Oil separator and air conditioning unit

Abstract

This invention provides an oil separator and an air conditioning unit. The oil separator includes: a housing with a preset separation structure inside, and an air inlet and an exhaust outlet on the housing; a separation device detachably disposed within the housing, with its air inlet pipe connected to the air inlet and its air outlet connected to the exhaust outlet through the preset separation structure. The oil separator and air conditioning unit provided by this invention feature a detachable separation device, allowing the oil separator to be selectively installed depending on the type of air conditioning unit being used, thus meeting the needs of air conditioning units under different operating conditions. This maximizes the functionality of the oil separator within a limited space, increasing its applicability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of oil-gas separation equipment technology, and in particular to an oil separator and an air conditioning unit. Background Technology

[0002] As one of the four key components of a screw compressor refrigeration unit, the oil separator is responsible for separating and filtering the high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant and refrigeration oil mixture discharged from the compressor during the refrigeration cycle.

[0003] During actual operation, the high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant discharged from the screw compressor carries some compressor oil particles into the oil separator. If this oil is carried by the airflow into the condenser or accumulates in the evaporator with the circulating medium, it not only reduces the heat exchange capacity of both units but also causes the compressor to be damaged due to insufficient lubrication, ultimately leading to the system's inability to operate safely and continuously. Therefore, to solve the problem of refrigerant oil separation and ensure the continuous safe operation of the system, an oil separator is used to separate the oil and gas in the fluid discharged from the compressor. The separated high-purity gaseous refrigerant enters the condenser, while the liquid refrigerant oil returns to the compressor using the pressure difference effect.

[0004] like Figure 1 The conventional vertical oil separator structure shown depicts a gaseous refrigerant carrying oil entering the oil separator space through the top inlet. After dispersion, some large oil droplets initially flow downwards under gravity to the bottom and enter the return oil zone. Most of the droplets are carried away by the airflow, impacting the cylinder and separating some of the oil droplets. The remaining small oil droplets are carried by the airflow around the cylinder and continue into the oil separator space. During the flow, under the influence of gravity and inertia, the lighter gaseous refrigerant flows towards the oil separator filter, while the small oil droplets gradually decrease in velocity and eventually settle to the bottom oil level zone. This design offers advantages such as simplicity and low vibration during operation of small-capacity chillers. However, when applied to chillers operating under variable conditions, its oil separation capacity becomes unstable and susceptible to significant airflow fluctuations, resulting in a narrow applicability range for the oil separator. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the technical problem that existing oil separators cannot simultaneously meet the needs of small-capacity cooling units and variable-condition units, resulting in a narrow range of applications, an oil separator and air conditioning unit with a detachable separation device is provided to improve the applicability by selecting and matching according to actual needs.

[0006] An oil separator, comprising:

[0007] The outer casing has a pre-set separation structure inside, and an air inlet and an exhaust outlet are provided on the outer casing.

[0008] A separation device is detachably disposed within the housing, and the air inlet pipe of the separation device is connected to the air inlet, and the air outlet of the separation device is connected to the exhaust port through the preset separation structure.

[0009] The separation device includes:

[0010] case;

[0011] A baffle assembly is disposed inside the housing, and the baffle assembly and the inner wall of the housing together form a baffle channel. The air inlet pipe and the air outlet are both connected to the baffle channel.

[0012] The first filtration mechanism is disposed within the baffle channel.

[0013] The baffle assembly includes a first baffle that divides the interior of the housing into a first chamber and a second chamber. The first baffle has a first gap with the bottom plate of the housing. The first chamber and the second chamber are connected through the first gap. The air inlet pipe is connected to the first chamber. The air outlet is connected to the second chamber. The first filter mechanism is disposed in the second chamber.

[0014] The baffle assembly further includes a second baffle, which is disposed between the first baffle and the air intake pipe, and the second baffle divides the first chamber into an air intake chamber and a separation chamber. The second baffle has a second distance between it and the top plate of the housing. The air intake chamber and the separation chamber are connected through the second distance. The air intake pipe is connected to the air intake chamber, and the separation chamber is connected to the second chamber through the first distance.

[0015] The lower end of the second baffle is bent into the air intake chamber to form an oil baffle, and the oil baffle is sealed to the inner wall of the housing.

[0016] The oil baffle plate is provided with an oil passage hole.

[0017] The oil passage hole is located on the portion of the oil baffle plate near the inner wall of the housing.

[0018] The baffle assembly further includes a baffle plate disposed within the second chamber.

