Air conditioner outdoor unit

Abstract

This application discloses an outdoor unit for an air conditioner, belonging to the field of air conditioning technology. The outdoor unit includes a compressor, a fan, and a muffler. The muffler comprises a shell, a partition plate with a second through hole, an inner tube, a piston adapted to the inner tube and capable of sliding along its axis, an elastic element connecting the piston and the partition plate, and 1-3 layers of perforated covers coaxial with the inner tube. Each perforated cover includes an annular plate sleeved and fixed to the perforated section of the inner tube, and a perforated tube with one end connected to the outer edge of the annular plate and the other end fixed to the partition plate. The perforated tube has a third through hole. The annular plates are spaced apart axially along the inner tube, and the perforated tubes are spaced apart radially. The perforated section has a first through hole on both sides of each annular plate. This application, through the cooperation of the piston and the elastic element, enables the muffler to automatically adjust the refrigerant flow path under different pressure pulsations to match different pressure pulsations, thereby achieving a better noise reduction effect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of air conditioning technology, and more particularly to an outdoor unit for an air conditioner. Background Technology

[0002] The outdoor unit of an air conditioner is the core device in an air conditioning system that enables heat exchange and refrigerant circulation. It integrates several key components, including a compressor, condenser, cooling fan, refrigerant piping, gas-liquid separator, and four-way valve. The compressor, as the power source for the refrigerant circulation, is responsible for compressing the low-pressure, low-temperature refrigerant into a high-pressure, high-temperature state. The condenser cools and condenses the high-pressure gaseous refrigerant through heat exchange with the outdoor air. The cooling fan enhances the condenser's heat exchange efficiency by forcing airflow. The refrigerant piping serves as the channel connecting these components, forming a closed refrigerant circulation system that collectively achieves the air conditioner's cooling or heating functions.

[0003] As people's requirements for living environments increase, the noise problem of air conditioner outdoor units is receiving more and more attention. The noise of the outdoor unit originates from multiple parts, among which the refrigerant noise caused by the periodic intake and exhaust behavior of the compressor is a significant component. During operation, the compressor's intake and exhaust actions are significantly periodic, causing periodic fluctuations in the pressure within the refrigerant lines, i.e., pressure pulsations. When these pressure pulsations propagate through the refrigerant, they induce pipe vibration and radiate noise to the outside. Because the compressor speed varies with the air conditioner's operating conditions (such as indoor and outdoor temperature difference, set temperature, etc.), the magnitude of the refrigerant pressure pulsations differs significantly at different speeds, thus altering the intensity and frequency of the refrigerant noise.

[0004] Currently, installing silencers on refrigerant pipelines is a common method for reducing refrigerant noise. Existing silencers mainly include single-expansion silencers, internally inserted tube silencers, and perforated tube silencers. The noise reduction performance of these silencers is primarily determined by structural parameters such as cavity radius, cavity length, inlet and outlet radii, insertion depth of the internal tube, and porosity of the perforated tube. Their working principle involves altering the refrigerant's flow path and expansion space within the silencer, utilizing abrupt changes in acoustic impedance to weaken pressure pulsations. However, once the structural dimensions of existing silencers are determined, their corresponding noise reduction frequency band and performance remain fixed. During air conditioning operation, due to factors such as set temperature and indoor / outdoor temperature differences, the compressor speed and operating conditions are constantly changing, and the intensity and characteristics of refrigerant pressure pulsations also change accordingly. A silencer with a fixed structure cannot adaptively adjust to changes in actual pressure pulsations. When the operating conditions deviate from the silencer's optimal design conditions, its attenuation effect on pressure pulsations significantly decreases, making it difficult to achieve optimal noise reduction performance across all operating conditions. Utility Model Content

[0005] This application provides an outdoor unit for an air conditioner, the purpose of which is to enable the muffler to automatically adjust the refrigerant flow path under different pressure pulsations by cooperating with the piston and the elastic element, so as to match different pressure pulsations and thus achieve a better noise reduction effect.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this application adopts the following technical solution: In a first aspect, an outdoor unit for an air conditioner is provided, including a housing, wherein the housing contains: The compressor is used to supply refrigerant to the heat exchanger; A silencer, the silencer connecting the compressor and the heat exchanger, the silencer comprising: The housing includes an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe, the inlet pipe being connected to the outlet of the compressor and the outlet pipe being connected to the inlet of the heat exchanger; A partition, which is fixed inside the outer casing, has a plurality of second through holes. An inner tube is disposed inside the outer shell; one end of the inner tube is connected to the inlet pipe, and the end of the inner tube away from the inlet pipe is fixed to the partition plate; a cavity is formed between the outer wall of the inner tube and the inner wall of the outer shell, and the inner tube is provided with a plurality of first through holes along its axial direction; A perforated cover is disposed in the cavity; the perforated cover is provided with a plurality of third through holes; a sound-absorbing cavity is formed between the perforated cover, the partition and the inner tube; wherein, a portion of the first through holes are located inside the sound-absorbing cavity, and the second through holes are located outside the sound-absorbing cavity; A piston assembly is disposed in the inner tube; the piston assembly can dynamically adjust its position in the inner tube toward the inlet pipe according to the changes in refrigerant pressure pulsation. The refrigerant flowing into the muffler from the inlet pipe pushes the piston assembly, positioning it in a specific position within the inner tube, facing the inlet pipe. At this time, some refrigerant enters the cavity directly through the inner tube and the first through-hole, and / or some refrigerant enters the muffler cavity through the inner tube and the first through-hole, then passes through the third through-hole of the perforated cover into the cavity. Finally, the refrigerant in the cavity flows out of the muffler sequentially through the second through-hole of the partition and the outlet pipe of the outer shell.

[0007] Secondly, an outdoor unit for an air conditioner is provided, including a housing, wherein the housing contains: The compressor is used to supply refrigerant to the heat exchanger; A silencer, the silencer connecting the compressor and the heat exchanger, the silencer comprising: The housing includes an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe, the inlet pipe being connected to the outlet of the compressor and the outlet pipe being connected to the inlet of the heat exchanger; A partition, which is fixed inside the outer casing, has a plurality of second through holes. An inner tube is disposed inside the outer shell; one end of the inner tube is connected to the inlet pipe, and the end of the inner tube away from the inlet pipe is fixed to the partition plate; a cavity is formed between the outer wall of the inner tube and the inner wall of the outer shell, and the inner tube is provided with a plurality of first through holes along its axial direction; A perforated cover is disposed on the partition plate and has a plurality of third through holes. The perforated cover divides the cavity into a plurality of chambers. Some of the first through holes are located in the chamber formed between the perforated cover, the partition plate, and the inner tube, while the second through holes are located outside the chamber formed between the perforated cover, the partition plate, and the inner tube. A piston assembly is disposed in the inner tube; the piston assembly can dynamically adjust its position in the inner tube toward the inlet pipe according to the changes in refrigerant pressure pulsation. The refrigerant flowing into the muffler from the inlet pipe pushes the piston assembly, positioning it in a specific position within the inner tube, facing the inlet pipe. At this time, some refrigerant enters the cavity directly through the inner tube and the first through-hole, and / or some refrigerant enters the cavity after sequentially passing through the first through-hole of the inner tube and the third through-hole of the perforated cover. Finally, the refrigerant in the cavity flows out of the muffler sequentially through the second through-hole of the partition and the outlet pipe of the outer shell.

[0008] In the above embodiments, this application achieves dynamic adaptation of the muffler performance to refrigerant pressure pulsations by constructing a pressure-adaptive flow path adjustment structure within the muffler. Specifically, this includes a piston assembly that can slide along the inner tube, an inner tube opening section with a first through hole, a multi-layer perforated cover with a third through hole, and a baffle with a second through hole. Specifically, the noise reduction effect of the muffler is positively correlated with the flow path length and flow resistance; that is, the longer the flow path and the greater the flow resistance, the stronger the attenuation effect on refrigerant pressure pulsations. Based on this characteristic, this application adjusts the piston's dynamic position to allow the flow path characteristics to automatically change with pressure pulsations: when the refrigerant pressure pulsations are small, the refrigerant thrust on the piston is small, and the piston stays closer to the inlet pipe. At this time, the refrigerant directly enters the cavity through the first through hole and then flows out through the second through hole on the baffle. In this state, the flow path is short and the flow resistance is small, which can minimize the additional energy consumption of the muffler on the air conditioning system while ensuring the basic noise reduction effect. When the refrigerant pressure pulsation is large, the thrust on the piston increases accordingly, and it moves towards the baffle. At this time, some refrigerant enters the cavity through the first through hole, while some refrigerant needs to pass through the third through hole of the perforated cover before entering the cavity, and finally flows out from the second through hole together. Moreover, the larger the pressure pulsation amplitude, the closer the piston is to the baffle, the more layers of perforated cover the refrigerant needs to pass through, the longer the corresponding flow path length, the greater the flow resistance, and the more significantly the attenuation effect of the pressure pulsation is improved.

