Anti-clogging structure, heat exchanger and air conditioning system

Abstract

This invention provides an anti-clogging structure, a heat exchanger, and an air conditioning system. The anti-clogging structure includes: a shell, the shell having an internal receiving cavity and a drain cavity; a filtration mechanism, the shell having a water outlet communicating with the receiving cavity, the filtration mechanism being located at the water outlet; and a moving mechanism. The anti-clogging structure, heat exchanger, and air conditioning system provided by this invention utilize the shell and filtration mechanism to filter water flowing through the anti-clogging structure, collecting the filtered dirt and other contaminants within the shell. Simultaneously, the moving mechanism can open and close the drain cavity, effectively ensuring the cleanliness of the water flowing through the anti-clogging structure, facilitating the reuse of condensate, improving air conditioning energy efficiency, avoiding energy waste, preventing indoor dripping, and improving the user experience.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of air handling equipment technology, and in particular to an anti-clogging structure, heat exchanger, and air conditioning system. Background Technology

[0002] In split-type air conditioners, when the air conditioning unit is cooling, the refrigerant vaporizes and absorbs heat at the evaporator of the indoor unit, lowering the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger through which the refrigerant flows. When the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger and related components falls below the dew point of water vapor, a large amount of condensate is released from the air. Current technology typically discharges this condensate directly outdoors. While some have recognized the energy loss from directly discharging the low-temperature condensate and proposed channeling it outdoors to cool the high-temperature refrigerant for reuse, this approach has several drawbacks. For example, the condensate carries dirt and grime with it. During the condensate recovery process, this dirt can clog the condensate recovery structure and / or heat exchange pipes. When blockages occur, the condensate cannot drain, causing dripping indoors, severely impacting user experience and the reliability of the air conditioner. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the technical problem that dirt in condensate water can affect the reliability of air conditioners and the user experience, an anti-clogging structure, heat exchanger, and air conditioning system are provided that collects dirt in condensate water and discharges it through a drain outlet to prevent blockage.

[0004] A dirt-proof structure, comprising:

[0005] A housing, wherein an internal cavity for receiving and a drainage cavity are formed;

[0006] A filtration mechanism is provided on the housing, which has a water outlet communicating with the receiving cavity, and the filtration mechanism is located at the water outlet;

[0007] A movable mechanism is movably disposed within the housing. The movable mechanism has a first state in which the receiving cavity and the sewage discharge cavity are relatively sealed and a second state in which the receiving cavity and the sewage discharge cavity are connected. When the movable mechanism is in the first state, the movable mechanism can adjust the volume of the receiving cavity connected to the water outlet.

[0008] The moving mechanism includes a piston and a piston drive. The piston is movably disposed within the housing, and the side wall of the piston is sealed to the inner wall of the housing. When the moving mechanism is in the first state, the piston is located within the receiving cavity, and when the moving mechanism is in the second state, the piston is located within the drain cavity. The piston drive is connected to the piston and can drive the piston to move.

[0009] The housing is provided with a grid structure, which forms the sewage discharge chamber. When the moving mechanism is in the first state, the piston is located above the grid structure. When the moving mechanism is in the second state, the piston is located at or below the grid structure.

[0010] The piston drive includes a screw rod and a screw rod motor. The screw rod is disposed inside the housing, and the piston is disposed on the screw rod and threadedly engaged with the screw rod. The screw rod motor is connected to the screw rod and can drive the screw rod to rotate.

[0011] The anti-clogging structure also includes a cleaning mechanism, which is disposed on the piston. When the moving mechanism switches to the second state, the cleaning mechanism can clean the piston.

[0012] The cleaning mechanism includes at least one cleaning rod and a cleaning rod drive component. The cleaning rod is movably mounted on the piston. The cleaning rod drive component is connected to all the cleaning rods and can drive all the cleaning rods to move on the piston.

[0013] The anti-clogging structure includes a control mechanism, which is electrically connected to the moving mechanism and / or the cleaning mechanism.

[0014] The housing is provided with a water inlet, and both the water inlet and the water outlet are provided with flow detection mechanisms, which are electrically connected to the control mechanism.

[0015] A heat exchanger including the aforementioned anti-fouling structure.

