Separator and fluid conditioning device for refrigeration unit

Abstract

An embodiment of the present application provides a separator and a fluid conditioning device for a refrigeration unit. The separator includes: a housing having an intake port, an outlet port, and an oil inlet port, the intake port being configured to introduce a mixed refrigerant, the outlet port being configured to output the gaseous refrigerant in the separation chamber, and the oil inlet port being configured to introduce lubricating oil to be cooled; a separation chamber located within the housing, the intake port and the outlet port being in communication through the separation chamber; an oil pipe disposed in the separation chamber, one end of the oil pipe being connected to the oil inlet port, and the oil pipe passing through the lower region of the separation chamber such that the lubricating oil in the oil pipe exchanges heat with the refrigerant in the separation chamber.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of fluid conditioning for refrigeration units, and particularly to a separator and a fluid conditioning device for refrigeration units. Background Art

[0002] A refrigeration unit is a main component in refrigeration equipment such as refrigeration air conditioners and refrigerators, including components such as a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator. The refrigeration unit utilizes a refrigerant (also known as a refrigerant or a cooling medium) to perform a cooling cycle in a closed system, repeatedly compressing, condensing, expanding, and evaporating the refrigerant, and continuously absorbing heat and vaporizing at the evaporator to achieve the purpose of refrigeration and temperature reduction. The high-pressure steam discharged from the compressor contains lubricating oil. This part of the lubricating oil needs to be separated by an oil separator and cooled by an oil cooler before returning to the compressor to lubricate the moving parts of the compressor. This method results in a relatively complex structure of the refrigeration unit, increasing the cost and operating energy consumption of the refrigeration unit. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Embodiments of this application provide a separator and a fluid conditioning device for a refrigeration unit, which can simplify the structure of the refrigeration unit and reduce costs and operating energy consumption.

[0004] On the one hand, embodiments of this application provide a separator, including: a housing having an air inlet, an air outlet, and an oil inlet, the air inlet being configured to introduce a mixed refrigerant, the air outlet being configured to output the gaseous refrigerant in the separation chamber, and the oil inlet being configured to introduce the lubricating oil to be cooled; a separation chamber located inside the housing, the air inlet and the air outlet being connected through the separation chamber; an oil pipe disposed in the separation chamber, one end of the oil pipe being connected to the oil inlet, and the oil pipe passing through the lower region of the separation chamber such that the lubricating oil in the oil pipe exchanges heat with the refrigerant in the separation chamber.

[0005] In some embodiments, the oil pipe further includes the other end, and the other end of the oil pipe is connected to the outside of the housing through the air outlet; or the other end of the oil pipe penetrates through one side wall of the housing; or the other end of the oil pipe is a free end disposed in the separation chamber.

[0006] In some embodiments, an air outlet pipe disposed in the separation chamber is further included, the air outlet being connected to the separation chamber through the air outlet pipe, and the air outlet pipe passing through the lower region of the separation chamber.

[0007] In some embodiments, the end of the oil pipe away from the oil inlet is connected to the air outlet pipe, and the end of the oil pipe connected to the air outlet pipe forms a first shock-absorbing pipe section, and the first shock-absorbing pipe section has a bent pipe structure.

[0008] In some embodiments, the tubing further includes a second shock-absorbing pipe section having a bent pipe structure, and the plane where the second shock-absorbing pipe section is located is perpendicular to the plane where the first shock-absorbing pipe section is located.

[0009] In some embodiments, the first shock-absorbing pipe section adopts at least one of a U-shaped structure, a serpentine structure, and a spiral structure; and / or, the second shock-absorbing pipe section adopts at least one of a U-shaped structure, a serpentine structure, and a spiral structure.

[0010] In some embodiments, the tubing further includes a coiled pipe section, and the second shock-absorbing pipe section is disposed between the oil inlet and the coiled pipe section.

[0011] In some embodiments, the coiled pipe section is wound around the outer periphery of the gas outlet pipe.

[0012] In some embodiments, the coiled pipe section is formed by winding the pipe section along a track, and the coiled pipe section is disposed in the lower region of the separator.

[0013] In some embodiments, the pipe section of the gas outlet pipe located in the lower region of the separation chamber is provided with an oil return hole.

[0014] In some embodiments, the gas outlet pipe is further provided with at least one high-level oil return hole, the at least one high-level oil return hole and the oil return hole are sequentially spaced apart from top to bottom, and the aperture of the high-level oil return hole is smaller than the aperture of the oil return hole.

[0015] In some embodiments, the coiled pipe section is located between the high-level oil return hole and the oil return hole.

[0016] In some embodiments, the separator further includes an intake pipe disposed in the separation chamber, the intake port is communicated with the separation chamber through the intake pipe, and one end of the intake pipe away from the intake port and one end of the gas outlet pipe away from the gas outlet are kept misaligned.