[0009] This design precisely addresses the core shortcomings of traditional fixed-structure silencers. Traditional silencers, due to their fixed structural dimensions, cannot adapt to the differences in refrigerant pressure pulsations caused by varying operating conditions. In practical applications, this often leads to two problems: first, under high-pressure pulsations, the fixed flow path's attenuation capability is insufficient, resulting in substandard noise reduction; second, under low-pressure pulsations, the fixed flow resistance is too high, additionally consuming system energy. This application, through the coordinated operation of piston components and a multi-layered perforated structure, enables the silencer to automatically match the appropriate flow path length and flow resistance according to the actual pressure pulsation amplitude. This ensures that the expected noise reduction effect is achieved under different operating conditions while minimizing the impact on system performance, ultimately achieving a synergistic balance between noise reduction and system energy efficiency.

[0010] In some embodiments of this application, the partition includes an inner circular portion and an outer ring portion sleeved on the outer periphery of the inner circular portion, and the second through hole is formed on the outer ring portion; the inner tube includes a fixed section and an open section connected to the fixed section, one end of the open section away from the fixed section is fixed on the partition, and the first through hole is formed on the open section.

[0011] In the above embodiments, this application distinguishes between the inner circle and the outer ring, with the second through hole only located in the outer ring. Simultaneously, the inner tube is fixed to the partition at the end furthest from the fixed section of the open section, and the first through hole is concentrated in the open section. This combined design firstly clarifies the orderly flow path of the refrigerant within the silencer. The refrigerant must enter the cavity through the first through hole in the open section of the inner tube and ultimately flow out only through the second through hole in the outer ring, avoiding pressure loss caused by chaotic flow paths and providing a structural basis for precise control of different flow paths. Furthermore, the design of the first through hole concentrated in the open section and the second through hole limited to the outer ring, in conjunction with components such as the perforated cover, precisely guides the refrigerant through the preset silencing structure during flow, allowing the refrigerant to fully undergo the perforation attenuation process within the cavity before flowing out. This lays a structural foundation for improving the pressure pulsation attenuation effect while ensuring the overall structural stability and flow path continuity.

[0012] In some embodiments of this application, the number of perforated covers is 1 to 3, and the perforated covers include: A circular plate, which is fitted and fixed onto the opening section; An opening tube, one end of which is connected to the outer edge of the annular plate, and the other end of which is fixed to the inner circle of the partition plate; the third through hole is formed on the opening tube; The annular plates of each layer of the perforated cover are arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the inner tube, and the perforated tubes of each layer of the perforated cover are arranged at intervals along the radial direction of the inner tube.

[0013] In the above embodiments, this application sets the number of perforated covers to a reasonable range of 1 to 3, which avoids the problem of limited silencing effect of a single-layer structure and prevents excessive flow resistance caused by too many layers, thus achieving a balance between silencing performance and flow efficiency. The design of the annular plates of each layer of perforated covers being spaced apart along the axial direction of the inner tube and the perforated tubes being spaced apart along the radial direction forms a layered and staggered perforated structure in space: the axial spacing ensures that the first through-hole areas corresponding to different annular plates do not overlap, allowing the refrigerant to enter each perforated cover in layers; the radial spacing allows the perforated tubes to form a ring distribution from the inside to the outside, which, together with the setting of the third through hole, provides a multi-level flow path and buffer space for the refrigerant. This layout not only extends the flow path of the refrigerant in the silencer and enhances the gradual attenuation effect of pressure pulsation, but also avoids interference between different flow paths through clear spatial partitioning, ensuring smooth refrigerant flow. At the same time, the compact layered design also adapts to the limited installation space inside the silencer.

[0014] In some embodiments of this application, the piston assembly includes a piston and an elastic element; the piston is fitted with the inner tube and can slide freely along the axis of the inner tube; the elastic element connects the piston and the partition.

[0015] In the above embodiments, the piston's sliding characteristics allow it to flexibly adjust its position in the inner tube according to changes in refrigerant pressure, while the elastic element generates a reverse force through its own deformation, forming a dynamic balance with the refrigerant thrust. This balancing mechanism allows the piston to automatically adapt to the corresponding position according to real-time pressure pulsations, achieving adaptive switching of the flow path.

[0016] In some embodiments of this application, the diameter of the first through hole ranges from 1 mm to 3 mm, and the ratio of the total area of ​​each first through hole to the surface area of ​​the opening segment is 30% to 80%.

[0017] In the above embodiments, this application achieves a dual effect by limiting the diameter of the first through-hole to 1mm~3mm and the porosity (total area of ​​the first through-hole / surface area of ​​the opening section) to 30%~80%: On the one hand, the small orifice diameter (1mm~3mm) can enhance the attenuation capability of high-frequency pressure pulsation and improve the targeting of noise reduction; on the other hand, the porosity of 30%~80% ensures the refrigerant flow rate (avoiding excessive flow resistance due to excessively low porosity) and ensures that pressure pulsation is effectively dispersed when passing through the through-hole through a reasonable opening density. This limitation achieves an optimal balance between noise reduction and flow in the opening section, reducing the performance risk caused by unreasonable structural parameters.

[0018] In some embodiments of this application, the minimum distance between the inner wall of the perforated tube and the outer wall of the inner tube is greater than or equal to the diameter of the first through hole.

[0019] In the above embodiments, this application ensures that after the refrigerant flows out of the first through hole, it can smoothly enter the gap between the inner tube and the innermost perforated cover by limiting the minimum distance between the inner wall of the perforated tube and the outer wall of the inner tube to be greater than or equal to the diameter of the first through hole. This reduces the local resistance loss of the refrigerant in the initial section of the flow path, reduces the additional noise caused by turbulence, and ensures the system energy efficiency.

[0020] In some embodiments of this application, the minimum distance between any two adjacent perforated tubes is greater than or equal to the diameter of the third through hole provided on the perforated tube closer to the inner tube.

[0021] In the above embodiments, this application ensures that when the refrigerant flows between multiple perforated covers, there is enough space to pass through the third through hole of the outer perforated cover, thus avoiding flow blockage caused by the small spacing between adjacent perforated covers, by limiting the minimum distance between any two adjacent perforated tubes to be greater than or equal to the diameter of the third through hole of the inner perforated tube.

[0022] This design reduces the flow resistance of the refrigerant between the perforated covers, ensuring that pressure pulsations are uniformly attenuated as they pass through the multi-layer perforated structure, while avoiding secondary noise caused by sudden changes in resistance.

[0023] In some embodiments of this application, the diameter of the third through hole on the perforated tube is greater than or equal to the diameter of the first through hole on the inner tube; The ratio of the total area of ​​each of the third through holes to the surface area of ​​the perforated tube is greater than or equal to the ratio of the total area of ​​each of the first through holes to the surface area of ​​the perforated section; Along the radial direction of the inner tube, the diameter of the third through hole on the perforated tube away from the inner tube is greater than or equal to the diameter of the third through hole on the perforated tube close to the inner tube. Along the radial direction of the inner tube, the ratio of the total area of ​​each of the third through holes on the perforated tubes away from the inner tube to the surface area of ​​the perforated tubes is greater than or equal to the ratio of the total area of ​​each of the third through holes on the perforated tubes close to the inner tube to the surface area of ​​the perforated tubes.

[0024] In the above embodiments, this application employs a gradient structure where the diameter and porosity of the third through-hole in the outer perforated cover are greater than or equal to those of the inner layer and greater than or equal to those of the first through-hole in the inner tube. This design ensures that the flow resistance gradually decreases as the refrigerant flows from the inner tube to the outside. This design avoids pressure loss and flow path blockage caused by a sudden increase in the resistance of the outer layer, ensuring that the refrigerant can effectively attenuate pulsations while maintaining smooth flow when passing through multiple perforated covers, thus balancing noise reduction and system flow efficiency.

