Heat pump device and laundry treating apparatus

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of heat pump device and clothes processing equipment, comprising: shell, with air inlet and air outlet;Evaporator and condenser, the position of air inlet is higher than the position of the evaporator, first air duct is equipped with between the air inlet and the windward side of evaporator First air deflector, the first air deflector presents from the air inlet to the windward side direction of evaporator By high to low curved surface or inclined plane extension, for the air flow introduced by air inlet is guided to the windward side of evaporator.The purpose of the utility model is to provide a kind of heat pump, solve the problem that vortex and resistance are generated after air flow impact air duct wall in the direction of air inlet direction and the direction of its internal air duct is crossed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of clothing processing equipment technology, and in particular to a heat pump. Background Technology

[0002] Traditional clothing drying equipment often uses heating wires to heat airflow to dry clothes. However, the heating wires generate high-temperature airflow directly through resistance heating. Due to the lack of temperature control, the drying temperature is prone to high and large fluctuations, making it extremely unstable during use and thus damaging the clothes. At the same time, the energy conversion efficiency of resistance heating is low, and the direct discharge of hot and humid air results in heat waste. Long-term use leads to high power consumption and high operating costs for users.

[0003] To address the aforementioned issues, existing clothing drying devices incorporate heat pumps. These heat pumps form a closed loop with a compressor, condenser, and evaporator, utilizing the refrigerant's phase change cycle to recover heat. Specifically, the compressor heats the refrigerant, the condenser releases heat to heat the air, and the evaporator condenses the moisture from the warm, humid air and recovers residual heat, thus achieving heat circulation. Compared to heating wires, using a heat pump significantly reduces power consumption and damage to clothing of the same weight.

[0004] However, existing heat pump equipment uses a vertically spaced evaporator and condenser arrangement, which increases the vertical height of the garment processing unit. Furthermore, when larger evaporators and condensers are used to improve the efficiency of handling hot and humid air, this vertical spacing further increases the vertical height of the garment processing unit. This results in an increased overall size of the garment processing unit, limiting its space adaptability and reducing the user experience.

[0005] Furthermore, to optimize the above-mentioned problems, by placing the evaporator and condenser at an angle, the vertical height of the two components can be shortened without reducing their size; or, without increasing the overall vertical height of the clothing processing equipment, larger evaporators and condensers can be selected to improve the efficiency of processing hot and humid air.

[0006] Furthermore, in multi-drum garment processing equipment, each processing drum has a return air duct connected to the air inlet. To avoid overly complicated duct connections, the air inlet is usually located in the middle of each drum. This results in the air inlet's direction intersecting with the direction of its internal air duct, causing the airflow to create vortices and resistance after hitting the duct wall, thus affecting drying efficiency. Utility Model Content

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide a heat pump that solves the problem of vortexes and resistance generated when the airflow direction is intersecting with the direction of the internal air duct and impacts the duct wall.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: a heat pump device, comprising: a housing with an air inlet and an air outlet; an evaporator and a condenser, both inclined relative to a horizontal plane within the housing, the evaporator and condenser being angled towards each other with their tops close together and their bottoms far apart; a first air duct extending from the air inlet to the windward side of the evaporator, used to supply the airflow introduced by the air inlet to the evaporator for dehumidification, the air inlet direction intersecting the extension direction of the first air duct; a second air duct extending from the leeward side of the evaporator to the windward side of the condenser, used to supply the dehumidified airflow to the condenser for heating; and a third air duct extending from the leeward side of the condenser to the air outlet, used to discharge the heated airflow from the air outlet; wherein, the air inlet is positioned higher than the evaporator, and the first air duct has a first air guide surface located between the air inlet and the windward side of the evaporator, the first air guide surface extending from the air inlet towards the windward side of the evaporator in a curved or inclined manner from high to low, used to guide the airflow introduced by the air inlet to the windward side of the evaporator.

[0009] By adopting the above technical solution, this utility model has the following advantages: By placing the evaporator and condenser at an angle with their tops close together and their bottoms far apart, the vertical height is shortened, making the overall equipment more compact and improving its space adaptability. Furthermore, without changing the vertical height, the inclined placement can accommodate larger evaporators and condensers, improving the ability to handle hot and humid air and shortening the drying time. The air inlet is positioned higher than the evaporator, and its direction intersects with the extension direction of the first air duct. This causes the airflow to directly impact the sidewall of the first air duct, resulting in eddies and airflow loss. Therefore, a curved or inclined first air guide surface is installed within the first air duct, its extension direction sloping from high to low from the air inlet towards the windward side of the evaporator. This curved or inclined shape can smoothly guide the airflow flowing in from the air inlet, ensuring an orderly flow towards the windward side of the evaporator, reducing eddies, and thus improving heat exchange efficiency and drying efficiency.

