COLLECTOR AND HEAT PUMP

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a receiver for a refrigerant circuit according to the preamble of claim 1 and a heat pump with a receiver in its refrigerant circuit. In a refrigerant circuit, liquid refrigerant is compressed to a refrigerant gas, passed through a heat exchanger, and then condensed back into the liquid phase to be passed through another heat exchanger. The refrigerant is then compressed again, and the described process begins anew. To optimize the refrigerant circuit or this process under varying boundary conditions, buffer vessels are installed that temporarily store unused refrigerant and feed it back into the refrigerant circuit as needed. If such a buffer vessel is installed on the high-pressure side of a refrigerant circuit downstream of the condenser, the buffer vessel is referred to as a receiver.

[0002] A refrigerant circuit of the type described above can operate in two directions. In one direction, the refrigerant circuit runs during heating operation, and in the opposite direction during cooling operation. Such bidirectional refrigerant circuits are also called "bi-flow circuits." If a manifold is installed in such a refrigerant circuit, it can be configured so that the refrigerant flows through it only during heating or only during cooling operation, bypassing it during the opposite operation. However, it is also possible to operate the manifold as a "bi-flow manifold" in both directions of the refrigerant circuit.

[0003] Especially when operating as a "bi-flow receiver," the receiver housing must have a relatively large volume to allow the refrigerant to settle within the receiver. Specifically, any bubbles present in the refrigerant must be expelled within the receiver so that only liquid refrigerant is introduced into the refrigerant circuit at the receiver outlet. This is essential for the operational reliability of the expansion valve. To provide this large volume for the receiver, state-of-the-art receivers have a relatively large diameter. Due to this large receiver volume, a correspondingly large quantity of refrigerant must also be stored in the receiver sump, which is considered a disadvantage, particularly with flammable refrigerants. Furthermore, for environmental reasons, it is desirable to implement a refrigerant circuit with the smallest possible refrigerant quantity.

[0004] CN 105 091 429 B discloses a collector according to the preamble of claim 1, comprising a container for storing a liquid refrigerant and a fastening device for securing an inlet and outlet pipe in the container. The fastening device comprises a partition plate having a lower end adapted to the inner contour of a lower end cover of the container. The partition plate further comprises an approximately vertical upper end. The partition plate divides the lower section of the container uniformly, with the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe terminating on opposite sides of the partition plate. At the upper end of the partition plate, two fastening clips project in different directions, each with an opening for the inlet or outlet pipe.

[0005] CN 201 935 492 U and CN 105 737 463 A each relate to refrigerant collection tanks comprising a tank body and a base for collecting condensed refrigerant, and with pipes extending into the tank for refrigerant inlet and outlet. In both tank bodies, a baffle plate is arranged between the pipes extending to the base as a flow stabilizer, and the baffle plate is welded to the base.

[0006] Based on this, the invention aims to create a collector with the smallest possible collector volume.

[0007] This problem is solved by the subject matter of claims 1 and 8. The cross-referenced claims relate to expedient and inventive further developments of this invention.

[0008] According to the invention, the collector has collector pipes designed as riser pipes. The riser pipes extend through the interior of the housing down to the sump of the collector in the area of ​​the base section. The riser pipes thus terminate only in the sump, where the condensed refrigerant is collected. The outlets of the riser pipes are located at a very short distance from the base plate of the sump and thus from the base plate of the base section of the collector housing.

[0009] The connections of the riser pipes to the refrigerant circuit are located on a cover section of the collector housing in one version. Alternatively, the riser pipes can also exit the collector housing laterally.

[0010] In particular, condensed refrigerant enters the collector in liquid form and is stored there. The liquid refrigerant can, of course, also contain gas bubbles, and it is precisely these gas bubbles that collect at the top of the collector according to the invention.

[0011] To calm the flow between the riser pipes, the collector further includes a flow-stabilizing element. According to the invention, a partition is arranged between the riser pipes in the sump area. This partition extends into the refrigerant-filled sump, effectively dividing it into two sections. The partition calms the flow of refrigerant entering the collector from one of the riser pipes. Due to the small distance between the ends of the riser pipes and the base plate of the collector housing, a comparatively small amount of refrigerant is sufficient to fill the collector's sump. The partition dividing the sump into two ensures a calming of the refrigerant flow, so that the sump acts like a cooling basin for the incoming refrigerant. In particular, any existing bubbles are effectively removed from the refrigerant in this way.

