Refrigerant compression device, Separated oil recovery method, Air conditioner outdoor unit, and Air conditioner

Abstract

The present application relates to a kind of refrigerant compression device, separation oil recovery method, air conditioner outdoor unit and air conditioner, belong to air conditioning technical field, it is aimed at solving the technical problem that existing refrigerant compression device is not easy to oil. Refrigerant compression device, including compressor and oil separator, the gas outlet of compressor is connected the inlet of oil separator by first pipeline, oil separator has first oil outlet, first oil outlet is communicated with the suction pipe of compressor by second pipeline, and driven control valve is arranged on second pipeline. The refrigerant compression device, air conditioner outdoor unit and air conditioner of the present application, when the scheme that the exhaust pressure fluctuation of compressor is spontaneously used to flow back the oil separated in oil separator to compressor cannot automatically carry out oil return, opens driven control valve, and makes the separated oil of oil separator flow from second pipeline to the suction pipe of compressor.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of air conditioning technology, and more specifically, to a refrigerant compression device, a method for separating and recovering oil, an outdoor air conditioning unit, and an air conditioner. Background Technology

[0002] To prevent liquid refrigerant from flowing outwards during outdoor unit exhaust, air conditioners typically install an oil separator in the exhaust pipe, returning the separated oil (hereinafter referred to as separated oil) to the compressor. However, when the air conditioner is equipped with a high-pressure compressor where the compressor body pressure equals the exhaust pressure, the pressure inside the oil separator will be lower than the compressor body pressure due to pressure loss in the exhaust pipe. Therefore, if the oil separator is only connected to the compressor body via a return oil pipe, it is impossible to return the separated oil to the compressor.

[0003] To solve the above problems, the following solutions have been adopted in the background technology:

[0004] (1) As Figure 1 As shown in Background Art 1, an oil separator and the suction pipe 80 of the compressor 10 are connected by an oil return pipe equipped with a capillary tube 99. For example, for a 10hp air conditioner, a capillary tube 99 with an inner diameter of 1.0mm and a length of 700mm can be used. With this structure, the separated liquid refrigerant can flow from the oil separator 20 to the lower-pressure suction pipe 80 of the compressor 10, and then back to the compressor 10. However, when using this method, the gaseous portion of the exhaust refrigerant also flows to the suction pipe 80 through the return pipe. This reduces the refrigerant flow to the indoor unit, ultimately resulting in a decrease in cooling or heating capacity. Simultaneously, when high-temperature exhaust refrigerant mixes with the suction refrigerant, the suction temperature rises, causing the exhaust temperature to rise, which ultimately leads to a decrease in the reliability of the compressor 10.

[0005] (2) Figure 2 As shown in Background Art 2, the oil separator 20 and compressor 10 are connected via a return pipe equipped with a pump 98. For example, for a 10hp air conditioner, a pump with a flow rate of 0.1L / min can be used. The pump 98 then increases the pressure of the separated oil, causing it to flow to the compressor 10. However, using this method requires an additional pump 98, increasing the cost of the air conditioner. Furthermore, the power consumption of the pump will increase the cooling or heating power consumption.

[0006] (3) Figure 3As shown in Background Art 3, a first one-way valve 51, an oil reservoir 30, and a second one-way valve 52 are installed on the oil return pipe connecting the oil separator 20 and the compressor 10, starting from the oil separator 20 side. When the air conditioner is in cooling or heating operation, changes in room temperature, changes in the set airflow of the indoor unit, and changes in the number of indoor units in a multi-split system will cause the discharge pressure of the compressor 10 to fluctuate repeatedly.

[0007] At this time, when the exhaust pressure rises, the first check valve 51 opens and the second check valve 52 closes, and the separated oil from the oil separator moves to the oil reservoir and is stored. When the exhaust pressure drops, the first check valve 51 closes and then the second check valve 52 opens, and the separated oil in the oil reservoir 30 moves to the compressor 10.

[0008] However, in this method, when the compressor 10 starts, the discharge pressure rises, making it impossible for the oil in the oil reservoir 30 to move to the compressor when the discharge pressure drops. Therefore, the separated oil from the oil separator 20 will be stored in the oil reservoir 30. Since the pressure in the oil reservoir 30 is always lower than the discharge pressure of the compressor 10 during this stage, the oil separated by the oil separator 20 cannot return to the compressor 10, which may result in insufficient oil in the compressor 10.

