Ice storage device and air conditioner

Abstract

The application provides an ice storage device and an air conditioner, and relates to the technical field of ice storage equipment. The ice storage device comprises an ice storage box, at least one first heat exchange pipe and at least one second heat exchange pipe. The ice storage box contains fluid, and the fluid has a highest liquid level. The at least one first heat exchange pipe is arranged in the ice storage box and is immersed in the fluid. The at least one second heat exchange pipe is arranged in the ice storage box in one-to-one correspondence with the at least one first heat exchange pipe and is immersed in the fluid. Each second heat exchange pipe is arranged along a horizontal direction and is located between the first heat exchange pipe and the highest liquid level. One end of the second heat exchange pipe is in communication with the corresponding first heat exchange pipe, and the other end of the second heat exchange pipe is connected with a throttle valve. The application solves the technical problems that a large amount of cold energy carried by the pipeline system after throttling cannot be effectively utilized and that the top of the ice storage tank is difficult to effectively freeze.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of ice storage equipment technology, and more specifically, to an ice storage device and an air conditioner. Background Technology

[0002] In a traditional ice storage system, the low-temperature refrigerant after being throttled by an electronic expansion valve is transported to the main heat exchange tube through a pipeline system. This pipeline is located above the water surface, and the main heat exchange tube is submerged in the water.

[0003] However, this structure has two major drawbacks: First, the large amount of cold energy carried by the pipeline system after throttling cannot be effectively utilized; second, the main heat exchange tubes are usually installed in the lower part of the cold storage tank, which has a large height difference with the water surface. As a result, the top area of ​​the water body is far away from the cold source and has insufficient heat exchange, making it difficult to form effective ice and forming a non-uniform ice layer structure that is "thin at the top and thick at the bottom". Summary of the Invention

[0004] The main objective of this invention is to provide an ice storage device and an air conditioner to solve the technical problems in the related art where the large amount of cold energy carried by the piping system after throttling cannot be effectively utilized, and the top of the cold storage tank is difficult to freeze effectively.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, according to one aspect of the present invention, an ice storage device is provided, comprising: a refrigerator containing a fluid having a maximum liquid level; at least one first heat exchange tube disposed within the refrigerator and immersed in the fluid; and at least one second heat exchange tube disposed within the refrigerator and immersed in the fluid, corresponding one-to-one with the at least one first heat exchange tube, each second heat exchange tube being arranged horizontally and located between the first heat exchange tube and the maximum liquid level, one end of the second heat exchange tube communicating with the corresponding first heat exchange tube, and the other end of the second heat exchange tube being connected to a throttling valve.

[0006] Furthermore, each second heat exchange tube includes multiple main pipe sections and multiple curved pipe sections. Each curved pipe section is connected to two adjacent main pipe sections. Each main pipe section extends in a straight line in the horizontal direction, and each curved pipe section is annular or arc-shaped.

[0007] Furthermore, when there are multiple first heat exchange tubes, there is a first preset distance L1 between two adjacent first heat exchange tubes, and the annular structure where the curved tube section is located has a preset outer diameter R, satisfying: 2 / 3L1≤R≤L1.

[0008] Furthermore, there is a second preset distance L2 between the centers of the annular structure containing two adjacent curved pipe sections, satisfying: R≤L2≤3R.

[0009] Furthermore, when there are multiple second heat exchange tubes, the multiple curved tube segments of each second heat exchange tube and the multiple curved tube segments of the adjacent second heat exchange tubes are arranged alternately.

[0010] Furthermore, the second heat exchange tube is a capillary tube; and / or, the second heat exchange tube is one or a combination of two of the following: a wavy shape and a spiral shape.

[0011] Furthermore, the second heat exchange tube has a first preset distance H1 between itself and the highest liquid level, wherein the first preset distance H1 satisfies: 0 < H1 ≤ 50 mm; and / or, the second heat exchange tube has a second preset distance H2 between itself and the first heat exchange tube, wherein the second preset distance H2 satisfies: 0 < H2 ≤ 50 mm.

[0012] Furthermore, along the extension direction of the second heat exchange tube, there is a third preset distance L3 between the two inner sidewalls of the refrigerator, and the second heat exchange tube has a preset length a, satisfying: 2L3≤a≤3L3.

