Water-cooled mobile air conditioner with double-pump heat recovery function

Abstract

The application relates to a water-cooled mobile air conditioner with a double-pump heat recovery function, which comprises a refrigerant circulation system, a fan system and a water tank for collecting condensed water, the refrigerant circulation system comprises a plate heat exchanger as a condenser; a first water pump is used for introducing cooling water from the outside of a machine body and conveying the cooling water to the plate heat exchanger; a second water pump is used for pumping condensed water from the water tank and conveying the condensed water to the plate heat exchanger; through the innovative design of the double-pump cooperation, the double miniaturization of the cooling water tank and the condensed water tank is realized, the equipment volume is significantly reduced, the long-time continuous operation of the air conditioner is guaranteed, and the inherent contradiction between the volume of the mobile air conditioner and the continuous operation capacity is effectively solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of portable air conditioning technology, specifically to a water-cooled portable air conditioning technology with dual-pump heat recovery function. Background Technology

[0002] Portable air conditioners, which provide localized cooling and dehumidification without complex installation, have become an important supplement to traditional split-type air conditioners. However, their reliance on large-capacity built-in water tanks to collect condensate and dual-fan systems (indoor air supply + outdoor heat exhaust) results in inherent drawbacks such as bulky size and the need for external exhaust ducts. This limits the application of traditional portable air conditioners in space-constrained scenarios such as bathrooms, small rooms, or temporary workstations.

[0003] In response, water-cooling technology, which simplifies the exhaust structure, has been introduced into the portable air conditioning field. It uses a plate heat exchanger as the condenser and utilizes circulating cooling water to remove the condensation heat of the refrigerant, eliminating the need for exhaust ducts and improving installation flexibility. This design typically includes two independent water circuits: a condensate collection tank to collect condensate from the evaporator, usually equipped with a water level sensor that triggers a shutdown or prompts for emptying when the tank is full; and a cooling water tank to store cooling water for the plate heat exchanger, the capacity of which directly determines the continuous operating time of the air conditioner.

[0004] Although plate heat exchangers have the advantages of high heat transfer efficiency and compact structure, this design also presents a contradiction between increasing the volume of the cooling water tank to extend the operating range and the impact of not replacing the cooling water tank in time on the energy efficiency ratio (COP) of the refrigeration system. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application proposes a water-cooled portable air conditioner with dual-pump heat recovery function, which adopts an external cooling water tank design and recovers condensate for heat exchange, further realizing miniaturization of the product while improving the energy efficiency ratio.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present application adopts the following technical solution: This application proposes a water-cooled portable air conditioner with dual-pump heat recovery function, including a refrigerant circulation system, a fan system, and a water tank for collecting condensate. The refrigerant circulation system includes a compressor, an evaporator, and a plate heat exchanger as a condenser. The plate heat exchanger is used to realize heat exchange between cooling water and high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant. It also includes: a first water pump for introducing cooling water from outside the machine body and delivering the cooling water to the plate heat exchanger; and a second water pump for drawing condensate from the water tank and delivering the condensate to the plate heat exchanger, so that the external cooling water from the first water pump and the condensate from the second water pump can work together as a cooling medium in the plate heat exchanger to absorb the condensation heat of the refrigerant.

[0007] First, a first water pump continuously introduces cooling water from the outside, replacing the traditional design that relies on a large-capacity built-in water tank to store cooling water, thus eliminating the space occupied by a dedicated cooling water tank. Simultaneously, a second water pump actively extracts the condensate produced by the evaporator and sends it to the plate heat exchanger for cooling. This not only recovers and utilizes the low-temperature cooling capacity of the condensate, improving the system's energy efficiency ratio, but also allows for a smaller condensate tank design, eliminating the need to wait for it to fill, and enabling "on-demand" use of condensate.