[0016] The heat exchanger includes a refrigerant pipe and a water pipe, the refrigerant pipe and the water pipe exchange heat in contact, and the anti-clogging structure is provided at the inlet of the water pipe.

[0017] An air conditioning system includes the aforementioned anti-clogging structure or the aforementioned heat exchanger.

[0018] The air conditioning system includes a condensate collection mechanism, and the outlet of the condensate collection mechanism is connected to the anti-clogging structure.

[0019] The anti-clogging structure, heat exchanger, and air conditioning system provided by this invention utilize a housing and a filtration mechanism to filter water flowing through the anti-clogging structure and collect the filtered dirt inside the housing. Simultaneously, a moving mechanism can open and close the drain chamber. When the amount of dirt inside the housing becomes excessive and affects the water flow at the outlet, the moving mechanism gradually moves to adjust the volume of the receiving chamber connected to the outlet. The dirt is dislodged from the filtration mechanism and the outlet as the moving mechanism moves, allowing water to pass normally through the filtration mechanism and the outlet. As the amount of dirt gradually increases, the moving mechanism gradually switches to a second... In the first state, the receiving cavity and the drain cavity are connected. Dirt in the receiving cavity will enter the drain cavity and be discharged from the shell through the drain cavity, realizing the centralized discharge of dirt. At this time, some water will also be discharged through the drain cavity. In order to ensure that the water can flow smoothly through the filter mechanism and the outlet and be reused, the moving mechanism can switch back to the first state after the dirt is discharged. This effectively ensures the cleanliness of the water flowing through the anti-clogging structure, facilitates the reuse of condensate, improves the energy efficiency of the air conditioner, avoids energy waste, and also prevents indoor dripping, thus improving the user experience. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the anti-clogging structure provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a heat exchanger provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] In the picture:

[0023] 10. Shell; 11. Receiving cavity; 12. Sewage discharge cavity; 2. Filter mechanism; 13. Water outlet; 31. Piston; 32. Screw rod; 33. Screw rod motor; 41. Cleaning rod; 42. Cleaning rod drive component; 14. Water inlet; 5. Flow detection mechanism; 6. Refrigerant pipe; 7. Water pipe; 8. Fins. Detailed Implementation

[0024] 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.

[0025] 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.

[0026] 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.

[0027] 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.

[0028] 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.

[0029] When an air conditioner is cooling, the refrigerant vaporizes and absorbs heat at the evaporator of the indoor unit, lowering the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger through which the refrigerant flows. When the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger and related components falls below the dew point of water vapor, a large amount of condensate is released from the air. In existing technologies, the condensate is generally discharged directly outdoors. Although some have recognized the energy loss from directly discharging the low-temperature condensate and proposed channeling it outdoors to cool the high-temperature refrigerant for reuse, this approach has several drawbacks. For example, the condensate carries dirt and grime with it when discharged outdoors. During the condensate recovery process, this dirt can clog the condensate recovery structure and / or heat exchange pipes. When blockages occur, the condensate cannot drain, causing indoor dripping, severely impacting user experience and the reliability of the air conditioner. Therefore, this application provides a method... Figure 1The anti-clogging structure shown includes: a housing 10, the housing 10 having an internal receiving cavity 11 and a drain cavity 12; a filter mechanism 2, the housing 10 having an outlet 13 communicating with the receiving cavity 11, the filter mechanism 2 being disposed at the outlet 13; and a moving mechanism, the moving mechanism being movably disposed within the housing 10, the moving mechanism having a first state that seals the receiving cavity 11 relative to the drain cavity 12 and a second state that connects the receiving cavity 11 and the drain cavity 12, and when the moving mechanism is in the first state, the moving mechanism can adjust the volume of the receiving cavity 11 communicating with the outlet 13. The housing 10 and filter mechanism 2 are used to filter water flowing through the anti-clogging structure, and the filtered dirt is collected inside the housing 10. Simultaneously, the moving mechanism can open and close the drain chamber 12. When the amount of dirt inside the housing 10 becomes excessive and affects the water flow at the outlet 13, the moving mechanism can gradually move to adjust the volume of the receiving chamber 11 connected to the outlet 13. The dirt will then be dislodged from the filter mechanism 2 and the outlet 13 as the moving mechanism moves, allowing water to pass normally through the filter mechanism 2 and the outlet 13. As the amount of dirt gradually increases, the moving mechanism gradually switches to a second state, at which point the receiving chamber 11... The filter 11 is connected to the drain chamber 12. Dirt in the receiving chamber 11 will enter the drain chamber 12 and be discharged from the housing 10 through the drain chamber 12, realizing the centralized discharge of dirt. At this time, some water will also be discharged through the drain chamber 12. In order to ensure that the water can flow smoothly through the filter mechanism 2 and the outlet 13 and be reused, the moving mechanism can switch back to the first state after the dirt is discharged. This effectively ensures the cleanliness of the water flowing through the anti-clogging structure, facilitates the reuse of condensate, improves the air conditioning energy efficiency, avoids energy waste, and also prevents indoor dripping, thus improving the user experience.

