Accumulator and heat pump system with the same

Abstract

An accumulator comprising a body (20) having an upper body (22) disposed on an upper side and a lower body (24) disposed on a lower side, the upper body (22) and the lower body (24) being coupled together to form a chamber (94) in the body (20), a refrigerant inlet port (26) disposed in the upper body (22) and configured to allow a mixed refrigerant of a liquid refrigerant and a gaseous refrigerant to flow into the chamber (94), a refrigerant outlet port (28) disposed in the upper body (22) and configured to allow the gaseous refrigerant separated from the liquid refrigerant to flow out, and a partition wall assembly (30) disposed in the chamber (94), configured to prevent flow of the liquid refrigerant, and coupled to the body (20).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an accumulator and a heat pump system having the same, and more particularly to an accumulator which can separate a gaseous refrigerant from a mixed refrigerant of a liquid refrigerant and supply the gaseous refrigerant to a compressor, and a heat pump system having the same.

[0002] An accumulator can be mainly used in a heat pump system. In particular, since an accumulator used in a vehicle heat pump system may be exposed to various environments, an aluminum accumulator can be mainly used in the system due to its compressive strength, durability, and corrosion resistance. In addition, a mounting bracket may be used to mount the aluminum accumulator on a vehicle. The accumulator and its related parts may be fixed to the vehicle by a method such as welding. Accordingly, fixing the accumulator and its related parts to the vehicle is more difficult.

[0003] Additionally, the aluminum battery pack can be heavy, which also results in increased weight for the mounting bracket used to secure the battery pack. Therefore, the overall vehicle load can increase, which can reduce the vehicle's fuel efficiency or pure electric range (AER).

[0004] The aluminum accumulator can transfer heat between the refrigerant inside and the outside environment, which can reduce the performance of the heat pump system. Furthermore, the accumulator part may have a restricted shape, making oil circulation difficult, which can reduce the durability of a compressor.

[0005] The invention provides a plastic accumulator capable of reducing heat transfer between a refrigerant therein and an external environment, and a heat pump system with an accumulator to increase the fuel efficiency or the all-electric range (AER) of a vehicle.

[0006] According to one embodiment, an accumulator includes a body having an upper body disposed on an upper side and a lower body disposed on a lower side. The upper body and the lower body are coupled together to form a chamber within the body. The accumulator also includes a refrigerant inlet port disposed in the upper body and configured to allow a mixed refrigerant of a liquid refrigerant and a gaseous refrigerant to flow into the chamber. The accumulator also includes a refrigerant outlet port disposed in the upper body and configured to allow the gaseous refrigerant, separated from the liquid refrigerant, to flow out.Additionally, the accumulator includes a baffle assembly disposed within the chamber, configured to prevent flow of the liquid refrigerant, and coupled to the body.

[0007] In one embodiment, the partition wall assembly may include: a vertical partition wall arranged vertically in the chamber and configured to prevent horizontal flow of the liquid refrigerant, a suction pipe configured to guide the gaseous refrigerant separated from the liquid refrigerant to the refrigerant outlet port, and a horizontal partition wall arranged horizontally in the chamber and configured to prevent vertical flow of the liquid refrigerant.

[0008] In one embodiment, the horizontal partition may separate the chamber into an upper chamber and a lower chamber. A filter may be disposed in the horizontal partition, configured to filter foreign matter in the refrigerant, and configured to fluidly connect the upper chamber to the lower chamber.

[0009] In another embodiment, the suction pipe may have a suction pipe inlet through which the gaseous refrigerant flows into the suction pipe, and a suction pipe outlet through which the gaseous refrigerant is discharged to the refrigerant outlet opening. The suction pipe inlet and the suction pipe outlet may be arranged in the upper chamber, and the suction pipe may extend downward from the suction pipe inlet to the lower chamber and extend upward again to the suction pipe outlet arranged in the upper chamber.

[0010] In one embodiment, a guide may be disposed around the suction pipe inlet and configured to prevent the liquid refrigerant from flowing into the suction pipe.

[0011] An outlet end of the refrigerant inlet opening may be located lower than the suction pipe inlet.

[0012] A desiccant may be mounted on an upper surface of the horizontal partition.

