Compressors and refrigeration cycle equipment

Abstract

To provide a compressor and refrigeration cycle system that offer excellent installability while also being able to utilize the supercharging effect. [Solution] The compressor comprises a sealed container, an electric motor, a compression mechanism, and an accumulator 20 connected to the compression mechanism. The accumulator 20 comprises a stepped cylindrical container 31, a partition plate 39 that divides the internal space of the container 31 into a gas-liquid separation chamber SR and a buffer chamber BR, an inlet pipe 40 connected to the gas-liquid separation chamber SR, a connecting pipe 41 that passes through the partition plate 39 and connects the gas-liquid separation chamber SR and the buffer chamber BR, and at least one outlet pipe 43 connected to the buffer chamber BR. The at least one outlet pipe 43 is provided on the side of the container 31 where the buffer chamber BR is located, and the maximum outer diameter D1 of the container 31 where the gas-liquid separation chamber SR is located is larger than the maximum outer diameter D2 of the container 31 where the buffer chamber BR is located.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments according to the present invention relate to a compressor and a refrigeration cycle apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] In order to avoid performance degradation due to a decrease in the supercharging effect in a compressor, a rotary hermetic compressor provided with the following accumulator is known. The accumulator has an accumulator main body, an upper and lower separation plate that divides the inside of the accumulator main body into upper and lower sides, and secures a capacity on each of the upper and lower sides inside the accumulator main body, and a communication pipe disposed between a retainer provided on the upper side inside the accumulator main body and the upper and lower separation plate. The capacity secured on the lower side inside the accumulator main body may be called a buffer volume. By securing a buffer volume in the accumulator in this way, the length of the suction pipe portion connecting the accumulator main body and the hermetic case can be adjusted. That is, the compressor adjusts the supercharging rotation speed, which is the operating frequency (operating rotation speed) of the compressor at which supercharging occurs, by the length of the suction pipe portion, and suppresses a decrease in the supercharging effect. Therefore, the compressor can avoid performance degradation due to a decrease in the supercharging effect. The compartment inside the accumulator main body having a buffer volume may be called a buffer chamber.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in conventional compressors, the accumulator becomes larger due to the addition of a buffer chamber at the bottom of the accumulator. As a result, the space required for installation increases, reducing the ease of installation. Therefore, there is room for improvement in compressors in terms of improving the ease of installation while still being able to utilize the supercharging effect.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a compressor and refrigeration cycle device that can utilize the supercharging effect while also having excellent installability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To solve the aforementioned problems, a compressor according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a sealed container, a compression mechanism housed in the sealed container and capable of compressing a refrigerant, an electric motor housed in the sealed container and driving the compression mechanism, and an accumulator located outside the sealed container and connected to the suction side of the compression mechanism. The accumulator comprises a stepped cylindrical container, a partition plate provided inside the container and dividing the internal space of the container into a gas-liquid separation chamber and a buffer chamber, an inlet pipe fixed to the container and connected to the gas-liquid separation chamber, a connecting pipe passing through the partition plate and connecting the gas-liquid separation chamber and the buffer chamber, and at least one outlet pipe fixed to the container and connected to the buffer chamber. The at least one outlet pipe is provided on the side surface of the container where the buffer chamber is located. Furthermore, the compressor satisfies the following relational expression (1) when the maximum outer diameter of the container where the gas-liquid separation chamber is located is D1, and the maximum outer diameter of the container where the buffer chamber is located is D2. D1>D2 (1)

[0007] Furthermore, in order to solve the aforementioned problems, a refrigeration cycle apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a compressor, a heat sink, an expansion device, a heat absorber, and refrigerant piping that connects the compressor, the heat sink, the expansion device, and the heat absorber and allows the refrigerant to flow. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] A schematic diagram of a refrigeration cycle device and compressor according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] A longitudinal cross-sectional view of an accumulator in a compressor according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] A schematic diagram of an accumulator with another example of a body in a compressor according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] A longitudinal cross-sectional view of an accumulator with another example of a body in a compressor according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Embodiments of the compressor and refrigeration cycle device according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 4. Note that the same or corresponding components are denoted by the same reference numerals in multiple drawings.