[0017] In some embodiments, the gas outlet pipe includes a bent pipe section, and the bent pipe section passes through the lower region of the separation chamber.

[0018] On the other hand, an embodiment of the present application provides a fluid conditioning device for a refrigeration unit, including: an oil separator provided with an oil separation inlet, an oil separation outlet, and an oil return end, wherein the oil separation inlet is configured to be connected to the exhaust port of a compressor; the separator according to any one of the above embodiments, wherein the oil inlet is connected to the oil return end, the air inlet is configured to be connected to the refrigerant outlet of an evaporator, and the air outlet is configured to be connected to the suction port of the compressor; at least one of a switching valve and an oil level sensor; the switching valve is disposed between the oil return end and the oil inlet and is configured to control the on / off between the oil return end and the oil inlet; the oil level sensor is configured to detect the oil level of the oil separator and / or the compressor.

[0019] In the embodiment of the present application, by providing a separator, a mixed-state refrigerant is introduced through the air inlet, and gas-liquid separation of the mixed-state refrigerant is achieved through the separation chamber. The gaseous refrigerant is discharged through the air outlet, while the liquid refrigerant accumulates in the lower region of the separation chamber; since the lubricating oil to be cooled introduced from the oil separator through the oil inlet flows in the oil pipe and passes through the lower region of the separation chamber, heat exchange occurs between the relatively high-temperature lubricating oil and the low-temperature liquid refrigerant, cooling and lowering the temperature of the lubricating oil, and vaporizing the liquid refrigerant into a gaseous refrigerant and discharging it through the air outlet; in this way, the separator can be used to simultaneously achieve gas-liquid separation of the mixed-state refrigerant, cooling of the lubricating oil, and all or partial vaporization of the liquid refrigerant, saving the oil cooler and simplifying the structure of the refrigeration unit, reducing the cost and energy consumption of the refrigeration unit, and eliminating or reducing the risk of liquid compression occurring in the compressor. Description of the Drawings

[0020] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the following drawings are only some embodiments of the present application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative efforts.

[0021] Figure 1 It is a structural diagram of a compressor oil return system provided by some embodiments of the present application;

[0022] Figure 2 It is a structural diagram of a fluid conditioning device for a refrigeration unit provided by some embodiments of the present application;

[0023] Figure 3 It is another structural diagram of a fluid conditioning device for a refrigeration unit provided by some embodiments of the present application;

[0024] Figure 4 It is yet another structural diagram of a fluid conditioning device for a refrigeration unit provided by some embodiments of the present application;

[0025] Figure 5It is another structural diagram of the fluid conditioning device of the refrigeration unit provided by some embodiments of the present application;

[0026] Figure 6 It is another structural diagram of the fluid conditioning device of the refrigeration unit provided by some embodiments of the present application;

[0027] Figure 7 It is another structural diagram of the fluid conditioning device of the refrigeration unit provided by some embodiments of the present application;

[0028] Figure 8 It is another structural diagram of the fluid conditioning device of the refrigeration unit provided by some embodiments of the present application. Detailed implementation manners

[0029] Next, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative efforts belong to the scope of protection of the present application.

[0030] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc. indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings. It is only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and thus cannot be understood as a limitation to the present application. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Thus, the features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the described features. In the description of the present application, "a plurality" means two or more, unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0031] "A and / or B" includes the following three combinations: only A, only B, and the combination of A and B.

[0032] The use of "suitable for" or "configured to" in the present application means open and inclusive language, which does not exclude a device suitable for or configured to perform additional tasks or steps. In addition, the use of "based on" means open and inclusive, because a process, step, calculation or other action "based on" one or more of the described conditions or values can in practice be based on additional conditions or values beyond the described ones.

[0033] In this application, the term "exemplary" is used to mean "serving as an example, illustration, or instance". Any embodiment described as "exemplary" in this application is not necessarily to be construed as more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments. The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use this application. In the following description, details are set forth for the purpose of explanation. It should be understood that those of ordinary skill in the art can recognize that this application can be implemented without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and processes are not elaborated in detail to avoid obscuring the description of this application with unnecessary details. Therefore, this application is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but rather to be consistent with the broadest scope that conforms to the principles and features disclosed in this application.

[0034] As Figure 1 shown, an embodiment of this application provides a separator 10, which includes a housing 11, a separation chamber 111, and an oil pipe 12, and can simplify the structure of the refrigeration unit, reduce costs and operating energy consumption.

[0035] The surface of the housing 11 is provided with an air inlet 112, an air outlet 113, and an oil inlet 114. The air inlet 112 is configured to introduce a mixed refrigerant, the air outlet 113 is configured to output the gaseous refrigerant separated from the mixed refrigerant, and the oil inlet 114 is configured to introduce the lubricating oil to be cooled. The installation positions of the air inlet 112 and the air outlet 113 on the housing 11 can be determined according to actual needs, such as the top area or the side area of the housing 11, etc., and the embodiments of this application do not limit this. Exemplarily, the air inlet 112 and the air outlet 113 can be respectively arranged in the top area of the housing 11.