[0009] Furthermore, during periods such as midday when indoor load fluctuations are small, the exhaust pressure changes less. Consequently, oil in the oil separator cannot return to the compressor, which may also lead to insufficient oil in the compressor 10. Summary of the Invention

[0010] The first objective of this invention is to provide a refrigerant compression device to solve the technical problem that the oil separator in existing refrigerant compression devices does not easily return oil.

[0011] The refrigerant compression device provided by the present invention includes a compressor and an oil separator. The outlet of the compressor is connected to the inlet of the oil separator through a first pipeline. The oil separator has a first oil outlet, which is connected to the suction pipe of the compressor through a second pipeline. An active control valve is provided on the second pipeline.

[0012] By installing an active control valve in the second pipeline connecting the oil separator and the compressor's suction pipe, when the automatic oil return mechanism, which relies on fluctuations in the compressor's discharge pressure, fails to return the separated oil, the active control valve opens, allowing the separated oil from the oil separator to flow from the second pipeline into the compressor's suction pipe. As long as the compressor is running, the pressure in the compressor's suction pipe will inevitably be significantly lower than the compressor's discharge pressure, thus enabling the separated oil in the oil separator to flow back into the compressor, replenishing the compressor's oil level in a timely manner and preventing prolonged oil shortages.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment, a third pipeline is also included. The oil separator also has a second oil outlet, which is connected to an oil reservoir via the third pipeline. A first check valve is installed on the third pipeline. The oil reservoir is connected to the oil return port of the compressor via a fourth pipeline. The first check valve can only flow unidirectionally from the oil separator to the oil reservoir.

[0014] By connecting a third pipeline to the oil reservoir and installing a first check valve on this third pipeline, when the compressor's discharge pressure rises, the pressure in the oil separator will exceed the pressure in the oil reservoir, allowing oil to be recovered into the oil reservoir. Furthermore, as long as a pressure correlation exists, the separated oil will flow directly into the oil reservoir without requiring detection or control, ensuring high operational reliability. Additionally, even if the compressor's discharge pressure decreases and the pressure in the oil separator falls below the pressure in the oil reservoir, the separated oil in the oil reservoir will not return to the oil separator due to the one-way flow of the first check valve.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment, a second check valve is provided on the fourth pipeline, which can only flow from the oil reservoir to the compressor in one direction.

[0016] By installing a second check valve on the fourth pipeline, when the compressor's discharge pressure drops, the pressure in the oil reservoir becomes greater than the compressor's discharge pressure, causing the separated oil in the oil reservoir to spontaneously flow back into the compressor. Moreover, as long as the pressure corresponds to the above-mentioned relationship, the separated oil can flow into the compressor without the need for detection and control, resulting in high operational reliability.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment, a temperature sensor is provided on the fourth pipeline, and the temperature sensor is located between the second check valve and the oil return port of the compressor.

[0018] By setting a temperature sensor, the temperature of the separated oil returning from the oil reservoir to the compressor can be detected, and the temperature change of the oil reservoir can be obtained in a timely manner so as to control the active control valve to perform corresponding actions. Thus, the relative relationship between the separated oil temperature of the oil reservoir and the exhaust temperature of the compressor can be used to determine whether the separated oil in the oil reservoir is in a flowing state.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment, a controller is also included, wherein the active control valve is a solenoid valve, the active control valve is electrically connected to the controller, and the active control valve is used to disconnect or connect the second pipeline under the control of the controller.

[0020] Using a solenoid valve electrically connected to the controller to disconnect or open the second pipeline under the control of the controller can improve the response speed and achieve more precise control.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment, the controller is electrically connected to the temperature sensor, and the controller is used to acquire the return oil temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

[0022] By electrically connecting the controller to a temperature sensor, the return oil temperature of the oil reservoir detected by the temperature sensor can be obtained, which reflects the oil storage time of the oil reservoir, so as to control the corresponding active control valve to operate.