[0010] Furthermore, the first air guide surface includes at least one curved section and at least one inclined section connected together.

[0011] Using the aforementioned technical solution, since the air inlet direction intersects with the extension direction of the first air duct, if the first air guide surface is set as a single inclined plane, airflow separation and vortices are easily generated when the airflow direction changes. A single curved surface is insufficient for guiding the airflow. Therefore, the first air guide surface is set as at least one connected curved section and at least one inclined section. The curved section allows the airflow to conform to the first guide surface, reducing vortices generated by changes in airflow direction. The inclined plane guides the airflow direction to align with the extension direction of the first air duct. Thus, the synergy of the curved section and the inclined plane reduces turbulence within the first air duct while guiding most of the airflow to the windward side of the evaporator, improving the heat exchange efficiency of the evaporator and thereby increasing the drying efficiency.

[0012] Furthermore, the first wind-guiding surface includes at least two curved sections and at least two inclined sections that are alternately distributed.

[0013] By adopting the aforementioned technical solution, at least two alternately distributed curved sections can further optimize the vortex generated by the change in airflow direction, and at least two inclined sections can further optimize the flow direction of the airflow. Through at least two curved sections and at least two inclined sections, the heat exchange efficiency of the evaporator is further optimized, thereby further improving the drying efficiency.

[0014] Furthermore, the side of the first air guide surface closest to the evaporator is flush with or smoothly connected to the windward side surface of the evaporator.

[0015] By employing the aforementioned technical solution, the airflow flowing from the first guide surface into the evaporator's windward side is prevented from colliding at the connection point due to the height difference between the first guide surface and the evaporator. This reduces turbulence at the connection point, lowers airflow resistance on the windward side of the evaporator, and minimizes energy loss, allowing for a smooth transition of airflow from the first guide surface to the windward side of the evaporator. Because the flow resistance is reduced, the airflow velocity is relatively higher, increasing the airflow rate through the evaporator per unit time. This allows the evaporator to exchange heat with more airflow, thereby enhancing its heat exchange effect and improving drying efficiency.

[0016] Furthermore, a second air guide surface is provided in the first air duct, directly opposite the air inlet, intersecting with the first air guide surface. The second air guide surface is inclined or curved, and is used to guide the airflow introduced by the air inlet from the air inlet direction to the extension direction of the first air duct.

[0017] By adopting the aforementioned technical solution, since the air inlet direction intersects with the extension direction of the first air duct, a second air guide surface is set at the position directly opposite the air inlet. With the help of the inclined or curved structure of the second air guide surface, the airflow at the air inlet position is turned from the air inlet direction to the extension direction of the first air duct. This setting allows the airflow to smoothly turn along the second guide surface, reducing airflow turbulence and eddies, reducing the resistance when the airflow turns, thereby reducing energy loss, improving the airflow transport efficiency in the first air duct, and enabling the evaporator to exchange heat with more airflow, thereby increasing the heat exchange effect of the evaporator and improving the drying efficiency.

[0018] Furthermore, the housing includes an upper housing, a lower housing, and a cavity defined by the connection of the two. The cavity has an independently installed air guide bracket. The side of the air guide bracket facing the upper housing forms part of the air duct wall of the first air duct, and at least the first air guide surface is provided on the air guide bracket.

[0019] Furthermore, one of the upper housing and the air guide bracket is provided with an air guide plate extending towards the other, and the other is provided with a corresponding slot. The second air guide surface is provided on the air guide plate, and the end of the air guide plate is inserted into the slot to form a sealed fit.

[0020] Furthermore, the side of the air guide bracket facing the lower housing forms part of the air duct wall of the third air duct, and the first air duct and the third air duct are isolated by the air guide bracket.

[0021] By adopting the above technical solution, by installing an air guide bracket inside the cavity, the first air duct and the third air duct are connected. By isolating the airflow, the evaporator-dried airflow is prevented from flowing back to the untreated, hot and humid air inlet. This not only reduces the airflow at the outlet but also causes the evaporator to repeatedly process the airflow, ensuring the unidirectional and efficient operation of the heat pump and improving drying efficiency. Furthermore, the sealed design of the air guide plate and slot connection reduces airflow leakage through gaps between the air guide bracket and the upper housing, or the mixing of external airflow with the internal airflow of the heat pump, ensuring stable internal airflow pressure and improving airflow delivery efficiency.

[0022] Furthermore, the air guide bracket extends into the gap area between the top of the evaporator and the top of the condenser.

