A splitter and an air conditioner

Abstract

This utility model discloses a flow divider and an air conditioner. The flow divider includes a housing and an orifice plate. The housing sequentially includes an inlet section, a transition section, a mating section, a mixing section, and a flow splitting section along one direction. The orifice plate is disposed between the transition section and the mixing section and is fixedly disposed with the mating section. The orifice plate includes a flat plate and a cylindrical section extending from the flat plate toward the mixing section. The flat plate has multiple through holes along one direction. This utility model, by setting an orifice plate with multiple through holes located between the transition section and the flow splitting section, can "disperse" the high-speed refrigerant into multiple low-energy jets. Then, by setting an independent hollow mixing section immediately downstream of the orifice plate with a height limited to greater than 0 mm and less than 10 mm, the multiple jets collide and mix before entering the flow splitting section. Ultimately, this achieves the reduction of scouring noise generated by refrigerant flow while improving the uniformity of the gas-liquid two-phase distribution of refrigerant before entering the downstream branches.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of air conditioning and refrigeration technology, and in particular to a distributor and an air conditioner. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of air conditioning technology, modern air conditioning systems commonly employ high-frequency compressor operation technology to meet users' demands for rapid cooling and heating. This technology increases the refrigerant circulation flow by rapidly increasing the compressor's operating frequency during startup, thereby significantly shortening the time to reach the set temperature and improving the user experience.

[0003] The distributor is a key upstream component of the heat exchanger (evaporator or condenser) in the indoor unit of an air conditioner. Its function is to evenly distribute the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant from the throttling device into each parallel flow path of the heat exchanger to ensure overall heat exchange efficiency.

[0004] However, in high-frequency operation mode, the large flow rate and high velocity of the two-phase refrigerant as it enters and flows through the traditional distributor cause severe scouring and impact on the inner wall and structural components of the distributor, resulting in high-frequency fluid noise, known as "refrigerant scouring noise." This noise not only seriously affects the quietness of the air conditioner and reduces user comfort, but may also raise concerns about product quality, thereby impacting the product's market competitiveness.

[0005] Therefore, how to effectively suppress the refrigerant scouring noise generated during high-frequency operation of air conditioners without significantly increasing the manufacturing cost and system complexity, while ensuring that the distributor still has good refrigerant distribution uniformity at different operating frequencies (especially at low frequencies), has become a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved in this field. Utility Model Content

[0006] The main purpose of this utility model is to provide a distributor and an air conditioner to solve the above-mentioned technical problems.

[0007] The objective of this utility model can be achieved by adopting the following technical solution:

[0008] A diverter includes a housing and an orifice plate;

[0009] The shell comprises, in sequence along one direction, an inlet section, a transition section, a mating section, a mixing section, and a flow-dividing section;

[0010] The orifice plate is disposed between the transition section and the mixing section, and is fixedly disposed with the mating section;

[0011] The perforated plate includes a flat plate and a cylindrical section extending from the flat plate toward the mixing section, wherein the flat plate has a plurality of through holes along the direction.

[0012] The mixing section is a hollow cavity connecting the plurality of through holes and the flow-dividing section, and the height of the mixing section along the one direction is greater than 0 mm and less than 10 mm.

[0013] The height of the mixing section is 3 to 5 mm.

[0014] The inlet section is a straight pipe with an inner diameter of 5-7 mm.

[0015] The transition section is truncated cone-shaped, and its inner diameter increases continuously and smoothly from the inlet section to the mating section.

[0016] The ratio of the height of the transition section to the inner diameter of the inlet section is 1 to 2.

[0017] The outlets of the plurality of through holes are located on the same plane, the diameter of each through hole is 0.5 to 3 mm, and the distance between the centers of two adjacent through holes is 1.2 to 2 times the diameter of the hole.

[0018] The plurality of through holes are arranged in a circular, equilateral triangle, corner equilateral triangle, square, or corner square arrangement on the plate.

[0019] An arc-shaped transition section is provided between the flat plate and the cylindrical section, and the flat plate, the arc-shaped transition section and the cylindrical section are integrally formed.

[0020] Wherein, on the inner wall of the mating section, near the position of the cylindrical section, an annular rib is formed radially inward, and an annular placement space is formed between the end of the transition section and the annular rib, and the flat plate, the arc-shaped transition section and the cylindrical section are disposed within the annular placement space.

[0021] An air conditioner includes a splitter as described above.

