Chiller apparatus

Abstract

A chiller apparatus capable of increasing accuracy of temperature control without large-sizing a chiller, to thereby rapidly accommodate to a large variation in temperature of a load and being decreased in size thereof to increase a degree of freedom in selection of conditions under which the apparatus is installed. The chiller apparatus includes a primary circuit including a chiller and a pump for circulating a refrigerant through the primary circuit, a secondary circuit including a pump for circulating, through the secondary circuit, a refrigerant heat-exchanged with the refrigerant of the primary circuit, a buffer tank arranged at the secondary circuit, a load circuit including a pump for circulating a refrigerant through the load circuit to chill a load, and communication flow passages for connecting the secondary circuit and load circuit to each other therethrough. One of the communication flow passages is provided with a valve for controlling a refrigerant flowing through the communication flow passage. The load is provided with a first temperature detection mechanism for generating a load temperature signal. The valve has a degree of opening adjusted depending on the load temperature signal of the first temperature detection mechanism. The chiller apparatus also includes at least one temperature control mechanism for controlling a temperature of the load.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.