[0036] The separation chamber 111 is formed inside the housing 11, and the air inlet 112 and the air outlet 113 can be communicated through the separation chamber 111. Here, the separation chamber 111 is configured to achieve the gas-liquid separation of the mixed refrigerant, and can be achieved by principles such as centrifugal separation, gravity sedimentation, or baffle separation, etc., and the embodiments of this application do not limit this. As Figure 1 shown, in some embodiments, the separation chamber 111 can achieve gas-liquid separation by the principle of gravity sedimentation. In some other embodiments, the separation chamber 111 can achieve gas-liquid separation by other gas-liquid separation principles; when designing the separator 10 according to other gas-liquid separation principles, the internal and external structures of the separator 10 can vary slightly, but still can achieve the functions and purposes of the embodiments of this application. The mixed refrigerant is mainly composed of gaseous refrigerant and is mixed with a small amount of liquid refrigerant. Among them, the temperature of the gaseous refrigerant is usually not higher than 40°C; while the temperature of the liquid refrigerant is lower than that of the gaseous refrigerant and can reach below 0°C.

[0037] As Figures 1 - 2As shown, the oil pipe 12 is disposed in the separation chamber 111. One end of the oil pipe 12 is connected to the oil inlet 114, and the oil pipe 12 passes through the lower region of the separation chamber 111. In this way, the pipe segment of the oil pipe 12 located in the lower region of the separation chamber 111 can contact the liquid refrigerant retained in this lower region, enabling the lubricating oil in the oil pipe 12 to exchange heat with the refrigerant in the separation chamber 111.

[0038] Here, the other end of the oil pipe 12, that is, the end of the oil pipe 12 far from the oil inlet 114, can be directly or indirectly connected to the outside of the housing 11 to achieve direct or indirect output of the lubricating oil.

[0039] In some embodiments, the other end of the oil pipe 12 can be connected to the outside of the housing 11 through the air outlet 113, so that the lubricating oil can be output to the outside of the housing 11 through the air outlet 113, and then output to the fluid machinery located outside the housing 11.

[0040] In other embodiments, the other end of the oil pipe 12 can penetrate one side wall of the housing 11. In some examples, the end of the oil pipe 12 far from the oil inlet 114 can directly penetrate one side wall of the housing 11 and protrude outside the housing 11; in this way, the lubricating oil can be directly output to the outside of the housing 11 through the oil pipe 12, and then output to the fluid machinery located outside the housing 11. In other examples, the end of the oil pipe 12 far from the oil inlet 114 can directly penetrate one side wall of the housing 11 and be disposed on the outer surface of the housing 11; in this way, the lubricating oil can be directly output to the outside of the housing 11 through the oil pipe 12, and then output to the fluid machinery through the pipeline located outside the housing 11.

[0041] In still other embodiments, the end of the oil pipe 12 far from the oil inlet 114 can be a free end disposed in the separation chamber 111 and can be indirectly connected to the fluid machinery located outside the housing 11 through the pipeline disposed in the separation chamber 111; in this way, the lubricating oil can enter the separation chamber 111 through the end of the oil pipe 12 far from the oil inlet 114 and be output to the fluid machinery located outside the housing 11 through the pipeline disposed in the separation chamber 111.

[0042] When the separator 10 operates, the mixed refrigerant from the evaporator enters the separation chamber 111 from the air inlet 112 and undergoes gas-liquid separation in the separation chamber 111. Due to the different densities, the gaseous refrigerant with a smaller density and lighter weight is located in the upper region of the separation chamber 111, and the liquid refrigerant with a larger density and heavier weight is located in the lower region of the separation chamber 111. Furthermore, the gaseous refrigerant can be discharged through the air outlet 113 and return to the suction port 2b of the compressor 2, while the liquid refrigerant remains in the lower region of the separation chamber 111, enabling gas-liquid separation and reducing the risk of liquid compression occurring in the compressor 2.

