Refrigerant filling device

Abstract

The utility model discloses a refrigerant filling device, and relates to the technical field of refrigerant filling, the refrigerant filling device comprises a plurality of storage tanks and a filling structure, one kind of refrigerant is stored in one storage tank, and the kinds of refrigerant in at least two storage tanks are different; a filling structure can be communicated with the multiple storage tanks, and the filling structure can be communicated with the refrigeration equipment, so that refrigerants in the multiple storage tanks can be filled into the refrigeration equipment. According to the technical scheme provided by the utility model, the filling proportion of the refrigerant can be conveniently controlled, and the waste of the refrigerant in the storage tank is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the technical field of refrigerant charging devices, and in particular to a refrigerant charging device. Background Technology

[0002] Due to environmental regulations, mixed refrigerants currently account for a large proportion of the refrigerants used in the market, and this is gradually becoming a trend in the research and development of new refrigerants. In existing technology, the method used to add mixed refrigerants to refrigeration equipment such as air conditioners is typically as follows: multiple refrigerants are pre-mixed in a storage tank, and then this mixed refrigerant is directly added to the refrigeration equipment. However, because the composition ratio of the liquid refrigerant in the storage tank changes continuously during use, it is inconvenient to control the refrigerant charging ratio. Furthermore, during the actual charging process, the composition ratio of the liquid refrigerant in the storage tank will deviate further from the initial ratio as the refrigerant decreases, potentially leading to a situation where the composition ratio of the refrigerant at the end of the storage tank differs too much from the initial ratio to allow for further charging. Utility Model Content

[0003] The main purpose of this invention is to provide a refrigerant charging device that facilitates control of the refrigerant charging ratio and reduces refrigerant waste in the storage tank.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the refrigerant charging device proposed in this utility model includes:

[0005] A plurality of storage tanks, one of which stores a type of refrigerant, and at least two of the storage tanks contain different types of refrigerants; and

[0006] A filling structure is provided that can connect multiple storage tanks and can also connect to the refrigeration equipment, so as to fill the refrigeration equipment with refrigerant from the multiple storage tanks.

[0007] In one embodiment, the refrigerant charging device further includes a connecting pipe having multiple connecting branches. One end of one connecting branch is connected to a storage tank, and the other end is connected to the charging structure. Each connecting branch is provided with a first control valve, which is used to control the on / off state of the connecting branch.

[0008] In one embodiment, the refrigerant charging device further includes multiple booster pumps, with one of the booster pumps provided in one of the connecting branches.

[0009] In one embodiment, the refrigerant charging device further includes a plurality of pressure detectors, and one of the pressure detectors is provided in one of the connecting branches.

[0010] In one embodiment, the refrigerant charging device further includes multiple flow detectors, with one of the flow detectors provided in one of the connecting branches.

[0011] In one embodiment, the refrigerant charging device further includes multiple temperature detectors, with one of the temperature detectors provided in one of the connecting branches.

[0012] In one embodiment, the refrigerant charging device further includes a vacuum device for connecting to the refrigeration equipment to extract excess air from the refrigeration equipment.

[0013] In one embodiment, the vacuum device is connected to the filling structure to connect to the refrigeration equipment; and / or,

[0014] A second control valve is provided between the vacuum device and the filling structure.

[0015] In one embodiment, the filling structure is configured as a filling gun.

[0016] In one embodiment, the surface of the storage tank is provided with a display label for displaying information about the refrigerant inside the storage tank.

[0017] This invention utilizes multiple storage tanks, each storing only one type of refrigerant, with at least two tanks containing different types of refrigerants. A filling structure connects these tanks to a refrigeration system, allowing the refrigerant from each tank to be added to the system. This enables the addition of various refrigerants to the system, and by controlling the amount added from each tank, the proportions of the components in the mixed refrigerant can be controlled, facilitating precise control over the amount of each component added. Furthermore, since each tank stores only a single type of refrigerant, there is no issue of varying proportions within the tanks, nor is there a problem of the absolute value of the refrigerant component proportion deviating from the initial proportion exceeding the tolerance. Therefore, there is no issue of unusable refrigerant remaining in the tanks, reducing unnecessary refrigerant waste. Users simply need to add a preset type and amount of refrigerant to the refrigeration system according to their actual needs. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of the refrigerant charging device provided by this utility model.

[0020] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0021] 1. Refrigerant charging device; 11. Storage tank; 12. Charging structure; 13. Connecting pipe; 131. Connecting branch; 132. Connecting main; 133. First control valve; 134. Booster pump; 135. Pressure detector; 136. Flow detector; 137. Temperature detector; 14. Vacuum device; 15. Second control valve.

[0022] The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of this utility model will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present utility model.

[0024] It should be noted that if the embodiments of this utility model involve directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indicators are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indicators will also change accordingly.

