Evaporator and refrigeration system

Abstract

The utility model discloses an evaporator and refrigerating system, include: casing, first heat exchange pipe group and second heat exchange pipe group, first longitudinal side plate and second longitudinal side plate and first transverse side and second transverse side, wherein first transverse side and second transverse side are located respectively at the outside of the bottom of second heat exchange pipe group, and be located above the side of first heat exchange pipe group, and the height of first transverse side and / or second transverse side is configured to occupy a part of volume space of the outside of second heat exchange pipe group. In this application, the evaporator includes the transverse side that occupies a part of volume space, so that the evaporator can reduce the refrigerant filling amount required by evaporator when high liquid level operation. Further can make the refrigerant filling amount of evaporator when the different liquid level height operation, there is no obvious change.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of refrigeration systems, and particularly to an evaporator and a refrigeration system using the evaporator. Background Technology

[0002] A refrigeration system mainly includes a compressor, condenser, throttling device, and evaporator. When the low-temperature liquid refrigerant passes through the evaporator, it exchanges heat with the surrounding environment, absorbing heat and thus lowering the ambient temperature, achieving a refrigeration effect. The surrounding environment can be air or chilled water. After heat exchange, the liquid refrigerant vaporizes into a gaseous refrigerant and enters the compressor. Shell-and-tube evaporators have specific requirements for the amount of refrigerant charged; too much or too little refrigerant can affect the heat exchange performance of the evaporator and even the operation of the entire refrigeration system. Utility Model Content

[0003] When a refrigeration system is running, the liquid level in the evaporator will fluctuate with changes in load or operating conditions. As a result, under certain operating conditions, some heat exchange tubes cannot be completely wetted by the refrigerant, which reduces the heat exchange efficiency of the evaporator.

[0004] At least one objective of this application is to improve the heat exchange efficiency of the evaporator and reduce the amount of liquid refrigerant charged.

[0005] To address the above problems, this application provides an evaporator in a first aspect, comprising a shell, a first heat exchange tube assembly and a second heat exchange tube assembly, a first longitudinal side plate and a second longitudinal side plate, and a first transverse side portion and a second transverse side portion. The shell has a cavity and a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet communicating with the cavity, the cavity having a length direction, a width direction, and a height direction. Each heat exchange tube in the first and second heat exchange tube assemblies extends along the length direction of the cavity, the first heat exchange tube assembly is located at the lower part of the cavity, and the second heat exchange tube assembly is located above the first heat exchange tube assembly, wherein the width of the top of the first heat exchange tube assembly is greater than the width of the bottom of the second heat exchange tube assembly. The first and second longitudinal side plates extend along the length direction and are respectively disposed on both sides of the second heat exchange tube assembly in the width direction. The first lateral side and the second lateral side extend along the length direction. The first lateral side is connected to the first longitudinal side plate and the housing, and the second lateral side is connected to the second longitudinal side plate and the housing. The first longitudinal side plate, the second longitudinal side plate, the first lateral side, and the second lateral side are configured to jointly guide the refrigerant flowing from the first heat exchanger tube assembly to the second heat exchanger tube assembly. The first lateral side and the second lateral side are respectively located outside the bottom of the second heat exchanger tube assembly and above the side of the first heat exchanger tube assembly. The height of the first lateral side and / or the second lateral side is configured to occupy a portion of the volume space outside the second heat exchanger tube assembly.

[0006] According to the first aspect above, in the height direction, the height of the first lateral side and / or the second lateral side is set such that at least a portion is above the highest liquid level of the evaporator and at least a portion is below the highest liquid level of the evaporator.

[0007] According to the first aspect above, in the width direction, the top of at least one of the first lateral side and the second lateral side is inclined relative to the width direction.

[0008] According to the first aspect described above, the first longitudinal side plate, the second longitudinal side plate, the first transverse side portion, and the second transverse side portion divide the cavity into a heat exchange cavity and a gas-liquid separation cavity, and the first heat exchange tube assembly and the second heat exchange tube assembly are disposed within the heat exchange cavity. The gap between the top of the first longitudinal side plate and the top of the second longitudinal side plate forms a communication port, which fluidly connects the heat exchange cavity and the gas-liquid separation cavity, allowing the refrigerant in the heat exchange cavity to enter the gas-liquid separation cavity for gas-liquid separation. Furthermore, each of the first transverse side portion and the second transverse side portion includes at least one return port, which fluidly connects the heat exchange cavity and the gas-liquid separation cavity, allowing the refrigerant in the gas-liquid separation cavity to return to the heat exchange cavity for heat exchange.

[0009] According to the first aspect above, the evaporator further includes a demister, which is disposed at the communication port.

[0010] According to the first aspect above, at least one of the first lateral side portion and the second lateral side portion includes a lateral side plate and a third heat exchange tube assembly, wherein the lateral side plate is connected between the bottom end of the corresponding longitudinal side plate and the housing, and the third heat exchange tube assembly is disposed below the corresponding lateral side plate.

[0011] According to the first aspect above, at least one of the first lateral side portion and the second lateral side portion includes a lateral side plate and a filling portion, wherein the lateral side plate is connected between the bottom end of the corresponding longitudinal side plate and the housing, and the filling portion is disposed below the corresponding lateral side plate.

[0012] According to the first aspect described above, the lateral side plate of the first lateral side portion and / or the lateral side plate of the second lateral side portion are configured to slope downwards from the outside to the inside in the width direction. The at least one return port is disposed on the bottom side of each of the lateral side plates in the width direction.