[0010] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a refrigeration cycle device and compressor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] As shown in Figure 1, the refrigeration cycle device 1 according to this embodiment includes a rotary compressor 3, a radiator 5, an expansion device 7, a heat absorber 9, and refrigerant piping 13. The rotary compressor 3 may hereafter be simply referred to as "compressor 3". The refrigerant piping 13 sequentially connects the compressor 3, the radiator 5, the expansion device 7, and the heat absorber 9 to circulate the refrigerant. The radiator 5 may also be called a condenser, and the heat absorber 9 may also be called an evaporator. The expansion device 7 is, for example, an electronic expansion valve (Pulse Motor Valve, PMV).

[0012] The compressor 3 comprises a vertically positioned cylindrical sealed container 15, an electric motor 17 housed in the upper half of the sealed container 15, a compression mechanism 19 housed in the lower half of the sealed container 15, a crankshaft (not shown) that transmits the rotational driving force of the electric motor 17 to the compression mechanism 19, a main bearing and a sub-bearing (not shown) that rotatably cooperate to support the crankshaft, and an accumulator 20 located outside the sealed container 15 and connected to the suction side of the compression mechanism 19.

[0013] The sealed container 15 comprises a cylindrical body 15a extending vertically, a hemispherical or elliptical upper end plate 15b that closes the upper end of the body 15a, and a hemispherical or elliptical lower end plate 15c that closes the lower end of the body 15a.

[0014] The body portion 15a is provided with multiple joints 21 that are joined to each of the multiple suction pipes 13a by brazing, in order to support the multiple suction pipes 13a that guide the refrigerant to the suction side of the compression mechanism 19. The multiple suction pipes 13a are connected to the accumulator 20. The multiple suction pipes 13a are part of the refrigerant piping 13. In the example shown in Figure 1, there are three suction pipes 13a. However, the number of suction pipes 13a is not limited to this; there may be one, two, or four or more.

[0015] The upper end plate 15b supports the discharge pipe 13b that discharges the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 3. The discharge pipe 13b is connected to the refrigerant piping 13. The upper end plate 15b also has a sealed terminal section 23 that supplies power to the electric motor 17.

[0016] The electric motor 17 generates a driving force to rotate the compression mechanism 19. The electric motor 17 is, for example, a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM). The electric motor 17 has the following configuration, which is not shown in the figures. Specifically, the electric motor 17 comprises a cylindrical stator fixed to the inner wall of the sealed container 15, a rotor positioned inside the stator and fixed to the crankshaft, and a plurality of lead wires drawn out from the stator and connected to the sealed terminal section 23.

[0017] The rotor includes a rotor core having magnet accommodation holes and permanent magnets accommodated in the magnet accommodation holes. The rotor is rotatable with respect to the stator and is rotationally fixed to the crankshaft. The rotational center lines of the rotor and the crankshaft substantially coincide with the center line of the stator.

[0018] The plurality of lead-out wires are wires that supply power to the stator through the sealed terminal portion 23 and are so-called lead wires. The lead-out wires are arranged in plurality according to the type of the motor 17. When the lead-out wires are used in an open-winding type, two lead-out wires are arranged for each of the U-phase, V-phase, and W-phase, that is, a total of six lead-out wires are arranged. When the motor 17 is used in a star connection, one lead-out wire is arranged for each of the U-phase, V-phase, and W-phase, that is, a total of three lead-out wires are arranged.

[0019] The crankshaft connects the motor 17 and the compression mechanism 19. The crankshaft transmits the driving force generated by the motor 17 to the compression mechanism 19.

