Refrigerant connecting pipeline
The combination of hard pipe joints and hose assemblies solves the problem of easy leakage of copper pipe welding joints in the temperature control device of the vanadium liquid flow battery system, achieves stable connection and electrical safety, and ensures the normal operation of the temperature control device.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202423087226.8
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-12-12
- Publication Date
- 2025-09-26
- Estimated Expiration
- 2034-12-12
AI Technical Summary
In the temperature control device of the vanadium flow battery system, the copper tube welding joints are prone to leakage, causing the temperature control unit to fail to work normally and posing a safety hazard, especially in a vibration environment.
The refrigerant connection pipeline adopts a combination of hard pipe joints and hose assemblies, including metal outer joints, plastic inner joints, nuts and hoses. Through thread matching and sealing ring design, it ensures the circulation of refrigerant between the outdoor unit and the indoor unit, avoids leakage and ensures electrical safety.
It achieves stable connection in a vibration environment, avoids leakage of copper pipe welding joints, and ensures the normal operation of the temperature control device and the electrical safety of the equipment.
Smart Images
Figure CN223388218U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The utility model relates to the field of liquid flow energy storage, in particular to a refrigerant connecting pipeline. Background Art
[0002] Energy storage battery systems generate significant heat during redox reactions during charging and discharging. Furthermore, the increasing integration and energy density of energy storage battery systems, coupled with their variable operating environments and complex charge and discharge switching conditions, lead to significant temperature fluctuations during battery system operation.
[0003] The components and piping within vanadium flow battery systems are primarily made of plastics such as PVC and PE. When temperatures exceed 60°C, the piping softens and loses its support, potentially damaging the entire system. When temperatures drop below 0°C, U-PVC piping becomes brittle and loses its toughness, easily breaking. Furthermore, vanadium battery electrolytes can precipitate vanadium crystals when temperatures exceed 50°C or drop below -30°C, causing the electrolyte to lose capacity.
[0004] For these reasons, vanadium battery systems must be equipped with dedicated temperature control devices. Currently, the industry primarily uses a temperature control unit consisting of an air-cooled heat pump outdoor unit and a shell-and-tube evaporator for direct electrolyte temperature control (direct cooling). Copper tubing connects the outdoor and indoor units to circulate the refrigerant. Copper tubing offers advantages such as high pressure resistance, ductility, resistance to oxidative corrosion, strong thermal conductivity, and high heat exchange efficiency. Currently, it cannot be replaced by materials such as iron or aluminum. Typically, it is welded to the compressor in the outdoor unit and the coil in the evaporator. However, during battery transportation and operation, the system inevitably experiences overall vibration, which often causes leaks in the copper tubing's welded joints, rendering the temperature control unit inoperative. Furthermore, since the battery system's electrolyte is a charged liquid and the evaporator coil is made of metal, this can cause the copper tubing to become charged, posing a significant safety hazard to the system. Utility Model Content
[0005] In view of the above problems in the prior art, the present invention proposes a refrigerant connecting pipeline for connecting the outdoor unit and the indoor unit in the temperature control device of the energy storage battery system to ensure the circulation of refrigerant to achieve temperature control.
[0006] Specifically, the utility model proposes a refrigerant connecting pipeline, comprising:
[0007] A hard pipe joint, comprising an outer joint and an inner joint, wherein the inner joint is inserted into the outer joint;
[0008] A hose assembly comprises a nut, a connecting hard tube and a hose, wherein one end of the connecting hard tube is connected to one end of the hose, and the other end is externally coaxially connected to the nut;
[0009] Wherein, one end of the inner joint is connected to one end of the connecting hard pipe, and the nut is threadedly matched with the outer joint so that the hose assembly is connected to the hard pipe joint.
[0010] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the external joint includes a connecting pipe and a threaded portion spaced apart along its axial direction, the connecting pipe is communicated with an external pipeline, and the threaded portion is threadedly fitted and fixed with the nut.
[0011] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an annular spacer is formed on the outer wall of the inner joint for spacing the connecting pipe and the threaded portion.
[0012] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the external joint and / or the nut are made of metal.
[0013] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the inner joint, the hose and / or the connecting rigid pipe are made of plastic.