[0013] In one embodiment, the vertical partition wall comprises a vertical partition wall plate, which may have first and second grooves formed in an upper end portion spaced apart from each other and each having an open upper portion. The refrigerant inlet port may be inserted into the first groove, and the refrigerant outlet port may be inserted into the second groove.

[0014] A lower surface of the first groove may have an inclined surface.

[0015] A lower surface of the second groove may be connected to the suction pipe such that the suction pipe is inserted into the refrigerant outlet port.

[0016] In one embodiment, at least one through-opening may be formed in the vertical partition wall.

[0017] An oil port may be provided in a lower portion of the intake manifold and may be configured to be fluidly connected to a lower portion of the lower chamber.

[0018] The body and the partition assembly may each be made of plastic.

[0019] The vertical partition and the suction pipe can be integrated with each other and coupled to the horizontal partition.

[0020] The vertical partition wall and the suction pipe, which are integrated with each other, may be manufactured as a first and a second vertical partition wall and then coupled with each other.

[0021] The horizontal partition may be coupled to a section where the upper body and the lower body are coupled together.

[0022] According to another embodiment, a heat pump system includes an evaporator configured to evaporate a refrigerant, and an accumulator configured to receive a mixed refrigerant of a liquid refrigerant and a gaseous refrigerant from the evaporator and separate the gaseous refrigerant from the mixed refrigerant. The system also includes a compressor configured to receive the gaseous refrigerant from the accumulator and compress the gaseous refrigerant. The accumulator includes a body having an upper body disposed on an upper side and a lower body disposed on a lower side. The upper body and the lower body are coupled together to form a chamber within the body.The accumulator also includes a refrigerant inlet port disposed in the upper body and configured to allow a mixed refrigerant of a liquid refrigerant and a gaseous refrigerant to flow into the chamber. The accumulator also includes a refrigerant outlet port disposed in the upper body and configured to allow the gaseous refrigerant, separated from the liquid refrigerant, to flow out. Furthermore, the accumulator includes a partition assembly disposed in the chamber, configured to prevent flow of the liquid refrigerant, and coupled to the body.

[0023] A refrigerant inlet port may be connected to the evaporator, and a refrigerant outlet port may be connected to the compressor.

[0024] As described above, the accumulator according to the invention can be made of plastic to reduce heat transfer between the refrigerant therein and the external environment. Therefore, it is possible to reduce temperature and pressure fluctuations in the heat pump system, thereby easily controlling the temperature and pressure and improving the system's performance. Furthermore, the accumulator can be made of plastic, which can reduce its weight, thereby improving the vehicle's fuel efficiency and pure electric driving range (AER).

[0025] The partition wall assembly can prevent the excessive movement of the liquid refrigerant that occurs due to the vehicle movement, thereby preventing the liquid refrigerant from flowing into the compressor.

[0026] In addition, the gaseous refrigerant supplied to the compressor may contain oil to prevent the compressor from failing.

[0027] Other effects that can be achieved or predicted by the embodiments of the present disclosure are disclosed directly or implicitly in the detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention. Various effects predicted based on the embodiments of the present disclosure are disclosed in the detailed description described below.

[0028] The invention is explained in more detail with reference to the drawing. The drawing shows: Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an accumulator according to an embodiment of the invention, showing a lower body of the accumulator transparently; Fig. 2 is an exploded view of an accumulator, in which an upper body of the accumulator is Fig. 1 is separated; Fig. 3 is an exploded view of an accumulator, in which a lower body of the accumulator is Fig. 2 is separated; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a partition wall arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of another partition wall arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 6 a flow path of a refrigerant between an evaporator, a compressor and an accumulator of a heat pump system; and Fig. 7 is an exploded view of a partition wall assembly according to another embodiment of the invention.

[0029] It should be understood that the above drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, but rather present a simplified representation of various features indicative of the basic principles of the present disclosure. For example, particular design features of the present disclosure having specific dimensions, orientations, positions, and shapes are determined in part by the particular intended application and usage environment.

[0030] A term used herein is only to describe a particular embodiment and is not intended to limit the present disclosure. A singular term used herein is intended to include its plural, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It is also to be understood that the terms "comprise" and / or "comprising," when used in the description, describe the presence of the recited features, integers, steps, acts, elements, and / or components and do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, acts, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. A term "and / or" used herein includes any or all combinations of the associated listed elements.

