tank and formed with an antifreeze circulation system for circulating antifreeze between the ice-making devices; and the ice-making device outlet of the antifreeze circulation system. Side, and an antifreeze circulation pump provided on the antifreeze inflow side of the refrigerating device of the antifreeze circulation system, and the ice in the storage tank is frozen by freezing water in the ice making surface of each ice making device. Manufactured, it is detected that the size of this ice has grown to a predetermined size, or the valve is fully closed on condition that a predetermined ice making operation time has elapsed, and the ice making surface of the ice making device is changed. External pressure is controlled by the discharge pressure of the antifreeze circulation pump. It swelled the ice to be removed from the ice surface to.

[0013] In the ice heat storage device according to the second and third aspects of the present invention, the means for detaching the ice produced by the ice making device from the ice making surface is a means for electrically heating the ice making surface. Or means for mechanically deforming (blowing) the ice making surface can solve the problem of ice detachment caused by installing the ice making device in water, and ensure that the ice comes off the ice making surface It is possible to do.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided any one of the first to third aspects of the present invention, wherein when installing a plurality of ice making devices at the bottom of the storage tank, the respective ice making devices are vertically mounted. And so as not to overlap each other.

The invention corresponding to claim 5 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein when installing a plurality of ice making devices at the bottom of the storage tank, one side of each ice making device is provided. Only the ice making surface is set, and the ice making surface is set upward.

In the ice heat storage device according to the fourth and fifth aspects of the present invention, even when the ice detached from the ice making device rises in the water by buoyancy, the ice making devices are vertically overlapped with each other. Since they are arranged so as not to be disturbed, the ice floating from each ice making device can be smoothly floated without being hindered by the ice making device.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of a harvest type ice heat storage device according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 11 denotes a storage tank in which water 12 is stored, and a plurality of ice making devices 13 are arranged in parallel at the bottom of the storage tank 11. As shown in FIG. 2, each of the ice making devices 13 is formed in a box shape as a whole, and a plurality of rectangular ice making surfaces 13a are formed on both front and rear sides in the vertical and horizontal directions.

Each of the ice making surfaces 13a is provided with an electric heater 14 on its inner peripheral surface with its plate surface depressed inward. Further, a leafy water-repellent thin film such as a polypropylene film is adhered or coated on the surface of the ice making surface 13a to promote the detachment of ice.

On the other hand, reference numeral 16 denotes an antifreeze liquid supply / discharge pipe for supplying / discharging the antifreeze into / from each ice making apparatus 13, and the antifreeze liquid supply / discharge pipe 16 is connected to a supply / discharge port of each ice making apparatus 13 and installed outside. An antifreeze circulating system 17 is connected to the refrigeration unit 15 for circulating the antifreeze. Also,
An antifreeze circulation pump 18 is provided in the antifreeze circulation system 17 on the antifreeze inflow side of the refrigerating device 15.

A control unit 19 controls the operation of the refrigeration unit 15 and the electric heater 14 of each ice making unit 13.
Is an ice making timer for turning on and off the electric heater 14 of each ice making device 13 at a fixed time interval according to a command from the control device 19.

Next, the operation of the ice heat storage device configured as described above will be described. Now, when the refrigerating device 15 is operated according to a control command from the control device 19 and the ice making timer 20 is started, the antifreeze liquid cooled down from the refrigerating device 15 is supplied to the antifreeze liquid supply / discharge pipe 16 by the antifreeze circulation pump 19.
And is pressure-fed to each ice making device 13.

Then, the ice making surface 13a of the ice making device 13 is cooled by the antifreeze liquid flowing from the antifreeze liquid supply / discharge pipe 16, and freezes the water 12 around the recess. Further, when the ice making timer 20 operates after a predetermined ice making time has elapsed, the electric heaters 14 disposed on each ice making surface 13a are energized.

Thus, the fixed surface of the ice block 21 fixed to each ice making surface 13a is melted, and the ice block 21 is separated from the ice making surface 13a by buoyancy and floats in the water.
In this case, the electric power to the electric heater 14 is supplied to the ice making timer 20.
And the ice making operation is restarted after a predetermined time has elapsed. The ice making and de-icing operations are continued by such repetition.

In this manner, the ice block 21 is gradually deposited on the water 12 in the storage tank 11. In this case, it is preferable that the volume of the single ice detached from the ice making surface is 100 cc or less.

Here, the control device 19 is arranged mainly for the purpose of using nighttime electric power. After a predetermined amount of ice is formed, the operation of the refrigeration device 15 is stopped, and then the antifreeze circulation pump 18 is also stopped. In particular, in the ice making operation under the condition that ice is present in the storage tank 11, the remaining amount of ice is detected or calculated in advance, and control is performed so that ice making more than a predetermined amount is not performed.

