Air conditioner refrigerant pipe with heating function and air conditioner including the same

Abstract

The present invention relates to the technical field of heat exchange equipment, and specifically provides an air-conditioning refrigerant pipe with a heating function and an air conditioner including the air-conditioning refrigerant pipe, aiming to solve the problem that the defrosting process of existing air conditioners needs to be shortened to optimize the user experience in the case of air-conditioning heating. For this purpose, the air-conditioning refrigerant pipe is arranged in a double-pipe structure, and a heating structure capable of generating heat when powered on is arranged in the interlayer between the two pipes, so that it can be applied to the defrosting situation of the air conditioner. By heating the gaseous refrigerant flowing through the inner pipe, the temperature of the gaseous refrigerant entering the outdoor unit heat exchanger is increased, thereby improving the condensation efficiency of the gaseous refrigerant, promoting the more rapid release of more heat for heat exchange when the refrigerant in the outdoor unit heat exchanger exchanges heat, enabling the frost to be melted more quickly, optimizing the defrosting efficiency, shortening the defrosting process, and enabling the air conditioner equipped with the above air-conditioning refrigerant pipe to complete defrosting more quickly and continue heating, optimizing the user experience in the air-conditioning heating scenario.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of heat exchange equipment, and particularly provides an air-conditioning refrigerant pipe with a heating function and an air conditioner including the air-conditioning refrigerant pipe. Background Art

[0002] An air conditioner mainly includes an outdoor unit, an indoor unit, and a refrigerant circulation pipeline connected between the outdoor unit and the indoor unit. Functional components such as a compressor and an electronic expansion valve are provided on the refrigerant circulation pipeline so that the refrigerant circulates between the outdoor unit and the indoor unit through the refrigerant circulation pipeline, and thus indoor heating or cooling is achieved by means of evaporation / condensation heat exchange in the heat exchanger of the outdoor unit or the indoor unit. In this case, when the air conditioner provides indoor heating in autumn and winter, the refrigerant in the indoor unit heat exchanger condenses and releases heat to provide a hot air flow for the room and thus increase the indoor temperature. At this time, the outdoor unit heat exchanger installed outdoors is very likely to frost. After frosting on the outdoor heat exchanger, the frost layer will hinder the heat exchange between the refrigerant in the outdoor heat exchanger and the external environment, affect the outdoor heat exchange efficiency, and thus affect the indoor heat exchange effect.

[0003] To solve the above problems, most existing air conditioners are provided with a defrosting program. When the air conditioner executes the defrosting program, the air conditioner causes the refrigerant in the refrigerant circulation pipeline to flow reversely, so that the refrigerant condenses and exchanges heat in the outdoor heat exchanger, increases the temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger, and thus causes the frost on the outdoor heat exchanger to melt. However, since the air conditioner cannot provide indoor heating when running the defrosting program, how to shorten the defrosting process of the air conditioner and optimize the user experience is an important improvement direction in the current air conditioner heating field.

[0004] Correspondingly, there is a need in the art for a new air-conditioning refrigerant pipe with a heating function and an air conditioner including the air-conditioning refrigerant pipe to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention aims to solve the above technical problems, that is, to solve the problem that the defrosting process of the existing air conditioner needs to be shortened to optimize the user experience in the case of air conditioner heating.

[0006] In a first aspect, the present invention provides an air-conditioning refrigerant pipe with a heating function. The air-conditioning refrigerant pipe includes an outer pipe, an inner pipe, and a heating member disposed between the outer pipe and the inner pipe.

[0007] The outer pipe is sleeved outside the inner pipe at intervals.

[0008] The heating member includes a support structure and a heating structure fixed to the support structure. The heating structure can be connected to an external power supply and thus generate heat. Both the support structure and the heating structure are clamped between the outer pipe and the inner pipe, and the heating structure is arranged along the pipe length direction of the inner pipe.

[0009] In the case of adopting the above technical solution, the air-conditioning refrigerant pipe of the present invention is a double-layer pipe structure inside and outside, and a heating structure capable of being energized and generating heat is arranged in the pipe sandwich layer, so as to be applicable to the air-conditioning defrosting situation. By heating the gaseous refrigerant flowing through the inner pipe, the temperature of the gaseous refrigerant entering the outdoor unit heat exchanger is increased, thereby improving the condensation efficiency of the gaseous refrigerant, promoting the more rapid release of more heat for heat exchange when the refrigerant in the outdoor unit heat exchanger exchanges heat, enabling the frost to be melted more quickly, optimizing the defrosting efficiency, shortening the defrosting process, enabling the air conditioner equipped with the above air-conditioning refrigerant pipe to complete defrosting more quickly and continue heating, and optimizing the user experience in the air-conditioning heating scenario.