[0025] Furthermore, if the embodiments of this utility model involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the use of "and / or" or "and / or" throughout the text includes three parallel solutions. For example, "A and / or B" includes solution A, solution B, or a solution where both A and B are satisfied simultaneously. Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this utility model.

[0026] In existing technologies, multiple refrigerants are typically pre-mixed in a storage tank and then directly added to the refrigeration equipment. However, in reality, the composition ratio of the liquid refrigerant in the storage tank changes continuously during use, meaning that it is difficult to strictly control the composition ratio of the mixed refrigerant during actual charging.

[0027] The following example uses the environmentally friendly mixed refrigerant R454C (composed of 21.5% R32 (difluoromethane) and 78.5% R1234yf (tetrafluoropropylene), with a component ratio tolerance of ±2%) to illustrate the changes in the component ratio of the mixed refrigerant in storage tank 11 during use. The initial filling amount in mixed refrigerant storage tank 11 was determined according to the "Storage / Shipping" conditions in the standard "GB / T 7778-2017 Refrigerant Numbering Method and Safety Classification," i.e., 100% liquid filling at 60℃. Assuming an ambient temperature of 30℃ during use, the software simulation of the proportions of the two components in the remaining liquid refrigerant in the storage tank after using different proportions of refrigerant is as follows:

[0028] Refrigerant usage ratio R32 percentage in the remaining liquid phase Percentage of R1234yf in the remaining liquid phase 10％ 21.25％ 78.75％ 30％ 21.04％ 78.96％ 50％ 20.76％ 79.24％ 70％ 20.33％ 79.67％ 90％ 19.47％ 80.53％

[0029] The above results indicate that as the liquid refrigerant in the receiver tank gradually decreases, the proportion of R32 in the receiver tank gradually decreases, while the proportion of R1234yf gradually increases. Therefore, as the proportion of each refrigerant component in the liquid refrigerant changes continuously during use, it is difficult for operators to accurately control the charging ratio of each component. Furthermore, when 10% of the liquid refrigerant remains in the storage tank (90% usage ratio), the absolute value of the deviation in the component ratio of R32 compared to the initial ratio exceeds 2%; the absolute value of the deviation in the component ratio of R1234yf compared to the initial ratio also exceeds 2%, and the difference from the initial ratio exceeds the allowable tolerance. Therefore, the component ratio of the remaining 10% of liquid refrigerant no longer meets the requirements and cannot be used, resulting in unnecessary waste of refrigerant in storage tank 11. If the ratio deviation during mixing (not exceeding the ratio tolerance) is further considered, the maximum possible deviation from the nominal ratio after aggregation is approximately 4%. Therefore, in actual use, the proportion of unusable liquid refrigerant often exceeds 10%, leading to even more unnecessary waste of refrigerant in storage tank 11 during actual refueling. Moreover, experiments show that the greater the temperature glide of the refrigerant (the difference between its saturation temperature and the actual temperature during evaporation or condensation), the higher the proportion of unusable refrigerant.

[0030] In view of this, the present invention proposes a refrigerant charging device 1 for charging refrigerant into the refrigerant pipe of a refrigeration equipment. This refrigerant charging device 1 can conveniently control the charging amount of each component of the mixed refrigerant, thereby controlling the charging ratio of the refrigerant, and can also reduce unnecessary waste of refrigerant in the storage tank 11. The refrigeration equipment can be an air conditioner, refrigerator, etc.

[0031] Please see Figure 1 In one embodiment of this utility model, the refrigerant charging device 1 includes:

[0032] Multiple storage tanks 11, each storage tank 11 storing one type of refrigerant, and at least two storage tanks 11 containing different types of refrigerants; and

[0033] A charging structure 12 is capable of connecting multiple storage tanks 11 and is also capable of connecting a refrigeration device to charge the refrigerant in the multiple storage tanks 11 into the refrigeration device.

[0034] Specifically, each storage tank 11 stores only one type of refrigerant, and at least two storage tanks 11 contain different types of refrigerants. Multiple storage tanks 11 store refrigerants into the refrigeration equipment via a filling structure 12, thus adding various refrigerants to the refrigeration equipment separately. That is, the refrigerants are not mixed before filling, but are mixed during the filling process. By controlling the amount added from different storage tanks 11 to the refrigeration equipment, the proportions of each component in the mixed refrigerant can be controlled, facilitating the control of the amount of each component added. Furthermore, since each storage tank 11 stores only a single type of refrigerant, there is no issue of changes in the proportions within the storage tank 11, nor is there any issue of the absolute value of the difference between the refrigerant component proportions and the initial proportions exceeding the tolerance. Therefore, there is no issue of unusable refrigerant remaining in the storage tank 11, thus reducing unnecessary refrigerant waste. Users only need to add preset types and amounts of refrigerant to the refrigeration equipment according to actual needs.