[0030] In one embodiment, the moving mechanism includes a piston 31 and a piston drive component. The piston 31 is movably disposed within the housing 10, and the sidewall of the piston 31 is sealed to the inner wall of the housing 10. When the moving mechanism is in the first state, the piston 31 is located within the receiving cavity 11, and when the moving mechanism is in the second state, the piston 31 is located within the drain cavity 12. The piston drive component is connected to the piston 31 and can drive the piston 31 to move. The seal between the piston 31 and the inner wall of the housing 10 achieves a relative seal between the receiving cavity 11 and the drain cavity 12. At this time, condensate and other contaminants can smoothly enter the receiving cavity 11, be filtered by the filter mechanism 2, and then discharged from the receiving cavity 11 through the outlet 13. During this process, dirt in the condensate is filtered out by the filter mechanism 2 and accumulates in the receiving cavity 11. Furthermore, since the piston 31 can move within the receiving cavity 11, when there is no water flow from the outlet 13, the piston 31 can be moved first to expand the volume of the receiving cavity 11 connected to the outlet 13. At this time, the piston 31 will not connect the receiving cavity 11 and the drain cavity 12. When the piston 31 has moved to the connection position between the receiving cavity 11 and the drain cavity 12, it is no longer possible to remove the dirt from the outlet 13 by moving the piston 31. Continue to move the piston 31 to the drain cavity 12, or even to the side of the drain cavity 12 away from the receiving cavity 11, so that the receiving cavity 11 and the drain cavity 12 are connected. At this time, the dirt accumulated in the receiving cavity 11 will enter the drain cavity 12 and be discharged through the drain port on the drain cavity 12, thereby achieving centralized discharge of dirt.

[0031] like Figure 1 As shown, a grid structure is provided on the housing 10, which constitutes the sewage discharge chamber 12. When the moving mechanism is in the first state, the piston 31 is located above the grid structure; when the moving mechanism is in the second state, the piston 31 is located at or below the grid structure. When the piston 31 moves to the grid structure, due to the grid holes on the grid structure, the dirt in the piston 31 and the receiving chamber 11 can be discharged through the grid holes. The grid structure can be directly machined onto the housing 10.

[0032] The piston drive component includes a helical rod 32 and a helical rod motor 33. The helical rod 32 is disposed within the housing 10, and the piston 31 is disposed on the helical rod 32, with the piston 31 threadedly engaged with the helical rod 32. The helical rod motor 33 is connected to the helical rod 32 and can drive the helical rod 32 to rotate. A screw-rod structure is formed by the engagement of the threads on the helical rod 32 and the piston 31. As the helical rod 32 rotates, the piston 31 moves under the drive of the helical rod 32, achieving reliable adjustment of the piston 31. The helical rod motor 33 can control the rotation of the helical rod 32 according to a control signal. Preferably, both the housing 10 and the piston 31 have circular cross-sections, the central axis of the helical rod 32 and the central axis of the piston 31 are collinear, and the helical rod motor 33 is located outside the housing 10, with the helical rod 32 protruding from the housing 10 and connected to the helical rod motor 33 for transmission.