[0023] Using the aforementioned technical solution, the humid and hot airflow in the first air duct that has not yet been processed by the evaporator flows between the top of the evaporator and the top of the condenser, while the airflow between the evaporator and the condenser is the dry airflow that has been processed by the evaporator. Therefore, the air guide bracket extends into the interval area to separate the humid and hot airflow and the dry airflow, which hinders the flow and mixing of airflows in different states in the interval area, ensuring the unidirectional and efficient operation of the heat pump and improving the drying efficiency.

[0024] Furthermore, the air guide bracket is provided with transverse limiting ribs on both sides, and the transverse limiting ribs are clamped by the upper shell and the lower shell.

[0025] By adopting the aforementioned technical solution, the transverse limiting ribs on both sides of the air guide bracket, clamped by the upper and lower shells, restrict the displacement of the air guide bracket in the cavity when vibrations are generated during the operation of the heat pump and when the airflow generates impact force in the duct. This ensures the stable installation of the air guide bracket in the vertical direction within the cavity, enabling it to reliably guide the airflow.

[0026] Furthermore, longitudinal limiting ribs are provided on opposite sides of the air guide bracket, and longitudinal limiting grooves are provided on the upper shell and / or lower shell, with the longitudinal limiting ribs fitting within the longitudinal limiting grooves.

[0027] By adopting the aforementioned technical solution, the cooperation between the limiting rib and the limiting groove restricts the vibration generated during the operation of the heat pump and the displacement of the air guide bracket in the cavity when the airflow generates impact force during the flow of air in the duct. This ensures the stable installation of the air guide bracket in the front and back directions in the cavity, enabling it to reliably guide the airflow.

[0028] Furthermore, the portion of the upper casing corresponding to the windward side of the evaporator protrudes downward to form a third air guide surface, which forces the airflow to deflect towards the windward side of the evaporator.

[0029] By employing the aforementioned technical solution, the third guide surface forces more airflow to deflect towards the windward side of the evaporator, allowing more airflow to pass through the evaporator and enhancing heat exchange between the evaporator and the airflow. Furthermore, the partially downward-protruding third guide surface also forms a converging section within the first air duct. According to fluid mechanics principles, when airflow flows from the larger cross-section of the first air duct into the smaller cross-section of the converging section, an acceleration section is formed. This means that more airflow passes through in the same amount of time, increasing the airflow volume and effectively improving airflow efficiency, thus enhancing drying efficiency.

[0030] Furthermore, a garment processing device is also mentioned, comprising at least one garment processing drum and a drying system, wherein the drying system is connected to at least one garment processing drum to form a circulating air path, and the drying system includes the aforementioned heat pump device.

[0031] Furthermore, the system includes two horizontally spaced, side-by-side garment processing drums, with a heat pump unit located behind the two drums. The housing includes a first sidewall facing the garment processing drums and a second sidewall adjacent to the first sidewall. An air inlet is located on the first sidewall, and an air outlet is located on the second sidewall. The drying system also includes: The fan unit has a negative pressure return air inlet and a positive pressure air supply outlet, with the negative pressure return air inlet connected to the air outlet. The main air inlet pipe and two air inlet branch pipes connected to the main air inlet pipe are connected to the positive pressure air outlet. The drying airflow from the positive pressure air outlet is split into two clothes processing drums through the main air inlet pipe and the two air inlet branch pipes. The main return air duct and two return air branch ducts connected to the main return air duct are provided. The main return air duct is located at least partially in the space between the two garment processing drums and extends from front to back to the air inlet. The hot and humid airflow output from the two garment processing drums returns to the air inlet via the two return air branch ducts and the main return air duct.

[0032] Using the aforementioned technical solution, the garment processing equipment includes at least one garment processing drum and a circulating air path for the drying system to achieve the drying function, and the drying system employs the aforementioned heat pump device. When the garment processing equipment has two horizontally spaced, side-by-side garment processing drums, the heat pump is installed behind the two garment processing drums to optimize the spatial layout and airflow circulation efficiency. The fan unit connects to the air outlet through a negative pressure return air inlet and to the main air inlet pipe through a positive pressure air outlet, allowing the drying airflow to be diverted through the main air inlet pipe to two straight air inlet pipes, which then divert to the two garment processing drums. Simultaneously, at least part of the main return air pipe connecting to the air inlet is placed in the interval area between the two garment processing drums. The hot and humid airflow output from the two garment processing drums flows through two return air branch pipes and then converges into the main return air pipe, flowing into the heat pump through the air inlet. In this layout, the two return air branch pipes can be connected to the main return air pipe with the shortest possible pipes, avoiding cumbersome pipe connections and ensuring smooth airflow circulation while making the garment processing equipment more compact. Attached Figure Description

[0033] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 This is a top view of a heat pump according to the present invention; Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of a heat pump according to the present invention. Figure 1 ; Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of a heat pump according to the present invention. Figure 2 ; Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of a heat pump according to the present invention. Figure 3 ; Figure 5 This utility model Figure 4 Enlarged view of point A in the image; Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of a heat pump according to the present invention. Figure 4 ; Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of a heat pump according to the present invention. Figure 5 ; Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of a heat pump according to the present invention. Figure 6 ; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of an explosion of a heat pump according to the present invention; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the upper shell of this utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0034] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this utility model clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this utility model, and not all embodiments.

