Gas-liquid separation device, refrigerant circulation system and air conditioner

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of household appliances, and discloses a gas-liquid separation device. The gas-liquid separation device comprises a heat exchange shell, a gaseous refrigerant pipe set and a liquid refrigerant pipe set. The heat exchange shell is provided with a hollow heat exchange cavity; the gaseous refrigerant pipe set comprises a gaseous refrigerant air inlet pipe and a gaseous refrigerant air outlet pipe, and the gaseous refrigerant air inlet pipe and the gaseous refrigerant air outlet pipe communicate with the heat exchange cavity. The liquid refrigerant pipe set comprises a heat exchange part arranged in the heat exchange cavity. The gas refrigerant can flow into the heat exchange cavity through the gas-state refrigerant gas inlet pipe and flow out of the heat exchange cavity through the gas-state refrigerant gas outlet pipe. According to the arrangement, noise generated by the liquid refrigerant on the throttling element can be reduced without independently arranging a two-stage supercooling structure, the structure is simpler, and the cost is lower. Meanwhile, the utility model further discloses a refrigerant circulating system and an air conditioner.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of household appliance technology, such as gas-liquid separation devices, refrigerant circulation systems, and air conditioners. Background Technology

[0002] Air conditioners are now widely used in people's daily lives, allowing them to regulate indoor temperature by cooling or heating. However, with social development and improved living standards, people's demands for quality of life are also increasing. The refrigeration system in an air conditioner typically includes a compressor, a throttling device, two heat exchangers, and other components. The throttling device can be an electronic expansion valve, used to regulate the refrigerant flow and achieve precise control over the refrigerant volume.

[0003] In related technologies, in order to prevent liquid refrigerant from entering the compressor and causing liquid slugging that could damage the compressor and result in significant economic losses, existing air conditioners also have a gas-liquid separator installed in the refrigerant circulation loop for gas-liquid separation.

[0004] In the process of implementing the embodiments of this disclosure, at least the following problems were found in the related art:

[0005] In related technologies, existing gas-liquid separators for air conditioners can only achieve gas-liquid separation, and their function is relatively simple. Therefore, if it is necessary to effectively reduce the noise generated by liquid refrigerant in the throttling element, a separate two-stage subcooling structure is required, which makes the refrigeration system structure more complex and the cost higher.

[0006] It should be noted that the information disclosed in the background section above is only used to enhance the understanding of the background of this application, and therefore may include information that does not constitute prior art known to those skilled in the art. Utility Model Content

[0007] To provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed embodiments, a brief summary is given below. This summary is not intended as a general commentary, nor is it intended to identify key / important components or describe the scope of protection of these embodiments, but rather as a prelude to the detailed description that follows.

[0008] This disclosure provides a gas-liquid separation device, a refrigerant circulation system, and an air conditioner. When the high-temperature liquid refrigerant flowing out of the condenser passes through the gas-liquid separation device, the high-temperature liquid refrigerant can exchange heat with the low-temperature gaseous refrigerant, thereby further subcooling the high-temperature liquid refrigerant. Therefore, it eliminates the need for a separate secondary subcooling structure to reduce the noise generated by the liquid refrigerant in the throttling element, resulting in a simpler structure and lower cost.

[0009] This disclosure provides a gas-liquid separation device comprising: a heat exchange shell, a gaseous refrigerant pipe assembly, and a liquid refrigerant pipe assembly. The heat exchange shell is provided with a hollow heat exchange cavity; the gaseous refrigerant pipe assembly includes a gaseous refrigerant inlet pipe and a gaseous refrigerant outlet pipe, which are respectively connected to the heat exchange cavity; the liquid refrigerant pipe assembly includes a heat exchange section disposed within the heat exchange cavity; wherein, gaseous refrigerant can flow into the heat exchange cavity through the gaseous refrigerant inlet pipe and flow out of the heat exchange cavity through the gaseous refrigerant outlet pipe.

