Gas-liquid separator

Abstract

The gas-liquid separator comprises a shell, a refrigerant inlet pipe, a refrigerant outlet pipe and a driving unit, the shell is provided with an inner cavity, a first partition plate and a second partition plate are arranged in the shell, the first partition plate divides the inner cavity into a first cavity and a second cavity, the first cavity is located on the upper side of the second cavity, the second partition plate divides the second cavity into M branch cavities, M is larger than or equal to 2, and M is larger than or equal to 1. The first partition plate is provided with M communicating structures, and the branch cavities can communicate with the first cavity through the corresponding communicating structures in a one-to-one correspondence mode; the refrigerant inlet pipe is communicated with the first cavity, and the refrigerant outlet pipe is communicated with the first cavity; in an initial state, only one communication structure is in an open state, and the driving unit can block the other M-1 communication structures; along with increase of refrigerants of the liquid phase part in the gas-liquid separator, the driving unit can open the other M-1 communicating structures. The gas-liquid separator can reduce the risk of liquid impact.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of heat exchange system technology, and more specifically to a gas-liquid separator. Background Technology

[0002] In related technologies, gas-liquid separators typically consist of only one chamber. The liquid refrigerant remaining in the chamber may flow into the compressor, potentially causing liquid slugging and compromising the compressor's lifespan.

[0003] Therefore, how to provide a solution to overcome or alleviate the above-mentioned defects remains a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a gas-liquid separator that can reduce the risk of liquid slugging.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides a gas-liquid separator, including a shell, a refrigerant inlet pipe, a refrigerant outlet pipe, and a drive unit. The shell has an inner cavity, and a first partition and a second partition are disposed within the shell. The first partition divides the inner cavity into a first chamber and a second chamber, with the first chamber located above the second chamber. The second partition divides the second chamber into M sub-chambers, where M ≥ 2. The first partition has M connecting structures, and each sub-chamber can be connected to the first chamber through a corresponding connecting structure. The refrigerant inlet pipe is connected to the first chamber, and the refrigerant outlet pipe is also connected to the first chamber. In the initial state, only one connecting structure is open, and the drive unit can block the remaining M-1 connecting structures. As the amount of liquid refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator increases, the drive unit can open the remaining M-1 connecting structures.

[0006] Using the above-described scheme, this embodiment of the invention divides the inner cavity into a first chamber and a second chamber using a first partition. The first chamber is located above the second chamber; therefore, the first chamber is a gas chamber, while the second chamber is a liquid chamber. When the refrigerant undergoes gas-liquid separation in the first chamber, the gaseous portion of the refrigerant can be discharged through the refrigerant outlet pipe, while the liquid portion can enter the corresponding compartment through the open connecting structure, thus isolating it from the first chamber. This significantly reduces the likelihood of the liquid portion of the refrigerant being discharged through the refrigerant outlet pipe connected to the first chamber, effectively preventing the liquid portion of the refrigerant from entering the compressor and causing liquid slugging, thereby ensuring the compressor's service life.

[0007] Furthermore, in this embodiment of the invention, the second chamber is divided into M sub-chambers by the second partition. In the initial state, only one sub-chamber can be connected to the first chamber, that is, only this sub-chamber can be introduced with liquid refrigerant. Only when the amount of liquid refrigerant increases will the remaining M-1 sub-chambers be opened under the action of the drive unit. This makes it easier to control the amount of liquid refrigerant in each sub-chamber, which is beneficial to improving the controllability of the gas-liquid separator provided by the present invention. Attached Figure Description

[0008] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a specific implementation of the gas-liquid separator provided by the present invention;

[0009] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A partial perspective view, in which only the shell is shown in perspective;

[0010] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing the internal structure of the gas-liquid separator provided by the present invention;

[0011] Figure 4 This is a connection structure diagram of the first partition, the opening and closing mechanism, and the guiding mechanism;

[0012] Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of the first partition and the opening / closing mechanism;

[0013] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the opening and closing mechanism after it has been moved upwards;

[0014] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure inside the second chamber of the gas-liquid separator provided by the present invention;

[0015] Figure 8 for Figure 7 A structural diagram from another perspective;

[0016] Figure 9 This is a diagram showing the connection structure between the heat exchange unit and the bottom cover.

[0017] Figure 10 for Figure 9 A structural diagram from another perspective;

[0018] Figure 11 This is a diagram showing the relative positions of the floating mechanism and the bottom cover.

[0019] Figure 12 This is a diagram showing the separate structure of the floating mechanism and the support unit;

[0020] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the operating principles of the floating mechanism and the opening / closing mechanism.

[0021] The annotations in the attached figures are explained as follows:

[0022] 100 Shell, 110 Top cover, 120 Bottom cover, 130 Outer periphery, 140 Inner cavity, 141 First chamber, 142 Second chamber, 142a First sub-chamber, 142b Second sub-chamber, 142c Third sub-chamber, 150 First partition, 151 First connecting structure, 152 Second connecting structure, 153 Third connecting structure, 160 Second partition, 161 Vent, 170 Support unit, 171 First support part, 172 Second support part, 173 Third support part;

[0023] 200 refrigerant inlet pipe;

[0024] 300 refrigerant outlet pipe, 310 first outlet pipe, 320 second outlet pipe, 330 first three-way valve, 340 outlet main pipe;

[0025] 400 Drive unit, 410 Opening and closing mechanism, 411 First opening and closing module, 411a First pushing part, 411b First sealing part, 411c First connecting part, 412 Second opening and closing module, 412a Second pushing part, 412b Second sealing part, 412c Second connecting part, 420 Floating mechanism, 421 First floating component, 421a First floating body, 421a-1 First leakage hole, 421a-2 First through hole, 421b First floating rod, 421c First plug, 422 Second floating component, 422a Second floating body, 422a-1 second leakage hole, 422b second floating rod, 422c second plug, 423 third floating component, 423a third floating body, 423a-1 third leakage hole, 423a-2 second through hole, 423b third floating rod, 423c third plug, 430 guide mechanism, 431 first guide cylinder, 431a first hole, 432 second guide cylinder, 432a second hole, 432b first clearance hole, 432c second clearance hole, 433 third guide cylinder, 433a third hole;

[0026] 500 Heat exchange unit, 510 Main inlet pipe, 520 Second three-way valve, 530 Gas phase heat exchange tube assembly, 531 First gas phase heat exchange tube section, 532 Second gas phase heat exchange tube section, 533 Third gas phase heat exchange tube section, 534 Gas phase heat exchange inlet pipe, 535 Gas phase heat exchange outlet pipe, 540 Liquid phase heat exchange tube assembly, 541 First liquid phase heat exchange tube section, 542 Second liquid phase heat exchange tube section, 543 Third liquid phase heat exchange tube section, 544 Liquid phase heat exchange outlet pipe, 550 Main outlet pipe. Detailed Implementation

[0027] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solution of the present invention, the following description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0028] The present invention will be further described in detail with reference to specific embodiments.