[0031] When a component, device, element, or the like of the present disclosure is described as having a purpose or performing an operation, function, or the like, the component, device, or element should be considered herein as being “configured to” fulfill that purpose or perform that operation or function.

[0032] According to the present invention, an accumulator may include a body having an upper body and a lower body coupled to each other to define a chamber therein. The accumulator may also include a partition assembly including a vertical partition disposed in the chamber to prevent horizontal flow of a liquid refrigerant, a suction pipe that leads a gaseous refrigerant separated from the liquid refrigerant to an outside, and a horizontal partition disposed horizontally in the chamber to prevent vertical flow of the liquid refrigerant. The partition assembly is coupled to the body. The body and the partition assembly may each be made of plastic.Therefore, heat transfer between the inside and outside of the accumulator can be reduced, which can reduce temperature and pressure fluctuations in a heat pump system. It is therefore possible to easily control the temperature and pressure in the heat pump system and improve the system's performance. Furthermore, most or all parts of the accumulator can be made of plastic, making its manufacturing and assembly easier, which can reduce its manufacturing cost and weight, thereby improving a vehicle's fuel efficiency and electric-only range (AER).

[0033] The horizontal partition wall may physically separate the chamber into an upper chamber and a lower chamber. The suction pipe may have a suction pipe inlet and a suction pipe outlet, both located in the upper chamber, may extend downward from the suction pipe inlet to the lower chamber, and may extend upward therefrom to the suction pipe outlet located in the upper chamber. An oil port may be provided in a lower portion of the suction pipe, specifically in the lowermost end, and may communicate with a lower portion of the lower chamber. The gaseous refrigerant in the upper chamber may flow into the suction pipe via the suction pipe inlet and be moved from the upper chamber to the lower chamber and then back to the upper chamber in the suction pipe. In this process, oil in the lower chamber may be mixed with the gaseous refrigerant via the oil port.The gaseous refrigerant mixed with the oil can be fed to a compressor to prevent the compressor from breaking down.

[0034] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0035] Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an accumulator according to an embodiment of the invention, transparently showing a lower body of the accumulator. Fig. 2 is an exploded view of an accumulator in which an upper body of the accumulator is Fig. 1 is separated. Fig. 3 is an exploded view of an accumulator in which a lower body of the accumulator is Fig. 2 is separated. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a partition assembly according to an embodiment of the invention. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of another partition wall assembly according to an embodiment of the invention. Fig. 6 shows a flow path of a refrigerant between an evaporator, a compressor and an accumulator of a heat pump system.

[0036] As in the Fig. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, a battery pack 10 according to one embodiment of the invention may include a body 20 and a partition assembly 30. The body 20 and the partition assembly 30 may each be made of plastic. In more detail, parts configuring the body 20 and the partition assembly 30 may be manufactured by a plastic manufacturing process and joined together by a plastic joining process. The plastic manufacturing process may include, but is not limited to, injection molding, insert molding, or the like. Likewise, the plastic joining process may include, but is not limited to, mating, bonding, fusing, or the like.Any method known to those skilled in the art may be used, as long as these methods are the methods for manufacturing and connecting the body 20 and the partition assembly 30 from plastic, which can perform the functions of the present invention. The body 20 and the partition assembly 30 that configure the accumulator 10 may be made of plastic and coupled to each other. As a result, this configuration reduces heat transfer between an inside and an outside of the accumulator 10 and reduces temperature and pressure fluctuations in the heat pump system. It is therefore possible to easily control the temperature and pressure in the heat pump system and improve the performance of the system.Furthermore, the body 20 and the bulkhead assembly 30 that configure the accumulator 10 may be made of plastic and coupled together to facilitate its manufacturing and assembly. As a result, the configuration reduces manufacturing costs and weight, thereby improving the fuel efficiency and pure electric range (AER) of the vehicle.

[0037] The body 20 may have an upper body 22 disposed on its upper side and a lower body 24 disposed on its lower side. The upper body 22 and the lower body 24 may each be made of plastic and coupled together by fusing, fitting, or gluing to form a chamber (see Fig. 6) provided therein. In more detail, a lower portion of the upper body 22 may be open, and its interior may be hollow, and an upper portion of the lower body 24 may be open, and its interior may be hollow. A lower end of the upper body 22 and an upper end of the lower body 24 may be coupled together by fusing, fitting, or bonding to form the chamber 94 provided in the body 20. The partition assembly 30 may be disposed in the chamber 94.