[0010] In some embodiments, the gaseous refrigerant inlet pipe includes an inlet extending into the heat exchange cavity, and the inlet is located in the upper half of the heat exchange cavity; the gaseous refrigerant outlet pipe includes an outlet extending into the heat exchange cavity, and the outlet is located in the upper half of the heat exchange cavity.

[0011] In some embodiments, the distance between the air inlet and the air outlet is greater than or equal to a preset distance.

[0012] In some embodiments, the heat exchange section of the liquid refrigerant pipe assembly is configured as a U-shaped pipe, and the height of the heat exchange section is greater than or equal to a preset height.

[0013] In some embodiments, the gas-liquid separation device further includes a support. The support has a mounting surface, and the heat exchange housing is detachably mounted on the mounting surface.

[0014] In some embodiments, the gaseous refrigerant inlet pipe and the gaseous refrigerant outlet pipe are disposed opposite each other on both sides of the heat exchange section of the liquid refrigerant pipe assembly.

[0015] In some embodiments, a sealing device is provided at the connection between the heat exchange shell and the gaseous refrigerant pipe assembly; and / or, a sealing device is provided at the connection between the heat exchange shell and the gaseous refrigerant pipe assembly.

[0016] This disclosure also provides a refrigerant circulation system for use in an air conditioner. The air conditioner includes an evaporator and a condenser. The refrigerant circulation system includes a throttling element refrigerant circulation loop and the aforementioned gas-liquid separation device. The refrigerant circulation loop is used for refrigerant flow; the gas-liquid separation device is disposed between the throttling element and the condenser; wherein, the gaseous refrigerant piping group and the evaporator are connected through the refrigerant circulation loop, and the liquid refrigerant piping group and the condenser are connected through the refrigerant circulation loop.

[0017] This disclosure also provides an air conditioner comprising: an evaporator, a condenser, and the aforementioned refrigerant circulation system. The evaporator generates low-temperature gaseous refrigerant; the condenser generates high-temperature liquid refrigerant.

[0018] In some embodiments, where the gas-liquid separation device includes a bracket, the air conditioner further includes a mounting portion. The mounting portion is used to mount the bracket; wherein the bracket and the mounting portion are detachably connected.

[0019] The gas-liquid separation device, refrigerant circulation system, and air conditioner provided in this disclosure can achieve the following technical effects:

[0020] This disclosure provides a gas-liquid separation device comprising: a heat exchange shell, a gaseous refrigerant pipe assembly, and a liquid refrigerant pipe assembly. The heat exchange shell has a hollow heat exchange cavity; the gaseous refrigerant pipe assembly includes a gaseous refrigerant inlet pipe and a gaseous refrigerant outlet pipe, which are respectively connected to the heat exchange cavity; the liquid refrigerant pipe assembly includes a heat exchange section disposed within the heat exchange cavity; wherein, gaseous refrigerant flows into the heat exchange cavity through the gaseous refrigerant inlet pipe and flows out of the heat exchange cavity through the gaseous refrigerant outlet pipe. Thus, when the air conditioner is cooling, the high-temperature liquid refrigerant flowing from the condenser first flows into the heat exchange section of the liquid refrigerant pipe assembly, while the low-temperature gaseous refrigerant flowing from the evaporator flows into the heat exchange cavity through the gaseous refrigerant inlet pipe. At this time, the high-temperature liquid refrigerant and the low-temperature gaseous refrigerant exchange heat, increasing the subcooling of the liquid refrigerant to prevent flash evaporation of the liquid refrigerant at the throttling element. This configuration eliminates the need for a separate secondary subcooling structure, reducing noise generated by the liquid refrigerant in the throttling element. It also simplifies the structure and lowers the cost.