[0012] Additionally, the pipe ends of the riser pipes extending into the swamp can be designed as flow calming devices.

[0013] For this purpose, the pipe ends are advantageously chamfered. In particular, the chamfering of the pipe end(s) is designed such that the flow of the refrigerant entering through the riser pipes is deflected away from the respective other riser pipe. Preferably, the riser pipes are chamfered at an angle of 30°–60°, particularly approximately and especially preferably exactly 45°. Alternatively or in addition to chamfering, the riser pipes can be bent, which also achieves the flow-stabilizing effect of directing the flow away from the respective other riser pipe.

[0014] According to the invention, the partition wall has a support foot at its lower edge, which rests on the bottom of the sump in the final assembly state. In this way, the partition wall can be easily placed into the bottom part of the collector housing or into the sump of the collector housing and connected to the base plate.

[0015] In a further embodiment, tabs are formed on both sides of the partition, projecting essentially at right angles beyond the respective wall surface. It is particularly advantageous to arrange these tabs at the upper edge of the partition. Each tab is penetrated by a bearing eye. The inner diameter of the bearing eye is adapted to the outer diameter of the riser pipes so that the riser pipes are guided in the bearing eyes, and thus indirectly via the partition, and fixed within the interior of the collector housing.

[0016] In this context, it is particularly advantageous to design the partition as a divider plate. The base is advantageously angled from the lower edge of this divider plate. Similarly, the tabs are angled from the upper edge of the divider plate towards one side of the partition. In this way, an angled tab with the molded-in bearing eye projects beyond each side of the partition. The angled design of the base and the tabs can be easily implemented as a bending process in manufacturing.

[0017] A combination of chamfering the riser pipes with a bend is advantageous.

[0018] According to a further advantageous aspect of the invention, the separating plate is installed as a partition wall in the collector and, in addition, the riser pipes are angled and / or beveled.

[0019] The collector housing is inventively constructed as a housing consisting of at least two, three, or more parts. The collector housing initially comprises a bowl-shaped base and a hood-shaped lid. Advantageously, one or more outer casing sections are arranged between the base and lid sections. In the final assembled state, the lid section, all optional outer casing sections, and the base are firmly connected to one another, in particular welded together.

[0020] In a further advantageous embodiment, the entire collector housing is cylindrical. For this purpose, the base part has a concave bottom and a cylindrical collar projecting from the concave bottom to form both the base and the sump. The lid part also has a concave lid.

[0021] The openings for the riser pipes are located either in the lid or on the side of the cylindrical collector housing.

[0022] A cylindrical collar is formed onto the lid part. In the final assembled state, the cylindrical collar on the base part and the cylindrical collar on the lid part face each other. Advantageously, one or, more preferably, several hollow cylindrical shell parts are arranged between the lid part and the base part.

[0023] This housing design allows for the creation of multiple housing sizes, similar to a modular system. Identical base and lid sections can always be used. To achieve different volumes, either sleeve sections of varying heights can be inserted between the base and lid sections, or a sleeve section of constant height can be used, with the different volumes of the collector housing varied by stacking a corresponding number of these sleeve sections. In this way, all collector sizes can be produced with an identical diameter, and the size or volume of the collector can be varied by adjusting the height of the collector housing or the number of sleeve sections placed between the base and lid sections.Due to the constant diameter, the periphery of the collector can always be designed in the same way, which reduces the variety of parts for the entire system.

[0024] The collector according to the invention can be operated bidirectionally as a "bi-flow collector". Each of the riser pipes can therefore be used selectively as either an inlet pipe or an outlet pipe for the refrigerant mass flow.

[0025] The heat pump according to the invention ultimately uses a refrigerant circuit with the prescribed collector according to the invention.