[0008] Thus, through the innovative design of dual-pump collaboration, the cooling water tank and condensate water tank are both miniaturized, significantly reducing the size of the equipment while ensuring the long-term continuous operation of the air conditioner, effectively resolving the inherent contradiction between the size of the portable air conditioner and its continuous operating capacity.

[0009] In some possible implementations, the first and second water pumps are diaphragm pumps.

[0010] In some possible implementations, the outlet of the first water pump is connected to the outlet of the second water pump via a manifold, and the outlet of the manifold is connected to the inlet of the cooling water channel of the plate heat exchanger.

[0011] In some possible implementations, the fan system is located above the portable air conditioner, and the compressor, water tank, and plate heat exchanger are located below the fan system.

[0012] In some possible implementations, the first water pump and the second water pump are respectively located on the rear side and the front side of the fan system.

[0013] In some possible implementations, the fan system includes a duct that fits into the evaporator and a fan wheel disposed within the duct, the fan wheel being directly driven by a built-in motor.

[0014] In some possible implementations, the water tank is equipped with a water level sensor, and the second water pump can be started and stopped according to the detection signal of the water level sensor.

[0015] In some possible implementations, a temperature sensor is also included for detecting the inlet and / or outlet temperatures of the cooling water side of the plate heat exchanger.

[0016] In some possible implementations, multiple water-cooled portable air conditioners may be connected in parallel to the same external cooling water tank; wherein, the first water pump of each portable air conditioner draws cooling water from the external cooling water tank, and the heated cooling water discharged by each portable air conditioner flows back to the external cooling water tank. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1This is one of the side views of the water-cooled portable air conditioner with dual-pump heat recovery function in this application; Figure 2 This is the second side view of the water-cooled portable air conditioner with dual-pump heat recovery function in this application; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the working principle of the refrigerant circulation system in this application; Figure 4 This is an example of the application of the portable air conditioner in a kitchen space; Figure 5 This is an example of the application of the portable air conditioner in the linkage heat recovery of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The following examples further illustrate the features of this application and other related features in detail, so as to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art: It should be noted that the terms “front,” “back,” “left,” “right,” “up,” and “down” used in the following description refer to the directions in the attached diagrams, while the terms “bottom surface,” “top surface,” “inner,” and “outer” refer to the directions toward or away from the geometric center of a specific component, respectively.

[0019] Furthermore, 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 direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this case based on the specific circumstances.

[0020] Please refer to Figures 1 to 3 This application provides a water-cooled portable air conditioner with dual-pump heat recovery function, including a refrigerant circulation system, a fan system, a water tank 1 for collecting condensate, a first water pump 5, a second water pump 6, and related pipelines and control systems.

[0021] The refrigerant circulation system includes a compressor 2, an evaporator 3, and a plate heat exchanger 4, which acts as a condenser. High-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant is discharged from the compressor 2 and enters the plate heat exchanger 4, where it exchanges heat with cooling water and condenses into a high-pressure liquid refrigerant. This liquid refrigerant is then depressurized by a throttling device 31 and enters the evaporator 3, where it absorbs heat from the indoor air and evaporates back into a gaseous state, completing the refrigeration cycle. In practical applications, a filter 32 can be installed before the throttling device 31, a gas-liquid separator 21 can be installed before the compressor 2, and a four-way valve 22 can be installed after the compressor 2. As described above, the refrigerant circulation system is a common technical method in the refrigeration industry and will not be further elaborated upon here.

[0022] Furthermore, the fan system is located at the top of the portable air conditioner. The fan system includes an air duct 8 that fits against the evaporator 3 and a fan wheel installed within the air duct 8. The fan wheel is directly driven by a built-in motor, which can efficiently and quietly draw in indoor air, cool it as it flows over the low-temperature surface of the evaporator 3, and then blow the cool air out from the top of the portable air conditioner, achieving indoor air circulation and cooling while ensuring the miniaturization of the portable air conditioner.