[0033] Because dirt can adhere to the piston 31, even when the piston 31 is switched to the second state, the dirt may remain on the piston 31 and cannot be discharged, reducing the reliability of the anti-clogging structure. Therefore, the anti-clogging structure also includes a cleaning mechanism. This cleaning mechanism is disposed on the piston 31, and when the moving mechanism is switched to the second state, the cleaning mechanism can clean the piston 31, removing the dirt and ensuring the reliable operation of the anti-clogging structure. Optionally, the cleaning mechanism includes at least one cleaning rod 41 and a cleaning rod drive 42. The cleaning rod 41 is movably disposed on the piston 31, and the cleaning rod drive 42 is connected to all the cleaning rods 41, enabling the cleaning rod drive 42 to move on the piston 31. The movement of the cleaning rods 41 on the piston 31 scrapes and cleans it, completely removing the dirt from the piston 31 and ultimately discharging it from the housing 10. Figure 1 As shown, both the housing 10 and the piston 31 have circular cross-sections. The cleaning rod 41 rotates about the central axis of the piston 31, and the length of the cleaning rod 41 is equal to the circular diameter of the piston 31. Preferably, there are multiple cleaning rods 41, and at least one cleaning rod 41 has a length equal to the circular diameter of the piston 31. By using cleaning rods 41 of different lengths, different positions of the piston 31 are scraped and cleaned, especially the center position of the piston 31, thereby improving the cleaning effect on the piston 31.

[0034] The anti-clogging structure includes a control mechanism, which is electrically connected to the moving mechanism and / or the cleaning mechanism. The control mechanism controls the moving mechanism to switch between a first state and a second state, and also controls whether the cleaning mechanism cleans the piston 31, thereby automating the anti-clogging structure and improving user experience. Specifically, the housing 10 is provided with a water inlet 14, and flow detection mechanisms 5 are provided at both the water inlet 14 and the water outlet 13, which are electrically connected to the control mechanism. The condensate to be filtered flows into the receiving cavity 11 through the water inlet 14, and then is discharged through the water outlet 13 after being filtered by the filtering mechanism 2. The flow rate at the water inlet 14 and the flow rate at the water outlet 13 is used to determine whether the anti-clogging structure needs to be drained. An inlet flow sensor is provided at the water inlet 14, and an outlet flow sensor is provided at the water outlet 13. If no water flow is detected at the water inlet 14, it indicates that no condensate has been generated, and the inlet flow sensor continues to detect. When water flow is detected at inlet 14, water flow is also detected at outlet 13, and the difference between the inlet and outlet flow rates does not exceed a preset value, it indicates that no blockage has occurred at outlet 13, and the anti-blockage structure is functioning normally. If no water flow is detected at outlet 13, or the difference between the inlet and outlet flow rates exceeds a preset value, it indicates that blockage has occurred. In this case, screw motor 33 drives screw 32 to rotate, causing piston 31 to move gradually. When water flow is detected at outlet 13, screw motor 33 stops. At this time, the moving mechanism remains in the first state and does not discharge sewage. The inlet and outlet flow rates are detected again until piston 31 moves to the position where the receiving cavity 11 and the sewage discharge cavity 12 are connected. If the difference between the inlet and outlet flow rates exceeds a preset value again, piston 31 continues to move. Switching to the second state, piston 31 moves into the drain chamber 12 or moves to the side of the drain chamber 12 away from the receiving chamber 11. The receiving chamber 11 and the drain chamber 12 are connected. The dirt in the receiving chamber 11 and the dirt on piston 31 are discharged through the drain chamber 12. At the same time, the cleaning rod motor starts to work, driving the cleaning rod to rotate to clean piston 31. It can also use centrifugal force to throw the dirt on piston 31 out of the drain chamber 12. After a period of time, the cleaning rod motor stops working, piston 31 moves in the opposite direction, and the moving mechanism switches to the first state. The anti-clogging structure continues to filter and collect dirt.

[0035] like Figure 2 As shown, this application also provides a heat exchanger including the aforementioned anti-fouling structure.