[0013] Furthermore, a transition section is provided at one end of the second heat exchange tube near the first heat exchange tube, at least part of which is bent, and the second heat exchange tube is connected to the first heat exchange tube through the transition section.

[0014] Furthermore, the ice storage device also includes: a distributor connected to a throttling valve, the distributor being provided with at least one distribution port, and at least one end of the second heat exchange tube away from the first heat exchange tube being respectively connected to at least one distribution port.

[0015] According to another aspect of the present invention, an air conditioner is provided, including the ice storage device mentioned above.

[0016] The present invention provides an ice storage device, comprising a refrigerator, at least one first heat exchange tube, and at least one second heat exchange inner tube. The refrigerator contains fluid with a maximum liquid level. At least one first heat exchange tube is disposed inside the refrigerator and submerged in the fluid. At least one second heat exchange tube is disposed inside the refrigerator and submerged in the fluid, corresponding one-to-one with the at least one first heat exchange tube. Each second heat exchange tube is arranged horizontally and located between the first heat exchange tube and the maximum liquid level. One end of the second heat exchange tube is connected to the corresponding first heat exchange tube, and the other end of the second heat exchange tube is connected to a throttling valve.

[0017] In traditional ice storage systems, the low-temperature refrigerant, after being depressurized by a throttling valve, enters an ineffective heat exchange stage in the pipeline leading to the main heat exchanger (i.e., the first heat exchanger) (usually located above the water surface). Its cooling capacity is not utilized as it directly enters the main heat exchanger, resulting in significant energy waste. This application addresses this by completely immersing the second heat exchanger (i.e., the delivery pipe after throttling) in the upper layer of the ice-storing fluid and cooperating with the main heat exchanger. This allows the refrigerant to undergo preliminary heat exchange with the surrounding ice-storing water in the second heat exchanger before entering the first heat exchanger, lowering the water temperature at the top of the water body. Subsequently, the refrigerant enters the first heat exchanger, continuing to absorb heat from the water, promoting freezing and achieving ice storage throughout the entire water body. In this way, the energy of the refrigerant before entering the main heat exchange tube is effectively recovered, the heat exchange path between the refrigerant and water is extended, the heat exchange capacity of the top of the cold storage tank is enhanced, and the energy utilization rate and ice uniformity of the overall system are improved. This not only solves the technical problem that the large amount of cold energy carried by the pipeline system after throttling cannot be effectively utilized, but also solves the technical problem that the top of the cold storage tank is difficult to freeze effectively. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this application, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an undue limitation of the invention. In the drawings:

[0019] Figure 1 A front view is shown provided for an embodiment of the ice storage device according to the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 A top view of an embodiment of the ice storage device according to the present invention is shown;

[0021] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of a first embodiment of the second heat exchange tube provided by an embodiment of the ice storage device according to the present invention is shown;

[0022] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a second embodiment of the second heat exchange tube provided in an embodiment of the ice storage device according to the present invention is shown;

[0023] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a third embodiment of the second heat exchange tube provided by an embodiment of the ice storage device according to the present invention is shown.

[0024] The above figures include the following reference numerals:

[0025] 1. Refrigeration unit;

[0026] 2. First heat exchange tube;

[0027] 3. Second heat exchange tube; 30. Main pipe section; 31. Bend section;

[0028] 4. Transition pipe section;

[0029] 5. Diverter. Detailed Implementation

[0030] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be combined with each other. The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0031] Please refer to Figures 1 to 5 As shown, one aspect of the technical solution of the present invention provides an ice storage device, including a refrigerator 1, at least one first heat exchange tube 2 and at least one second heat exchange inner tube. The refrigerator 1 contains a fluid with a maximum liquid level. At least one first heat exchange tube 2 is disposed in the refrigerator 1 and immersed in the fluid. At least one second heat exchange tube 3 is disposed in the refrigerator 1 in a one-to-one correspondence with at least one first heat exchange tube 2 and is immersed in the fluid. Each second heat exchange tube 3 is arranged horizontally and located between the first heat exchange tube 2 and the maximum liquid level. One end of the second heat exchange tube 3 is connected to the corresponding first heat exchange tube 2, and the other end of the second heat exchange tube 3 is connected to a throttling valve.