[0022] The beneficial technical effects of this utility model are as follows:

[0023] This invention utilizes an orifice plate with multiple through holes located between the transition section and the splitting section to "disperse" the high-speed refrigerant into multiple low-energy jets. A separate hollow mixing section, located immediately downstream of the orifice plate and with a height limited to greater than 0 mm and less than 10 mm, allows the multiple jets to collide and mix before entering the splitting section. This reduces the scouring noise generated by the refrigerant flow while improving the uniformity of the gas-liquid two-phase distribution of the refrigerant before it enters the downstream branches, thus ensuring excellent quiet operation and efficient splitting uniformity of the splitter under various operating conditions. Attached Figure Description

[0024] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0025] Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view of the splitter provided in an embodiment of this utility model;

[0026] Figure 2 A top view of the splitter provided in an embodiment of this utility model;

[0027] Figure 3 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the orifice plate in the distributor provided in this embodiment of the utility model;

[0028] Figure 4 A schematic cross-sectional view of the orifice plate in the distributor provided in this embodiment of the utility model;

[0029] Figure 5a A schematic diagram of the circumferential arrangement of through holes in the perforated plate of the distributor provided in this embodiment of the utility model;

[0030] Figure 5b A schematic diagram of the equilateral triangular arrangement of through holes in the perforated plate of the distributor provided in this embodiment of the utility model;

[0031] Figure 5c A schematic diagram of the equilateral triangle arrangement of the through holes in the perforated plate of the distributor provided in this embodiment of the utility model;

[0032] Figure 5d A schematic diagram of the square arrangement of through holes in the perforated plate of the distributor provided in this embodiment of the utility model;

[0033] Figure 5e A schematic diagram of the square arrangement of through holes at the corners of the perforated plate in the distributor provided in this embodiment of the utility model;

[0034] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of an air conditioner provided for an embodiment of this utility model.

[0035] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0036] In the diagram: 10-flow divider, 1-shell, 11-inlet section, 12-transition section, 13-fitting section, 14-mixing section, 15-flow divider section, 151-flow divider channel, 2-orifice plate, 21-cylindrical section, 22-arc transition section, 23-flat plate, 24-through hole, 31-annular rib, 100-air conditioner. Detailed Implementation

[0037] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0038] It should be understood that, when used in this specification and the appended claims, the terms "comprising" and "including" indicate the presence of the described features, integrals, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components and / or collections thereof.

[0039] It should also be understood that the terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0040] It should also be further understood that the term "and / or" as used in this specification and the appended claims refers to any combination of one or more of the associated listed items and all possible combinations, and includes such combinations.

[0041] like Figures 1-4 As shown, this embodiment of the invention provides a distributor 10 for uniformly distributing the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant from the throttling device into each parallel flow path of the heat exchanger in an air conditioner 100. This distributor 10 can effectively suppress refrigerant scouring noise generated during high-frequency compressor operation, while ensuring good refrigerant distribution uniformity at different operating frequencies. The diverter 10 includes a housing 1 and an orifice plate 2. The housing 1 includes, in sequence along one direction, an inlet section 11, a transition section 12, a mating section 13, a mixing section 14, and a diverting section 15. The orifice plate 2 is disposed between the transition section 12 and the mixing section 14 and is fixedly disposed with the mating section 13. The orifice plate 2 includes a flat plate 23 and a cylindrical section 21 extending from the flat plate 23 toward the mixing section 14. The flat plate 23 has a plurality of through holes 24 penetrating along the one direction. The mixing section 14 is a hollow cavity connecting the plurality of through holes 24 and the diverting section 15. The height of the mixing section 14 along the one direction is greater than 0 mm and less than 10 mm.

[0042] In this embodiment, the splitter 10 mainly includes a housing 1 and an orifice plate 2.

[0043] The housing 1 is the main structure of the distributor 10, made of metal, and its interior forms a refrigerant flow channel. Along the refrigerant flow direction, the housing 1 is sequentially divided and integrated into an inlet section 11, a transition section 12, a mating section 13, a mixing section 14, and a distributor section 15. Here, "along the refrigerant flow direction" means... Figure 1 The direction from bottom to top is referred to as "one direction" below. These five functional sections are integrally formed or connected in sections, together forming a complete flow channel for the refrigerant from entering the distributor 10 to being distributed.

[0044] Specifically:

[0045] Inlet section 11: Located at the upstream end of the distributor 10, it is used to connect the upstream refrigerant pipe (e.g., the outlet pipe of the electronic expansion valve) and guide the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant into the distributor 10.

[0046] Transition section 12: Immediately downstream of the inlet section 11, its internal flow channel cross-sectional area gradually expands along the flow direction to reduce the refrigerant flow rate and prepare for subsequent uniform mixing.

[0047] Matching section 13: Located between transition section 12 and mixing section 14, its internal structure is designed for the installation, positioning and fixing of orifice plate 2, ensuring the stability of orifice plate 2 during operation.

[0048] Mixing section 14: Located downstream of orifice plate 2, it is a buffer and remixing area.