[0043] Meanwhile, the lubricating oil in the high-temperature steam discharged by the compressor 2 can enter the oil pipe 12 through the oil inlet 114 after being separated in the oil separator 20. The temperature of this part of the lubricating oil to be cooled is usually not lower than 50°C and can be as high as 120 - 130°C. Since the temperature is relatively high, it can be called high-temperature lubricating oil and needs to be cooled. When the high-temperature lubricating oil flows through the pipe section of the oil pipe 12 located in the lower region of the separation chamber 111, it will exchange heat with the liquid refrigerant retained in this lower region. In this way, the high-temperature lubricating oil dissipates heat and is cooled, and its temperature is reduced to the allowable temperature range of the compressor 2; while the relatively low-temperature liquid refrigerant absorbs heat and vaporizes into a gaseous refrigerant, and is discharged from the gas outlet pipe 115. The separator 10 provided by the embodiment of the present application can simultaneously achieve the gas-liquid separation of the mixed refrigerant and the cooling of the high-temperature lubricating oil, without the need to independently set up an oil cooler, which can save parts and simplify the structure of the refrigeration unit, thereby reducing the cost of the refrigeration unit. At the same time, the separator 10 provided by the embodiment of the present application utilizes the temperature difference between the lubricating oil and the liquid refrigerant to naturally cool the lubricating oil through the liquid refrigerant, without the need to additionally introduce a cooling medium for cooling the lubricating oil, which can reduce costs and operating energy consumption.

[0044] In the related art, for the liquid refrigerant obtained in the gas-liquid separation process, only the gaseous refrigerant can be used to slowly heat the liquid refrigerant to make it slowly vaporize. Specifically, in the short-term abnormal working conditions, the liquid proportion in the mixed refrigerant is relatively high, and more liquid refrigerant is obtained in the gas-liquid separation process; in the long-term normal working conditions, the liquid proportion in the mixed refrigerant is relatively low, and the relatively high proportion of gaseous refrigerant can be used to slowly vaporize the liquid refrigerant. Since the temperature difference between the gaseous refrigerant and the liquid refrigerant is small, the vaporization speed is slow and the duration is long, resulting in a relatively high risk of liquid compression in the compressor 2.

[0045] Compared with the related art, the separator 10 provided by the embodiment of the present application uses the relatively high-temperature lubricating oil to heat the liquid refrigerant to vaporize it. The temperature difference between the lubricating oil to be cooled and the liquid refrigerant is much larger than the temperature difference between the gaseous refrigerant and the liquid refrigerant, which can significantly increase the heat absorption and vaporization rate of the liquid refrigerant, so that all or part of the liquid refrigerant retained in the lower region of the separation chamber 111 is quickly vaporized, eliminating or reducing the risk of liquid compression in the compressor 2.

[0046] Here, according to the type of the compressor 2, the connection method of the end of the oil pipe 12 far from the oil inlet 114, that is, the oil outlet end 12a, can be different. For example Figure 2As shown, in some embodiments, the compressor 2 is only provided with a suction port 2b and not with an oil return port. Correspondingly, the oil outlet end 12a of the oil pipe 12 can communicate with the air outlet 113 and be connected to the outside of the housing 11 through the air outlet 113. In this way, the lubricating oil can return to the compressor 2 from the suction port 2b of the compressor 2 through the air outlet 113 to lubricate the moving parts of the compressor 2. The separator 10 provided in the embodiments of the present application can rapidly cool the high-temperature lubricating oil so that the temperature of the lubricating oil output from the oil outlet end 12a of the oil pipe 12 is within the allowable range. In this way, on the one hand, when the lubricating oil and the low-temperature and low-pressure gaseous refrigerant return to the compressor 2 together through the suction port 2b of the compressor 2, the temperature fluctuation of the suction port 2b can be reduced, improving the operating stability and safety of the compressor 2. On the other hand, the lubricating oil can lubricate the moving parts in the compressor 2 at a lower temperature, which can play a better lubricating and cooling role.

[0047] As Figure 3 shown, in some other embodiments, the compressor 2 can be provided with both a suction port 2b and an oil return port 2c. Correspondingly, the oil outlet end 12a of the oil pipe 12 can be connected to the oil return port 2c of the compressor 2. In some examples, the oil outlet end 12a of the oil pipe 12 can protrude out of the housing 11 and be connected to a pipeline connected to the oil return port 2c of the compressor 2. In some other examples, the oil outlet end 12a of the oil pipe 12 can be arranged on the outer surface of the housing 11 and be connected to the oil return port 2c of the compressor 2 through a pipeline. The separator 10 provided in the embodiments of the present application can rapidly cool the high-temperature lubricating oil so that the temperature of the lubricating oil output from the end of the oil pipe 12 far from the oil inlet 114 is within the allowable range. In this way, the lubricating oil can lubricate the moving parts in the compressor 2 at a lower temperature, which can play a better lubricating and cooling role.

[0048] As Figure 1 shown, in some embodiments, the separator 10 further includes an air outlet pipe 115 arranged in the separation chamber 111, and the air outlet 113 communicates with the separation chamber 111 through the air outlet pipe 115. Here, the end of the air outlet pipe 115 far from the air outlet 113 can be configured to introduce the gaseous refrigerant in the separation chamber 111 so that the gaseous refrigerant can be discharged through the air outlet 113.