[0025] In some embodiments of this application, along the radial direction of the inner tube, the diameter of the second through hole is greater than or equal to the diameter of the third through hole on the perforated tube with the largest distance from the inner tube; Along the radial direction of the inner tube, the ratio of the total area of ​​each of the second through holes to the area of ​​the outer ring is greater than or equal to the ratio of the total area of ​​each of the third through holes on the perforated tube with the largest distance from the inner tube to the surface area of ​​the perforated tube.

[0026] In the above embodiments, this application further reduces the resistance when the refrigerant flows from the outermost perforated cover to the partition by setting the diameter and porosity of the second through hole of the partition to be greater than or equal to the third through hole of the outermost perforated cover. This design achieves a smooth transition of resistance throughout the entire flow path of the refrigerant in the silencer, from the inner tube to the perforated cover to the partition, avoiding pressure loss caused by sudden changes in resistance at the end of the flow path (at the partition), and minimizing the impact of the silencer on the system's energy efficiency.

[0027] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and do not limit this application. Attached Figure Description

[0028] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the muffler provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional cross-sectional schematic diagram of the overall structure of the muffler provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 3 This is a front view schematic diagram of the muffler provided in the embodiment of this application; Figure 4 yes Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the AA section; Figure 5 This is a perspective view of the muffler housing provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional view of the inner tube of the muffler provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the combined structure of the inner tube, partition, and multi-layer perforated cover of the muffler provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 8 This is a front view schematic diagram of the combined structure of the inner tube, partition and multi-layer perforated cover of the muffler provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 9 yes Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the BB cross section in the middle; Figure 10 This is a top view of the baffle plate of the muffler provided in the embodiment of this application; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the refrigerant flow path when the piston of the muffler provided in this application embodiment is in position P1; Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the refrigerant flow path when the piston of the muffler provided in this application embodiment is in position P2; Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the refrigerant flow path when the piston of the muffler provided in this application is in position P3; Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the refrigerant flow path when the piston of the muffler provided in this application is in position P4.

[0030] In the above diagrams: the thick solid line represents the refrigerant flow path, and the direction of the arrow on the thick solid line represents the direction of refrigerant flow.

[0031] In the above figures: P1, P2, P3, and P4 represent different positions of the piston facing the inlet pipe in the inner tube; F1, F2, and F3 represent different refrigerant flow paths.

[0032] In the above figures: 100, outer shell; 110, inlet pipe; 120, outlet pipe; 130, barrel body; 131, cavity; 200, inner pipe; 210, fixed section; 220, perforated section; 221, first through hole; 230, connecting section; 300, partition plate; 310, inner circle; 311, first limiting block; 320, outer ring; 321, second through hole; 400, perforated cover; 410, circular ring plate; 420, perforated pipe; 421, third through hole; 430, silencing cavity; 500, piston; 510, top; 511, second limiting block; 520, skirt; 600, elastic element. Detailed Implementation

[0033] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application. In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a connection that allows communication between components; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication between two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0034] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0035] In this application, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example, which is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0036] Additionally, if the meaning of "and / or" in the text is that it includes three parallel options, taking "A and / or B" as an example, it includes option A, option B, or an option that satisfies both A and B.

[0037] The present application will now be described in detail through exemplary embodiments. However, it should be understood that, without further description, elements, structures, and features in one embodiment may be advantageously incorporated into other embodiments.

[0038] The outdoor unit of an air conditioner is the core device in an air conditioning system that enables heat exchange and refrigerant circulation. It integrates key components such as a compressor, heat exchanger, cooling fan, refrigerant piping, gas-liquid separator, and four-way valve. The compressor, as the power source for refrigerant circulation, is responsible for compressing the low-pressure, low-temperature refrigerant into a high-pressure, high-temperature state. With increasing demands for comfort in living environments, the noise problem of outdoor air conditioner units has received growing attention. The noise of the outdoor unit originates from various sources, with refrigerant noise caused by the periodic intake and exhaust of the compressor being a significant component. When the compressor operates, the intake and exhaust actions are distinctly periodic. This periodic movement causes periodic fluctuations in the pressure within the refrigerant piping, forming pressure pulsations. As these pressure pulsations propagate through the refrigerant, they induce piping vibrations and radiate noise to the outside. Furthermore, the compressor speed varies with the air conditioner's operating conditions (such as the indoor-outdoor temperature difference and set temperature), resulting in significant differences in the magnitude of refrigerant pressure pulsations at different speeds, which in turn alters the intensity and frequency of the refrigerant noise.

[0039] Currently, installing silencers on refrigerant pipelines is a common method for reducing refrigerant noise. Existing silencers mainly include single-expansion type, internal insertion type, and perforated tube type. The noise reduction performance of these silencers is determined by structural parameters such as cavity radius, cavity length, inlet and outlet radii, internal insertion depth, and perforated tube porosity. However, once the structural dimensions of existing silencers are determined, the corresponding noise reduction frequency band and noise reduction performance remain fixed. During air conditioning operation, the compressor speed and operating conditions are constantly changing due to factors such as set temperature and indoor-outdoor temperature difference. The intensity and characteristics of refrigerant pressure pulsation also change accordingly. Silencers with fixed structures cannot adaptively adjust to changes in actual pressure pulsation. When the operating conditions deviate from the silencer's optimal design conditions, its attenuation effect on pressure pulsation will significantly decrease, making it difficult to achieve optimal noise reduction performance under all operating conditions.

[0040] Generally, the higher the system pressure, the greater the pressure pulsation. Simultaneously, while the silencer reduces pressure pulsation, it introduces additional resistance into the system, leading to reduced system efficiency. Therefore, although existing air conditioning systems design the silencer structure and dimensions to account for the amplitude and frequency of refrigerant noise (which is positively correlated with pressure pulsation) in order to achieve better noise reduction under specific operating conditions, and also consider the impact on system performance during the design process, the silencer's structural parameters directly determine its acoustic performance, and the structure cannot be changed. Therefore, it can only achieve optimal noise reduction under specific operating conditions; as operating conditions change, the noise reduction performance will decrease accordingly.

[0041] Based on this, this application proposes an outdoor unit for air conditioning. By constructing a pressure-adaptive flow path adjustment structure within the muffler, specifically including a piston 500 that can slide along the inner tube 200, an elastic element 600 connecting the piston 500 and the partition 300, an opening section 220 of the inner tube 200 with a first through hole 221, a multi-layer perforated cover 400 with a third through hole 421, and a partition 300 with a second through hole 321, dynamic adaptation of the muffler performance to refrigerant pressure pulsation is achieved. That is, when the pressure pulsation is large, the refrigerant flows through a longer flow path, increasing the flow resistance to enhance noise reduction; when the pressure pulsation is small, the refrigerant flows through a shorter flow path, decreasing the flow resistance to reduce energy loss. This design effectively solves the problem that existing fixed-structure mufflers cannot dynamically adjust according to operating conditions, resulting in a decline in noise reduction performance under all operating conditions and an inability to balance noise reduction effect and system energy efficiency, significantly improving the overall operating performance of the outdoor unit for air conditioning.

[0042] In the following, embodiments of this application will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0043] As attached Figures 1 to 10As shown in an illustrative embodiment of this application, the outdoor unit of the air conditioner includes a housing, and a compressor is disposed within the housing. The compressor is a gas pressurization device used to compress refrigerant from a low-pressure, low-temperature state to a high-pressure, high-temperature state. The compressor, driven by a motor, performs mechanical motion on internal moving parts (such as pistons, rotors, scroll plates, etc.) to compress the incoming low-pressure gaseous refrigerant, converting it into a high-pressure gaseous refrigerant. The specific process can be divided into four core stages: intake, compression, exhaust, and expansion (in some types).