[0049] Branch section 15: Located at the downstream end of the branch unit 10, it has multiple independent flow channel outlets inside, which are respectively connected to the parallel flow paths of the heat exchanger.

[0050] Please also refer to Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 , Figure 3 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the perforated plate 2 in the diverter 10 provided in this embodiment of the utility model. Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the orifice plate 2 in the distributor 10 provided in this embodiment of the utility model. The orifice plate 2 is a component that realizes the initial rectification of the refrigerant and noise reduction. It is installed inside the housing 1, specifically between the transition section 12 and the mixing section 14, and is firmly fixed by cooperating with the mating section 13.

[0051] The orifice plate 2 itself includes a flat plate 23 and a cylindrical section 21.

[0052] Plate 23: This is the main body of the perforated plate 2, and is disc-shaped. Multiple through holes 24 are formed along the thickness direction of plate 23 (i.e., the aforementioned "one direction"). The refrigerant from the transition section 12 must pass through these through holes 24 before entering the subsequent mixing section 14.

[0053] Cylindrical section 21: integrally extends from the periphery of plate 23. When the orifice plate 2 is installed in the housing 1, the cylindrical section 21 extends toward the mixing section 14 (i.e., downstream direction), and its outer wall surface can fit tightly with the inner wall surface of the mating section 13, serving as a guide and fixation function.

[0054] A key aspect of this embodiment lies in the structural and dimensional design of the mixing section 14. The mixing section 14 is a hollow cavity, directly connected upstream to the outlets of multiple through-holes 24 on the orifice plate 2, and downstream to the inlet of the diversion section 15. Its function is to allow the multiple fine jets ejected at high speed from the through-holes 24 to undergo sufficient collision, mixing, and energy exchange within this space, thereby re-converging into a fluid with a more uniform pressure and phase distribution across the cross-section, before entering the diversion section 15 for final flow distribution.

[0055] To achieve the aforementioned technical effects while maintaining the overall compactness of the distributor 10, this embodiment limits the height of the mixing section 14 (i.e., the dimension along the aforementioned "one direction"). Specifically, the height H of the mixing section 14 is greater than 0 mm and less than 10 mm. This height setting of greater than 0 mm ensures the basic physical space required for mixing and avoids direct interference between the through hole 24 and the structure of the distributor section 15. This ensures that the refrigerant jet can be mixed before being distributed, which is an important guarantee for improving the uniformity of the distribution.

[0056] Meanwhile, setting the height to less than 10mm effectively avoids gas-liquid separation or unnecessary flow vortices caused by excessive mixing space, and helps control the overall axial dimensions of the distributor 10. By controlling the height of the mixing section 14 within this specific range, a good balance can be achieved between noise reduction and flow uniformity.

[0057] In this embodiment, when the high-speed gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant flows through the orifice plate 2, two main acoustic effects occur. First, because the total flow area of ​​the through-holes 24 is much smaller than that of the upstream pipe, the refrigerant velocity increases dramatically, and the pressure decreases. This process itself reduces the sound wave energy generated by fluid impact. Second, the porous structure of the orifice plate 2 acts like an acoustic damper for sound waves. When noise (sound waves) propagates within the porous structure of the orifice plate, complex multiple reflections, refractions, and diffractions occur. The sound wave energy is continuously attenuated and dispersed in this process, thereby effectively suppressing noise and ultimately achieving a noise reduction effect.

[0058] In one embodiment, the height of the mixing section 14 is 3 to 5 mm.

[0059] In this embodiment, those skilled in the art will understand that the height of the mixing section 14 is a key parameter affecting the flow splitting effect. If the height is too small (approaching 0), the multiple jets ejected from the through holes 24 of the orifice plate 2 will not have enough space to mix before directly entering the flow splitting section 15, easily leading to uneven flow splitting. If the height is too large, it will not only increase the overall size and material cost of the flow splitter 10, but may also cause unnecessary eddies or secondary separation of the fluid in an excessively large space, which will have an adverse effect on the flow splitting uniformity.

[0060] To determine the optimal height range, fluid simulation was conducted to study the flow splitting effect of mixing section 14 at different heights. The specific simulation results are shown in the table below:

[0061] 0 12.1％ 1 6.9％ 3 3.9％ 5 5.2％ 7 5.5％

[0062] The data in the table above clearly shows that:

[0063] When the height of the mixing section 14 is 0 mm, that is, the downstream of the orifice plate 2 is directly connected to the flow splitting section 15, the flow splitting non-uniformity is as high as 12.1%, and the flow splitting effect is poor. This confirms the necessity of setting up an independent mixing section 14 to improve the flow splitting uniformity.

