Oil collector, oil return device and air conditioning system

Abstract

The utility model relates to an oil collector, an oil return device and an air conditioning system, the oil return device comprises the oil collector, the oil collector comprises a shell, a first containing cavity and a second containing cavity, the shell is provided with an opening in one end, a liquid refrigerant is arranged in the first containing cavity, and the opening communicates with a condenser; the gas dispersing part is arranged in the first accommodating cavity and is arranged below the liquid level of the liquid refrigerant in the first accommodating cavity; one end of the air guide part is communicated with an exhaust port of the compressor, and the other end of the air guide part extends into the first accommodating cavity and is connected with the air dispersing part; lubricating oil in the oil-rich gas-state refrigerant can be dissolved in the liquid-state refrigerant to form an oil-rich liquid-state refrigerant. The oil collector can timely and effectively recover lubricating oil in exhausted gas of the compressor and can also prevent a large amount of lubricating oil from flowing into a refrigerant circulation loop of an air conditioning system, so that the performance stability of the air conditioning system is guaranteed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of compressor oil return technology, and in particular to an oil collector, an oil return device, and an air conditioning system. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, when a compressor is running, the bearings need lubrication and cooling. Lubricating oil can effectively lubricate and cool the bearings. However, in centrifugal compressors, due to the structure, it is difficult to achieve completely independent sealing between the bearing impeller cavity and the motor cavity.

[0003] In related technologies, during lubrication, the lubricating oil pumped out by the oil pump has a certain pressure. When the compressor impeller rotates, under centrifugal force, the area near the impeller's circumference is under high pressure, while the area near the impeller shaft center is under low pressure. Therefore, the pressurized lubricating oil will flow from the bearing comb seal towards the low-pressure area at the impeller shaft center, and then be thrown out by the impeller's centrifugal force, along with the refrigerant gas compressed by the compressor, into the condenser through the compressor's discharge port. The refrigerant in the condenser, mixed with lubricating oil, affects heat exchange, thus impacting the performance stability of the air conditioning system. Utility Model Content

[0004] This application provides an oil collector, an oil return device, and an air conditioning system to solve the technical problem in the prior art where oil leakage from the compressor causes the refrigerant in the condenser to be mixed with lubricating oil, affecting heat exchange and thus impacting the performance stability of the air conditioning system.

[0005] In a first aspect, this application provides an oil collector disposed on an air conditioning system, the air conditioning system including a compressor and a condenser, the oil collector comprising:

[0006] The housing has a first receiving cavity with an opening at one end, and liquid refrigerant is disposed in the first receiving cavity. The opening is connected to the condenser.

[0007] A gas diffuser is disposed in the first accommodating cavity, the gas diffuser being positioned below the liquid surface of the liquid refrigerant in the first accommodating cavity; and

[0008] A gas guide is provided, one end of which is connected to the exhaust port of the compressor; the other end extends into the first accommodating cavity and is connected to the gas dispersing component. The gas guide is used to introduce the oil-rich gaseous refrigerant discharged from the compressor into the gas dispersing component.

[0009] The lubricating oil in the oil-rich gaseous refrigerant can dissolve in the liquid refrigerant to form an oil-rich liquid refrigerant.

[0010] In one possible implementation, the condenser is provided with a second inlet and a second accommodating cavity, the housing is disposed in the second accommodating cavity, and the gas guide is embedded in the second inlet.

[0011] In one possible implementation, the air diffuser is a porous mesh component, and the surface and interior of the porous mesh component are provided with a plurality of first vent holes, which are interconnected with each other.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the housing includes a connected bottom plate and a side plate, the bottom plate and the side plate surrounding to form the first accommodating cavity, and the liquid level of the liquid refrigerant in the housing divides the first accommodating cavity into an oil collection area and an overflow prevention area, the overflow prevention area being used to block liquid refrigerant splashed during the exhaust of the gas diffuser.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the spill prevention zone has a first height, and the oil collection zone has a second height, the ratio of the first height to the second height being 1 / 4 to 1 / 2.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the oil collector includes a baffle that covers the opening, the baffle being detachably connected to the side plate, and the baffle having a second vent.

[0015] In one possible implementation, the housing is provided with a first inlet communicating with the first accommodating cavity, and the condenser is provided with a second outlet, with the first inlet communicating with the second outlet through a first pipeline.

[0016] In one possible implementation, the first pipeline is provided with a check valve to prevent liquid refrigerant in the first accommodating cavity from flowing back into the first pipeline.

[0017] In one possible implementation, the first pipeline is equipped with a drive pump to drive the liquid refrigerant in the second accommodating cavity to flow into the first accommodating cavity through the first pipeline.

[0018] Secondly, this application provides an oil return device, including the oil collector as described above.

[0019] In one possible implementation, the oil return device includes an oil separator connected to the oil collector, the oil separator being used to separate the lubricating oil from the refrigerant in the oil-rich liquid refrigerant.

[0020] In one possible implementation, the housing is provided with a first outlet communicating with the first accommodating cavity, the oil separator is provided with a third inlet, the first outlet is connected to the third inlet through a second pipeline, and the second pipeline is provided with a first control valve.

[0021] In one possible implementation, the oil separator is provided with a heating element for heating the oil-rich liquid refrigerant; the oil separator is provided with a third outlet, which is connected to the suction port of the compressor via a third pipeline, and a third control valve is provided on the third pipeline.

