CHILLER SYSTEM AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF

• US 20140216068A1
• Filed: 12/03/2013
• Published: 08/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: LEE, Horim, ON, Seulki, YU, Jinhyuk, HWANG, Yoonjei, PARK, Hanyoung
• Granted Patent: US 9,410,728 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/56
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/04 Air-mixing units F24F13/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 1/053 of turbine type
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 1/10 with multi-stage compression with cascade operation F25B7/00
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2339/0242 having tubular elements
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2339/047 Water-cooled condensers
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2400/04 Refrigeration circuit bypassing means
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2400/0411 for the expansion valve or capillary tube
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2400/06 Several compression cycles arranged in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2400/13 Economisers
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2400/23 Separators
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 25/005 using primary and secondary systems
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/13 Mass flow of refrigerants
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/151 of the compressor motor
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/21171 of the fluid cooled by the evaporator
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 31/004 oil recirculating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 31/008 by injecting a liquid
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 43/003 Filters
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/02 for compression type machines, plants or systems

Abstract

A chiller system and a control method thereof includes a plurality of chiller modules in which a refrigeration cycle is performed to supply cold water, a main control device generating an operation signal to simultaneously or successively operate the plurality of chiller modules, a module control device provided in each of the plurality of chiller modules to control an operation of each of the plurality of chiller modules on the basis of the operation signal of the main control device, and a starting device communicably connected to the module control device to selectively apply power into the plurality of chiller modules.

Claims

1. A chiller system comprising:

a plurality of chiller modules capable of performing a refrigeration cycle to supply cold water;

a main control device that generates an operation signal to simultaneously or successively independently operate each of the plurality of chiller modules;

a plurality of module control devices provided in each of the plurality of chiller modules that control an operation of each of the plurality of chiller modules, respectively, on the basis of the operation signal of the main control device; and

a starting device communicably connected to the module control devices that selectively apply power to the plurality of chiller modules.

2. The chiller system according to claim 1, wherein the main control device controls the plurality of module control devices to increase or decrease a number of chiller modules to be operated, on the basis of operation loads of the plurality of chiller modules.

3. The chiller system according to claim 2, wherein the starting device is provided in plurality to correspond to the number of chiller modules, and

wherein the main control device controls the plurality of module control devices so that at least one starting device of the plurality of starting devices is turned on or off when the number of chiller modules to be operated increases or decreases.

4. The chiller system according to claim 2, wherein the starting devices is provided as a single device, and

wherein the single starting device comprises a plurality of switching members respectively connected to the plurality of chiller modules.

5. The chiller system according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of switching members are switched in a predetermined order when the plurality of chiller modules are successively operated, and

wherein a current applied to the plurality of chiller modules increases by a preset value.

6. The chiller system according to claim 2, further comprising a load detection part to detect operation loads of the plurality of chiller modules,

wherein load information detected by the load detection part is transmitted into the main control device or the plurality of module control devices.

7. The chiller system according to claim 6, wherein the load detection part comprises at least one of:

a temperature sensor to detect a temperature of the cold water introduced into the chiller modules;

a refrigerant amount detection part to detect an amount of refrigerant introduced into a compressor of each of the chiller modules; and

a current detection part to detect a current applied to the compressor.

8. The chiller system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of chiller modules are coupled to each other side by side in a longitudinal or transverse direction.

9. The chiller system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of chiller modules comprise:

a first chiller module comprising a cold water inlet through which the cold water is introduced; and

a second chiller module coupled to a side of the first chiller module, the second chiller module comprising a cold water outlet through which the cold water is discharged.

10. The chiller system according to claim 1, further comprising a cooling tower to supply coolant into the plurality of chiller modules,

wherein the plurality of chiller modules comprise:

a first chiller module comprising a coolant inlet through which the coolant is introduced; and

a second chiller module coupled to a side of the first chiller module, the second chiller module comprising a coolant outlet through which the coolant is discharged.

11. The chiller system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of chiller modules comprise:

a first chiller module comprising a first condenser and a first evaporator; and

a second chiller module coupled to a side of the first chiller module, the second chiller module comprising a second condenser and a second evaporator.

12. The chiller system according to claim 11, wherein coolant passing through the first and the second condensers flows in a direction opposite to that of coolant passing through the first and the second evaporators.

13. The chiller system according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of chiller modules further comprise:

a third chiller module comprising a third condenser and a third evaporator; and

a fourth chiller module comprising a fourth condenser and a fourth evaporator.

