●Accumulator
A tank installed in a refrigeration circuit on the inlet side of the compressor. A compressor is a component designed to compress gas, so a malfunction will occur if any liquid coolant enters the compressor. Installing an accumulator has the function of separating out the coolant gas that is sucked into the compressor and any remaining refrigerant, and of preventing the liquid refrigerant from being sucked into the compressor. The inclusion of an accumulator creates a system that is highly resistant to variability in factors such as the cooling load.
●Adjustment sensitivity (Hysteresis)
When the PV is extremely close to the SV in ON/OFF control, there may be “chattering” where the temperature control output repeatedly turns ON/OFF with small temperature variations, and this may have an adverse impact on output relays and connected equipment. To prevent this, spacing is provided between ON and OFF operation to stabilize control. This operation spacing is called adjustment sensitivity (hysteresis).
For example, if the cooling output ON point (SV) is set to 20.0°C and hysteresis is set to 1.0°C, then cooling output will go OFF when temperature drops to 19.0°C, and go ON when temperature rises to 20.0°C.
●Air-cooled condenser
Air-cooled condensers are generally made up of copper tubes through which the refrigerant flows, with numerous thin aluminum fins attached around the outside of the tubes.
Outside air is forced over the fins by a device, such as a fan motor, to cool the pipes to the ambient temperature and condense the refrigerant gas.
If an air-cooled condenser is installed inside a building, it can be used to heat the interior of the building since the heat generated by the refrigeration circuit is released as waste heat from the outside of the condenser. The room in which an air-cooled condenser is installed must have adequate ventilation or air-conditioning equipment.
●Analog communication
A method of communicating with external devices using voltage output such as 0 to 10 V. This enables output of PV (measured temperature etc.) and reception of values like SV (set temperature).
●ARW width (Anti-Reset Windup width)
Range of integral operation used for PID control. This value is used to designate the range for calculating the integral term, to suppress buildup of the integral component.
●Auto-tuning
In PID control, P, I, D and each parameter must be optimally set for the balance of the heat capacity of all parts where the circulation loop is connected. Auto-tuning refers to a function for automatically determining the setting of those parameters. SMC’s temperature control equipment is shipped with PID parameters set at factory shipment to the greatest common factor for the various use conditions. However, if those parameter settings are likely to be unsuitable for the actual operating environment, some models provide a function which can automatically set parameters by using auto-tuning.