[0021] The above general description and the description below are exemplary and illustrative only and are not intended to limit this application. Attached Figure Description

[0022] One or more embodiments are illustrated by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. These illustrations and drawings do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments. Elements having the same reference numerals in the drawings are shown as similar elements. The drawings are not to be scaled. And wherein:

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a gas-liquid separation device provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of a gas-liquid separation device provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a gaseous refrigerant pipe assembly provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a liquid refrigerant piping assembly provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0027] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an air conditioner provided in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0028] Figure label:

[0029] 11: Condenser; 12: Refrigerant circulation loop; 13: Gas-liquid separation device;

[0030] 21: Heat exchange shell; 22: Support frame;

[0031] 30: Gaseous refrigerant piping assembly; 31: Gaseous refrigerant inlet pipe; 311: Inlet; 32: Gaseous refrigerant outlet pipe; 321: Outlet;

[0032] 40: Liquid refrigerant piping assembly; 41: Heat exchange section; 42: Liquid inlet pipe section; 43: Liquid outlet pipe section. Detailed Implementation

[0033] To provide a more detailed understanding of the features and technical content of the embodiments of this disclosure, the implementation of the embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the embodiments of this disclosure. In the following technical description, for ease of explanation, several details are used to provide a full understanding of the disclosed embodiments. However, one or more embodiments may still be implemented without these details. In other cases, well-known structures and devices may be simplified in their depiction to simplify the drawings.

[0034] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this disclosure are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate for the embodiments of this disclosure described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0035] In this disclosure, the terms "upper," "lower," "inner," "middle," "outer," "front," and "rear," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. These terms are primarily for better description of the embodiments of this disclosure and their implementations, and are not intended to limit the indicated devices, elements, or components to having a specific orientation, or to require them to be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Furthermore, some of the aforementioned terms may be used to indicate other meanings besides orientation or positional relationship; for example, the term "upper" may in some cases indicate a dependency or connection relationship. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in the embodiments of this disclosure according to the specific circumstances.

[0036] Furthermore, the terms "set up," "connect," and "fix" should be interpreted broadly. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral structure; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or it can be an internal connection between two devices, components, or parts. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this disclosure according to the specific circumstances.

[0037] Unless otherwise stated, the term "multiple" means two or more.

[0038] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the character " / " indicates that the objects before and after it are in an "or" relationship. For example, A / B means: A or B.

[0039] The term "and / or" describes an association between objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B means: A or B, or A and B.

[0040] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in the present disclosure can be combined with each other.

[0041] In existing technology, air conditioners typically incorporate a gas-liquid separator to prevent problems such as liquid slugging caused by excessive refrigerant in the compressor. However, existing gas-liquid separators have a relatively simple function, only separating gas and liquid.

[0042] When an air conditioner is cooling, the liquid refrigerant flowing from the condenser typically reaches around 40 degrees Celsius. At this temperature, the liquid refrigerant may not be sufficiently subcooled when flowing into the throttling element, leading to flash evaporation and noticeable noise. Therefore, existing air conditioners generally require a separate two-stage subcooling structure to further subcool the liquid refrigerant flowing into the throttling element. This results in a more complex air conditioner structure and higher costs.

[0043] like Figures 1 to 5 As shown, this embodiment of the present disclosure provides a gas-liquid separation device 13, a refrigerant circulation system, and an air conditioner. When the high-temperature liquid refrigerant flowing out of the condenser 11 passes through the gas-liquid separation device 13, the high-temperature liquid refrigerant can exchange heat with the low-temperature gaseous refrigerant, thereby further subcooling the high-temperature liquid refrigerant. Therefore, the air conditioner does not need to have a separate two-stage subcooling structure to reduce the noise generated by the liquid refrigerant in the throttling element, resulting in a simpler structure and lower cost.

[0044] like Figures 1 to 4As shown, this embodiment of the present disclosure provides a gas-liquid separation device 13, including: a heat exchange shell 21, a gaseous refrigerant pipe assembly 30, and a liquid refrigerant pipe assembly 40. The heat exchange shell 21 is provided with a hollow heat exchange cavity; the gaseous refrigerant pipe assembly 30 includes a gaseous refrigerant inlet pipe 31 and a gaseous refrigerant outlet pipe 32, which are respectively connected to the heat exchange cavity; the liquid refrigerant pipe assembly 40 includes a heat exchange section 41 disposed in the heat exchange cavity; wherein, gaseous refrigerant can flow into the heat exchange cavity through the gaseous refrigerant inlet pipe 31 and flow out of the heat exchange cavity through the gaseous refrigerant outlet pipe 32.