14. The chiller system according to claim 13, wherein a coolant inlet through which coolant is introduced is disposed in each of the first and the third chiller modules, and

a coolant outlet through which the coolant is discharged is disposed in each of the second and the fourth chiller modules.

15. The chiller system according to claim 14, wherein a cold water outlet through which the cold water is discharged is disposed in each of the first and the third chiller modules, and

a cold water inlet through which the cold water is introduced is disposed in each of the second and the fourth chiller modules.

16. The chiller system according to claim 11, further comprising:

a support supporting two sides of the first and the second condensers; and

a condenser cap provided on the support to define a flow space of the cold water,

wherein the condenser cap guides a flow direction of coolant so that the coolant passing through the first condenser is introduced into the second condenser.

17. The chiller system according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the first or the second condensers and the first or the second evaporators comprises a shell tube-type heat exchanger or a plate-type heat exchanger.

18. A method for controlling a chiller system, the method comprising:

determining an operation load of the chiller system comprising a plurality of chiller modules;

determining a number of the plurality of chiller modules to be operated on the basis of the operation load of the chiller system and a refrigeration capability required for the chiller system; and

simultaneously or successively starting at least one of the plurality of chiller modules according to the number of chiller modules to be operated,

wherein starting at least one of the plurality of chiller modules includes switching a plurality of switching members respectively connected to the plurality of chiller modules.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the chiller system comprises a plurality of starting devices corresponding to the plurality of chiller modules, respectively,

wherein at least one of the plurality of starting devices is started according to the number of chiller modules to be operated, and

wherein at least a plurality of starting devices are started simultaneously when the number of chiller modules are operated.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the chiller system comprises one starting device to apply power to the plurality of chiller modules, and

wherein the plurality of chiller modules are successively started by the starting device.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein a current applied to the plurality of chiller modules increases by a preset value when the plurality of chiller modules are started successively, and

wherein a time interval for starting the plurality of chiller modules is constant as a preset value.

22. A chiller system comprising:

a plurality of chiller modules in which a refrigeration cycle using an odd number of chiller modules is performed to supply cold water, the plurality of chiller modules each comprising a condenser in which coolant is circulated and an evaporator in which cold water is circulated;

a module control device to generate an operation signal to simultaneously or successively operate the plurality of chiller modules, the module control device controlling operations of the chiller modules;

a water tube disposed within the condenser or the evaporator to guide a flow of the coolant or the cold water;

a first cap assembly disposed on one side of the plurality of chiller modules, the first cap assembly comprising an inlet for the cold water or the coolant and an outlet for the cold water and the coolant; and

a passage partition part disposed on the first cap assembly to restrict introduction of the cold water through the inlet into the water tube of the condenser or the evaporator.

23. The chiller system according to claim 22, wherein the first cap assembly comprises a first cap body to define a flow space of the coolant or the cold water, and

wherein the flow space is partitioned into an inflow space part in which the coolant or the cold water is introduced into the plurality of chiller modules and a discharge space part in which the coolant or the cold water is discharged from the chiller modules by the passage partition part.

24. The chiller system according to claim 23, wherein each of the plurality of chiller modules comprises a shell coupling plate disposed on at least one side of the condenser or the evaporator and comprising a tube coupling part coupled to the water tube, and

wherein the passage partition part extends from an inner circumferential surface of the first cap body to the shell coupling plate.

25. The chiller system according to claim 23, further comprising a second cap assembly disposed on another side of the plurality of chiller modules to switch a flow direction of the cold water passing through the water tube.

26. The chiller system according to claim 25, wherein the condenser or evaporator comprises:

a first water tube to guide a flow of the cold water from the first cap assembly to the second cap assembly; and

a second water tube to guide a flow of the cold water from the second cap assembly to the first cap assembly.

27. The chiller system according to claim 22, wherein the first cap assembly comprises:

a tube sheet coupled to the water tube; and

a gasket disposed on at least one side of the tube sheet to prevent water from leaking through the first cap assembly.

28. The chiller system according to claim 27, wherein the tube sheet or the gasket comprises:

a communication part communicating with the water tube of the condenser or evaporator; and

a partition part extending from one side of the communication part to the other side, the partition part being coupled to the passage partition part.

29. The chiller system according to claim 22, wherein the condenser and the evaporator are vertically disposed, and the first cap assembly is disposed on a side of each of the condenser and the evaporator, and

wherein the inlet of the first cap assembly disposed on the side of the condenser is disposed above or below the outlet of the first cap assembly disposed on the side of the evaporator.