[0013] According to the first aspect above, at least one of the first lateral side portion and the second lateral side portion includes a lateral side plate and a filling portion, wherein the lateral side plate is connected between the bottom end of the corresponding longitudinal side plate and the housing, and the filling portion is disposed above the corresponding lateral side plate.

[0014] According to the first aspect described above, the top of the filling portion is configured to slope downwards from the outside to the inside in the width direction. The filling portion is connected to, adjacent to, or connected to the corresponding transverse side plate, and has a gap between it and the corresponding longitudinal side plate for fluid passage. The at least one return port is located inside the transverse side plate in an area not covered by the filling portion.

[0015] According to the first aspect described above, the top of the filling portion is configured to slope downwards from the inside out in the width direction. The filling portion is connected to, adjacent to, or connected to, the corresponding longitudinal side plate, and has a gap between itself and the housing for fluid passage. The at least one return port is located outside the transverse side plate in an area not covered by the filling portion.

[0016] According to the first aspect above, the filling portion is made of a material that is inert to the refrigerant.

[0017] This application provides a refrigeration system in a second aspect, comprising: a compressor, a condenser, a throttling device, and an evaporator disposed in a refrigerant circuit, wherein the evaporator is the evaporator described in any one of the first aspects. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic block diagram of the refrigeration system of this application;

[0019] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the evaporator in the diagram;

[0020] Figure 3A for Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of the axial section of one embodiment of the evaporator shown;

[0021] Figure 3B for Figure 3A The diagram shows the refrigerant flow direction of the evaporator.

[0022] Figure 4A for Figure 3A A schematic diagram of a structural embodiment of the transverse side plate;

[0023] Figure 4B for Figure 3A A schematic diagram of another embodiment of the transverse side plate;

[0024] Figure 5 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the axial section of another embodiment of the evaporator;

[0025] Figure 6 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the axial section of another embodiment of the evaporator in the diagram;

[0026] Figure 7 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the axial section of another embodiment of the evaporator in the diagram;

[0027] Figure 8 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the axial section of another embodiment of the evaporator. Detailed Implementation

[0028] Various specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification. It should be understood that although directional terms such as "front," "rear," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "top," and "bottom" are used in this application to describe various exemplary structural parts and elements, their use is merely for illustrative purposes and is based on the exemplary orientations shown in the accompanying drawings. Since the embodiments disclosed in this application can be arranged in different orientations, these directional terms are for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered limiting.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic block diagram of the refrigeration system 190 of this application, used to show the location and function of the evaporator 100 in the refrigeration system 190.

[0030] like Figure 1 As shown, the refrigeration system 190 includes a compressor 193, a condenser 191, a throttling device 192, and an evaporator 100, which are connected by pipelines to form a closed system and are filled with refrigerant. The refrigerant flows sequentially through the compressor 193, condenser 191, throttling device 192, and evaporator 100, enabling the refrigeration system 190 to provide cooling. Specifically, the high-pressure gaseous refrigerant discharged from the compressor 193 flows into the condenser 191, where it releases heat and is condensed into a high-pressure liquid refrigerant. It then flows into the throttling device 192, where it is throttled into a low-pressure two-phase refrigerant. This liquid refrigerant then flows into the evaporator 100 through the refrigerant inlet 101, where it absorbs heat and evaporates into a low-pressure gaseous refrigerant. Finally, it flows out from the refrigerant outlet 102 of the evaporator 100 and re-flows into the compressor 193, completing the refrigerant cycle. As an example, the evaporator 100 is a shell-and-tube evaporator.

[0031] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the evaporator 100 is provided to illustrate the external structure of the evaporator 100.

[0032] like Figure 2As shown, the evaporator 100 has a shell 203, which is generally cylindrical in shape and has a length direction L, a width direction W, and a height direction H. The shell 203 is provided with a refrigerant inlet 101, a refrigerant outlet 102, and inlet and outlet water pipes 207 and 208. The refrigerant inlet 101 is located in the lower middle part of the shell 203 and is in fluid communication with the outlet of the throttling device 192 to provide two-phase refrigerant into the shell 203. It should be noted that the flow rate of the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant inlet 101 can be controlled by known control devices such as valves, which will not be specifically described here. Furthermore, depending on the design of the evaporator, multiple refrigerant inlets may be provided. The refrigerant outlet 102 is in fluid communication with the suction end of the compressor 193 to discharge the gaseous refrigerant evaporated inside the shell 203 to the suction end of the compressor 193. In this embodiment, the refrigerant outlet 102 is located in the upper middle part of the shell 203.

[0033] At both ends of the shell 203 are tube sheets 205 for sealing the shell 203, wherein the tube sheet 205 on the right side is also provided with inlet and outlet water pipes 207 and 208. The inlet and outlet water pipes 207 and 208 are in fluid communication with hot water and are also in fluid communication with the heat exchange tubes inside the shell 203, for providing hot water for heat exchange to the heat exchange tubes.

[0034] Thus, the two-phase refrigerant from the throttling device 192 enters the shell 203 of the evaporator 100 through the refrigerant inlet 101, and exchanges heat with the heat exchange tubes inside the shell. The refrigerant absorbs heat and evaporates into gas, then exits the evaporator 100 through the refrigerant outlet 102 and flows into the suction end of the compressor 193. The water medium used for heat exchange in the heat exchange tubes flows in and out of the heat exchange tubes through the inlet and outlet water pipes 207 and 208.