[0045] Specifically, the gas-liquid separation device 13 is applied to an air conditioner, which includes a condenser 11, an evaporator, and a refrigerant circulation loop 12. The heat exchange housing 21 has multiple openings corresponding to the gaseous refrigerant pipe assembly 30 and the liquid refrigerant pipe assembly 40, and these openings are respectively connected to the heat exchange chamber. The gaseous refrigerant inlet pipe 31 extends from the outside of the heat exchange housing 21 into the heat exchange chamber through the openings, and the gaseous refrigerant outlet pipe 32 extends from the heat exchange chamber into the outside of the heat exchange housing 21 through the openings. The gaseous refrigerant inlet pipe 31 and the gaseous refrigerant outlet pipe are respectively connected to the evaporator through the refrigerant circulation loop 12, so that the low-temperature gaseous refrigerant flowing out of the evaporator can flow into the heat exchange chamber through the refrigerant circulation loop 12 and the gaseous refrigerant inlet pipe. The liquid refrigerant pipe assembly 40 includes a liquid inlet pipe section 42, a heat exchange section 41, and a liquid outlet pipe section 43 connected in sequence, and the liquid inlet pipe section 42 and the liquid outlet pipe section 43 are respectively connected to the condenser 11. The gas-liquid separation device 13 is located between the condenser 11 and the throttling element, and the heat exchange section 41 of the liquid refrigerant pipe group 40 is partially or entirely located in the heat exchange chamber.

[0046] When the air conditioner is operating in cooling mode, the high-temperature liquid refrigerant flowing from the condenser 11 flows through the refrigerant circulation loop 12 to the liquid inlet pipe section 42 of the liquid refrigerant pipe assembly 40, and then flows into the heat exchange section 41. Simultaneously, the low-temperature gaseous refrigerant flowing from the evaporator flows through the refrigerant circulation loop 12 to the gaseous refrigerant inlet pipe 31, and continues to flow into the heat exchange chamber. At this time, the high-temperature liquid refrigerant in the heat exchange section 41 can exchange heat with the gaseous refrigerant in the heat exchange chamber to further increase the subcooling of the liquid refrigerant. After the liquid and gaseous refrigerants complete the heat exchange, the liquid refrigerant in the heat exchange section 41 can flow into the refrigerant circulation loop 12 through the liquid outlet pipe section 43, and the refrigerant in the heat exchange chamber can also flow into the refrigerant circulation loop through the gaseous refrigerant outlet pipe 32 to continue the refrigerant circulation.

[0047] With this configuration, the air conditioner can achieve further subcooling of the refrigerant flowing into the throttling element without the need for a separate two-stage subcooling structure. This reduces the noise generated by the liquid refrigerant in the throttling element, resulting in a simpler structure and lower cost. Furthermore, by increasing the subcooling of the liquid refrigerant using the above embodiment, more cooling capacity can be released as the liquid refrigerant flows through the evaporator, reducing the air conditioner's energy consumption.

[0048] It is understandable that when liquid and gaseous refrigerants exchange heat within the heat exchange chamber, not only can the subcooling of the liquid refrigerant be increased, but the gaseous refrigerant can also be effectively superheated. This improves the operating efficiency of the air conditioner and further reduces energy consumption.

[0049] like Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, the gaseous refrigerant inlet pipe 31 includes an inlet 311 extending into the heat exchange cavity, and the inlet 311 is located in the upper half of the heat exchange cavity; the gaseous refrigerant outlet pipe 32 includes an outlet 321 extending into the heat exchange cavity, and the outlet 321 is located in the upper half of the heat exchange cavity.