[0019] The separation device further includes a flow equalization plate, which is disposed in the second chamber and located on the side of the first filtration mechanism away from the air outlet.

[0020] The bottom plate of the shell is curved, and an oil droplet through hole is provided at the lowest point of the curved surface.

[0021] The preset separation structure includes a second filter mechanism, which is disposed between the exhaust port and the outlet port.

[0022] The oil separator also includes a third baffle, the air outlet is located at the top of the separation device, and the third baffle is located between the air outlet and the preset separation structure.

[0023] An air conditioning unit includes the oil separator described above.

[0024] The oil separator and air conditioning unit provided by this invention feature a detachable separation device, allowing the oil separator to be selectively installed depending on the type of air conditioning unit being used. When applied to a small-capacity unit, the separation device can be removed, and oil-gas separation can be achieved solely using the outer casing and the pre-set separation structure. When applied to a variable-condition unit, the separation device is installed inside the outer casing, enabling the oil separator to meet the needs of the air conditioning unit under different operating conditions. The function of the oil separator is maximized within a limited space. Furthermore, since the separation device can be independently assembled as a whole outside the oil separator before being installed into the outer casing, different types of separation devices (e.g., different separation efficiencies, different filtration precisions, etc.) can be selected for use according to requirements. Its structural form is highly versatile and can cover oil separators with different cooling capacity requirements, thus increasing the applicability of the oil separator. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an oil separator in the prior art;

[0026] Figure 2 A perspective view of an oil separator provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of an oil separator provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 4 A perspective view of the separation device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of the separation device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the liquid distribution plate provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the oil baffle provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the bottom of the housing and the oil droplet through hole provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] In the picture:

[0034] 1. Outer shell; 2. Pre-set separation structure; 11. Air inlet; 12. Exhaust outlet; 3. Separation device; 5. Air inlet pipe; 31. Shell; 32. First filter mechanism; 33. First baffle; 34. Second baffle; 35. Oil baffle; 36. Oil passage hole; 37. Baffle plate; 38. Flow equalization plate; 39. Oil droplet through hole; 4. Third baffle. Detailed Implementation

[0035] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the invention.

[0036] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, the technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0037] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this invention are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such terms can be used interchangeably where appropriate for the embodiments of the invention described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.

[0038] It should be noted that in the description of this invention, terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "inner," and "outer," indicating directional or positional relationships, are based on the directional or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. These are merely for ease of description and do not indicate or imply that the device or element must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation; therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0039] Furthermore, it should be noted that, in the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "setting," and "connection" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection, an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or a connection within two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0040] In existing technologies, oil separators are typically connected to the compressor outlet, handling high-temperature, high-pressure gas-liquid mixtures. The liquid oil droplets have a wide particle size distribution, mostly ranging from 1 to 50 μm, with a small portion as small as 0.01 μm. Simultaneously, a very small portion of lubricating oil exists in gaseous form, making separation difficult. Furthermore, compared to other industries, refrigeration and air conditioning systems place higher demands on the separator's separation efficiency. Factors affecting oil separation capacity include the filter's adsorption capacity and precision, and the maximization of gas-liquid separation. Therefore, such as... Figures 2 to 8 The oil separator shown includes: a housing 1, in which a preset separation structure 2 is provided, and an air inlet 11 and an exhaust outlet 12 are provided on the housing 1; and a separation device 3, which is detachably disposed in the housing 1, with the air inlet pipe 5 of the separation device 3 connected to the air inlet 11, and the air outlet of the separation device 3 connected to the exhaust outlet 12 through the preset separation structure 2. The separation device 3 is designed as a detachable structure, allowing the oil separator to be installed or not depending on the type of air conditioning unit being used. When applied to a small-capacity unit, the separation device 3 can be removed, and oil-gas separation can be performed using only the outer casing 1 and the pre-set separation structure 2. When applied to a variable-condition unit, the separation device 3 is installed inside the outer casing 1, enabling the oil separator to meet the needs of the air conditioning unit under different operating conditions. The function of the oil separator is maximized within a limited space. Furthermore, since the separation device 3 can be independently assembled as a whole outside the oil separator and then installed into the outer casing 1, different types of separation devices 3 (such as different separation efficiencies, different filtration precisions, etc.) can be selected for use according to requirements. Its structural form is highly versatile and can cover oil separators with different cooling capacity requirements, increasing the applicability of the oil separator.