[0035] Figure 3 is a schematic structural diagram of the axial section of an embodiment of the evaporator 100, illustrating the internal structure of the housing 203 of the evaporator 100. As shown in Figure 3, the housing 203 has a cavity 328 defined by the housing 203, and the refrigerant inlet 101 and refrigerant outlet 102 are in fluid communication with the cavity 328. The housing 203 and the cavity 328 share a common length direction L, width direction W, and height direction H. The cavity 328 includes a distributor 330, several heat exchange tubes, and several baffles. Liquid refrigerant enters the cavity 328 from the refrigerant inlet 101, is distributed by the distributor 330, and exchanges heat with each heat exchange tube. The resulting gaseous refrigerant and liquid refrigerant flow together along the channels formed by the baffles, and the gaseous refrigerant finally exits the cavity 328 from the refrigerant outlet 102.

[0036] In one embodiment of this application, combined with Figure 2 and Figure 3AAs shown, the refrigerant inlet 101 is located at the bottom of the housing 203 and at the middle of the evaporator 100 along its length L. The refrigerant inlet 101 is also located at the middle of the evaporator 100 along its width W, thus placing the refrigerant inlet 101 at its lowest position along the height H of the evaporator 100. A distributor 330 is located at the bottom of the cavity 328 and above the refrigerant inlet 101, and is used to guide the refrigerant entering the evaporator 100 to flow along the length L of the cavity 328 to distribute it as evenly as possible to each heat exchange tube.

[0037] These heat exchange tubes, arranged from bottom to top along the height direction H, include a first heat exchange tube group 315 and a second heat exchange tube group 316. Each heat exchange tube group includes several heat exchange tubes that are parallel to each other and extend along the length direction L. Fluid channels are formed inside the heat exchange tubes for the flow of water or other media. In this embodiment, the front and rear ends of the heat exchange tubes along the length direction L are supported on the tube sheet 205, and the interior of the heat exchange tubes is connected to the inlet and outlet water pipes 207 and 208. The gap between each heat exchange tube and the adjacent heat exchange tube forms a refrigerant channel for the flow of refrigerant. The water inside the heat exchange tubes and the refrigerant outside the heat exchange tubes transfer heat through the tube walls. As an example, the groups of heat exchange tubes are arranged in columns. Of course, in other examples, the heat exchange tubes can also be arranged in other ways, such as in rows.

[0038] More specifically, the first heat exchange tube assembly 315 is arranged upwards along the inner wall of the housing 203 from the bottom of the cavity 328 and the outside of the distributor 330. The first heat exchange tube assembly 315 roughly covers the bottom of the cavity 328. Viewed along the length L of the evaporator 100, the bottom profile of the first heat exchange tube assembly 315 is roughly arc-shaped, and the top profile is roughly a horizontal straight line. The top of the first heat exchange tube assembly 315 has a width W1.

[0039] The second heat exchange tube group 316 is arranged upwards from the top of the first heat exchange tube group 315. The bottom of the second heat exchange tube group 316 is located above the first heat exchange tube group 315 and is spaced a certain distance from the top of the first heat exchange tube group 315. The bottom 318 of the second heat exchange tube group 316 has a width W2, which is smaller than the width W1 of the top of the first heat exchange tube group 315. That is, the second heat exchange tube group 316 is not arranged above the pair of sides 319 of the first heat exchange tube group 315. When the tube diameters of the heat exchange tubes in each group are the same, the number of rows of the bottom 318 of the second heat exchange tube group 316 is less than the number of rows of the top of the first heat exchange tube group 315. The second heat exchange tube group 316 is arranged in the middle of the width direction W of the cavity 328, so that the two sides of the second heat exchange tube group 316 are respectively spaced from the inner wall of the shell 203. In this embodiment, the width of the middle portion of the second heat exchange tube assembly 316 in the height direction H is narrower than the width of the top and bottom portions. That is, the width of the middle portion of the second heat exchange tube assembly 316 is the narrowest in the height direction H. When the second heat exchange tube assemblies 316 are arranged in columns, the number of columns in the middle portion of the second heat exchange tube assembly 316 in the height direction H is less than the number of columns at the top and bottom.

[0040] Several obstructions include a top baffle 370, a pair of longitudinal side plates, and a pair of transverse side portions. The top baffle 370 is disposed above the second heat exchange tube assembly 316 and extends substantially along the width direction W and length direction L of the cavity 328. The top baffle 370 is located below the refrigerant outlet 102 to prevent the gaseous and liquid refrigerant mixture obtained after heat exchange through the second heat exchange tube assembly 316 from being directly discharged from the refrigerant outlet 102. In this embodiment, the top baffle 370 also includes a pair of guide portions 371 extending downwardly at both ends in the width direction W. The pair of guide portions 371 are used to guide the liquid refrigerant back to the bottom of the cavity 328.