[0010] In addition, the above support structure can reliably install the heating structure between the sandwich layers of the inner pipe and the outer pipe, preventing the heating structure from being misaligned and moving in the moving scenarios such as the installation and transportation of the air-conditioning refrigerant pipe, so that the heating structure is reliably and stably limited in the area to be heated, ensuring the heating stability of the air-conditioning refrigerant pipe.

[0011] In the preferred technical solution of the above air-conditioning refrigerant pipe, the number of the support structures includes a plurality, and each support structure is provided with one heating structure, and the plurality of support structures are dispersedly arranged along the outer circumference of the inner pipe.

[0012] In the case of adopting the above technical solution, a plurality of heating structures can be evenly arranged around the inner pipe, generating heat dispersedly along the circumferential direction of the pipe wall, heating the refrigerant flowing in the inner pipe in multiple directions around the pipe wall, and having a better refrigerant heating effect.

[0013] In the preferred technical solution of the above air-conditioning refrigerant pipe, the support structure extends forward along the pipe length direction of the inner pipe.

[0014] In the case of adopting the above technical solution, the air-conditioning refrigerant pipe can install the support structure and the heating structure in the pipe sandwich layer through a pipe assembly method with lower processing difficulty, with better production efficiency, and the forward arrangement of a plurality of support structures along the pipe sandwich layer can make the entire pipe body of the air-conditioning refrigerant pipe have better bending resistance, making the air-conditioning refrigerant pipe more durable.

[0015] In the preferred technical solution of the above air-conditioning refrigerant pipe, the support structure is spirally wound and arranged along the pipe length direction of the inner pipe.

[0016] In the case of adopting the above technical solution, the support structure can have a longer extension length, so that the heating structure fixed thereon has a longer heatable stroke, and the heating range of each heating structure is expanded through spiral heating, optimizing its heating effect and heating efficiency on the inner pipe.

[0017] In the preferred technical solution of the above-mentioned air-conditioning refrigerant pipe, the heating structure includes at least one resistance wire, and the resistance wire is fixed to the support structure in a spiral winding manner.

[0018] In the preferred technical solution of the above-mentioned air-conditioning refrigerant pipe, the air-conditioning refrigerant pipe further includes an insulating structure, the insulating structure is clamped between the outer pipe and the inner pipe, and the insulating structure is arranged to cover the heating structure.

[0019] In the case of adopting the above technical solution, the insulating structure can be separated from the external environment by being arranged in the pipe sandwich layer, which can effectively prevent the insulating structure from being exposed to the external environment and aging rapidly, reducing its insulation protection effect.

[0020] In the preferred technical solution of the above-mentioned air-conditioning refrigerant pipe, the insulating structure is an insulating layer arranged between the outer pipe and the inner pipe, and the insulating layer covers and fixes the heating structure by filling the gap between the outer pipe, the inner pipe and the heating structure.

[0021] In the case of adopting the above technical solution, the insulating layer can not only insulate and cover the heating structure to produce a protective effect on the heating structure, but also assist the support structure to limit the displacement and movement of the heating structure in the pipe sandwich layer by filling the gap between the outer pipe, the inner pipe and the heating structure, improving the fixing reliability of the heating structure and further optimizing the durability of the air-conditioning refrigerant pipe.

[0022] In the preferred technical solution of the above-mentioned air-conditioning refrigerant pipe, the insulating structure includes a first insulating layer covering the outer wall of the inner pipe and a second insulating layer covering the inner wall of the outer pipe, and the support structure and the heating structure are arranged between the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer.

[0023] In the preferred technical solution of the above-mentioned air-conditioning refrigerant pipe, the outer pipe and the inner pipe are copper pipes.

[0024] In the case of adopting the above technical solution, the air-conditioning refrigerant pipe has a double-layer corrosion-resistant pipe layer composed of an outer pipe and an inner pipe, providing a good isolation space in the pipe sandwich layer, avoiding the aging and corrosion of the heating structure after the long-term operation of the air-conditioning refrigerant pipe, and also making the whole air-conditioning refrigerant pipe have the durability advantages such as high strength and good corrosion resistance.

[0025] On the other hand, the present invention also provides an air conditioner including the above-mentioned air-conditioning refrigerant pipe, and the air conditioner includes an outdoor heat exchanger, a compressor, a control module, a power connection switch and the air-conditioning refrigerant pipe.

[0026] The outdoor heat exchanger and the compressor are connected through the air-conditioning refrigerant pipe.

[0027] The power connection switch is connected between an external power supply and the heating structure.