[0038] A refrigerant inlet opening 26 and a refrigerant outlet opening 28 may be arranged in the upper body 22. Specifically, the refrigerant inlet opening 26 and the refrigerant outlet opening 28 may be arranged in an upper surface of the upper body 22. An inlet end of the refrigerant inlet opening 26 may be arranged on the outside of the body 20, and the refrigerant inlet opening 26 may extend into the upper body 22. An outlet end 27 (see Fig. 6) The refrigerant inlet port 26 may be disposed in the body 20, i.e., in the chamber 94. An inlet end of the refrigerant outlet port 28 may be disposed in the body 20, i.e., in the chamber 94, and the refrigerant outlet port 28 may extend on the outside of the upper body 22. An outlet end of the refrigerant outlet port 28 may be disposed on the outside of the body 20. The refrigerant inlet port 26 and the refrigerant outlet port 28 may be integrated with the upper body 22, or may be manufactured separately from the upper body 22 and then coupled to the upper body 22.

[0039] As in Fig. 6, the refrigerant inlet port 26 may be connected to an evaporator. The evaporator may evaporate a refrigerant, and the refrigerant supplied from the evaporator to the refrigerant inlet port 26 may be a mixed refrigerant comprising a gaseous refrigerant and a liquid refrigerant. In other words, the refrigerant inlet port 26 may receive the mixed refrigerant of the liquid refrigerant and the gaseous refrigerant from the evaporator. The refrigerant outlet port 28 may be connected to a compressor. The accumulator 10 may separate the gaseous refrigerant from the mixed refrigerant received by the evaporator and transfer the separated gaseous refrigerant to the compressor via the refrigerant outlet port 28. The compressor may compress the gaseous refrigerant received by the accumulator 10.

[0040] As in the Fig. 1 to 5, the partition assembly 30 may be disposed within the chamber 94 and secured to the body 20 to prevent excessive movement of the liquid refrigerant due to vehicle movement. For example, if the partition assembly 30 is not disposed within the chamber 94, the liquid refrigerant may slosh around within the chamber 94 or, in an emergency, may splash when the vehicle is moving rapidly. To solve this problem, the partition assembly 30 may be disposed within the chamber 94 to prevent excessive movement of the liquid refrigerant due to vehicle movement, thereby reducing the possibility of the liquid refrigerant being supplied to the compressor. The partition assembly 30 may be made of plastic and include a vertical partition 40, a suction pipe 43, and a horizontal partition 50 coupled together.

[0041] The vertical partition 40 may be disposed generally vertically within the chamber 94 to prevent horizontal flow of the liquid refrigerant within the chamber 94. The vertical partition 40 may include a vertical partition plate 42 disposed generally vertically therein. The vertical partition plate 42 horizontally divides the chamber 94 into a chamber on one side and a chamber on the other side. The vertical partition 40 may prevent excessive movement of the liquid refrigerant that occurs due to vehicle movement by suppressing movement of the liquid refrigerant between the chamber on one side and the chamber on the other side.

[0042] In one example, at least a portion of the vertical partition plate 42 may be fused, bonded, or fitted to an inner peripheral surface of the body 20. The other portion may be spaced from the inner peripheral surface of the body 20. Therefore, the vertical partition plate 42 may not completely restrict the movement of liquid refrigerant between the chamber on one side and the chamber on the other side. In another example, the vertical partition plate 42 may not be coupled to the inner peripheral surface of the body 20. Additionally, at least one through-hole 46 may be formed in the vertical partition plate 42. The through-hole 46 may allow movement of refrigerant between the chamber on one side and the chamber on the other side, thereby preventing the refrigerant from collecting in only one chamber on one side or another chamber on the other side.