[0041] A pair of longitudinal side plates includes a first longitudinal side plate 321 and a second longitudinal side plate 322 arranged symmetrically. The first longitudinal side plate 321 and the second longitudinal side plate 322 are respectively arranged adjacent to each other on both sides of the second heat exchange tube assembly 316 in the width direction W, so as to restrict the flow of the gaseous refrigerant and liquid refrigerant mixture obtained after heat exchange in the second heat exchange tube assembly 316 in the width direction W. The gap between the top of the first longitudinal side plate 321 and the top of the second longitudinal side plate 322 forms a communication port 323. And the first longitudinal side plate 321 and the second longitudinal side plate 322 extend approximately along the height direction H and the length direction L of the cavity 328. In this embodiment, the first longitudinal side plate 321 and the second longitudinal side plate 322 have a shape that corresponds to the outer contour of the second heat exchange tube assembly 316. That is, the middle part of the first longitudinal side plate 321 and the second longitudinal side plate 322 in the height direction H is bent inward so that the middle part of the first longitudinal side plate 321 and the second longitudinal side plate 322 in the height direction H has a minimum width. The tops of the first longitudinal side plate 321 and the second longitudinal side plate 322 are higher than the top of the second heat exchange tube assembly 316 in the height direction H, but lower than the top baffle 370 and spaced a certain distance from the top baffle 370 to form an airflow channel. Furthermore, the bottoms of the first longitudinal side plate 321 and the second longitudinal side plate 322 are higher than the bottom 318 of the second heat exchange tube assembly 316 in the height direction H.

[0042] A pair of lateral sides includes a first lateral side 331 and a second lateral side 332. The first lateral side 331 is connected to the first longitudinal side plate 321 and the housing 203, and the second lateral side 332 is connected to the second longitudinal side plate 322 and the housing 203. The first lateral side 331 and the second lateral side 332 are respectively disposed above the side 319 of the first heat exchange tube assembly 315 and outside the bottom 318 of the second heat exchange tube assembly 316, and extend substantially along the width direction W and the length direction L of the cavity 328.

[0043] Thus, the first longitudinal side plate 321, the second longitudinal side plate 322, the first transverse side portion 331, and the second transverse side portion 332 can divide the cavity 328 into a heat exchange cavity 311 and a gas-liquid separation cavity 312. A first heat exchange tube assembly 315 and a second heat exchange tube assembly 316 are disposed in the heat exchange cavity 311. The first longitudinal side plate 321, the second longitudinal side plate 322, the first transverse side portion 331, and the second transverse side portion 332 jointly guide the refrigerant flow in the heat exchange cavity 311, so that the refrigerant flowing out of the first heat exchange tube assembly 315 flows to the second heat exchange tube assembly 316. The connecting port 323 fluidly connects the heat exchange cavity 311 and the gas-liquid separation cavity 312. The water inside the heat exchange tubes exchanges heat with the refrigerant outside the heat exchange tubes in the heat exchange cavity 311. The refrigerant obtained after the heat exchange exchanges flows from the heat exchange cavity 311 through the connecting port 323 into the gas-liquid separation cavity 312 for gas-liquid separation. In this embodiment, the first lateral side 331 and the second lateral side 332 further include at least one return port 435, 436 (see Figure 4A and 4B The return ports 435 and 436 are also fluidly connected to the heat exchange cavity 311 and the gas-liquid separation cavity 312, so that the liquid refrigerant separated in the gas-liquid separation cavity 312 can return to the heat exchange cavity 311.

[0044] More specifically, combining Figure 3A and Figure 3B As shown, in this application, the height of the first lateral side 331 and / or the second lateral side 332 is configured to occupy a portion of the outer space of the second heat exchange tube assembly 316, for example, occupying a portion of the volume space outside the bottom 318 of the second heat exchange tube assembly 316. Thus, in the height direction H, the height of the first lateral side 331 and / or the second lateral side 332 is such that at least a portion is above the highest liquid level 310 of the evaporator 100, and at least a portion is below the highest liquid level 310 of the evaporator 100. Therefore, without requiring an excessive amount of refrigerant charge in the evaporator 100, the liquid level in the evaporator 100 can exceed the bottom 318 of the second heat exchange tube assembly 316, satisfying the requirement of the highest liquid level 310 of the refrigeration system under high load.

[0045] In this embodiment, the first transverse side portion 331 and the second transverse side portion 332 are symmetrically arranged and have approximately the same structure. Each transverse side portion includes a transverse side plate 333 and a third heat exchange tube assembly 317. The transverse side plate 333 is connected between the bottom end of the corresponding longitudinal side plate and the housing 203, and the third heat exchange tube assembly 317 is disposed below the transverse side plate 333. A return port is disposed on the transverse side plate 333. The third heat exchange tube assembly 317 is arranged with a certain height to occupy a portion of the volume space outside the second heat exchange tube assembly 316. The third heat exchange tube assembly 317 can participate in heat exchange when the refrigerant flows through the heat exchange tube assembly to increase the heat exchange efficiency of the evaporator 100. As a more specific example, the transverse side plate 333 is inclined relative to the width direction W, and the return port is disposed on the side of each transverse side plate 333 near the bottom in the width direction W, which makes it easier for the liquid refrigerant falling on the transverse side plate 333 to return to the heat exchange cavity 311. For example, the transverse side plate 333 is configured to slope downwards from the outside to the inside in the width direction W, and the return port is located on the inner side of the transverse side plate 333. In some other embodiments, the transverse side may not include the third heat exchange tube assembly, but rather other parts that can occupy a certain volume space, such as... Figures 6-8 The filling portion is shown in the embodiment.