[0014] According to one embodiment of the present utility model, the hard pipe joint also includes a sealing ring, an annular groove is formed on the surface of one end of the inner joint, the sealing ring is arranged in the annular groove, the other end of the connecting hard pipe is sleeved on one end of the inner joint, and the connecting hard pipe and the inner joint are sealed together through the sealing ring.
[0015] According to an embodiment of the present invention, two spaced annular grooves are formed on the surface of one end of the inner joint, and one sealing ring is disposed in each of the annular grooves.
[0016] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a first boss facing radially outward is formed on one end surface of the connecting rigid tube, and a second boss facing radially inward is formed on one end of the nut. The outer diameter of the first boss is larger than the inner diameter of the second boss, and the first boss and the second boss cooperate with each other.
[0017] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the outer diameter of the first boss is smaller than the inner diameter of the internal thread side of the nut.
[0018] According to an embodiment of the present invention, one end of the connecting hard pipe is connected to one end of the soft tube by bonding.
[0019] The utility model provides a refrigerant connecting pipeline, which is combined with a hard pipe joint and a hose assembly to connect the outdoor unit and the indoor unit in the temperature control device of the energy storage battery system, ensuring the circulation of the refrigerant between the outdoor unit and the indoor unit, thereby achieving temperature control.
[0020] It should be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] The accompanying drawings are included to provide further explanation of the present invention, and are incorporated into and constitute a part of this application. The accompanying drawings illustrate embodiments of the present invention and, together with this specification, serve to explain the principles of the present invention. In the accompanying drawings:
[0022] Figure 1 A three-dimensional diagram of a refrigerant connecting pipeline according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.
[0023] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 side view.
[0024] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the hose assembly.
[0025] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of one end of a hose assembly.
[0026] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 Cross-sectional view of the rigid pipe fitting in .
[0027] Figure 6 The figure shows a structural diagram of a vanadium battery refrigeration system in the prior art.
[0028] Figure 7 The figure shows the use state of the refrigerant connecting pipeline of one embodiment of the utility model.
[0029] Figure 8 The figure shows the use state of the refrigerant connecting pipeline of another embodiment of the present utility model.
[0030] The above drawings include the following reference numerals:
[0031] Connecting pipe 100
[0032] Hard pipe joint 110
[0033] External connector 111
[0034] Internal connector 112
[0035] Connecting pipe 113
[0036] Threaded portion 114
[0037] Annular spacer 115
[0038] Annular groove 116
[0039] Sealing ring 117
[0040] Hose assembly 120
[0041] Nut 121
[0042] Connecting hard pipe 122
[0043] Hose 123
[0044] First boss 124
[0045] Second boss 125
[0046] Outdoor unit 610
[0047] External refrigerant pipe 611
[0048] Container 620
[0049] Indoor unit 630
[0050] Internal refrigerant pipe 631
[0051] Metal refrigerant pipe 632 DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0052] It should be noted that, unless there is any conflict, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of this application can be combined with each other.
[0053] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments. The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is actually only illustrative and is in no way intended to limit the present application and its application or use. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of this application.
[0054] It should be noted that the terms used herein are only for describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments according to the present application. As used herein, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular form is also intended to include the plural form. In addition, it should be understood that when the terms "comprise" and / or "include" are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, devices, components and / or combinations thereof.
[0055] Unless otherwise specified, the relative arrangement of the parts and steps, numerical expressions and numerical values set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the present application. Meanwhile, it should be understood that, for ease of description, the sizes of the various parts shown in the accompanying drawings are not drawn according to actual proportional relationships. Technology, methods and equipment known to those of ordinary skill in the relevant art may not be discussed in detail, but in appropriate cases, the technology, methods and equipment should be considered as a part of the specification. In all examples shown and discussed here, any specific value should be interpreted as being merely exemplary, rather than as a limitation. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments can have different values. It should be noted that similar numbers and letters represent similar items in the following drawings, and therefore, once an item is defined in an accompanying drawing, it does not need to be further discussed in subsequent drawings.
[0056] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the directions or positional relationships indicated by directional words such as "front, back, up, down, left, right", "horizontal, vertical, vertical, horizontal" and "top, bottom" are usually based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description. Unless otherwise specified, these directional words do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction or be constructed and operated in a specific direction. Therefore, they cannot be understood as limiting the scope of protection of this application; the directional words "inside and outside" refer to the inside and outside relative to the outline of each component itself.