[0028] The control module is configured to be able to control the power connection switch to turn on during defrosting and control the power connection switch to turn off at the end of defrosting.

[0029] In the case of adopting the above technical solution, the present invention can automatically start the heating function of the air-conditioning refrigerant pipe every time during defrosting, heat the gaseous refrigerant flowing in the above air-conditioning refrigerant pipe to accelerate the overall defrosting process, so that the air conditioner can quickly defrost and continue heating during heating, without interrupting the heating work for a long time, and the user experience is good. Description of the Drawings

[0030] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, and the drawings are:

[0031] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of the air-conditioning refrigerant pipe of the present invention, which shows the structural distribution perspective after the air-conditioning refrigerant pipe is truncated;

[0032] In the drawings:

[0033] 1. Outer pipe; 2. Inner pipe; 3. Heating member; 31. Support structure; 32. Heating structure; 4. Insulation structure. Detailed Embodiments

[0034] Those skilled in the art should understand that these embodiments are only used to explain the technical principle of the present invention and are not intended to limit the protection scope of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make adjustments according to needs to adapt to specific application scenarios.

[0035] It should be noted that in the description of the present invention, the terms indicating directions or positional relationships such as "center", "inner", "outer", etc. are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the drawings. This is only for convenience of description and does not indicate or imply that the device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation of the present invention. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0036] In addition, it should be noted that in the description of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium. For those skilled in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific situations.

[0037] An air conditioner generally includes main functional components such as an indoor heat exchanger disposed in the outdoor unit, an outdoor heat exchanger disposed in the indoor unit, a compressor, an electronic expansion valve, and a four-way valve. The indoor heat exchanger, the compressor, and the outdoor heat exchanger are connected through refrigerant pipes to form a closed-loop refrigerant circulation circuit, and components such as the above-mentioned electronic expansion valve and four-way valve are disposed on the refrigerant pipes. Among them, the four-way valve is configured to be able to change the operating condition of the air conditioner through commutation, that is, the air conditioner can be changed from a refrigeration condition to a heating condition through the commutation of the four-way valve, and can be changed from a heating condition to a refrigeration condition through the commutation of the four-way valve, reversing the flow direction of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circulation circuit.

[0038] First, refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1 which is a schematic structural view of the air-conditioning refrigerant pipe of the present invention, showing the structural distribution perspective after the air-conditioning refrigerant pipe is truncated. As Figure 1 shown, the present invention provides an air-conditioning refrigerant pipe. One end of the air-conditioning refrigerant pipe is connected to the compressor, and the other end is connected to the outdoor heat exchanger to guide the refrigerant to flow between the compressor and the outdoor heat exchanger. The air-conditioning refrigerant pipe specifically includes an outer pipe 1, an inner pipe 2, and a heating member 3 disposed between the outer pipe 1 and the inner pipe 2. Specifically, the outer pipe 1 is spacedly sleeved outside the inner pipe 2. Preferably, the distance between the inner wall of the outer pipe 1 and the outer wall of the inner pipe 2 is equal everywhere, so as to form a uniformly distributed pipe sandwich space between the outer pipe 1 and the inner pipe 2. The outer pipe 1 serves as the protective outer shell layer of the air-conditioning refrigerant pipe, and the inner pipe 2 is used to accommodate and transport the refrigerant. The heating member 3 includes a support structure 31 and a heating structure 32. Both the support structure 31 and the heating structure 32 are clamped between the outer pipe 1 and the inner pipe 2. The support structure 31 is used to install and fix the heating structure 32 and extends according to the heating range of the heating structure 32. The heating structure 32 can be connected to an external power supply and thus generate heat. The heating structure 32 is disposed close to the inner pipe 2 and extends synchronously with the inner pipe 2 along the pipe length direction.

[0039] Based on the above structure, the heating structure 32 in the sandwich layer of the air-conditioning refrigerant pipe can be caused to generate heat by energization, so as to transfer the heat to the refrigerant flowing in the inner pipe 2 and increase the temperature of the refrigerant when the refrigerant flows through the inner pipe 2.

[0040] In the air-conditioning heating defrosting scenario, by heating the temperature of the gaseous refrigerant in the inner pipe 2 by energization, the gaseous refrigerant can enter the outdoor heat exchanger for condensation heat exchange at a higher temperature, improving the heat exchange efficiency of the outdoor heat exchanger during defrosting, accelerating the release of heat from the frost layer condensed on the outdoor heat exchanger faster and more, and accelerating the defrosting process.