[0029] In embodiments of the present invention, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined with "first," "second," and "third" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature.

[0030] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation", "connection" and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, "linking" can be a detachable connection or a non-detachable connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium.

[0031] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, the term "multiple" refers to two or more. Furthermore, when using "multiple" to describe the quantity of different components, it does not indicate a quantitative relationship between these components.

[0032] In the description of embodiments of the present invention, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover a 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 limitation, 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 that element.

[0033] Please refer to Figures 1-13 , Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a specific implementation of the gas-liquid separator provided by the present invention; Figure 2 for Figure 1 A partial perspective view, in which only the shell is shown in perspective; Figure 3 This is a diagram showing the internal structure of the gas-liquid separator provided by the present invention; Figure 4 This is a connection structure diagram of the first partition, the opening and closing mechanism, and the guiding mechanism; Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of the first partition and the opening / closing mechanism; Figure 6 for Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the opening and closing mechanism after it has been moved upwards; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure inside the second chamber of the gas-liquid separator provided by the present invention; Figure 8 for Figure 7 A structural diagram from another perspective; Figure 9 This is a diagram showing the connection structure between the heat exchange unit and the bottom cover. Figure 10 for Figure 9 A structural diagram from another perspective; Figure 11This is a diagram showing the relative positions of the floating mechanism and the bottom cover. Figure 12 This is a diagram showing the separate structure of the floating mechanism and the support unit; Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the operating principles of the floating mechanism and the opening / closing mechanism.

[0034] This invention provides a gas-liquid separator applicable to heat exchange systems in various scenarios, particularly suitable for heat exchange systems integrated into vehicles. These vehicles include, but are not limited to, land vehicles, water vehicles, and air vehicles. Taking land vehicles as an example, these vehicles may include railway vehicles, road vehicles, etc.

[0035] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the gas-liquid separator in this embodiment of the invention includes a housing 100, a refrigerant inlet pipe 200, a refrigerant outlet pipe 300, and a drive unit 400.

[0036] The housing 100 is the external structure of the gas-liquid separator, and it may include a top cover 110, a bottom cover 120, and an outer peripheral portion 130. The top cover 110 and the bottom cover 120 are spaced apart along the axial direction of the housing 100. The outer peripheral portion 130 is used to connect the top cover 110 and the bottom cover 120, and the connection method may be welding, for example. After the connection is completed, the top cover 110, the bottom cover 120, and the outer peripheral portion 130 can enclose and form an inner cavity 140.

[0037] The overall shape of the housing 100 largely determines the appearance of the gas-liquid separator, and the overall shape of the housing 100 is mainly related to the structural form of the outer periphery 130. In the implementation shown in the attached drawings, the outer periphery 130 can be a cylindrical structure, and correspondingly, both the housing 100 and the gas-liquid separator can be presented as a cylindrical structure. In other implementations, the outer periphery 130 can also be a triangular cylindrical structure, a rectangular cylindrical structure, etc., and correspondingly, the housing 100 and the gas-liquid separator can also be presented as a triangular prism structure, a quadrangular prism structure, etc.

[0038] In a specific heat exchange system, the system may include an evaporator, a condenser, a gas-liquid separator, and a compressor. The gas-liquid separator may be located downstream of the evaporator. The refrigerant, after evaporation by the evaporator, enters the inner cavity 140 through the refrigerant inlet pipe 200, where gas-liquid separation occurs. Then, the gaseous portion of the refrigerant flows to the compressor through the refrigerant outlet pipe 300 for circulation, while the liquid portion of the refrigerant remains in the inner cavity 140.

[0039] As described in the background section, in traditional designs, the internal cavity contains only one chamber. The liquid refrigerant remaining in this chamber can easily enter the compressor through the refrigerant outlet pipe, leading to liquid slugging and shortening the compressor's lifespan. This phenomenon is even more pronounced when the heat exchange system is used in vehicles, as vehicles may tilt when traveling on different surfaces, making it easier for the liquid refrigerant remaining in the internal cavity to flow to the compressor through the refrigerant outlet pipe.

[0040] In view of this, in the embodiments of the present invention, combined with Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 The housing 100 is provided with a first partition 150 and a second partition 160.

[0041] A first partition 150 divides the inner cavity 140 into a first chamber 141 and a second chamber 142, with the first chamber 141 located above the second chamber 142. A second partition 160 divides the second chamber 142 into M sub-chambers, where M ≥ 2. The first partition 150 has M connecting structures, allowing each sub-chamber to communicate with the first chamber 141 through a corresponding connecting structure; each connecting structure may include one or more through holes to facilitate communication between the corresponding sub-chamber and the first chamber 141. (Refer to...) Figure 2 Regarding the orientation and positional relationship, when the axial direction of the shell 100 is basically parallel to the vertical direction, the first chamber 141 and the second chamber 142 are distributed along the axial direction of the shell 100, and the sub-chambers are distributed around the axial direction of the shell 100. Of course, in actual applications, depending on the placement of the shell 100 in a specific heat exchange system, the first chamber 141, the second chamber 142, and the sub-chambers may have other positional relationships relative to the axial direction of the shell 100, which are not limited here.

[0042] The refrigerant inlet pipe 200 is connected to the first chamber 141, and the refrigerant outlet pipe 300 is also connected to the first chamber 141. Refrigerant from the evaporator can be introduced into the first chamber 141 through the refrigerant inlet pipe 200, and gas-liquid separation is completed within the first chamber 141. Here, this embodiment of the invention does not limit the specific structural form of the refrigerant inlet pipe 200 and the refrigerant outlet pipe 300. In practical applications, those skilled in the art can configure them according to specific needs, as long as they meet the actual application requirements. In a specific example, at least a portion of the refrigerant inlet pipe 200 can be a bent section, such as an arc-shaped section or a spiral section. This allows the refrigerant to generate a larger centrifugal force within the refrigerant inlet pipe 200, which is more conducive to gas-liquid separation of the refrigerant.

[0043] In the initial state, only one of the M connected structures can be in the open state, that is, only one compartment is connected to the first chamber 141, and the drive unit 400 can block the remaining M-1 connected structures. As the amount of refrigerant in the liquid phase in the gas-liquid separator increases, the drive unit 400 can open the remaining M-1 connected structures.