[0023] The second objective of this invention is to provide a method for recovering oil from the refrigerant compression device described above, in order to solve the technical problem that the oil separator of the refrigerant compression device in the existing outdoor unit of an air conditioner is not easy to return oil.

[0024] The present invention provides a method for recovering separated oil based on the above-mentioned refrigerant compression device, which includes measuring the return oil temperature of the fourth pipeline using the temperature sensor.

[0025] If the temperature difference between the return oil temperature and the compressor discharge temperature remains greater than or equal to the first preset temperature difference within a first preset time period, the active control valve is opened to connect the second pipeline, allowing the separated oil to flow back to the compressor's suction pipe.

[0026] The separated oil from the oil separator is stored in the oil reservoir for a relatively long time, and due to significant heat loss to the environment, its temperature is relatively low. That is, when the return oil temperature differs significantly from the compressor's discharge temperature within the first preset time period, it indicates that the compressor has been operating with a relatively low oil level for an extended period. In this case, the active control valve can open the third pipeline under the control of the controller. Because the compressor's suction port pressure is much lower than its discharge pressure, resulting in a large pressure difference, separated oil is quickly replenished to the compressor to ensure its normal operation.

[0027] The third objective of this invention is to provide a method for recovering oil from the refrigerant compression device described above, in order to solve the technical problem that the oil separator of the refrigerant compression device in the existing air conditioner outdoor unit is not easy to return oil.

[0028] The present invention provides a method for recovering separated oil based on the above-mentioned refrigerant compression device. When the compressor is in the start-up phase, the active control valve is opened to conduct the second pipeline, so that the separated oil flows back to the suction pipe of the compressor.

[0029] The fourth objective of this invention is to provide an outdoor air conditioning unit that solves the technical problem that the oil separator of the refrigerant compression device in existing outdoor air conditioning units is not easy to return oil.

[0030] The outdoor unit of the air conditioner provided by the present invention includes the refrigerant compression device described above.

[0031] By installing the aforementioned refrigerant compression device in the outdoor unit of the air conditioner, the outdoor unit of the air conditioner has all the advantages of the aforementioned refrigerant compression device, which will not be elaborated here.

[0032] The fifth objective of this invention is to provide an air conditioner that solves the technical problem that the oil separator of the refrigerant compression device in the existing outdoor unit of an air conditioner is not easy to return oil.

[0033] The air conditioner provided by the present invention includes the above-mentioned outdoor unit.

[0034] By installing the aforementioned outdoor unit in the air conditioner, the air conditioner accordingly possesses all the advantages of the aforementioned outdoor unit, which will not be elaborated upon here. Attached Figure Description

[0035] 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 embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

[0036] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of Background Technology 1 in the background technology of this invention;

[0037] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of Background Technology 2 in the background technology of this invention;

[0038] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of Background Technology 3 in the background technology of this invention;

[0039] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the refrigerant compression device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the state of the refrigerant compression device described above when the separated oil flows from the oil separator to the oil reservoir.

[0041] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the state of the refrigerant compression device described above when the separated oil flows from the oil reservoir to the oil separator.

[0042] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of one working process of the aforementioned refrigerant compression device;

[0043] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of another working process of the aforementioned refrigerant compression device.

[0044] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0045] 10-Compressor; 20-Oil separator; 30-Oil reservoir; 40-Active control valve; 51-First check valve; 52-Second check valve; 71-First pipeline; 72-Second pipeline; 73-Third pipeline; 74-Fourth pipeline; 80-Suction pipe; 98-Pump; 99-Capillary tube. Detailed Implementation

[0046] To make the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention.

[0047] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the refrigerant compression device provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 As shown, the refrigerant compression device provided in this embodiment includes a compressor 10 and an oil separator 20. The outlet of the compressor 10 is connected to the inlet of the oil separator 20 through a first pipeline 71. The oil separator 20 has a first oil outlet, which is connected to the suction pipe 80 of the compressor 10 through a second pipeline 72. An active control valve 40 is provided on the second pipeline 72.