[0022] In one possible implementation, the air conditioning system includes an oil tank connected to the compressor, the oil distributor has a fourth outlet, the fourth outlet is connected to the oil tank via a fourth pipeline, and a second control valve is provided on the fourth pipeline.

[0023] In one possible implementation, the oil separator is provided with a fourth inlet, which is connected to the condenser via a fifth pipeline, and a fourth control valve is provided on the fifth pipeline.

[0024] Thirdly, this application provides an air conditioning system, comprising:

[0025] compressor;

[0026] Condenser; and

[0027] As described above, an oil collector; or...

[0028] As described above, the oil return device.

[0029] The technical solutions provided in this application have the following advantages compared with the prior art:

[0030] This application provides an oil collector, an oil return device, and an air conditioning system. The oil return device introduces oil-rich gaseous refrigerant discharged from the compressor into the first receiving cavity of the oil collector via a guide component, and allows the oil-rich gaseous refrigerant to enter a diffuser component. The diffuser component evenly distributes the oil-rich gaseous refrigerant into the liquid refrigerant stored in the first receiving cavity, allowing the lubricating oil in the oil-rich gaseous refrigerant to adhere to and dissolve in the liquid refrigerant, forming an oil-rich liquid refrigerant. The liquid refrigerant in the first receiving cavity can collect small droplets of lubricating oil. At this time, the small droplets of lubricating oil separate from the gaseous refrigerant. Since the opening of the oil collector is connected to the condenser, the separated gaseous refrigerant enters the condenser through the opening and circulates in the refrigerant circulation loop. This prevents the lubricating oil from being discharged into the condenser along with the refrigerant gas compressed by the compressor, thus affecting heat exchange and ensuring the performance stability of the air conditioning system.

[0031] The oil return device and air conditioning system provided in this application include the aforementioned oil collector. The oil-rich gaseous refrigerant discharged from the compressor can be introduced into the first accommodating cavity of the oil collector through the air guide component, and then the oil-rich gaseous refrigerant can be evenly distributed into the liquid refrigerant stored in the first accommodating cavity through the air dispersing component. This allows the lubricating oil in the oil-rich gaseous refrigerant to adhere to and dissolve in the liquid refrigerant, and the small droplets of lubricating oil to separate from the gaseous refrigerant. Therefore, it naturally possesses the technical effects of the aforementioned oil collector. Attached Figure Description

[0032] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application.

[0033] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, for those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0034] One or more embodiments are illustrated by way of example with reference numerals in the accompanying drawings. These illustrations do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments. Elements with the same reference numerals in the drawings are denoted as similar elements. Unless otherwise stated, the figures in the drawings are not to be limited by scale.

[0035] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the oil supply structure of an existing compressor, where the arrows indicate the direction of lubricating oil flow.

[0036] Figure 2 for Figure 1 An enlarged schematic diagram of section A, where the arrows indicate the direction of lubricant flow;

[0037] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an oil collector provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 4 For along Figure 3 Cross-sectional view along the BB direction;

[0039] Figure 5 for Figure 3 The diagram shown is a partial structural schematic of the oil collector;

[0040] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of an oil collector provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0041] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an oil return device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0042] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of an air conditioning system provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0043] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0044] 100. Air conditioning system;

[0045] 1. Oil collector; 11. Housing; 111. Opening; 112. First accommodating cavity; 1121. Oil collecting area; 1122. Overflow prevention area; 113. Bottom plate; 114. Side plate; 115. First inlet; 116. First outlet; 12. Air diffuser; 121. First vent; 13. Air guide; 131. Air guide pipe; 132. Exhaust pipe; 14. Baffle; 141. Second vent; 15. First pipeline; 16. Check valve; 17. Drive pump;

[0046] 2. Oil separator; 201. Third inlet; 202. Third outlet; 203. Fourth outlet; 204. Fourth inlet; 21. Second pipeline; 22. First control valve; 23. Heating element; 24. Third pipeline; 25. Third control valve; 26. Fourth pipeline; 27. Second control valve; 28. Fifth pipeline; 29. ​​Fourth control valve;

[0047] 3. Condenser; 31. Second inlet; 32. Second receiving cavity; 33. Second outlet;

[0048] 4. Compressor; 41. Motor shaft; 42. Bearing; 43. Comb teeth; 44. Impeller; 45. Exhaust port; 46. Intake port;

[0049] 5. Oil tank; 6. Throttling element; 7. Evaporator. Detailed Implementation

[0050] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0051] The following disclosure provides numerous different embodiments or examples for implementing various structures of this application. To simplify the disclosure, specific examples of components and arrangements are described below. These are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Furthermore, reference numerals and / or letters may be repeated in different examples. Such repetition is for simplification and clarity and does not in itself indicate a relationship between the various embodiments and / or arrangements discussed.

[0052] For ease of description, spatial relative terms may be used in the text to describe the relative position or movement of one element or feature relative to another element or feature, as shown in the figure. These relative terms include, for example, "inside," "outside," "middle," "outer," "below," "below," "above," "front," "back," etc. Such spatial relative terms are intended to include different orientations of the device in use or operation, other than those depicted in the figure. For example, if the device in the figure undergoes a positional flip, orientation change, or change of motion, these directional indications will change accordingly. For instance, an element described as "below other elements or features" or "below other elements or features" will subsequently be oriented "above other elements or features" or "above other elements or features." Therefore, the example term "below" can include both upper and lower orientations. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or in other directions), and the spatial relative descriptors used in the text will be interpreted accordingly.