[0044] Using the above-described scheme, this embodiment of the invention divides the inner cavity 140 by a first partition 150, creating a first chamber 141 and a second chamber 142 within the inner cavity 140. The first chamber 141 is located above the second chamber 142; therefore, the first chamber 141 is a gas chamber, while the second chamber 142 is a liquid chamber. When the refrigerant undergoes gas-liquid separation in the first chamber 141, the gaseous portion of the refrigerant can be discharged through the refrigerant outlet pipe 300, while the liquid portion of the refrigerant can enter the corresponding compartment through the open connecting structure, thus isolating it from the first chamber 141. This significantly reduces the likelihood of the liquid portion of the refrigerant being discharged through the refrigerant outlet pipe 300 connected to the first chamber 141, effectively preventing the liquid portion of the refrigerant from entering the compressor and causing liquid slugging, thereby ensuring the compressor's service life.

[0045] Furthermore, in this embodiment of the invention, the second chamber 142 is divided into M sub-chambers by the second partition 160. In the initial state, only one sub-chamber can be connected to the first chamber 141, that is, only this sub-chamber can be introduced with liquid refrigerant. Only when the amount of liquid refrigerant increases will the remaining M-1 sub-chambers be opened under the action of the drive unit 400. This makes it easier to control the amount of liquid refrigerant in each sub-chamber, which is beneficial to improving the controllability of the gas-liquid separator provided by the present invention.

[0046] It should be understood that when the compartments are open, the gaseous refrigerant separated in the first chamber 141 may also enter the corresponding compartment through the connecting structure. Additionally, the liquid refrigerant entering the compartment may evaporate, forming a gaseous portion of the refrigerant. In other words, gaseous refrigerant may also exist in each compartment of the second chamber 142. This gaseous refrigerant can either re-enter the first chamber 141 through the connecting structure for discharge, or it can be directly discharged from the second chamber 142.

[0047] Regarding the implementation method where the gaseous refrigerant can be directly discharged from the second chamber 142, in this embodiment of the invention, the various sub-chambers can be configured to be interconnected at the top. Thus, only the refrigerant outlet pipe 300 needs to be connected to one of the sub-chambers to achieve the discharge of the gaseous refrigerant from the second chamber 142, without needing to connect each sub-chamber to the refrigerant outlet pipe 300. This simplifies the connection structure between the second chamber 142 and the refrigerant outlet pipe 300, and also reduces the possibility of the liquid refrigerant in the second chamber 142 being discharged from the refrigerant outlet pipe 300.

[0048] In some alternative implementations, such as Figure 7 As shown, the top of the second partition 160 may be provided with an indefinite number of vent holes 161, which can serve as a communication channel to enable top communication between the various compartments.

[0049] It should be understood that the top connection of each compartment can be achieved in various ways and is not limited to the scheme shown in the attached figure, as long as the technical effect of ensuring connection is achieved. For example, the top of the second partition 160 can be set with a gap between it and the first partition 150, that is, the vertical dimension of the second partition 160 can be shortened. In this way, a natural connection gap can exist between the second partition 160 and the first partition 150, and this connection gap can also serve as a communication channel to achieve top connection between the compartments. Alternatively, a notch or groove can be formed in the top of the second partition 160, which can be closed with the first partition 150 to form a communication channel to achieve top connection between the compartments. Another example is that a connecting component in the form of a connecting pipe or the like can be installed on the second partition 160, which can also achieve top connection between the compartments.

[0050] For M compartments, there exists one compartment whose connectivity is the last to be opened; that is, the last compartment to be opened. Specifically, when M=2, besides the compartment that was initially opened, the other compartment is the last to be opened. When M>2, the opening order of the remaining compartments (excluding the initially opened compartment) can be controlled to ensure that one compartment is the last to be opened. It can be understood that the liquid refrigerant in the last opened compartment is relatively small.

[0051] Based on this, in this embodiment of the invention, the refrigerant outlet pipe 300 may include a first outlet pipe 310 and a second outlet pipe 320. The first outlet pipe 310 may be connected to the first chamber 141 to lead out the gaseous portion of the refrigerant in the first chamber 141. The second outlet pipe 320 may be connected to the last opened compartment to lead out the gaseous portion of the refrigerant in the second chamber 142 through the last opened compartment. Since the amount of liquid refrigerant in the last opened compartment is relatively small, the possibility of liquid refrigerant flowing to the compressor through the second outlet pipe 320 is also low, which can largely avoid the problem of liquid slugging.

[0052] Combination Figure 2 and Figure 3 The refrigerant outlet pipe 300 can also be equipped with an outlet manifold 340. The first outlet pipe 310 and the second outlet pipe 320 mentioned above can both be connected to the outlet manifold 340. The gaseous portion of refrigerant discharged from the first outlet pipe 310 and the second outlet pipe 320 can ultimately be discharged through the outlet manifold 340.

[0053] Furthermore, a first three-way valve 330 can be installed at the connection between the first outlet pipe 310, the second outlet pipe 320, and the outlet main pipe 340. This first three-way valve 330 allows adjustment of the discharge flow rate of the first outlet pipe 310 and the second outlet pipe 320. For example, when the last opened compartment has not been opened, the amount of liquid refrigerant in that compartment is very small (virtually nonexistent). In this case, the flow rate of the second outlet pipe 320 can be appropriately increased to allow more gaseous refrigerant to be discharged through the second outlet pipe 320, thereby minimizing the risk of liquid slugging. Conversely, when the last opened compartment has already been opened and is filled with liquid refrigerant, the flow rate of the first outlet pipe 310 can be appropriately increased.

[0054] It should be understood that the above-mentioned scheme of setting the first three-way valve 330 can achieve flow regulation for two pipelines through a single valve device, which can reduce the number of parts and simplify the structure. However, in addition, two-way regulating valves can also be configured for the first outlet pipe 310 and the second outlet pipe 320 respectively, which can also achieve the technical purpose of flow regulation.

[0055] Furthermore, the designation of the last opened compartment is merely a designation based on the order in which the compartments are opened; however, in actual use, this compartment may not necessarily be opened. In other words, in practical use, the liquid refrigerant produced by gas-liquid separation in the first chamber 141 may not flow into the last opened compartment at all. Therefore, in this embodiment of the invention, the possibility of the liquid refrigerant flowing to the compressor through the second outlet pipe 320 is extremely low.

[0056] In some alternative implementations, such as Figures 2-6 As shown, the drive unit 400 may include an opening and closing mechanism 410, which may include M-1 opening and closing modules. Each opening and closing module may include a blocking part and a pushing part. In the initial state, the M-1 blocking parts can block the remaining M-1 connecting structures, thereby achieving isolation between the remaining M-1 compartments and the first chamber 141.

[0057] When M=2, there is one opening / closing module. By controlling this module, the last opened compartment can be blocked or opened.