[0020] When the motor 17 connected via the crankshaft rotates and drives, the compression mechanism 19 sucks gaseous refrigerant from the plurality of suction pipes 13a, compresses the sucked refrigerant, and discharges the compressed refrigerant into the sealed container 15. The lower part of the sealed container 15 is filled with refrigeration oil, and most of the compression mechanism 19 is immersed in this refrigeration oil.

[0021] The compression mechanism 19 includes a plurality, for example, three cylinders 24, 25, and 26. In other words, the compressor 3 is a multi-cylinder rotary compressor having three cylinders.

[0022] Note that the compressor 3 may be a single-cylinder rotary compressor having one cylinder, a multi-cylinder rotary compressor having two cylinders, or a multi-cylinder rotary compressor having four or more cylinders. The compression mechanism 19 and the accumulator 20 are connected via the same number of suction pipes 13a as the number of cylinders.

[0023] The accumulator 20 is fixed to the sealed container 15 of the compressor 3 via a holder 27 provided on the body 15a of the sealed container 15. In other words, the accumulator 20 is located on the outside of the sealed container 15. The accumulator 20 is fixed, for example, by welding to the holder 27, or by a clamp band (not shown) provided on the holder 27 so as to cover the outer circumference of the accumulator 20.

[0024] Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the accumulator in a compressor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] As shown in Figure 2 in addition to Figure 1, the container 31 is supported in an upright position; a partition plate 39 is provided inside the container 31 to divide the internal space of the container 31 into a gas-liquid separation chamber SR and a buffer chamber BR; an inlet pipe 40 is fixed to the container 31 and has an inlet passage IP connected to the gas-liquid separation chamber SR; a connecting pipe 41 has a connecting passage CP that penetrates the partition plate 39 and connects the gas-liquid separation chamber SR and the buffer chamber BR; and at least one outlet pipe 43 is fixed to the container 31 and has an outlet passage OP connected to the buffer chamber BR.

[0026] Furthermore, the accumulator 20 includes a strainer 45 positioned between the inlet pipe 40 and the connecting pipe 41 to filter foreign matter from the refrigerant introduced into the accumulator 20, and a separation plate 47 positioned between the strainer 45 and the connecting pipe 41 to separate the refrigerant that has passed through the strainer 45 into gaseous refrigerant and liquid refrigerant. The strainer 45 and the separation plate 47 are provided in the gas-liquid separation chamber SR of the container 31.

[0027] Furthermore, the accumulator 20 may also be equipped with a support plate 49 located within the gas-liquid separation chamber SR of the container 31, positioned between the separation plate 47 and the partition plate 39, and supporting the connecting pipe 41 together with the partition plate 39.

[0028] The container 31 has a stepped cylindrical shape. The container 31 comprises a stepped cylindrical body 31a extending in the vertical direction, a hemispherical or elliptical upper end plate 31b that closes the upper end, which is one end of the body 31a, and a hemispherical or elliptical lower end plate 31c that closes the lower end, which is the other end of the body 31a.

[0029] The fuselage portion 31a includes an upper fuselage portion 31au located above, and a lower fuselage portion 31al that is continuous with the upper fuselage portion 31au and located below the upper fuselage portion 31au.

[0030] The upper body section 31au supports the strainer 45, separation plate 47, support plate 49, and partition plate 39 in the order of the refrigerant flow. The upper body section 31au constitutes the side wall of the gas-liquid separation chamber SR.

[0031] The lower body portion 31al constitutes the side wall of the buffer chamber BR.

[0032] The upper end plate 31b supports the inlet pipe 40 that allows the refrigerant, compressed by the compression mechanism 19 of the compressor 3 and circulated through the refrigeration cycle device 1, to flow into the accumulator 20. The inside of the upper end plate 31b also forms part of the upper side of the gas-liquid separation chamber SR.

[0033] The inside of the lower end plate 31c forms part of the lower side of the buffer chamber BR.