[0041] When assembling the oil separator, first assemble the separation device 3, then place the assembled separation device 3 into the outer casing 1, and install the air inlet pipe 5 of the separation device 3 into the air inlet 11 on the outer casing 1. Then assemble the outer casing 1. When using the oil separator, the mixture that needs to be separated into gas and liquid is directly introduced into the separation device 3 for primary separation. The gas after primary separation will pass through the preset separation structure 2 for secondary separation, thereby effectively improving the separation effect of the oil separator and improving the cost performance of the product.

[0042] Specifically, the separation device 3 includes: a housing 31; a baffle assembly disposed within the housing 31, wherein the baffle assembly and the inner wall of the housing 31 together form a baffle channel, and the air inlet pipe 5 and the air outlet are both connected to the baffle channel; and a first filter mechanism 32 disposed within the baffle channel. The baffle assembly collides with and deflects the oil-vapor mixture flowing into the air inlet pipe 5, enabling separation of the oil-vapor mixture. Gravity separation then occurs within the baffle channel, and the separation effect of the separation device 3 is further enhanced by filtration through the first filter mechanism 32. Simulation experiments show that the separation device 3 can handle over 70% of the oil separator's separation function. When the separation device 3 is disposed within the housing 1, at least two stages of separation can be achieved through the separation device 3 and the pre-set separation structure 2, effectively improving the separation effect of the oil separator.

[0043] In one embodiment, the baffle assembly includes a first baffle 33, which divides the interior of the housing 31 into a first chamber and a second chamber. A first gap exists between the first baffle 33 and the bottom plate of the housing 31. The first chamber and the second chamber are connected through the first gap. The air inlet pipe 5 is connected to the first chamber, and the air outlet is connected to the second chamber. The first filter mechanism 32 is disposed within the second chamber. The first baffle 33 increases the fluid flow distance within the limited space inside the housing 31. Simultaneously, because the first gap is located between the first baffle 33 and the bottom plate of the housing 31, the fluid initially flows downwards within the first chamber, then flows upwards after passing through the first gap. During this upward flow, the fluid is separated by gravity, improving the separation effect of the separation device 3 and the oil separator.

[0044] like Figure 3 As shown in the figure, the plane where the first baffle 33 is located is parallel to the vertical plane, while the air intake direction of the air intake pipe 5 is horizontal. At this time, the oil-gas mixture entering the air intake pipe 5 is perpendicular to the first baffle 33 and causes collision. At this time, the collision separation efficiency reaches the maximum, which improves the separation effect of the separation device 3.

[0045] Preferably, the first baffle 33 symmetrically divides the interior of the housing 31 into a first chamber and a second chamber, that is, the volumes of the first chamber and the second chamber are basically the same, which reduces the excessive pressure drop caused by the flow of oil-vapor mixture in the separation device 3, thereby ensuring that the oil separator will not affect the normal operation of the air conditioning unit.

[0046] Furthermore, the baffle assembly also includes a second baffle 34, which is disposed between the first baffle 33 and the air inlet pipe 5. The second baffle 34 divides the first chamber into an air inlet chamber and a separation chamber. A second gap exists between the second baffle 34 and the top plate of the housing 31. The air inlet chamber and the separation chamber are connected through the second gap. The air inlet pipe 5 is connected to the air inlet chamber, and the separation chamber is connected to the second chamber through the first gap. The second baffle 34 blocks the oil-vapor mixture entering through the air inlet pipe 5, causing the mixture to impact and separate. This avoids excessive distance between the air inlet pipe 5 and the first baffle 33, which would result in poor collision separation. Simultaneously, the second baffle 34 deflects the oil-vapor mixture, forcing it to flow sequentially through the air inlet chamber, the second gap, and the separation chamber, increasing the flow distance of the oil-vapor mixture within the first chamber and improving the separation effect of the separation device 3 and the oil separator.

[0047] Preferably, the plane of the second baffle 34 is parallel to the vertical plane, thereby restricting the oil-vapor mixture to flow upward only in the air inlet chamber and downward in the separation chamber, so that it can pass through the first gap, increasing the flow distance of the oil-vapor mixture in the first chamber, and improving the separation effect of the separation device 3 and the oil separator.

[0048] When the oil-vapor mixture entering through the intake pipe 5 collides with the second baffle 34, some of the mixture flows downwards along the baffle 34. This portion of the mixture flows directly to the first gap and enters the second chamber, reducing the separation effect. To address this, the lower end of the second baffle 34 is bent into the intake chamber to form an oil baffle 35, which is sealed to the inner wall of the housing 31. By restricting the downward flow of this portion of the oil-vapor mixture using the oil baffle 35, all the oil-vapor mixture in the intake pipe 5 is forced to flow upwards first and pass through the second gap, thus ensuring the separation effect of the oil-vapor mixture.