[0046] Figure 3B The diagram shows the refrigerant flow direction; hollow arrows indicate gaseous refrigerant, and solid arrows indicate liquid refrigerant. For example... Figure 3B As shown, the low-temperature gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant from the throttling device 192 enters the cavity 328 of the evaporator 100 from the refrigerant inlet 101, and is first distributed by the distributor 330 along the length direction L to the heat exchange cavity 311 to exchange heat with each heat exchange tube in the heat exchange cavity 311.

[0047] When the refrigeration system 190 is operating under normal conditions, the liquid level in the evaporator 100 is approximately level with the top of the first heat exchange tube assembly 315 (not shown in the figure). The first heat exchange tube assembly 315 is immersed in liquid refrigerant. The water inside the heat exchange tubes of the first heat exchange tube assembly 315 exchanges heat with the refrigerant outside the heat exchange tubes, causing a portion of the refrigerant to absorb heat and become gaseous refrigerant. The gaseous refrigerant generated in the first heat exchange tube assembly 315 during the heat exchange process carries a large amount of liquid refrigerant upwards to enter the second heat exchange tube assembly 316 for further heat exchange. The first longitudinal side plate 321 and the second longitudinal side plate 322 guide the refrigerant to flow upwards. Because the width W2 of the bottom 318 of the second heat exchanger assembly 316 is smaller than the width W1 of the top of the first heat exchanger assembly 315 at the connection between the first heat exchanger assembly 315 and the second heat exchanger assembly 316, meaning the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the second heat exchanger assembly 316 is smaller than that of the first heat exchanger assembly 315, the refrigerant entering the second heat exchanger assembly 316 from the first heat exchanger assembly 315 can be accelerated, allowing the liquid refrigerant carried by the gaseous refrigerant to flow upwards to a certain height within the second heat exchanger assembly 316. The gas-liquid mixture of refrigerant entering the second heat exchanger assembly 316 continues to exchange heat with the second heat exchanger assembly 316, and a portion of the liquid refrigerant converts into gas, continuing to drive the refrigerant fluid upwards. Furthermore, because the widths of the first longitudinal side plate 321 and the second longitudinal side plate 322 narrow in the middle, the flow area of ​​the refrigerant gradually decreases and then gradually increases from bottom to top. Therefore, during the process of the mixed gaseous and liquid refrigerant flowing through the second heat exchange tube assembly 316, the flow velocity of the refrigerant will gradually increase first, so as to ensure that the liquid droplets entrained in the gaseous refrigerant can be carried to a higher position to exchange heat with the second heat exchange tube assembly 316. Then the flow velocity of the refrigerant will gradually decrease, so that the droplets can be separated from the refrigerant and return to the heat exchange cavity 311 for heat exchange.

[0048] After heat exchange in the second heat exchange tube group 316, the refrigerant enters the gas-liquid separation chamber 312 through the connecting port 323 and flows toward the top baffle 370. The gaseous refrigerant flows out from the gap between the top baffle 370 and the first longitudinal side plate 321 and the second longitudinal side plate 322, and then flows out from the refrigerant outlet 102 after passing through the gap between the top baffle 370 and the shell 203. After heat exchange in the second heat exchange tube assembly 316, a portion of the liquid refrigerant is blocked by the top baffle 370 and changes its flow direction, returning to the heat exchange cavity 311 to continue heat exchange. The other portion flows out from the gap between the top baffle 370 and the first longitudinal side plate 321 and the second longitudinal side plate 322. The guide portion 371 of the top baffle 370 guides this portion of liquid refrigerant to drip downwards onto the transverse side plates 333 of the first transverse side 331 and the second transverse side 332, and flows inwards and downwards along the inclined transverse side plates 333, causing the liquid refrigerant to exit from the return ports 435 and 436 on the transverse side plates 333 (see...). Figure 4A and 4B It re-enters the heat exchange chamber 311 to continue heat exchange.

[0049] When the refrigeration system 190 operates under high load, the liquid level in the evaporator 100 needs to be raised to the maximum liquid level 310 to ensure sufficient wetting of the second heat exchange tube assembly 316. The maximum liquid level 310 is higher than the top of the first heat exchange tube assembly 315, such that the lateral side plates 333 of the first lateral side 331 and the second lateral side 332 are above the maximum liquid level 310, and the third heat exchange tube assembly 317 of the first lateral side 331 and the second lateral side 332 is below the maximum liquid level 310. The bottom 318 of the second heat exchange tube assembly 316 and the third heat exchange tube assembly 317 of the first lateral side 331 and the second lateral side 332 are both immersed in liquid refrigerant.

[0050] Since the transverse side plates 333 of the first transverse side portion 331 and the second transverse side portion 332 are located above the highest liquid level 310, even if the refrigerant boils near the highest liquid level 310 during the evaporation process, it will not interfere with or affect the backflow of liquid refrigerant at the return port of the transverse side plate 333. Furthermore, due to the inclined shape of the transverse side plate 333, it can also prevent gaseous refrigerant mixed with liquid droplets from directly overflowing from the connection between the shell 203 and the transverse side plate 333 when the refrigerant boils near the highest liquid level 310, and being discharged from the refrigerant outlet 102 without undergoing a sufficient gas-liquid separation flow path.

[0051] Since the third heat exchange tube group 317 of the first lateral side 331 and the second lateral side 332 is located below the highest liquid level 310, and the third heat exchange tube group 317 occupies a portion of the space, the evaporator 100 requires less refrigerant than the evaporator without the third heat exchange tube group 317, and the liquid level in the evaporator 100 can reach the highest liquid level 310.