[0043] The vertical partition plate 42 may include first and second grooves 80 and 82 formed in an upper end portion of the vertical partition plate 42. The first groove 80 may have an open upper end and a lower surface on which a sharply upwardly inclined surface 48 is disposed. As shown in Fig. 6, the outlet end 27 of the refrigerant inlet port 26 may be fitted into the first groove 80 to thereby discharge the refrigerant (i.e., the mixed refrigerant) to the inclined surface 48. The refrigerant discharged to the inclined surface 48 can be distributed into the chamber on one side and the chamber on the other side by the inclined surface 48. It is therefore possible to prevent the refrigerant discharged from the outlet end 27 of the refrigerant inlet port 26 from being scattered or splashed by the inclined surface 48, thereby preventing the liquid refrigerant from flowing into the suction pipe 43. The second groove 82 may be spaced apart from the first groove 80 and have an open top portion. The inlet end of the refrigerant outlet port 28 may be fitted into the second groove 82. A guide 47 may be arranged between the first and second grooves 80 and 82.

[0044] The horizontal partition wall 50 may be disposed substantially horizontally within the chamber 94 to prevent vertical flow of the liquid refrigerant within the chamber 94. The horizontal partition wall 50 may include a horizontal partition wall plate 52 disposed substantially horizontally therein, and the horizontal partition wall plate 52 may separate the chamber 94 into an upper chamber 96 and a lower chamber 97. The horizontal partition wall plate 52 may be coupled to the vertical partition wall 40. In one example, the horizontal partition wall plate 52 may have a groove formed therein that corresponds to a cross-section of the vertical partition wall 40. The vertical partition wall 40 may be inserted into the groove and then glued or fused to the horizontal partition wall plate 52.

[0045] An edge of the horizontal partition plate 52 may be coupled to the inner peripheral surface of the body 20 by fusing, bonding, or fitting. For this purpose, the horizontal partition plate 52 may have the same shape as the inner peripheral surface of the body 20 in a specific position, and the chamber 94 may be physically separated into the upper chamber 96 and the lower chamber 97 by the horizontal partition plate 52. In one example, the horizontal partition 50 may be coupled to a portion where the upper body 22 and the lower body 24 are coupled to each other. Accordingly, when coupling the upper body 22 to the lower body 24, the partition assembly 30 may also be coupled together between the upper body 22 and the lower body 24.Alternatively, the partition assembly 30 may be coupled to one of the upper body 22 and the lower body 24, and the other of the upper body 22 and the lower body 24 may then be coupled to the one of the upper body 22 and the lower body 24.

[0046] At least one filter 54 may be disposed in the horizontal partition plate 52. The drawing shows that a pair of filters 54 are provided, and the number of filters 54 is not limited to two. The filter 54 may have a plurality of fine openings connecting the upper chamber 96 to the lower chamber 97. The filter 54 can also filter foreign matter in the refrigerant moving from the upper chamber 96 to the lower chamber 97 via the filter 54. It is therefore possible to prevent foreign matter from flowing into the lower chamber 97. In addition, the filter 54 can disperse the liquid refrigerant discharged from the refrigerant inlet port 26 to the filter 54 to prevent the liquid refrigerant from being scattered or splashed. It is therefore possible to minimize the inflow of the liquid refrigerant and the inflow of foreign matter into the suction pipe 43.

[0047] A desiccant 60 may be mounted on an upper surface of the horizontal partition wall 50. In other words, the desiccant 60 may be disposed in the upper chamber 96. The desiccant 60 can absorb moisture contained in the gaseous refrigerant in the chamber 94, especially in the upper chamber 96. The desiccant 60 can remove moisture in the gaseous refrigerant supplied to the compressor. It is therefore possible to prevent deterioration in the performance of the heat pump system.

[0048] The suction pipe 43 may be integrated with the vertical partition 40 or may be manufactured separately from the vertical partition 40 and then coupled to the vertical partition 40.

[0049] In an example, as in Fig. 7, it is possible to manufacture one half of the partition assembly 30 by manufacturing a first vertical partition 90 in which one half of the suction pipe 43 and one half of the vertical partition 40 are integrated with each other, and then coupling one half of the horizontal partition 50 to the first vertical partition 90. Furthermore, it is possible to manufacture the other half of the partition assembly 30 by manufacturing a second vertical partition 92 in which the other half of the suction pipe 43 and the other half of the vertical partition 40 are integrated with each other, and then coupling the other half of the horizontal partition 50 to the second vertical partition 92. The partition assembly 30 can be manufactured by coupling one half of the partition assembly 30 and the other half of the partition assembly 30 together.

