WO2013076363A1

WO2013076363A1 - Method and arrangement particularly for manufacturing, service and maintenance of a cooling machine unit

Info

Publication number: WO2013076363A1
Application number: PCT/FI2012/051122
Authority: WO
Inventors: Arto Verronen; Jorma TERÄVÄ
Original assignee: Adwatec Oy
Priority date: 2011-11-22
Filing date: 2012-11-15
Publication date: 2013-05-30

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and arrangement particularly for manufacturing, service and main- tenance of a cooling machine unit, which cooling machine unit is meant to be placed in connection with a heat generating machine, device, apparatus or like particularly in order to cool the same by transferring heat being formed thereby by means of a heat exchange arrangement (LV) into a cooling medium circulating in an essentially closed cooling circuit, whereby the cooling machine unit comprises a cooling medium pipework (1) along with its actuators, such as detectors, valves and/or like, and a pump unit (2), which consists of at least one pump (2a) that circulates the cooling medium, an expansion container (2b) and a piping (2c) in connection with the above along with its actuators, such as control (2d) and actuator valve arrangements, detectors and/or like. Particularly in order to further manufacturing, service and maintenance measures of a cooling machine unit, the pump unit (2) is being coupled with the rest of the cooling machine unit with a view to flow technic by means of a coupling arrangement (X) carried out on block principle, which arrangement comprises a first block structure (X1), being arranged in a fixed support structure (TR) of the cooling machine unit together with the cooling medium pipework (1) and the actuators belonging thereto, and on the other hand a second block structure (X2), being arranged in an integral manner with an auxiliary frame (AR) of the pump unit (2), the frame being removable from the support structure (TR) as a single entirety.

Description

METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT PARTICULARLY FOR

MANUFACTURING, SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE OF A

COOLING MACHINE UNIT

The invention relates to a method and arrangement par- ticularly for manufacturing, service and maintenance of a cooling machine unit according to the preambles of the independent claims.

A pump unit or pump module of a cooling machine unit based on a closed cooling circuit typically comprises a pump, valves, an expansion container and a piping including all the necessary detectors. The purpose of the cooling machine unit is to circle a cooling medium, such as e.g. a suitable coolant, in a closed circuit between the machine generating heat and the heat exchange arrangement that forwards the heat transferred from the heat generating machine. Furthermore, in some circumstances, the above described cooling machine unit needs to be placed e.g. in an assembly locker as nar- row in width as possible that is in immediate connection with e.g. an electrical machine to be cooled. At present, in order to ease the assembly and maintenance, the cooling machine unit is usually coupled to the electrical machine and the heat exchange arrangement with flexible pipework. In this type of placement of the apparatuses, service and maintenance of the cooling machine unit is, however, usually very difficult due to the lack of space, so opening and re-connecting of the pipework and the electrical connections set a minimum standard of width for the assembly locker.

It is an aim of the method and arrangement for manufacturing, service and maintenance of a cooling machine unit according to the present invention to achieve a decisive improvement in the problems described above and thus to raise essentially the level of prior art. In order to carry out this aim, the method and arrangement according to the invention are mainly character!- zed by what is presented in the characterizing parts of the independent claims related thereto.

As the most important advantages of the method and arrangement according to the invention are the simplicity of constructions related to their application and especially the procedures related to manufacturing, service and maintenance of the same, as the invention enables use of significantly narrower assembly lockers and spaces and easier assembly procedures for the cooling machine units. Thus, the invention also enhances work safety and working ergonomics, for it enables avoiding difficult working positions and narrow assembly circumstances. Therefore, the quality of the assem- bly procedures is also enhanced due to the fact that e.g. leaking connections in the cooling machine unit may be more easily avoided.

According to the invention, the flow connections con- necting the pump unit with the other equipment of the cooling machine unit with a view to flow technic are therefore combined to the second block structure situated in the same auxiliary frame with the pump unit. In its part, in the installed cooling machine unit, under the above mentioned block structure, is a first block structure equipped with corresponding flow connections and that is mounted immovably to the cooling machine unit's support structure. Furthermore, when the cooling machine unit is in use, the block structures are advan- tageously coupled immovably to each other e.g. with bolt joints. Furthermore, the joint surface between the block structures is advantageously equipped with tightening means, by means of which the mutual flow openings of the block structures form unleakable coo- ling medium channels. As a further advantageous embodiment, the flow connections in the cooling machine unit, connected to the electrical machine to be cooled and to the heat exchange arrangement, are made in the fixed block structure situated underneath. Furthermore, as an advantageous embodiment, all the active actuators and equipment of the cooling machine unit that need service and maintenance, are situated in the so called moving or second block structure, which enables optimal implementation of service procedures so that also the so called passive apparatuses and equipment of the cooling machine unit that more rarely need repairment may also, when needed, be serviced easily e.g. in the cooling machine unit's assembly locker when the pump unit is detached from the cooling machine unit. Thanks to the invention, the cooling machine unit's flow connections e.g. with the electrical machine to be cooled and with the heat exchange arrangement may be done ready and tested before the pump unit is installed and has made the space tight. The invention also enables e.g. changing the pump unit to another type of a pump unit having different qualities, but the same type of coupling means e.g. with glide rails etc.

