Liquid reservoir and refrigerator

Abstract

The application provides a liquid accumulator and a refrigerator, the refrigerator comprising an evaporator, a compressor and a capillary tube, the material of the capillary tube comprising aluminum material, the liquid accumulator comprising: a barrel body, which is formed with a containing cavity and a first opening and a second opening, the second opening being used for connecting the evaporator; a first connecting pipe, one end of which is inserted into the first opening, and the other end being used for connecting the compressor, the first connecting pipe being formed with a flow passage and a wire passage, the flow passage being communicated with the containing cavity and the compressor, and the wire passage being communicated with the containing cavity and the outside of the barrel body, the wire passage being used for allowing the capillary tube to enter the containing cavity, to be coiled and then to pass out to the outside of the barrel body through the wire passage. The liquid accumulator provided by the application allows the capillary tube to directly exchange heat in the liquid accumulator, saves the installation space of the capillary tube, improves the heat exchange efficiency of the capillary tube and the liquid accumulator, makes the overall volume of the liquid accumulator smaller, and avoids the refrigerator being too large.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of refrigerator technology, and particularly relates to a liquid storage device and a refrigerator. Background Technology

[0002] Existing refrigerators typically use the heat emitted by the capillary tube to heat the return pipe, preventing the liquid refrigerant in the return pipe from liquidating and impacting the compressor. This is achieved by setting part of the return pipe and the capillary tube in parallel, such as by wrapping the return pipe and the capillary tube with aluminum foil. However, this connection method requires a long return pipe, usually more than 2 meters long, which takes up a lot of space during installation, resulting in an increase in the overall size of the refrigerator. Utility Model Content

[0003] This application provides a liquid storage device and a refrigerator to solve the problem that in existing refrigerators, some return gas pipes and capillary tubes are arranged in parallel, the return gas pipes are relatively long, occupy a lot of space during installation, and thus increase the overall size of the refrigerator.

[0004] This application provides a liquid receiver suitable for a refrigerator, the refrigerator including an evaporator, a compressor, and a capillary tube, the capillary tube being made of aluminum, and the liquid receiver comprising:

[0005] The cylindrical body has a receiving cavity and a first opening and a second opening communicating with the receiving cavity, the second opening being used to connect the evaporator;

[0006] The first connecting pipe has one end inserted into the first opening and the other end used to connect to the compressor. The first connecting pipe forms mutually spaced flow channels and wire channels. The flow channels connect the receiving cavity and the compressor, and the wire channels connect the receiving cavity and the outside of the cylinder. The wire channels are used for the capillary tube to enter the receiving cavity, coil up, and then pass through the wire channels to the outside of the cylinder. The material of the first connecting pipe includes aluminum.

[0007] Optionally, the first connecting pipe includes an outer peripheral wall, which is recessed inward to form the wire passage, and the wire passage extends axially along the first connecting pipe.

[0008] Optionally, the wire passage includes a pair, each of which is conformally matched to the capillary. One wire passage is used for the capillary to enter the receiving cavity, and the other wire passage is used for the capillary to pass through to the outside of the cylinder.

[0009] Optionally, a pair of the wire passages are distributed opposite to each other on both sides of the first connecting pipe.

[0010] Optionally, the first connecting pipe is provided with a flow passage extending axially, and the flow passage is used for the circulation of refrigerant.

[0011] Optionally, it also includes:

[0012] The second connecting pipe has one end extending into the receiving cavity and the other end passing through the second opening and connected to the evaporator.

[0013] Optionally, the cylindrical body includes a cavity wall surrounding the cavity forming the receiving cavity;

[0014] The second connecting pipe includes an inclined tube section located within the receiving cavity, with the air outlet of the inclined tube section facing the cavity wall.

[0015] Optionally, the capillary tube of the receiving cavity is coiled close to the first opening and is spaced apart from the inclined tube segment.