[0035] The terms "first," "second," etc. (if present) in the specification and claims of this utility model are used to distinguish similar objects, not to describe a specific order or sequence. Even if "second" is used before a technical feature for distinction, it does not necessarily imply the presence of "first." It should be understood that in this utility model, "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. It should be understood that in this utility model, "multiple" refers to two or more. "And / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, X and / or Y can represent: X alone, X and Y simultaneously, and Y alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship. "Containing X, Y, and Z," "Containing X, Y, and Z" means that all three X, Y, and Z are included; "Containing X, Y, or Z" means that one of X, Y, and Z is included; "Containing X, Y, and / or Z" means that any one, two, or three of X, Y, and Z are included.

[0036] The technical solution of this utility model will be described in detail below with specific embodiments. The following specific embodiments can be selected to be combined or substituted with each other according to the actual situation, and the same or similar concepts or processes may not be described again in some embodiments.

[0037] like Figures 1 to 3 , Figure 6 As shown, this utility model provides a heat pump device, including: a housing 100 with an air inlet 110 and an air outlet 150; an evaporator 200 and a condenser 300, both inclined relative to the horizontal plane within the housing 100, the evaporator 200 and the condenser 300 forming an angle with their tops close together and their bottoms far apart; a first air duct 120 extending from the air inlet 110 to the windward side 210 of the evaporator 200, used to supply the airflow introduced by the air inlet 110 to the evaporator 200 for dehumidification, the air inlet direction of the air inlet 110 intersecting the extension direction of the first air duct 120 (the direction described in the text is different from the direction described in the text). Figure 6(The directions indicated in the text are consistent); the second air duct 130 extends from the leeward side 220 of the evaporator 200 to the windward side 310 of the condenser 300, and is used to supply the dehumidified airflow to the condenser 300 for heating; the third air duct 140 extends from the leeward side 320 of the condenser 300 to the air outlet 150, and is used to discharge the heated airflow from the air outlet 150; wherein, the position of the air inlet 110 is higher than the position of the evaporator 200, and the first air duct 120 is provided with a first air guide surface 440 located between the air inlet 110 and the windward side 210 of the evaporator 200. The first air guide surface 440 extends from the air inlet 110 to the windward side 210 of the evaporator 200 in a curved or inclined manner from high to low, and is used to guide the airflow introduced by the air inlet 110 to the windward side 210 of the evaporator 200 ( Figure 2 The path indicated by the dashed arrow is the airflow path.

[0038] Understandably, placing the evaporator 200 and condenser 300 at an angle with their tops close together and their bottoms far apart shortens the vertical height, making the overall equipment more compact and improving its space adaptability. Furthermore, with the vertical height remaining unchanged, the inclined placement can accommodate a larger evaporator 200 and condenser 300, improving the ability to handle hot and humid air and shortening the drying time. Furthermore, the air inlet 110 is positioned higher than the evaporator 200, requiring the airflow entering through the air inlet 110 to flow downwards to reach the windward side 210 of the evaporator 200. The airflow direction intersects the extension direction of the first air duct 120, causing the airflow to directly impact the sidewall of the first air duct 120, resulting in vortices and airflow loss. Therefore, a curved or inclined first air guide surface 440 is provided within the first air duct 120, its extension direction sloping from high to low from the air inlet 110 towards the windward side 210 of the evaporator 200. This curved or inclined shape smoothly guides the airflow entering from the direction of the air inlet 110, ensuring an orderly flow towards the windward side 210 of the evaporator 200, reducing vortex generation, thereby improving heat exchange efficiency and ultimately increasing drying efficiency.

[0039] It should be noted that, as Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, the housing 100 includes a detachably connected upper housing 160, a lower housing 170, and a cavity 180 defined by the connection of the two. The cavity 180 has an independently provided air guide bracket 400 inside. The upper housing 160 is provided with an air guide plate 161 extending to the air guide bracket 400. The air guide bracket 400 is provided with a corresponding slot 410. The end of the air guide plate 161 is inserted into the slot 410 and forms a sealed fit.