[0064] As the height of mixing section 14 increases, the flow non-uniformity first decreases and then increases. When the height increases from 0 mm to 3 mm, the flow non-uniformity decreases significantly from 12.1% to 3.9%, reaching the minimum value in this series of simulations, indicating that the mixing effect and flow uniformity are optimal at this point.

[0065] When the height continued to increase to 5 mm and 7 mm, the flow non-uniformity slightly rebounded to 5.2% and 5.5%, respectively. This indicates that an excessively long mixing section 14 does not bring about a sustained performance improvement; on the contrary, it may cause a slight decrease in uniformity due to factors such as changes in the flow field.

[0066] In summary, limiting the height of the mixing section 14 to the range of 3–5 mm precisely covers the lowest point of non-uniformity in refrigerant distribution (3.9% at 3 mm) and the adjacent area where performance remains excellent (5.2% at 5 mm). Therefore, this range ensures thorough mixing of the refrigerant and achieves uniform refrigerant distribution while also considering product compactness and economy.

[0067] In one embodiment, the inlet section 11 is a straight pipe, and the inner diameter of the inlet section 11 is 5 to 7 mm.

[0068] Please continue reading. Figure 1 In this embodiment, the inlet section 11 is designed as a straight pipe. This simple straight pipe structure facilitates connection to upstream refrigeration system piping (such as the outlet pipe of an electronic expansion valve).

[0069] To ensure the uniformity of current distribution in the splitter 10 under various operating conditions (especially low-frequency operating conditions) and to suppress flow noise during high-frequency operation, this embodiment limits the inner diameter of the inlet section 11. Specifically, the inner diameter of the inlet section 11 is 5–7 mm.

[0070] The selection of this inner diameter range is based on a comprehensive consideration of noise and flow distribution uniformity. Performance test and simulation data for different inlet section inner diameters are shown in the table below:

[0071] 3.6 1.1 62.52 6.1 1 26.2 9.6 3 15.81

[0072] Note: The smaller the maximum flow temperature difference, the more uniform the flow distribution.

[0073] The data in the table above shows that:

[0074] When the inner diameter is too small (e.g., 3.6mm), the refrigerant inlet velocity is too high, resulting in violent flow scouring and generating noise as high as 62.52dB, which seriously affects the user experience.

[0075] When the inner diameter is too large (e.g., 9.6 mm), although the noise level is significantly reduced, the inlet flow rate is too low when the compressor is running at low frequency. The gas-liquid two-phase fluid is prone to stratification or flow deviation, which leads to deterioration of the flow uniformity and increases the maximum flow temperature difference to 3℃.

[0076] When the inner diameter is in the range of 5 to 7 mm (e.g., 6.1 mm), the distributor 10 exhibits excellent performance in both distribution uniformity (maximum distribution temperature difference is only 1℃) and noise control (noise level is reduced to 26.2 dB).

[0077] Therefore, setting the inner diameter of the inlet section 11 to 5-7 mm is a good balance point for achieving low noise and high flow uniformity.

[0078] In one specific embodiment, the ratio of the height H of the inlet section 11 to its inner diameter D is limited to H / D = 0.5 to 1.5. By controlling the ratio of height to inner diameter within this range, sufficient contact length is ensured after the upstream pipe is inserted into the inlet section 11 to achieve a stable connection and good sealing.

[0079] In one embodiment, the transition section 12 is truncated cone-shaped, and the inner diameter of the transition section 12 increases continuously and smoothly from the inlet section 11 toward the mating section 13.

[0080] Please see Figure 1In this embodiment, the transition section 12 is structurally truncated conical. Specifically, its internal flow channel is a conical channel whose inner diameter continuously and smoothly increases from the outlet end of the inlet section 11 towards the inlet end of the mating section 13. This design allows the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow channel to gradually and uniformly expand along the refrigerant flow direction.

[0081] First, compared to the stepped structure where the flow channel cross-section suddenly expands, the smoothly transitioned truncated conical inner wall can effectively guide the high-speed inflowing refrigerant, allowing its streamlines to conform as closely as possible to the wall surface, thereby minimizing or avoiding flow separation, eddies, and local backflow caused by abrupt changes in cross-section.

[0082] Secondly, flow separation and eddies are the main causes of flow noise and energy loss. Through a smooth diffusion process, the kinetic energy of the refrigerant is smoothly converted into pressure energy, avoiding violent energy dissipation and fluid impact on the pipe wall, thereby helping to reduce the operating noise of the entire distributor 10.

[0083] Then, within the truncated cone-shaped transition section 12, while the refrigerant decelerates and diffuses, its internal gas and liquid phases have more space and time for preliminary mixing and reforming. This provides more uniform flow conditions for the subsequent refrigerant to enter the multiple through-holes 24 of the orifice plate 2, which is the basis for achieving the final high-precision flow splitting.