[0016] Optionally, the cylinder extends along the direction of gravity, and the first opening and the second opening are opened opposite each other at both ends of the cylinder, with the second opening close to the ground.

[0017] This application also provides a refrigerator, including an evaporator, a compressor, and a capillary tube, wherein the capillary tube is made of aluminum, and the refrigerator also includes a liquid storage tank as described above.

[0018] The liquid receiver provided in this embodiment directly connects the cylinder to the evaporator and compressor via a first connecting pipe, replacing the return pipe structure. This directs the refrigerant flowing from the evaporator to the compressor. Simultaneously, the first connecting pipe has a wire passage for the capillary tube to enter the cylinder's receiving cavity, coil, and then exit to the outside of the cylinder. Therefore, the capillary tube located inside the receiving cavity can exchange heat with the refrigerant within the cavity. By heating the refrigerant in the receiving cavity, liquid refrigerant is prevented from slamming into the compressor, reducing energy loss in the refrigeration system. This structure allows some of the capillary tube to exchange heat directly within the liquid receiver, saving installation space. Furthermore, the direct heat exchange efficiency between the capillary tube and the liquid receiver is improved, thus reducing the cylinder's volume and resulting in a smaller overall size of the liquid receiver, saving internal refrigerator space and preventing a larger refrigerator size. Additionally, both the capillary tube and the first connecting pipe are made of aluminum, avoiding corrosion from contact between different materials such as copper and aluminum. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0020] To gain a more complete understanding of this application and its beneficial effects, the following description will be provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the following description, the same reference numerals denote the same parts.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the liquid reservoir provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0022] Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of a liquid reservoir provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0023] Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the first connecting pipe of the reservoir provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0024] Figure 4 A cross-sectional view showing the connection between the first connecting tube and the capillary tube of the liquid reservoir provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0025] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the capillary structure provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0026] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0027] 1. Cylinder body; 11. Receiving cavity; 12. First opening; 13. Second opening;

[0028] 2. First connecting pipe; 21. Flow passage; 22. Wire passage; 23. Outer peripheral wall;

[0029] 3. Capillary tube;

[0030] 4. Second connecting pipe; 41. Inclined pipe section; 42. Air outlet. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0032] 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," and "counterclockwise," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships based on the orientation or positional relationships 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. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the stated features. In the description of this application, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0033] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a connection that allows communication between them; 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. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0034] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature being directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0035] The following disclosure provides many different embodiments or examples for implementing different structures of this application. To simplify the disclosure, specific examples of components and arrangements are described below. Of course, these are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Furthermore, reference numerals and / or letters may be repeated in different examples; such repetition is for simplification and clarity and does not in itself indicate a relationship between the various embodiments and / or arrangements discussed. In addition, various specific examples of processes and materials are provided in this application, but those skilled in the art will recognize the application of other processes and / or the use of other materials.

[0036] This application provides a liquid storage device and a refrigerator to solve the problem that some existing refrigerators have parallel vent pipes and capillary tubes, with long vent pipes that occupy a lot of space during installation, resulting in an increase in the overall size of the refrigerator. The following will be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0037] The liquid storage device and refrigerator provided in this application embodiment solve the problem that in existing refrigerators, some return gas pipes and capillary tubes are arranged in parallel, the return gas pipes are relatively long, occupy a lot of space during installation, and thus increase the overall size of the refrigerator.

[0038] This application provides a liquid receiver suitable for a refrigerator. The refrigerator includes an evaporator, a compressor, and a capillary tube 3. The capillary tube 3 is made of aluminum. The liquid receiver includes a cylindrical body 1 and a first connecting pipe 2. Please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The cylinder 1 has a receiving cavity 11 and a first opening 12 and a second opening 13 communicating with the receiving cavity 11. The second opening 13 is used to connect the evaporator. One end of the first connecting pipe 2 is inserted into the first opening 12, and the other end is used to connect the compressor. The first connecting pipe 2 has a flow passage 21 and a wire passage 22 that are spaced apart from each other. The flow passage 21 connects the receiving cavity 11 and the compressor. The wire passage 22 connects the receiving cavity 11 and the outside of the cylinder 1. The wire passage 22 is used to allow the capillary tube 3 to enter the receiving cavity 11, coil up, and then pass through the wire passage 22 to the outside of the cylinder 1. The material of the first connecting pipe 2 includes aluminum.

