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EP-4737819-A1 - INTERNAL REFRIGERATION DEVICE AND REFRIGERATION STORAGE

EP4737819A1EP 4737819 A1EP4737819 A1EP 4737819A1EP-4737819-A1

Abstract

An internal refrigeration apparatus that cools an internal space (S) includes: a refrigerant circuit (R) that performs a refrigeration cycle; a refrigerant sensor (50) that detects a refrigerant leaking into the internal space (S); a first sensor (51) that detects an index different from a refrigerant; and a control unit (100) that determines refrigerant leakage in the internal space (S) based on detection results of the refrigerant sensor (50) and the first sensor (51).

Inventors

  • SUZUKI, KAZUHIRO
  • IKEMIYA, MAKOTO

Assignees

  • Daikin Industries, Ltd.

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20240722

Claims (7)

  1. An internal refrigeration apparatus configured to cool an internal space (S) using a refrigerant circuit (R) configured to perform a refrigeration cycle, the internal refrigeration apparatus comprising: a refrigerant sensor (50) configured to detect a refrigerant leaking into the internal space (S); a first sensor (51) configured to detect an index different from a refrigerant; and a control unit (100) configured to determine refrigerant leakage in the internal space (S) based on detection results of the refrigerant sensor (50) and the first sensor (51).
  2. The internal refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first sensor (51) detects a gas component in the internal space (S), and in a case where the refrigerant sensor (50) detects refrigerant leakage and the first sensor (51) detects that a concentration of a gas component in the internal space (S) or a degree of a change in the concentration is out of a predetermined range, the control unit (100) determines refrigerant leakage in the internal space (S).
  3. The internal refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first sensor (51) detects humidity, oxygen, or carbon dioxide in the internal space (S).
  4. The internal refrigeration apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first sensor (51) detects pressure of gas in the internal space (S), and in a case where the refrigerant sensor (50) detects refrigerant leakage and the first sensor (51) detects that pressure of gas in the internal space (S) or a degree of a change in the pressure is out of a predetermined range, the control unit (100) determines refrigerant leakage in the internal space (S).
  5. The internal refrigeration apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising an internal fan (30) configured to circulate air in the internal space (S), wherein the first sensor (51) detects a current value of a motor (30a) configured to drive the internal fan (30), and in a case where the refrigerant sensor (50) detects refrigerant leakage and the first sensor (51) detects that a current value of the motor (30a) or a degree of a change in the current value is out of a predetermined range, the control unit (100) determines refrigerant leakage in the internal space (S).
  6. The internal refrigeration apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first sensor (51) detects pressure or temperature of a refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant circuit (R), and in a case where the refrigerant sensor (50) detects refrigerant leakage and the first sensor (51) detects that an index indicating pressure or temperature of a refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant circuit (R) or a degree of a change in the index is out of a predetermined range, the control unit (100) determines refrigerant leakage in the internal space (S).
  7. A refrigeration storage comprising the internal refrigeration apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to an internal refrigeration apparatus and refrigeration storage. BACKGROUND ART The internal refrigeration apparatus disclosed in Patent Literature 1 includes a refrigerant sensor provided in a container. The refrigerant sensor detects refrigerant gas leaking from a refrigerant circuit into the container. CITATION LIST PATENT LITERATURE Patent Literature 1: JP 2020-101327 A SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION TECHNICAL PROBLEM In a refrigeration storage such as the container in Patent Literature 1, when a miscellaneous gas is generated in the internal space, the refrigerant sensor may erroneously detect the miscellaneous gas as the refrigerant gas. An object of the present disclosure is to provide an internal refrigeration apparatus that suppresses erroneous detection of a refrigerant leaking into the refrigeration storage. SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM A first aspect provides an internal refrigeration apparatus configured to cool an internal space (S) using a refrigerant circuit (R) configured to perform a refrigeration cycle, the internal refrigeration apparatus including: a refrigerant sensor (50) configured to detect a refrigerant leaking into the internal space (S);a first sensor (51) configured to detect an index different from a refrigerant; anda control unit (100) configured to determine refrigerant leakage in the internal space (S) based on detection results of the refrigerant sensor (50) and the first sensor (51). With only the refrigerant sensor (50), for example, there is a risk of erroneously detecting the miscellaneous gas and the refrigerant gas that are generated in the internal space (S). On the other hand, in the first aspect, in addition to the detection result of the refrigerant sensor (50), the detection result of the first sensor (51) is used for the determination of the refrigerant leakage. By determining that the change in the internal environment detected by the first sensor (51) is caused by the refrigerant gas, it is possible to suppress erroneous detection of refrigerant leakage in the internal space (S). In a second aspect according to the first aspect, the first sensor (51) detects a gas component in the internal space (S), andin a case where the refrigerant sensor (50) detects refrigerant leakage and the first sensor (51) detects that a concentration of a gas component in the internal space (S) or a degree of a change in the concentration is out of a predetermined range, the control unit (100) determines refrigerant leakage in the internal space (S). In the second aspect, the first sensor (51) can be used not only for detection of a gas component in the internal space (S) but also for determination of refrigerant leakage. In a third aspect according to the second aspect, the first sensor (51) detects humidity, oxygen, or carbon dioxide in the internal space (S). In the third aspect, a miscellaneous gas such as an ethylene gas is unlikely to be erroneously detected by a type of sensor used for detecting humidity, oxygen, or carbon dioxide. By using such a sensor and the refrigerant sensor (50) for refrigerant leakage determination, reliability of refrigerant leakage determination can be improved. In addition, such a sensor is already installed in the internal space (S), and there is no need to newly provide a sensor. In a fourth aspect according to the first aspect, the first sensor (51) detects pressure of gas in the internal space (S), andin a case where the refrigerant sensor (50) detects refrigerant leakage and the first sensor (51) detects that pressure of gas in the internal space (S) or a degree of a change in the pressure is out of a predetermined range, the control unit (100) determines refrigerant leakage in the internal space (S). In the fourth aspect, when the refrigerant leaks, the pressure of the gas in the internal space (S) increases. The change in the pressure of the gas in the internal space (S) can be used to determine refrigerant leakage. A fifth aspect according to the first aspect, provides the internal refrigeration apparatus further including an internal fan (30) configured to circulate air in the internal space (S),in which the first sensor (51) detects a current value of a motor (30a) configured to drive the internal fan (30), andin a case where the refrigerant sensor (50) detects refrigerant leakage and the first sensor (51) detects that a current value of the motor (30a) or a degree of a change in the current value is out of a predetermined range, the control unit (100) determines refrigerant leakage in the internal space (S). In the fifth aspect, when the refrigerant leaks into the internal space (S), the density of the gas composition in the internal space (S) increases. Therefore, the operation load of the internal fan (30) increases, and the value of the current flowing through the motor (30a) increases. This change in the current value can be used to determine refrigerant leakage. In a sixth aspect according to the