[0050] In another example, it is possible to manufacture the vertical partition 40 with the suction pipe 43 integrated therewith by manufacturing the first vertical partition 90 in which one half of the suction pipe 43 and one half of the vertical partition 40 are integrated with each other, and manufacturing the second vertical partition 92 in which the other half of the suction pipe 43 and the other half of the vertical partition 40 are integrated with each other. Then, it is possible to couple the first vertical partition 90 and the second vertical partition 92 together. The partition assembly 30 can be manufactured by inserting the vertical partition 40 with the suction pipe 43 integrated therewith into the corresponding groove of the horizontal partition 50 and then coupling the vertical partition 40 and the horizontal partition 50 together.

[0051] In another example, the suction tube 43 may be manufactured by manufacturing one half of the suction tube 43 and the other half of the suction tube 43 and then coupling the two halves together. Furthermore, the vertical partition 40 may be manufactured by manufacturing one half of the vertical partition 40 and the other half of the vertical partition 40 and then coupling the two halves together. The vertical partition 40 with the suction tube 43 coupled thereto may then be manufactured by coupling the suction tube 43 and the vertical partition 40 together. Furthermore, the partition assembly 30 may be manufactured by inserting the vertical partition 40 with the suction tube 43 coupled thereto into the corresponding groove of the horizontal partition 50 and then coupling the vertical partition 40 and the horizontal partition 50 together.

[0052] The suction tube 43 may have a suction tube inlet 44 into which the gaseous refrigerant in the upper chamber 96 flows, and a suction tube outlet 45 that discharges the gaseous refrigerant in the suction tube 43 to the refrigerant outlet opening 28. The suction tube 43 may extend from the suction tube inlet 44 to the suction tube outlet 45.

[0053] The suction pipe inlet 44 may be disposed between the first and second grooves 80 and 82 in an upper portion of the upper chamber 96. The suction pipe inlet 44 may be disposed higher than the horizontal partition wall 50 by a predetermined height to prevent the liquid refrigerant that is scattered when it encounters the horizontal partition wall 50 from flowing into the suction pipe inlet 44 and being moved to the compressor. At least a portion of the suction pipe inlet 44 may be covered by the guide 47. The guide 47 may be disposed around the suction pipe inlet 44 and may cover at least a portion of the suction pipe inlet 44 to thereby prevent the liquid refrigerant from flowing into the suction pipe inlet 44. In addition, the guide 47 may guide the gaseous refrigerant in the upper chamber 96 to flow into the suction pipe inlet 44.The suction pipe inlet 44 may be positioned higher than the outlet end 27 of the refrigerant inlet port 26. The outlet end 27 of the refrigerant inlet port 26 may discharge the mixed refrigerant at a lower position than the suction pipe inlet 44, allowing the liquid refrigerant to flow downward under the mixed refrigerant by gravity. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the liquid refrigerant discharged from the outlet end 27 of the refrigerant inlet port 26 from flowing into the suction pipe inlet 44.

[0054] The suction pipe outlet 45 may be connected to a lower surface of the second groove 82 in the upper portion of the upper chamber 96. As described above, the inlet end of the refrigerant outlet port 28 may be inserted into the second groove 82. In other words, the inlet end of the refrigerant outlet port 28 may be inserted into the suction pipe outlet 45, and the gaseous refrigerant discharged via the suction pipe outlet 45 may therefore flow into the refrigerant outlet port 28 via the inlet end of the refrigerant outlet port 28. The gaseous refrigerant may then be transferred to the compressor via the outlet end of the refrigerant outlet port 28.

[0055] The suction tube 43 may extend downward from the suction tube inlet 44 to a lower portion of the lower chamber 97 and then extend again to the suction tube outlet 45 in the upper chamber 96. Accordingly, the gaseous refrigerant flowing into the suction tube 43 via the suction tube inlet 44 may be moved from the upper chamber 96 to the lower chamber 97 and then back to the upper chamber 96 in the suction tube 43.