[0034] The inlet pipe 40 is connected to the refrigerant piping 13. The inlet pipe 40 is a straight pipe that extends along the centerline of the body 31a, and is a straight pipe that extends in line with the centerline of the body 31a.

[0035] The refrigerant flowing from the inlet pipe 40 into the accumulator 20 first reaches the strainer 45. The strainer 45 has the required mesh size to prevent foreign matter from flowing into the compression mechanism 19 of the compressor 3.

[0036] The separation plate 47 prevents the refrigerant that has passed through the strainer 45 from flowing directly into the connecting pipe 41. The separation plate 47 is a plate with an upward-convex shape that acts like an umbrella on the connecting pipe 41. The separation plate 47 has multiple openings 47a through which the refrigerant can pass. The separation plate 47 obstructs the view directly below the inlet pipe 40 and obstructs the view directly above the connecting pipe 41. The multiple openings 47a of the separation plate 47 are positioned outside the connecting pipe 41 when viewed from the inlet pipe 40. The refrigerant that reaches the separation plate 47 flows down to the lower side of the gas-liquid separation chamber SR of the container 31 through the multiple openings 47a of the separation plate 47.

[0037] Each opening 47a opens toward the outer periphery of the separation plate 47. In other words, each opening 47a opens toward the inner surface of the container 31. Each opening 47a is formed from a plate-like material, for example, by cutting and bending.

[0038] The support plate 49 and the partition plate 39 work together to support the connecting pipe 41 inside the container 31.

[0039] The support plate 49 has holes to support the connecting pipe 41 and appropriate openings that do not obstruct the flow of liquid refrigerant and gaseous refrigerant, so that the gas-liquid separation chamber SR has a continuous space. Preferably, the support plate 49 has appropriate support strength and support rigidity so that the connecting pipe 41 extending from the partition plate 39 toward the separation plate 47 does not tilt or tip over with respect to the centerline of the body portion 31a.

[0040] The partition plate 39 has no openings other than the hole supporting the connecting pipe 41, so that the internal space of the container 31 is divided into a gas-liquid separation chamber SR and a buffer chamber BR. The partition plate 39 is liquid-tight and airtightly joined to the inner surface of the container 31 to prevent the refrigerant from flowing out from the gas-liquid separation chamber SR to the buffer chamber BR through a path other than the connecting pipe 41. The partition plate 39 only needs to have a plane perpendicular to the centerline of the container 31, and in the upright position of the accumulator 20, it defines a plane that extends horizontally. The upper surface of the partition plate 39 becomes the bottom surface of the gas-liquid separation chamber SR. The lower surface of the partition plate 39 becomes the upper surface of the buffer chamber BR.

[0041] The connecting pipe 41 has an inlet opening 41i located in the gas-liquid separation chamber SR and an outlet opening 41o located in the buffer chamber BR. The inlet opening 41i corresponds to the upstream end of the connecting passage CP, and the outlet opening 41o corresponds to the downstream end of the connecting passage CP. The outlet opening 41o can be provided substantially on the same plane as the lower surface of the partition plate 39.

[0042] The connecting pipe 41 is positioned inside the container 31 and is fixed to the support plate 49 and the partition plate 39, connecting the gas-liquid separation chamber SR and the buffer chamber BR. The connecting pipe 41 is a straight pipe extending along the centerline of the body 31a, and is a straight pipe extending parallel to the centerline of the body 31a.

[0043] Furthermore, the connecting pipe 41 has at least one oil return hole 41d in the portion located in the gas-liquid separation chamber SR for passing the refrigerant oil accumulated on the lower side of the gas-liquid separation chamber SR. At least one oil return hole 41d is sufficient. The oil return hole 41d is located at a higher position than the compression mechanism 19.