[0023] The main components, such as the compressor 2, water tank 1, and plate heat exchanger 4, are all located below the fan system. This vertical layout, with the upper part being the air supply area and the lower part being the liquid passage and core component area, helps to lower the center of gravity of the equipment, improve operational stability, and conforms to the airflow pattern of air being drawn in from the bottom and expelled from the top.

[0024] The core of this embodiment lies in the innovative dual-pump cooling water circulation design. The first water pump 5 and the second water pump 6 are both diaphragm pumps with excellent dry-running performance, and are respectively set on the rear and front sides of the fan system to balance the internal weight distribution of the equipment and optimize space utilization.

[0025] The first water pump 5 continuously draws cooling water from outside the unit (e.g., connected to an external cooling water tank via a hose), and can pass through the rear casing 8 to communicate with the external cooling water tank. Its outlet is connected to the outlet of the second water pump 6 via a manifold 7, the outlet of which is connected to the cooling water channel inlet of the plate heat exchanger 4. The second water pump 6 actively extracts condensate from the evaporator 3 from the water tank 1. A water level sensor (not shown) is installed in the water tank 1. When the water level reaches a preset start threshold, the control system starts the second water pump 6; when the water level drops to a stop threshold, the pump is shut off, achieving on-demand extraction of condensate. At this time, the diaphragm pump, due to its excellent dry-running performance, effectively prevents pump damage when the condensate tank water level is too low, improving the system's reliability and service life.

[0026] Existing water-cooled portable air conditioners first occupy the storage space for cooling water within the unit, treating "condensate" and "cooling water" as two completely isolated systems. Condensate, a low-temperature (typically close to evaporation temperature, approximately 5-15°C) "free" resource, is treated merely as "wastewater" requiring treatment in current designs, its cooling potential completely wasted. Dedicated cooling water, on the other hand, absorbs heat from room temperature (approximately 25-35°C), resulting in a small initial temperature difference and low heat dissipation efficiency. This application utilizes low-temperature condensate as one of the cooling sources, significantly reducing the condensation temperature and decreasing the compressor's pressure ratio, thereby directly improving system energy efficiency.

[0027] During operation, external cooling water from the first water pump 5 and low-temperature condensate from the second water pump 6 mix in the manifold 7 and then enter the plate heat exchanger 4 together. The low-temperature condensate, acting as a "free" cooling resource, works synergistically with the external cooling water to absorb the condensation heat of the refrigerant, effectively reducing the condensation temperature and improving the overall system energy efficiency ratio (COP). Simultaneously, due to the continuous supply of external water and the immediate utilization of condensate, the equipment does not require a large-capacity dedicated cooling water tank, and the water tank 1 can be designed to be smaller, thus achieving significant miniaturization of the entire portable air conditioner.

[0028] To further optimize system operation, this embodiment also includes a temperature sensor (not shown in the figure), whose probe is located at the outlet of the cooling water side of the plate heat exchanger 4. The control system monitors the outlet water temperature in real time and estimates the temperature rise of the cooling water in conjunction with the inlet water temperature (or ambient temperature) to determine the current heat dissipation efficiency. Based on this information, the control system can dynamically adjust the start / stop or speed of the first water pump 5, for example, increasing the external cooling water flow rate when the heat dissipation efficiency is low (small temperature rise), or replacing the cooling water during circulating cooling. In some embodiments, the temperature sensor can be added to the inlet side of the cooling water side of the plate heat exchanger 4, or it can be set separately on the inlet side of the cooling water side of the plate heat exchanger 4.

[0029] In this embodiment of the water-cooled portable air conditioner with dual-pump heat recovery function, when used as a portable air conditioner in a restroom, its external cooling water tank can be a toilet tank. In this specific application scenario, restroom usage time is relatively short, so although the toilet tank capacity is not large, it is sufficient to handle the heat exchange during use. When the toilet is flushed, the heated water in the toilet tank, which serves as cooling water, is flushed away, allowing new cooling water to be introduced.