[0052] Those skilled in the art will understand that, in some embodiments, at least a portion of the transverse side plate is positioned above the highest liquid level to prevent the evaporated refrigerant fluid from overflowing directly from the connection between the casing and the transverse side plate. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the third heat exchange tube assembly is positioned below the highest liquid level, participating in the heat exchange process and occupying a portion of the volume space.

[0053] It should be noted that the top or bottom of each heat exchanger tube group refers to the uppermost or lowermost heat exchanger tube on its outer contour, and the side of each heat exchanger tube group refers to the outermost heat exchanger tube on its outer contour. In this embodiment, the top or bottom of each heat exchanger tube group refers to the uppermost or lowermost row or two rows of heat exchanger tubes in each heat exchanger tube group, and the side of each heat exchanger tube group refers to the outermost column or two columns of heat exchanger tubes.

[0054] Compared to evaporators that do not occupy any volume space on their lateral sides, the evaporator in this embodiment occupies a portion of the volume space through the third heat exchange tube assembly. This allows the evaporator to require less refrigerant charge to reach the maximum liquid level, meeting the liquid level requirements during high-load operation of the refrigeration system. Consequently, the required refrigerant charge for the evaporator is negligible regardless of whether the refrigeration system is operating at high or low load. Furthermore, this embodiment avoids the problem that the refrigerant above the pair of sides of the first heat exchange tube assembly cannot exchange heat with the water in the heat exchange tubes when the liquid level in the evaporator is higher than that in the first heat exchange tube assembly, thus improving the heat exchange efficiency of the evaporator at higher liquid levels.

[0055] Figure 4A and Figure 4B This is a structural schematic diagram of two embodiments of the transverse side plate 333, used to illustrate the return port on the transverse side plate 333. For example... Figure 4A and Figure 4B As shown, both reflux ports 435 and 436 are located on the upper side of the transverse side plate 333, that is... Figure 3A and Figure 3B The inner side, as shown, is the side with the lower height of the inclined transverse side plate 333, and they are spaced apart along the length direction L. This facilitates the return of liquid refrigerant to the heat exchange cavity. Figure 4A In the embodiment shown, the return port 435 is a hole penetrating the transverse side plate 333. Figure 4B In the illustrated embodiment, the return port 436 is a recessed opening extending inward from the edge of the transverse side plate 333. Those skilled in the art will understand that, as long as the liquid refrigerant can flow back from the top of the transverse side plate 333 to the lower heat exchange cavity 311 under the influence of gravity, the return port can also be located at other positions on the transverse side plate 333. Furthermore, in some other examples, the number of return ports can also be different.

[0056] Figure 5 This is a schematic axial cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the evaporator according to this application. The evaporator 500 shown in this embodiment has the same general structure as the evaporator 100, the only difference being that the evaporator 500 also includes a demister 524. Figure 5 As shown, a demister 524 is disposed at the communication port 523 to filter liquid droplets entrained in the gaseous refrigerant. In this embodiment, the demister 524 is connected between the top of the first longitudinal side plate 321 and the top of the second longitudinal side plate 322. Thus, the refrigerant fluid, after heat exchange with the water in the second heat exchange tube assembly 316, can flow through the demister 524 to remove some of the entrained droplets before entering the gas-liquid separation chamber 312 for further gas-liquid separation. As an example, the demister 524 can be a wire mesh, etc.

[0057] Figure 6 This is a schematic axial cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the evaporator according to this application. The evaporator 600 shown in this embodiment has the same general structure as evaporator 500, differing only in the lateral side structure of evaporator 600. Figure 6 As shown, the evaporator 600 includes a first transverse side portion 631 and a second transverse side portion 632 symmetrically arranged. The first transverse side portion 631 and the second transverse side portion 632 are still located outside the bottom 318 of the second heat exchange tube assembly 316, but no longer include the third heat exchange tube assembly; instead, they include a transverse side plate 633 and a filling portion 634. The transverse side plate 633 is connected between the bottom end of the corresponding longitudinal side plate and the housing 203, and slopes downwards from the outside to the inside in the width direction W. Similar to the evaporator 100, the transverse side plate 633 has at least one return port on the side near the bottom, so that the liquid refrigerant above the transverse side plate 633 can return to the heat exchange cavity and exchange heat with the heat exchange tubes. The filling portion 634 is disposed below the corresponding transverse side plate 633 to occupy a portion of the volume space outside the bottom 318 of the second heat exchange tube assembly 316. Therefore, the evaporator of this embodiment can also achieve the effect of reducing the refrigerant charge at the same liquid level height 610 by occupying a portion of the volume space of the transverse side portion. In some embodiments, the filling portion 634 is connected to the corresponding transverse side plate 633 and the housing 203. In some embodiments, the filling portion 634 only needs to be connected to the corresponding transverse side plate 633 and be close to the inner wall of the housing 203, and does not need to be directly connected to the inner wall of the housing 203.

[0058] In this application, the filler portion 634 is made of a material inert to the refrigerant, such as metal, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, or high-density polyvinyl chloride, which are easy to process and manufacture. The filler portion 634 can be connected to the transverse side plate 633 by conventional connection methods such as adhesive bonding or fastening.