[0057] Furthermore, it should be noted that the use of terms such as "first" and "second" to define components is solely for the purpose of distinguishing the corresponding components. Unless otherwise stated, these terms have no special meaning and therefore should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this application. Furthermore, while the terms used in this application are selected from commonly known and commonly used terms, some terms mentioned in this specification may have been selected by the applicant at his or her discretion, and their detailed meanings are explained in the relevant sections of this description. Furthermore, this application should be understood not only by the actual terms used, but also by the meaning implied by each term.
[0058] Figure 1 A three-dimensional diagram of a refrigerant connecting pipe of an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 2 yes Figure 1 side view. Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the hose assembly. Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of one end of a hose assembly. Figure 5 yes Figure 1As shown in the figure, a refrigerant connecting pipeline 100 mainly includes a hard pipe joint 110 and a hose assembly 120.
[0059] Among them, reference Figure 1 and 5 The hard pipe joint 110 includes an outer joint 111 and an inner joint 112. The inner joint 112 is inserted into the outer joint 111. The refrigerant connecting pipeline 100 is connected to other external pipelines through the outer joint 111.
[0060] refer to Figure 3 and 4 The hose assembly 120 includes a nut 121, a connecting tube 122, and a hose 123. One end of the connecting tube 122 is connected to one end of the hose 123, and the other end is externally coaxially connected to the nut 121. Specifically, the nut 121 can rotate axially relative to the connecting tube 122 and allows a certain degree of axial displacement relative to the connecting tube 122 to facilitate assembly. It should be noted that Figure 1 and Figure 2 The refrigerant connecting pipeline 100 in FIG. 1 does not include the hose 123 . Figure 3 The diagram shows a complete hose assembly 120. The two ends of the hose 123 are symmetrical in structure, and a connecting hard pipe 122 and a nut 121 are respectively provided at both ends of the hose 123.
[0061] During assembly, refrigerant connecting pipe 100 connects one end of internal connector 112 to one end of connecting rigid tube 122. Nut 121 threads into external connector 111, connecting hose assembly 120 to rigid tube connector 110. Refrigerant connecting pipe 100 is suitable for connecting the outdoor and indoor units of a temperature control device in an energy storage battery system, ensuring refrigerant circulation between the two units and achieving temperature control.
[0062] In some examples, reference Figure 1 and 5 The external joint 111 includes a connecting pipe 113 and a threaded portion 114 spaced apart along its axial direction. The connecting pipe 113 is used to communicate with an external pipeline. The external joint 111 is fixed by the external thread on the surface of the threaded portion 114 and the internal thread of the nut 121. Preferably, an annular spacer 115 is formed on the outer wall of the internal joint 112 to space the connecting pipe 113 and the threaded portion 114. By way of example and not limitation, the connecting pipe 113 and the threaded portion 114 can be fixed to the surface of the internal joint 112 and the surface of the annular spacer 115 by hot melt connection.
[0063] In some examples, the external connector 111 and / or nut 121 are made of metal, which has high strength and can withstand high pressure, preventing pipe rupture and leakage. Metal is also resistant to aging and deformation, providing a stable connection. The external connector 111 can be connected to the external pipe by welding.
[0064] In some examples, the inner connector 112, the hose 123 and / or the connecting rigid tube 122 are made of plastic, which has good tolerance and is not susceptible to electrochemical corrosion. The plastic hose 123 has good flexibility and can be easily bent and twisted, adapting to complex spatial layouts and reducing installation difficulty. In actual operation, the toughness of the hose 123 can offset the vibration caused by external equipment and the relative displacement between connected external equipment, avoiding pipeline breakage and leakage. The inner connector 112, the connecting rigid tube 122 and the hose 123 form a sealed passage, and the refrigerant connecting pipeline 100 as a whole can withstand a fluid pressure exceeding 4 MPa.
[0065] As will be readily understood, the outer connector 111 is made of metal, while the inner connector 112 is made of plastic. An annular spacer 115 on the inner connector 112 separates the connecting pipe 113 from the threaded portion 114. The annular spacer 115 provides insulation, preventing any electrical charges from being transferred from the threaded portion 114 to the connecting pipe 113.
