Flow divider and air conditioner

Abstract

The application discloses a flow divider and an air conditioner. The flow divider comprises a flow divider body, the flow divider body is provided with an inlet and a plurality of outlets which are oppositely arranged along a first direction, the flow divider comprises a flow channel which is communicated with the inlet and the plurality of outlets, the flow channel is spirally arranged along the first direction from the inlet, and the flow channel spirally surrounds along the first direction from the inlet, so that the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant makes high-speed centrifugal movement after entering the flow channel through the inlet, and is fully mixed. The structure is not restricted by the refrigerant flow, can make the refrigerant quickly centrifugal and export, and makes the refrigerant discharged from the plurality of outlets have the same flow rate and flow.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of air conditioning equipment technology, and particularly to a splitter and an air conditioner. Background Technology

[0002] In existing air conditioners, in order to divide the refrigerant into multiple branches and solve the problem of uniform refrigerant flow distribution, a flow divider is installed in the pipeline. One type of existing flow divider generally uses rotating blades to centrifugally mix and then divide the refrigerant. Under low flow conditions, the refrigerant flow velocity of the existing flow divider is low, which cannot achieve effective centrifugal motion, thus hindering the full mixing effect of the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant and the distribution of refrigerant. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The main objective of this invention is to propose a flow divider and air conditioner that aims to solve the problem of low flow rate in current separators, which is not conducive to the full mixing effect and refrigerant distribution of gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention proposes a flow divider, comprising a flow divider body having an inlet and a plurality of outlets disposed opposite to each other along a first direction. The flow divider includes a flow divider channel connecting the inlet and the plurality of outlets, the flow divider channel being spirally arranged around the inlet along the first direction.

[0005] Optionally, the plurality of liquid outlets extend along the tangential direction of the helix of the diversion channel.

[0006] Optionally, the diversion channel is provided in multiple ways, with one end of each diversion channel connected to the liquid inlet and the other end connected to each of the liquid outlets.

[0007] Optionally, the plurality of liquid outlets extend along the spiral direction of the plurality of diversion channels.

[0008] Optionally, the splitter further includes:

[0009] An inlet pipe is connected to the inlet of the diversion body; and / or,

[0010] An end cap is provided on one end of the diversion body where the liquid outlet is located, and the end cap is provided with multiple outlets corresponding to the multiple liquid outlets.

[0011] Optionally, the diversion body includes a spiral tube, which forms the diversion channel.

[0012] Optionally, the diversion body includes:

[0013] The diversion housing has an internally formed receiving cavity extending through a first direction; and

[0014] The flow divider is disposed within the flow divider housing;

[0015] The inner side of the flow divider housing and / or the outer side of the flow divider are provided with spiral grooves, which are spirally arranged along a first direction. The flow divider housing, the flow divider, and the spiral grooves together enclose the flow divider channel.

[0016] Optionally, the flow divider housing and the flow divider are arranged in a tapering manner from one end to the other.

[0017] Optionally, the diverter further includes multiple liquid guide tubes, the ends of which are inserted into multiple liquid outlets and connected to the multiple liquid outlets.

[0018] Optionally, multiple diversion channels are provided;

[0019] The plurality of liquid outlets extend along the spiral direction of the plurality of diversion channels;

[0020] The plurality of liquid guide tubes extend in a spiral direction along the plurality of diversion channels.

[0021] The present invention also proposes an air conditioner including a flow divider, the flow divider including a flow divider body having an inlet and a plurality of outlets disposed opposite to each other along a first direction, the flow divider including a flow divider channel connecting the inlet and the plurality of outlets, the flow divider channel being spirally arranged around the inlet along the first direction.

[0022] In the technical solution of the present invention, the diversion channel spirals around the liquid inlet along the first direction, so that the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant undergoes high-speed centrifugal motion after entering the diversion channel through the liquid inlet, thereby fully mixing. This structure is not restricted by the refrigerant flow rate and enables the refrigerant to be centrifuged and discharged quickly, so that the refrigerant separated from the multiple liquid outlets has the same refrigerant flow rate and refrigerant flow rate. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0024] Figure 1 An exploded perspective view of an embodiment of the shunt provided by the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 for Figure 1 3D exploded view of the middle splitter;

[0026] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Top view of the center splitter;

[0027] Figure 4 for Figure 1 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of the fit between the middle split shell and the splitter fluid;

[0028] Figure 5 A perspective schematic diagram of another embodiment of the shunt provided by the present invention;

[0029] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the air conditioner provided by the present invention;

[0030] Figure 7 for Figure 6 A three-dimensional schematic diagram showing the connection between the splitter and the evaporator.