[0039] The liquid receiver provided in this embodiment directly connects the cylinder 1 and the first connecting pipe 2 to the evaporator and compressor, replacing the return pipe structure. This directs the refrigerant flowing out of the evaporator to the compressor. Simultaneously, the first connecting pipe 2 has a wire passage 22 for the capillary tube 3 to enter the receiving cavity 11 of the cylinder 1, coil, and then exit through the wire passage 22 to the outside of the cylinder 1. Therefore, the capillary tube 3 located inside the receiving cavity 11 can exchange heat with the refrigerant within the cavity 11. By heating the refrigerant in the receiving cavity 11, liquid refrigerant is prevented from impacting the compressor, reducing energy loss in the refrigeration system. This structure allows some of the capillary tube 3 to exchange heat directly within the liquid receiver, saving installation space. Furthermore, the direct heat exchange efficiency between the capillary tube 3 and the liquid receiver is improved, thereby shortening the length of the capillary tube 3 and the first connecting pipe 2, reducing the volume of the cylinder 1, and resulting in a smaller overall volume of the liquid receiver, saving internal refrigerator space and preventing a larger refrigerator size.

[0040] Meanwhile, by extending a portion of the capillary tube 3 into the receiving cavity 11 of the cylinder 1, the refrigerant inside the capillary tube 3 is further cooled by the low-temperature refrigerant gas in the receiving cavity 11 before throttling, reducing the temperature and vaporization rate of the capillary tube 3. This results in a higher proportion of liquid refrigerant entering the evaporator, more complete evaporation, and improved heat absorption capacity of the evaporator. Furthermore, the reduced temperature of the capillary tube 3 improves the fluidity of the small amount of residual lubricating oil in the refrigerant, reducing the risk of solidification or blockage on the inner wall of the capillary tube 3. The coiled capillary tube 3 can buffer pressure fluctuations after throttling, making the liquid supply to the evaporator more stable.

[0041] Optionally, please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 The first connecting pipe 2 includes an outer peripheral wall 23, which is recessed inward to form a wire passage 22. The wire passage 22 extends axially along the first connecting pipe 2. By placing the wire passage 22 on the outer peripheral wall 23 of the first connecting pipe 2, it is easier to install the capillary tube 3, avoiding the increased installation difficulty of the capillary tube 3 if the wire passage 22 is placed inside the first connecting pipe 2. The shape of the wire passage 22 is not further limited here; in some examples, the cross-section of the wire passage 22 can be C-shaped or U-shaped, etc.

[0042] Optionally, the wire passage 22 includes a pair, which are distributed opposite to each other on both sides of the first connecting pipe 2. Each wire passage 22 is conformally matched to the capillary tube 3. One wire passage 22 is used for the capillary tube 3 to enter the receiving cavity 11, and the other wire passage 22 is used for the capillary tube 3 to exit to the outside of the cylinder 1. By providing a pair of wire passages 22, separate wiring paths are provided for the capillary tube 3 to enter and exit the receiving cavity 11, simplifying the installation of the capillary tube 3. At the same time, the pair of capillary tubes 3 are distributed opposite to each other on both sides of the flow channel 21, further improving the heating efficiency of the refrigerant in the flow channel 21. Of course, the pair of wire passages 22 can also be arranged at intervals along the circumference of the first connecting pipe 2.