[0044] In cooling mode, the air conditioner transfers heat from indoors to outdoors. The refrigerant circulation path is: indoor heat exchanger (evaporator) → gas-liquid separator → compressor → outdoor heat exchanger (condenser) → throttling device → indoor heat exchanger (evaporator). Specifically, in the indoor heat exchanger, low-pressure liquid refrigerant absorbs indoor heat and evaporates into low-pressure, low-temperature gaseous refrigerant. This gaseous refrigerant returns to the outdoor unit via a low-pressure pipeline, first passing through a gas-liquid separator to filter out residual liquid components before entering the compressor. The compressor compresses this gaseous refrigerant into high-pressure, high-temperature gaseous refrigerant, which is then discharged into the outdoor heat exchanger via a high-pressure pipeline. There, it releases heat through heat exchange with outdoor air driven by a fan, condensing into high-pressure, medium-temperature liquid refrigerant. Subsequently, the pressure is reduced to a low-pressure gas-liquid mixture by the throttling device before re-entering the indoor heat exchanger, completing the cycle.

[0045] In heating mode, the air conditioner switches the refrigerant flow direction through a four-way valve to transfer outdoor heat to the indoor unit. The circulation path is: outdoor heat exchanger (evaporator) → gas-liquid separator → compressor → indoor heat exchanger (condenser) → throttling device → outdoor heat exchanger (evaporator). Specifically, the four-way valve switches, temporarily turning the outdoor heat exchanger into an evaporator. The low-pressure liquid refrigerant absorbs heat from the outdoor air and evaporates into a low-pressure, low-temperature gaseous refrigerant, which is then filtered by the gas-liquid separator and enters the compressor. The high-pressure, high-temperature gaseous refrigerant compressed by the compressor is sent to the indoor heat exchanger (temporarily acting as a condenser) through a high-pressure pipeline, where it releases heat through heat exchange with the indoor air (heating the indoor air) and condenses into a high-pressure, medium-temperature liquid refrigerant. Subsequently, the pressure is reduced to a low-pressure gas-liquid mixture by the throttling device and returns to the outdoor heat exchanger, completing the cycle.

[0046] It should be noted that the specific structure of the compressor (including the compressor's motor, cylinder, piston, and other core components, as well as the connection relationship between the suction valve, discharge valve, and gas-liquid separator) and the compressor's operating principle (such as the process of compressing low-pressure, low-temperature gaseous refrigerant into high-pressure, high-temperature gaseous refrigerant by driving the internal components to rotate / reciprocate through a motor, etc.) are all prior art, and their technical details are well known to those skilled in the art. Therefore, they need not be elaborated upon in this application. The improvement in this application lies only in optimizing the pressure pulsation attenuation effect of the refrigerant after it flows out of the compressor outlet through the structural design of the silencer, and will not be elaborated upon further below.

[0047] It is worth noting that the refrigerant mentioned in this application (also known as a refrigerant, such as R32, R410A, etc.) is a medium for heat transfer, and the same applies throughout the application, so it will not be repeated here.

[0048] In some embodiments, a condenser is provided inside the casing, which is the outdoor heat exchanger. The condenser is used for heat exchange between the refrigerant and the outdoor air. Its main body is composed of multiple sets of parallel copper (or aluminum) heat exchange tubes and dense metal heat dissipation fins (usually aluminum fins). The heat exchange tubes are inserted and fixed in the preset holes of the fins to form a tube-fin integrated heat exchange matrix. At the same time, the condenser is fixed inside the outdoor unit casing by a bracket, and an air flow channel is reserved on the side corresponding to the cooling fan. Some condensers are also equipped with manifolds at the inlet and outlet of the pipes (for collecting / distributing refrigerant) to ensure that the refrigerant can flow evenly through each heat exchange tube, and finally achieve efficient heat exchange between the refrigerant and the outdoor air.

[0049] It should be noted that the specific structure of the condenser (including the copper / aluminum heat exchange tubes, metal heat dissipation fins, manifolds, and other components, as well as the connection relationship between the condenser inlet and compressor outlet pipes, and between the condenser outlet and throttling component pipes) and the operating principle of the condenser (such as transferring heat from the high-pressure, high-temperature gaseous refrigerant to the outdoor air through the heat exchange tubes and fins during cooling, causing the refrigerant to condense into a high-pressure liquid state; and switching to evaporator function during heating, absorbing heat from the outdoor air through the heat exchange tubes and fins, causing the refrigerant to evaporate into a low-pressure gaseous state, etc.) are all prior art, and their technical details are well known to those skilled in the art. Therefore, they need not be elaborated upon in this application.

[0050] In some embodiments, a fan is installed inside the housing, which works in conjunction with the condenser. The fan's core function is to drive outdoor air to flow across the heat exchange surfaces of the condenser (such as fins and the outer wall of the heat exchange tubes) through its own rotation. By forcing airflow, heat from the condenser's heat exchange surfaces can be quickly removed (in cooling mode) or the transfer of outdoor air heat to the condenser can be accelerated (in heating mode). This, in turn, speeds up the heat exchange rate between the refrigerant inside the condenser and the outdoor air, improving the condenser's heat exchange efficiency and ensuring the stable and efficient operation of the air conditioning system's cooling or heating functions.

[0051] It should be noted that the specific structure of the aforementioned fan (including the fan motor, fan blades, fixed brackets, and other components, as well as the assembly relationship between the fan and the outdoor unit casing, and the relative positional connection relationship with the condenser) and the operating principle of the fan (such as the process of generating airflow by driving the fan blades to rotate through the motor, causing the outdoor air to flow directionally along the surface of the condenser, thereby accelerating the heat exchange rate between the condenser and the air) are all prior art, and their technical details are well known to those skilled in the art. Therefore, there is no need to elaborate on them in this application.

[0052] In some embodiments, a silencer is provided inside the housing, and the silencer connects the compressor and the heat exchanger.

[0053] Furthermore, the number of silencers is at least one.

[0054] In some embodiments, the muffler connects the compressor to the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0055] In some embodiments, the muffler connects the compressor to the indoor unit heat exchanger.

[0056] In some embodiments, there are two silencers: one silencer connects the compressor to the outdoor heat exchanger, and the other silencer connects the compressor to the indoor heat exchanger.

[0057] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the muffler includes a housing 100.

[0058] In some embodiments, the housing 100 includes an inlet pipe 110, which is connected to the compressor outlet via a refrigerant line. The inlet pipe 110 is used to allow the refrigerant discharged from the compressor to enter the muffler.

[0059] In some embodiments, the housing 100 includes an outlet pipe 120, which is connected to the inlet of the heat exchanger via a refrigerant line. The outlet pipe 120 is used to deliver refrigerant that has completed pressure pulsation attenuation to the heat exchanger.

[0060] In some embodiments, the outer casing 100 includes a barrel 130, with an inlet pipe 110 and an outlet pipe 120 coaxially disposed at both ends of the barrel 130, and both communicating with the internal space of the barrel 130. The inlet pipe 110, the outlet pipe 120, and the barrel 130 are coaxial and integrally formed. The inner diameter of the barrel 130 is larger than that of the inlet pipe 110 and the outlet pipe 120, creating a significant expansion space within the outer casing 100. This expansion space utilizes the principle of "acoustic impedance abrupt change" to allow the refrigerant pressure pulsation entering the silencer to naturally attenuate during the expansion process, enhancing the overall noise reduction effect.

[0061] Preferably, the inlet pipe 110 and the outlet pipe 120 have the same diameter.

[0062] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 , 10 As shown, the silencer is provided with a partition 300, which is disposed inside the outer shell 100 and is coaxial with the outer shell 100; specifically, the outer edge of the partition 300 is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the barrel 130.

[0063] Furthermore, the partition 300 is fixed inside the outer casing 100 by means of welding, slotting, or interference fit.

[0064] In some embodiments, the muffler baffle 300 includes an inner circular portion 310 and an outer ring portion 320 sleeved on the outer periphery of the inner circular portion 310. The inner circular portion 310 and the outer ring portion 320 are on the same plane and integrally formed. The difference is that the outer ring portion 320 has a plurality of second through holes 321 for refrigerant flow. By distinguishing the inner circular portion 310 and the outer ring portion 320, the baffle 300 ensures that the second through holes 321 are only opened in the outer ring portion 320, thus defining the only path for the refrigerant to flow out of the muffler from the cavity (i.e., it must pass through the second through holes 321 of the outer ring portion 320). This design avoids spatial interference between the second through holes 321 and components such as the inner tube 200 and the perforated cover 400, and ensures that the refrigerant flows in the muffler according to a preset flow path (inner tube 200 → cavity 131 → through holes of the outer ring portion 320), providing a structural basis for the subsequent design of extending the flow path through the perforated cover 400.