[0026] The invention is explained in further detail with reference to the embodiment shown in the drawings. The drawings show: Fig. 1 a perspective view of a partition plate, Fig. 2 a side view of the partition plate made of Fig. 1 , Fig. 3 a perspective top view of a floor section with inserted partition plate according to Fig. 1 , Fig. 4 a cutaway side view of the base part with inserted divider plate according to Fig. 3 , Fig. 5 the side view of the bottom part made of Fig. 4 with riser pipes fixed to the partition plate, Fig. 6 a perspective side view of the base section with riser pipes fixed to the partition plate according to Fig. 5 Fig. 7 a cutaway side view of a complete collector housing with riser pipes fixed to the partition plate, Fig. 8 the side view of the collector housing made of Fig. 7 , Fig. 9 a perspective view of the in Fig. 8 The collector housing shown in Fig. 10 is shown in two sectioned side views with different designs of the riser pipes. Fig. 11 shows two side views with modified designs of the ends of the riser pipes as flow calming devices. Fig. 12 shows two top views of the different designs in Fig. 13. Fig. 11 shown ends of the riser pipes as well as Fig. 13 three top views of modified riser pipe geometries in other designs.

[0027] Identical and structurally identical parts are assigned identical reference numbers. The figures may contain simplified or schematic representations. Different views of the same parts may be scaled differently.

[0028] First, a partition is described as a flow-stabilizing device in the collector. The partition plate 1, forming the partition according to one embodiment of the invention, has two opposing wall surfaces 2. The wall surfaces 2 are bounded by the two side edges 3, the lower edge 4, and the upper edge 5 of the partition plate 1. The tab-like support 6 is bent from the lower edge 4. From the upper edge 5, the tabs 7 are each bent in opposite directions at right angles to the wall surface 2 of the partition plate 1. Both tabs 7 thus point in opposite directions and are each pierced by a bearing eye 8.

[0029] In Fig. 3 It is evident that the separating plate 1 described at the beginning, with its lower edge 4 and its in Fig. 3 the non-recognizable base 6 onto the concave base 9 of the base part 10 of the in Fig. 9 The collector housing 11 shown is mounted on the base 9. Positioning stops 12 project upwards from the base 9, against which the partition plate 1 abuts with a wall surface 2 each, so that the positioning stops 12 receive the partition plate 1 between them and position it like a guide. For the purpose of functional integration, the positioning stops 12 can simultaneously act as welding points by which the partition plate 1 is attached to the base 9. A hollow cylindrical collar 13 adjoins the base 9 of the base section 10.

[0030] In the illustrated embodiment, the two pipe stubs 14, arranged one above the other on the outer side of the collar, penetrate the collar 13. The pipe stubs 14 are, in principle, suitable for connecting connecting pipes. However, in the inventive embodiment of the collector housing 11, the pipe stubs 14 are closed by plugs 15. Therefore, in other embodiments, the two pipe stubs 14 may not be present. Finally, in Fig. 3 Another mounting foot 16 adapted to the underside of the base part 10 with a central through hole 17 is visible.

[0031] Fig. 5 Figure 1 shows the base part 10 with the partition plate 1 inserted and with riser tubes 18 guided and fixed in the bearing eyes 8 of the tabs 7. The riser tubes 18 penetrate the entire interior of the collector housing 11 in the direction of its central longitudinal axis 20.

[0032] In one embodiment of the collector housing 11, the similarly hollow cylindrical shell part 21 is placed on the hollow cylindrical collar 13 of the base part 10. In the illustration of the Fig. 7 The separation joint 22 between the shell part 21 and the base part 10 is visible. The shell part 21 and the base part 10 are firmly connected to each other by the weld 23. The cover part 24, with its hollow cylindrical collar 13, is then placed on the shell part 21. The cover part 24 consists of the collar 13 and the concave lid 25, which is arranged above the collar 13 in the direction of the central longitudinal axis 20. The lid 25 is perforated by openings and fitted with sockets 26 in these openings. The sockets 26 and the lugs 7 with the bearing eyes 8 support the two riser pipes 18 in the interior 19 of the collector housing 11. The cover part 24 is also welded to the shell part 21 by means of a weld 23.The collector housing 11 is thus composed of the base part 10, the shell part 21 which is placed on the base part 10 in the direction of the central longitudinal axis 20 and the lid part 24 which is placed on the shell part 21 in the direction of the central longitudinal axis 20.

[0033] In a preferred embodiment, the bearing eyes 8 are designed as insertion depth limiters for the riser pipes 18. The depth limiter prevents the distance between the riser pipes 18 and the ground, as well as between the pipes themselves, from becoming too large or too small.