[0053] The following is an explanation of the technical terms used in this application:

[0054] Oil-rich gaseous refrigerant: The lubricating oil inside compressor 4 mixes with the compressed refrigerant gas to form a gaseous mixture containing lubricating oil.

[0055] Oil-rich liquid refrigerant: Small droplets of lubricating oil dissolve in the liquid refrigerant in the oil collector 1, thereby forming a liquid mixture containing lubricating oil.

[0056] In related technologies, such as Figure 1 As shown, the motor shaft 41 and the impeller shaft are supported by a bearing 42, and comb teeth 43 are provided before and after the bearing 42 for sealing; during lubrication, the lubricating oil pumped out by the oil pump has a certain pressure. Figure 2 As shown, when the impeller 44 of the compressor 4 rotates, under centrifugal force, the area near the circumference of the impeller 44 is under high pressure, while the area near the center of the impeller shaft is under low pressure. Therefore, lubricating oil with a certain pressure will leak from the seal of the comb teeth 43 of the bearing 42 towards the low-pressure area at the center of the impeller shaft, and then be thrown out by the centrifugal force of the impeller 44, along with the refrigerant gas compressed by the compressor 4, and discharged into the condenser 3 through the compressor 4 exhaust port 45. The refrigerant in the condenser 3, mixed with lubricating oil, affects heat exchange, thus affecting the performance stability of the air conditioning system 100. Furthermore, as time accumulates, more and more oil leaks, and less and less oil is available for lubrication and cooling of the bearing 42. The compressor 4 may malfunction and shut down due to lack of oil, and more seriously, the bearing 42 may be damaged due to insufficient lubrication and cooling.

[0057] To address the technical problem in the prior art where oil leakage from the compressor 4 causes the refrigerant in the condenser 3 to be mixed with lubricating oil, thus affecting the heat exchange and consequently the performance stability of the air conditioning system 100, this application provides an oil collector 1, an oil return device, and an air conditioning system 100. This device can promptly and effectively recover the lubricating oil from the exhaust of the compressor 4, ensuring that the bearing 42 has sufficient lubricating oil for lubrication and cooling, guaranteeing the long-term reliable operation of the air conditioning system 100, and also preventing a large amount of lubricating oil from flowing into the refrigerant circulation loop of the air conditioning system 100, thus ensuring the performance stability of the air conditioning system 100.

[0058] like Figure 3 As shown, this application embodiment provides an oil collector 1, which is installed on an air conditioning system 100. Generally, the air conditioning system 100 includes a compressor 4 and a condenser 3. The air conditioning system 100 also includes a throttling element 6 and an evaporator 7. The refrigerant can flow from the exhaust port 45 of the compressor 4 through the condenser 3, the throttling element 6 and the evaporator 7 in sequence, and then flow back to the compressor 4 from the refrigerant outlet of the evaporator 7, thereby forming a refrigerant circulation loop.

[0059] Compressor 4 is the power source for the refrigeration cycle. It promptly extracts vapor from evaporator 7, maintaining a low temperature and low pressure. Through compression, it increases the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant vapor, creating conditions for transferring heat from the refrigerant vapor to the surrounding environment. This involves compressing the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant vapor to a high-temperature, high-pressure state, allowing it to be condensed using ambient air or water as a cooling medium. Condenser 3 uses the ambient cooling medium (air or water) to remove heat from the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant vapor from compressor 4, cooling and condensing it into a high-pressure, ambient-temperature refrigerant liquid. It's worth noting that the pressure remains constant during the refrigerant vapor-to-liquid conversion process in condenser 3. The high-pressure, ambient-temperature refrigerant liquid is then passed through throttling element 6 to obtain a low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant, which is then sent to evaporator 7 for heat absorption and evaporation. Throttling element 6 can be a capillary tube, electronic expansion valve, etc.

[0060] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the oil collector 1 includes a housing 11, a gas diffuser 12, and a gas guide 13. The housing 11 is provided with a first receiving cavity 112 with an opening 111 at one end. Liquid refrigerant is disposed in the first receiving cavity 112, and the opening 111 is connected to the condenser 3. Specifically, if the oil collector 1 is located outside the condenser 3, the opening 111 of the oil collector 1 can be connected to the interior of the condenser 3 through a pipe; if the oil collector 1 is located inside the condenser 3, then the opening 111 of the oil collector 1 can be directly connected to the internal space of the condenser 3.

[0061] A gas diffuser 12 is disposed in the first accommodating cavity 112, and the gas diffuser 12 is disposed below the liquid surface of the liquid refrigerant in the first accommodating cavity 112. One end of the gas guide 13 is connected to the exhaust port 45 of the compressor 4, and the other end of the gas guide 13 extends into the first accommodating cavity 112 and is connected to the gas diffuser 12, so as to introduce the oil-rich gaseous refrigerant discharged from the compressor 4 into the gas diffuser 12.

[0062] Among them, the lubricating oil in the oil-rich gaseous refrigerant can dissolve in the liquid refrigerant to form an oil-rich liquid refrigerant.

[0063] Understandably, the air guide 13 introduces the oil-rich gaseous refrigerant discharged from the compressor 4 into the first receiving cavity 112 of the oil collector 1, and allows the oil-rich gaseous refrigerant to enter the air diffuser 12. The air diffuser 12 evenly distributes the oil-rich gaseous refrigerant to the liquid refrigerant stored in the first receiving cavity 112, allowing the lubricating oil in the oil-rich gaseous refrigerant to adhere to and dissolve in the liquid refrigerant, forming an oil-rich liquid refrigerant. The liquid refrigerant in the first receiving cavity 112 can collect small droplets of lubricating oil. At this time, the small droplets of lubricating oil separate from the gaseous refrigerant. Since the opening 111 of the oil collector 1 is connected to the condenser 3, the separated gaseous refrigerant enters the condenser 3 from the opening 111 and circulates in the refrigerant circulation loop, thereby preventing the lubricating oil from being discharged into the condenser 3 along with the refrigerant gas compressed by the compressor 4, which would affect heat exchange, and thus ensure the performance stability of the air conditioning system 100.