[0036] The heat exchanger includes a refrigerant pipe 6 and a water pipe 7. The refrigerant pipe 6 and the water pipe 7 exchange heat in contact, and the anti-clogging structure is located at the inlet of the water pipe 7. Preferably, the refrigerant pipe 6 and the water pipe 7 are arranged side by side to ensure sufficient contact between the refrigerant and water, increasing the contact area and thus improving the heat exchange efficiency. Figure 2 As shown, fins 8 are also provided on the refrigerant pipe 6 and the water pipe 7, and the adjacent refrigerant pipe 6 and water pipe 7 share the same fin 8, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency by utilizing the heat conduction of the fins 8.

[0037] An air conditioning system includes the aforementioned anti-clogging structure or the aforementioned heat exchanger.

[0038] The air conditioning system includes a condensate collection mechanism, and the outlet 13 of the condensate collection mechanism is connected to the anti-clogging structure.

[0039] 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. A structure for preventing dirt and clogging, characterized in that: include: The housing (10) has a receiving cavity (11) and a drain cavity (12) formed inside the housing (10). The housing (10) is provided with a water inlet (14), and the condensate to be filtered flows into the receiving cavity (11) through the water inlet (14); The filter mechanism (2) is provided with an outlet (13) on the housing (10) that communicates with the receiving cavity (11), and the filter mechanism (2) is located at the outlet (13); The moving mechanism is movably disposed within the housing (10). The moving mechanism has a first state in which the receiving cavity (11) and the sewage discharge cavity (12) are relatively sealed and a second state in which the receiving cavity (11) and the sewage discharge cavity (12) are connected. When the moving mechanism is in the first state, the moving mechanism can adjust the volume of the receiving cavity (11) connected to the water outlet (13). The moving mechanism includes a piston (31) and a piston (31) drive member. The piston (31) is movably disposed in the housing (10), and the side wall of the piston (31) is sealed to the inner wall of the housing (10). When the moving mechanism is in the first state, the piston (31) is located in the receiving cavity (11), and when the moving mechanism is in the second state, the piston (31) is located in the sewage discharge cavity (12). The piston (31) drive member is connected to the piston (31), and the piston (31) drive member can drive the piston (31) to move. The housing (10) is provided with a grid structure, which constitutes the sewage discharge chamber (12). When the moving mechanism is in the first state, the piston (31) is located above the grid structure. When the moving mechanism is in the second state, the piston (31) is located at the grid structure or below the grid structure.

2. The anti-clogging structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The piston (31) drive includes a screw rod (32) and a screw rod motor (33). The screw rod (32) is disposed inside the housing (10). The piston (31) is disposed on the screw rod (32) and the piston (31) is threadedly engaged with the screw rod (32). The screw rod motor (33) is connected to the screw rod (32) and the screw rod motor (33) can drive the screw rod (32) to rotate.

3. The anti-clogging structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The anti-clogging structure also includes a cleaning mechanism, which is disposed on the piston (31). When the moving mechanism switches to the second state, the cleaning mechanism can clean the piston (31).

4. The anti-clogging structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The cleaning mechanism includes at least one cleaning rod (41) and a cleaning rod drive (42). The cleaning rod (41) is movably disposed on the piston (31). The cleaning rod drive (42) is connected to all the cleaning rods (41) and can drive all the cleaning rods (41) to move on the piston (31).

5. The anti-clogging structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The anti-clogging structure includes a control mechanism, which is electrically connected to the moving mechanism and / or the cleaning mechanism.

6. The anti-clogging structure according to claim 5, characterized in that: The housing (10) is provided with a water inlet (14), and a flow detection mechanism (5) is provided at both the water inlet (14) and the water outlet (13). The flow detection mechanism (5) is electrically connected to the control mechanism.

7. A heat exchanger, characterized in that: The anti-clogging structure includes any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The heat exchanger according to claim 7, characterized in that: The heat exchanger includes a refrigerant pipe (6) and a water pipe (7). The refrigerant pipe (6) and the water pipe (7) exchange heat in contact, and the anti-clogging structure is provided at the inlet of the water pipe (7).

9. An air conditioning system, characterized in that: Includes the anti-fouling structure according to any one of claims 1 to 6 or the heat exchanger according to claim 7 or 8.

10. The air conditioning system according to claim 9, characterized in that: The air conditioning system includes a condensate collection mechanism, and the outlet (13) of the condensate collection mechanism is connected to the anti-clogging structure.

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