[0030] Of course, for other applications in smaller spaces, such as using it as a portable air conditioner in the kitchen, please refer to [the relevant documentation / reference]. Figure 4 In this case, the cooling water tank can be installed in the kitchen cabinet as a water tank. When hot water is used from the tap, the hot water exchanged by the portable air conditioner can be recycled. For example, when using a small water heater as a kitchen water tank, a solenoid valve can be installed to switch between the portable air conditioner's circulation and regular water inlet / outlet channels, allowing for the supply of cooling water and hot water to the portable air conditioner. In this mode, it can also be used in small rooms such as game rooms, where the cooling water tank is centrally located near the building's water system. When the cooling water temperature rises, the water can be changed, allowing the portable air conditioner to continuously cool.

[0031] Please refer to Figure 5Another extended application of this embodiment is multi-unit linkage. Multiple water-cooled portable air conditioners described in this embodiment can be connected in parallel to the same large external cooling water tank (such as a water storage tank in a commercial venue). The first water pump 5 of each portable air conditioner draws water from this common cooling water tank, and the heated cooling water after use is discharged back into the tank. This centralized recycling of cooling water allows the heat energy of the portable air conditioners to be recovered and utilized for hot water supply in commercial venues (such as hotels).

[0032] As stated above, this case protects a water-cooled portable air conditioner with dual-pump heat recovery function, and all technical solutions that are the same as or similar to this case should be considered to fall within the protection scope of this case.

Claims

1. A water-cooled portable air conditioner with dual-pump heat recovery function, characterized in that, It includes a refrigerant circulation system, a fan system and a water tank (1) for collecting condensate. The refrigerant circulation system includes a compressor (2), an evaporator (3) and a plate heat exchanger (4) as a condenser. The plate heat exchanger (4) is used to realize heat exchange between cooling water and high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant. It also includes: a first water pump (5) for introducing cooling water from outside the machine body and delivering the cooling water to the plate heat exchanger (4); a second water pump (6) for drawing condensate from the water tank (1) and delivering the condensate to the plate heat exchanger (4), so that the external cooling water from the first water pump (5) and the condensate from the second water pump (6) can work together as a cooling medium in the plate heat exchanger (4) to absorb the condensation heat of the refrigerant.

2. A water-cooled portable air conditioner with dual-pump heat recovery function as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first water pump (5) and the second water pump (6) are diaphragm pumps.

3. A water-cooled portable air conditioner with dual-pump heat recovery function as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The outlet of the first water pump (5) is connected to the outlet of the second water pump (6) through a manifold (7), and the outlet of the manifold (7) is connected to the inlet of the cooling water channel of the plate heat exchanger (4).

4. A water-cooled portable air conditioner with dual-pump heat recovery function as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The fan system is located on the upper part of the portable air conditioner, and the compressor (2), water tank (1) and plate heat exchanger (4) are located below the fan system.

5. A water-cooled portable air conditioner with dual-pump heat recovery function as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The first water pump (5) and the second water pump (6) are respectively located on the rear and front sides of the fan system.

6. A water-cooled portable air conditioner with dual-pump heat recovery function as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The fan system includes a duct (8) that fits into the evaporator (3) and a fan wheel disposed in the duct (8), the fan wheel being directly driven by a built-in motor.

7. A water-cooled portable air conditioner with dual-pump heat recovery function as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The water tank (1) is equipped with a water level sensor, and the second water pump (6) can be started and stopped according to the detection signal of the water level sensor.

8. A water-cooled portable air conditioner with dual-pump heat recovery function as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a temperature sensor for detecting the inlet and / or outlet temperature of the cooling water side of the plate heat exchanger (4).

9. A water-cooled portable air conditioner with dual-pump heat recovery function as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, Multiple water-cooled portable air conditioners can be connected in parallel to the same external cooling water tank; wherein, the first water pump (5) of each portable air conditioner draws cooling water from the external cooling water tank, and the heated cooling water discharged by each portable air conditioner flows back to the external cooling water tank.

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