[0064] Subsequently, the lubricating oil in the oil-rich liquid refrigerant can be separated by an oil separator (such as the oil separator 2 provided in the embodiment of this application), and this part of the lubricating oil is supplied to the compressor 4 for the lubrication and cooling of the bearing 42 of the compressor 4, ensuring that the bearing 42 has enough lubricating oil for lubrication and cooling, and ensuring that the compressor 4 operates reliably for a long time.

[0065] The air guide 13 can be configured as a single pipe or as a component consisting of multiple pipes. For example, as shown... Figure 4 As shown, the air guide component 13 includes an air guide pipe 131. One end of the air guide pipe 131 is connected to the exhaust port 45 of the compressor 4, and the other end of the air guide pipe 131 extends into the first accommodating cavity 112 and is connected to the air diffuser 12, thereby introducing the oil-rich gaseous refrigerant discharged from the compressor 4 into the air diffuser 12 via the air guide pipe 131. Figure 8 As shown, the air guide 13 also includes an exhaust pipe 132. One end of the exhaust pipe 132 is connected to the exhaust port 45 of the compressor 4, and the other end of the exhaust pipe 132 is connected to the air guide pipe 131. The end of the air guide pipe 131 away from the exhaust pipe 132 extends into the first accommodating cavity 112 and is connected to the air diffuser 12, thereby introducing the oil-rich gaseous refrigerant discharged from the compressor 4 into the air diffuser 12 through the exhaust pipe 132 and the air guide pipe 131.

[0066] If the oil collector 1 is located outside the condenser 3, in addition to the space required to accommodate it, an additional container and pipe are needed to collect the overflowing gaseous refrigerant and introduce it into the condenser 3. Therefore, in a preferred embodiment, the condenser 3 is provided with a second inlet 31 and a second receiving cavity 32, the oil collector 1 is located in the second receiving cavity 32, and the gas guide 13 is embedded in the second inlet 31. By placing the oil collector 1 inside the second receiving cavity 32 of the condenser 3, the opening 111 of the oil collector 1 can directly communicate with the internal space of the condenser 3, thus saving arrangement space.

[0067] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the air diffuser 12 is a porous mesh component, with multiple first vent holes 121 provided on its surface and inside, and these first vent holes 121 are interconnected. By providing multiple first vent holes 121, which are used for ventilation and exhaust, the oil-rich gaseous refrigerant discharged from the compressor 4 can be evenly diffused into the liquid refrigerant in the first accommodating cavity 112, allowing the small droplets of lubricating oil to fully contact and dissolve with the liquid refrigerant.

[0068] Optionally, the gas diffuser 12 can be cylindrical and placed flat in the first accommodating cavity 112. The gas diffuser 12 may have a connection hole on the side facing the gas guide 13, and the end of the gas guide 13 near the housing 11 is connected to the connection hole so that the oil-rich gaseous refrigerant can be diffused through the connection hole and the first vent 121.

[0069] Of course, the air diffuser 12 can also be configured as a prism, cuboid or other irregular shape, and this application does not impose any specific restrictions on it.

[0070] The number of first vent holes 121 can be set according to requirements. The diameter of the first vent hole 121 can be set to 2cm-10cm, for example, it can be set to 3cm, 4cm, 5cm, 6cm, 7cm, 8cm, 9cm, etc.

[0071] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the housing 11 includes a connected bottom plate 113 and a side plate 114, which together form a first accommodating cavity 112. The liquid refrigerant level in the housing 11 divides the first accommodating cavity 112 into an oil collecting area 1121 and an overflow prevention area 1122. The overflow prevention area 1122 is used to block the liquid refrigerant splashed when the gas diffuser 12 is vented. Since the gaseous refrigerant will splash up with the liquid refrigerant when it overflows from the liquid refrigerant in the first accommodating cavity 112, the top of the side plate 114 is higher than the liquid refrigerant level, thereby blocking the splashed liquid refrigerant and preventing oil-rich liquid refrigerant from splashing into the condenser 3.

[0072] It should be noted that the side plate 114 can be set as a vertical plate, or as a flared shape that shrinks into the first accommodating cavity 112, or of course as other shapes, as long as it meets the anti-overflow function.

[0073] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 As shown, the overflow prevention zone 1122 has a first height h1, and the oil collection zone 1121 has a second height. The ratio of the first height to the second height is 1 / 4 to 1 / 2. Those skilled in the art will understand that, given a fixed second height of the oil collection zone 1121, if the ratio of the first height to the second height is too small, it means that the first height h1 of the overflow prevention zone 1122 is small and may not meet the overflow prevention function; if the ratio of the first height to the second height is too large, it means that the second height of the overflow prevention zone 1122 is large, requiring more arrangement space. Therefore, the first height h1 of the overflow prevention zone 1122 does not need to be set too large. Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the ratio of the first height to the second height is 1 / 3, i.e., h1:h2 = 1 / 3.