[0048] Specifically, the active control valve 40 can include electrically, manually, or hydraulically controlled shut-off valves, two-position two-way directional valves, or valves that can adjust the opening and close, such as electronic expansion valves. Although their main function is to adjust the opening, when the opening is adjusted to 0, the valve can be considered to have cut off the pipeline it is in. Alternatively, a four-way valve that can cut off or open a certain pipeline without causing changes in other pipelines during state changes—that is, using a four-way valve as a two-position two-way valve—can also be considered the aforementioned active control valve 40. Valves such as check valves, whose operation is determined solely by the relative pressure state of the external pipeline, are not considered active control valves 40.

[0049] By installing an active control valve 40 in the second pipeline 72 connecting the oil separator 20 and the suction pipe 80 of the compressor 10, when the automatic oil return scheme utilizing the discharge pressure fluctuations of the compressor 10 to spontaneously return the oil separated in the oil separator 20 to the compressor 10 fails, the active control valve 40 is opened, allowing the separated oil from the oil separator 20 to flow from the second pipeline 72 into the suction pipe 80 of the compressor 10. As long as the compressor 10 is in the open state, the pressure in the suction pipe 80 of the compressor 10 will inevitably be significantly lower than the discharge pressure of the compressor 10, thereby realizing the return of the separated oil in the oil separator 20 to the compressor 10, timely replenishing the oil in the compressor 10, and preventing the compressor 10 from being short of oil for a long time.

[0050] like Figure 4As shown, preferably, it also includes a third pipeline 73, and the oil separator 20 also has a second oil outlet. The second oil outlet is connected to the oil reservoir 30 through the third pipeline 73. A first check valve 51 is provided on the third pipeline 73. The oil reservoir 30 is connected to the oil return port of the compressor 10 through a fourth pipeline 74. The first check valve 51 can only conduct unidirectional flow from the oil separator 20 to the oil reservoir 30.

[0051] By connecting a third pipeline 73 to the oil reservoir 30 and installing a first check valve 51 on the third pipeline 73, when the discharge pressure of the compressor 10 rises, the pressure in the oil separator 20 will exceed the pressure in the oil reservoir 30, allowing oil to be recovered into the oil reservoir 30. Furthermore, as long as a pressure relationship exists, the separated oil can flow into the oil reservoir 30 without requiring detection or control, ensuring high operational reliability. The current state is as follows: Figure 5 As shown, even if the discharge pressure of the compressor 10 decreases and the pressure in the oil separator 20 is lower than the pressure in the oil reservoir 30, the separated oil in the oil reservoir 30 will not return to the oil separator 20 due to the one-way conduction of the first check valve 51.

[0052] like Figure 4 As shown, preferably, a second check valve 52 is provided on the fourth pipeline 74, which can only be unidirectionally connected from the oil reservoir 30 to the compressor 10.

[0053] By installing a second check valve 52 on the fourth pipeline 74, when the discharge pressure of the compressor 10 decreases, the pressure in the oil reservoir 30 is greater than the discharge pressure of the compressor 10. The separated oil in the oil reservoir 30 then spontaneously flows back into the compressor 10, as shown in the following state: Figure 6 As shown. Moreover, as long as the pressure corresponds to the above, the separated oil can flow into the compressor 10 without the need for detection and control, resulting in high operational reliability.

[0054] By employing a scheme that installs a first check valve 51 and a second check valve 52 at both ends of the oil reservoir 30, the discharge pressure fluctuations of the compressor 10 can be utilized to achieve spontaneous backflow of the separated oil from the separator. Compared to a scheme that uses height to offset pressure, this reduces the space required; compared to a scheme that uses a pump, this reduces power consumption; and compared to a scheme that only uses capillary tube 99 to return oil to the suction pipe 80 of the compressor 10, this improves the reliability of the compressor 10.

[0055] like Figure 4 As shown, preferably, a temperature sensor is provided on the fourth pipeline 74, and the temperature sensor is located between the second one-way valve 52 and the oil return port of the compressor 10.

[0056] Specifically, the temperature sensor can be an electronic temperature sensor that transmits the pressure information of the fourth pipe 74 to the controller as an electrical signal. The controller then makes a judgment based on the temperature signal and operates the relevant actuators. Alternatively, it can be a non-electronic temperature gauge that visually displays the temperature in the fourth pipe 74 to the operator.