[0049] In some examples, the air outlet pipe 115 can pass through the lower region of the separation chamber 111. In this way, the pipe section of the air outlet pipe 115 located in the lower region of the separation chamber 111 can be in direct contact with the liquid refrigerant retained in the lower region of the separation chamber 111, and the gaseous refrigerant in the pipe is used to heat the liquid refrigerant outside the pipe, further increasing the rate of vaporization of the liquid refrigerant by heat.

[0050] Exemplarily, a pipe section of the outlet pipe 115 located in the lower region of the separation chamber 111 is provided with an oil return hole 115b. In this way, the oil return hole 115b can be in direct contact with the liquid refrigerant remaining in the lower region of the separation chamber 111. The liquid refrigerant remaining in the lower region of the separation chamber 111 may be mixed with lubricating oil, and this part of the lubricating oil can enter the outlet pipe 115 through the oil return hole 115b and return to the suction port 2b of the compressor 2 together with the gaseous refrigerant in the outlet pipe 115. Here, the aperture of the oil return hole 115b can be configured within a preset range to prevent the liquid refrigerant from entering the outlet pipe 115 due to an overly large aperture, and to prevent the passing rate of the lubricating oil from being limited due to an overly small aperture, ensuring that the required flow rate of the lubricating oil is met. Exemplarily, the preset range of the aperture of the oil return hole 115b can be determined according to the required flow rate of the lubricating oil, and the required flow rate of the lubricating oil can be determined according to the desired oil return amount and oil return time of the refrigeration unit.

[0051] Exemplarily, at least one high-level oil return hole 115c can also be provided on the outlet pipe 115, and the at least one high-level oil return hole 115c and the oil return hole 115b are sequentially arranged at intervals from top to bottom. That is, each high-level oil return hole 115c is opened at a different height position, and the opening height of each high-level oil return hole 115c is higher than that of the oil return hole 115b. In this way, as the liquid level of the liquid refrigerant rises, the high-level oil return holes 115c at different heights can gradually come into contact with the liquid refrigerant and participate in the oil return process of the lubricating oil, increasing the oil return cross-sectional area and adapting to the oil return requirements at different liquid levels. Compared with the method of only setting one oil return hole, the method of setting the oil return hole 115b and at least one high-level oil return hole 115c can form a control gradient with a gradually increasing oil return cross-sectional area, reduce the aperture required for the oil return hole 115b, and reduce the risk of the liquid refrigerant entering the compressor 2 through the oil return hole 115b. The number of high-level oil return holes 115c can be determined according to the suction liquid return amount of the compressor 2. The number of high-level oil return holes 115c can be reduced when the suction liquid return amount of the compressor 2 is small, and the number of high-level oil return holes 115c can be increased when the suction liquid return amount of the compressor 2 is large.

[0052] Exemplarily, the aperture of the high-level oil return hole 115c can be smaller than that of the oil return hole 115b. In the case where the total oil return cross-sectional area remains unchanged, the oil return cross-sectional area of the oil return hole 115b can be relatively large, which can meet the basic oil return requirements at a lower liquid level, ensure the oil return reaction rate and sensitivity, and increase the control accuracy of the control gradient.

[0053] Such as Figure 4As shown, exemplarily, one end of the oil pipe 12 away from the oil inlet 114, i.e., the oil outlet end 12a, can be arranged in the separation chamber 111 and communicated with the separation chamber 111. In this way, the lubricating oil output by the oil pipe 12 can enter the separation chamber 111, enter the air outlet pipe 115 through the oil return hole 115b and / or the high-level oil return hole 115c, and then return to the compressor 2 through the air outlet pipe 115. Here, the aperture diameters of the oil return hole 115b and / or the high-level oil return hole 115c can be increased proportionally to meet the requirement of the oil return amount of the lubricating oil.

[0054] As Figure 1 shown, in some examples, the air outlet pipe 115 can include a bent pipe section 115d. The bent pipe section 115d passes through the lower region of the separation chamber 111, and the oil return hole 115b is provided in the lower region of the bent pipe section 115d. Here, the bent pipe section 115d has a bent structure, which can increase the contact area between the air outlet pipe 115 and the liquid refrigerant outside the pipe, and increase the heating and vaporization effect on the liquid refrigerant. The structural form of the bent pipe section 115d can be determined according to actual needs, and types such as U-shaped, snake-shaped, and spiral-shaped can be adopted. The embodiments of the present application do not limit this. Exemplarily, the air outlet 113 can be arranged in the top region of the housing 11, and the air outlet pipe 115 can adopt a U-shaped pipe structure.