[0040] Alternatively, another embodiment is provided in which the air guide plate 161 is provided on the air guide bracket 400, and a slot 410 is provided in the upper housing 160, and the end of the air guide plate 161 is inserted into the slot 410 to form a sealed fit.

[0041] To elaborate, the slot 410 of the air guide bracket 400 is equipped with a flexible seal. When the end of the air guide plate 161 is inserted into the slot 410, the flexible seal can not only make the two form a sealed fit, but also fill the assembly gap caused by the production tolerance, so as to avoid gaps or shaking after assembly.

[0042] In addition, the sealed design of the air guide plate 161 and the slot 410 reduces the outflow of air from the gap between the air guide bracket 400 and the upper housing 160, or the inflow of external air and the mixing of the internal airflow of the heat pump, thus ensuring the stability of the internal airflow pressure of the heat pump and improving the airflow delivery efficiency.

[0043] In addition, the air guide bracket 400 has transverse limiting ribs 420 on opposite sides, which are clamped by the upper shell 160 and the lower shell 170. The air guide bracket 400 has longitudinal limiting ribs 430 on opposite sides, and the upper shell 160 and the lower shell 170 have longitudinal limiting grooves 171, in which the longitudinal limiting ribs 430 are fitted.

[0044] The combined action of the transverse and longitudinal limiting ribs restricts the vibration generated during heat pump operation and the displacement of the air guide bracket 400 within the cavity when the airflow generates impact force during airflow. This ensures the stable installation of the air guide bracket 400 in the vertical and horizontal directions within the cavity 180, enabling it to reliably guide the airflow.

[0045] To simplify the structure, the longitudinal limiting groove 171 can be provided only on the upper housing 160 or only on the lower housing 170, which can achieve the same effect of stable installation of the air guide bracket 400 in the cavity 180.

[0046] Specifically, the upper surface of the air guide bracket 400 is actually the first air guide surface 440, and the side of the air guide bracket 400 facing the upper housing 160 constitutes part of the air duct wall of the first air duct 120.

[0047] Preferably, the first air guide surface 440 includes at least one connected curved section 441 and at least one inclined section 442; in this embodiment, more preferably, the first air guide surface 440 includes two alternately distributed curved sections 441 and two inclined sections 442. Since the air inlet direction intersects the extension direction of the first air duct 120, if the first air guide surface 440 is set as a single inclined surface, airflow separation and vortex generation are easily triggered when the airflow direction changes, while a single curved surface is insufficient for guiding the airflow. Therefore, the first air guide surface 440 is set as two alternately distributed curved sections 441 and two inclined sections 442. The curved section 441 allows the airflow to flow in accordance with the first guide surface, reducing the eddies generated by the change in airflow direction. The inclined surface can guide the airflow direction to be consistent with the extension direction of the first air duct 120. Therefore, through the synergy of the curved section 441 and the inclined surface, the turbulence generated in the first air duct 120 is reduced, while most of the airflow is guided in an orderly manner to the windward side 210 of the evaporator 200, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency of the evaporator 200 and thus improving the drying efficiency.

[0048] The two alternately distributed curved surface segments 441 are both located at positions corresponding to the air inlet 110. This is because the airflow direction at the air inlet 110 intersects with the extension direction of the first air duct 120, causing the airflow direction to change at this position. The placement of the two curved surface segments 441 at this position allows most of the airflow to flow along the first guide surface, which not only greatly reduces airflow loss at the air inlet 110 but also avoids airflow turbulence due to directional conflict.

[0049] In the above embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the first air guide surface 440 has a sloping section 442 on the side near the evaporator 200, and the sloping section 442 is flush with the surface of the windward side 210 of the evaporator 200. In another embodiment, the two alternately distributed curved sections 441 may have one of them located on the first air guide surface 440 near the evaporator 200, with the curved section 441 smoothly connected to the windward side 210 surface of the evaporator 200.

[0050] Whether the inclined section 442 is flush with the surface of the evaporator 200's windward side 210, or the curved section 441 is smoothly connected to the surface of the evaporator 200's windward side 210, the purpose is to prevent airflow from colliding at the connection point between the first guide surface and the evaporator 200 due to the height difference between the two surfaces. This reduces turbulence at the connection point, lowers airflow resistance when flowing into the evaporator 200's windward side 210, and reduces energy loss, allowing the airflow to smoothly transition from the first guide surface 440 to the evaporator 200's windward side 210. Because the airflow resistance is reduced, the airflow velocity is relatively faster, and the airflow rate through the evaporator 200 per unit time increases. Therefore, the evaporator 200 can exchange heat with more airflow, thereby increasing the heat exchange effect and improving drying efficiency.