[0059] Compared to evaporators 100 and 500, evaporator 600 does not include a third heat exchange tube assembly, thus reducing the number of heat exchange tubes and consequently reducing evaporator costs. With the same number of heat exchange tubes, and when the refrigeration system operates at low load, the liquid level in evaporators 100 and 500 is lower and may not be sufficient to fully submerge the third heat exchange tube assembly. However, the packing material in evaporator 600 does not participate in the heat exchange process, resulting in higher heat exchange efficiency for evaporator 600 compared to evaporators 100 and 500.

[0060] Figure 7 This is a schematic axial cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the evaporator according to this application. The evaporator 700 shown in this embodiment has the same general structure as the evaporator 600, differing only in the structure of the longitudinal side plates and transverse side portions. Figure 7 As shown, the evaporator 700 includes a first transverse side portion 731 and a second transverse side portion 732 symmetrically arranged. The first transverse side portion 731 and the second transverse side portion 732 are still located outside the bottom 318 of the second heat exchange tube assembly 316, and both include a transverse side plate 733 and a filling portion 734. However, in this embodiment, the filling portion 734 is no longer located below the transverse side plate, but above the transverse side plate 733. Furthermore, in the width direction W, the top surface of the filling portion 734 slopes downwards from the outside to the inside. The filling portion 734 is connected to the inner wall of the housing 203 and the transverse side plate 733, and has a gap 745 between it and the corresponding longitudinal side plate for fluid passage. In some embodiments, the filling portion 734 only needs to be connected to the transverse side plate and adjacent to the inner wall of the housing 203, and does not need to be directly connected to the inner wall of the housing 203. At least one return port is provided on the transverse side plate 733 to allow liquid refrigerant flowing from the gap 745 to the area above the transverse side plate 733 to return to the heat exchange cavity. Furthermore, unlike the evaporator 600, the first longitudinal side plate 721 and the second longitudinal side plate 722 extend to the outer side of the bottom 318 of the second heat exchange tube assembly 316, and the transverse side plate 733 is horizontally connected between the bottom end of the corresponding longitudinal side plate and the housing 203, approximately along the width direction W. In this embodiment, since the transverse side plate 733 is arranged approximately horizontally, the reflux port can be located on the inner side of the transverse side plate 733, in the area not covered by the filling portion 734.

[0061] Thus, the liquid refrigerant separated in the gas-liquid separation cavity 312 can flow downward and inward along the top of the filling part 734, and after passing through the gap 745 between the filling part 734 and the corresponding longitudinal side plate, it returns to the heat exchange cavity 311 from the return port on the transverse side plate 733.

[0062] In this embodiment, the evaporator 700 can also reduce the amount of refrigerant charged at the same liquid level 710 by occupying a portion of the volume space on its lateral side. Furthermore, the filling part 734 is connected to the housing 203, which can also prevent gaseous refrigerant mixed with liquid droplets from overflowing directly from the connection between the housing 203 and the lateral side plate 733.

[0063] Figure 8 This is a schematic axial cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the evaporator according to this application. The evaporator 800 shown in this embodiment has the same general structure as the evaporator 700, the only difference being the structure of the filling portion on the lateral side of the evaporator 800. For example... Figure 8As shown, the evaporator 800 also includes a first transverse side 831 and a second transverse side 832 symmetrically arranged. Each transverse side includes a transverse side plate 833 and a filling portion 834, with the filling portion 834 positioned above the transverse side plate 833. However, in this embodiment, the top surface of the filling portion 834 slopes downwards from the inside out. The filling portion 834 is connected to the corresponding longitudinal side plate and transverse side plate 833, and has a gap 845 between it and the inner wall of the housing 203 for fluid passage. In some embodiments, the filling portion 834 only needs to be connected to the transverse side plate and adjacent to the corresponding longitudinal side plate, without needing to be directly connected to the corresponding longitudinal side plate. The transverse side plate 833 is provided with at least one return port to allow liquid refrigerant flowing from the gap 845 to the area above the transverse side plate 833 to return to the heat exchange cavity. In this embodiment, the return port is located on the outer side of the transverse side plate 833, in an area not covered by the filling portion 834.

[0064] Thus, the liquid refrigerant separated in the gas-liquid separation cavity 312 can flow downward and outward along the top of the filling part 834, and after passing through the gap 845 between the filling part 834 and the shell 203, it returns to the heat exchange cavity 311 from the return port on the transverse side plate 833.

[0065] In this embodiment, the evaporator 800 can also reduce the amount of refrigerant charged at the same liquid level 810 by occupying a portion of the volume space on its lateral side.

[0066] In addition, Figure 7 The evaporator 700 shown and Figure 8 In the evaporator 800 shown, the packing block is connected to a horizontal transverse side plate, compared to being connected to a transverse side plate with an inclined shape (such as...). Figure 6 For the evaporator 600 shown, manufacturing is simpler. Furthermore... Figure 7 and Figure 8 In the illustrated embodiment, the filler block may not be directly connected to the housing or longitudinal side plate, but rather it can be placed adjacent to it. This further facilitates the processing and manufacturing of the filler block. Those skilled in the art will understand that "adjacent" in this application means that the filler block is processed into a certain shape so that it is close to the corresponding housing or longitudinal side plate. In some cases, unavoidable gaps may exist.

[0067] In this application, the evaporator includes a lateral side portion occupying a certain volume space, which reduces the amount of refrigerant charge required for the evaporator when operating at a high liquid level. This ensures that the amount of refrigerant charge does not change significantly when the evaporator operates at different liquid levels.