[0055] In some examples, the separator 10 may further include an intake pipe 116 disposed in the separation chamber 111. The intake port 112 is communicated with the separation chamber 111 through the intake pipe 116, and the mixed refrigerant is input into the separation chamber 111 through the intake pipe 116. Here, one end of the intake pipe 116 away from the intake port 112 (i.e., the output end 116a of the intake pipe 116) and one end of the outlet pipe 115 away from the outlet port 113 (i.e., the input end 115a of the outlet pipe 115) are kept misaligned; in this way, the output end 116a of the intake pipe 116 and the input end 115a of the outlet pipe 115 can be staggered from each other, avoiding the mixed refrigerant introduced by the intake pipe 116 from directly entering the outlet pipe 115 and reducing the risk of the liquid refrigerant entering the compressor 2 through the outlet pipe 115. Exemplarily, one end of the intake pipe 116 away from the intake port 112 and one end of the outlet pipe 115 away from the outlet port 113 can be misaligned in the horizontal direction, so that the output end 116a of the intake pipe 116 and the input end 115a of the outlet pipe 115 are staggered from each other in the horizontal plane. Additionally, one end of the intake pipe 116 away from the intake port 112 and one end of the outlet pipe 115 away from the outlet port 113 can be misaligned in the vertical direction, so that the setting position of the output end 116a of the intake pipe 116 is lower than the input end 115a of the outlet pipe 115. Additionally, one end of the intake pipe 116 away from the intake port 112 and one end of the outlet pipe 115 away from the outlet port 113 can be misaligned in both the horizontal direction and the vertical direction, so that the output end 116a of the intake pipe 116 and the input end 115a of the outlet pipe 115 are staggered from each other in the horizontal plane and the setting position of the output end 116a of the intake pipe 116 is lower than the input end 115a of the outlet pipe 115.

[0056] In some examples, when one end of the oil pipe 12 away from the oil inlet 114 is connected to the outlet pipe 115, the end of the oil pipe 12 connected to the outlet pipe 115 can form a first shock-absorbing pipe section 12b. Here, the first shock-absorbing pipe section 12b can have a bent pipe structure to form a planar shock-absorbing structure. On the one hand, the bent pipe structure can increase the damping of the fluid flowing therein and reduce the fluid kinetic energy, so as to achieve the purpose of reducing the dynamic vibration; on the other hand, the bent pipe structure can increase the stiffness and anti-vibration ability of the oil pipe 12 and reduce the vibration caused by the impact of fluids such as the gaseous refrigerant in the outlet pipe 115. Here, the structural form of the bent pipe structure of the first shock-absorbing pipe section 12b can be determined according to actual needs, and types such as U-shaped, snake-shaped, spiral-shaped, etc. can be adopted, and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0057] In some examples, the oil pipe 12 may further include a second shock-absorbing pipe section 12c having a bent pipe structure. The plane where the second shock-absorbing pipe section 12c is located is perpendicular to the plane where the first shock-absorbing pipe section 12b is located. Here, the second shock-absorbing pipe section 12c may have a bent pipe structure to form a planar shock-absorbing structure. Similarly, the second shock-absorbing pipe section 12c can play a similar shock-absorbing role as the first shock-absorbing pipe section 12b, which will not be elaborated here. Here, since the plane where the second shock-absorbing pipe section 12c is located is perpendicular to the plane where the first shock-absorbing pipe section 12b is located, the stiffness of the oil pipe 12 in three directions can be increased, thereby realizing the shock-absorbing effect in three directions. Here, the structural form of the bent pipe structure of the second shock-absorbing pipe section 12c can be determined according to actual needs, and types such as U-shaped, snake-shaped, spiral-shaped, etc. can be adopted. The embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0058] In some embodiments, the oil pipe 12 includes a coiled pipe section 12d, and the coiled pipe section 12d is arranged in the lower region of the separator. The coiled pipe section 12d is formed by winding a pipe section along a trajectory and has a meandering structure, which can increase the contact area between the pipe section and the liquid refrigerant located in the lower region of the separator, and improve the heat absorption efficiency and the rate of temperature rise and vaporization of the liquid refrigerant. The structural form of the coiled pipe section 12d can be determined according to actual needs, and types such as U-shaped, snake-shaped, spiral-shaped coils, etc. can be adopted. The embodiments of the present application do not limit this. The number of winding turns of the coiled pipe section 12d can be determined according to the cooling needs, and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this. In some examples, the coiled pipe section 12d may include a plurality of oval pipe loops, and the plurality of oval pipe loops are sequentially stacked and connected along their axial directions.

