Oil separation structure, heat exchanger and air conditioner

Abstract

The present invention discloses an oil separation structure, a heat exchanger and an air conditioner, comprising: a distribution main pipe with an air inlet, and a plurality of oil separators respectively connected to the distribution main pipe. The present invention arranges a plurality of oil separators, and the plurality of oil separators are connected to the same distribution main pipe through connecting pipes, so that the flow rate of the gaseous refrigerant flowing through the distribution main pipe to each oil separator will not be too high, and can be maintained within a suitable range, thereby improving the oil separation efficiency. The outer cylinder and the inner cylinder of the oil separator form a cyclone centrifugal separation space, further improving the oil separation efficiency. The oil outlet below each cyclone oil separator is connected to the oil collecting main pipe through a connecting pipe, and a U-shaped elbow is arranged between the oil collecting main pipe and the oil outlet pipe. The existence of the U-shaped elbow forms an oil storage tank with a certain liquid level at its front end, and maintains a certain oil level height. The oil outlet discharges oil by gravity, and no gaseous refrigerant flows out of the oil outlet.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of air conditioning, and in particular to an oil separation structure, a heat exchanger and an air conditioner. Background Art

[0002] In the field of commercial air conditioning heat exchange technology, conventional tube-sheet condensers are widely used due to their simple and compact structure and good heat exchange effect. At the same time, in order to ensure the compactness of the structure, the oil separator is built into the condenser.

[0003] The axial length of the oil separator is slightly shorter than the shell length. The high-temperature vapor refrigerant enters the oil separator in the shell cavity from the air inlet. In the built-in oil separator, the oil in the vapor refrigerant is separated by gravity inertia separation due to deflection and deceleration, and collision separation of the vapor-liquid filter. The separated oil is isolated by the perforated liquid baffle plate at the bottom of the oil separator to form an isolation cavity. An oil outlet is set in the isolation cavity, and the oil flows out through the oil outlet. However, the condenser of this structure usually has only one built-in oil separator, and the efficiency of oil separation is too low. Summary of the invention

[0004] In order to solve the technical problem of low efficiency of the oil separator in the prior art, the present invention provides an oil separation structure, a heat exchanger and an air conditioner.

[0005] The technical solution adopted by the present invention is:

[0006] The present invention provides an oil separation structure, comprising: a distribution main pipe with an air inlet, and a plurality of oil separators connected to the distribution main pipe.

[0007] Furthermore, one end of the distribution main pipe is an air inlet, and the other end is closed; a plurality of the oil separators are arranged in a row along the distribution main pipe.

[0008] The oil separator comprises: an outer cylinder, an inner cylinder installed in the outer cylinder, a first connecting pipe connected to the distribution main pipe is provided on the side of the outer cylinder, a cyclone space is formed between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder, an oil outlet is provided at the bottom of the outer cylinder, and an air outlet connected to the cyclone space is provided at the top of the inner cylinder. The inner cylinder is coaxially arranged with the outer cylinder, a circle of annular sealing plate is provided between the inner wall of the outer cylinder and the outer wall of the inner cylinder, and the annular sealing plate is arranged at the top of the outer cylinder.

[0009] The outer cylinder comprises: a cylinder, a cone cylinder connected to the bottom of the cylinder, and a connecting pipe connected to the bottom of the cone cylinder, wherein the bottom outlet of the connecting pipe is an oil outlet.

[0010] Preferably, the distance Δc between the axis of the first connecting pipe and the axis of the outer cylinder is greater than 0.

[0011] Preferably, the inner diameter of the first connecting pipe is smaller than the inner diameter of the distribution main pipe.

[0012] Furthermore, a wire mesh is provided in the inner cylinder.

[0013] Furthermore, a baffle is provided at the bottom of the outer cylinder, and oil holes are provided on the baffle. The oil holes include: a plurality of first oil holes provided at the edge of the baffle, and a plurality of second oil holes provided at the position of the baffle facing the inner cylinder.

[0014] The present invention also includes: an oil collecting main pipe transversely connected to the oil outlet of each oil separation device, and the oil outlet end of the oil collecting main pipe is arched upward by a section of elbow pipe, so that the bottom of the oil separation device and part of the oil collecting main pipe form an oil storage pool.