[0066] In some examples, reference Figure 1 , the hard pipe joint 110 also includes a sealing ring 117. An annular groove 116 is formed on the surface of one end of the internal joint 112, and the sealing ring 117 is arranged in the annular groove 116. The other end of the connecting hard pipe 122 is sleeved on one end of the internal joint 112, and the connecting hard pipe 122 and the internal joint 112 are sealed by squeezing the sealing ring 117, thereby improving the sealing performance of the refrigerant connecting pipeline 100. In this example, two annular grooves 116 are formed on the surface of one end of the internal joint 112, and a sealing ring 117 is arranged in each annular groove 116. During assembly, the internal joint 112 is inserted into the connecting hard pipe 122, and the sealing ring 117 is squeezed to reach the designed compression rate, so as to further improve the sealing performance of the two.
[0067] In some examples, reference Figure 4A first boss 124 is formed radially outward on one end surface of the connecting tube 122, and a second boss 125 is formed radially inward on one end of the nut 121. The outer diameter of the first boss 124 is larger than the inner diameter of the second boss 125, and the first boss 124 and the second boss 125 cooperate with each other. This structure allows the nut 121 to rotate freely relative to the connecting tube 122 and prevents the nut 121 from loosening from the connecting tube 122. When the connecting tube 122 and the inner joint 112 are connected and fixed, the nut 121 is threadedly engaged with the outer joint 111 and tightened. A mutual squeezing force is generated between the first boss 124 and the second boss 125, which can make the connection between the connecting tube 122 and the inner joint 112 more secure.
[0068] In some examples, the outer diameter of the first boss 124 is smaller than the inner diameter of the internal thread of the nut 121. This structure facilitates installation, making it easier to insert the connecting tube 122 into the nut 121. In addition, the connecting tube 122 can be adapted to nuts 121 of different sizes, increasing the flexibility of nut 121 selection.
[0069] In some examples, one end of the connecting tube 122 is connected to one end of the flexible tube 123 by bonding. This bonding method typically does not require complex tools or equipment and is simple to operate. It simply requires applying adhesive to the connection area, then docking the connecting tube 122 and flexible tube 123, securing them for a period of time, and waiting for the adhesive to cure. This method eliminates the need for sufficient space and achieves a more uniform stress distribution between the connecting tube 122 and flexible tube 123, significantly improving the resistance to pullout between the connecting tube 122 and flexible tube 123.
[0070] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a prior art vanadium battery refrigeration system is shown. As shown, the refrigeration system consists of an outdoor refrigeration unit 610 and an indoor refrigeration unit (not shown). The indoor refrigeration unit is placed within a battery container 620, and the outdoor unit is fixed to the top of the container 620. The outdoor unit 610 and the indoor unit are connected by a refrigerant pipeline. The outdoor unit 610 uses a compressor to cool and liquefy the refrigerant, releasing heat. The refrigerant is then passed into the indoor unit, where it evaporates and absorbs heat. This cycle removes heat from the electrolyte within the indoor unit, achieving temperature control of the battery system.
[0071] Figure 7The diagram shows the usage status of the refrigerant connecting pipeline of an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the refrigeration system consists of a refrigeration outdoor unit 610 and a refrigeration indoor unit 630, and the refrigeration indoor unit 630 is placed in a battery container 620. The outdoor unit 610 has an outdoor refrigerant pipe 611 connected to the compressor that extends outward for a certain distance. The hard pipe joint 110 of the refrigerant connecting pipeline 100, that is, the connecting pipe 113 of the external joint 111 is welded to the outdoor refrigerant pipe 611. The indoor refrigerant pipe 631 connected to the evaporating coil in the indoor unit 630 extends outward for a certain distance. Similarly, the connecting pipe 113 of another hard pipe joint 110 is welded to the indoor refrigerant pipe 631. The fixing and welding of the above components can all be prefabricated in the factory, and the process quality can be controlled. After the battery equipment and outdoor unit are transported to their respective locations, the outdoor unit 610 is secured to the top of the battery container 620. The two rigid pipe connectors 110 are connected via a hose assembly 120. The hose 123 can be freely passed through the reserved pipe holes in the container 630. This makes construction simple, convenient, and reliable, requiring no hot work and avoiding potential leakage risks. Furthermore, since the electrolyte is a charged liquid and the evaporating coil of the indoor unit 630 is made of metal, the connecting pipe 113 of the rigid pipe connector 110 will also be charged. However, the internal connector 112 and the connecting rigid pipe 122 are both made of insulating materials, the indoor unit 630 housing is made of insulating materials, and the refrigerant itself is also an insulating medium. Therefore, the hose assembly 120 and the connector on the side connected to the outdoor unit 610 are not charged, ensuring the electrical safety of the equipment.