[0074] In one embodiment, such as Figure 6 As shown, the oil collector 1 also includes a baffle 14 that covers the opening 111. The baffle 14 is detachably connected to the side plate 114. The baffle 14 is provided with a second vent hole 141, through which gaseous refrigerant can enter the second receiving cavity 32 of the condenser 3. By providing the baffle 14, splashed liquid refrigerant can be blocked, preventing oil-rich liquid refrigerant from splashing into the condenser 3, thus improving the anti-overflow effect.

[0075] It should be noted that the baffle 14 and the side plate 114 can be detachably connected by means of threaded connection, snap-fit ​​connection, magnetic connection, etc. This application does not impose specific restrictions here.

[0076] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 and Figure 7As shown, the housing 11 is provided with a first inlet 115 communicating with the first accommodating cavity 112, the condenser 3 is provided with a second outlet 33 communicating with the second accommodating cavity 32, and the oil collector 1 includes a first pipe 15, one end of which is connected to the first inlet 115, and the other end of which is connected to the second outlet 33. The second outlet 33 can be located at the bottom of the condenser 3, and the second accommodating cavity 32 of the condenser 3 stores liquid refrigerant. By providing the first pipe 15, which connects the first accommodating cavity 112 of the housing 11 and the second accommodating cavity 32 of the condenser 3, the liquid refrigerant of the condenser 3 can be replenished into the first accommodating cavity 112 of the oil collector 1, realizing the liquid filling process of the oil collector 1. After collecting lubricating oil, the liquid refrigerant in the first accommodating cavity 112 dissolves small droplets of lubricating oil to form an oil-rich liquid refrigerant. The oil-rich liquid refrigerant needs to be discharged to the oil distributor 2 for liquid separation. Then, the liquid refrigerant needs to be replenished to the first accommodating cavity 112 of the oil collector 1 through the first pipeline 15 to carry out the next round of oil collection.

[0077] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, a check valve 16 is provided on the first pipeline 15. The check valve 16 is used to prevent the liquid refrigerant in the first accommodating cavity 112 from flowing back into the first pipeline 15. By providing the check valve 16, which can be a one-way valve as in the prior art, the liquid refrigerant in the first accommodating cavity 112 can be prevented from flowing back into the first pipeline 15, thus preventing lubricating oil from entering the condenser 3 from the first pipeline 15.

[0078] In some embodiments, such as Figure 7 As shown, a drive pump 17 is installed on the first pipeline 15 to drive the liquid refrigerant in the second accommodating cavity 32 to flow into the first accommodating cavity 112 through the first pipeline 15. When it is necessary to fill the oil collector 1 with liquid, the drive pump 17 is turned on, driving the liquid refrigerant in the second accommodating cavity 32 to flow into the first accommodating cavity 112 through the first pipeline 15, thus realizing the filling process of the oil collector 1. Since a check valve 16 is installed on the first pipeline 15, the check valve 16 can prevent the liquid refrigerant in the first accommodating cavity 112 from flowing back into the first pipeline 15, thus preventing lubricating oil from entering the condenser 3 from the first pipeline 15.

[0079] The main working process of the oil collector 1 provided in the above embodiment is as follows:

[0080] 1. Oil collector 1 filling process: Control the first control valve 22 to be closed, control the drive pump 17 to open, drive pump 17 to draw liquid refrigerant from the bottom of condenser 3 and fill oil collector 1.

[0081] 2. Oil collection process of oil collector 1: The first control valve 22 is controlled to be closed, and the drive pump 17 is controlled to be closed. The oil-rich gaseous refrigerant discharged from the exhaust port 45 of the compressor 4 enters the gas dispersing component 12 of the oil collector 1 through the gas guide component 13, and is exhausted and dispersed through the first vent hole 121 of the gas dispersing component 12, so that the oil-rich gaseous refrigerant can fully contact the liquid refrigerant in the first accommodating cavity 112, and the lubricating oil droplets of the oil-rich gaseous refrigerant can be fully integrated into the liquid refrigerant, so that the liquid refrigerant becomes an oil-rich liquid refrigerant.

[0082] like Figure 7 As shown, this application embodiment provides an oil return device, which includes the oil collector 1 described in the above embodiment. The oil return device provided in this embodiment includes the oil collector 1, which can introduce the oil-rich gaseous refrigerant discharged from the compressor 4 into the first accommodating cavity 112 of the oil collector 1 through the air guide 13, and then evenly distribute the oil-rich gaseous refrigerant into the liquid refrigerant stored in the first accommodating cavity 112 through the air diffuser 12, so that the lubricating oil in the oil-rich gaseous refrigerant can adhere to and dissolve in the liquid refrigerant, and the small droplets of lubricating oil separate from the gaseous refrigerant. Therefore, it naturally has the technical effects of the oil collector 1 described above.

[0083] In some embodiments, such as Figure 7 As shown, the oil return device includes an oil separator 2, which is connected to an oil collector 1, and is used to separate lubricating oil from refrigerant in the oil-rich liquid refrigerant. After collecting the lubricating oil, the liquid refrigerant in the first receiving chamber 112 dissolves small droplets of lubricating oil to form an oil-rich liquid refrigerant. Since the oil separator 2 is connected to the oil collector 1, the oil-rich liquid refrigerant in the oil collector 1 can be discharged into the oil separator 2, where it is separated. The oil separator 2 can separate the lubricating oil from the oil-rich liquid refrigerant and supply this lubricating oil to the compressor 4 for lubrication and cooling of the bearing 42 of the compressor 4, ensuring that the bearing 42 has sufficient lubricating oil for lubrication and cooling, ensuring long-term reliable operation of the compressor 4, and allowing the refrigerant to enter the refrigerant circulation loop of the air conditioning system 100 for circulation.