[0084] In terms of manufacturing process, this truncated cone-shaped transition section 12 can be integrally formed through mature spinning or drawing processes, ensuring the smoothness and dimensional accuracy of the inner wall, thereby guaranteeing the stable realization of the above-mentioned effects.

[0085] In one embodiment, the ratio of the height of the transition section 12 to the inner diameter of the inlet section 11 is 1 to 2.

[0086] In this embodiment, the inner diameter of the inlet end of the transition section 12 is numerically the same as the inner diameter of the inlet section 11. In this embodiment, the inner diameter of the inlet end of the transition section 12 and the inner diameter of the outlet section are relatively fixed, so its expansion angle is entirely determined by its height.

[0087] On the one hand, it is necessary to ensure that the transition section 12 has sufficient height to avoid an excessively large expansion angle. If the ratio of the height of the transition section 12 to the inner diameter of the inlet section 11 is too small (i.e., the height / diameter ratio is too small, for example, less than 1), it will lead to an excessively large expansion angle of the transition section 12. In this case, the high-speed flowing refrigerant is prone to flow separation near the wall, generating eddies and unstable flow. This will not only increase flow noise and energy loss, but also seriously affect the mixing uniformity of the gas and liquid phases. Therefore, setting the lower limit of this ratio to 1 ensures that the transition section 12 has a relatively gentle expansion angle, which is conducive to maintaining a stable, wall-attached flow state.

[0088] On the other hand, the height of transition section 12 is not necessarily better the higher it is. This embodiment studies the influence of this ratio on the uniformity of flow distribution through simulation analysis. The simulation results under specific operating conditions are shown in the table below:

[0089] 1.0 10.4％ 1.4 12.23％ 1.7 17.78％

[0090] As can be seen from the data in the table above, the simulated value of flow non-uniformity actually increases with the increase of the ratio. This indicates that after meeting the basic requirement of avoiding flow separation, excessively increasing the length of the transition section 12 may, by extending the flow path, provide conditions for the re-stratification of the gas and liquid phases under certain operating conditions, thus adversely affecting the flow uniformity.

[0091] Taking both aspects into consideration, this embodiment limits the ratio of the height of the transition section 12 to the inner diameter of the inlet section 11 to a range of 1 to 2. The lower limit of this range ensures effective flow guidance and suppression of flow separation, while the upper limit avoids performance degradation and unnecessary cost increases due to excessive structural length.

[0092] In one embodiment, the outlets of the plurality of through holes 24 are located on the same plane, the diameter of each through hole 24 is 0.5 to 3 mm, and the distance between the centers of two adjacent through holes 24 is 1.2 to 2 times the diameter of the hole.

[0093] In this embodiment, the plurality of through holes 24 are portions of the flat plate 23 in the orifice plate 2. Since the surface of the flat plate 23 facing the mixing section 14 is a flat end face, the openings of all the through holes 24 on this surface (i.e., the outlets of the through holes 24) are naturally located on the same geometric plane. That is, when the orifice plate 2 is installed inside the housing 1, the outlet end face of each through hole 24 facing the mixing section 14 is on the same horizontal plane perpendicular to the refrigerant flow direction.

[0094] This structural design ensures that all the rectified refrigerant jets ejected from the through-holes 24 enter the mixing section 14 synchronously. The coplanar outlets help create a regular, symmetrical initial flow field at the inlet of the mixing section 14. If the outlets of the various through-holes 24 are not on the same plane, for example, some in front and some behind, then the initial momentum and position of the different jets entering the mixing section 14 will differ, easily inducing unnecessary flow deflection or local eddies within the mixing chamber, thus disrupting the uniformity of the mixture.

[0095] In this embodiment, the selection of the orifice range is based on a comprehensive consideration of flow uniformity and noise control. This embodiment studies the impact of different orifice sizes on the performance of the flow divider 10 through simulation analysis; specific data are shown in the table below:

[0096]

[0097]

[0098] The data in the table above shows that:

[0099] The simulated noise level is 7.9 dB when the orifice diameter is 2 mm, while it is 19.12 dB when the orifice diameter is 1 mm. The simulated noise level also rises to 10.99 dB when the orifice diameter increases to 4 mm. This indicates the existence of an optimal orifice diameter range, and the 0.5–3 mm range proposed in this embodiment precisely covers this low-noise, high-performance range. Furthermore, the orifice diameter of the through-hole 24 is typically designed to be smaller than the inner diameter of each diversion channel 151 in the diversion section 15 to ensure that the main throttling and pressure reduction and mixing preparation processes occur at the orifice plate 2.