[0050] Specifically, the low-temperature gaseous refrigerant flowing from the evaporator can enter the upper part of the heat exchange chamber through the inlet 311 of the gaseous refrigerant inlet pipe 31. At this time, the low-temperature gaseous refrigerant will move downward under the action of gravity and flow through the entire heat exchange section 41. Similarly, after the low-temperature gaseous refrigerant flows downward through the heat exchange section 41, the temperature of the gaseous refrigerant will rise. At this time, the gaseous refrigerant will flow upward and flow through the entire heat exchange section 41 again, and flow out of the heat exchange chamber through the outlet 321 of the gaseous refrigerant outlet pipe to complete the refrigerant cycle.

[0051] This configuration increases the length of the flow path of the low-temperature gaseous refrigerant in the heat exchange chamber, thereby increasing the degree of heat exchange between the low-temperature gaseous refrigerant and the high-temperature liquid refrigerant, and further increasing the subcooling of the liquid refrigerant and the superheat of the gaseous refrigerant.

[0052] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments, the distance between the air inlet 311 and the air outlet 321 is greater than or equal to a preset distance.

[0053] Specifically, if the cross-section of the heat exchange cavity is circular, the horizontal distance between the inlet 311 and the outlet 321 is greater than or equal to half the diameter of the heat exchange cavity. Similarly, if the cross-section of the heat exchange cavity is rectangular, the horizontal distance between the inlet 311 and the outlet 321 is greater than or equal to half the length of the heat exchange cavity.

[0054] This configuration prevents the gaseous refrigerant flowing into the heat exchange chamber from the inlet 311 from not participating in heat exchange and flowing directly out of the heat exchange chamber from the outlet 321.

[0055] Optionally, the height of the outlet 321 is lower than the height of the inlet 311. This setting can further prevent the gaseous refrigerant flowing into the heat exchange chamber from the inlet 311 from flowing out of the heat exchange chamber directly from the outlet 321 without participating in heat exchange.

[0056] like Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, optionally, the air outlet 321 is horizontally positioned, and the direction of the air outlet 321 is opposite to that of the air inlet 311.

[0057] In the above embodiments, the height of the air outlet 321 refers to the distance from the air outlet 321 to the lower end face of the heat exchange chamber; the height of the air inlet 311 refers to the distance from the air inlet 311 to the lower end face of the heat exchange chamber.

[0058] like Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, the heat exchange section 41 of the liquid refrigerant pipe assembly 40 is configured as a U-shaped pipe, and the height of the heat exchange section 41 is greater than or equal to a preset height.

[0059] Specifically, the inlet pipe section 42 and the outlet pipe section 43 of the liquid refrigerant pipe assembly 40 are respectively located at the upper end of the heat exchange shell 21. The heat exchange section 41 is a U-shaped tube, and its two ends are connected to the inlet pipe section 42 and the outlet pipe section 43, respectively. The height of the heat exchange section 41 is greater than or equal to half the height of the heat exchange chamber.

[0060] This configuration increases the travel distance of the high-temperature liquid refrigerant within the heat exchange section 41, thereby increasing the subcooling of the liquid refrigerant.

[0061] In the above embodiments, the height of the heat exchange section 41 refers to the distance between the upper and lower ends of the heat exchange section 41; the height of the heat exchange cavity refers to the distance between the upper and lower end surfaces of the heat exchange cavity.

[0062] Optionally, the heat exchange section 41 of the liquid refrigerant pipe assembly 40 is configured as a coil.

[0063] like Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments, the gas-liquid separation device 13 further includes a support 22. The support 22 is provided with a mounting surface, and the heat exchange housing 21 is detachably mounted on the mounting surface.

[0064] Specifically, the mounting surface of the bracket 22 is provided with a first snap-fit ​​portion, and the lower end surface of the heat exchange housing 21 is provided with a first snap-fit ​​mating portion. The user can snap the first snap-fit ​​mating portion onto the first snap-fit ​​portion to install the heat exchange housing 21 onto the bracket 22; or, the user can disengage the first snap-fit ​​mating portion from the first snap-fit ​​portion to remove the heat exchange housing 21 from the bracket 22.