[0034] In an embodiment not shown, the casing part 21 and the lid 25 can be formed as a single, continuous piece. This reduces the number of necessary welds to one, namely between the lid 25 and the base part 10. Separately supplied casing parts 21, as in the embodiment shown, allow flexibility with regard to the volume of the collector, since both the number and the size of the casing part(s) 21 can be varied, which directly results in a variation of the collector volume.

[0035] One of the riser pipes 18 serves as the refrigerant inlet during operation of the refrigerant circuit, for example in a heat pump. The refrigerant flows into the bottom section 10 and thus into the sump of the receiver at the end of the riser pipe facing the base 9, partially or completely filling the bottom section 10. The liquid refrigerant, which has exited and settled in the corresponding chamber of the sump and is free of bubbles, flows along or upwards along the baffle plate 1. Alternatively, it flows through a corresponding recess in the area of ​​the base 6 and / or rises in the bottom section 10. In any case, the baffle plate 1 blocks a direct flow between the two riser pipes 18, thus acting as a flow stabilizer. Advantageously, the refrigerant flows substantially or completely laterally along the baffle plate 1 and into the adjacent chamber of the sump.From this chamber, the refrigerant temporarily stored in the collector is reintroduced into the refrigerant circuit as needed through the associated other riser pipe 18, which serves as the refrigerant outlet.

[0036] Fig. 10a und 10b They show alternatives for the exit of the riser pipes 18 from the collector. In Fig. 10a The riser pipes 18 emerge from the casing section 21. In Fig. 10b The riser pipes 18 exit the cover 25. The position of the riser pipes 18 exiting the manifold is unrestricted. The crucial factor is the position of the ends 31 of the riser pipes 18 within the manifold in the area of ​​the refrigerant sump 30.

[0037] Fig. 11a und 11b show alternative designs of the lower ends 31, 32 of the riser pipes 18 inside the collector housing 11. Fig. 11a The ends 31 are shaped perpendicular to the flow direction, so that the refrigerant flows out uniformly in all directions. Fig. 11b The ends 32 are angled to act as flow calming devices, creating a preferred flow direction. This prevents the refrigerant from flowing directly from one riser pipe 18 to the other, instead forcing it into an opposite flow direction. The angled ends 32 therefore have a similar effect to the partition and can thus be used as an alternative or additional flow calming device alongside or instead of the partition.

[0038] Fig. 12a und 12b The figures schematically and exemplarily show the effect of the different designs of ends 31 and 32 on the flow. Fig. 12b It can be seen that the flow, due to the chamfering of the ends 32, is already directed away from the further riser pipe 18, so that the installation of the separating plate 1 is unnecessary. The chamfer is shown, for example, at 45°. Other chamfers, for example in the range of 30° to 60°, are also advantageously conceivable.

[0039] As an alternative to chamfering the ends, angled ends are also possible with the same effect.

[0040] Fig. 13 Figure 1 shows various alternative geometries for the pipe ends of the riser pipes 18, each exhibiting a flow-stabilizing effect by preventing the refrigerant flowing through riser pipe 18 from directly reaching the other riser pipe 18. Thus, with all geometries, the requirement for the smallest possible volume of the collector housing 11 is met without impairing the effectiveness of the collector. In the top view of the Fig. 13 Bevels and angles are difficult to see, which is why a larger and a smaller circle are drawn at each end of 32. The bevel or angle, and thus the flow control, is intended to occur from the larger to the smaller circle; the refrigerant outlet and inlet are therefore located on the side of the smaller circle.

[0041] It should be noted that only examples of all conceivable variations of flow calming devices are presented. The advantageous effect of flow calming by blocking or lengthening the flow path between the two riser pipes 18 can also be achieved with other means known to those skilled in the art.

[0042] In one embodiment, the height H of the separating plate 1 is less than the distance between the two riser pipes 18. Preferably, the height H is approximately 10% less than the distance between the riser pipes 18 at the outlet end. Here, the term "approximately" denotes a tolerance of 20%, preferably 10%, and particularly preferably 4%. For example, the separating plate 1 has an approximately height H of 50 mm, and the riser pipes 18 are spaced 55 mm apart, relative to their respective pipe centers.