Other advantageous embodiments of the method and arrangement according to the invention have been presented in the dependent claims related thereto .

In the following description, the invention is illus trated in detail with reference to the appended dra wings, in which figure 1 presents as a perspective view a cooling machine unit to be placed in an assembly locker enabled by the invention in its operating situation, figure 2 presents as a perspective view a cooling machine unit according to figure 1, its pump unit being pulled out of the assembly locker e.g. for service and maintenance of the cooling machine unit, in figure 3 is shown a side view of a service and maintenance situation taking place after figure 2, in figure 4 is shown a general assembly principle of an advantageous coupling ar- rangement implemented in the invention, in figure 5 is shown as a view from underneath the pump, at the point of the pump unit's auxiliary frame's support point to the cooling machine unit's support structure, an advantageous structural detail related to the coupling to each other and detaching from each other of the block structures of the coupling arrangement, in figure 6 is shown as a perspective view an application of the invention in a cooling machine unit with multiple pump units.

The invention firstly relates to the method particularly for manufacturing, service and maintenance of a cooling machine unit, which cooling machine unit is meant to be placed in connection with a heat generating machine, device, apparatus or like particularly in order to cool the same by transferring heat being formed thereby by means of a heat exchange arrangement LV into a cooling medium circulating in an essentially closed cooling circuit. The cooling machine unit comprises a cooling medium pipework 1 along with its actuators, such as detectors, valves and/or like, and a pump unit 2, which consists of at least one pump 2a that circulates the cooling medium, an expansion container 2b and a piping 2c in connection with the above along with its actuators, such as control 2d and actu- ator valve arrangements, detectors and/or like. Particularly in order to further manufacturing, service and maintenance measures of a cooling machine unit, the pump unit 2 is being coupled with the rest of the cooling machine unit with a view to flow technic e.g. according to the figures 1-4 by means of a coupling arrangement X carried out on block principle, which arrangement comprises a first block structure XI, being arranged in a fixed support structure TR of the cooling machine unit together with the cooling medium pipework 1 and the actuators belonging thereto, and on the other hand a second block structure X2, being arranged in an integral manner with an auxiliary frame AR of the pump unit 2 , the frame being removable from the support structure TR as a single entirety.

As an advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention in the coupling of the cooling machine unit with a view to flow technic for its operating situation, the second block structure X; X2 of the coupling arrangement in the auxiliary frame AR is being brought in connection with the first block structure X; XI of the coupling arrangement in the support structure TR, whereafter the block structures are being locked with each other immovably by means of locking means Y, such as by quick-release fasteners, a screw joint and/or correspondingly, and whereby the same are correspondingly being separated from each other for service and maintenance measures by operating vice versa. Furthermore, as an advantageous embodiment of the method the mutual coupling of the first and second block structures X; XI, X2 of the coupling arrangement with a view to flow technic is arranged by mutual joint surfaces 2 in the parts in question, the joint surfaces being preferably essentially planar and equipped with tightening means, and the joint surfaces being provided with flow openings lb coupled with flow ways of the cooling medium pipework 1. In this case the said block structures XI, X2 are being coupled with each other or separated from each other by moving Z the second block structure X2 with respect to the first block structure XI in a perpendicular direction with respect to the mutual joint surfaces L of the block structures e.g. according to the principles shown in figures 4 and 5.

As a further advantageous embodiment particularly with reference to figures 2 and 3 putting together and dis- mounting of the cooling machine unit particularly during service and maintenance measures are being furthered by exploiting guide/support arrangements 3 provided with the cooling machine unit, such as guide and/or glide rails 3a, 3b between the support structure TR and the auxiliary frame AR, foot 3c or wheel arrangements supported on the ground and/or the like.