[0031] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0032] label name label name 100 Diverter 3 Inlet pipe 1 Diversion Entity 4 End cap 1a Inlet 41 exit 1b Liquid outlet 5 Liquid delivery tube 11 Diverter housing 200 compressor 12 Flow divider 300 Condenser 13 Spiral groove 400 Throttling valve 14 Spiral tube 500 Evaporator 2 Diversion Channel

[0033] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0035] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present invention involve directional indication, the directional indication is only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a certain specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0036] Furthermore, if the embodiments of this invention involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. If the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

[0037] In existing air conditioners, to divide the refrigerant into multiple branches and solve the problem of uniform refrigerant flow distribution, a flow divider is installed in the pipeline. The flow divider, also known as a liquid distributor, is an auxiliary device between the expansion valve and the evaporator in the refrigeration system. Its function is to uniformly distribute the two-phase refrigerant mixture from the expansion valve to each coil of the evaporator. Existing flow dividers generally use rotating blades to centrifugally mix and then distribute the refrigerant. Under low flow conditions, the refrigerant velocity of existing flow dividers is low, which cannot achieve effective centrifugal motion, thus hindering the full mixing effect of the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant and the distribution of refrigerant.

[0038] In view of this, the present invention provides a distributor and an air conditioner, aiming to solve the problems of low flow rate in current separators, which are not conducive to the full mixing effect and uniform distribution of gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant. Figures 1 to 5 This is an embodiment of the shunt provided by the present invention. Figures 6 to 7 An embodiment of the air conditioner provided by the present invention.

[0039] Please refer to Figures 1 to 3 The diverter 100 includes a diverter body 1, which has an inlet 1a and a plurality of outlets 1b arranged opposite to each other along a first direction. The diverter 100 includes a diverter channel 2 that connects the inlet 1a and the plurality of outlets 1b. The diverter channel 2 is spirally arranged around the inlet 1a along the first direction.

[0040] In the technical solution of the present invention, the diversion channel 2 spirals around the liquid inlet 1a along the first direction, so that the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant undergoes high-speed centrifugal motion after entering the diversion channel 2 through the liquid inlet 1a, thereby fully mixing. This structure is not restricted by the refrigerant flow rate and enables the refrigerant to be centrifuged and discharged quickly, so that the refrigerant separated from the multiple liquid outlets 1b has the same refrigerant flow rate and refrigerant flow rate.

[0041] In conventional distributors 100, there is a large angle between the outlet pipe axis and the refrigerant flow direction, which further reduces the refrigerant flow velocity and is not conducive to uniform refrigerant distribution. In one embodiment of the invention, based on the refrigerant injection direction at the end of the distributor channel 2 away from the inlet 1a, multiple outlets 1b are designed to extend along the tangential direction of the spiral of the distributor channel 2. The multiple outlets 1b extend along the tangent at different points on the arc spiral, so that the multiple outlets 1b are set at an angle, allowing the refrigerant discharged through the distributor channel 2 to flow out naturally along the injection direction, reducing the resistance during diversion and achieving a better diversion effect.

[0042] Furthermore, the present invention does not limit the number of the diversion channels 2. In one embodiment, multiple diversion channels 2 are provided, with one end of each channel connected to the inlet 1a and the other end correspondingly connected to each outlet 1b. This allows the refrigerant to be dispersed into the multiple diversion channels 2 upon entering the inlet 1a. The refrigerant undergoes centrifugal motion through the spirally encircling diversion channels 2 and is then directly discharged from the corresponding outlet 1b. By changing the diversion point to the inlet 1a, the problem of difficulty in controlling the uniformity of the diversion caused by the spiral direction of the diversion channels 2 is avoided. When the refrigerant first enters the inlet 1a, the flow rate is relatively low. At this time, as long as the refrigerant flow rate is sufficient to fill the inlet 1a, a relatively uniform diversion can be ensured. Then, under centrifugal motion, the refrigerant accelerates mixing and flows out at a higher flow rate.

[0043] Based on the above embodiments, when there is a large angle between each of the liquid outlets 1b and the corresponding diversion channels 2, the refrigerant will be blocked by the wall surface of the diversion body 1 that forms the corresponding liquid outlet 1b before flowing out. The refrigerant impacts the wall surface and receives a reaction force, which reverses the impact on the subsequent refrigerant, reducing the refrigerant flow rate. In this embodiment, multiple liquid outlets 1b are arranged to extend along the spiral direction of multiple diversion channels 2. This arrangement makes the multiple liquid outlets 1b spirally expand along the first direction, thus being basically parallel to the spiral of the corresponding diversion channel 2. This allows the centrifugally mixed refrigerant to maintain a flow rate from the liquid outlet 1b to the corresponding refrigerant pipe, minimizing diversion resistance, reducing energy loss, and ensuring smooth flow.