[0049] Due to the restriction of the oil baffle 35, after the oil-vapor mixture collides with the second baffle 34, some oil will remain on the oil baffle 35. Therefore, the oil baffle 35 is provided with an oil passage hole 36. The oil passage hole 36 is used to discharge the refrigeration oil on the oil baffle 35 into the air intake chamber and flow to the bottom of the housing 31, and finally discharge it into the oil storage area at the bottom of the outer shell 1 through the housing 31.

[0050] To prevent leakage of the oil-vapor mixture due to its flow through the oil passage 36, the oil passage 36 is located on the portion of the oil baffle 35 near the inner wall of the housing 31. The oil-vapor mixture entering through the intake pipe 5 first collides with the second baffle 34. Therefore, the airflow velocity is higher at the portion of the oil baffle 35 near the second baffle 34, while the airflow velocity is lower at the portion of the oil baffle 35 near the housing 31 (the portion of the oil baffle 35 furthest from the second baffle 34). Consequently, some refrigerant oil accumulates at the portion of the oil baffle 35 furthest from the second baffle 34. Therefore, placing the oil passage 36 near the portion of the oil baffle 35 near the housing 31 not only prevents leakage of the oil-vapor mixture but also allows for the smooth discharge of refrigerant oil from the intake chamber, preventing the accumulation of refrigerant oil in the intake chamber and thus ensuring the separation effect of the oil-vapor mixture.

[0051] The baffle assembly further includes a baffle plate 37, which is disposed within the second chamber. The baffle plate 37 increases the flow distance of the oil-vapor mixture within the second chamber and also causes collisions in the oil-vapor mixture, thus enhancing the separation effect.

[0052] like Figure 3 As shown, the baffle 37 is disposed on the first baffle 33, and a third gap is formed between the edge of the baffle 37 away from the first baffle 33 and the inner wall of the housing 31. Since the third gap is far from the first gap, the deflection effect of the oil-gas mixture is increased, thereby ensuring the separation effect of the oil-gas mixture. Of course, there can also be multiple baffles 37, and the baffles 37 are staggered in the second chamber, thereby forming an S-shaped flow channel in the second chamber, further improving the flow distance and impact separation effect of the oil-gas mixture.

[0053] The separation device 3 further includes a flow equalization plate 38, which is disposed within the second chamber and located on the side of the first filtration mechanism 32 away from the air outlet. The flow equalization plate 38 evenly distributes the airflow about to enter the first filtration mechanism 32, thereby ensuring that the oil-vapor mixture flows evenly through the first filtration mechanism 32, increasing the filtration effect of the first filtration mechanism 32 on the oil-vapor mixture. Figure 4 As shown in the figure, the flow equalization plate 38 is provided with flow equalization holes, which are evenly distributed on the flow equalization plate 38. The plane of the flow equalization plate 38 is parallel to the plane of the first filter mechanism 32, so that the airflow can be better evenly distributed when it flows through the flow equalization plate 38, and that oil-vapor mixture can pass through at any position of the first filter mechanism 32, thereby increasing the overall filtration effect of the first filter mechanism 32.

[0054] To allow the refrigeration oil separated in the separator 3 to flow into the outer casing 1 and then be discharged from the outer casing 1 to the desired location, the bottom plate of the casing 31 is curved, and an oil droplet through-hole 39 is provided at the lowest point of the curved surface. The refrigeration oil separated in the separator 3 will eventually collect on the bottom plate of the casing 31 and then drip through the oil droplet through-hole 39 into the outer casing 1 below the separator 3, ensuring the smooth separation and recovery of the refrigeration oil.

[0055] from Figures 2 to 6 It can be seen that the oil-vapor mixture can directly enter the intake chamber from the outside of the outer shell 1 through the intake pipe 5 and collide with the second baffle 34, where the oil-vapor mixture undergoes the first separation. The airflow flows upward and flows into the separation chamber through the second gap, while the refrigerant oil accumulates on the oil baffle 35 and flows into the bottom plate of the shell 31 through the oil passage 36 of the oil baffle 35. The airflow entering the separation chamber continues to flow and passes through the first gap, and then is deflected by the baffle 37. After passing through the flow equalization plate 38, it is filtered and separated by the first filter mechanism 32, and finally discharged from the separation device 3 through the outlet, completing the separation process in the separation device 3. At this time, the refrigerant oil and refrigerant in the oil-vapor mixture have been basically separated, carrying more than 70% of the separation function of the oil separator, thereby ensuring the separation accuracy of the oil separator using the separation device 3. Moreover, the oil separator can select different separation devices 3 with different separation effects according to actual needs, thereby improving the applicability of the oil separator.