[0058] When M>2, the number of opening and closing modules can be multiple. In this implementation, as the amount of refrigerant in the liquid phase of the gas-liquid separator increases, each opening and closing module can operate sequentially to open the remaining M-1 connecting structures, i.e., to open the remaining M-1 sub-cavities sequentially. Thus, the operation of each opening and closing module has a sequential order; when the first opening and closing module moves away from the second chamber 142, it can interact with the pushing part of the next opening and closing module that is about to operate, thereby driving the next opening and closing module to operate and thus performing the opening action on the corresponding connecting structure.

[0059] With this approach, there can be a linkage between the opening and closing modules. While one opening and closing module is acting as a force-receiving element, it can also act as a force-applying element to drive another opening and closing module to act. The structure is ingenious and compact, which can effectively open the corresponding connected structure. Furthermore, it can reduce the number of required driving elements, which helps to simplify the structure of the driving unit 400.

[0060] It should be understood that the opening and closing modules in the aforementioned opening and closing mechanism 410 may not have a linkage relationship, that is, each opening and closing module can be independent of the others. In this case, each opening and closing module can be configured with a driving element to drive each opening and closing module separately. Under this implementation, the opening and closing modules can still follow a certain order to perform sequential actions; or, at least two opening and closing modules can be driven simultaneously, that is, at least two compartments can be opened simultaneously.

[0061] For ease of description, in this embodiment of the invention, the connected structure that is in the open state in the initial state is referred to as the first connected structure 151, and the cavity connected to the first connected structure 151 is referred to as the first cavity 142a.

[0062] In some alternative implementations, the drive unit 400 may also include a floating mechanism 420, which may include a first floating component 421, which may include a first floating body 421a and a first floating rod 421b connected to each other.

[0063] Combination Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 In this embodiment of the invention, the first floating body 421a can be located in the first sub-cavity 142a. As the amount of liquid refrigerant entering the first sub-cavity 142a increases, the first floating component 421 can float (move upward) toward the first chamber 141. The first floating rod 421b can pass through the first connecting structure 151 and extend into the first chamber 141 to interact with the pushing part of the first moving opening and closing module, thereby driving the opening and closing module to move. In this way, the connecting structure blocked by the blocking part of the opening and closing module can be opened.

[0064] In this embodiment of the invention, the buoyancy generated by the liquid refrigerant in the first compartment 142a is utilized. A first floating component 421 is directly installed within the first compartment 142a, using buoyancy to automatically move the first floating component 421 upwards. When the first floating component 421 reaches a certain position, it naturally interacts with the corresponding opening / closing module, causing the module to open. This reduces the need for external driving components such as motors, simplifying the structure and control logic of the gas-liquid separator provided in this embodiment.

[0065] Furthermore, the first floating component 421 can also stabilize the fluid, suppressing the surface fluctuation of the liquid refrigerant to a certain extent. This can largely prevent the liquid refrigerant in the first compartment 142a from flowing into the first chamber 141 through the first connecting structure 151. At the same time, it can also largely prevent the liquid refrigerant in the first compartment 142a from flowing into other compartments. This is beneficial for controlling the amount of liquid refrigerant in each compartment and can further prevent the liquid refrigerant from entering the compressor through the refrigerant outlet pipe 300 and the resulting liquid slugging problem.

[0066] Here, the embodiments of the present invention do not limit the specific structural form of the first floating body 421a. In practical applications, those skilled in the art can design it according to specific needs, as long as it can meet the requirements of use.

[0067] In a specific example, such as Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 7 , Figure 8 and Figure 11 As shown, the shape of the first floating body 421a can be basically consistent with the shape of the cross section of the first cavity 142a perpendicular to the axial direction of the first floating rod 421b. In this way, when the first floating body 421a is set in the first cavity 142a, it can more comprehensively cover the liquid surface of the liquid phase refrigerant, and the effect of suppressing liquid surface fluctuation is better. Furthermore, the second partition 160 used to form the first cavity 142a can fit better with the first floating body 421a, and can play a better guiding role in the floating of the first floating body 421a in the first cavity 142a. It can largely avoid misalignment between the first floating rod 421b and the first connecting structure 151, that is, it can better ensure that the first floating rod 421b can accurately extend into and out of the first connecting structure 151.

[0068] In this example, an unlimited number of first leakage holes 421a-1 can be provided on the first floating body 421a. The liquid refrigerant entering the first compartment 142a from the first connecting structure 151 can leak through the first leakage holes 421a-1 to the bottom of the first floating body 421a, which can prevent the first floating body 421a from blocking the liquid refrigerant.

[0069] It should be understood that the structural form of the first floating body 421a is not limited to that shown in the attached drawings. In some other implementations of the present invention, the first floating body 421a can also adopt other structural forms. For example, the first floating body 421a can be set as a circle, a square, etc. In this case, there can be a leakage gap between the first floating body 421a, the second partition 160, and the outer periphery 130. The liquid phase refrigerant entering the first compartment 142a from the first connecting structure 151 can leak to the bottom of the first floating body 421a through the leakage gap. In this case, the first leakage hole 421a-1 does not need to be set on the first floating body 421a, which can simplify the structural form of the first floating body 421a. As for the accurate alignment between the first floating rod 421b and the first connecting structure 151, it can be ensured by setting additional guiding structures, etc.

[0070] As mentioned earlier, when M=2, there is only one opening and closing module. Thus, during the displacement of the first floating rod 421b toward the first chamber 141, the first floating rod 421b can interact with the pushing part of the opening and closing module to drive the opening and closing module to move away from the second chamber 142. In this way, the sealing part of the opening and closing module can open another chamber besides the first chamber 142a to realize the flow of liquid refrigerant into the other chamber.

[0071] When M>2, if the aforementioned linkage relationship exists between the opening and closing modules, then the floating mechanism 420 in this embodiment of the invention can also be provided with only one component, the first floating component 421. Specifically, during the displacement of the first floating component 421 toward the first compartment 141, it can drive the opening and closing module that moves first through the first floating rod 421b. Then, the first moving opening and closing module can drive the next opening and closing module that is about to move to move, until all opening and closing modules are activated. In this way, the driving unit 400 in this embodiment of the invention only needs to provide one first floating component 421 as a driving element to realize the opening of each compartment, and the structure is simpler.