[0043] The separating plate 1 is preferably spaced approximately 5 mm away from the wall of the collector container. This ensures sufficient flow past the separating plate 1. A ratio of height H to distance from the wall of approximately 10:1 has proven particularly advantageous.

[0044] Preferably, the end 31 or the lower end 32 of the riser pipes 18 is arranged approximately 10 mm above the base 9. Here, too, the ratio between the height H of the separating plate 1 and the height of the riser pipes 18 above the base 9 is of particular relevance for the effectiveness. This ratio has proven advantageous at approximately 5:1.

[0045] It has also proven advantageous if the distance between the riser pipes 18 does not exceed 50% of the outer diameter of the housing. For example, with a distance of 55 mm between the centers of the riser pipes 18, the outer diameter can be approximately 103 mm.

[0046] The diameter of the riser pipes 18 is preferably on the order of the distance of the riser pipes 18 from the ground. Preferably, the pipe diameter is slightly larger than the distance of the riser pipes 18 from the ground. Particularly preferably, the pipe diameter is approximately 12 mm with a distance of 10 mm between the riser pipes 18 and the ground.

[0047] The tabs 9 are designed such that the riser pipes 18 form a distance from the separating plate 1 which is on the order of the pipe diameter and preferably slightly larger than the pipe diameter. Bezugszeichen

[0048] 1. Dividing plate 2. Wall surface 3. Side edge 4. Bottom edge 5. Top edge 6. Base 7. Tab 8. Bearing eye 9. Base 10. Bottom section 11. Collector housing 12. Positioning stop 13. Collar 14. Pipe connection 15. Plug 16. Mounting foot 17. Through hole 18. Riser pipe 19. Housing interior 20. Central longitudinal axis 21. Shell section 22. Separation joint 23. Weld seam 24. Cover section 25. Cover 26. Socket 30. Refrigerant sump 31, 32. Riser pipe ends

Claims

1. A header for a refrigerant circuit, comprising a sump that collects the condensed refrigerant, forming the base part (10) of a header casing (11), and comprising pipes for the refrigerant inlet and the refrigerant outlet, wherein the pipes are designed as riser pipes (18) and the header casing (11) extends with its casing interior (19) all the way down into the sump, and a flow stabiliser is arranged in the area of the sump to stabilise the flow between the riser pipes (18), wherein the flow stabiliser comprises a partition panel between the riser pipes (18), characterised in that the partition panel has, at its lower edge (4), at least one foot (6) which, when fully assembled, rests on the bottom (9) of the sump.

2. Header according to claim 1, characterised in that the ends of the riser pipes (18) passing through the sump are additionally designed to act as flow stabilisers.

3. Header according to claim 2, characterised in that at least one of the pipe ends is bevelled and / or bent in such a way that the flow is deflected in a specific direction, in particular away from the other end of the pipe.

4. Header according to claim 1, characterised in that on both sides of the partition panel, preferably at the upper edge (5) of the partition panel, there is a tab (7) in each case that projects substantially at right angles beyond the respective panel surface (2) and which, in the final assembled state, has a bearing eye (8) through which one of the riser pipes (18) passes.

5. Header according to claim 4, characterised in that on the separating plate (1), which acts as a partition panel, the foot (6) is bent out from its lower edge (4) and the two tabs (7) are bent out from its upper edge (5).

6. Header according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that it features a three-part or multi-part header casing (11), wherein between a bowl-shaped base part (10) and a hood-shaped cover part (24), there is at least one shell part (21) connecting the base part (10) and the cover part (24).

7. Header according to claim 6 characterised in that it features a hollow cylindrical casing comprising a base part (10) with a concave bottom (9) and a cylindrical collar (13) projecting from the concave bottom (9), a cover part (24) with a concave cover (25) and a cylindrical collar (13) projecting from the concave cover (25), and a hollow cylindrical shell part (21) between the base part (10) and the cover part (24).

8. Header according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the header can operate in both directions, so that each of the riser pipes (18) can be used both as an inlet pipe and as an outlet pipe for the refrigerant mass flow.

9. A heat pump comprising a header according to any one of claims 1 to 8 in the refrigerant circuit.