As described above, in the first embodiment of the present invention, the ice making device 13 is installed in the water 12 in the storage tank 11, and the electric heater 14 provided on the ice making surface 13a when the ice is separated. Heat the block-shaped ice to make ice surface 13a
, It is possible to obtain a reliable ice detachment performance, furthermore, it is not necessary to supply water to the ice making surface 13a at all, and the produced ice is raised by buoyancy,
It can be deposited on top of the storage tank.

Therefore, the ice making device, which is the biggest drawback of the conventional harvest type ice heat storage device, does not need to be installed above the storage tank, so that a simple design with a high degree of design freedom can be achieved. .

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing a second embodiment of the ice heat storage device according to the present invention. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 31 denotes a storage tank containing water 32, and a plurality of ice making devices 33 are arranged at the bottom of the storage tank 31. They are connected by a supply / discharge pipe 34.

As shown in FIG. 4, each of the ice making devices 33 is formed in a box shape which is long in the column direction, and has a plurality of rectangular ice making surfaces 33 in the vertical and horizontal directions at its upper opening.
A plate surface on which a is formed is provided. Each of the ice making surfaces 33a has its plate surface indented inward, and when the internal pressure due to the antifreeze exceeds a predetermined pressure, the entire plate surface swells outward.

On the other hand, reference numeral 35 denotes a refrigerating device installed outside the storage tank 31. An antifreeze circulating system 36 for circulating the antifreeze by connecting the refrigerating device 35 and the ice making device 33 by an antifreeze liquid supply / discharge pipe 34 is provided. Is formed.

Reference numeral 37 denotes an electric valve provided in the antifreeze circulating system 36 downstream of the storage tank 31. The electric valve 37 is set by a command from the control device 38 and detects the end of the ice making operation for a predetermined time. The closing is controlled by the operating ice making timer 39.

An antifreeze circulating pump 40 is provided in the antifreeze circulating system 36 on the antifreeze liquid inlet side of the refrigeration unit 35. An antifreeze reservoir 41 is provided in the antifreeze circulating system 36 upstream of the antifreeze circulating pump 40.

Next, the operation of the ice heat storage device configured as described above will be described. Now, the refrigerating device 35 is operated according to a command from the control device 38 and the ice making timer 3 is operated.
When 9 is set, the antifreeze liquid whose temperature has been lowered by the refrigerating device 35 is pumped by the antifreeze liquid circulation pump 40 to each ice making device 33 via the antifreeze liquid circulation system 36.

Then, the ice making surface 33a of the ice making device 33 is cooled to a low temperature by the antifreeze flowing from the antifreeze supply / discharge pipe 34, and freezes the water in the recess. In addition, ice making timer 39
Is operated after the elapse of a predetermined ice making time, the electric valve 37 is closed.

Thus, the supply of the antifreeze from the antifreeze reservoir 41 provided in the antifreeze circulation system 36 on the upstream side of the antifreeze circulation pump 40 is continued, but the discharge of the antifreeze circulation pump 40 is performed because the electric valve 37 is closed. The antifreeze is continuously supplied to the inside of each ice making device 33 by the pressure.

Therefore, the internal pressure of each ice making device 33 increases, the plate surface provided at the box-shaped upper opening bulges outward, and the ice block 42 fixed to the ice making surface 33a is detached from the fixed surface. Then, the ice block 42 floats in the water by buoyancy.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing the condition of the ice making surface 33a before and after the deformation. When the antifreeze liquid blocked by the electric valve 37 fills the inside of the ice making device 33 and the upper plate bulges upward, the ice making surface 33a is formed. In this state, the ice block 42 formed in the area is detached.

In this case, the electric valve 37 is provided with an ice making timer 39.
The opening instruction to the solenoid valve 37 is issued after a lapse of a predetermined time, and the ice making operation is restarted. The ice making and de-icing operations are continued by such repetition.

In this manner, the ice block 42 is gradually deposited on the water 32 in the storage tank 31. As described above, in the second embodiment of the present invention, the ice making device 33 is installed in the water 32 in the storage tank 31, and the ice making surface 33a is deformed by the pressure of the antifreeze liquid when the ice is separated, so that the ice making surface 33a is deformed. Since the ice is separated from the ice making surface 33a, the first
The same operation and effect as those of the embodiment can be obtained.

In the above description, the upper surface plate is bulged upward by the antifreeze liquid pressure in the ice making device 33 to release the ice block 42 from the ice making surface 33a. The electric heater described in the first embodiment can be used together.