[0072] Figure 8The figure shows the use status of the refrigerant connecting pipeline of another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the refrigeration system consists of a refrigeration outdoor unit 610 and a refrigeration indoor unit 630. The refrigeration indoor unit 630 is placed in the battery container 620. The outdoor machine refrigerant pipe 611 connected to the compressor in the outdoor unit 610 extends out for a section, and a hard pipe joint 110 is welded on it. The indoor unit 630 is fixed inside the container 620, and the indoor machine refrigerant pipe 631 connected to the evaporating coil in the indoor unit 630 extends out for a section, and a welded metal refrigerant pipe 632 is welded on it. The pipe is properly fixed in the container 620 and extends out of the container 620 through the pipe hole reserved on the container 620. A hard pipe joint 110 is welded to this section of the metal refrigerant pipe 632. The fixing and welding of the above components can all be prefabricated in the factory, and the process quality can be controlled. After the battery equipment and outdoor unit 610 are transported to the use site, the outdoor unit 610 is fixed to the top of the battery container 620 and connected between the two hard pipe joints 110 through the hose assembly 120. The hose 123 can be bent arbitrarily to smoothly connect the joints on both sides. The construction is simple, convenient and reliable, without the need for hot work, and avoids potential leakage risks. Furthermore, since the electrolyte is a charged liquid and the indoor unit evaporating coil is made of metal, the connecting pipe 113 of the hard pipe joint 110 will also be charged. However, the internal joint 112 and the connecting hard pipe 122 are both made of insulating materials. The indoor unit 630 shell is made of insulating material, and the refrigerant itself is also an insulating medium. Therefore, the hose assembly 120 and the joint on the side connected to the outdoor unit 610 are not charged, ensuring the electrical safety of the equipment.
[0073] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the exemplary embodiments described above without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of the present invention that fall within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
Claims
1. A refrigerant connecting pipeline, characterized in that: include, A hard pipe joint, comprising an outer joint and an inner joint, wherein the inner joint is inserted into the outer joint; A hose assembly comprises a nut, a connecting hard tube and a hose, wherein one end of the connecting hard tube is connected to one end of the hose, and the other end is externally coaxially connected to the nut; Wherein, one end of the inner joint is connected to one end of the connecting hard pipe, and the nut is threadedly matched with the outer joint so that the hose assembly is connected to the hard pipe joint.
2. The refrigerant connecting pipeline according to claim 1, characterized in that: The external joint includes a connecting pipe and a threaded portion spaced apart along its axial direction. The connecting pipe is communicated with an external pipeline, and the threaded portion is threadedly fitted and fixed with the nut.
3. The refrigerant connecting pipeline according to claim 2, wherein: An annular spacer is formed on the outer wall of the inner joint for spacing the connecting pipe and the threaded portion.
4. The refrigerant connecting pipeline according to claim 1, wherein: The outer joint and / or the nut are made of metal.
5. The refrigerant connecting pipeline according to claim 1, wherein: The inner joint, the hose and / or the connecting hard pipe are made of plastic.
6. The refrigerant connecting pipeline according to claim 1, wherein: The hard pipe joint also includes a sealing ring, an annular groove is formed on the surface of one end of the inner joint, the sealing ring is arranged in the annular groove, the other end of the connecting hard pipe is sleeved on one end of the inner joint, and the connecting hard pipe and the inner joint are sealed together through the sealing ring.
7. The refrigerant connecting pipeline according to claim 6, wherein: Two spaced annular grooves are formed on the surface of one end of the inner joint, and a sealing ring is arranged in each of the annular grooves.
8. The refrigerant connecting pipeline according to claim 1, wherein: One end surface of the connecting rigid tube forms a first boss facing radially outward, and one end of the nut forms a second boss facing radially inward. The outer diameter of the first boss is greater than the inner diameter of the second boss, and the first boss and the second boss cooperate with each other.
9. The refrigerant connecting pipeline according to claim 8, wherein: The outer diameter of the first boss is smaller than the inner diameter of the internal thread side of the nut.
10. The refrigerant connecting pipeline according to claim 1, wherein: One end of the connecting hard pipe is connected to one end of the soft tube by bonding.