[0065] It is worth noting that, along the radial direction of the partition 300, if a line is drawn connecting the center of the partition 300 to the center of each second through hole 321, there must be a second through hole 321 with the shortest connecting line (i.e., the second through hole 321 closest to the center of the partition 300, hereinafter referred to as the inner second through hole 321). The outer edge of this inner second through hole 321 intersects at a point with the line connecting the center of the partition 300 to its center. Taking the concentric circle of the partition 300 where this intersection point is located as the boundary, the area inside this concentric circle is defined as the inner circle portion 310, and the area outside is defined as the outer ring portion 320.

[0066] In some embodiments, the second through holes 321 are evenly spaced along the circumferential direction on the outer ring portion 320.

[0067] In some embodiments, the second through holes 321 are not limited to the outer ring of the partition 300, but are spaced apart on the partition 300, and the coverage area starts from the center of the partition 300 and extends outward along its radial direction. That is to say, the partition 300 no longer distinguishes between the inner circle portion 310 and the outer ring portion 320. Specifically, a number of second through holes 321 are spaced apart on the partition 300 along the radial direction. These through holes are not only distributed in the outer ring area of ​​the partition, but are also arranged in an orderly manner from the center position to form a through hole layout that continuously covers the radial range from the center to the outer ring, ensuring that the refrigerant can pass smoothly from different radial positions of the partition.

[0068] Furthermore, along the radial direction of the partition 300, the diameter of the second through hole 321 that is farther from the center of the partition 300 is larger than the diameter of the second through hole 321 that is closer to the center of the partition 300.

[0069] In some embodiments, the muffler includes an inner tube 200 disposed inside the outer casing 100. The inner tube 200 is coaxial with the outer casing 100, and a cavity 131 is formed between the outer wall of the inner tube 200 and the inner wall of the outer casing 100 (i.e., the inner wall of the barrel 130).

[0070] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6 As shown, the inner tube 200 includes a fixed section 210 and an open section 220, which are coaxially integrally formed, and the fixed section 210 and the open section 220 form a tubular structure with a smooth transition. One end of the fixed section 210 is smoothly connected to and communicates with the inlet pipe 110, while the end of the open section 220 away from the fixed section 210 is fixed to the partition plate 300, so that the inner tube 200 is stably assembled inside the outer shell 100 in a coaxial manner, ensuring that the refrigerant can flow smoothly from the inlet pipe 110 into the fixed section 210 and communicate with the cavity 131 through the open section 220.

[0071] Furthermore, a number of first through holes 221 are evenly spaced on the opening section 220.

[0072] It is worth noting that, along the axial direction of the inner tube 200, for each first through hole 221 on the side wall of the inner tube 200, a straight line parallel to the axial direction of the inner tube 200 is drawn from its center towards the end of the inner tube 200 facing the inlet pipe 110 (the straight line extends to the end of the inner tube 200 facing the inlet pipe 110). Among these straight lines, there must be a shortest straight line. The first through hole 221 corresponding to this shortest straight line is the first through hole 221 closest to the inlet pipe 110 (hereinafter referred to as the proximal first through hole 221). Take the intersection point of the outer edge of the proximal first through hole 221 and the aforementioned shortest straight line, and draw a plane perpendicular to the axial direction of the inner tube 200 through this intersection point. This plane is the interface between the fixed section 210 and the open section 220 of the inner tube 200. The side of the plane facing the inlet pipe 110 is the fixed section 210, and the side facing the partition 300 is the open section 220.

[0073] In some embodiments, the inner tube 200 further includes a connecting section 230, which is disposed on the side of the opening section 220 away from the inlet tube 110. The fixing section 210, the opening section 220 and the connecting end are integral structures. The end of the connecting section 230 away from the inlet tube is fixed to the partition plate 300.

[0074] It is worth noting that, along the axial direction of the inner tube 200, for each first through hole 221 on the sidewall of the inner tube 200, a straight line parallel to the axial direction of the inner tube 200 is drawn from its center towards the end of the inner tube 200 away from the inlet pipe 110 (the straight line extends to the end of the inner tube 200 away from the inlet pipe 110). Among these straight lines, there must be a shortest one. The first through hole 221 corresponding to this shortest straight line is the first through hole 221 farthest from the inlet pipe 110 (hereinafter referred to as the distal first through hole 221). Take the intersection point of the outer edge of the distal first through hole 221 and the aforementioned shortest straight line, and draw a plane perpendicular to the axial direction of the inner tube 200 through this intersection point. This plane is the interface between the opening section 220 and the connecting section 230 of the inner tube 200. The side of the plane facing the inlet pipe 110 is the opening section 220, and the side facing the partition 300 is the connecting section 230.

[0075] In some embodiments, the diameter of the inner tube 200 is not equal to the diameter of the inlet tube 110 / outlet tube 120; the diameter of the inner tube 200 is greater than or equal to 0.5 times the diameter of the inlet tube 110 / outlet tube 120, and less than or equal to 1.5 times the diameter of the inlet tube 110 / outlet tube 120.

[0076] Preferably, the diameter of the inner tube 200 is equal to the diameter of the inlet tube 110 / outlet tube 120.

[0077] In some embodiments, when the diameter of the first through hole 221 is set to 1 mm, the pressure pulsation can be minimized while ensuring that the refrigerant flow resistance is within an acceptable range.

[0078] In some embodiments, when the diameter of the first through hole 221 is set to 3 mm, the refrigerant flow resistance can be minimized while ensuring that the pressure pulsation reduction effect is within an acceptable range.

[0079] In some embodiments, the ratio of the total area of ​​each first through hole 221 to the surface area of ​​the opening section 220 is 30%. The smaller through hole area allows the refrigerant to undergo more sufficient throttling and buffering when passing through the first through hole, effectively reducing pressure fluctuations. At the same time, the moderate increase in flow resistance will not have an excessive impact on the overall flow efficiency of the refrigerant, making it suitable for operating conditions with high requirements for noise reduction performance.

[0080] In some embodiments, the ratio of the total area of ​​each first through hole 221 to the surface area of ​​the opening section 220 is 80%. A higher opening ratio means a smoother flow path structure, which can significantly reduce the flow resistance of the refrigerant when passing through the first through hole, reduce energy loss caused by flow path restriction, and ensure that the refrigerant can still maintain efficient flow under high flow conditions.

[0081] In some embodiments, the diameter of the first through hole 221 ranges from 1 mm to 3 mm, and the ratio of the total area of ​​each first through hole 221 to the surface area of ​​the opening section 220 is 30% to 80%.

[0082] Specifically, to ensure that the refrigerant can flow smoothly through the orifice section 220 and achieve a reasonable pressure pulsation attenuation effect, the diameter of the first through hole 221 needs to be controlled within the range of 1 mm to 3 mm. If the diameter is less than 1 mm, the flow resistance of the refrigerant flowing through the through hole will increase significantly, which may not only reduce the operating efficiency of the air conditioning system, but also easily cause the risk of impurity blockage due to the small hole size, affecting the stability of the muffler and even the entire refrigerant circulation system. If the diameter is greater than 3 mm, the flow area of ​​a single through hole will be too large, weakening the initial buffering effect of the through hole on the refrigerant pressure pulsation, resulting in a weakening of the noise reduction effect of the subsequent cavity 131 and perforated cover 400. Meanwhile, the ratio of the total area of ​​each first through hole 221 to the surface area of ​​the opening section 220 (i.e., porosity) needs to be maintained between 30% and 80%. If the porosity is less than 30%, the total flow area of ​​the opening section 220 will be insufficient, and the refrigerant will easily form blockages in the opening section 220, further increasing the flow resistance and potentially causing additional airflow noise. If the porosity is greater than 80%, the strength of the pipe wall structure of the opening section 220 will decrease significantly, and it will be prone to deformation or damage when subjected to long-term refrigerant pressure pulsation. Furthermore, excessively dense through holes will destroy the pipe wall's barrier effect against pressure pulsation, causing the overall noise reduction performance of the muffler to deviate from the design target.

[0083] In some embodiments, the muffler further includes a piston assembly disposed in the inner tube; the piston assembly can dynamically adjust its position in the inner tube toward the inlet pipe side according to changes in refrigerant pressure pulsation.