[0100] In this embodiment, the distance between the centers of two adjacent through holes 24 (i.e., the hole spacing) is 1.2 to 2 times the hole diameter.

[0101] The purpose of setting this spacing range is to ensure that the jets can be effectively mixed after entering the mixing section 14, while ensuring the structural strength of the orifice plate 2 itself.

[0102] The lower limit of the spacing (1.2 times the orifice diameter): This avoids excessively small orifice spacing. If the through holes 24 are too close together, the jets ejected from the through holes 24 will interfere with each other prematurely and merge into a large, unstable jet, negating the purpose of the multi-hole jet promoting mixing. At the same time, an excessively close spacing will also result in the "ribs" between the hole walls being too thin, reducing the mechanical strength of the orifice plate 2 and making processing difficult.

[0103] Upper limit of spacing (2 times the aperture): This avoids excessively large aperture spacing. If the through holes 24 are too far apart, the jets may not be able to interact and collide effectively within the limited space of the mixing section 14, and may even directly flow into specific channels of the splitting section 15, resulting in uneven flow splitting.

[0104] Therefore, setting the orifice spacing between 1.2 and 2 times the orifice diameter can ensure the independence of the jet to achieve effective mixing in the future, while also taking into account the structural strength and processing feasibility of the orifice plate 2.

[0105] In one embodiment, the plurality of through holes 24 are arranged in a circular, equilateral triangle, corner equilateral triangle, square, or corner square arrangement on the plate 23.

[0106] like Figures 5a to 5eAs shown, in this embodiment, the plurality of through holes 24 are arranged in a circular pattern on the plate 23. In other embodiments, the plurality of through holes 24 may also be arranged in an equilateral triangle, a cornered equilateral triangle, a square, or a cornered square on the plate 23.

[0107] What these arrangements have in common is that they are all regular, symmetrical geometric shapes.

[0108] Circular arrangement: refers to the centers of multiple through holes 24 being evenly distributed on the circumference of one or more concentric circles.

[0109] Equilateral triangle arrangement: This means that the centers of any three adjacent through holes 24 can form an equilateral triangle.

[0110] Square arrangement: This means that the center of the through hole 24 is located on a grid point of a square grid.

[0111] Corner arrangement (such as corner equilateral triangle or corner square): refers to arranging the above-mentioned equilateral triangle or square grid by rotating the whole grid by a specific angle (e.g., 45 degrees).

[0112] The purpose of employing any of the above-mentioned uniform arrangement methods is to ensure that the entire refrigerant fluid covering the upstream of the orifice plate 2 can be guided approximately equally into each through-hole 24. This ensures that the multiple jets after passing through the orifice plate 2 are uniformly distributed at the inlet cross-section of the mixing section 14, with no region having a significantly higher jet density than other regions. This initial flow field uniformity is a prerequisite for achieving efficient and rapid mixing in the mixing section 14 and ultimately achieving uniform flow distribution in the downstream branch channels 151.

[0113] In one embodiment, the height of the cylindrical section 21 is 1 to 3 times the aperture.

[0114] In this embodiment, the cylindrical section 21 is the portion that extends from the periphery of the flat plate 23 toward the mixing section 14 (downstream).

[0115] The cylindrical section 21 is the main structure for the mating of the orifice plate 2 and the mating section 13 in the shell 1. It must have sufficient height to ensure stable guidance and positioning during assembly. Setting the lower limit of the height to 1 times the orifice diameter ensures that the cylindrical section 21 still has a basic physical height to achieve its function, even with a small orifice diameter.

[0116] The inner wall of the cylindrical section 21 forms, to some extent, the sidewall of the mixing section 14. Its height affects the initial flow field pattern of the mixing section 14. Setting the upper limit of the height to three times the orifice diameter is an effective control over the overall axial dimension of the splitter 10 while meeting positioning and strength requirements. If the cylindrical section 21 is too high, it will unnecessarily increase the size and weight of the splitter 10 and may adversely affect the flow field within the mixing section 14.

[0117] In one embodiment, an arc-shaped transition section 22 is provided between the flat plate 23 and the cylindrical section 21, and the flat plate 23, the arc-shaped transition section 22 and the cylindrical section 21 are integrally formed.

[0118] In this embodiment, an arc-shaped transition section 22 is provided between the flat plate 23 and the cylindrical section 21. This arc-shaped transition section 22 seamlessly connects the inner edge surface of the flat plate 23 with the inner wall surface of the cylindrical section 21, eliminating any sharp right angles that may exist between them.

[0119] Furthermore, considering manufacturing processes and structural integrity, the flat plate 23, the arc-shaped transition section 22, and the cylindrical section 21 are designed as a single integral molding unit. This means that the entire perforated plate 2 is formed in one piece from a single raw material through processes such as stamping, die forging, or precision machining, rather than being assembled from multiple parts by welding or assembly.