Furthermore, as an advantageous embodiment a part of a control valve arrangement 2d of the pump unit 2 for adjusting flow of the cooling medium in the closed cooling circuit is provided with the second block structure X2 operating as a valve, whereby the said part is being separated from the rest of the cooling machine unit together with the pump unit 2 particularly during service and maintenance measures. This type of implementation is advantageous thanks to the fact that it enables the apparatuses of the cooling machine unit in need of basic service and maintenance procedures to be removed as one entirety and moved to a more spacious assembly space for carrying out the work. At this time, on the other hand, e.g. all the other so called passive apparatuses of the cooling machine unit that remain in the assembly locker AK may also be easily serviced when needed, since removing of the pump unit gives more space.

On the other hand, the invention relates to an arrange- ment for service and maintenance of a cooling machine unit described above, when according to figures 1-3 the cooling machine unit being placed in an assembly locker AK that is e.g. thoroughly closable and equipped with lift hooks NL, comprises particularly with a view to manufacturing, service and maintenance measures of a cooling machine unit a coupling arrangement X carried out on block principle in order to couple the same with a view to flow technic with the rest of the cooling machine unit, which coupling arrangement comprises e.g. according to the principle shown in figures 1-5 a first block structure XI, being arranged in a fixed support structure TR of the cooling machine unit together with the cooling medium pipework 1 and the actuators belonging thereto, and on the other hand a second block structure X2, being arranged in an integral manner with an auxiliary frame AR of the pump unit 2, the frame being removable from the support structure TR as a single entirety. As an advantageous embodiment of the arrangement according to the invention particularly with reference to the advantageous embodiment shown in figure 4, the mutual coupling of the first and second block structures X; XI, X2 of the coupling arrangement with a view to flow technic is arranged by mutual joint surfaces 2 in the parts in question, the joint surfaces being preferably essentially planar and equipped with tightening means, and the joint surfaces being provided with flow openings lb coupled with flow ways of the cooling medium pipework 1, in order to couple the said block structures Xl, X2 with each other or to separate the same from each other by moving Z the second block structure X2 with respect to the first block structure XI in a perpendicular direction with respect to the mutual joint surfaces L of the block structures.

E.g. in the implementation shown in figure 4, it is possible in the sealing grooves that circle the flow openings lb, lb' in the first block structure's XI joint surface L to use advantageously e.g. O-ring seals that protrude from the plane of the joint surface. In that case the ring seals remain within sight as the block structures are detached from another and the need to service the seals can instantly be seen. The above mentioned sealing means are, however, not shown in detail in figure 4.

In figure 5 is shown as an example a detail of the coupling to each other and detaching from each other of the block structures XI, X2 of the coupling arrangement from each other as a view from underneath the pump 2a, at the point of the pump unit's auxiliary frame's AR support point to the cooling machine unit's support structure TR. In this construction, the auxiliary frame AR of the pump unit may be lifted upwards with respect to the cooling machine unit's fixed support structure TR by manually tightening the nuts in the end of the lifting plugs NT, which then lift the pump unit 2, that is still leaning on the support structure, upwards along with the auxiliary frame AR. At this time, the block structures may be detached particularly with reference to the tightening means, after which the pump unit 2 may be taken out of the assembly locker A .

Furthermore, as an advantageous embodiment the cooling machine unit comprises guide/support arrangements 3, such as guide and/or glide rails 3a, 3b between the support structure TR and the auxiliary frame AR, foot 3c or wheel arrangements supported on the ground and/or the like particularly in order to further putting together and dismounting of the cooling machine unit e.g. during its service and maintenance measures . Particularly with reference to the appended drawings 2, 3 and 5, guide rails 3a are advantageously attached to the sides of the cooling machine unit's assembly locker AK and glide shoes 3b are respectively attached to the sides of the auxiliary frame AR of the pump unit, by means of which the auxiliary frame AR may be moved out of the assembly locker AK in a horizontal direction with respect to the support structure TR.

With the above mentioned guide/support arrangements 3, the auxiliary frame AR comprising the pump unit 2 may therefore first of all be removed from the first block structure XI and secondly pulled further thereafter in a horizontal direction out of the assembly locker e.g. to a position shown in figure 2, from where the pump unit may still, according to figure 3, be taken e.g. as one entirety to a machinery workshop or be changed to another pump unit.

Particularly with reference to the advantageous embodiment shown in figure 4, a part of a control valve arrangement 2d of the pump unit 2 for adjusting flow of the cooling medium in the closed cooling circuit is provided with the second block structure X2 operating as a valve, in order to enable separating thereof from the rest of the cooling machine unit together with the pump unit 2 particularly e.g. during service and maintenance measures .