[0041] In the above-described embodiment, the heating length of the heating structure 32 arranged along the inner pipe 2 can be set according to the heating requirement. For example, the heating structure 32 can be set to be the same length as or close to the length of the inner pipe 2 according to the refrigerant heating requirement of the refrigerant pipe section between the compressor and the outdoor heat exchanger, so as to set the pipe length of the heated pipe section part on the inner pipe 2. Those skilled in the art can set the length and shape of the support structure 31 according to the specific heating length and heating position of the heating member 3. For example, when the heating structure 32 has a strip-shaped heating requirement in the pipe length direction, the support structure 31 can be set as a long strip-shaped structure, or when the heating structure 32 has a heating requirement to surround the outer circumference of the inner pipe 2 in the pipe length direction, the support structure 31 can be set as a tubular structure that can be sleeved on the outer side of the inner pipe 2. In actual setting, the above support structure 31 can be fixed in the pipe sandwich by directly or indirectly abutting against the inner wall of the outer pipe 1 and / or the outer wall of the inner pipe 2, or can be reliably positioned in the pipe sandwich by means of bonding, pouring and encapsulating with encapsulating glue, setting a clamping structure, etc.

[0042] As a preferred embodiment, the above heating member 3 is arranged to be able to heat circumferentially around the outer wall of the outer pipe 1 of the inner pipe 2. In this case, the numbers of the above support structure 31 and the heating structure 32 both include a plurality. Each support structure 31 is provided with a heating structure 32, and each support structure 31 is a strip-shaped structure that can be arranged along the pipe length direction of the inner pipe 2. The plurality of support structures 31 are dispersedly arranged along the outer circumference of the inner pipe 2 so that when electrified for heating, the plurality of heating structures 32 can heat around the inner pipe 2 and cover the entire pipe wall of the inner pipe 2 with the heating range.

[0043] In a possible case, the support structure 31 is a long strip-shaped structure, and the long strip-shaped structure extends straight along the pipe length direction of the inner pipe 2 (i.e., Figure 1 the extension case shown in). The heating structure 32 is a resistance wire bundle, and the resistance wire bundle includes at least one resistance wire, and the resistance wire bundle is fixedly attached to the support structure 31 straight along the length direction of the support structure 31, or the resistance wire is helically wound around the support structure 31 for fixation (i.e., Figure 1 the winding and fixation case shown in).

[0044] In the installed case, the outer side of the inner pipe 2 is surrounded by multiple groups of the above-described support structures 31, so that when the resistance wire is electrified, the entire pipe wall of the inner pipe 2 can be heated.

[0045] In another possible case, the support structure 31 is arranged to wind along the pipe length direction of the inner pipe 2 in a spiral winding manner. Different from the above case, in this case, the long strip-shaped support structure 31 is arranged on the outer wall of the outer pipe 1 of the inner pipe 2 in a spiral winding manner (as shown in Figure 1The situation where the resistance wire is wound around the support structure 31 is similar. When multiple support structures 31 are wound around the outer wall of the inner tube 2, a certain pitch can be provided between different support structures 31 to prevent the resistance wires on different support structures 31 from contacting each other.

[0046] In the installed situation, the outer side of the inner tube 2 is surrounded by multiple groups of the above-described support structures 31. By arranging each heating structure 32 in a spiral manner, the heating range of each heating structure 32 is increased, and the heating effect of the inner tube 2 is improved.

[0047] Alternatively, the above support structure 31 is a tube structure. The tube structure is sleeved on the outer side of the inner tube 2 and is sleeved by the outer tube 1. In this case, the resistance wire can be arranged straight along the length direction of the tube structure or wound spirally.

[0048] In the above embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the strip-shaped support structure 31 is not limited. In addition to the circular shape shown in the figure, the cross-sectional shape can also be a regular polygon, an ellipse, or any other structure that can meet the arrangement requirements of the heating structure 32.

[0049] In addition, the heating structure 32 is not limited to the resistance wire structure. It can be any heating structure 32 that can meet the requirement of being energized and heated along the tube length direction.

[0050] For any of the above embodiments, preferably, the air-conditioning refrigerant pipe of the present invention further includes an insulating and heat-conducting insulating structure 4. The insulating structure 4 is clamped between the outer tube 1 and the inner tube 2, and the insulating structure 4 is arranged to cover the resistance wire, so as to insulate and isolate the resistance wire from other structures and provide a certain degree of protection for the resistance wire.

[0051] In a possible embodiment, the above insulating structure 4 is an insulating layer provided between the outer tube 1 and the inner tube 2. The insulating layer covers and fixes the support structure 31 and the resistance wire by filling the gap between the outer tube 1, the inner tube 2, and the heating structure 32 (that is, Figure 1 the arrangement situation of the insulating structure 4 shown). As an example, the above insulating layer is formed by pouring magnesium oxide powder between the inner tube 2 and the outer tube 1.