[0084] In some embodiments, the piston assembly includes a piston 500 adapted to be installed inside the cavity of the inner tube 200; the outer peripheral wall of the piston 500 fits and matches the inner wall of the inner tube 200 in size, ensuring that the piston 500 can slide freely along the axial direction of the inner tube 200 without jamming, thereby realizing dynamic adjustment of the refrigerant path by changing the sliding position.

[0085] In some embodiments, such as Figure 9 As shown, the piston 500 includes a top 510 and a skirt 520 arranged coaxially, which are integrally molded. The top 510 is circular, and the skirt 520 is a tubular structure that runs vertically through the piston. One edge of the skirt 520 is connected to the outer edge of the top 510, so that the piston 500 as a whole forms a cavity structure that is closed at one end (the side of the top 510) and open at the other end (the side of the skirt 520 away from the top 510). This ensures both compatibility with the inner wall of the inner tube 200 and provides a stable force-bearing surface for the refrigerant to act on the piston 500.

[0086] In some embodiments, the piston assembly further includes an elastic element 600 for connecting the piston 500 and the partition 300. Specifically, one end of the elastic element 600 is fixed to the side of the top 510 of the piston 500 away from the inlet pipe 110, and the other end of the elastic element 600 is fixed to the partition 300. When the piston 500 is subjected to a thrust toward the partition 300, the elastic element 600 will be compressed, and the piston 500 will move toward the partition 300 in the inner tube 200.

[0087] In some embodiments, the elastic element 600 may be a conventional spring, a magnetic spring, or an air spring.

[0088] Preferably, the elastic element 600 is a conventional spring.

[0089] In some embodiments, when the elastic element 600 is a conventional spring, a first limiting block 311 is provided at the center of the side of the partition 300 facing the inlet pipe 110, and a second limiting block 511 is provided on the side of the piston 500 top 510 away from the inlet pipe 110; the two ends of the spring are respectively sleeved and fixed on the first limiting block 311 and the second limiting block 511, and the spring is firmly fixed by the structural constraint of the limiting blocks.

[0090] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the silencer includes 1 to 3 layers of perforated covers 400, which are coaxial with the inner tube 200. Setting the number of perforated covers to a reasonable range of 1 to 3 avoids the problem of limited sound absorption effect of a single-layer structure, while also preventing excessive flow resistance caused by too many layers, thus achieving a balance between sound absorption performance and flow efficiency.

[0091] In some embodiments, the perforated cover 400 includes an annular plate 410 and an opening tube 420. The annular plate 410 is fixed to the opening section 220 of the inner tube 200 in a sleeve manner, and the opening section 220 has a plurality of first through holes 221 arranged on both sides of each annular plate 410 (i.e., the side of the annular plate 410 facing the fixed section 210 and the side facing the partition 300), to ensure that the refrigerant can enter the cavity 131 through the through holes on both sides of the annular plate 410; one end of the opening tube 420 is connected to the outer edge of the annular plate 410, and the other end... One end is fixed to the partition plate 300, and several third through holes 421 are spaced apart on the wall of the perforated pipe 420 to provide multi-layer flow channels for the refrigerant; at the same time, the annular plates 410 of each layer of perforated cover 400 are arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the inner pipe 200, and the perforated pipes 420 of each layer of perforated cover 400 are arranged at intervals along the radial direction of the inner pipe 200, forming a multi-layer perforated structure with axial layering and radial staggering, which not only avoids flow path interference between adjacent perforated covers 400, but also extends the path through which the refrigerant flows and improves the pressure pulsation attenuation effect.

[0092] For example, if the muffler includes three perforated covers 400, each perforated cover, along with the baffle and inner tube, will form nested silencing cavities 430, with the three perforated covers corresponding to three interconnected silencing cavities 430. A portion of the first through-hole on the inner tube's perforated section is located inside these silencing cavities 430, while the second through-hole on the outer ring of the baffle is located outside all silencing cavities 430. With this structural layout, as the piston position changes, the refrigerant can form differentiated flow paths through different combinations of silencing cavities 430. For example, it can flow only through the first through-hole on the inner tube, simultaneously through the first through-hole of the inner tube and the outermost silencing cavity 430, simultaneously through the first through-hole of the inner tube and through the middle and outermost silencing cavities 430, or simultaneously through the first through-hole of the inner tube and through all the inner, middle, and outermost silencing cavities 430. By utilizing the differences in the combinations of silencing cavities 430, the flow path characteristics can be adjusted in stages, thereby adapting to the attenuation requirements of pressure pulsations of varying intensities.

[0093] This application constructs a pressure-adaptive flow path adjustment structure within the muffler using a piston 500 that can slide along the inner tube 200, an elastic element 600 connecting the piston 500 and the partition 300, an opening section 220 of the inner tube 200 with a first through hole 221, a multi-layer perforated cover 400 with a third through hole 421, and a partition 300 with a second through hole 321; thus achieving dynamic adaptation of the muffler performance to refrigerant pressure pulsations. Specifically, the noise reduction effect of the muffler is positively correlated with the flow path length and flow resistance; that is, the longer the flow path and the greater the flow resistance, the stronger the attenuation effect on refrigerant pressure pulsations. Based on this characteristic, this application adjusts the dynamic position of the piston 500 so that the flow path characteristics change automatically with pressure pulsation: when the refrigerant pressure pulsation is small, the refrigerant thrust on the piston 500 is small, and it only stays at the position of the opening section 220 close to the fixed section 210. At this time, the refrigerant directly enters the cavity 131 through the first through hole 221 of the opening section 220, and then flows out through the second through hole 321 on the partition 300. In this state, the flow path is short and the flow resistance is small, which can minimize the additional energy consumption of the muffler on the air conditioning system while ensuring the basic noise reduction effect. When the refrigerant pressure pulsation is large, the thrust on the piston 500 increases accordingly, which in turn compresses the elastic element 600 to move towards the partition 300. At this time, some refrigerant passes through the first through hole 221 into the cavity 131, while some refrigerant needs to pass through the third through hole 421 of the perforated cover 400 before entering the cavity 131, and finally flows out from the second through hole 321 together. Moreover, the larger the pressure pulsation amplitude, the closer the piston 500 is to the partition, the more layers of the perforated cover 400 the refrigerant needs to pass through, the longer the corresponding flow path length and the greater the flow resistance, and the more significantly the attenuation effect on the pressure pulsation is improved.

[0094] This design precisely addresses the core shortcomings of traditional fixed-structure silencers. Traditional silencers, due to their fixed structural dimensions, cannot adapt to the differences in refrigerant pressure pulsations caused by varying operating conditions. In practical applications, this often leads to two problems: first, under high-pressure pulsations, the fixed flow path's attenuation capability is insufficient, resulting in substandard noise reduction; second, under low-pressure pulsations, the fixed flow resistance is too high, additionally consuming system energy. This application, through the coordinated operation of the piston 400, the elastic element 600, and the multi-layer perforated structure, enables the silencer to automatically match the appropriate flow path length and flow resistance according to the actual pressure pulsation amplitude. This ensures that the expected noise reduction effect is achieved under different operating conditions while minimizing the impact on system performance, ultimately achieving a synergistic balance between noise reduction and system energy efficiency.

[0095] Furthermore, the end of the perforated pipe 420 away from the annular plate 410 is fixed to the inner circle 310 of the partition 300. This ensures that there is no second through hole 321 within the coverage area of ​​the perforated cover 400. During high-pressure pulsations, the refrigerant must pass through at least one third through hole 421 of the perforated cover 400 after flowing out from the inner pipe to reach the second through hole 321 of the outer ring. This structure forcibly extends the flow path of the refrigerant in the cavity 131, increases the number of times pressure pulsations interact with the perforated structure, and further improves the attenuation effect on medium- and high-frequency pressure pulsations, especially with more significant noise reduction under high-pressure conditions.

[0096] In some embodiments, regarding the positional relationship between the perforated tube 420 and the inner tube 200 of the perforated cover 400, the minimum distance (i.e., the shortest distance in the radial direction) between the inner wall of the perforated tube 420 and the outer wall of the inner tube 200 must be greater than or equal to the diameter of the first through hole 221 on the perforated section 220 of the inner tube 200. This design ensures that after the refrigerant flows out from the first through hole 221, it can flow smoothly within the gap between the perforated tube 420 and the inner tube 200, avoiding obstruction of refrigerant flow due to an excessively small gap. This ensures that the refrigerant can smoothly enter the perforated tube 420 or the cavity 131, providing stable flow path conditions for subsequent pressure pulsation attenuation.