[0057] By setting a temperature sensor, the temperature of the separated oil returning from the oil reservoir 30 to the compressor 10 can be detected, and the temperature change of the oil reservoir 30 can be obtained in a timely manner so as to control the active control valve 40 to perform corresponding actions. Thus, the relative relationship between the separated oil temperature of the oil reservoir 30 and the exhaust temperature of the compressor 10 can be used to determine whether the separated oil in the oil reservoir 30 is in a flowing state.

[0058] like Figure 4 As shown, preferably, it also includes a controller (not shown in the figure), the active control valve 40 is a solenoid valve, the active control valve 40 is electrically connected to the controller, and the active control valve 40 is used to disconnect or open the second pipeline 72 under the control of the controller.

[0059] By using a solenoid valve electrically connected to the controller to disconnect or open the second pipeline 72 under the control of the controller, it is beneficial to improve the response speed and achieve more precise control.

[0060] In another implementation, a controller may not be required, and the active control valve 40 can be a manual valve. The operator observes the temperature gauge and compares the reading with a preset value. If the difference is significant, the active control valve 40 is opened, allowing the separated oil from the oil separator 20 to flow through the second pipe 72 to the suction pipe 80 of the compressor 10. Alternatively, the active control valve 40 can be opened for a period of time during the compressor 10's start-up phase or during periods when the compressor 10's discharge pressure may fluctuate less. While not as rapid as electronic control, this is an option when the oil reservoir 30 has a large capacity and the compressor 10 allows for a significant drop in oil levels, and there is no need to quickly switch the connection status of the first pipe 71.

[0061] like Figure 4 As shown, preferably, the controller is electrically connected to the temperature sensor, and the controller is used to acquire the return oil temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

[0062] By electrically connecting the controller to the temperature sensor, the return oil temperature of the oil reservoir 30 detected by the temperature sensor can be obtained, which can reflect the oil storage time of the oil reservoir 30, so as to control the corresponding active control valve 40 to operate.

[0063] like Figure 4As shown, preferably, the active control valve 40 is used to open the second pipeline 72 when the temperature difference between the return oil temperature and the discharge temperature of the compressor 10 is greater than or equal to the first preset temperature difference within a first preset time period; and / or, the active control valve 40 is used to open the first pipeline 71 when the fluctuation value of the discharge pressure of the compressor 10 is less than the preset fluctuation value within a first preset time period.

[0064] When the separated oil from the oil separator 20 is stored in the oil reservoir 30 for a long time, it dissipates a significant amount of heat to the environment, resulting in a lower temperature. That is, within the first preset time period, the return oil temperature differs considerably from the discharge temperature of the compressor 10, indicating that the compressor 10 operates for a longer period with relatively low oil levels. At this time, the active control valve 40 can open the second pipeline 72 under the control of the controller. Since the suction pressure of the compressor 10 is much lower than its discharge pressure, resulting in a large pressure difference, separated oil is rapidly replenished to the compressor 10 to ensure its normal operation.

[0065] And / or, the discharge pressure fluctuation value of the compressor 10 can also be detected. If the discharge pressure fluctuation value of the compressor 10 is small, it means that it is not easy to use the pressure change between the compressor 10 and the oil reservoir 30 to achieve spontaneous separation of oil return through the first one-way valve 51 and the second one-way valve 52. At this time, the active control valve 40 can be actively opened to return oil, so as to ensure the normal working state of the compressor 10.

[0066] like Figure 4 As shown, preferably, the second pipeline 72 is also provided with a capillary tube 99.

[0067] By setting capillary tube 99, a certain throttling effect can be achieved, thereby preventing the temperature of the separated oil flowing back to the suction pipe 80 of compressor 10 from being too high, which would increase the discharge temperature of compressor 10 and reduce the reliability of compressor 10.

[0068] like Figure 7 As shown, the present invention also provides an embodiment of a refrigerant recovery method based on a refrigerant compression device without a temperature sensor, which includes:

[0069] Taking a 10hp outdoor unit as an example, the oil separator separates approximately 0.1L / min of oil. In scenarios where the separated oil is returned only through the third and fourth pipelines, if the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet sides of the first and second check valves is 0.01MPa, then the flow coefficient of the check valves must be above 0.02.