[0072] In a more specific example, the first floating rod 421b may be provided with a first blocking part 421c, which may be located in the first sub-cavity 142a. When the first floating component 421 floats toward the first chamber 141, the first floating rod 421b can block the first connecting structure 151 through the first blocking part 421c, that is, it can also isolate the first sub-cavity 142a and the first chamber 141. With this configuration, when the amount of liquid refrigerant in the first sub-cavity 142a is relatively large and the liquid level is relatively high, the first floating component 421 can also isolate the first sub-cavity 142a and the first chamber 141, thereby preventing the liquid refrigerant from flowing from the first sub-cavity 142a into the first chamber 141 to a greater extent. This has a relatively positive significance for preventing the liquid refrigerant from entering the refrigerant outlet pipe 300 and reducing liquid hammer problems.

[0073] In the specific example above, the displacement distance of the first floating rod 421b towards the first chamber 141 under the action of the first blocking part 421c has an upper limit. For the case where M>2, the displacement distance of the first floating rod 421b can be limited to complete the driving of each opening and closing module before reaching the upper limit, so as to open the corresponding sub-chambers; if the first floating rod 421b cannot complete the driving of each opening and closing module, for example, the first floating rod 421b can only complete the driving of one opening and closing module, then the embodiment of the present invention also provides another design scheme to ensure that each opening and closing module can be effectively driven, as follows.

[0074] For ease of description, in this embodiment of the invention, the last cavity to be opened can be defined as the third cavity 142c, and the cavities other than the first cavity 142a and the third cavity 142c are designated as the second cavities 142b. Correspondingly, the connecting structure that connects the second cavity 142b is designated as the second connecting structure 152. The case where M>2, that is, the number of second cavities 142b is greater than or equal to 1.

[0075] like Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the floating mechanism 420 may further include a second floating component 422, which may include a second floating body 422a and a second floating rod 422b connected to each other. The second floating body 422a may be located in the second compartment 142b. When the second floating component 422 floats toward the first chamber 141, the second floating rod 422b can pass through the second connecting structure 152 and abut against the blocking part of the opening and closing module that blocks the second connecting structure 152, thereby driving the opening and closing module to move away from the second chamber 142. This can provide driving force to the opening and closing module that blocks the second connecting structure 152 again, so as to ensure that the opening and closing module can effectively transmit driving force to the next operating opening and closing module.

[0076] Detailed explanation, combined with Figures 2-8Taking an example with two opening / closing modules and three compartments, the two opening / closing modules are a first opening / closing module 411 and a second opening / closing module 412. The first opening / closing module 411 includes a first pushing part 411a and a first blocking part 411b, and the second opening / closing module 412 includes a second pushing part 412a and a second blocking part 412b. The three compartments are the aforementioned first compartment 142a, second compartment 142b, and third compartment 142c, and the connecting structure corresponding to the third compartment 142c is the third connecting structure 153. In the initial state, the first connecting structure 151 is in the open state, the first blocking part 411b can block the second connecting structure 152, and the second blocking part 412b can block the third connecting structure 153. As the liquid refrigerant increases, the first floating component 421 can float upwards, the first floating rod 421b can extend from the first connecting structure 151 and interact with the first pushing part 411a to drive the first opening and closing module 411 upwards. The first sealing part 411b can open the second connecting structure 152, the second compartment 142b is opened, and the liquid refrigerant can flow into the second compartment 142b. Meanwhile, the first blocking part 421c can abut against the first partition 150 to block the first connecting structure 151, and the first compartment 142a is isolated from the first chamber 141. The opening of the second connecting structure 152 and the blocking of the first connecting structure 151 can occur simultaneously, or the second connecting structure 152 can be opened first, followed by the blocking of the first connecting structure 151. As the liquid refrigerant increases further, the second floating component 422 can float upwards, and the second floating rod 422b can extend from the second connecting structure 152 and interact with the first sealing part 411b to drive the first opening and closing module 411 to move upwards again. At this time, the first opening and closing module 411 can interact with the second pushing part 412a of the second opening and closing module 412 to drive the second opening and closing module 412 to move upwards. The second sealing part 412b can open the third connecting structure 153. At this time, the third compartment 142c can be opened, and the liquid refrigerant can flow from the third connecting structure 153 into the third compartment 142c. As can be seen from the above, the first opening and closing module 411 can move upward under the action of the first floating rod 421b. However, since the first floating rod 421b will abut against the first partition 150 through the first plug 421c, the first opening and closing module 411 is not enough to work with the second opening and closing module 412 under the action of the first floating rod 421b. After that, the second floating rod 422b can take over to drive the first opening and closing module 411 to move upward again, so that the second opening and closing module 412 can be driven to move upward and open through the first opening and closing module 411.

[0077] It should be understood that the above-described method of using the first floating component 421 and the second floating component 422 to drive the first opening / closing module 411 and the second opening / closing module 422 respectively is achieved through the design of the dimensions of each floating component and each opening / closing module. For a clearer understanding, please refer to... Figure 13 In the initial state, both the first blocking part 411b and the second blocking part 412b can abut against the first partition 150. There is a first distance difference ΔH1 between the lower end of the first pushing part 411a and the lower end of the first blocking part 411b, and a second distance difference ΔH2 between the upper end of the first blocking part 411b and the lower end of the second pushing part 412a. The dimension of the portion of the first floating rod 421b located above the first blocking part 421c is H1, and the dimension of the portion of the second floating rod 422b located above the second blocking part 422c is H2; H1 > ΔH1, and ΔH1 + ΔH2 > H1. Thus, in the first… After the floating rod 421b extends from the first connecting structure 151, it can interact with the first pushing part 411a to drive the first opening and closing module 411a to operate. At the same time, under the action of the first floating rod 421b, the first blocking part 411b will not come into contact with the first pushing part 412a; H2>△H2. Thus, after the second floating rod 422b extends from the second connecting structure 152, it can drive the first blocking part 411b to come into contact with the second pushing part 412a, and can further drive the second pushing part 412a to move upward, so that the second blocking part 412b moves away from the first partition 150.

[0078] The above explanation uses the example of three sub-cavities and two opening / closing modules, specifically the example of only one second sub-cavity 142b. When the number of sub-cavities is greater than three, the number of second sub-cavities 142b is greater than two. The first second sub-cavity 142b to be opened is still opened using the first floating rod 421b, consistent with the previous description. The following explanation focuses on the opening process of two second sub-cavities 142b that can be opened sequentially. For ease of description, for two second sub-cavities 142b that can be opened sequentially, the first second sub-cavity 142b opened can be called the upper-level sub-cavity, and the opening / closing module that blocks the upper-level sub-cavity can be called the upper-level module. The second second sub-cavity 142b opened later can be called the lower-level sub-cavity, and the opening / closing module that blocks the lower-level sub-cavity can be called the lower-level module. The specific operation process is as follows: The upper module can first open the upper compartment, and the liquid refrigerant can be filled into the upper compartment. As the liquid refrigerant increases, the second floating component 422 in the upper compartment can float up. Correspondingly, the second floating rod 422b can move up and abut against the upper module to drive the upper module to move up again. Then, the upper module can abut against the lower module to drive the lower module to move up. In this way, the lower compartment can be opened.