[0051] like Figure 6 As shown, in order to reduce the resistance and energy loss when the airflow turns at the air inlet 110, a second air guide surface 162 is provided in the first air duct 120 directly opposite the air inlet 110, intersecting with the first air guide surface 440. Figure 6 The area mapped by the dashed line is the second air guide surface 162, and the second air guide surface 162 is provided on the air guide plate 161 to guide the airflow introduced by the air inlet 110 from the air inlet direction to the extension direction of the first air duct 120.

[0052] Specifically, in this embodiment, the second air guide surface 162 is preferably curved in an arc shape; or the second air guide surface 162 can also be inclined to achieve the purpose of air guiding.

[0053] Since the air inlet 110's air intake direction intersects with the extension direction of the first air duct 120, a second air guide surface 162 is set at the position directly opposite the air inlet 110. With the help of the inclined or curved structure of the second air guide surface 162, the airflow at the air inlet 110 is redirected from the air intake direction to the extension direction of the first air duct 120. This setting allows the airflow to smoothly turn along the second guide surface, reducing airflow turbulence and eddies, improving the airflow delivery efficiency within the first air duct 120, and enabling the evaporator 200 to exchange heat with more airflow, thereby increasing the heat exchange effect of the evaporator 200 and improving the drying efficiency.

[0054] Furthermore, a portion of the upper casing 160 corresponding to the windward side 210 of the evaporator 200 protrudes downward to form a third air guide surface 163. This third air guide surface 163 forces the airflow to deflect towards the windward side 210 of the evaporator 200. This allows more airflow to pass through the evaporator 200, enhancing the heat exchange between the evaporator 200 and the airflow. Additionally, the partially protruding third air guide surface 163 also partially forms a contraction section 121 within the first air duct 120. According to fluid mechanics principles, when airflow flows from the larger cross-section first air duct 120 into the smaller cross-section contraction section 121, the airflow forms an acceleration section. This means that more airflow passes through in the same amount of time, increasing the airflow volume and effectively improving the airflow efficiency, thus improving the drying efficiency.

[0055] Furthermore, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the side of the air guide bracket 400 facing the lower housing 170 forms part of the duct wall of the third air duct 140, and the first air duct 120 and the third air duct 140 are isolated by the air guide bracket 400. This prevents the airflow that has been dried by the evaporator 200 from flowing back to the untreated hot and humid airflow inlet 110, which would not only reduce the airflow at the outlet 150 but also cause the evaporator 200 to work repeatedly on the airflow, ensuring the unidirectional and efficient operation of the heat pump and improving the drying efficiency.

[0056] To ensure unidirectional and efficient operation of the heat pump, the air guide bracket 400 extends into the space between the top of the evaporator 200 and the top of the condenser 300.

[0057] This is because the hot and humid airflow in the first air duct 120, which has not yet been processed by the evaporator 200, flows at the top of the evaporator 200 and the condenser 300, while the airflow in the second air duct 130, located between the evaporator 200 and the condenser 300, is the dry airflow that has been processed by the evaporator 200. Therefore, the air guide bracket 400 extends into the interval area to separate the hot and humid airflow and the dry airflow, thus hindering the flow and mixing of airflows in different states in the interval area and improving the drying efficiency.

[0058] To elaborate, since the evaporator 200 and condenser 300 are placed at an angle, the tops of the evaporator 200 and condenser 300 will form an interval area with a certain angle. The lower surface of the air guide bracket 400 has a downwardly extending support rib 450. When the air guide bracket 400 is installed in place, the outer contour shape of the support rib 450 matches the contour of the interval area.

[0059] It should be noted that the evaporator 200 and condenser 300 in this application are both installed inside the lower housing 170. Preferably, the inclined evaporator 200 and condenser 300 do not require additional fasteners and are installed simply by abutting against the housing of the lower housing 170.

[0060] Specifically, the bottom ends of the evaporator 200 and condenser 300 abut against the inner wall of the lower housing 170, and the top ends of the evaporator 200 and condenser 300 abut against the air guide bracket 400, thus providing initial installation positioning for the evaporator 200 and condenser 300. Simultaneously, a first mounting rib 172 and a second mounting rib 173 extend from the inner wall of the lower housing 170 into the cavity 180, with two of each rib. The lower surface of the evaporator 200 abuts against the upper surface of the first mounting rib 172, and the lower surface of the condenser 300 abuts against the upper surface of the second mounting rib 173, ensuring that the evaporator 200 and condenser 300 can be stably placed in the cavity 180.

[0061] It should be noted that the heat pump in this application is applicable to clothing processing equipment with drying function. Specifically, the clothing processing equipment includes at least one clothing processing drum and a drying system. The drying system is connected to at least one clothing processing drum to form a circulating air path. The drying system includes the heat pump device described above.