[0056] In one implementation, the preset separation structure 2 includes a second filter mechanism, which is disposed between the exhaust port 12 and the outlet port. When the housing 1 does not have a separation device 3, the oil-gas mixture can be filtered and separated solely by the second filter mechanism. However, when the housing 1 has a separation device 3, the oil-gas mixture is first separated using the separation device 3, and then filtered and separated by the second filter mechanism, ensuring the separation effect of the oil separator. Figure 2 As shown, a cylindrical structure is provided inside the shell 1 and on its top surface. The exhaust port 12 is connected to the inside of the cylindrical structure. The shape of the second filter mechanism is the same as that of the cylindrical structure. The airflow can only flow into the cylindrical structure through the second filter mechanism and then flow to the exhaust port 12 for discharge, which facilitates the installation of the second filter mechanism. At the same time, an annular flow channel is formed between the cylindrical structure and the shell 1. When the separation device 3 is not used, the oil-gas mixture to be separated will first flow into the annular flow channel and flow downward. Then, after passing through the second filter mechanism, it will enter the interior of the cylindrical structure and flow upward. Under the action of gravity and the filtration action of the second filter mechanism, it will be separated and finally discharged through the exhaust port 12.

[0057] The oil separator also includes a third baffle 4. The air outlet is located at the top of the separation device 3, and the third baffle 4 is positioned between the air outlet and the preset separation structure 2. The third baffle 4 prevents the airflow discharged from the air outlet of the separation device 3 from directly impacting the preset separation structure 2, thereby ensuring the separation effect of the preset separation structure 2.

[0058] An air conditioning unit includes the oil separator described above.

[0059] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these modifications and improvements all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of this patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An oil separator, characterized in that: include: The outer shell (1) has a preset separation structure (2) inside it, and the outer shell (1) has an air inlet (11) and an exhaust outlet (12). Separation device (3), the separation device (3) is detachably disposed inside the outer shell (1), and the air inlet pipe (5) of the separation device (3) is connected to the air inlet (11), and the air outlet of the separation device (3) is connected to the exhaust port (12) through the preset separation structure (2); The separation device (3) includes: Shell (31); A baffle assembly is disposed inside the housing (31), and the baffle assembly and the inner wall of the housing (31) together form a baffle channel. The air inlet pipe (5) and the air outlet are both connected to the baffle channel. The first filter mechanism (32) is disposed within the baffle channel; The baffle assembly includes a first baffle (33), which divides the interior of the housing (31) into a first chamber and a second chamber. The first baffle (33) has a first gap with the bottom plate of the housing (31). The first chamber and the second chamber are connected through the first gap. The air inlet pipe (5) is connected to the first chamber. The air outlet is connected to the second chamber. The first filter mechanism (32) is disposed in the second chamber. The baffle assembly further includes a second baffle (34), which is disposed between the first baffle (33) and the air inlet pipe (5). The second baffle (34) divides the first chamber into an air inlet chamber and a separation chamber. The second baffle (34) has a second gap with the top plate of the housing (31). The air inlet chamber and the separation chamber are connected through the second gap. The air inlet pipe (5) is connected to the air inlet chamber. The separation chamber is connected to the second chamber through the first gap. The lower end of the second baffle (34) is bent into the air intake chamber to form an oil baffle (35), and the oil baffle (35) is sealed to the inner wall of the housing (31); The baffle assembly further includes a baffle plate (37) disposed in the second chamber.

2. The oil separator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The oil baffle (35) is provided with an oil passage hole (36).

3. The oil separator according to claim 2, characterized in that: The oil passage (36) is located on the portion of the oil baffle (35) near the inner wall of the housing (31).

4. The oil separator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The separation device (3) further includes a flow equalization plate (38), which is disposed in the second chamber and is located on the side of the first filter mechanism (32) away from the air outlet.

5. The oil separator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom plate of the shell (31) is curved, and an oil droplet through hole (39) is provided at the lowest point of the curved surface.

6. The oil separator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The preset separation structure (2) includes a second filter mechanism, which is disposed between the exhaust port (12) and the air outlet.

7. The oil separator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The oil separator also includes a third baffle (4), the air outlet is located at the top of the separation device (3), and the third baffle (4) is located between the air outlet and the preset separation structure (2).

8. An air conditioning unit, characterized in that: The oil separator includes any one of claims 1 to 7.

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