[0044] Each outlet pipe 43 is a suction pipe 13a of the compressor 3 and leads to the cylinder chambers (not shown) of the corresponding cylinders 24, 25, and 26 of the compression mechanism 19. More specifically, each outlet pipe 43 leads to an intake port (not shown) that opens into the cylinder chambers of cylinders 24, 25, and 26. The number of outlet pipes 43 is the same as the number of cylinders in the compressor 3. In the case of a multi-cylinder compressor 3 as shown in Figure 1, the accumulator 20 is connected to the compressor 3 by the same number of outlet pipes 43 as the number of cylinders. In the case of a single-cylinder compressor 3, the accumulator 20 only needs to be connected to the compressor 3 by one outlet pipe 43. In other words, the accumulator 20 only needs to have at least one outlet pipe 43, and it is preferable that it has the same number of outlet pipes 43 as the number of cylinders in the compressor 3.

[0045] Each outlet pipe 43 allows the gaseous refrigerant separated from the refrigerant that has flowed into the accumulator 20 to flow out of the accumulator 20.

[0046] Each outlet pipe 43 has an inlet opening 43i located in the buffer chamber BR and an outlet opening 43o connected to a joint 21 leading to the respective cylinder chambers of the corresponding cylinders 24, 25, and 26. The inlet opening 43i corresponds to the upstream end of the outlet flow path OP, and the outlet opening 43o corresponds to the downstream end of the outlet flow path OP. The inlet opening 43i may also protrude into the buffer chamber BR toward the centerline of the body 31a.

[0047] When viewed from the inlet opening 41i side, which is the upper end of the connecting pipe 41, it is preferable that each inlet opening 43i of the multiple outlet pipes 43 is located radially outward of the body 31a than the outlet opening 41o of the connecting pipe 41. Furthermore, each inlet opening 43i can be positioned at substantially the same radial position on the body 31a, spaced apart in a direction along the centerline of the body 31a. In addition, each inlet opening 43i is located further from the partition plate 39 than the outlet opening 41o of the connecting pipe 41. Furthermore, each inlet opening 43i is located closer to the lower end plate 31c than the outlet opening 41o of the connecting pipe 41.

[0048] The container 31 is an assembly of four members that are divided and airtightly joined at the middle of the upper body portion 31au, between the upper body portion 31au and the lower body portion 31al, and between the lower body portion 31al and the lower end plate 31c. In other words, the container 31 is an assembly of four members, in order from top to bottom: the first member, the second member, the third member, and the fourth member. The inlet pipe 40, the strainer 45, and the separation plate 47 are preferably incorporated into the first member before the assembly of the container 31. The partition plate 39, the support plate 49, and the connecting pipe 41 are preferably incorporated into the second member before the assembly of the container 31. The outlet pipe 43 is preferably incorporated into the third member before the assembly of the container 31. The support plate 49 may be positioned on the dividing surface between the first member and the second member, or it may be fixed inside the second member. The first component is sometimes called the upper cup, and the second component is sometimes called the lower cup.

[0049] Incidentally, as mentioned above, conventional compressors equipped with an accumulator have a buffer chamber located below the accumulator that allows adjustment of the supercharging speed, which is the operating frequency (rotational speed) of the compressor at which supercharging occurs, in order to utilize the supercharging effect without reducing it. The size of the accumulator increases by the amount of the buffer chamber. As a result, the compressor's space efficiency, that is, its ease of installation, decreases. Therefore, there is room for improvement in compressors in terms of improving the ease of installation while still being able to utilize the supercharging effect.

[0050] Therefore, in the compressor 3 according to this embodiment, at least one outlet pipe 43 is provided on the side surface of the container 31 where the buffer chamber BR is located. That is, at least one outlet pipe 43 is provided on the side surface of the lower body portion 31al of the container 31. The compressor 3 satisfies the following relational expression (1) when the location of the gas-liquid separation chamber SR in the container 31, i.e., the maximum outer diameter of the upper body portion 31au of the container 31, is D1, and the location of the buffer chamber BR in the container 31, i.e., the maximum outer diameter of the lower body portion 31al of the container 31, is D2. D1>D2 (1)