[0120] In mechanical structures, sharp interior angles are weak points where stress concentrates. By using a curved transition, the stress concentration at the connection between the plate 23 and the cylindrical section 21 under pressure or vibration conditions can be alleviated, thereby improving the fatigue strength and service life of the orifice plate 2. The one-piece molding manufacturing method fundamentally ensures the integrity and uniformity of the structure, avoiding defects that may be caused by welding or assembly, making the orifice plate 2 more robust and durable.

[0121] In one embodiment, an annular rib 31 is formed radially inward on the inner wall of the mating section 13, near the cylindrical section 21. An annular placement space is formed between the end of the transition section 12 and the annular rib 31. The flat plate 23, the arc-shaped transition section 22 and the cylindrical section 21 are disposed within the annular placement space.

[0122] Please see Figure 1 In this embodiment, on the inner wall of the mating section 13, near its downstream end (i.e., close to the cylindrical section 21), a ring-shaped rib 31 is formed radially inward. This ring-shaped rib 31 forms a shoulder structure inside the housing 1.

[0123] The annular rib 31 and the end of the upstream transition section 12 (i.e., the port with the largest diameter of the transition section 12) together define an annular accommodating space. The radial dimension of this accommodating space matches the outer diameter of the orifice plate 2, while its axial depth is adapted to the overall thickness of the orifice plate 2.

[0124] This fixed structure can be formed during assembly using metal forming processes. For example, one feasible assembly method is:

[0125] First, the one-piece shell 1 (at this time, the annular rib has not yet been formed) is processed to the intermediate state.

[0126] Insert the perforated plate 2 into the opening end of the housing 1, and let its flat plate 23 and its surrounding arc-shaped transition section 22 rest against the support step formed at the end of the transition section 12.

[0127] Subsequently, by spinning, rolling or radial forging the outer surface of the corresponding position of the mating section 13, the tube wall material of the shell 1 undergoes plastic flow inward, thereby integrally forming the annular rib 31 on the downstream side of the perforated plate 2.

[0128] The annular rib 31 formed in this way, in turn, applies a clamping force to the flat plate 23 of the orifice plate 2 from the downstream side, firmly clamping it between itself and the end step of the transition section 12. This fixing method, achieved by the deformation of the housing 1 itself, not only achieves precise axial and radial positioning of the orifice plate 2, but also ensures extremely high fixing strength and sealing performance, effectively preventing the orifice plate 2 from loosening or leaking under fluid impact.

[0129] In one embodiment, the branch section 15 includes at least two branch channels 151, the number of which corresponds to the number of parallel branches of the connected heat exchanger. Figure 2 The diagram exemplarily illustrates four distribution channels 151. Each distribution channel 151 is independent and is used to evenly distribute the thoroughly mixed refrigerant in the mixing section 14 into its corresponding downstream pipe. The orifice diameter of each distribution channel 151 is larger than that of the through-hole 24 to ensure that the refrigerant undergoes sufficient "dispersion and mixing" before entering the distribution channel 151, rather than directly entering a particular distribution channel 151.

[0130] like Figure 6 As shown, corresponding to the above-described splitter 10, this embodiment of the present invention also provides an air conditioner 100, which aims to solve the problems of high noise during high-frequency operation and uneven current distribution during low-frequency operation in the prior art. The air conditioner 100 includes the splitter 10 as described in the foregoing embodiments.

[0131] In this embodiment, the distributor 10 is installed at a specific location in the air conditioner 100: its inlet section 11 is connected to the outlet of the throttling device, and the multiple branch channels 151 of its branch section 15 are respectively connected to the multiple parallel branch inlets of the indoor heat exchanger.

[0132] During the operation of air conditioner 100:

[0133] The low-pressure, low-temperature gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant flowing out from the throttling device enters the inlet section 11 of the distributor 10 at a higher speed.

[0134] The refrigerant then flows through transition section 12, orifice plate 2, mixing section 14, and finally reaches flow divider section 15. During this process, the porous structure of orifice plate 2 effectively disperses the high-speed flowing refrigerant into multiple fine jets, reducing the direct impact of the fluid on the pipe wall and thus suppressing the generation of "refrigerant scouring noise." Simultaneously, mixing section 14 provides a buffer and remixing space for these fine jets, ensuring that the gas-liquid two-phase distribution of the refrigerant reaches a highly uniform state before entering flow divider section 15.

[0135] Finally, the branch section 15 distributes this uniform refrigerant to each parallel branch of the indoor heat exchanger.