[0070] The flow coefficient can be calculated using the following formula:

[0071] Flow coefficient = 0.022 × oil flow rate [L / min] × {oil specific gravity / pressure difference [MPa]} × 0.5

[0072] Assuming that the separated oil in the oil reservoir can move to the compressor body once every 5 minutes, a capacity of more than 0.5L is required.

[0073] In scenarios where the separated oil is refluxed through a second pipeline, based on empirical values ​​from test results, the capillary dimensions are approximately 1.0 mm inner diameter and 700 mm length.

[0074] From the start of compressor startup, the solenoid valve remains open for a second preset time Tr. In this embodiment, the time from compressor startup to the sustained rise in discharge pressure generally does not exceed 20 minutes, so the second preset time Tr can also be approximately 20 minutes. If the solenoid valve remains open for 20 minutes, it can then close. The separated oil can flow back to the compressor via the path of the first check valve, the oil reservoir, and the second check valve.

[0075] Furthermore, when the compressor is restarted after a period of time following a shutdown, the solenoid valve can also be opened for a second preset time Tr. In this case, the time required from compressor shutdown to equalization of all refrigerant lines is generally about 30 minutes. If the time exceeds 30 minutes after shutdown and restart, the solenoid valve can also be opened to allow the separated oil to flow back from the capillary tube to the compressor's suction port.

[0076] like Figure 8 As shown, the present invention also provides an embodiment of a refrigerant recovery method based on a refrigerant compression device with a temperature sensor, which includes:

[0077] The method starts from the last shutdown of the compressor.

[0078] After the compressor stops, the shutdown duration Tcs starts timing to determine whether the compressor has started running. If the compressor has started running, the temperature measurement time Tr starts timing; if the compressor has not started running, the shutdown duration Tcs continues timing.

[0079] Once the temperature measurement time Tr starts, the compressor's discharge temperature Td is detected (the detection of the compressor's discharge temperature is prior art and will not be elaborated upon in this application), and the temperature Tor of the temperature sensor is also detected. It is then determined whether the difference between the two exceeds a first preset temperature difference. It should be noted that since the separated oil in the fourth pipeline detected by the temperature sensor has already remained in the oil reservoir or has passed through the oil reservoir, and has been away from the compressor's discharge port for some time, the temperature Tor of the temperature sensor should be less than the compressor's discharge temperature Td. The difference between the two refers to the absolute value of the difference between their temperature values.

[0080] The first preset temperature difference can be set to 10℃. When the difference between the two is less than the first preset temperature difference, Tr can be restarted for timing. If the difference is greater than the first preset temperature difference, it is determined whether Tr has reached the first preset duration, for example, the first preset duration can be 5 minutes. If Tr has not reached the first preset duration, Tor and Td can continue to be detected, and their difference can be determined. If Tr reaches the first preset duration, the solenoid valve is opened.

[0081] Then, the exhaust temperature Td and the separator oil temperature Tor in the fourth pipeline are detected using a temperature sensor. The difference between the two is determined to be greater than a first preset temperature difference. If it is, the solenoid valve remains open and the detection continues. If the difference is less than the first preset temperature difference, it indicates that the separator oil in the oil reservoir is likely starting to flow back to the compressor through the fourth pipeline. In this case, the solenoid valve is closed, and the process ends.

[0082] In addition, during times when the indoor load fluctuates little, such as at noon, even if the compressor's discharge pressure does not fluctuate much and the flow path of the first check valve, oil reservoir, and second check valve cannot be used to achieve the return of oil from the oil separator to the compressor, the separated oil can still be returned to the compressor's suction port through the open solenoid valve and capillary tube to prevent insufficient oil in the compressor.

[0083] In summary, the present invention has the following advantages:

[0084] 1. When the separated oil from the oil separator returns to the compressor body, it will not cause the discharged refrigerant to move to the compressor suction pipe via the oil return pipe. Therefore, it will not lead to a reduction in the refrigerant flow of the indoor unit and cause a decrease in cooling or heating capacity.

[0085] 2. There will be no high-temperature exhaust refrigerant mixing with the intake refrigerant when the separated oil from the oil separator returns to the compressor body. Therefore, it will not cause the exhaust temperature to rise, thus preventing a decrease in compressor reliability.