[0043] It should be noted that the wiring channel 22 can be installed along the axial direction of the first connecting pipe 2 on the outer peripheral wall 23, or it can be matched to the length of the capillary tube 3 according to the wiring requirements of the capillary tube 3. For example, the two ends of the capillary tube 3 need to be connected to the evaporator and the filter, respectively. Since the end of the first connecting pipe 2 away from the first opening 12 is connected to the compressor, and one end of the capillary tube 3 needs to be connected to the evaporator, the end of the capillary tube 3 connected to the evaporator can be bent and directly connected to the evaporator after extending outside the cylinder 1, without having to run parallel to the first connecting pipe 2 along the wiring channel 22, thus avoiding the capillary tube 3 being too long and saving installation space. Since the filter and the compressor are usually close, the end of the capillary tube 3 connected to the filter can first run parallel to the first connecting pipe 2 along the wiring channel 22 for one end, and then disconnect from the wiring channel 22 to connect to the filter. Among them, the capillary tube 3 is connected to the refrigerant inlet of the evaporator, and the second connecting pipe 4 is connected to the refrigerant outlet of the evaporator.

[0044] Optionally, a flow passage 21 is provided axially through the first connecting pipe 2, and the flow passage 21 is used for the flow of refrigerant. That is, the flow passage 21 is sandwiched between a pair of wire passages 22.

[0045] Optionally, the liquid reservoir provided in this embodiment further includes a second connecting pipe 4, one end of which extends into the receiving cavity 11, and the other end passes through the second opening 13 and is connected to the evaporator. Further, the second connecting pipe 4 is sealed at the second opening 13. In some examples, the second connecting pipe 4 is sealed to the second opening 13 via a sealing ring.

[0046] Optionally, the cylinder 1 includes a cavity wall surrounding the cavity 11; the second connecting pipe 4 includes an inclined pipe section 41 located within the cavity 11, with the outlet 42 of the inclined pipe section 41 opposite to the cavity wall. That is, the flow passage 21 within the first connecting pipe 2 at the second opening 13 is not in the outlet direction of the inclined pipe section 41. Even if spraying occurs at the outlet 42 of the second connecting pipe 4, the liquid refrigerant will splash onto the cavity wall of the cavity 11, preventing the liquid refrigerant in the second connecting pipe 4 from directly spraying into the first connecting pipe 2, thereby preventing liquid refrigerant from slamming into the compressor.

[0047] The inclination angle of the inclined tube section 41 is not further limited here. In some examples, the angle between the inclined tube section 41 and the vertical direction can be between 10° and 60°, such as 10°, 30°, 45°, 60°, etc.

[0048] Optionally, the capillary tube 3 of the receiving cavity 11 is coiled near the first opening 12 and spaced apart from the inclined tube section 41. By placing the capillary tube 3 at one end of the receiving cavity 11 near the first opening 12, the distance that the heated refrigerant needs to flow to the compressor is shortened, the proportion of liquid refrigerant when the refrigerant enters the compressor is reduced as much as possible, and the probability of liquid slugging in the compressor is reduced.

[0049] Optionally, please refer to Figure 5 The portion of the capillary 3 located within the receiving cavity 11 can first be coiled into a loop with a first inner diameter and extended towards the second opening 13, then coiled into a loop with a second inner diameter and extended towards the first opening 12, with the second inner diameter being smaller than the first inner diameter. This means the loop with the second inner diameter is inside the loop with the first inner diameter. This nested arrangement of the two loops further saves space in the capillary 3. Furthermore, it can be coiled into a loop with a third inner diameter and extended towards the second opening 13, with the third inner diameter being smaller than the second inner diameter. This means the loop with the third inner diameter is inside the loop with the second inner diameter. It is understood that the reverse is also true; that is, a smaller inner diameter can be used to first coil the capillary 3, and then a larger inner diameter can be used to coil it again. This will not be explained in detail here.

[0050] Optionally, the cylinder 1 extends along the direction of gravity, with the first opening 12 and the second opening 13 located opposite each other at both ends of the cylinder 1, and the second opening 13 being close to the ground. Therefore, the liquid refrigerant sprayed from the outlet 42 of the second connecting pipe 4 will accumulate at the bottom of the receiving cavity 11 due to gravity, avoiding blockage of the first opening 12 and also preventing the liquid refrigerant from flowing into the flow channel 21.