[0084] In some embodiments, such as Figure 7As shown, the housing 11 is provided with a first outlet 116 communicating with the first accommodating cavity 112. The oil return device includes a second pipeline 21, one end of which is connected to the first outlet 116 to discharge oil-rich liquid refrigerant. The oil separator 2 is provided with a third inlet 201, and the other end of the second pipeline 21 is connected to the third inlet 201. A first control valve 22 is provided on the second pipeline 21. By providing the second pipeline 21, when liquid needs to be introduced into the oil separator 2, the first control valve 22 is opened, the drive pump 17 is turned off, and the oil-rich liquid refrigerant is forced into the oil separator 2 by the discharge pressure of the compressor 4 and the high-pressure gas in the condenser 3. During the liquid introduction process of the oil separator 2, the oil-rich liquid refrigerant flows from the first outlet 116 of the oil collector 1 into the second pipeline 21 and enters the oil separator 2 from the third inlet 201.

[0085] In some embodiments, such as Figure 7 As shown, the oil separator 2 is equipped with a heating element 23 for heating the oil-rich liquid refrigerant. The oil separator 2 also has a third outlet 202, which is connected to the suction port 46 of the compressor 4 via a third pipeline 24. A third control valve 25 is installed on the third pipeline 24. In this embodiment, the oil-rich liquid refrigerant is heated by the heating element 23, causing it to heat up. Since the boiling point of the lubricating oil is higher than that of the refrigerant, the liquid refrigerant continuously absorbs heat and vaporizes, evaporating into a gaseous refrigerant. Opening the third control valve 25 allows the gaseous refrigerant to flow from the third pipeline 24 to the suction port 46 of the compressor 4, leaving relatively pure lubricating oil in the oil separator 2.

[0086] Optionally, the heating element 23 can be set as an existing electric heating wire or electric heating rod. The heating element 23 can be made of alloy materials such as nickel-chromium alloy, iron-chromium-aluminum alloy, and metal materials such as tungsten and molybdenum. When current passes through the electric heating wire or electric heating rod with high resistance, the internal resistance of the material will hinder the flow of electrons, causing electrical energy to be dissipated in the form of heat, thereby realizing the heating function.

[0087] In some embodiments, such as Figure 7 As shown, the air conditioning system 100 includes an oil tank 5 connected to the compressor 4. An oil distributor 2 has a fourth outlet 203, which is connected to the oil tank 5 via a fourth pipe 26. A second control valve 27 is installed on the fourth pipe 26. In this embodiment, when oil return is required, the second control valve 27 is opened, and pure lubricating oil can be sent back to the oil tank 5 via the second pipe 21. The oil tank 5 then supplies this lubricating oil to the compressor 4 for lubrication and cooling of the compressor 4's bearings 42, ensuring sufficient lubricating oil for the bearings 42 and guaranteeing long-term reliable operation of the compressor 4.

[0088] To ensure the delivery of lubricating oil, a pump can be installed on the fourth pipeline 26 to send the pure lubricating oil back to the oil tank 5.

[0089] In a preferred embodiment, such as Figure 7 As shown, the oil separator 2 is provided with a fourth inlet 204, which is connected to the condenser 3 via a fifth pipe 28 to allow the high-pressure gaseous refrigerant discharged from the condenser 3 to pass through. A fourth control valve 29 is provided on the fifth pipe 28. In this embodiment, when oil return is required, no additional pump is needed. The second control valve 27 and the fourth control valve 29 are opened, and the pressure of the high-pressure gaseous refrigerant in the condenser 3 is used to force the purified lubricating oil into the oil tank 5. The oil tank 5 will supply this portion of lubricating oil to the compressor 4 for the lubrication and cooling of the bearing 42 of the compressor 4, ensuring that the bearing 42 has sufficient lubricating oil for lubrication and cooling, thereby ensuring the long-term reliable operation of the compressor 4.

[0090] It should be noted that the first control valve 22, the second control valve 27, the third control valve 25 and the fourth control valve 29 can all be existing solenoid valves to achieve precise control of the opening and closing of the valves.

[0091] The main working process of the oil return device provided in the above embodiments is as follows:

[0092] 1. Oil collector 1 filling process: Control the first control valve 22 to be closed, control the drive pump 17 to open, drive pump 17 to draw liquid refrigerant from the bottom of condenser 3 and fill oil collector 1.

[0093] 2. Oil collection process of oil collector 1: The first control valve 22 is controlled to be closed, and the drive pump 17 is controlled to be closed. The oil-rich gaseous refrigerant discharged from the exhaust port 45 of the compressor 4 enters the gas dispersing component 12 of the oil collector 1 through the gas guide component 13, and is exhausted and dispersed through the first vent hole 121 of the gas dispersing component 12, so that the oil-rich gaseous refrigerant can fully contact the liquid refrigerant in the first accommodating cavity 112, and the lubricating oil droplets of the oil-rich gaseous refrigerant can be fully integrated into the liquid refrigerant, so that the liquid refrigerant becomes an oil-rich liquid refrigerant.

[0094] 3. Liquid inlet process of oil separator 2: Control the first control valve 22 and the third control valve 25 to be in the open state, control the second control valve 27 and the fourth control valve 29 to be in the closed state, drive the pump 17 to start, and turn off the heating element 23. Use the discharge pressure of the compressor 4 and the high pressure gas in the condenser 3 to force the oil-rich liquid refrigerant into the oil separator 2.