[0056] An oil port 70 may be provided in a lower portion of the suction pipe 43 and communicates with the lower portion of the lower chamber 97. The refrigerant discharged from the evaporator may contain a certain amount of oil to ensure smooth operation of the compressor. The refrigerant containing the oil may flow into the upper chamber 96 in the accumulator 10 via the refrigerant inlet port 26, flow into the lower chamber 97 via the filter 54 due to its high specific density, and collect in the lower portion of the lower chamber 97. As shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 6, when the gaseous refrigerant is moved through the suction pipe 43, the oil collected in the lower portion of the lower chamber 97 can be sucked into the suction pipe 43 through the oil port 70 and mixed with the gaseous refrigerant. The gaseous refrigerant mixed with the oil can then be supplied to the compressor to prevent compressor failure.

[0057] An operation of the accumulator 10 according to an embodiment of the invention is described below.

[0058] As in Fig.As shown in Figure 6, the mixed refrigerant evaporated from the evaporator can be discharged to the inclined surface 48 via the refrigerant inlet port 26. The mixed refrigerant can be distributed into the chamber on one side and the chamber on the other side by the inclined surface 48. The liquid refrigerant under the mixed refrigerant can be moved downward by gravity, pass through the filter 54, and filter out the foreign matter therefrom.

[0059] The gaseous refrigerant among the mixed refrigerant and the gaseous refrigerant evaporated from the liquid refrigerant in the lower chamber 97 can be moved to the upper chamber 96 by their specific density and moved into the suction pipe 43 via the suction pipe inlet 44 arranged in the upper chamber 96. The gaseous refrigerant can be moved through the suction pipe 43, moved to the refrigerant outlet port 28 via the suction pipe outlet 45, and transferred to the compressor via the refrigerant outlet port 28.

[0060] In a process in which the gaseous refrigerant is moved through the suction pipe 43, the oil in the lower chamber 97 can be sucked into the suction pipe 43 via the oil opening 70 and mixed with the gaseous refrigerant. Furthermore, the gaseous refrigerant can exchange heat with the liquid refrigerant in the lower chamber 97. The gaseous refrigerant mixed with the oil can be transferred to the compressor to prevent compressor failure.

[0061] According to another embodiment of the invention, a heat pump system is provided. The heat pump system includes the evaporator, the accumulator 10, and the compressor. The evaporator can evaporate the refrigerant and supply it to the accumulator 10. The accumulator 10 can separate the gaseous refrigerant from the refrigerant and supply it to the compressor. The compressor can compress the gaseous refrigerant. The gaseous refrigerant can pass through an additional component and then be moved back to the evaporator.