[0044] Specifically, in one embodiment, the distributor 100 further includes an inlet pipe 3, which is the main pipe. Gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant collects in the inlet pipe 3 and is then conducted to the inlet 1a of the distributor body 1, thereby completing the refrigerant introduction. In another embodiment, the distributor 100 further includes an end cap 4, which covers the end of the distributor body 1 where the outlet 1b is located. The end cap 4 has multiple outlets 41 corresponding to the multiple outlets 1b. In this case, the distributor body 1 functions as a centrifugal conductor, exporting the refrigerant through the multiple outlets 41 on the end cap 4. By adjusting the extension direction of the multiple outlets 41, the effect of maintaining the splitting flow rate is achieved. In this embodiment, the distributor 100 includes an inlet pipe 3, a distributor body 1, and an end cap 4 connected in sequence. The gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant is introduced into the distributor body 1 through the inlet pipe 3, centrifugally mixed through the corresponding distributor channel 2, and then flows out from the multiple outlets 41 into each refrigerant pipe. The splicing method facilitates assembly and processing.

[0045] This invention does not limit the formation method of the diversion channel 2. In one embodiment, please refer to... Figure 5The diversion body 1 includes a spiral tube 14, which forms the diversion channel 2. The two ends of the spiral tube 14 are respectively connected to the inlet 1a and the outlet 1b. Correspondingly, multiple spiral tubes 14 can be installed in an alternating manner, so that multiple spiral tubes 14 form multiple diversion channels 2. At this time, each spiral tube 14 is independently set, forming multiple completely independent diversion channels 2. Each diversion channel 2 has good sealing performance. One end of each spiral tube 14 is connected to the inlet 1a, and the other end of each spiral tube 14 is connected to multiple outlets 1b. In this structure, multiple spiral tubes 14 need to be arranged closely. When the number of outlets 1b is large, there may be process difficulties, which will not be described in detail here.

[0046] In another embodiment, please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 4 The diversion body 1 includes a diversion shell 11 and a diversion fluid 12. The diversion shell 11 has a cavity extending through it in a first direction. The diversion fluid 12 is disposed within the diversion shell 11. A spiral groove 13 is provided on the inner side of the diversion shell 11 and / or the outer side of the diversion fluid 12. The spiral groove 13 is spirally arranged in the first direction. The diversion shell 11, the diversion fluid 12, and the spiral groove 13 together form the diversion channel 2. With this structure, only the walls of the corresponding diversion shell 11 and / or the diversion fluid 12 need to be processed to form the spirally arranged diversion channel 2 through splicing. The opposing walls of the diversion shell 11 and the diversion fluid 12 are tightly fitted, allowing the refrigerant to flow only along the flow path of the spiral groove 13. This design facilitates processing and assembly.

[0047] Furthermore, in one embodiment, both the flow divider housing 11 and the flow divider 12 are cylindrical. In this case, the inner wall of the flow divider housing 11 and the outer surface of the flow divider 12 are provided with protrusions. Spiral grooves 13 of varying depths can be provided on the outer wall of the flow divider housing 11. The protrusions of varying thicknesses on the outer surface of the flow divider 12 correspond to each other to form a spirally expanding surrounding flow channel. In another embodiment, the flow divider housing 11 and the flow divider 12 are gradually narrowed from one end to the other. In this embodiment, the shape of the flow divider 12 is an inverted cone or frustum. Multiple spiral protrusions are formed on the inner wall of the flow divider housing 11, creating a spiral groove 13 of uniform depth between adjacent protrusions. The outer surface of the flow divider 12 maintains a certain smoothness, and its inclination matches the inclination of the inner wall of the flow divider housing 11. During assembly, the flow divider 12 is pressed against the end faces of the protrusions on the inner wall of the flow divider housing 11, thereby forming multiple flow divider channels 2. In another embodiment, the flow divider housing 11 and the flow divider 12 are arranged in a tapering manner from one end to the other. In this case, the shape of the flow divider 12 is an inverted cone or frustum. A spiral groove 13 of uniform depth is engraved on the outer surface of the flow divider 12. The outer surface of the flow divider 12 is then pressed against the inner wall of the flow divider housing 11. This arrangement results in a simple structure that is easy to manufacture.