[0065] This design makes it easier for users to replace and maintain the gas-liquid separator 13.

[0066] In practical applications, after the user installs the heat exchange housing 21 onto the bracket 22, the user can also fix the heat exchange housing 21 onto the bracket 22 with fasteners such as bolts or screws to prevent the heat exchange housing 21 from falling off the bracket 22.

[0067] like Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, the gaseous refrigerant inlet pipe 31 and the gaseous refrigerant outlet pipe 32 are disposed opposite to each other on both sides of the heat exchange section 41 of the liquid refrigerant pipe assembly 40.

[0068] Specifically, by placing the gaseous refrigerant inlet pipe 31 and the gaseous refrigerant outlet pipe 32 opposite to each other on both sides of the heat exchange section 41 of the liquid refrigerant pipe assembly 40, the gaseous refrigerant can flow into the heat exchange chamber through the gaseous refrigerant inlet pipe 31, first flow through the heat exchange section 41, and then flow out of the heat exchange chamber from the gaseous refrigerant outlet pipe 32.

[0069] This setup can further enhance the heat exchange between gaseous and liquid refrigerants.

[0070] In some embodiments, a sealing device is provided at the connection between the heat exchange shell 21 and the gaseous refrigerant pipe assembly 30.

[0071] Specifically, the openings of the heat exchange shell 21 corresponding to the gaseous refrigerant pipe assembly 30 and the liquid refrigerant pipe assembly 40 are equipped with sealing rings to prevent gaseous refrigerant in the heat exchange cavity from leaking out of the openings.

[0072] like Figure 5 As shown in the illustration, this disclosure also provides a refrigerant circulation system applied to an air conditioner. The air conditioner includes an evaporator and a condenser 11. The refrigerant circulation system includes a throttling element, a refrigerant circulation loop 12, and the aforementioned gas-liquid separation device 13. The refrigerant circulation loop 12 is used for refrigerant flow; the gas-liquid separation device 13 is disposed between the throttling element and the condenser 11; wherein, the gaseous refrigerant pipe assembly 30 and the evaporator are connected through the refrigerant circulation loop 12, and the liquid refrigerant pipe assembly 40 and the condenser 11 are connected through the refrigerant circulation loop 12.

[0073] Specifically, the high-temperature liquid refrigerant flowing in from the condenser 11 can flow through the gas-liquid separation device 13 and the throttling element in sequence, so that the high-temperature liquid refrigerant is completely subcooled before flowing into the throttling element, thereby avoiding flash evaporation.

[0074] The refrigerant circulation system using the gas-liquid separation device 13 provided in this application can reduce the noise generated by the liquid refrigerant in the throttling element without the need for a separate secondary subcooling structure, resulting in a simpler structure and lower cost.

[0075] like Figure 5 As shown in the illustration, this disclosure also provides an air conditioner comprising: an evaporator, a condenser 11, and the aforementioned refrigerant circulation system. The evaporator generates low-temperature gaseous refrigerant; the condenser 11 generates high-temperature liquid refrigerant.

[0076] Specifically, the low-temperature gaseous refrigerant of the evaporator can flow into the heat exchange chamber of the gas-liquid separation device 13 through the refrigerant circulation loop 12, and the high-temperature liquid refrigerant of the condenser 11 can flow into the heat exchange section 41 through the refrigerant circulation loop 12.

[0077] Air conditioners using the refrigerant circulation system provided in this application can reduce the noise generated by liquid refrigerant in the throttling element without the need for a separate secondary subcooling structure, resulting in a simpler structure and lower cost.

[0078] In some embodiments, where the gas-liquid separation device 13 includes a bracket 22, the air conditioner further includes a mounting portion. The mounting portion is used to mount the bracket 22; wherein the bracket 22 and the mounting portion are detachably connected.