[0015] Furthermore, the height of the inner wall at the top of the curved pipe is lower than the height of the baffle.

[0016] Furthermore, the height difference between the inner wall at the top of the elbow and the inner wall at the bottom of the transverse portion of the oil collecting main pipe is greater than or equal to twice the inner diameter of the oil collecting main pipe.

[0017] The present invention also provides a heat exchanger, comprising the above-mentioned oil separation structure.

[0018] The present invention also provides an air conditioner, comprising the above-mentioned heat exchanger.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, the present invention arranges a plurality of oil separators, and the plurality of oil separators are connected to the same distribution main pipe through connecting pipes, so that the flow rate of the gaseous refrigerant diverted to each oil separator through the distribution main pipe will not be too high, and can be maintained within a suitable range, thereby improving the oil separation efficiency. The outer cylinder and the inner cylinder of the oil separator form a cyclone centrifugal separation space, further improving the oil separation efficiency. The oil outlet below each cyclone oil separator is connected to the oil collecting main pipe through a connecting pipe, and a U-shaped elbow is arranged between the oil collecting main pipe and the oil outlet pipe. The existence of the U-shaped elbow forms an oil storage pool with a certain liquid level at its front end and maintains a certain oil level height. The oil outlet discharges oil by gravity and no gaseous refrigerant flows out of the oil outlet. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative labor.

[0021] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the oil separation structure in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the oil separation structure in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 4 A top view of the oil separation structure in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the structure of the baffle in an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] In order to make the technical problems, technical solutions and beneficial effects to be solved by the present invention more clearly understood, the present invention is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0027] The principle and structure of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0028] like Figure 1 , 2 As shown, the present invention proposes an oil separation structure, including: a distribution main pipe 2 and a plurality of oil separators 3. The distribution main pipe 2 is installed in the shell 1 of the heat exchanger (tube plate condenser), and a condensing pipe 11 (only one is shown in the figure) is arranged horizontally in the shell 1. Figure 2 As shown, the distribution main pipe 2 is L-shaped, consisting of a vertical part and a horizontal part. The top of the vertical part is an air inlet 21, the right end of the horizontal part is connected to the vertical part, the left end is closed, and the lateral direction of the horizontal part is consistent with the length direction of the heat exchanger. A plurality of oil separators 3 are connected to the horizontal part of the distribution main pipe 2 and arranged in a row along the horizontal part of the distribution main pipe 2. The gaseous refrigerant entering the distribution main pipe 2 is separated from the oil in the gaseous refrigerant by each oil separator 3. By connecting a plurality of oil separators to the same distribution main pipe, it is avoided that the flow rate of the distribution main pipe to the oil separator is too high, and the number of oil separators and the inner diameter of the connecting pipe can be adjusted as needed to prevent the flow rate of the distribution main pipe to the oil separator from being too low, so that the flow rate of the gaseous refrigerant is moderate. Specifically, the inner diameter of the first connecting pipe connecting the oil separator 3 to the distribution main pipe 2 can be designed according to the minimum flow rate under the minimum gas flow rate, so that the flow rate of the gaseous refrigerant entering the oil separator under other working conditions is greater than the minimum value required by the design, thereby improving the oil separation efficiency of the gaseous refrigerant.

[0029] There are many specific structures of the oil separator, and the present invention now proposes one of the structures, which is specifically as follows.

[0030] like Figure 2 , 3As shown, the oil separator 3 includes: an outer cylinder 35 and an inner cylinder 33. The side of the outer cylinder 35 is provided with a first connecting pipe 22, and the first connecting pipe 22 connects the space in the outer cylinder 34 with the distribution main pipe 2. The inner cylinder 33 is arranged in the outer cylinder 35, and the interval between the inner cylinder 33 and the outer cylinder 35 forms an annular cyclone space. After the high-temperature gaseous refrigerant is blown into from the side of the outer cylinder 35 through the first connecting pipe 22, it rotates along the cyclone space to make a spiral flow, so that the oil is thrown on the inner wall of the outer cylinder 35 or the outer wall of the inner cylinder 33. The bottom of the outer cylinder 35 is provided with an oil outlet, and the top and bottom of the inner cylinder 33 are connected to the cyclone space. After the high-temperature gaseous refrigerant passes through the cyclone space to separate the oil, it enters from the bottom of the inner cylinder 33 and then flows out from the air outlet 31 at the top of the inner cylinder 33.