[0062] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, in this embodiment, the clothing processing device includes two horizontally spaced, side-by-side clothing processing drums as an example. The heat pump is located behind the two clothing processing drums. The housing 100 includes a first sidewall 100a facing the clothing processing drums and a second sidewall 100b adjacent to the first sidewall. An air inlet 110 is provided on the first sidewall 100a, and an air outlet 150 is provided on the second sidewall 100b. The drying system also includes: Fan unit 3 has a negative pressure return air inlet 31 and a positive pressure air outlet 32, and the negative pressure return air inlet 31 is connected to the air outlet 150. The main air inlet pipe 4 and two air inlet branch pipes connected to the main air inlet pipe 4 are connected to the positive pressure air outlet 32. The drying airflow sent out by the positive pressure air outlet 32 ​​is diverted to the two clothes processing drums through the main air inlet pipe 4 and the two air inlet branch pipes. The main return air duct 5 and two return air branch ducts connected to the main return air duct 5 are located at least partially in the interval area between the two clothing processing tubes and extend from front to back to the air inlet 110. The hot and humid airflow output from the two clothing processing tubes returns to the air inlet 110 through the two return air branch ducts and the main return air duct 5.

[0063] In the above-described configuration, when the garment processing equipment has two horizontally spaced, side-by-side garment processing drums, the heat pump is installed behind the two drums to optimize space layout and airflow efficiency. The fan unit 3 connects to the air outlet 150 via a negative pressure return air inlet 31 and to the main air inlet duct 4 via a positive pressure air outlet 32. This allows the drying airflow to be diverted through the main air inlet duct 4 to the two straight air inlet ducts, which in turn distribute it to the two garment processing drums. Simultaneously, the main return air duct 5, connected to the air inlet 110, is at least partially placed in the space between the two garment processing drums. The hot and humid airflow output from the two drums flows through two return air branch pipes and converges back into the main return air duct 5, flowing into the heat pump through the air inlet 110. In this layout, the two return air branch pipes can be connected to the main return air duct 5 with the shortest possible piping, avoiding cumbersome piping connections. This ensures smooth airflow circulation while making the garment processing equipment more compact.

[0064] To elaborate further, for ease of distinction, the two garment processing tubes are named, from left to right (the left-right direction described in the text is consistent with the direction indicated in the diagram), as First Garment Processing Tube 1 and Second Garment Processing Tube 2; the air inlet branch pipe connected to the First Processing Tube is named First Air Inlet Branch Pipe 41, and the air inlet branch pipe connected to the Second Processing Tube is named Second Air Inlet Branch Pipe 42; the return air branch pipe connected to the First Processing Tube is named First Return Air Branch Pipe 51, and the return air branch pipe connected to the Second Processing Tube is named Second Return Air Branch Pipe 52.

[0065] In the drying system of the clothing processing equipment, the fan unit 3 is equipped with a fan facing the negative pressure return air port 31. When the fan unit 3 starts to work, the fan rotates and a negative pressure environment is formed at the negative pressure return air port 31.

[0066] At the same time, the positive pressure air outlet 32 ​​of the fan unit 3 inputs the drying airflow into the main air inlet duct 4. The drying airflow from the main air inlet duct 4 flows into the first processing cylinder and the second processing cylinder through the first air inlet branch pipe 41 and the second air inlet branch pipe 42 respectively, to dry the clothes in the processing cylinder.

[0067] During the drying process of clothes ( Figure 1 The path indicated by the dashed arrow is the airflow path, generating a humid and hot airflow. The humid and hot airflow converges into the main return air duct 5 through the first return air branch 51 and the second return air branch 52, respectively. The main return air duct 5 guides the humid and hot airflow to the air inlet 110, allowing the humid and hot airflow to enter the heat pump.

[0068] After entering the heat pump ( Figure 2The path indicated by the dashed arrow is the airflow path. The humid, hot airflow reaches the windward side 210 of the evaporator 200 through the first air duct 120. At the evaporator 200, the humid, hot airflow exchanges heat with the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant, and the water vapor in it condenses into water and is discharged. The airflow processed by the evaporator 200 flows out from the leeward side 220 of the evaporator 200, and then reaches the windward side 310 of the condenser 300 through the second air duct 130. In the condenser 300, the airflow absorbs the heat released by the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant, its temperature rises, and it becomes a dry airflow.

[0069] Finally, the dry hot airflow exits from the leeward side 320 of the condenser 300 and reaches the negative pressure return air inlet 31 through the third air duct 140. Due to the negative pressure at the negative pressure return air inlet 31, the hot airflow is drawn into the fan unit 3 and input into the air inlet pipe again through the positive pressure air outlet 32, starting a new round of drying airflow circulation.