[0048] In this embodiment, please refer to Figure 4 The fluid divider 12 is a frustum, and the outer diameter of the frustum gradually decreases toward the liquid inlet 1a. A spiral groove 13 of uniform depth is formed in the outer surface of the fluid divider 12, which is closely fitted with the inner wall of the correspondingly gradually decreasing fluid divider housing 11, thereby forming multiple fluid divider channels 2.

[0049] It should be noted that when multiple flow channels 2 are set, multiple spiral grooves 13 can be engraved on the flow divider 12, which is convenient for processing. At this time, the ports of multiple spiral grooves 13 on the upper outer edge of the flow divider 12 are connected to multiple liquid outlets 1b.

[0050] It should be noted that the diversion housing 11 and the inlet pipe 3 can be connected as one unit, and the diversion body 12 and the end cap 4 can be connected as one unit, which facilitates processing and assembly. Specifically, the diversion housing 11 and the outlet pipe 3 can be fixed as one unit by welding, and the diversion body 12 and the end cap 14 can be fixed as one unit by welding, and then the two integral structures are assembled. This facilitates installation. It should be noted that the connection between each part must ensure good sealing to prevent refrigerant leakage. In addition, the smoothness of the exposed surfaces should be maintained. If the connection is made by welding, attention should be paid to the treatment of the weld to ensure a neat and beautiful appearance.

[0051] Furthermore, when the shape of the flow divider housing 11 and the flow divider 12 is an inverted cone, the outer diameter of the end cap 4 is set to gradually decrease from top to bottom, so as to match the shape of the flow divider housing 11, ensuring aesthetics while facilitating welding and installation.

[0052] Furthermore, the distributor 100 also includes a plurality of liquid guide tubes 5, the ends of which are inserted into and connected to a plurality of liquid outlets 1b. This allows the mixed refrigerant to flow directly out from the liquid guide tubes 5 without the need for a connector at the liquid outlet 1b. The other end of each liquid guide tube 5 is connected to a corresponding refrigerant pipe.

[0053] It should be noted that the end of the liquid guide tube 5 that contacts the liquid outlet 1b should be aligned with the extending direction of the liquid outlet 1b. To avoid an excessively large angle between the direction of refrigerant flow and the wall of the liquid guide tube 5, which would hinder refrigerant discharge, multiple liquid guide tubes 5 extend along the tangential direction of the multiple diversion channels 2. The multiple liquid guide tubes 5 form an outwardly expanding shape along tangential directions at different angles.

[0054] Furthermore, considering the distance between the distributor 100 and the corresponding evaporator 500, the liquid guide pipe 5 can be set to a certain connection length. In this embodiment, each liquid guide pipe 5 includes at least a first segment and a second segment connected in sequence. The first segment connects to the distributor channel 2 and extends along the tangential direction of the corresponding distributor channel 2. The extension direction of the second segment intersects with the extension direction of the first segment, i.e., the first segment is inclined. The second segment bends relative to the first segment at a certain angle to further guide the refrigerant. The second segment can be directly connected to the interface of the evaporator 500, or it can be connected through other pipes. There are no restrictions here. By extending the length of multiple liquid guide pipes 5, more functions can be fulfilled, and the connection between devices can be facilitated. It is worth noting that, considering that each liquid guide pipe 5 has multiple bends, the included angle between the first segment and the second segment and the length of the first segment should be reasonably designed to ensure the refrigerant flow rate.

[0055] It should be noted that the inner diameter of the plurality of liquid guiding tubes 5 can be the same as or larger than the diameter of the plurality of liquid outlets 1b.

[0056] When multiple distribution channels 2 are provided, multiple liquid outlets 1b extend along the spiral direction of multiple distribution channels 2, and multiple liquid guide tubes 5 extend along the spiral direction of multiple distribution channels 2. That is, at this time, the refrigerant flow velocity loss of the distribution channel 2 is minimal, and there will be no impact force or reaction force with the wall of the liquid guide tube 5. After passing through the liquid guide tube 5, the flow velocity naturally slows down, so that it can extend into the bent refrigerant pipe, with less impact on the inner wall of the pipe, reducing pipe wear and reducing the flow noise of refrigerant inside the distributor 100.

[0057] The present invention also provides an air conditioner including the above-mentioned splitter 100. The air conditioner includes all the technical features of the above-mentioned splitter 100, and therefore also has the technical effects brought about by all the above-mentioned technical features, which will not be described in detail here.