[0086] 3. No pump is required, which will not increase the manufacturing cost of the air conditioner and will also prevent an increase in cooling or heating power consumption.

[0087] 4. When the compressor starts, even if oil cannot move from the oil separator to the compressor through the oil reservoir, it can still be moved from the oil separator to the compressor through the solenoid valve. Therefore, the problem of insufficient oil during the compressor startup phase can be prevented.

[0088] 5. Under normal conditions, the compressor's discharge pressure fluctuations can be utilized to return oil to the compressor via the first check valve, oil reservoir, and second check valve. The second oil return pipe is not used unless necessary, thus preventing compressor reliability issues caused by reduced cooling or heating capacity or increased discharge temperature.

[0089] The present invention also provides an embodiment in which the outdoor unit of the air conditioner includes the above-mentioned refrigerant compression device.

[0090] By installing the aforementioned refrigerant compression device in the outdoor unit of the air conditioner, the outdoor unit of the air conditioner has all the advantages of the aforementioned refrigerant compression device, which will not be elaborated here.

[0091] The present invention also provides an embodiment of an air conditioner that includes the above-described outdoor unit.

[0092] By installing the aforementioned outdoor unit in the air conditioner, the air conditioner accordingly possesses all the advantages of the aforementioned outdoor unit, which will not be elaborated upon here.

[0093] While the present invention has been disclosed above, it is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can make various modifications and alterations without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention; therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope defined in the claims.

[0094] Finally, it should be noted that in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0095] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, with each embodiment focusing on the differences from other embodiments. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to each other.

[0096] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use the invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A refrigerant compression device, characterized in that, The system includes a compressor (10), an oil separator (20), a third pipeline (73), a fourth pipeline (74), an oil reservoir (30), and a controller. The outlet of the compressor (10) is connected to the inlet of the oil separator (20) through a first pipeline (71). The oil separator (20) has a first oil outlet and a second oil outlet. The first oil outlet is connected to the suction pipe (80) of the compressor (10) through a second pipeline (72). An active control valve (40), which is a solenoid valve, is provided on the second pipeline (72). The second oil outlet is connected to the oil reservoir (30) through the third pipeline (73). The oil reservoir (30) is connected to the compressor through the fourth pipeline (74). (10) is connected to the return oil port. A temperature sensor is installed on the fourth pipeline (74). The active control valve (40) is electrically connected to the controller. The active control valve (40) is used to disconnect or open the second pipeline (72) under the control of the controller. The controller is electrically connected to the temperature sensor. The controller is used to: obtain the return oil temperature detected by the temperature sensor; the controller is also used to: open the active control valve (40) and open the second pipeline (72) if the temperature difference between the return oil temperature and the exhaust temperature of the compressor (10) is greater than or equal to the first preset temperature difference within a first preset time period, so that the separated oil flows back to the suction pipe (80) of the compressor (10).

2. The refrigerant compression device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a first check valve (51) installed on the third pipeline (73), which can only flow unidirectionally from the oil separator (20) to the oil reservoir (30).

3. The refrigerant compression device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The fourth pipeline (74) is provided with a second check valve (52), which can only flow from the oil reservoir (30) to the compressor (10).

4. The refrigerant compression device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The temperature sensor is located between the second one-way valve (52) and the oil return port of the compressor (10).

5. A method for recovering separated oil from a refrigerant compression device according to claim 1, characterized in that, This includes using the temperature sensor to measure the return oil temperature of the fourth pipeline; If the temperature difference between the return oil temperature and the exhaust temperature of the compressor (10) is greater than or equal to the first preset temperature difference within the first preset time period, the active control valve (40) is opened to connect the second pipeline (72) so that the separated oil flows back to the suction pipe (80) of the compressor (10).

6. A method for recovering separated oil from a refrigerant compression device based on any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, This includes opening the active control valve (40) and connecting the second pipeline (72) when the compressor (10) is in the start-up phase, so that the separated oil flows back to the suction pipe (80) of the compressor (10).

7. An outdoor unit for an air conditioner, characterized in that, The refrigerant compression device includes any one of claims 1-4.

8. An air conditioner, characterized in that, Includes the outdoor unit of the air conditioner as described in claim 7.

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