[0035] Furthermore, in this scheme, multiple storage tanks 11 are connected by a charging structure 12. Compared with the scheme where each storage tank 11 is connected to a charging structure 12, this not only facilitates the charging of refrigerant from the storage tank 11 into the refrigeration equipment, but also saves the number of charging structures 12, which helps to reduce the cost of refrigerant charging and reduce the footprint of the refrigerant charging device 1.

[0036] Furthermore, this method of storing a single refrigerant in storage tank 11 allows for preservation and refilling based on the characteristics of different refrigerants. For example, multiple storage tanks 11 can be placed in different locations. If the refrigerant in storage tank 11 is flammable, then storage tank 11 can be placed outside the production line during use to improve safety. This method requires a longer pipeline to connect to the refrigeration equipment, while the remaining refrigerants can be placed on the production line. Therefore, it is not necessary to place all refrigerants outside the production line, which helps to save pipeline length.

[0037] The multiple storage tanks 11 can sequentially or simultaneously add refrigerant to the refrigeration equipment. This means that the solution does not restrict the order or method of refrigerant addition, as long as a preset proportion and amount of refrigerant are ultimately added to the refrigeration equipment, it falls within the scope of this solution. The charging structure 12 is configured as a charging gun to facilitate refrigerant charging. This charging gun is existing technology and will not be described in detail here.

[0038] Furthermore, the refrigerant charging device 1 also includes a connecting pipe 13, which has multiple connecting branches 131. One end of each connecting branch 131 is connected to a storage tank 11, and the other end is connected to the charging structure 12. Each connecting branch 131 is equipped with a first control valve 133, which is used to control the opening and closing of the connecting branch 131. Specifically, the connecting pipe 13 includes multiple connecting branches 131 and a main connecting line 132. One end of each connecting branch 131 is connected to a storage tank 11, and the other end is connected to the main connecting line 132. The end of the main connecting line 132 away from the connecting branch 131 is connected to the charging structure 12, thereby facilitating the connection between the storage tank 11 and the charging structure 12. Compared to multiple connecting branches 131 simultaneously directly connecting to the charging structure 12, this solution is more convenient for connecting the charging structure 12.

[0039] To further control the amount of refrigerant charged into the refrigeration equipment from different storage tanks 11, in this embodiment, each connecting branch 131 is equipped with a first control valve 133. The first control valve 133 can control the opening and closing of the connecting branch 131, so that when a preset type of refrigerant needs to be charged, only the first control valve 133 on the corresponding connecting branch 131 needs to be opened. To facilitate monitoring of the charging amount of each type of refrigerant and to facilitate the charging by the charging structure 12, the refrigerant is usually charged into the refrigeration equipment in order of increasing charging pressure. Therefore, the presence of the first control valve 133 helps to control the charging sequence and charging amount of the refrigerant.

[0040] The charging pressure of the refrigerant often depends on the characteristics of the refrigerant itself, and the charging pressure is generally equal to the saturation pressure of the refrigerant.

[0041] To facilitate quick identification of the type of refrigerant stored in the storage tank 11, in one embodiment, a display label is provided on the surface of the storage tank 11 to display information about the refrigerant inside. This display label can show the type of refrigerant or a code corresponding to that type; furthermore, it can also display the inherent properties of the refrigerant, such as its saturation pressure, boiling point, etc.

[0042] In an embodiment of this utility model, the refrigerant charging device 1 further includes multiple booster pumps 134, with one booster pump 134 installed in a connecting branch 131. This booster pump 134 ensures that the refrigerant is charged into the refrigeration equipment at a preset charging pressure, guaranteeing sufficient charging pressure while allowing the user to easily adjust the charging pressure according to actual needs. In other embodiments, the booster pump 134 may also be located on the connecting main branch 132 of the connecting pipe 13.

[0043] Taking a three-component mixed refrigerant as an example, the three components are R134a (tetrafluoroethane), R32 (difluoromethane), and R744 (carbon dioxide). Assuming that R134a is stored in the first storage tank 11, R32 is stored in the second storage tank 11, and R744 is stored in the third storage tank 11, according to the saturation pressure-temperature comparison table, the saturation pressures of the three components at a specific temperature are compared, and the order of the saturation pressures from low to high is R134a < R32 < R744. Based on the total charge amount, the charge amount of the three components is calculated. Then, the corresponding refrigerant is charged into the refrigeration equipment. The charging steps for the three-component mixed refrigerant are as follows: First, turn on the booster pump 134 and the first control valve 133 corresponding to the first storage tank 11. After the charging amount reaches the preset value, turn off the booster pump 134 and the first control valve 133. Then, turn on the booster pump 134 and the first control valve 133 corresponding to the second storage tank 11. After the charging amount reaches the preset value, turn off the booster pump 134 and the first control valve 133. Finally, turn on the booster pump 134 and the first control valve 133 corresponding to the third storage tank 11. After the charging amount reaches the preset value, turn off the booster pump 134 and the first control valve 133, thereby completing the charging of the mixed refrigerant.

