Cooling device and method for controlling a cooling device

Abstract

The invention relates to a cooling device, comprising at least one re-generatively operated primary cooling circuit, in particular a solar-powered cooling circuit, wherein the cooling circuit has at least one compressor, at least one condenser, at least one evaporator, at least one cooling space, at least one temperature sensor for measuring the cooling space temperature (T air ) in the cooling space, and a controller. A desired temperature value (SET) of the cooling space and a comparison temperature value (T SET ) can be stored in the controller. The invention is characterised in that the cooling of the cooling space can be interrupted by the controller and the comparison temperature value (T SET ) can be changed by the controller depending upon the time and/or the cooling space temperature (T air ). The invention further relates to a method for controlling a cooling device, which is characterised in that the comparison temperature value (T SET ) corresponds to the desired temperature value (SET) when the controller is switched on, and the cooling of the cooling space is interrupted when the actual cooling space temperature (T air ) has reached the comparison temperature value (T SET ). In this connection, the comparison temperature value (T SET ) is reduced after a predetermined time period (t 0 ) by a stored correction value (d SET ), so long as the actual cooling space temperature (T air ) has not reached the comparison temperature value (T SET ) within the predetermined time period (t 0 ).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cooling device comprising at least one regeneratively operated primary cooling circuit, in particular a solar-operated cooling circuit, wherein the cooling circuit has at least one compressor, at least one condenser, at least one evaporator, at least one cooling space, at least one temperature sensor for measuring the cooling space temperature in the cooling space, and a controller, wherein a desired temperature value of the cooling spaces and a comparison temperature value can be stored in the controller,
 wherein the cooling of the cooling space can be interrupted by the controller,   and wherein the comparison temperature value can be changed by the controller depending upon the time and/or the cooling space temperature.   
     
     
         2 . The cooling device of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the primary cooling circuit has at least one extra cooling space and at least one extra evaporator assigned to the extra cooling space, wherein the extra evaporator is connected to the primary cooling circuit via a valve, and the cooling of the cooling space can be interrupted by switching the valve.   
     
     
         3 . The cooling device of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the cooling device has a second cooling circuit with a second compressor for cooling a second cooling space, and wherein the second compressor can be supplied with energy via a switch.   
     
     
         4 . The cooling device of  claim 3 ,
 wherein the cooling device has an additional circuit, and wherein the controller can be supplied with energy via the additional circuit.   
     
     
         5 . The cooling device of  claim 4 ,
 wherein the additional circuit has a DC transformer.   
     
     
         6 . The cooling device of  claim 5 ,
 wherein the additional circuit has at least one condenser.   
     
     
         7 . A method for controlling the cooling device of  claim 1 ,
 wherein when switching on the controller the comparison temperature value corresponds to the desired temperature value, and the cooling of the cooling space is interrupted when the actual cooling space temperature has reached the comparison temperature value, wherein the comparison temperature value is reduced after a predetermined time period by a stored correction value, as long as the actual cooling space temperature has not reached the comparison temperature value within the predetermined time period).   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 ,
 wherein the cooling of the cooling space is interrupted by switching off the compressor.   
     
     
         9 . The method  claim 8 ,
 wherein when the actual cooling space temperature falls below the comparison temperature value by a hysteresis value the compressor is switched off.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 ,
 wherein when the actual cooling space temperature exceeds the comparison temperature values by the hysteresis value the compressor is switched on.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 ,
 wherein the comparison temperature value is gradually increased by an amount of the stored correction value until the comparison temperature value corresponds to the desired temperature value, and wherein the comparison temperature value is increased by the next step when the compressor is switched off.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 ,
 wherein the cooling of the cooling space is interrupted by switching the valve.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 ,
 wherein when the actual cooling space temperature falls below the comparison temperature value by a hysteresis value the valve is switched.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 ,
 wherein when the actual cooling space temperature exceeds the comparison temperature value by the hysteresis value the valve is switched.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 ,
 wherein the comparison temperature value is gradually increased by an amount of the stored correction value until the comparison temperature value corresponds to the desired temperature value, and wherein the comparison temperature value is increased by the next step when the valve is switched.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 ,
 wherein the second compressor is supplied with energy via a switch.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 ,
 wherein the second compressor is supplied with energy when the compressor of the primary cooling circuit is switched off.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 ,
 wherein with sufficient energy the second compressor and the compressor of the primary cooling circuit are simultaneously supplied with energy.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 ,
 wherein the output voltage of the additional circuit is maintained constant by the DC transformer independent of the input voltage.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 ,
 wherein switching off the controller during a critical time period by the at least one condenser of the additional circuit is prevented.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 ,
 wherein when switching on the controller the comparison temperature value is set to the desired temperature value.