[0032] In traditional ice storage systems, the low-temperature refrigerant, after being depressurized by a throttling valve, is in an ineffective heat exchange section in the pipeline leading to the main heat exchange tube (i.e., the first heat exchange tube 2) (usually located above the water surface). Its cooling capacity is not utilized as it directly enters the main heat exchange tube, resulting in significant energy waste. This application addresses this by completely immersing the second heat exchange tube 3 (i.e., the delivery pipe after throttling) in the upper layer of the ice storage fluid and having it work in conjunction with the main heat exchange tube. This allows the refrigerant to undergo preliminary heat exchange with the surrounding ice storage water in the second heat exchange tube 3 before entering the first heat exchange tube 2. This lowers the water temperature at the top of the water body, and then the refrigerant enters the first heat exchange tube 2 to continue absorbing heat from the water, promoting ice formation and achieving ice storage for the entire water body. In this way, the energy of the refrigerant before entering the main heat exchange tube is effectively recovered, the heat exchange path between the refrigerant and the water is extended, the heat exchange capacity of the top of the cold storage tank 1 is enhanced, the energy utilization rate and ice uniformity of the overall system are improved, and the technical problem of difficulty in ice formation on the top layer of the cold storage water body due to not being covered by the heat exchange tube is solved in related technologies.

[0033] like Figure 2 As shown, in the first embodiment of the second heat exchange tube 3 of this application, each second heat exchange tube 3 includes multiple main pipe sections 30 and multiple curved pipe sections 31. Each curved pipe section 31 is connected to two adjacent main pipe sections 30 respectively. Each main pipe section 30 extends in a straight line in the horizontal direction, and each curved pipe section 31 is annular or arc-shaped. It should be noted that the figure shows the winding path of two capillary tubes. After the remaining capillary tubes extend from the distributor 5, they are arranged side by side on the water surface in the same way as the capillary tubes shown in the figure, corresponding one-to-one with the first heat exchange tube 2.

[0034] In traditional technologies, the throttling pipes are often positioned above the water surface, and the refrigerant enters the main heat exchanger tubes without participating in heat exchange, resulting in energy waste. This structure completely submerges the entire throttling pipes (including the main pipe section 30 and the bend section 31) below the water surface, allowing the refrigerant to complete pre-cooling and auxiliary icing before entering the main heat exchanger tubes. This achieves two-stage energy recovery—top primary cooling and main cooling—improving the overall system energy efficiency by 15% to 25%.

[0035] By arranging the main pipe section 30 horizontally in a straight line, it is ensured that the refrigerant forms multi-layered, parallel, and orderly heat exchange channels in the water. The curved pipe section 31 (annular or arc-shaped) serves as a connecting unit, allowing the refrigerant path to extend continuously, significantly increasing the contact area and contact time between the refrigerant and the water. The top layer of the water is warmer due to its distance from the main heat exchange pipe, resulting in slow or uneven freezing. Through the design of multiple curved pipe sections 31, without changing the basic heat exchange structure, the smooth delivery of the refrigerant is ensured, the contact area with the water is increased, and the freezing rate and uniformity are further improved.

[0036] In this embodiment, when there are multiple first heat exchange tubes 2, there is a first preset distance L1 between two adjacent first heat exchange tubes 2, and the annular structure where the curved tube section 31 is located has a preset outer diameter R, satisfying: 2 / 3L1≤R≤L1.

[0037] The optimal distance L1 between two adjacent first heat exchange tubes 2 is determined by both the system's heat exchange efficiency and structural strength. If the outer diameter R of the annular structure containing the bent pipe section 31 is too small, the annular path will be too compact, resulting in insufficient heat exchange area per unit length, inadequate contact between the refrigerant and the water, and difficulty in effectively exchanging heat in the top layer of the ice-storing fluid. If R > L1, the annular structure containing the bent pipe section 31 will exceed the distance range between two adjacent first heat exchange tubes 2, potentially causing physical interference or thermal disturbance between the bent pipe section 31 and the first heat exchange tube 2. It may even overlap with the ice layer on the first heat exchange tube 2 during the freezing process, forming a locally excessively thick ice layer that hinders refrigerant flow and reduces overall heat exchange efficiency.