[0031] In order to facilitate installation and ensure the uniformity of the cyclone space, the outer cylinder 35 and the inner cylinder 33 are coaxially arranged, and a circle of annular sealing plate 32 is arranged between the outer cylinder 35 and the outer wall of the inner cylinder 33. The annular sealing plate 32 is located at the top of the outer cylinder 35. The inner cylinder 33 is fixed to the outer cylinder 35 through the annular sealing plate 32, and the top of the outer cylinder 35 is closed at the same time, and the air can only be discharged from the top of the inner cylinder 33, ensuring that the top of the cyclone space is closed. In order to further improve the oil filtering effect, a wire mesh 35 is also arranged in the inner cylinder 33 to further separate the oil.

[0032] The outer cylinder 35 specifically includes: a cylinder, a conical cylinder and a second connecting pipe 37. The conical cylinder is connected below the cylinder, and the second connecting pipe 47 is vertically connected below the conical cylinder, so that the bottom of the outer cylinder is funnel-shaped, and the outer diameter gradually decreases to prevent the oil from leaking too quickly and reduce the volume of the oil storage tank.

[0033] like Figure 4 As shown, the centrifugal force of the oil separator 3 during cyclone is related to the distance between the axis of the first connecting pipe 22 and the axis of the outer cylinder 35, and the axis of the first connecting pipe 22 is perpendicular to the axis of the outer cylinder 35, and the distance △c>0. The larger the value of △c, the stronger the centrifugal force and the better the oil separation effect. Optimally, when part of the tube wall of the first connecting pipe is tangent to the outer wall of the outer cylinder, the value of △c is the largest. At the same time, in order to form a certain pressure, the inner diameter of the first connecting pipe is smaller than the inner diameter of the distribution main pipe, forming air pressure and improving the cyclone effect.

[0034] In order to prevent the high-temperature liquid refrigerant from flowing out directly from the second connecting pipe 37, the oil separation structure of the present invention further includes an oil collecting main pipe 4, the horizontal part of which is arranged below the oil separator 3, connected to the second connecting pipe 37 of each oil separator 3, so that the oil separated by the oil separator 3 is gathered in the oil collecting main pipe 4. The oil outlet end of the oil collecting main pipe 4 arches upward a U-shaped elbow 41, the inner wall of the top of the elbow 41 is located at the height of the cone, so that the part from the cone at the bottom of the oil separation device to the oil collecting main pipe 4 forms an oil storage pool 44, and the separated oil is first gathered in the oil storage pool. When the height of the oil level is higher than the height of the inner wall of the top of the elbow 41 (i.e., higher than △H>0 in the figure), the higher part of the oil can flow out from the oil outlet 42, thereby always forming an oil seal with a certain oil level height to prevent the high-temperature gaseous refrigerant from flowing out of the oil collecting pipeline.

[0035] Specifically, Figure 3 As shown, the installation height H of the elbow 41 (the height difference between the inner wall at the top of the elbow and the inner wall at the bottom of the transverse portion of the oil collecting main pipe) is not less than 2 times the inner diameter of the oil collecting main pipe, further ensuring the liquid level height of the oil storage tank.

[0036] In order to make the cyclone space complete and reliable and increase the contact surface of the cyclone space, and to prevent the oil in the oil reservoir 44 from being disturbed by the gaseous refrigerant and re-entrained, a baffle 46 is provided at the bottom of the outer cylinder 35. The baffle 46 is installed at the connection between the cylinder and the cone to separate the cylinder and the cone, and the height of the inner wall of the top of the elbow 41 is lower than the height of the baffle 46, so that the height of the oil reservoir 44 is lower than the height of the baffle 46, and the baffle 46 is provided with an oil hole, through which the oil can fall into the oil reservoir 44. In the process of oil separation, the disturbed gaseous refrigerant is separated by the baffle 46 and will not directly contact the oil in the oil reservoir 44, preventing the oil stored in the oil reservoir from being re-mixed into the gaseous refrigerant due to the disturbance of the gaseous refrigerant, resulting in reduced separation efficiency.