[0095] 4. Separation process of oil separator 2: The third control valve 25 is controlled to be in the open state, and the first control valve 22, the second control valve 27 and the fourth control valve 29 are controlled to be in the closed state. The heating element 23 is turned on, and the liquid refrigerant in the oil-rich liquid refrigerant is evaporated into gaseous refrigerant by the heating element 23. The gaseous refrigerant is discharged from the third control valve 25 to the suction port 46 of the compressor 4, so that relatively pure lubricating oil is left in the oil separator 2.

[0096] 5. Oil return process of oil separator 2: The first control valve 22 and the third control valve 25 are closed, the second control valve 27 and the fourth control valve 29 are opened, the electric heating is turned off, and the high pressure gas from the condenser 3 introduced into the fourth control valve 29 is used to force the relatively pure lubricating oil at the bottom of the oil separator 2 into the oil tank 5, thereby achieving the function of recovering lubricating oil.

[0097] Generally, the filling process of oil collector 1, the oil collection process of oil collector 1, and the liquid inlet process of oil separator 2 cannot be carried out simultaneously; the liquid separation process of oil separator 2 and the oil return process of oil separator 2 cannot be carried out simultaneously; the filling process of oil collector 1 and the oil collection process of oil collector 1 can be carried out simultaneously with the liquid separation process of oil separator 2; the filling process of oil collector 1 and the oil collection process of oil collector 1 can be carried out simultaneously with the oil return process of oil separator 2.

[0098] Thus, the various control parameters of the oil return device during operation can be referred to Table 1 below.

[0099] Table 1. Control parameters of the oil return device

[0100]

[0101] It should be noted that the " / " indicates that the on / off state of the corresponding control component does not affect the operation process. The duration can be adjusted according to the design specifications of the pipeline size, the size of the oil collector 1, and the flow rate of the drive pump.

[0102] Furthermore, if the liquid refrigerant level in the first accommodating cavity 112 is lower than h2 or even close to the gas diffuser 12, small droplets of lubricating oil in the oil-rich gaseous refrigerant may escape into the condenser 3 along with the refrigerant gas. Therefore, as Figure 5 As shown, a third height h3 is provided between the top of the gas diffuser 12 and the bottom of the oil collector 1. The liquid filling process of the oil collector 1 and the liquid inlet process of the oil separator 2 are based on the liquid level of the liquid refrigerant stored in the oil collector 1 being greater than h3. The liquid filling process for 5 minutes is to replenish the oil collector 1 with liquid refrigerant at a height of (h2-h3), and the liquid inlet process for 5 minutes is to discharge oil-rich liquid refrigerant at a height of (h2-h3) from the oil collector 1 to the oil separator 2. This can prevent small droplets of lubricating oil in the oil-rich gaseous refrigerant from escaping into the condenser 3 along with the refrigerant gas.

[0103] Of course, in some other embodiments, a liquid level detection device may also be provided in the oil collector 1. For example, a liquid level sensor may be provided in the oil collector 1 to detect the liquid level height h of the liquid refrigerant in the first accommodating cavity 112.

[0104] In the first application scenario, if the liquid refrigerant level h in the first accommodating cavity 112 is less than or equal to the first liquid level height threshold hm1, it indicates that the liquid refrigerant level in the first accommodating cavity 112 is too low. Small droplets of lubricating oil in the oil-rich gaseous refrigerant may escape into the condenser 3 along with the refrigerant gas. In this case, the first control valve 22 is closed and the drive pump 17 is turned on. At this time, the oil collector 1 is in a liquid-filled state, and the liquid refrigerant at the bottom of the condenser 3 is driven into the first accommodating cavity 112 of the oil collector 1 by the drive pump 17.

[0105] It should be noted that the first liquid level height threshold hm1 can be set to h3, or to a value slightly larger than h3. That is, when the liquid level of the liquid refrigerant in the first accommodating cavity 112 is close to the top of the gas diffuser 12, the oil collector 1 is controlled to enter the liquid filling state. Through redundant design, the working reliability of the oil return device can be improved.

[0106] In the second application scenario, if the liquid refrigerant level h in the first accommodating cavity 112 is greater than the second liquid level height threshold hm2, it indicates that there is enough liquid refrigerant in the first accommodating cavity 112, and then the control drive pump 17 is in the off state.

[0107] It should be noted that the second liquid level height threshold hm2 can be set to h2 or a value slightly smaller than h2. This ensures that the first accommodating cavity 112 has enough liquid refrigerant in contact with the oil-rich gaseous refrigerant, while also ensuring the anti-overflow effect.

[0108] like Figure 8As shown, this application embodiment also provides an air conditioning system 100, including a compressor 4, a condenser 3, and an oil collector 1 as described above. A guide 13 introduces the oil-rich gaseous refrigerant discharged from the compressor 4 into the first receiving cavity 112 of the oil collector 1, and allows the oil-rich gaseous refrigerant to enter the diffuser 12. The diffuser 12 evenly distributes the oil-rich gaseous refrigerant into the liquid refrigerant stored in the first receiving cavity 112, allowing the lubricating oil in the oil-rich gaseous refrigerant to adhere to and dissolve in the liquid refrigerant, forming an oil-rich liquid refrigerant. The liquid refrigerant in the first receiving cavity 112 can collect small droplets of lubricating oil. At this time, the small droplets of lubricating oil separate from the gaseous refrigerant. Since the opening 111 of the oil collector 1 is connected to the condenser 3, the separated gaseous refrigerant enters the condenser 3 through the opening 111 and circulates in the refrigerant circulation loop. This prevents the lubricating oil from being discharged into the condenser 3 along with the refrigerant gas compressed by the compressor 4, thus affecting heat exchange and ensuring the performance stability of the air conditioning system 100.