[0038] By limiting the outer diameter of the annular structure containing the curved pipe section 31, the curved pipe section 31 is precisely embedded in the gap area between two adjacent first heat exchange pipes 2. This maximizes the utilization of the ineffective heat exchange area in the water not covered by the first heat exchange pipes 2, transforming the originally idle space into an auxiliary ice storage area and significantly increasing the total heat exchange area per unit volume. It also results in a more uniform ice thickness between the top and middle layers of water, avoiding the traditional drawbacks of difficulty in ice formation at the top and excessive ice thickness at the bottom.

[0039] In this embodiment, there is a second preset distance L2 between the centers of the annular structure where two adjacent curved pipe segments 31 are located, satisfying: R≤L2≤3R.

[0040] The first heat exchange tube 2 is the main ice formation area in the ice storage system. Its arrangement pitch L1 is optimally designed according to the heat exchange efficiency to ensure stable ice layer growth without overlap. The bent pipe section 31 is arranged under the water surface as an auxiliary heat exchange unit. If the center distance L2 of the annular structure where it is located is too small, it will cause interference between adjacent two bent pipe sections 31, hinder the water flow disturbance, form local cold accumulation, and instead reduce the heat exchange efficiency. If L2 > 3R, the bent pipe sections 31 are too sparse, a large amount of water surface area is not covered, and the top layer of water body cannot effectively participate in heat exchange, resulting in uneven ice formation, reducing the ice storage density and the overall ice storage capacity of the system.

[0041] By arranging the bent pipe sections 31 into an annular structure and controlling it within the above range, each bent pipe section 31 forms a local low-temperature core area; the distance between adjacent two bent pipe sections 31 is appropriate, inducing an orderly circulation of the water body between them, promoting the diffusion of cold to the water body that does not directly contact the heat exchange tube; the cold is transferred step by step from the second heat exchange tube 3 → near the water surface → the first heat exchange tube 2, realizing gradient ice formation from top to bottom, and solving the problem of difficult ice formation on the top layer.

[0042] In this embodiment, when there are multiple second heat exchange tubes 3, the multiple bent pipe sections 31 of each second heat exchange tube 3 and the multiple bent pipe sections 31 of the adjacent second heat exchange tube 3 are arranged staggeredly.

[0043] By staggering the bent pipe sections 31 of adjacent second heat exchange tubes 3 (that is, not facing each other, not overlapping, in a "pin" shape or "zigzag" shape), the shielding effect or heat shielding area formed by the refrigerant pipeline in the water body can be effectively avoided. The annular structure of each bent pipe section 31 can be independently and fully exposed to the water body, and the water body can contact the pipe wall from multiple directions, breaking the local cold accumulation or water flow dead angle caused by the parallel arrangement of the pipelines, so that the bent pipe sections 31 can be laid flat on the water surface with the largest area, improving the ice formation uniformity, significantly enhancing the pre-cooling efficiency of the refrigerant before entering the main heat exchange tube, and accelerating the ice formation rate on the top layer of the water body.

[0044] Moreover, the staggered bent pipe sections 31 form an asymmetric flow channel structure in space. When the water body slowly flows under the action of gravity or natural convection, local eddies and turbulences will be generated due to the obstruction of the pipeline contour. Turbulence can effectively destroy the water body boundary layer, significantly improve the convective heat transfer coefficient, and enable efficient heat transfer even under the static ice storage condition of low flow rate and no forced circulation.

[0045] In this embodiment, the second heat exchange tube 3 is a capillary tube.

[0046] Capillary tubes not only perform the function of throttling and reducing pressure of refrigerant, but also, due to their small diameter, high flow velocity, and large heat exchange area density, they can conduct efficient forced convection heat exchange with water during the throttling process. This allows the latent heat of the low-temperature refrigerant after throttling, which would otherwise be wasted, to be recovered before entering the first heat exchange tube 2. This achieves the recovery and utilization of refrigerant energy and significantly improves the overall energy efficiency of the system.

[0047] Optionally, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in the second and third embodiments of the second heat exchange tube 3 of this application, the second heat exchange tube 3 is one or a combination of two of the following: a wavy shape and a spiral shape.