[0058] Specifically, the air conditioner proposed in this invention is as follows: Figure 5 As shown, the air conditioner has a circulation loop, and further includes a compressor 200, a condenser 300, a throttle valve 400, and an evaporator 500 connected sequentially in the circulation loop. A distributor 100 is installed between the throttle valve 400 and the evaporator 500. Multiple liquid guide pipes 5 of the distributor 100 are respectively connected to corresponding pipes of the evaporator 500, thereby uniformly mixing the two phases of refrigerant flowing from the throttle valve 400. The structure of the distributor 100 ensures that the multiple liquid guide pipes 5 have the same refrigerant flow rate and flow rate, distributing the mixed refrigerant to the coils of the evaporator 500. It should be noted that in actual installation, the liquid guide pipes 5 may be angled to their corresponding pipes to adapt to the internal structure of the air conditioner and ensure reasonable space allocation.

[0059] Specifically, based on the above embodiments, in this embodiment, the connection method of the distributor 100 and the evaporator 500 is as follows: Figure 6 As shown, the multiple liquid guide pipes 5 of the distributor 100 can be connected to the corresponding pipes of the evaporator 500 by welding, thereby uniformly mixing the two phases of refrigerant flowing out of the throttle valve 400.

[0060] Specifically, since the multiple liquid guide pipes 5 of the distributor 100 and the pipe interfaces of the evaporator 500 are located on different planes, they need to be connected by connecting pipes. Obviously, one end of the multiple connecting pipes extends vertically and communicates with the multiple liquid guide pipes 5, and the other end of the multiple connecting pipes has multiple bends, with the middle part extending horizontally. The arrangement of the multiple connecting pipes is relatively concentrated and occupies little space. Then, each connecting pipe is bent to connect with the interface corresponding to the evaporator 500, and the refrigerant can be introduced into the evaporator 500 along the inner cavity of the multiple connecting pipes.

[0061] It should be noted that the multiple connecting pipes can be made of flexible metal, such as copper pipes. Each connecting pipe is a single pipe, eliminating the need for splicing multiple pipes. This arrangement provides better sealing and facilitates installation.

[0062] Furthermore, the multiple connecting pipes and multiple liquid guiding pipes 5 can be made of the same material or different materials. In this embodiment, the multiple liquid guiding pipes 5 and the multiple connecting pipes are one-to-one and integrally set. That is, the section of each pipe that connects to the diversion channel 2 is inclined, specifically extending along the spiral direction of the multiple diversion channels 2. The present invention does not limit the length of the liquid guiding pipe 5. It needs to be designed according to the refrigerant flow rate discharged from the diversion channel 2 and the space inside the air conditioner. It is necessary to ensure that the refrigerant is discharged along the multiple liquid guiding pipes 5 at a certain flow rate first, and then the flow direction of the refrigerant is changed to reduce the flow rate loss of the refrigerant. At the same time, the impact on the inner wall of the pipe is small, and convection is prevented from causing the refrigerant transfer to be slowed down.

[0063] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural transformations made using the contents of the present invention's specification and drawings under the inventive concept of the present invention, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A flow diverter, characterized by, The shunt includes a shunt body having an inlet and a plurality of outlets oppositely arranged along a first direction, and a plurality of shunt channels connecting the inlet and the plurality of outlets, the shunt channels being helically arranged along the first direction from the inlet; The shunt further includes a plurality of liquid guides, the plurality of liquid guides being inserted into the plurality of outlets and being in communication with the plurality of outlets; The shunt channels are arranged in a plurality, one end of the plurality of shunt channels being in communication with the inlet, and the other end being in communication with each of the outlets; The plurality of outlets extend along the helical direction of the plurality of shunt channels; The plurality of liquid guides extend along the helical direction of the plurality of shunt channels.

2. The shunt of claim 1, wherein, The shunt further includes: an inlet pipe in communication with the inlet of the shunt body; and / or an end cover arranged at one end of the shunt body where the outlets are arranged, and a plurality of outlets corresponding to the plurality of outlets are arranged on the end cover.

3. The shunt of any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein, The shunt body includes a helical pipe forming the shunt channels.

4. The shunt of any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein, The shunt body includes: a shunt shell having an accommodation cavity arranged through along a first direction; and a shunt body arranged in the shunt shell; wherein an inner side of the shunt shell and / or an outer side of the shunt body are provided with a helical groove arranged along the first direction, and the shunt shell, the shunt body and the helical groove jointly form the shunt channels.

5. The shunt of claim 4, wherein, The shunt shell and the shunt body are arranged in a tapered manner from one end to the other end.

6. An air conditioner characterized by comprising: The shunt includes any one of claims 1 to 5.

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