[0079] Similar to the first floating rod 421b, the second floating rod 422b can also be provided with a second plug 422c, which can be located in the second compartment 142b. When the second floating component 422 floats towards the first chamber 141, the second floating rod 422b can block the second connecting structure 152 through the second plug 422c, thus isolating the second compartment 142b from the first chamber 141. With this configuration, when the amount of liquid refrigerant in the second compartment 142b is relatively large and the liquid level is relatively high, the second floating component 422 can also isolate the second compartment 142b from the first chamber 141, thereby preventing liquid refrigerant from flowing from the second compartment 142b into the first chamber 141 to a greater extent. This is also of positive significance in preventing liquid refrigerant from entering the refrigerant outlet pipe 300 and the resulting liquid hammer problem.

[0080] As mentioned above, in this embodiment of the invention, the last compartment to be opened can be referred to as the third compartment 142c, and the connecting structure connected to the third compartment 142c can be the third connecting structure 153. For the third compartment 142c, the floating mechanism 420 may further include a third floating component 423. The third floating component 423 may include a third floating body 423a and a third floating rod 423b connected together. The third floating body 423a may be disposed in the third compartment 142c, and the third floating rod 423b may be provided with a third blocking part 423c. When the third floating component 423 floats toward the first chamber 141, the third floating rod 423b can pass through the third connecting structure 153, and the third blocking part 423c can seal the third connecting structure 153. With this configuration, when the amount of liquid refrigerant in the third compartment 142c is relatively large and the liquid level is relatively high, the third floating component 423 can also isolate the third compartment 142c from the first chamber 141, thereby preventing the liquid refrigerant from flowing from the third compartment 142c into the first chamber 141 to a greater extent. This is also of positive significance in preventing the liquid refrigerant from entering the refrigerant outlet pipe 300 and the liquid hammer problem caused therefrom.

[0081] The structural limitations of the second floating body 422a and the third floating body 423a can be found in the aforementioned description of the first floating body 421a. The second floating body 422a may also be provided with a second leakage hole 422a-1, and the third floating body 423a may also be provided with a third leakage hole 423a-1; these details will not be elaborated upon here. Furthermore, the buoyancy utilization and liquid surface fluctuation suppression effects of the second floating component 422 and the third floating component 423 are consistent with those of the first floating component 421, and will not be repeated here.

[0082] It should be understood that the isolation of the first floating component 421, the second floating component 422, and the third floating component 423 from the first compartment 142a, the second compartment 142b, and the third compartment 142c is not irreversible. Taking the first compartment 142a as an example, the liquid refrigerant therein will evaporate to form a gaseous refrigerant. As the amount of evaporation increases, the amount of liquid refrigerant in the first compartment 142a begins to decrease, and the refrigerant level drops. Correspondingly, the first floating component 421 will also drop. At this time, the first connecting structure 151 can be opened, and the liquid refrigerant produced by gas-liquid separation in the first chamber 141 can flow back into the first compartment 142a. This opening method further confirms the technical advantage of the floating mechanism 420 used in this embodiment of the invention. It requires no control means. When the amount of liquid refrigerant increases, it can automatically float to transmit the relevant force to the opening and closing mechanism 410 and automatically isolate the corresponding compartment and the first chamber 141. When the amount of liquid refrigerant decreases, it can automatically descend to release the blockage of the corresponding connecting structure. The whole solution relies solely on the mechanical structure itself to realize the transmission of action. There is no need to configure control components such as chips, detection components such as sensors, or external drive components such as motors. The structure is ingenious and compact, can realize the relevant functions well, and has a low cost.

[0083] In some alternative implementations, the drive unit 400 may also include a guide mechanism 430, which is disposed in the first chamber 141. The guide mechanism 430 is used to guide the opening and closing modules in the opening and closing mechanism 410, which helps to ensure the movement direction of each opening and closing module and the smoothness of the movement of each opening and closing module.

[0084] The guiding mechanism 430 may include guiding components, the number and structure of which are related to the number and structure of the opening and closing modules.

[0085] In a specific example, such as Figures 4-6 As shown, the opening and closing mechanism 410 may include two opening and closing modules, namely a first opening and closing module 411 and a second opening and closing module 412. The first opening and closing module 411 may include a first pushing part 411a, a first blocking part 411b, and a first connecting part 411c. The first connecting part 411c can connect the first pushing part 411a and the first blocking part 411b to adjust their positions. The second opening and closing module 412 may include a second pushing part 412a, a second blocking part 412b, and a second connecting part 412c. The second connecting part 412c can connect the second pushing part 412a and the second blocking part 412b to adjust their positions. Each of the aforementioned pushing parts, blocking parts, and connecting parts can be rod-shaped.

[0086] In this example, the guide mechanism 430 may include three guide components, namely a first guide cylinder 431, a second guide cylinder 432, and a third guide cylinder 433.

[0087] The first guide cylinder 431 can be installed on the top cover 110, and the first pushing part 411a can be inserted into the first guide cylinder 431. The first guide cylinder 431 can cooperate with the first pushing part 411a to guide the displacement of the first opening and closing module 411. Furthermore, the cylinder wall of the first guide cylinder 431 can also be provided with a first hole 431a, which is a pressure balancing hole used to balance the pressure inside and outside the first guide cylinder 431, thereby reducing the impact on the vertical displacement of the first opening and closing module 411.

[0088] The second guide cylinder 432 can be installed on the top cover 110; or, the second guide cylinder 432 can also be installed on the first partition 150; or, the second guide cylinder 432 can be connected to the top cover 110 and the first partition 150 at its upper and lower ends respectively. The second guide cylinder 432 can be used to cooperate with the first sealing part 411b and the second pushing part 412a to guide the displacement of the first sealing part 411b and the second pushing part 412a. The second guide cylinder 432 may also be provided with a first clearance hole 432b and a second clearance hole 432c. The first connecting part 411c can be inserted into the first clearance hole 432b, and the second connecting part 412c can be inserted into the second clearance hole 432c. The first clearance hole 432b is used to allow the first connecting part 411c to pass through during displacement, and the second clearance hole 432c is used to allow the second connecting part 412c to pass through during displacement, thus avoiding interference with the displacement process of the first opening / closing module 411 and the second opening / closing module 412. In this design, a single second guide cylinder 432 can simultaneously guide both the first opening / closing module 411 and the second opening / closing module 412, resulting in a more compact structural design.