[0059] In some examples, the coiled pipe section 12d can be fixed to the inner wall of the housing 11 through a fixing member; in this way, the coiled pipe section 12d can be fixed and supported, preventing the coiled pipe section 12d from shifting due to fluid vibration, and reducing the fluid vibration of the coiled pipe section 12d. As Figure 1 shown, in some other examples, the coiled pipe section 12d can be wound around the outer periphery of the air outlet pipe 115, for example, fixed to the air outlet pipe 115 by welding; in this way, the air outlet pipe 115 can fix and support the coiled pipe section 12d, preventing the coiled pipe section 12d from shifting due to fluid vibration, and reducing the fluid vibration of the coiled pipe section 12d, without the need for additional fixing members for fixation, thus simplifying the structure and saving costs. Exemplarily, the coiled pipe section 12d can be wound around the straight pipe section of the air outlet pipe 115, which can make the size of each turn of the coiled pipe section 12d equal and reduce the difficulty of fixation. Exemplarily, the coiled pipe section 12d can be wound around the air outlet pipe 115 between the oil return hole 115b and the high-level oil return hole 115c or between two high-level oil return holes 115c, avoiding hindering the oil return of the oil return hole 115b and the high-level oil return hole 115c.

[0060] In some examples, the second shock-absorbing pipe section 12c can be arranged at the front end of the coiled pipe section 12d, that is, between the oil inlet 114 and the coiled pipe section 12d, which can reduce the vibration risk when the high-temperature lubricating oil enters the coiled pipe section 12d and increase the structural stability. Exemplarily, the second shock-absorbing pipe section 12c is located below the coiled pipe section 12d, which can provide structural support for the coiled pipe section 12d, increase the structural stability of the coiled pipe section 12d, and ensure the smooth heat exchange between the high-temperature lubricating oil and the liquid refrigerant.

[0061] Exemplarily, the pipe section of the oil pipe 12 between the second shock-absorbing pipe section 12c and the oil inlet 114 can be a straight pipe section, and the pipe section between the first shock-absorbing pipe section 12b and the coiled pipe section 12d can also be a straight pipe section. In this way, the flow rate of the lubricating oil can be increased and the pipe section structure can be simplified.

[0062] As Figure 2 shown, the embodiment of the present application provides a refrigeration unit fluid conditioning device 1, which includes an oil separator 20 and the separator 10 provided in any of the above embodiments, which can simplify the structure of the refrigeration unit, reduce costs and operating energy consumption.

[0063] The oil separator 20 is provided with an oil separation air inlet 21, an oil separation air outlet 22 and an oil return end 23. The oil separation air inlet 21 is configured to be connected to the exhaust port 2a of the compressor 2 to introduce the high-pressure steam discharged from the exhaust port 2a into the oil separator 20. The oil inlet 114 is connected to the oil return end 23 to input the high-temperature lubricating oil separated from the high-pressure steam by the oil separator 20 into the oil pipe 12. The air inlet 112 is configured to be connected to the refrigerant outlet of the evaporator to introduce the mixed refrigerant discharged from the refrigerant outlet into the separation chamber 111. The air outlet 113 is configured to be connected to the suction port 2b of the compressor 2 to output the gaseous refrigerant including the gaseous refrigerant separated from the mixed refrigerant and the gaseous refrigerant vaporized from the liquid refrigerant to the suction port 2b of the compressor 2. The oil separator 20 can adopt a similar structure in related technologies, and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0064] As Figure 5 shown, in some embodiments, the refrigeration unit fluid conditioning device 1 may further include a switching valve 30. The switching valve 30 is arranged between the oil return end 23 and the oil inlet 114 and is configured to control the on-off between the oil return end 23 and the oil inlet 114. In this way, the oil return can be paused when the compressor 2 does not need oil return, reducing or eliminating the risk of liquid compression of the compressor 2 caused by the liquid refrigerant entering the compressor 2. The type of the switching valve 30 can be determined according to actual needs, and types such as a mechanical valve or an electromagnetic valve can be adopted. The embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0065] As Figures 6 - 8As shown, in some embodiments, the refrigeration unit fluid conditioning device 1 may further include an oil level sensor 40. The oil level sensor 40 is configured to detect the oil level of the oil separator 20 and / or the compressor 2. The type of the oil level sensor 40 can be determined according to actual needs. A photoelectric oil level sensor or a mechanical oil level sensor may be used, which is not limited in the embodiments of the present application. The photoelectric oil level sensor is a component that detects the position (height) of the oil in the container by utilizing the change in capacitance between the sensor housing 11 and the sensing electrode caused by the oil entering the container, and converts this change into a current change. The component may be arranged in the oil separator 20 and / or the compressor 2. The mechanical oil level sensor has a float built into the container. The float floats up or down depending on the liquid level, thereby determining the amount of oil in the container. As shown in FIG. Figure 6 As shown, in some examples, the oil level sensor 40 may be disposed in the oil separator 20 to detect the oil level of the oil separator 20. Figure 7 As shown, in other examples, it can be set in the oil separator 20 and / or the compressor 2 to detect the oil level of the compressor 2. Figure 8 As shown, in some other examples, an oil level sensor 40 may be provided in the oil separator 20 and the compressor 2 respectively to detect the oil levels of the oil separator 20 and the compressor 2 .