[0070] In addition to the preferred embodiments described above, there are other embodiments of this utility model. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this utility model without creative effort are within the scope of protection claimed by this utility model.

Claims

1. A heat pump device, characterized in that, include: The casing is equipped with an air inlet and an air outlet; The evaporator and condenser are both installed at an angle relative to the horizontal plane inside the shell, with the evaporator and condenser at an angle to each other with their tops close together and their bottoms far apart. The first air duct extends from the air inlet to the windward side of the evaporator and is used to supply the airflow introduced by the air inlet to the evaporator for dehumidification. The air inlet direction intersects the extension direction of the first air duct. The second air duct extends from the leeward side of the evaporator to the windward side of the condenser, and is used to supply the dehumidified airflow to the condenser for heating. The third air duct extends from the leeward side of the condenser to the air outlet, and is used to discharge the heated airflow from the air outlet. The air inlet is positioned higher than the evaporator. The first air duct has a first air guide surface located between the air inlet and the windward side of the evaporator. The first air guide surface extends from the air inlet toward the windward side of the evaporator in a curved or inclined manner from high to low, and is used to guide the airflow introduced by the air inlet to the windward side of the evaporator.

2. The heat pump device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first air guide surface includes at least one curved section and at least one inclined section connected together.

3. The heat pump device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first air guide surface includes at least two curved sections and at least two inclined sections that are alternately distributed.

4. The heat pump device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The side of the first air guide surface closest to the evaporator is flush with or smoothly connected to the windward side surface of the evaporator.

5. The heat pump device according to claim 1, characterized in that, A second air guide surface is provided in the first air duct, directly opposite the air inlet, intersecting with the first air guide surface. The second air guide surface is inclined or curved, and is used to guide the airflow introduced by the air inlet from the air inlet direction to the extension direction of the first air duct.

6. The heat pump device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The housing includes an upper housing, a lower housing, and a cavity defined by the connection of the two. The cavity has an independently installed air guide bracket. The side of the air guide bracket facing the upper housing forms part of the air duct wall of the first air duct. At least the first air guide surface is provided on the air guide bracket.

7. The heat pump device according to claim 6, characterized in that, One of the upper housing and the air guide bracket is provided with an air guide plate extending towards the other, and the other is provided with a corresponding slot. The second air guide surface is provided on the air guide plate, and the end of the air guide plate is inserted into the slot to form a sealed fit.

8. The heat pump device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The side of the air guide bracket facing the lower housing forms part of the air duct wall of the third air duct, and the first air duct and the third air duct are isolated by the air guide bracket.

9. The heat pump device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The air guide bracket extends into the space between the top of the evaporator and the top of the condenser.

10. The heat pump device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The air guide bracket is provided with transverse limiting ribs on opposite sides, and the transverse limiting ribs are clamped between the upper shell and the lower shell.

11. The heat pump device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The air guide bracket is provided with longitudinal limiting ribs on opposite sides, and the upper shell and / or lower shell is provided with longitudinal limiting grooves, with the longitudinal limiting ribs fitting in the longitudinal limiting grooves.

12. The heat pump device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The portion of the upper casing corresponding to the windward side of the evaporator protrudes downward to form a third air guide surface, which forces the airflow to deflect towards the windward side of the evaporator.

13. A garment processing device, comprising at least one garment processing drum and a drying system, wherein the drying system is connected to the at least one garment processing drum to form a circulating air path, characterized in that, The drying system includes the heat pump device as described in any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. The garment processing equipment according to claim 13, characterized in that, The system includes two horizontally spaced, side-by-side garment processing drums. A heat pump unit is located behind the two garment processing drums. The housing includes a first sidewall facing the garment processing drums and a second sidewall adjacent to the first sidewall. An air inlet is located on the first sidewall, and an air outlet is located on the second sidewall. The drying system further includes: The fan unit has a negative pressure return air inlet and a positive pressure air outlet, wherein the negative pressure return air inlet is connected to the air outlet; The main air inlet pipe and two air inlet branch pipes connected to the main air inlet pipe are connected to the positive pressure air outlet. The drying airflow sent out by the positive pressure air outlet is split into two clothes processing drums through the main air inlet pipe and the two air inlet branch pipes. The main return air duct and two return air branch ducts connected to the main return air duct, wherein the main return air duct is at least partially located in the interval area between the two garment processing drums and extends from front to back to the air inlet, and the hot and humid airflow output from the two garment processing drums returns to the air inlet through the two return air branch ducts and the main return air duct.

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