[0044] In existing technologies, for schemes that directly introduce mixed refrigerants into refrigeration equipment, in order to accurately control the composition ratio of the remaining liquid refrigerant in storage tank 11 and ensure that the filling ratio is correct, users often need to continuously monitor the composition and ratio of the remaining liquid refrigerant in storage tank 11. This often requires stopping and starting the filling process repeatedly to check the amount and composition ratio of the remaining refrigerant in storage tank 11. The detection method is complex and cumbersome. However, in this embodiment, since storage tank 11 stores a single refrigerant, it is only necessary to monitor the filling amount of each storage tank 11. Moreover, there is no need to stop the filling process during the detection process, which helps to simplify the filling process and facilitate filling.

[0045] To facilitate the detection and monitoring of the amount of refrigerant added to each storage tank 11, in one embodiment, the refrigerant charging device 1 further includes multiple pressure detectors 135, multiple flow detectors 136 and multiple temperature detectors 137, and each connecting branch 131 is provided with a pressure detector 135, a flow detector 136 and a flow detector 136.

[0046] Specifically, the pressure detector 135 is used to detect the pressure of the refrigerant in the storage tank 11 during the charging of the refrigeration equipment, the flow detector 136 is used to detect the flow rate of the refrigerant in the storage tank 11 during the charging of the refrigeration equipment, and the temperature detector 137 is used to detect the temperature of the refrigerant in the storage tank 11 during the charging of the refrigeration equipment. This allows operators to promptly monitor the operating status of the refrigerant in the storage tank 11 during the charging of the refrigeration equipment and make timely adjustments. Furthermore, the presence of the pressure detector 135, temperature detector 137, and flow detector 136 also allows users to accurately calculate the actual charging amount during the processing based on the detected pressure, temperature, and flow rate, thereby improving the accuracy of the mixed refrigerant charging. In other embodiments, the pressure detector 135 may also be located at...

[0047] In actual refrigerant charging, it is often necessary to first purge excess air from the refrigerant pipes of the refrigeration equipment, creating a vacuum in the refrigerant pipes. Therefore, in one embodiment of this utility model, the refrigerant charging device 1 further includes a vacuum device 14, which is connected to the refrigeration equipment to extract excess air from the equipment. Specifically, the vacuum device 14 can extract excess air from the refrigeration equipment, thereby facilitating refrigerant charging.

[0048] Furthermore, refer to Figure 1 The vacuum device 14 is connected to the filling structure 12 to connect to the refrigeration equipment. A second control valve 15 is provided between the vacuum device 14 and the filling structure 12 to facilitate the vacuum device 14 to extract air from the refrigeration equipment.

[0049] The above are merely exemplary embodiments of this utility model and do not limit the patent scope of this utility model. Any equivalent structural transformations made based on the technical concept of this utility model and the contents of the specification and drawings of this utility model, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A refrigerant charging device for use in refrigeration equipment, characterized in that, include: Multiple storage tanks, one of which stores a type of refrigerant, and at least two of the storage tanks contain different types of refrigerants; as well as A filling structure is provided that can connect multiple storage tanks and can also connect to the refrigeration equipment, so as to fill the refrigeration equipment with refrigerant from the multiple storage tanks.

2. The refrigerant charging device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The refrigerant charging device further includes a connecting pipe with multiple connecting branches. One end of each connecting branch is connected to a storage tank, and the other end is connected to the charging structure. Each connecting branch is equipped with a first control valve, which is used to control the opening and closing of the connecting branch.

3. The refrigerant charging device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The refrigerant charging device also includes multiple booster pumps, with one of the booster pumps provided in one of the connecting branches.

4. The refrigerant charging device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The refrigerant charging device also includes multiple pressure detectors, with one of the pressure detectors provided in each of the connecting branches.

5. The refrigerant charging device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The refrigerant charging device also includes multiple flow detectors, with one flow detector provided in each of the connecting branches.

6. The refrigerant charging device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The refrigerant charging device also includes multiple temperature detectors, with one of the temperature detectors provided in each of the connecting branches.

7. The refrigerant charging device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The refrigerant charging device also includes a vacuum device, which is used to connect to the refrigeration equipment to extract excess air from the refrigeration equipment.

8. The refrigerant charging device as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The vacuum device is connected to the filling structure to connect to the refrigeration equipment; and / or, A second control valve is provided between the vacuum device and the filling structure.

9. The refrigerant charging device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The filling structure is configured as a filling gun.

10. The refrigerant charging device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The surface of the storage tank is provided with a display label for displaying information about the refrigerant inside the storage tank.

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