[0051] Specifically, the compressor 3 is equipped with at least one outlet pipe 43 connected to the lower body 31al of the accumulator 20's vessel 31, rather than the lower end plate 31c of the vessel 31. In this way, at least one outlet pipe 43 can be configured as a straight pipe extending parallel to a direction substantially perpendicular to the centerline of the vessel 31. Therefore, the length of the outlet passage OP of the outlet pipe 43 can be significantly shorter than the length of the outlet passage of an outlet pipe in a conventional compressor that is connected to the lower end plate of the accumulator's vessel and has a curved section. Generally, the length of the outlet passage of an outlet pipe has a significant impact on the supercharging speed. In other words, the length of the outlet passage is one of the main parameters for controlling the supercharging speed. Therefore, by shortening the length of the outlet passage OP, the compressor 3 shifts the supercharging speed to the higher rotational speed side, suppressing the deterioration of volumetric efficiency near the maximum rotational speed. In other words, the compressor 3 can effectively utilize the supercharging effect.

[0052] Furthermore, the outlet pipe of the accumulator in conventional compressors has a curved section and connects to the suction side of the compression mechanism. Therefore, the position of the accumulator container is higher than the position of the lowest cylinder in conventional compressors. In other words, the buffer chamber of the accumulator is located higher than the suction port that connects to the cylinder chamber of the compression mechanism's cylinder. Consequently, the accumulator container compresses the space above the accumulator. In other words, installing a conventional compressor requires an expanded installation volume above it. On the other hand, as described above, the compressor 3 according to this embodiment is equipped with at least one outlet pipe 43 which is a straight pipe extending parallel to a direction substantially perpendicular to the centerline of the container 31. In other words, the entire buffer chamber BR of the accumulator 20 is never located above the suction ports that connect to the cylinder chambers of cylinders 24, 25, and 26, respectively. Therefore, there is no need to move the accumulator 20 upward as with the accumulator of a conventional compressor, and the increase in the installation volume required to install the compressor 3 is suppressed. In other words, the ease of installation of the compressor 3 is improved.

[0053] Furthermore, in conventional compressors, the outer diameter of the container at the locations where the upper and lower spaces, which are partitioned by a baffle plate within the internal space of the accumulator container, are located is substantially the same. On the other hand, in the compressor 3 according to this embodiment, the maximum outer diameter D1 of the upper body 31au is larger than the maximum outer diameter D2 of the lower body 31al. By doing so, the compressor 3 ensures the volume of the buffer chamber BR of the accumulator 20 necessary to adjust the supercharging speed without increasing the vertical length of the lower body 31al, as long as the accumulator 20 is not positioned higher than the position of the accumulator in a conventional compressor. Moreover, by increasing the vertical length of the lower body 31al, even if there are two or more outlet pipes 43, it becomes possible to secure space for arranging two or more outlet pipes 43 on the side surface of the lower body 31al.

[0054] Regardless of the relationship between the maximum outer diameter D1 and the maximum outer diameter D2, the outer diameter of the upper body 31au of the container 31 is usually greater than or equal to the outer diameter of the lower body 31al of the container 31. Specifically, near the area where the partition plate 39 separating the gas-liquid separation chamber SR and the buffer chamber BR is provided, that is, near the boundary between the gas-liquid separation chamber SR and the buffer chamber BR, the outer diameter of the upper body 31au of the container 31 and the outer diameter of the lower body 31al of the container 31 are substantially the same. On the other hand, in areas other than where the partition plate 39 is provided, the outer diameter of the upper body 31au is always greater than the outer diameter of the lower body 31al of the container 31.