As an alternative implementation of the above, the cooling machine unit may also be carried out so that a part of the pump unit's 2 control valve arrangement 2d for controlling the flow in the closed cooling circuit is arranged in the valve-like functioning first block structure XI in order to leave the same in connection with the cooling machine unit's fixed support structure TR, when the pump unit 2 is being separated from the other parts of the cooling machine unit during service and maintenance operations, whereby after the pump unit has been taken out, it may also be serviced when needed. The advantage in this context is that only two flow connections lb remain in the block structures' joint surfaces L, because the flow connection lb' connected to the control valve arrangement 2d, as is the case in the implementation shown in figure 4, is not needed.

The pump unit 2 or module of the cooling machine unit according to the invention is disassembled e.g. from an assembly locker AK according to figures 1-3 in a simple manner with following procedures:

- by closing the closing valve of- the cooling machine unit's external connections and expansion container 2b,

- by letting the cooling medium out of the pump unit 2 in a controlled manner through the emptying valve TV at the bottom of the fixed or in other words the first block structure XI,

- by disassembling the bolt connection Y between the block structures XI, X2 and assembling the foot structure 3c into a supporting posture,

- by detaching the block structures XI, X2 from each other by lifting the pump unit's 2 auxiliary frame AR that is supported by the support structure's guide rails 3a upwards Z, and

- by pulling the pump unit 2 out of the assembly locker with help of the glide shoes 3b gliding on the guide rails 3a.

When the joint surfaces L between the block structures are advantageously level, great docking precision is not needed of the coupling between the block structures. In this context, it is furthermore possible to arrange the coupling parts between the block structures e.g. to be of a different size with respect to each another, which in it's part further decreases docking precision.

It is clear that the invention is not limited to the embodiments shown or described above, but it can, within the basic idea of the invention, be also drastically modified to suit any given use first of all, differing from what is shown in the appended drawings, by exploiting e.g. block structures with vertical joint surfaces in the coupling arrangement. On the other hand, the couplings in connection with the fixed block structure may be advantageously equipped with e.g. manually closable valves, but they may also be executed on a so called back pressure valve principle so that they close automatically, when the movable block structure gets detached therefrom. Correspondingly, the heat exchange arrangement connected to the cooling machine unit may be placed in the same assembly locker as the cooling machine unit (as is shown in figures 1-3) or it may be placed externally, which naturally applies to the electrical engineering of the cooling machine unit as well. Therefore, an electric power input and/or a control unit (marked with a reference sign SK in figures 1-3) , which are also being placed in the same assembly locker as the cooling machine unit and arranged advantageously e.g. on the principle shown in figure 3 to open out of the assembly locker, may be coupled to the assembly locker with e.g. one multipolar fast coupling. Furthermore, the appliances that is e.g. the glide rails or shoes and/or support feet, wheels etc. easing the handling of the cooling unit may be removable, so that they may be stored e.g. on the bottom of the assembly locker, or they may be contractable . The invention also enables multiple pump units in the coo- ling machine unit, as is shown e.g. in figure 6, in addition to which coupling of the same may be executed with joint or separate block structures etc.

Claims

Claims :

1. Method particularly for manufacturing, service and maintenance of a cooling machine unit, which cooling machine unit is meant to be placed in connection with a heat generating machine, device, apparatus or like particularly in order to cool the same by transferring heat being formed thereby by means of a heat exchange arrangement (LV) into a cooling medium circulating in an essentially closed cooling circuit, whereby the cooling machine unit comprises a cooling medium pipework (1) along with its actuators, such as detectors, valves and/or like, and a pump unit (2) , which consists of at least one pump (2a) that circulates the cooling medium, an expansion container (2b) and a piping (2c) in connection with the above along with its actuators, such as control (2d) and actuator valve arrangements, detectors and/or like, characterized in that, particularly in order to further manufacturing, service and maintenance measures of a cooling machine unit, the pump unit (2) is being coupled with the rest of the cooling machine unit with a view to flow technic by means of a coupling arrangement (X) carried out on block principle, which arrangement comprises a first block structure (XI) , being arranged in a fixed support structure (TR) of the cooling machine unit together with the cooling medium pipework (1) and the actuators belonging thereto, and on the other hand a second block structure (X2), being arranged in an integral manner with an auxiliary frame (AR) of the pump unit (2), the frame being removable from the support structure (TR) as a single entirety.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the coupling of the cooling machine unit with a view to flow technic for its operating situation, the second block structure (X; X2) of the coupling arrangement in the auxiliary frame (AR) is being brought in connection with the first block structure (X; XI) of the coupling arrangement in the support structure (TR) , whereafter the block structures are being locked with each other immovably by means of locking means (Y) , such as by quick-release fasteners, a screw joint and/or correspondingly, and whereby the same are correspondingly being separated from each other for service and maintenance measures by operating vice versa.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, the mutual coupling of the first and second block structures (X; XI, X2) of the coupling arrangement with a view to flow technic is arranged by mutual joint surfaces (2) in the parts in question, the joint surfaces being preferably essentially planar and equipped with tightening means, and the joint surfaces being provided with flow openings (lb) coupled with flow ways of the cooling medium pipework (1) , whereby the said block structures (XI, X2) are being coupled with each other or separated from each other by moving (Z) the second block structure (X2) with respect to the first block structure (XI) in a perpendicular direction with respect to the mutual joint surfaces (L) of the block structures .