[0048] The wavy or spiral structure increases the projected area of ​​the capillary tubes per unit length on the horizontal plane by 3-5 times, effectively extending the contact time between the refrigerant and the water and improving heat exchange efficiency. Furthermore, the wavy or spiral structure, with its multi-point distributed layout, allows the cooling energy to be released in a grid-like pattern on the water surface, avoiding ice bridges or thick ice formations caused by localized overcooling in traditional straight pipe systems. Simultaneously, the shape of the second heat exchange tube 3 can be flexibly configured according to the required space at the upper end of the first heat exchange tube 2, meeting the needs of different water tank layouts.

[0049] In this embodiment, the second heat exchange tube 3 is separated from the highest liquid level by a first preset distance H1, which satisfies the condition: 0 < H1 ≤ 50 mm. The second heat exchange tube 3 is separated from the first heat exchange tube 2 by a second preset distance H2, which satisfies the condition: 0 < H2 ≤ 50 mm.

[0050] The first heat exchange tube 2 is usually arranged in the lower part of the water storage tank. The water at the top is far from the cold source and has high thermal resistance, making it difficult to freeze and forming an ineffective ice storage zone. By arranging the second heat exchange tube 3 (capillary tube) close to the liquid surface (H1≤50mm), the low-temperature refrigerant completes its first heat exchange in the uppermost layer of the water before entering the first heat exchange tube 2.

[0051] If the second heat exchange tube 3 is too close to the first heat exchange tube 2, the low-temperature second heat exchange tube 3 will prematurely cool the water around the first heat exchange tube 2, resulting in excessively low water temperature at the inlet of the first heat exchange tube 2, premature local freezing and encasing of the tube body, forming an ice jacket, which hinders the flow of refrigerant; in addition, the heat exchange efficiency of the first heat exchange tube 2 will decrease, the freezing will be uneven and difficult to remove; and the refrigerant will be pre-cooled before it has fully expanded in the second heat exchange tube 3, resulting in an increased evaporation temperature after throttling and a decrease in refrigeration efficiency.

[0052] By controlling the distance between the second heat exchange tube 3 and the highest liquid level and the first heat exchange tube 2 within the above range, the second heat exchange tube 3 and the first heat exchange tube 2 are spatially independent and thermally separated. The refrigerant completes preliminary heat absorption and throttling expansion in the second heat exchange tube 3 and reaches the optimal evaporation state before entering the first heat exchange tube 2. The first heat exchange tube 2 is uniformly frozen, and the heat exchange efficiency is maximized.

[0053] In this embodiment, along the extension direction of the second heat exchange tube 3, there is a third preset distance L3 between the two inner sidewalls of the refrigerator 1, and the second heat exchange tube 3 has a preset length a, satisfying: 2L3≤a≤3L3.

[0054] By controlling the optimal matching degree between the pipe length and the tank width, each capillary can be arranged with the optimal density and maximum spread in the horizontal plane, forming a dense yet non-overlapping, and expansive yet not sparse wave-like ring array. At this time, the water contact area corresponding to the length of a single curved pipe is maximized.

[0055] If a < 2L3, the piping cannot fully span the width of the ice storage space, and the curved pipe sections 31 are too sparse, resulting in an excessively short refrigerant flow path. Some water areas (especially those near the sidewalls) cannot be effectively cooled, creating a "cold capacity blind zone." This makes it difficult to quickly form a uniform ice layer on the top layer, exacerbating the uneven icing problem. Furthermore, the number of curved pipe sections 31 on the second heat exchanger tube 3 will be significantly less, making it difficult to meet the requirement of R ≤ L2 ≤ 3R.

[0056] If a > 3L3, the second heat exchange tube 3, although fully extended, will have multiple curved sections 31 compressed, stacked, or overlapped within a limited space due to space constraints. This results in an overly dense lateral distribution, causing some sections to block each other, preventing the water from uniformly contacting all tube walls, and significantly reducing the effective heat exchange area. Furthermore, this can easily lead to pipe crossings, increased local resistance, uneven refrigerant flow, and even ice buildup and blockage, ultimately reducing heat exchange efficiency.

[0057] In this embodiment, a transition section 4 is provided at one end of the second heat exchange tube 3 near the first heat exchange tube 2. At least part of the transition section 4 is bent, and the second heat exchange tube 3 is connected to the first heat exchange tube 2 through the transition section 4.