[0097] In some embodiments, for the perforated pipes 420 arranged radially at intervals along the inner tube 200, the minimum distance between any two adjacent perforated pipes 420 (i.e., the shortest distance between the outer / inner walls of the two perforated pipes 420) must be greater than or equal to the diameter of the third through hole 421 on the perforated pipe 420 closer to the inner tube 200 (the inner perforated pipe 420 with a smaller radial dimension). This design avoids flow path interference caused by excessively small spacing between adjacent perforated pipes 420, while ensuring that the third through hole 421 of the inner perforated pipe 420 can smoothly discharge refrigerant, preventing refrigerant flow obstruction due to insufficient spacing, and ensuring the effective attenuation of refrigerant pressure pulsation by the multi-layer perforated cover 400.

[0098] In some embodiments, the through-hole design of the perforated cover 400 and the inner tube 200 follows a specific size and proportion relationship to optimize refrigerant flow. Specifically, the diameter of the third through-hole 421 on the perforated tube 420 is greater than or equal to the diameter of the first through-hole 221 on the perforated section 220 of the inner tube 200, and the ratio of the total area of ​​each third through-hole 421 to the surface area of ​​the perforated tube 420 is greater than or equal to the ratio of the total area of ​​each first through-hole 221 to the surface area of ​​the perforated section 220, ensuring that the flow resistance does not increase excessively when the refrigerant flows through the perforated cover 400.

[0099] Furthermore, along the radial direction of the inner tube 200, the diameter of the third through hole 421 on the opening pipe 420 (radially outer opening pipe 420) away from the inner tube 200 is greater than or equal to the diameter of the third through hole 421 on the opening pipe 420 (radially inner opening pipe 420) close to the inner tube 200. Correspondingly, the ratio of the total area of ​​each third through hole 421 on the opening pipe 420 away from the inner tube 200 to the surface area of ​​this opening pipe 420 is also greater than or equal to the ratio of the total area of ​​each third through hole 421 on the opening pipe 420 close to the inner tube 200 to the surface area of ​​this opening pipe 420. By gradually increasing the through hole size and the proportion of the opening from the inside to the outside, the flow resistance gradually decreases along the way when the refrigerant flows from the inner tube 200 to the outside. This design avoids pressure loss and flow path blockage caused by a sudden increase in outer layer resistance, ensuring that the refrigerant can effectively attenuate pulsations and maintain smooth flow when passing through the multi-layer perforated cover 400, thus balancing noise reduction effect and system flow efficiency.

[0100] In some embodiments, along the radial direction of the inner tube 200, the diameter of the second through hole 321 on the outer ring portion 320 of the baffle 300 is greater than or equal to the diameter of the third through hole 421 on the perforated tube 420 (i.e., the radially outermost perforated tube 420) with the largest distance from the inner tube 200; simultaneously, the ratio of the total area of ​​each second through hole 321 to the area of ​​the outer ring portion 320 is greater than or equal to the ratio of the total area of ​​each third through hole 421 on the perforated tube 420 with the largest distance from the inner tube 200 to its surface area. This design, through the progressive matching of the through hole size and opening ratio from the radially outermost perforated tube 420 to the outer ring portion 320 of the baffle 300, ensures that the refrigerant can flow smoothly through the second through hole 321 after diffusion through the multi-layer perforated cover 400, avoiding the formation of throttling resistance at the end of the flow path, and ensuring the continuity of refrigerant flow and the stability of pressure pulsation attenuation throughout the entire silencer.

[0101] In some embodiments, when there is no refrigerant acting on the piston 500 in the muffler, the side of the piston 500 facing the inlet pipe 110 is inside the cavity of the fixed section 210; the fixed section 210 is located between the opening section 220 and the inlet pipe 110; as a preferred configuration, at this time, the end face of the piston 500 facing the inlet pipe 110 just extends out of the port of the opening section 220 facing the fixed section 210, that is, one side of the interface between the opening section 220 and the fixed section 210.

[0102] In some embodiments, when there is no refrigerant acting on the piston 500 in the muffler, the side of the piston 500 facing the inlet pipe 110 is at the top 510 of the opening section 220, that is, close to the junction of the opening section 220 and the fixed section 210.

[0103] When the refrigerant flowing into the muffler comes into contact with the piston 500 and applies a thrust toward the partition 300, the piston 500 slides along the axis of the inner tube 200 away from the inlet pipe 110 (i.e., toward the partition 300), simultaneously compressing the elastic element 600 (such as a spring). During the sliding process of the piston 500, the reverse elastic force generated by the deformation of the elastic element 600 gradually increases, and the side of the piston 500 away from the inlet pipe 110 (i.e., toward the partition 300) will push the piston 500 away. The refrigerant between the refrigerant and the baffle 300 is subjected to the reaction force of the refrigerant (i.e., refrigerant resistance). When the thrust of the refrigerant on the piston 500, the reverse elastic force of the elastic element 600, and the refrigerant resistance on the piston 500 are equal in magnitude, the force on the piston 500 reaches a state of equilibrium, and then it stays stably in a specific position within the opening section 220. As the refrigerant pressure pulsates, the position of the piston 500 changes accordingly. Through this dynamic balance mechanism, adaptive adaptation to refrigerant pressure pulsations under different operating conditions is achieved.

[0104] In some embodiments, taking the elastic element 600 as a spring and the perforated cover 400 as having two layers as an example (along the radial direction of the inner tube 200, the layer closest to the inner tube 200 is the first layer of perforated cover 400, and the layer furthest is the second layer of perforated cover 400; the first layer of perforated cover 400 corresponds to the inner layer of silencing cavity 430, and the second layer of perforated cover 400 corresponds to the outer layer of silencing cavity 430), combined with Figures 11-14 The working principle of this application is explained as follows: When the refrigerant enters the muffler, it acts on the surface of the piston 500 and applies a thrust toward the baffle 300, pushing the piston 500 to compress the spring and move away from the inlet pipe 110. As the piston 500 moves, the spring force gradually increases, and the refrigerant resistance on the side of the piston 500 away from the inlet pipe 110 (towards the baffle 300) also changes accordingly. When the refrigerant thrust, the spring force, and the refrigerant resistance on the piston 500 reach a balance, the piston 500 stabilizes at a certain position within the opening section 220. Based on the different equilibrium positions of piston 500, the refrigerant forms different flow paths: when piston 500 is in the P1 to P2 interval, the refrigerant flows only through inner tube 200 along flow path F1 and finally flows out through partition 300; when piston 500 is in the P2 to P3 interval, part of the refrigerant flows through inner tube 200 and part of the refrigerant flows through inner tube 200 and outer silencing cavity 430 (i.e., through the second through hole 321 of the second perforated cover 400), that is, it merges along flow paths F1 and F2 and then flows out through partition 300; when piston 500 is in the P3 to P4 interval, the refrigerant flows simultaneously along three flow paths: F1 (inner tube 200), F2 (outer silencing cavity 430) and F3 (inner silencing cavity 430, i.e., through the second through hole 321 of the first perforated cover 400), and then merges and flows out through partition 300.

[0105] It should be noted that the equilibrium position of piston 500 is not limited to the four fixed points P1 to P4, but slides within a continuous range within the orifice section 220. The specific position is determined by the real-time balance of refrigerant pressure pulsation, elastic force of elastic element 600, and resistance experienced by piston 500. To adapt to the pressure pulsation attenuation requirements of different flow paths, this can be achieved by adjusting the through-hole diameter, number of perforations, or porosity (the ratio of the total perforation area to the corresponding structure surface area) of the structures (inner tube 200, perforated cover 400, baffle 300) through which each flow path passes. Generally speaking, the smaller the through-hole diameter, the fewer the number of perforations, and the more layers of perforated cover 400, the stronger the attenuation capability of pressure pulsation, but the greater the refrigerant flow resistance. The through-hole size, number of perforations, and porosity of each flow path need to be designed individually according to the system characteristics and do not need to be kept consistent.

