Chiller system and control method thereof

• US 9,587,867 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2016
• Issued: 03/07/2017
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad M
• Application Number:
  US15/045,896
• Publication Number:
  US 20160238299A1
• Time in Patent Office: 384 Days
• Field of Search: 621/25, 621/26
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 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.

2. The chiller system according to claim 1, 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.

3. The chiller system according to claim 2, 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.

4. The chiller system according to claim 2, further comprising a second cap assembly disposed on the another side of the plurality of chiller modules to switch a flow direction of the cold water passing through the water tube.

5. The chiller system according to claim 4, 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.

6. The chiller system according to claim 1, 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.

7. The chiller system according to claim 6, 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.

8. The chiller system according to claim 1, 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.