[0089] The second guide cylinder 432 may have a second hole 432a on its wall. The second hole 432a has two functions: first, similar to the first hole 431a mentioned above, it is used to balance the pressure inside and outside the second guide cylinder 432 to reduce the impact on the displacement process of the first sealing part 411b and the second pushing part 412a; second, when the second guide cylinder 432 is connected to the first partition 150, the second hole 432a can also serve as a liquid inlet communication hole so as not to affect the inflow of the liquid phase refrigerant in the first chamber 141 into the second chamber 142.

[0090] The third guide cylinder 433 can be installed on the first partition 150, and the second sealing part 412b can be inserted into the third guide cylinder 433. The third guide cylinder 433 can cooperate with the second sealing part 412b to guide the displacement of the second opening and closing module 412. Furthermore, the third guide cylinder 433 can also be provided with a third hole 433a, which is also used as a liquid inlet communication hole so as not to affect the inflow of the liquid phase refrigerant in the first chamber 141 into the second chamber 142.

[0091] It should be understood that the above description of the guiding mechanism 430 is based on the accompanying drawings, but this should not be construed as limiting the scope of the gas-liquid separator provided by the present invention. Under the condition of satisfying the function, the guiding mechanism 430 can also be configured in other structural forms. For example, in the foregoing description, both the first guide cylinder 431 and the second guide cylinder 432 can guide the first opening and closing module 411, only at different guiding positions. This can improve the stability of the guidance to a greater extent. However, in practical applications, setting only one guide cylinder to guide the first opening and closing module 411 is also a feasible solution. As another example, in the foregoing description, the second guide cylinder 432 can simultaneously guide the first opening and closing module 411 and the second opening and closing module 412. This can improve the compactness of the structure. However, in practical applications, configuring independent guide cylinders for each opening and closing module is also a feasible solution.

[0092] Furthermore, the drive unit 400 is not limited to using a floating mechanism 420 to provide driving force. In some other implementations of this invention, the drive unit 400 can also be configured with a drive component such as a motor or a drive cylinder to drive the corresponding opening and closing module to perform actions. In this case, the detection of the liquid level of the refrigerant in each compartment can be achieved using some sensors, such as float-type liquid level sensors, rod-type liquid level sensors, ultrasonic liquid level sensors, magnetic float-type liquid level sensors, capacitive liquid level sensors, etc.

[0093] In some alternative implementations, the gas-liquid separator provided by the present invention may further include a heat exchange unit 500. In a specific heat exchange system, the heat exchange unit 500 may be connected to a condenser and used to pass the refrigerant condensed by the condenser into the gas-liquid separator for heat exchange, so as to adjust the superheat or subcooling of the system.

[0094] The heat exchange unit 500 may include a gas phase heat exchange tube assembly 530 and a liquid phase heat exchange tube assembly 540. Each compartment may be equipped with a portion of the gas phase heat exchange tube assembly 530 and the liquid phase heat exchange tube assembly 540 to achieve heat exchange with the gas phase refrigerant and the liquid phase refrigerant in each compartment.

[0095] In practical applications, the heat exchange area of ​​the gas phase heat exchange tube group 530 and the liquid phase heat exchange tube group 540 in the corresponding compartments can be adjusted according to the order in which the compartments are opened (i.e., the amount of refrigerant in the liquid phase of each compartment), so as to adjust the heat exchange effect in a targeted manner.

[0096] Taking the aforementioned example of three compartments, in terms of the amount of refrigerant in the liquid phase, the first compartment 142a > the second compartment 142b > the third compartment 142c.

[0097] Combination Figure 3 as well as Figures 7-10 The gas phase heat exchange tube assembly 530 may include a first gas phase heat exchange tube section 531, a second gas phase heat exchange tube section 532, and a third gas phase heat exchange tube section 533. The liquid phase heat exchange tube assembly 540 may include a first liquid phase heat exchange tube section 541, a second liquid phase heat exchange tube section 542, and a third liquid phase heat exchange tube section 543. In terms of heat exchange area, the order is: first gas phase heat exchange tube section 531 < second gas phase heat exchange tube section 532 < third gas phase heat exchange tube section 533, and first liquid phase heat exchange tube section 541 > second liquid phase heat exchange tube section 542 > third liquid phase heat exchange tube section 543.

[0098] In the specific layout, both the first liquid phase heat exchange tube section 541 and the first gas phase heat exchange tube section 531 can be arranged in the first compartment 142a, and the first liquid phase heat exchange tube section 541 is located below the first gas phase heat exchange tube section 531; both the second liquid phase heat exchange tube section 542 and the second gas phase heat exchange tube section 532 can be arranged in the second compartment 142b, and the second liquid phase heat exchange tube section 542 is located below the second gas phase heat exchange tube section 532; both the third liquid phase heat exchange tube section 543 and the third gas phase heat exchange tube section 533 can be arranged in the third compartment 142c, and the third liquid phase heat exchange tube section 543 is located below the third gas phase heat exchange tube section 533.

[0099] Combination Figure 12 In this embodiment of the invention, a support unit 170 may also be provided in the second chamber 142 to provide bottom support for each floating component in the floating mechanism 420, so as to avoid interference between each floating component and the aforementioned liquid phase heat exchange tube sections.

[0100] Specifically, the support unit 170 may include a first support portion 171, a second support portion 172, and a third support portion 173. The first support portion 171 may be disposed in the first compartment 142a to support the first floating body 421a, thereby preventing interference between the first floating body 421a and the first liquid phase heat exchange tube section 541. The second support portion 172 may be disposed in the second compartment 142b to support the second floating body 422a, thereby preventing interference between the second floating body 422a and the second liquid phase heat exchange tube section 542. The third support portion 173 may be disposed in the third compartment 142c to support the third floating body 423a, thereby preventing interference between the third floating body 423a and the third liquid phase heat exchange tube section 543.

[0101] The first support portion 171, the second support portion 172, and the third support portion 173 can all adopt a frame structure, which can effectively avoid obstructing the flow of the first refrigerant in each compartment. Of course, in some other implementations of the present invention, each support portion can also adopt other structural forms, as long as it can achieve the technical effect of supporting the corresponding floating body; for example, each support portion can also adopt a support block or other support structure.

[0102] Still Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, according to the layout of the above-mentioned gas phase heat exchange tube assembly 530, the gas phase heat exchange tube assembly 530 may also include a gas phase heat exchange inlet pipe 534 and a gas phase heat exchange outlet pipe 535. The gas phase heat exchange inlet pipe 534 and the gas phase heat exchange outlet pipe 535 may have certain dimensions in the vertical direction in order to ensure the installation height of the first gas phase heat exchange tube section 531, the second gas phase heat exchange tube section 532 and the third gas phase heat exchange tube section 533 in the second chamber 142.