[0106] In addition, based on the pressure variation range (P) of the air conditioning system, the effective force-bearing area (S), spring stiffness (K), and maximum compression deformation (ΔL) of piston 500 need to be designed to ensure that the refrigerant thrust (F) on piston 500 is within acceptable limits. p =P×S) and spring force (F) t =K×ΔL) can form a match within the system pressure fluctuation range, ensuring that the piston 500 can be stably in the corresponding flow path range, realizing the precise switching of the refrigerant flow path under different pressures, so as to achieve the expected pressure pulsation reduction effect.

[0107] It is worth noting that during the dynamic interaction between the refrigerant and piston 500, piston 500 will vibrate with the fluctuation of refrigerant pressure. During this process, some of the kinetic energy of the refrigerant will be converted into the kinetic energy of piston 500, thereby further weakening the pressure pulsation of the refrigerant and reducing the noise generated by the refrigerant flow.

[0108] It is worth noting that, in preferred application scenarios, the silencer of this application is mainly installed on the refrigerant pipeline inside the outdoor unit of the air conditioner (such as the pipeline between the compressor outlet and the heat exchanger inlet, or it can be installed on other pipelines as needed). At the same time, without creative effort, adapting and installing the silencer on the refrigerant connection pipe between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit of the air conditioner, or directly installing it on the refrigerant pipeline inside the indoor unit of the air conditioner, are all conventional adaptive adjustments to the installation position of the silencer of this application. The above-mentioned adjustment schemes do not exceed the core scope of the technical solution defined in this application, and therefore all fall within the protection scope of this application.

[0109] For ease of explanation, the above description has been provided in conjunction with specific embodiments. However, the above exemplary discussion is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the specific forms disclosed above. Various modifications and variations can be obtained based on the above teachings. The selection and description of the above embodiments are for the purpose of better explaining the principles and practical applications, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to better utilize the described embodiments and various different variations of embodiments suitable for specific use considerations.

Claims

1. An outdoor unit for an air conditioner, characterized in that, Includes a housing, and the housing contains: The compressor is used to supply refrigerant to the heat exchanger; A silencer, the silencer connecting the compressor and the heat exchanger, the silencer comprising: The housing includes an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe, the inlet pipe being connected to the outlet of the compressor and the outlet pipe being connected to the inlet of the heat exchanger; A partition, which is fixed inside the outer casing, has a plurality of second through holes. An inner tube is disposed inside the outer shell; one end of the inner tube is connected to the inlet pipe, and the end of the inner tube away from the inlet pipe is fixed to the partition plate; a cavity is formed between the outer wall of the inner tube and the inner wall of the outer shell, and the inner tube is provided with a plurality of first through holes along its axial direction; A perforated cover is disposed in the cavity; the perforated cover is provided with a plurality of third through holes; a sound-absorbing cavity is formed between the perforated cover, the partition and the inner tube; wherein, a portion of the first through holes are located inside the sound-absorbing cavity, and the second through holes are located outside the sound-absorbing cavity; A piston assembly is disposed in the inner tube; the piston assembly can dynamically adjust its position in the inner tube toward the inlet pipe according to the refrigerant pressure pulsation changes. The refrigerant flowing into the muffler from the inlet pipe pushes the piston assembly, positioning it in a specific position within the inner tube, facing the inlet pipe. At this time, some refrigerant enters the cavity directly through the inner tube and the first through-hole, and / or some refrigerant enters the muffler cavity through the inner tube and the first through-hole, then passes through the third through-hole of the perforated cover into the cavity. Finally, the refrigerant in the cavity flows out of the muffler sequentially through the second through-hole of the partition and the outlet pipe of the outer shell.

2. An outdoor unit for an air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The partition includes an inner circular portion and an outer ring portion sleeved on the outer periphery of the inner circular portion, and the second through hole is formed on the outer ring portion; the inner tube includes a fixed section and an open section connected to the fixed section, one end of the open section away from the fixed section is fixed on the partition, and the first through hole is formed on the open section.

3. An outdoor unit for an air conditioner according to claim 2, characterized in that, The number of perforated covers is 1 to 3, and the perforated covers include: A circular ring plate, which is sleeved and fixed on the opening section; An open tube is provided, one end of which is connected to the outer edge of the annular plate, and the other end of which is fixed to the inner circle of the partition plate; the third through hole is provided on the open tube. The annular plates of each layer of the perforated cover are arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the inner tube, and the perforated tubes of each layer of the perforated cover are arranged at intervals along the radial direction of the inner tube.

4. An outdoor unit for an air conditioner according to claim 3, characterized in that, The piston assembly includes a piston and an elastic element; the piston is fitted with the inner tube and can slide freely along the axis of the inner tube; the elastic element connects the piston and the partition plate.

5. An outdoor unit for an air conditioner according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that, The diameter of the first through hole ranges from 1 mm to 3 mm, and the ratio of the total area of ​​each first through hole to the surface area of ​​the opening segment is 30% to 80%.

6. An outdoor unit for an air conditioner according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that, The minimum distance between the inner wall of the perforated tube and the outer wall of the inner tube is greater than or equal to the diameter of the first through hole.

7. An outdoor unit for an air conditioner according to claim 6, characterized in that, The minimum distance between any two adjacent perforated tubes is greater than or equal to the diameter of the third through hole on the perforated tube closer to the inner tube.

8. An outdoor unit for an air conditioner according to claim 7, characterized in that, The diameter of the third through hole on the perforated tube is greater than or equal to the diameter of the first through hole on the inner tube; The ratio of the total area of ​​each of the third through holes to the surface area of ​​the perforated tube is greater than or equal to the ratio of the total area of ​​each of the first through holes to the surface area of ​​the perforated section; Along the radial direction of the inner tube, the diameter of the third through hole on the perforated tube away from the inner tube is greater than or equal to the diameter of the third through hole on the perforated tube close to the inner tube. Along the radial direction of the inner tube, the ratio of the total area of ​​each of the third through holes on the perforated tubes away from the inner tube to the surface area of ​​the perforated tubes is greater than or equal to the ratio of the total area of ​​each of the third through holes on the perforated tubes close to the inner tube to the surface area of ​​the perforated tubes.

9. An outdoor unit for an air conditioner according to claim 8, characterized in that, Along the radial direction of the inner tube, the diameter of the second through hole is greater than or equal to the diameter of the third through hole on the perforated tube with the largest distance from the inner tube; Along the radial direction of the inner tube, the ratio of the total area of ​​each of the second through holes to the area of ​​the outer ring is greater than or equal to the ratio of the total area of ​​each of the third through holes on the perforated tube with the largest distance from the inner tube to the surface area of ​​the perforated tube.

10. An outdoor unit for an air conditioner, characterized in that, Includes a housing, and the housing contains: The compressor is used to supply refrigerant to the heat exchanger; A silencer, the silencer connecting the compressor and the heat exchanger, the silencer comprising: The housing includes an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe, the inlet pipe being connected to the outlet of the compressor and the outlet pipe being connected to the inlet of the heat exchanger; A partition, which is fixed inside the outer casing, has a plurality of second through holes. An inner tube is disposed inside the outer shell; one end of the inner tube is connected to the inlet pipe, and the end of the inner tube away from the inlet pipe is fixed to the partition plate; a cavity is formed between the outer wall of the inner tube and the inner wall of the outer shell, and the inner tube is provided with a plurality of first through holes along its axial direction; A perforated cover is disposed on the partition plate and has a plurality of third through holes. The perforated cover divides the cavity into a plurality of chambers. Some of the first through holes are located in the chamber formed between the perforated cover, the partition plate, and the inner tube, while the second through holes are located outside the chamber formed between the perforated cover, the partition plate, and the inner tube. A piston assembly is disposed in the inner tube; the piston assembly can dynamically adjust its position in the inner tube toward the inlet pipe according to the refrigerant pressure pulsation changes. The refrigerant flowing into the muffler from the inlet pipe pushes the piston assembly, positioning it in a specific position within the inner tube, facing the inlet pipe. At this time, some refrigerant enters the cavity directly through the inner tube and the first through-hole, and / or some refrigerant enters the cavity after sequentially passing through the first through-hole of the inner tube and the third through-hole of the perforated cover. Finally, the refrigerant in the cavity flows out of the muffler sequentially through the second through-hole of the partition and the outlet pipe of the outer shell.

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