[0068] Although this application has been described with reference to examples of the embodiments outlined above, various alternatives, modifications, variations, improvements, and / or substantially equivalents, whether known or currently or soon to be foreseen, will likely be apparent to those skilled in the art. Furthermore, the technical effects and / or technical problems described herein are exemplary and not limiting; therefore, the disclosures herein may be used to solve other technical problems and have other technical effects and / or can solve other technical problems. Thus, the examples of embodiments of this application as set forth above are intended to be illustrative and not limiting. Various changes can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of this application. Therefore, this application is intended to include all known or previously developed alternatives, modifications, variations, improvements, and / or substantially equivalents.

Claims

1. An evaporator, characterized in that... include: A housing having a cavity and a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet communicating with the cavity, the cavity having a length direction, a width direction and a height direction; A first heat exchange tube group and a second heat exchange tube group, wherein each heat exchange tube in the first heat exchange tube group and the second heat exchange tube group extends along the length direction of the cavity, the first heat exchange tube group is located at the lower part of the cavity, and the second heat exchange tube group is located above the first heat exchange tube group, wherein the width of the top of the first heat exchange tube group is greater than the width of the bottom of the second heat exchange tube group. The first longitudinal side plate and the second longitudinal side plate extend along the length direction and are respectively disposed on both sides of the second heat exchange tube group in the width direction. as well as A first lateral side and a second lateral side, the first lateral side and the second lateral side extending along the length direction, the first lateral side being connected to the first longitudinal side plate and the housing, the second lateral side being connected to the second longitudinal side plate and the housing, the first longitudinal side plate, the second longitudinal side plate, the first lateral side and the second lateral side being configured to jointly guide the refrigerant flowing out of the first heat exchange tube group to the second heat exchange tube group; The first lateral side and the second lateral side are respectively located outside the bottom of the second heat exchange tube group and above the side of the first heat exchange tube group, and the height of the first lateral side and / or the second lateral side is configured to occupy a portion of the volume space outside the second heat exchange tube group.

2. The evaporator according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the height direction, the height of the first lateral side and / or the second lateral side is set such that at least a portion is above the highest liquid level of the evaporator and at least a portion is below the highest liquid level of the evaporator.

3. The evaporator according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the width direction, the top of at least one of the first lateral side and the second lateral side is inclined relative to the width direction.

4. The evaporator according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first longitudinal side plate, the second longitudinal side plate, the first transverse side and the second transverse side divide the cavity into a heat exchange cavity and a gas-liquid separation cavity, and the first heat exchange tube group and the second heat exchange tube group are arranged in the heat exchange cavity; The gap between the top of the first longitudinal side plate and the top of the second longitudinal side plate forms a communication port, which fluidly connects the heat exchange cavity and the gas-liquid separation cavity, so that the refrigerant in the heat exchange cavity can enter the gas-liquid separation cavity for gas-liquid separation. Furthermore, each of the first lateral side and the second lateral side includes at least one return port, the return port being in fluid communication with the heat exchange cavity and the gas-liquid separation cavity, so that the refrigerant in the gas-liquid separation cavity can return to the heat exchange cavity for heat exchange.

5. The evaporator according to claim 4, characterized in that: The evaporator also includes a demister, which is disposed at the communication port.

6. The evaporator according to claim 4, characterized in that: At least one of the first lateral side and the second lateral side includes a lateral side plate and a third heat exchange tube assembly, wherein the lateral side plate is connected between the bottom end of the corresponding longitudinal side plate and the housing, and the third heat exchange tube assembly is disposed below the corresponding lateral side plate.

7. The evaporator according to claim 4, characterized in that: At least one of the first lateral side portion and the second lateral side portion includes a lateral side plate and a filling portion, wherein the lateral side plate is connected between the bottom end of the corresponding longitudinal side plate and the housing, and the filling portion is disposed below the corresponding lateral side plate.

8. The evaporator according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that: The transverse side plate of the first transverse side and / or the transverse side plate of the second transverse side are configured to slope downward from the outside to the inside in the width direction; The at least one return port is located on the bottom side of each of the transverse side plates in the width direction.

9. The evaporator according to claim 4, characterized in that: At least one of the first lateral side portion and the second lateral side portion includes a lateral side plate and a filling portion, wherein the lateral side plate is connected between the bottom end of the corresponding longitudinal side plate and the housing, and the filling portion is disposed above the corresponding lateral side plate.

10. The evaporator according to claim 9, characterized in that: The top of the filling portion is configured to slope downward from the outside to the inside in the width direction; The filling portion is connected to, adjacent to or connected to the corresponding transverse side plate, and has a gap between it and the corresponding longitudinal side plate for fluid to pass through, and wherein at least one return port is located inside the transverse side plate and in an area not covered by the filling portion.

11. The evaporator according to claim 9, characterized in that: The top of the filling portion is configured to slope downward from the inside out in the width direction; The filling portion is connected to, adjacent to or connected to the corresponding longitudinal side plate, and has a gap between it and the housing for fluid to pass through, wherein at least one return port is located on the outside of the transverse side plate and in an area not covered by the filling portion.

12. The evaporator according to claim 7 or 9, characterized in that: The filling part is made of a material that is inert to the refrigerant.

13. A refrigeration system, characterized in that... include: A compressor, condenser, throttling device, and evaporator are disposed in a refrigerant circuit, wherein the evaporator is the evaporator according to any one of claims 1-12.

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