[0052] Based on the above settings, while insulating and covering the resistance wire, the support structure 31 and the resistance wire can be limited in movement, and the air-conditioning refrigerant pipe with the tube sandwich gap filled has a higher working strength and better durability.

[0053] Alternatively, the above-mentioned insulation structure 4 may further include a first insulation layer disposed on the outer wall of the inner tube 2 and a second insulation layer disposed on the inner wall of the outer tube 1, and the support structure 31 and the resistance wire are disposed between the first insulation layer and the second insulation layer. As an example, the above-mentioned first insulation layer and the second insulation layer may be insulation coatings applied to the inner wall of the outer tube 1 or the outer wall of the inner tube 2.

[0054] As a preferred example, both the outer tube 1 and the inner tube 2 are copper tubes, so that the air-conditioning refrigerant tube has inner and outer tube shells with corrosion resistance and high strength, preventing the air-conditioning refrigerant tube from being corroded when exposed to the external environment or in contact with the refrigerant, and the shape of the sandwich space formed by sandwiching with high-strength tube layers is more stable, and the assembled air-conditioning refrigerant tube has better durability.

[0055] For any of the above air-conditioning refrigerant tubes, the present invention further provides an air conditioner, which is configured with the above air-conditioning refrigerant tube, a control module and a power connection switch. Among them, the power connection switch is connected between an external power supply and the resistance wire to control the on / off of the resistance wire in a switching manner. The control module is configured to be able to control the power connection switch to be turned on during defrosting to heat the gaseous refrigerant in the inner tube 2, and to control the power connection switch to be turned off when the defrosting is completed. In actual application, the heating power of the resistance wire can be adjusted by setting the input current / power, etc.

[0056] So far, the technical solutions of the present invention have been described in conjunction with the preferred embodiments shown in the drawings. However, it is easy for those skilled in the art to understand that the protection scope of the present invention is obviously not limited to these specific embodiments. Without departing from the principle of the present invention, those skilled in the art can make equivalent changes or substitutions to the relevant technical features, and the technical solutions after these changes or substitutions will all fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An air-conditioning refrigerant pipe with a heating function, characterized in that, The air-conditioning refrigerant pipe includes an outer pipe, an inner pipe, and a heating member disposed between the outer pipe and the inner pipe. The outer pipe is sleeved outside the inner pipe at intervals. The heating member includes a support structure and a heating structure fixed on the support structure. The heating structure can be connected to an external power source and thus generate heat. Both the support structure and the heating structure are clamped between the outer pipe and the inner pipe, and the heating structure is arranged along the pipe length direction of the inner pipe. Among them, the number of the support structures includes a plurality, and one heating structure is provided on each support structure. The plurality of support structures are dispersedly arranged along the outer circumference of the inner pipe. The heating structure includes at least one resistance wire, and the resistance wire is fixed on the support structure in a spiral winding manner.

2. The air-conditioning refrigerant pipe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support structure extends forward along the pipe length direction of the inner pipe.

3. The air-conditioning refrigerant pipe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support structure is arranged in a spiral winding manner along the pipe length direction of the inner pipe.

4. The air-conditioning refrigerant pipe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air-conditioning refrigerant pipe further includes an insulating structure. The insulating structure is clamped between the outer pipe and the inner pipe, and the insulating structure covers the heating structure.

5. The air-conditioning refrigerant pipe according to claim 4, characterized in that, The insulating structure is an insulating layer disposed between the outer pipe and the inner pipe. The insulating layer covers and fixes the heating structure by filling the gap between the outer pipe, the inner pipe, and the heating structure.

6. The air-conditioning refrigerant pipe according to claim 4, characterized in that, The insulating structure includes a first insulating layer covering the outer wall of the inner pipe and a second insulating layer covering the inner wall of the outer pipe. The support structure and the heating structure are disposed between the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer.

7. The air-conditioning refrigerant pipe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer pipe and the inner pipe are copper pipes.

8. An air conditioner comprising the air-conditioning refrigerant pipe according to claim 1, the air conditioner including an outdoor heat exchanger and a compressor, characterized in that, The air conditioner further includes a control module, a power connection switch, and the air-conditioning refrigerant pipe. The outdoor heat exchanger and the compressor are connected through the air-conditioning refrigerant pipe. The power connection switch is connected between the external power source and the heating structure. The control module is configured to be able to control the power connection switch to be turned on during defrosting and control the power connection switch to be turned off at the end of defrosting.

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