[0058] In an ice storage system, when the refrigerant flows out of the capillary tube or distributor 5 and enters the first heat exchange tube 2, if it is directly and rigidly connected, it is easy to generate eddies, local throttling effects or uneven flow velocity due to abrupt changes in the flow channel. This can cause the refrigerant temperature to drop sharply and the pressure to fluctuate violently at the inlet of the heat exchange tube, leading to localized overcooling and icing or uneven accumulation of ice layers.

[0059] The curved transition pipe section 4 (such as U-shaped, arc-shaped or tapered bend) can smoothly guide the refrigerant flow, reduce fluid impact, stabilize the flow velocity distribution, and enable the refrigerant to achieve gradual heat exchange and pressure balance before entering the first heat exchange tube 2. This effectively avoids inlet icing blockage or excessive local ice layer, and improves the uniformity and controllability of the icing process.

[0060] Furthermore, the transition pipe section 4, acting as a thermal buffer and flow equalization structure, can make the refrigerant temperature at the inlet of adjacent first heat exchange pipes 2 more uniform, achieving multi-pipe synergistic heat exchange. Especially when the transition pipe section 4 is an annular or serpentine bend structure, it can itself serve as a miniature auxiliary heat exchange zone, further absorbing heat from the water and lowering the refrigerant temperature in advance. This allows the entire heat exchange array to form a flat and uniform icing interface, significantly improving ice storage density and energy efficiency.

[0061] In this embodiment, the ice storage device further includes a distributor 5, which is connected to a throttle valve. The distributor 5 is provided with at least one diversion port, and at least one end of the second heat exchange tube 3 away from the first heat exchange tube 2 is respectively connected to at least one diversion port.

[0062] The distributor 5 enables multi-channel equal flow distribution. Combined with the annular, wavy, and staggered arrangement of capillaries, it ensures that each capillary occupies the optimal space in the water, forming a honeycomb-like high-efficiency heat exchange matrix.

[0063] The distributor 5 serves as the refrigerant distribution center, with its number of interfaces corresponding one-to-one with the number of second heat exchange tubes 3, forming a modular structure of throttle valve → distributor 5 → at least one second heat exchange tube 3 → at least one first heat exchange tube 2. This structure is suitable for ice storage devices of different capacities, and can be adapted simply by increasing or decreasing the number of interfaces and capillary tubes in the distributor 5, reducing design complexity. Furthermore, the failure of a single capillary tube does not affect other branches, resulting in high system redundancy.

[0064] According to another aspect of the technical solution of the present invention, an air conditioner is provided, including the ice storage device mentioned above.

[0065] As can be seen from the above description, the embodiments of the present invention achieve the following technical effects:

[0066] In traditional ice storage systems, the low-temperature refrigerant, after being depressurized by a throttling valve, is in an ineffective heat exchange stage in the pipeline leading to the main heat exchange tube (i.e., the first heat exchange tube 2) (usually located above the water surface). Its cooling capacity is not utilized as it directly enters the main heat exchange tube, resulting in significant energy waste. This application addresses this by completely immersing the second heat exchange tube 3 (i.e., the delivery pipe after throttling) in the upper layer of the ice storage fluid and having it work in conjunction with the main heat exchange tube. This allows the refrigerant to undergo preliminary heat exchange with the surrounding ice storage water in the second heat exchange tube 3 before entering the first heat exchange tube 2. This lowers the water temperature at the top of the water body, and then the refrigerant enters the first heat exchange tube 2 to continue absorbing heat from the water, promoting ice formation and achieving ice storage for the entire water body. In this way, the energy of the refrigerant before entering the main heat exchange tube is effectively recovered, the heat exchange path between the refrigerant and water is extended, the heat exchange capacity of the top of the cold storage tank is enhanced, and the energy utilization rate and ice uniformity of the overall system are improved. This not only solves the technical problem that the large amount of cold energy carried by the pipeline system after throttling cannot be effectively utilized, but also solves the technical problem that the top of the cold storage tank is difficult to effectively freeze.

[0067] It should be noted that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments according to this application. As used herein, the singular form is intended to include the plural form as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, it should be understood that when the terms "comprising" and / or "including" are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, devices, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0068] Unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention. It should also be understood that, for ease of description, the dimensions of the various parts shown in the drawings are not drawn to actual scale. Techniques, methods, and devices known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and devices should be considered part of the specification. In all examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values. It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the following figures denote similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it need not be further discussed in subsequent figures.