[0109] This application embodiment also provides an air conditioning system 100, including a compressor 4, a condenser 3, and an oil return device as described above. The oil separator 2 separates the lubricating oil from the oil-rich liquid refrigerant and supplies this lubricating oil to the compressor 4 for lubrication and cooling of the compressor 4's bearings 42, ensuring that the bearings 42 have sufficient lubricating oil for lubrication and cooling, and guaranteeing the long-term reliable operation of the compressor 4.

[0110] It should be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular exemplary embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “described” as used herein may also include the plural forms. The terms “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” and “having” are inclusive and therefore indicate the presence of the stated features, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not construed as requiring them to be performed in a particular order described or illustrated unless the order of performance is explicitly indicated. It should also be understood that additional or alternative steps may be used.

[0111] Although terms such as first, second, third, etc., may be used in this document to describe multiple elements, components, regions, layers, and / or segments, these elements, components, regions, layers, and / or segments should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be used only to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, or segment from another. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, terms such as "first," "second," and other numerical terms used herein do not imply order or sequence. Therefore, the first element, component, region, layer, or segment discussed below may be referred to as the second element, component, region, layer, or segment without departing from the teachings of the exemplary embodiments.

[0112] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, enabling those skilled in the art to understand or implement this application. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this application. Therefore, this application is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features claimed herein.

Claims

1. An oil collector, installed on an air conditioning system, the air conditioning system including a compressor and a condenser, characterized in that, The oil collector includes: The housing has a first receiving cavity with an opening at one end, and liquid refrigerant is disposed in the first receiving cavity. The opening is connected to the condenser. A gas diffuser is disposed in the first accommodating cavity, the gas diffuser being positioned below the liquid surface of the liquid refrigerant in the first accommodating cavity; and A gas guide is provided, one end of which is connected to the exhaust port of the compressor; the other end extends into the first accommodating cavity and is connected to the gas dispersing component. The gas guide is used to introduce the oil-rich gaseous refrigerant discharged from the compressor into the gas dispersing component. The lubricating oil in the oil-rich gaseous refrigerant can dissolve in the liquid refrigerant to form an oil-rich liquid refrigerant.

2. The oil collector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The condenser is provided with a second inlet and a second accommodating cavity, the housing is disposed in the second accommodating cavity, and the air guide is embedded in the second inlet.

3. The oil collector according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The air diffuser is a porous mesh component, and the surface and interior of the porous mesh component are provided with a plurality of first vent holes, which are interconnected with each other.

4. The oil collector according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The housing includes a connected bottom plate and a side plate, which together form the first accommodating cavity. The liquid level of the liquid refrigerant in the housing divides the first accommodating cavity into an oil collection area and an overflow prevention area. The overflow prevention area is used to prevent liquid refrigerant from splashing out when the gas diffuser is venting.

5. The oil collector according to claim 4, characterized in that, The spill prevention zone has a first height, and the oil collection zone has a second height, with the ratio of the first height to the second height being 1 / 4 to 1 / 2.

6. The oil collector according to claim 4, characterized in that, The oil collector includes a baffle that covers the opening, the baffle being detachably connected to the side plate, and the baffle having a second vent hole.

7. The oil collector according to claim 2, characterized in that, The housing is provided with a first inlet communicating with the first accommodating cavity, and the condenser is provided with a second outlet. The first inlet is connected to the second outlet through a first pipeline.

8. The oil collector according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first pipeline is equipped with a check valve, which is used to prevent the liquid refrigerant in the first accommodating cavity from flowing back into the first pipeline.

9. The oil collector according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first pipeline is equipped with a drive pump to drive the liquid refrigerant in the second accommodating cavity to flow into the first accommodating cavity through the first pipeline.

10. An oil return device, characterized in that, Including the oil collector as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. The oil return device according to claim 10, characterized in that, The oil return device includes an oil separator connected to the oil collector. The oil separator is used to separate the lubricating oil and refrigerant in the oil-rich liquid refrigerant.

12. The oil return device according to claim 11, characterized in that, The housing is provided with a first outlet communicating with the first accommodating cavity, the oil separator is provided with a third inlet, the first outlet is connected to the third inlet through a second pipeline, and the second pipeline is provided with a first control valve.

13. The oil return device according to claim 11, characterized in that, The oil separator is equipped with a heating element for heating the oil-rich liquid refrigerant; the oil separator is provided with a third outlet, which is connected to the suction port of the compressor through a third pipeline, and a third control valve is provided on the third pipeline.

14. The oil return device according to claim 11, characterized in that, The air conditioning system includes an oil tank connected to the compressor, the oil distributor is provided with a fourth outlet, the fourth outlet is connected to the oil tank through a fourth pipeline, and a second control valve is provided on the fourth pipeline.

15. The oil return device according to claim 11, characterized in that, The oil separator is provided with a fourth inlet, which is connected to the condenser through a fifth pipeline, and a fourth control valve is provided on the fifth pipeline.

16. An air conditioning system, characterized in that, include: compressor; Condenser; as well as The oil collector as described in any one of claims 1 to 9; Alternatively, the oil return device as described in any one of claims 10 to 15.

Images