Refrigerant condition detection device, refrigerant condition detection method, and temperature control system

Abstract

A refrigerant condition detection device (40A) according to an embodiment includes: a temperature information acquisition unit (41) that acquires a temperature of a refrigerant flowing out from the condenser of a refrigeration circuit having a compressor, the condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator, and also acquires a temperature of a cooling fluid before it cools the refrigerant in the condenser; and a refrigerant condition determination unit (42) that determines that a leakage or shortage of the refrigerant occurs, when a difference between the temperature of the refrigerant and the temperature of the cooing fluid, which are acquired by the temperature information acquisition unit (41), exceeds a threshold value previously recorded.

1 . A refrigerant condition detection device comprising:
 a temperature information acquisition unit that acquires a temperature of a refrigerant flowing out from a condenser of a refrigeration circuit having a compressor, the condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator, and also acquires a temperature of a cooling fluid before it cools the refrigerant in the condenser; and   a refrigerant condition determination unit that determines that a leakage or shortage of the refrigerant occurs, when a difference between the temperature of the refrigerant and the temperature of the cooing fluid, which are acquired by the temperature information acquisition unit, exceeds a threshold value previously recorded.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerant condition detection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the condenser is a liquid-cooled heat exchanger, and the cooing fluid is a liquid. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerant condition detection device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the condenser has a first condensing part and a second condensing part that condenses the refrigerant flowing out from the first condensing part; and   the temperature information acquisition unit acquires a temperature of the refrigerant flowing out from the second condensing part, and a temperature of the cooling fluid before it cools the refrigerant in the second condensing part.   
     
     
         4 . A refrigerant condition detection method comprising:
 a temperature information acquisition step that acquires a temperature of a refrigerant flowing out from the condenser of a refrigeration circuit having a compressor, the condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator, and also acquires a temperature of a cooling fluid before it cools the refrigerant in the condenser; and   a refrigerant condition determination step that determines that a leakage or shortage of the refrigerant occurs when a difference between the temperature of the refrigerant and the temperature of the cooling fluid, which are acquired in the temperature information acquisition step, exceeds a threshold value previously recorded.   
     
     
         5 . The refrigerant condition detection method according to  claim 4 , further comprising a filling step that fills the refrigeration circuit with a predetermined amount of the refrigerant that enables an operation of the refrigeration circuit by which a difference between an acquired temperature of the refrigerant flowing out from the condenser and an acquired temperature of the cooling fluid before it cools the refrigerant in the condenser becomes the threshold value or below,
 wherein a leakage or shortage of the refrigerant is determined by the temperature information acquisition step and the refrigerant condition determination step that are performed after the filling step.   
     
     
         6 . The refrigerant condition detection method according to  claim 5 , wherein during the operation of the refrigeration circuit after the filling step, the refrigeration circuit cools the refrigerant in the condenser such that the refrigerant condensed by the condenser covers an outlet of the condenser. 
     
     
         7 . A temperature control system comprising:
 a refrigeration circuit having a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator; and   the refrigerant condition detection device according to  claim 1 .   
     
     
         8 . The temperature control system according to  claim 7 , wherein, when the refrigeration circuit is filled with a predetermined amount of the refrigerant, the refrigeration circuit is capable of performing an operation by which a difference between a temperature of the refrigerant and a temperature of the cooling fluid, which are acquired by the refrigerant condition detection device, becomes the threshold value or below. 
     
     
         9 . The temperature control system according to  claim 8 , wherein, when the refrigeration circuit is filled with the predetermined amount of the refrigerant, the refrigeration circuit is capable of cooling the refrigerant in the condenser such that the refrigerant condensed by the condenser covers the outlet of the condenser. 
     
     
         10 . The temperature control system according to  claim 7 , further comprising a fluid flow device that causes a fluid whose temperature is controlled by the evaporator to flow. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigerant condition detection device according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the condenser has a first condensing part and a second condensing part that condenses the refrigerant flowing out from the first condensing part; and   the temperature information acquisition unit acquires a temperature of the refrigerant flowing out from the second condensing part, and a temperature of the cooling fluid before it cools the refrigerant in the second condensing part.   
     
     
         12 . A temperature control system comprising:
 a refrigeration circuit having a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator; and   the refrigerant condition detection device according to  claim 2 .   
     
     
         13 . A temperature control system comprising:
 a refrigeration circuit having a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator; and   the refrigerant condition detection device according to  claim 3 .   
     
     
         14 . The temperature control system according to  claim 8 , further comprising a fluid flow device that causes a fluid whose temperature is controlled by the evaporator to flow. 
     
     
         15 . The temperature control system according to  claim 9 , further comprising a fluid flow device that causes a fluid whose temperature is controlled by the evaporator to flow.