[0055] Furthermore, it is preferable that the following relation (2) is satisfied when L1 is the shortest distance between the outer surface of the sealed container 15 and the outer surface of the container 31 where the gas-liquid separation chamber SR of the accumulator 20 is located, that is, the outer surface of the upper body portion 31au, and L2 is the shortest distance between the outer surface of the sealed container 15 and the outer surface of the container 31 where the buffer chamber BR of the accumulator 20 is located, that is, the outer surface of the lower body portion 31al. L1 <L2 (2)

[0056] Generally, if the sealed container and accumulator of the compressor can be brought closer together, the installation volume of the compressor can be reduced, resulting in space savings and improved ease of installation. However, in conventional compressors, the outlet pipe that connects the sealed container and the accumulator container, which has a curved section, requires a certain radius of curvature at the curved section, and also needs to secure a portion (connection allowance) for connecting to the joint that connects to the suction side of the compression mechanism. Therefore, a certain distance is required between the sealed container and the accumulator container. In other words, in practice, there are strict limitations on the distance that can be brought closer together between the sealed container and the accumulator of a conventional compressor. On the other hand, in the compressor 3 according to this embodiment, while satisfying the above relation (1), the shortest distance L1 between the outer surface of the sealed container 15 and the outer surface of the upper body portion 31au is made smaller than the shortest distance L2 between the outer surface of the sealed container 15 and the outer surface of the lower body portion 31al. By doing so, the restriction on the distance between the sealed container and the accumulator container in conventional compressors is relaxed, and the upper body portion 31au, where the gas-liquid separation chamber SR which requires a large volume is located, is brought even closer to the sealed container 15, thereby improving the installability of the compressor 3.

[0057] Furthermore, the compression mechanism 19 may have two or more cylinders 24, 25, and 26. Generally, the more cylinders a compressor has, the larger the accumulator becomes. Moreover, in conventional compressors, the more cylinders there are, the higher the accumulator is positioned. In the compressor 3 of this embodiment, since outlet pipes 43 corresponding to two or more cylinders 24, 25, and 26 can be provided on the side of the lower body portion 31al of the accumulator 20, the accumulator 20 does not need to be positioned higher compared to conventional compressors. Therefore, when the compression mechanism 17 has two or more cylinders 24, 25, and 26, the expansion of the installation volume of the compressor 3 can be suppressed more effectively.

[0058] Furthermore, the refrigerant is preferably a single refrigerant such as R410A or R1234yf, which are mixed refrigerants containing R32 and R125, or a mixed refrigerant containing at least R1234yf. In other words, the refrigerant is preferably one whose sound velocity is 200 meters per second (m / s) or less when flowing into the suction side of the compression mechanism 19. When these refrigerants are used, the compressor 3 will usually be operated at a higher rotational speed, depending on the purpose and specifications. Therefore, these refrigerants improve the performance of the compressor 3, which can suppress the decrease in volumetric efficiency even when the supercharging rotational speed is shifted to the higher rotational speed side.

[0059] Mixed refrigerants containing at least R1234yf include, for example, R448A, R449A, R454B, and R454C. Furthermore, single refrigerants such as R410A and R1234yf, or mixed refrigerants containing at least R1234yf, have a slower speed of sound compared to single refrigerants such as R32 and R290. For example, while the speed of sound for single refrigerant R32 is 220 meters per second (m / s), the speed of sound for single refrigerant R1234yf is 140 meters per second (m / s).

[0060] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of an accumulator with another example of a body in a compressor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0061] Figure 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an accumulator with a body of another example in a compressor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0062] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, it is preferable that the portion of the container 31A where the gas-liquid separation chamber SR is located is a one-piece structure. In other words, it is preferable that the upper end plate 31b and the upper body portion 31au of the container 31A are made of a single component.