Claims

[1] Accumulator, comprising: a body (20) having an upper body (22) arranged on an upper side and a lower body (24) arranged on a lower side, the upper body (22) and the lower body (24) being coupled together to form a chamber (94) in the body (20), a refrigerant inlet opening (26) disposed in the upper body (22) and configured to allow a mixed refrigerant of a liquid refrigerant and a gaseous refrigerant to flow into the chamber (94), a refrigerant outlet opening (28) arranged in the upper body (22) and configured to allow the gaseous refrigerant separated from the liquid refrigerant to flow out, and a partition assembly (30) disposed in the chamber (94), configured to prevent flow of the liquid refrigerant, and coupled to the body (20). [2] The accumulator of claim 1, wherein the partition assembly (30) includes a horizontal partition (50) disposed horizontally within the chamber (94) and configured to prevent vertical flow of the liquid refrigerant. [3] The accumulator of claim 1 or 2, wherein the partition assembly (30) further comprises a vertical partition (40) disposed vertically within the chamber (94) and configured to prevent horizontal flow of the liquid refrigerant. [4] The accumulator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the partition wall assembly (30) further comprises a suction pipe (43) configured to guide the gaseous refrigerant separated from the liquid refrigerant to the refrigerant outlet port (28). [5] The accumulator of claim 2, wherein the horizontal partition wall (50) separates the chamber (94) into an upper chamber (96) and a lower chamber (97), and wherein a filter (54) is disposed in the horizontal partition wall (50) and is configured to filter foreign matter in the refrigerant, the filter (54) being further configured to fluidly connect the upper chamber (96) to the lower chamber (97). [6] The accumulator according to claim 5, wherein the partition wall assembly (30) further comprises a suction pipe (43) configured to guide the gaseous refrigerant separated from the liquid refrigerant to the refrigerant outlet port (28), and wherein the suction pipe (43) has a suction pipe inlet (44) through which the gaseous refrigerant flows into the suction pipe (43), and a suction pipe outlet (45) through which the gaseous refrigerant is discharged to the refrigerant outlet opening (28), wherein the intake manifold inlet (44) and the intake manifold outlet (45) are arranged in the upper chamber (96), and wherein the suction pipe (43) extends downwards from the suction pipe inlet (44) to the lower chamber (97) and extends upwards again to the suction pipe outlet (45) arranged in the upper chamber (97). [7] The accumulator according to claim 6, wherein a guide (47) is arranged around the suction pipe inlet (44) and is configured to prevent the liquid refrigerant from flowing into the suction pipe (43). [8] Accumulator according to claim 6 or 7, wherein an outlet end (27) of the refrigerant inlet opening (26) is arranged lower than the suction pipe inlet (44). [9] The accumulator according to any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein a desiccant (60) is mounted on an upper surface of the horizontal partition wall (50). [10] The accumulator according to claim 3, wherein the vertical partition wall (40) comprises a vertical partition wall plate (42) having first and second grooves (80, 82) formed in an upper end portion spaced from each other and each having an open upper portion, and wherein the refrigerant inlet port (26) is inserted into the first groove (80), and the refrigerant outlet port (28) is inserted into the second groove (82). [11] The accumulator according to claim 10, wherein a lower surface of the first groove (80) has an inclined surface (48). [12] The accumulator according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the partition wall assembly (30) further comprises a suction pipe (43) which guides the gaseous refrigerant separated from the liquid refrigerant to the refrigerant outlet port (28), and wherein a lower surface of the second groove (82) is connected to the suction pipe (43) such that the suction pipe (43) is inserted into the refrigerant outlet port (28). [13] The accumulator according to claim 3, wherein the vertical partition (40) comprises a vertical partition plate (42), and wherein at least one through-opening (46) is formed in the vertical partition plate (42). [14] The accumulator of claim 6, wherein an oil port (70) is provided in a lower portion of the suction pipe (43) and is configured to be fluidly connected to a lower portion of the lower chamber (97). [15] Accumulator according to one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the body (20) and the partition arrangement (30) are each made of plastic. [16] The accumulator according to claim 2, wherein the partition wall assembly (30) further comprises a vertical partition wall (40) arranged vertically in the chamber (94) to prevent horizontal flow of the liquid refrigerant, and a suction pipe (43) which leads the gaseous refrigerant separated from the liquid refrigerant to the refrigerant outlet port (28), and wherein the vertical partition wall (40) and the suction pipe (43) are integrated with each other and coupled to the horizontal partition wall (50). [17] The accumulator according to claim 16, wherein the vertical partition wall (40) and the suction pipe (43) are manufactured as a first and a second vertical partition wall (90, 92) and then coupled together. [18] The accumulator according to claim 5, wherein the horizontal partition wall (50) is coupled to a portion where the upper body (22) and the lower body (24) are coupled to each other. [19] Heat pump system, comprising: an evaporator configured to evaporate a refrigerant, an accumulator (10) configured to receive a mixed refrigerant of a liquid refrigerant and a gaseous refrigerant from the evaporator and to separate the gaseous refrigerant from the mixed refrigerant, and a compressor configured to receive the gaseous refrigerant from the accumulator (10) and compress the gaseous refrigerant, wherein the accumulator (10) comprises: a body (20) having an upper body (22) arranged on an upper side and a lower body (24) arranged on a lower side, the upper body (22) and the lower body (24) being coupled together to form a chamber (94) in the body (20), a refrigerant inlet opening (26) disposed in the upper body (22) and configured to allow a mixed refrigerant of a liquid refrigerant and a gaseous refrigerant to flow into the chamber (94), a refrigerant outlet opening (28) arranged in the upper body (22) and configured to allow the gaseous refrigerant separated from the liquid refrigerant to flow out, and a partition assembly (30) disposed in the chamber (94), configured to prevent flow of the liquid refrigerant, and coupled to the body (20). [20] The heat pump system of claim 19, wherein the accumulator (10) has a refrigerant inlet port (26) connected to the evaporator and a refrigerant outlet port (28) connected to the compressor.

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