4. Method according to any of the preceding claims 1-3, characterized in that, putting together and dismounting of the cooling machine unit particularly during service and maintenance measures are being furthered by exploiting guide/support arrangements (3) provided with the cooling machine unit, such as guide and/or glide rails (3a, 3b) between the support structure (TR) and the auxiliary frame (AR) , foot (3c) or wheel arrangements supported on the ground and/or the like.

5. Method according to any of the preceding claims 1-4, characterized in that, a part of a control valve arrangement (2d) of the pump unit (2) for adjusting flow of the cooling medium in the closed cooling circuit is provided with the second block structure (X2) operating as a valve, whereby the said part is being separated from the rest of the cooling machine unit together with the pump unit (2) particularly during service and maintenance measures.

6. Arrangement particularly for manufacturing, service and maintenance of a cooling machine unit, which cooling machine unit is meant to be placed in connection with a heat generating machine, device, apparatus or like particularly in order to cool the same by transferring heat being formed thereby by means of a heat exchange arrangement (LV) into a cooling medium circulating in an essentially closed cooling circuit, whereby the cooling machine unit comprises a cooling medium pipework (1) along with its actuators, such as detectors, valves and/or like, and a pump unit (2), which consists of at least one pump (2a) that circulates the cooling medium, an expansion container (2b) and a piping (2c) in connection with the above along with its actuators, such as control (2d) and actuator valve arrangements, detectors and/or like, characterized in that, the pump unit (2) comprises particularly with a view to manufacturing, service and maintenance measures of a cooling machine unit a coupling arrangement (X) carried out on block principle in order to couple the same with a view to flow technic with the rest of the cooling machine unit, which coupling arrangement comprises a first block structure (XI), being arranged in a fixed support structure (TR) of the cooling machine unit together with the cooling medium pipework (1) and the actuators belonging there- to, and on the other hand a second block structure

(X2), being arranged in an integral manner with an auxiliary frame (AR) of the pump unit (2), the frame being removable from the support structure (TR) as a single entirety.

7. Arrangement according to claim 6, characteri- zed in that, the mutual coupling of the first and second block structures (X; XI, X2) of the coupling arrangement with a view to flow technic is arranged by mutual joint surfaces (2) in the parts in question, the joint surfaces being preferably essentially planar and equipped with tightening means, and the joint surfaces being provided with flow openings (lb) coupled with flow ways of the cooling medium pipework (1) , in order to couple the said block structures (XI, X2) with each other or to separate the same from each other by moving (Z) the second block structure (X2) with respect to the first block structure (XI) in a perpendicular direction with respect to the mutual joint surfaces (L) of the block structures.

8. Arrangement according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that, the cooling machine unit comprises guide/support arrangements (3), such as guide and/or glide rails (3a, 3b) between the support structure (TR) and the auxiliary frame (AR) , foot (3c) or wheel arrangements supported on the ground and/or the like particularly in order to further putting together and dismounting of the cooling machine unit during its service and maintenance measures .

9. Arrangement according to any of the preceding claims 6-8, characterized in that, a part of a control valve arrangement (2d) of the pump unit (2) for adjusting flow of the cooling medium in the closed cooling circuit is provided with the second block structure (X2) operating as a valve, in order to enable separating thereof from the rest of the cooling machine unit together with the pump unit (2) particularly during service and maintenance measures.

10. Arrangement according to any of the preceding claims 6-8, characterized in that, a part of a control valve arrangement (2d) of the pump unit (2) for adjusting flow of the cooling medium in the closed cooling circuit is provided with the first block structure (XI) operating as a valve, in order to leave the same in connection with the fixed support structure (TR) of the cooling machine unit, when the pump unit (2) is being separated from the rest of the cooling machine unit particularly during service and maintenance measures.