[0069] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by directional terms such as "front, back, up, down, left, right", "horizontal, vertical, horizontal" and "top, bottom" is generally based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and is only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description. Unless otherwise stated, these directional terms do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on the scope of protection of this invention; the directional terms "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours relative to the outline of each component itself.

[0070] For ease of description, spatial relative terms such as "above," "on top of," "on the upper surface of," "above," etc., are used herein to describe the spatial positional relationship of a device or feature as shown in the figures to other devices or features. It should be understood that spatial relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations in use or operation beyond the orientation of the device as described in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures were inverted, a device described as "above" or "on top of" other devices or structures would subsequently be positioned as "below" or "under" other devices or structures. Thus, the exemplary term "above" can include both "above" and "below." The device may also be positioned in other different ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatial relative descriptions used herein will be interpreted accordingly.

[0071] Furthermore, it should be noted that the use of terms such as "first" and "second" to define components is merely for the purpose of distinguishing the corresponding components. Unless otherwise stated, the above terms have no special meaning and therefore should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this invention.

[0072] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An ice storage device, characterized in that, include: A storage refrigerator (1), the storage refrigerator (1) contains a fluid, the fluid having a maximum liquid level; At least one first heat exchange tube (2) is disposed inside the refrigerator (1) and immersed in the fluid; At least one second heat exchange tube (3) is disposed in the refrigerator (1) in a one-to-one correspondence with the at least one first heat exchange tube (2) and is immersed in the fluid. Each second heat exchange tube (3) is arranged in a horizontal direction and located between the first heat exchange tube (2) and the highest liquid level. One end of the second heat exchange tube (3) is connected to the corresponding first heat exchange tube (2), and the other end of the second heat exchange tube (3) is connected to a throttle valve.

2. The ice storage device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the second heat exchange tubes (3) includes multiple main pipe sections (30) and multiple curved pipe sections (31). Each curved pipe section (31) is connected to two adjacent main pipe sections (30). Each main pipe section (30) extends in a straight line in the horizontal direction. Each curved pipe section (31) is annular or arc-shaped.

3. The ice storage device according to claim 2, characterized in that, When there are multiple first heat exchange tubes (2), there is a first preset distance L1 between two adjacent first heat exchange tubes (2), and the annular structure where the curved tube section (31) is located has a preset outer diameter R, satisfying: 2 / 3L1≤R≤L1.

4. The ice storage device according to claim 3, characterized in that, There is a second preset distance L2 between the centers of the annular structure where two adjacent curved pipe sections (31) are located, satisfying: R≤L2≤3R.

5. The ice storage device according to claim 2, characterized in that, When there are multiple second heat exchange tubes (3), the multiple curved tube segments (31) of each second heat exchange tube (3) and the multiple curved tube segments (31) of the adjacent second heat exchange tube (3) are arranged alternately.

6. The ice storage device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second heat exchange tube (3) is a capillary tube; and / or, the second heat exchange tube (3) is one or a combination of two of the following: a wavy shape and a spiral shape.

7. The ice storage device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second heat exchange tube (3) has a first preset distance H1 between itself and the highest liquid level, wherein the first preset distance H1 satisfies: 0 < H1 ≤ 50 mm; and / or, The second heat exchange tube (3) and the first heat exchange tube (2) have a second preset distance H2, which satisfies: 0 < H2 ≤ 50 mm.

8. The ice storage device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Along the extension direction of the second heat exchange tube (3), there is a third preset distance L3 between the two inner sidewalls of the refrigerator (1), and the second heat exchange tube (3) has a preset length a, satisfying: 2L3≤a≤3L3.

9. The ice storage device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second heat exchange tube (3) is provided with a transition tube section (4) at one end near the first heat exchange tube (2). At least part of the transition tube section (4) is bent. The second heat exchange tube (3) is connected to the first heat exchange tube (2) through the transition tube section (4).

10. The ice storage device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ice storage device also includes: The flow divider (5) is connected to the throttle valve. The flow divider (5) is provided with at least one flow divider interface. The end of the at least one second heat exchange tube (3) away from the first heat exchange tube (2) is respectively connected to the at least one flow divider interface.

11. An air conditioner, comprising an ice storage device, characterized in that, The ice storage device is the ice storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

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