[0136] Therefore, when the compressor operates at high frequency to achieve rapid cooling or heating, this air conditioner 100 can effectively suppress the harsh refrigerant scouring noise, providing users with a quieter and more comfortable indoor environment.

[0137] Meanwhile, the uniformity of the flow distribution of the distributor 10 ensures that each flow path of the indoor heat exchanger receives an appropriate amount of refrigerant, allowing full utilization of the surface area of ​​the entire heat exchanger. This not only improves the overall heat exchange efficiency of the air conditioner 100 and shortens the time to reach the set temperature, but also helps to improve the comprehensive energy efficiency ratio of the air conditioner 100 under various operating conditions.

[0138] To further demonstrate the superiority of the diverter 10 described in the foregoing embodiments over the prior art, field experience tests and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation comparative analysis were conducted.

[0139] First, the aforementioned distributor 10 and the existing jet ring distributor 10 were installed in the same model of air conditioner 100 for testing. The on-site experience clearly showed that when the compressor started rapidly at a frequency increase rate of 10Hz / s, the air conditioner 100 with the aforementioned distributor 10 did not produce any noticeable refrigerant flushing noise and operated smoothly and quietly; while the air conditioner 100 with the existing jet ring distributor 10 produced clearly audible flushing noise.

[0140] Then, to quantitatively evaluate the effect of the diverter 10 described in the aforementioned embodiment on improving diverter uniformity, CFD software was used to simulate the performance of the diverter 10 (with 4 outlet orifices) and a conventional diverter 10 at different compressor operating frequencies (10Hz, 21Hz, and 53Hz). Diverter non-uniformity was calculated based on the deviation between the flow rate of each branch and the average flow rate. The simulation results are shown in the table below:

[0141]

[0142]

[0143] The data in the table above clearly shows that:

[0144] (1) Under all test conditions, including low frequency (10Hz), medium frequency (21Hz) and high frequency (53Hz), the shunt non-uniformity of the shunt in the aforementioned embodiment is significantly lower than that of the existing shunt. For example, under the high frequency condition of 53Hz, the non-uniformity of the shunt in the aforementioned embodiment is only 0.53%, while that of the existing shunt is as high as 3.57%, representing a performance improvement of more than 6 times.

[0145] (2) This fully demonstrates that the technical solution adopted in the above embodiments can ensure that the refrigerant is fully and evenly mixed before entering each branch of the heat exchanger, and maintains a high degree of flow uniformity in a wide range of operating frequencies.

[0146] In summary, through qualitative field testing and quantitative simulation analysis, it has been fully demonstrated that this embodiment has better effects on both reducing noise and improving the uniformity of flow distribution compared with the prior art.

[0147] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this utility model, but the protection scope of this utility model is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various equivalent modifications or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this utility model, and these modifications or substitutions should all be covered within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A shunt, characterized in that, The device includes a housing and an orifice plate. The housing sequentially includes an inlet section, a transition section, a mating section, a mixing section, and a diverting section along one direction. The orifice plate is disposed between the transition section and the mixing section and is fixedly disposed with the mating section. The orifice plate includes a flat plate and a cylindrical section extending from the flat plate toward the mixing section. The flat plate has multiple through holes along the one direction. The mixing section is a hollow cavity connecting the plurality of through holes and the flow-dividing section, and the height of the mixing section along the one direction is greater than 0 mm and less than 10 mm.

2. The shunt according to claim 1, characterized in that, The height of the mixing section is 3-5 mm.

3. The shunt according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inlet section is a straight pipe with an inner diameter of 5-7 mm.

4. The shunt according to claim 3, characterized in that, The transition section is truncated cone-shaped, and the inner diameter of the transition section increases continuously and smoothly from the inlet section to the mating section.

5. The shunt according to claim 4, characterized in that, The ratio of the height of the transition section to the inner diameter of the inlet section is 1 to 2.

6. The shunt according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outlets of the plurality of through holes are located on the same plane, and the diameter of each through hole is 0.5 to 3 mm. The distance between the centers of two adjacent through holes is 1.2 to 2 times the diameter of the hole.

7. The shunt according to claim 6, characterized in that, The plurality of through holes are arranged in a circular, equilateral triangle, corner equilateral triangle, square, or corner square arrangement on the plate.

8. The shunt according to claim 1, characterized in that, An arc-shaped transition section is provided between the flat plate and the cylindrical section, and the flat plate, the arc-shaped transition section and the cylindrical section are integrally formed.

9. The shunt according to claim 8, characterized in that, On the inner wall of the mating section, near the cylindrical section, an annular rib is formed radially inward. An annular space is formed between the end of the transition section and the annular rib. The flat plate, the arc-shaped transition section, and the cylindrical section are located within the annular space.

10. An air conditioner, characterized in that, Includes the shunt as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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