In addition, as a means for releasing ice from the ice making surface of the ice making device, a low-temperature refrigerant (for example, a refrigeration cycle such as Freon, etc.) supplied from the refrigerating device to the ice making device as in a conventional harvest type ice heat storage device is used. By switching the working medium to the high-temperature refrigerant discharged from the compressor of the refrigerating device by the switching valve and supplying the high-temperature refrigerant to the ice making device, the ice making surface may be heated to release the ice.

In the first and second embodiments, the degree of ice growth is set by the ice making timer. However, ice growth is actually detected by some detecting means, and the size of the ice is detected. When it is detected that the ice has reached a predetermined size, the ice may be separated from the ice making surface.

Further, in the first and second embodiments,
Although the configuration in which the ice making surface of the ice making device is arranged vertically or with the ice making surface facing upward has been described, as shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of ice making devices 53 are respectively inclined obliquely upward and arranged so as not to overlap with each other. Alternatively, the inflow and outflow of the antifreeze of each ice making device 53 may be connected to the antifreeze supply / discharge pipe 54, respectively.

With such an arrangement, the ice making device can be installed at a high density in the storage tank. Also, the first
In the second embodiment, the case where the ice making surface of the ice making device generates block-shaped ice has been described. In addition, as shown in FIG. 6, the detachability can be improved such as a plate shape or a bar shape. The shape may be changed within a range.
Further, a plurality of watering nozzles may be provided in the upper space of the storage tank, and an intake port may be provided at the bottom of the storage tank.

[0046]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a reliable ice detachment performance, so that the supply of water to the ice making surface is not required at all, and the produced ice is A highly reliable ice heat storage device can be provided with a simple configuration that can be raised by buoyancy and deposited on the upper portion of the storage tank.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of an ice heat storage device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing details of an ice making device according to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing a second embodiment of the ice heat storage device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing details of the ice making device according to the embodiment;

FIG. 5 is an arrangement configuration diagram of an ice making device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a shape of an ice making surface of an ice making device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram showing a conventional harvest type ice heat storage device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11, 31 ... storage tank 12, 32 ... water 13, 33 ... ice making device 13a, 33a ... ice making surface 13b ... heat insulating layer 14 ... electric heater 15, 35 ... refrigerating device 16, 34 ... antifreeze Supply / discharge pipes 17, 36 Antifreeze circulating system 18, 40 Antifreeze circulating pump 19, 38 Control device 20, 39 Ice making timer 37 Electric valve 41 Antifreeze reservoir

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An ice heat storage device for freezing water contained in a storage tank by a plurality of ice making devices to produce ice, separating the ice from the ice making device according to its growth, and storing the ice in the storage tank. 3. The ice heat storage device according to claim 1, wherein each ice making device is installed at the bottom of the storage tank, and ice is produced by freezing water in the storage tank on the ice making surface. 2. The ice heat storage device according to claim 1, wherein electric heating means is provided on an ice making surface of each ice making device, and detects that the size of the ice produced on the ice making surface has grown to a predetermined size. An ice heat storage device, wherein the electric heating means is operated for a certain period of time on condition that a predetermined ice making operation time has elapsed, and the ice making surface is heated to release the ice. 3. A storage tank containing water, and a plurality of ice making units installed at the bottom of the storage tank and having an ice making surface which can swell outward when the pressure of the antifreeze flowing into the inside reaches a predetermined pressure. An apparatus, a refrigeration apparatus provided outside the storage tank and having an antifreeze circulating system for circulating antifreeze between the ice making apparatus, and a valve provided on the ice making apparatus outlet side of the antifreeze circulating system. An antifreeze circulation pump provided on the antifreeze inflow side of the refrigerating device of the antifreeze circulation system, and ice is produced by freezing water in the storage tank on an ice making surface of each ice making device. Is detected, or the valve is fully closed on condition that a predetermined ice making operation time has elapsed, and the ice making surface of the ice making device is discharged from the antifreeze circulation pump. Bulge outward from the ice making surface Ice thermal storage apparatus characterized by disengaging the. 4. The ice heat storage device according to claim 1, wherein when installing a plurality of ice making devices at the bottom of the storage tank, the ice making devices overlap each other in a vertical direction. An ice heat storage device that is installed so that it is not installed. 5. The ice heat storage device according to claim 1, wherein when installing a plurality of ice making devices at the bottom of the storage tank, only one surface of each ice making device is used as an ice making surface. An ice heat storage device, wherein the ice making surface is installed facing upward.