[0103] Combination Figure 11 The first floating body 421a may be provided with a first through hole 421a-2, the third floating body 423a may be provided with a second through hole 423a-1, the gas phase heat exchange inlet pipe 534 may be inserted through the second through hole 423a-1, and the gas phase heat exchange outlet pipe 535 may be inserted through the first through hole 421a-2. This arrangement is primarily to avoid interference between the gas phase heat exchange inlet pipe 534 and the gas phase heat exchange outlet pipe 535, ensuring that the gas phase heat exchange inlet pipe 534 does not interfere with the third floating body 423a and the gas phase heat exchange outlet pipe 535 does not interfere with the first floating body 421a. Simultaneously, it guides the displacement of the first floating component 421 and the third floating component 423 within their respective compartments, thus ensuring the stability of their displacement within the compartments. Furthermore, it helps ensure the alignment of the first floating rod 421b with the first connecting structure 151 and the third floating rod 423b with the third connecting structure 153.

[0104] The liquid phase heat exchange tube assembly 540 may be equipped with a liquid phase heat exchange outlet pipe 544 to lead the refrigerant in the liquid phase heat exchange tube assembly 540 out of the second chamber 142. After leaving the second chamber 142, the liquid phase heat exchange outlet pipe 544 and the gas phase heat exchange outlet pipe 535 may also converge into a main outlet pipe 550 to guide the refrigerant to the downstream throttling device.

[0105] The heat exchange unit 500 may further include a main inlet pipe 510, which can be connected to both the aforementioned gas phase heat exchange tube assembly 530 and liquid phase heat exchange tube assembly 540 to introduce refrigerant into the gas phase heat exchange tube assembly 530 and liquid phase heat exchange tube assembly 540. Furthermore, a second three-way valve 520 may be installed between the main inlet pipe 510 and the gas phase heat exchange tube assembly 530 and liquid phase heat exchange tube assembly 540 to adjust the flow rate of the gas phase heat exchange tube assembly 530 and liquid phase heat exchange tube assembly 540, thereby regulating the subcooling and superheat of the system.

[0106] It should be understood that the above-mentioned scheme of setting the second three-way valve 520 can achieve flow regulation for both pipelines through a single valve device, which can reduce the number of parts and simplify the structure. However, in addition, two-way regulating valves can also be configured for the gas phase heat exchanger tube group 530 and the liquid phase heat exchanger tube group 540 respectively, which can also achieve the technical purpose of flow regulation.

[0107] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various improvements and modifications without departing from the principle of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A gas-liquid separator, characterized in that, The device includes a housing, a refrigerant inlet pipe, a refrigerant outlet pipe, and a drive unit. The housing has an inner cavity, and a first partition and a second partition are disposed within the housing. The first partition divides the inner cavity into a first chamber and a second chamber, with the first chamber located above the second chamber. The second partition divides the second chamber into M sub-chambers, where M ≥ 2. The first partition has M connecting structures, and each sub-chamber can be connected to the first chamber through a corresponding connecting structure. The refrigerant inlet pipe is connected to the first chamber, and the refrigerant outlet pipe is also connected to the first chamber. In the initial state, only one of the connecting structures is open, and the drive unit can block the remaining M-1 connecting structures; as the amount of liquid refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator increases, the drive unit can open the remaining M-1 connecting structures.

2. The gas-liquid separator according to claim 1, characterized in that, In each of the compartments, one compartment is the last to be opened. The refrigerant outlet pipe includes a first outlet pipe and a second outlet pipe. The first outlet pipe is connected to the first chamber. The last compartment to be opened is connected to the second outlet pipe. The tops of each compartment are connected.

3. The gas-liquid separator according to claim 2, characterized in that, The driving unit includes an opening and closing mechanism, which includes M-1 opening and closing modules. Each opening and closing module includes a blocking part and a pushing part. In the initial state, the blocking part can block the remaining M-1 connected structures. When M>2, as the amount of liquid refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator increases, each of the opening and closing modules can operate sequentially to open the remaining M-1 connecting structures in sequence. When the opening and closing module that moves first moves away from the second chamber, it can interact with the pushing part of the opening and closing module that moves later to drive the opening and closing module to perform the opening action.

4. The gas-liquid separator according to claim 3, characterized in that, The drive unit further includes a floating mechanism, which includes a first floating component, and the first floating component includes a first floating body and a first floating rod connected together; In the initial state, the connecting structure that is in the open state is the first connecting structure, and the compartment connected to the first connecting structure is the first compartment. The first floating body is located in the first compartment. When the first floating component floats toward the first chamber, the first floating rod can pass through the first connecting structure and extend into the first chamber to interact with the pushing part of the first moving opening and closing module.

5. The gas-liquid separator according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first floating rod is provided with a first plug, which is located in the first compartment. When the first floating component floats toward the first compartment, the first floating rod can block the first connecting structure through the first plug.

6. The gas-liquid separator according to claim 4, characterized in that, When M>2, the last compartment to be opened in each compartment is the third compartment, the compartments other than the first compartment and the third compartment are the second compartments, and the connecting structure connected to the second compartment is the second connecting structure. The drive unit further includes a floating mechanism, which in turn includes a second floating component. The second floating component includes a second floating body and a second floating rod connected together. The second floating body is located in the second sub-cavity. When the second floating component floats toward the first cavity, the second floating rod can pass through the second connecting structure and abut against the blocking part of the opening and closing module that blocks the second connecting structure, thereby driving the opening and closing module to move away from the second cavity.

7. The gas-liquid separator according to claim 6, characterized in that, The second floating rod is provided with a second plug, which is located in the second compartment. When the second floating component floats toward the first compartment, the second floating rod can block the second connecting structure through the second plug.

8. The gas-liquid separator according to claim 3, characterized in that, The last compartment to be opened among all the compartments is the third compartment, and the connecting structure connected to the third compartment is the third connecting structure; The drive unit further includes a floating mechanism, which in turn includes a third floating component. The third floating component includes a third floating body and a third floating rod connected together. The third floating rod is provided with a third blocking part. Both the third floating body and the third blocking part are disposed in the third sub-cavity. When the third floating component floats toward the first cavity, the third floating rod can pass through the third connecting structure, and the third blocking part can seal the third connecting structure.

9. The gas-liquid separator according to claim 3, characterized in that, The drive unit also includes a guide mechanism disposed in the first chamber, which is used to guide the opening and closing module.

10. The gas-liquid separator according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, It also includes a heat exchange unit, which includes a gas phase heat exchange tube group and a liquid phase heat exchange tube group, and each of the compartments is provided with the gas phase heat exchange tube group and the liquid phase heat exchange tube group.

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