[0051] Optionally, the first connecting pipe 2 is sealed to the first opening 12 to prevent air leakage.

[0052] This application embodiment also provides a refrigerator, including an evaporator, a compressor, and a capillary tube 3. The capillary tube 3 is made of aluminum, and also includes a liquid receiver as described above. The liquid receiver includes a cylinder 1 and a first connecting pipe 2. The cylinder 1 forms a receiving cavity 11 and a first opening 12 and a second opening 13 communicating with the receiving cavity 11. The second opening 13 is used to connect the evaporator. One end of the first connecting pipe 2 is inserted into the first opening 12, and the other end is used to connect to the compressor. The first connecting pipe 2 forms a flow channel 21 and a wire channel 22 spaced apart from each other. The flow channel 21 connects the receiving cavity 11 and the compressor, and the wire channel 22 connects the receiving cavity 11 and the outside of the cylinder 1. The wire channel 22 is used for the capillary tube 3 to enter the receiving cavity 11, coil around, and then pass through the wire channel 22 to the outside of the cylinder 1.

[0053] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts not described in detail in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions in other embodiments.

[0054] The liquid storage device and refrigerator provided in the embodiments of this application have been described in detail above. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this application. The description of the above embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this application. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope based on the ideas of this application. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

Claims

1. A liquid reservoir, suitable for refrigerators, characterized in that, The refrigerator includes an evaporator, a compressor, and a capillary tube, wherein the capillary tube is made of aluminum, and the liquid receiver includes: The cylindrical body has a receiving cavity and a first opening and a second opening communicating with the receiving cavity, the second opening being used to connect the evaporator; The first connecting pipe has one end inserted into the first opening and the other end used to connect to the compressor. The first connecting pipe forms mutually spaced flow channels and wire channels. The flow channels connect the receiving cavity and the compressor, and the wire channels connect the receiving cavity and the outside of the cylinder. The wire channels are used for the capillary tube to enter the receiving cavity, coil, and then pass through the wire channels to the outside of the cylinder. The material of the first connecting pipe includes aluminum.

2. The liquid reservoir according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first connecting pipe includes an outer peripheral wall, which is recessed inward to form the wire passage, and the wire passage extends along the axial direction of the first connecting pipe.

3. The liquid reservoir according to claim 2, characterized in that, The wire passage includes a pair, each of which is conformally matched to the capillary. One wire passage is used for the capillary to enter the receiving cavity, and the other wire passage is used for the capillary to pass through to the outside of the cylinder.

4. The liquid reservoir according to claim 3, characterized in that, The pair of wire-passing channels are distributed opposite to each other on both sides of the first connecting pipe.

5. The liquid reservoir according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first connecting pipe has an axially extending flow channel for the circulation of refrigerant.

6. The liquid reservoir according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: The second connecting pipe has one end extending into the receiving cavity and the other end passing through the second opening and connected to the evaporator.

7. The liquid reservoir according to claim 6, characterized in that, The cylindrical body includes a cavity wall that surrounds the receiving cavity; The second connecting pipe includes an inclined tube section located within the receiving cavity, with the air outlet of the inclined tube section facing the cavity wall.

8. The liquid reservoir according to claim 7, characterized in that, The capillary tube of the receiving cavity is coiled close to the first opening and is distributed at intervals with the inclined tube segment.

9. The liquid reservoir according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cylinder extends along the direction of gravity, and the first opening and the second opening are opened opposite each other at both ends of the cylinder, with the second opening close to the ground.

10. A refrigerator, characterized in that, The refrigerator includes an evaporator, a compressor, and a capillary tube, wherein the capillary tube is made of aluminum, and the refrigerator also includes a liquid reservoir as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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