[0079] Specifically, the air conditioner also includes a housing, which has a mounting portion. The mounting portion has a second snap-fit ​​portion, and the bracket 22 has a second snap-fit ​​mating portion. The user can snap the second snap-fit ​​mating portion onto the second snap-fit ​​portion to install the bracket 22 onto the housing; or, the user can disengage the second snap-fit ​​mating portion from the second snap-fit ​​portion to remove the bracket 22 from the housing.

[0080] This design makes it easier for users to replace and maintain the gas-liquid separator 13.

[0081] In practical applications, after the user installs the bracket 22 onto the housing, the bracket 22 can also be fixed to the housing with fasteners such as bolts or screws to prevent the bracket 22 from falling off the housing.

[0082] The foregoing description and accompanying drawings fully illustrate the embodiments disclosed in this application to enable those skilled in the art to practice them. Other embodiments may include structural and other changes. The embodiments represent only possible variations. Individual components and functions are optional unless explicitly required, and the order of operation may vary. Parts and features of some embodiments may be included or substituted for parts and features of other embodiments. The embodiments disclosed in this application are not limited to the structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from their scope. The scope of this disclosure is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A gas-liquid separation device, characterized by, The air conditioner comprises: a heat exchange shell provided with a hollow heat exchange cavity; a gaseous refrigerant pipe group comprising a gaseous refrigerant inlet pipe and a gaseous refrigerant outlet pipe, the gaseous refrigerant inlet pipe and the gaseous refrigerant outlet pipe being in communication with the heat exchange cavity, wherein the horizontal distance between the inlet of the gaseous refrigerant inlet pipe and the outlet of the gaseous refrigerant outlet pipe is greater than or equal to 1 / 2 of the diameter of the heat exchange cavity; and a liquid refrigerant pipe group comprising a heat exchange part arranged in the heat exchange cavity; wherein the gaseous refrigerant can flow into the heat exchange cavity through the gaseous refrigerant inlet pipe and flow out of the heat exchange cavity through the gaseous refrigerant outlet pipe.

2. The air-liquid separation device according to claim 1, wherein the gaseous refrigerant inlet pipe comprises an inlet extending into the heat exchange cavity, and the inlet is located in the upper half of the heat exchange cavity; and the gaseous refrigerant outlet pipe comprises an outlet extending into the heat exchange cavity, and the outlet is located in the upper half of the heat exchange cavity.

3. The air-liquid separation device according to claim 2, wherein the distance between the inlet and the outlet is greater than or equal to a preset distance.

4. The air-liquid separation device according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchange part of the liquid refrigerant pipe group is arranged as a U-shaped pipe, and the height of the heat exchange part is greater than or equal to a preset height.

5. The gas-liquid separation device of claim 1, wherein, The air conditioner further comprises: a bracket provided with a mounting surface, and the heat exchange shell is detachably mounted on the mounting surface.

6. The air-liquid separation device according to claim 1, wherein the gaseous refrigerant inlet pipe and the gaseous refrigerant outlet pipe are oppositely arranged on both sides of the heat exchange part of the liquid refrigerant pipe group.

7. The air-liquid separation device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a sealing device is arranged at the connection between the heat exchange shell and the gaseous refrigerant pipe group.

8. A refrigerant circulation system applied to an air conditioner, the air conditioner comprising an evaporator and a condenser, characterized in that, The air conditioner further comprises: a throttling element; a refrigerant circulation loop for refrigerant circulation; and the air-liquid separation device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 is arranged between the throttling element and the condenser; wherein the gaseous refrigerant pipe group and the evaporator are in communication through the refrigerant circulation loop, and the liquid refrigerant pipe group and the condenser are in communication through the refrigerant circulation loop.

9. An air conditioner characterized by comprising: The air conditioner comprises: an evaporator capable of generating low-temperature gaseous refrigerant; a condenser capable of generating high-temperature liquid refrigerant; and the refrigerant circulation system according to claim 8. In the case where the air-liquid separation device comprises a bracket, the air conditioner further comprises:

10. The air conditioner of claim 9, wherein a mounting part for mounting the bracket; wherein the bracket and the mounting part are detachably connected. ​

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