[0037] like Figure 5 As shown, the edge of the baffle 46 connected to the cylinder is provided with a circle of first oil holes 361, which are in an arc shape, and the first oil holes 361 can also be square grooves, V-shaped grooves or other shapes that can pass oil, etc., which are provided on the edge of the baffle 46. A plurality of second oil holes 362 are provided in the middle of the bottom of the inner cylinder, which are in a circular hole shape, or in a square, oval or other shapes that can pass oil, so that the oil on the inner wall of the outer cylinder 35, and the oil on the inner wall of the inner cylinder 33 and the wire mesh can flow back to the oil storage tank 44 through the oil holes.

[0038] The present invention also provides a heat exchanger including the above oil separation structure, and the heat exchanger is specifically a condenser. The axial length of the oil separator is slightly shorter than the length of the shell of the condenser, and the space in the shell is fully utilized to install the oil separation structure.

[0039] The present invention also provides an air conditioner, comprising the above-mentioned heat exchanger.

[0040] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An oil separation structure, characterized in that: The oil separation structure is installed in the shell of the heat exchanger, and comprises: a distribution main pipe with an air inlet, and a plurality of oil separators connected to the distribution main pipe; The top of the vertical part of the distribution main pipe passes through the shell to form an air inlet, and the extension direction of the horizontal part is consistent with the length direction of the heat exchanger; a plurality of oil separators are connected to the horizontal part of the distribution main pipe and arranged in a row along the horizontal part of the distribution main pipe, so that the gaseous refrigerant entering the distribution main pipe is separated from the oil in the gaseous refrigerant through each oil separator; Each oil separator is provided with an air outlet at the top and an oil outlet at the bottom, and the oil separation structure also includes an oil collecting main pipe which is transversely connected to the oil outlets of each oil separator.

2. The oil separation structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The other end of the distribution main pipe is closed.

3. The oil separation structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The oil separator includes: an outer cylinder, an inner cylinder installed in the outer cylinder, a first connecting pipe connected to the distribution main pipe is provided on the side of the outer cylinder, a cyclone space is formed between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder, an oil outlet is provided at the bottom of the outer cylinder, and an air outlet connected to the cyclone space is provided at the top of the inner cylinder.

4. The oil separation structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The inner cylinder is coaxially arranged with the outer cylinder, an annular sealing plate is arranged between the inner wall of the outer cylinder and the outer wall of the inner cylinder, and the annular sealing plate is arranged on the top of the outer cylinder.

5. The oil separation structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The outer cylinder comprises: a cylinder, a cone cylinder connected to the bottom of the cylinder, and a second connecting pipe connected to the bottom of the cone cylinder, wherein the bottom outlet of the second connecting pipe is an oil outlet.

6. The oil separation structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The distance Δc between the axis of the first connecting pipe and the axis of the outer cylinder is greater than 0.

7. The oil separation structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The inner diameter of the first connecting pipe is smaller than the inner diameter of the distribution main pipe.

8. The oil separation structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: A wire mesh is arranged in the inner cylinder.

9. The oil separation structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: A baffle is provided at the bottom of the outer cylinder, and an oil hole is provided on the baffle.

10. The oil separation structure according to claim 9, characterized in that: The oil holes include: a plurality of first oil holes arranged at the edge of the baffle plate, and a plurality of second oil holes arranged at a position of the baffle plate facing the inner cylinder.

11. The oil separation structure according to claim 9, characterized in that: The oil outlet end of the oil collecting main pipe is arched upward by a section of elbow pipe, so that the bottom of the oil separator and part of the oil collecting main pipe form an oil storage pool.

12. The oil separation structure according to claim 11, characterized in that: The height of the inner wall at the top of the curved pipe is lower than the height of the baffle.

13. The oil separation structure according to claim 11, characterized in that: The height difference between the inner wall of the top of the elbow and the bottom inner wall of the transverse portion of the oil collecting main pipe is greater than or equal to twice the inner diameter of the oil collecting main pipe.

14. A heat exchanger, characterized in that: The oil separation structure comprises the oil separation structure according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

15. An air conditioner, characterized in that: Comprising the heat exchanger of claim 14.

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