[0066] In this way, the connection between the oil return end 23 and the oil inlet 114 can be controlled according to the detection value of the oil level sensor 40. According to the detection value of the oil level sensor 40, it can be determined whether the compressor 2 lacks lubricating oil, so as to control the switch valve 30 to open or close, so that the oil return end 23 and the oil inlet 114 are connected or disconnected. In some examples, if it is detected that the oil level of the oil separator 20 is high or the oil level of the compressor 2 is low, it can be determined that the compressor 2 is in an oil shortage state, and the switch valve 30 can be opened to connect the oil return end 23 and the oil inlet 114, so that the lubricating oil quickly returns to the compressor 2. In other examples, if it is detected that the oil level of the oil separator 20 is low or the oil level of the compressor 2 is high, it can be determined that the amount of lubricating oil in the compressor 2 is relatively sufficient, and the switch valve 30 can be closed to disconnect the oil return end 23 and the oil inlet 114, and the oil is not returned temporarily, thereby reducing or eliminating the risk of liquid refrigerant entering the compressor 2 and causing liquid compression of the compressor 2.

[0067] The above is a detailed introduction to a separator and a refrigeration unit fluid conditioning device provided in the embodiments of the present application. Specific examples are used in this article to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the present application. The description of the above embodiments is only used to help understand the method of the present application and its core idea; at the same time, for technical personnel in this field, according to the ideas of the present application, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope. In summary, the content of this specification should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.

Claims

1. A separator, characterized in that, Comprising: A housing having an air inlet, an air outlet, and an oil inlet, wherein the air inlet is configured to introduce a mixed refrigerant, the air outlet is configured to output the gaseous refrigerant in the separation chamber, and the oil inlet is configured to introduce the lubricating oil to be cooled; A separation chamber located within the housing, with the air inlet and the air outlet communicating through the separation chamber; An oil pipe disposed in the separation chamber, one end of the oil pipe being connected to the oil inlet, and the oil pipe passing through the lower region of the separation chamber such that the lubricating oil within the oil pipe exchanges heat with the refrigerant within the separation chamber; The separator further includes an air outlet pipe disposed in the separation chamber, the air outlet communicating with the separation chamber through the air outlet pipe, the air outlet pipe passing through the lower region of the separation chamber, the end of the oil pipe remote from the oil inlet being connected to the air outlet pipe, and the end of the oil pipe connected to the air outlet pipe forming a first shock-absorbing pipe section having a bent pipe configuration; The oil pipe includes a coiled pipe section and a second shock-absorbing pipe section having a bent pipe configuration, with the second shock-absorbing pipe section located below the coiled pipe section; The plane of the second shock-absorbing pipe section is perpendicular to the plane of the first shock-absorbing pipe section; The coiled pipe section is formed by winding the oil pipe along a trajectory, the coiled pipe section being disposed in the lower region of the separator and wound around the outer periphery of the air outlet pipe; 2. The separator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The oil pipe further includes another end, which is connected to the outside of the housing through the air outlet; or the other end of the oil pipe penetrates through one side wall of the housing; or the other end of the oil pipe is a free end disposed in the separation chamber; 3. The separator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first shock-absorbing pipe section adopts at least one of a U-shaped structure, a serpentine structure, and a spiral structure; and / or, the second shock-absorbing pipe section adopts at least one of a U-shaped structure, a serpentine structure, and a spiral structure; 4. The separator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pipe section of the air outlet pipe located in the lower region of the separation chamber is provided with an oil return hole, and at least one high-level oil return hole is further provided on the air outlet pipe. The at least one high-level oil return hole and the oil return hole are sequentially spaced apart from top to bottom, and the aperture of the high-level oil return hole is smaller than the aperture of the oil return hole; the oil pipe includes a coiled pipe section, and the coiled pipe section is located between the high-level oil return hole and the oil return hole; 5. The separator according to claim 1, characterized in that, It further includes an air inlet pipe disposed in the separation chamber, the air inlet communicating with the separation chamber through the air inlet pipe, and the end of the air inlet pipe remote from the air inlet being misaligned with the end of the air outlet pipe remote from the air outlet; and / or, the air outlet pipe includes a bent pipe section that passes through the lower region of the separation chamber; 6. A fluid conditioning device for a refrigeration unit, characterized in that, Comprising: An oil separator having an oil separation air inlet, an oil separation air outlet, and an oil return end, with the oil separation air inlet configured to be connected to the exhaust port of a compressor; The separator according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein the oil inlet is connected to the oil return end, the air inlet is configured to be connected to the refrigerant outlet of an evaporator, and the air outlet is configured to be connected to the suction port of the compressor; At least one of a switching valve and an oil level sensor; The switching valve is arranged between the oil return end and the oil inlet, and is configured to control the on-off between the oil return end and the oil inlet; The oil level sensor is configured to detect the oil level of the oil separator and / or the compressor.

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