[0063] Specifically, the pre-processing state of the components that will form the upper end plate 31b and upper body 31au of the container 31A in the future will be a single cylindrical component. Then, for example, the strainer 45 and the separation plate 47 will be incorporated into this cylindrical component. Subsequently, the cylindrical component will be formed by metal spinning to become the components that make up the upper end plate 31b and upper body 31au. In other words, as shown again in Figure 2, in container 31 there are two components, the upper cup and the lower cup, that make up the gas-liquid separation chamber SR, whereas in container 31A there is only one component that makes up the gas-liquid separation chamber SR. With such a one-piece structure, although metal spinning is required, the number of parts can be reduced and the process of joining two components can be eliminated. Therefore, the manufacturing cost of container 31A can be reduced, making it possible to provide a low-cost compressor. Moreover, in a one-piece structure there are no seams that exist when two components are joined, so the reliability of the compressor 3 is improved.

[0064] As described above, the compressor 3 and refrigeration cycle device 1 according to this embodiment are provided with at least one outlet pipe 43 on the side surface of the container 31 where the buffer chamber BR of the accumulator 20 is located. In the compressor 3 and refrigeration cycle device 1, the maximum outer diameter D1 of the container 31 of the accumulator 20 where the gas-liquid separation chamber SR of the accumulator 20 is located is larger than the maximum outer diameter D2 of the container 31 where the buffer chamber BR of the accumulator 20 is located.

[0065] Specifically, the compressor 3 is equipped with at least one outlet pipe 43 connected to the lower body 31al of the accumulator 20's container 31, rather than the lower end plate 31c of the container 31. In this way, at least one outlet pipe 43 can be configured as a straight pipe extending parallel to a direction substantially perpendicular to the centerline of the container 31. Therefore, the length of the outlet passage OP of the outlet pipe 43 can be significantly shorter than the length of the outlet passage of an outlet pipe in a conventional compressor that is connected to the lower end plate of the accumulator's container and has a curved section. By shortening the length of the outlet passage OP, the compressor 3 and refrigeration cycle device 1 shift the supercharging speed of the compressor 3 to the higher rotational speed side, suppressing the deterioration of volumetric efficiency near the maximum rotational speed. Thus, the compressor 3 and refrigeration cycle device 1 can utilize the supercharging effect. In other words, the compressor 3 and refrigeration cycle device 1 can increase the maximum refrigeration capacity of the compressor 3 by optimizing the supercharging effect in the compressor 3.

[0066] Furthermore, the outlet pipe of the accumulator in conventional compressors has a curved section extending outward from the lower end plate of the accumulator container and is connected to the suction side of the compression mechanism. As a result, the buffer chamber of the accumulator is positioned higher than the suction port that connects to the cylinder chamber of the compression mechanism's cylinder. In other words, the accumulator container is installed higher up due to the curved section of the outlet pipe. Therefore, the installation volume required to install a conventional compressor is increased upward. On the other hand, the compressor 3 according to this embodiment is equipped with at least one outlet pipe 43 which is connected to the buffer chamber BR and consists of a straight pipe that extends parallel to a direction substantially perpendicular to the centerline of the container 31. Therefore, the compressor 3 and the refrigeration cycle device 1 do not require the accumulator 20 to be moved upward like the accumulator of a conventional compressor, thereby improving the ease of installation of the compressor 3.

[0067] Furthermore, in the compressor 3 and refrigeration cycle device 1 according to this embodiment, the maximum outer diameter D1 of the upper body 31au of the accumulator 20 is larger than the maximum outer diameter D2 of the lower body 31al of the accumulator 20. By doing so, the compressor 3 can increase the vertical length of the lower body 31al within the range in which the accumulator 20 is not positioned higher than the position of the accumulator of a conventional compressor. Therefore, the compressor 3 and refrigeration cycle device 1 can secure the volume of the buffer chamber BR of the accumulator 20 necessary for adjusting the supercharging speed without increasing the maximum outer diameter D2 of the lower body 31al to the same extent as the maximum outer diameter D1. Moreover, by increasing the vertical length of the lower body 31al, the compressor 3 and refrigeration cycle device 1 can secure space for arranging two or more outlet pipes 43 on the side surface of the lower body 31al, even when there are two or more outlet pipes 43.

[0068] Furthermore, in the compressor 3 and refrigeration cycle device 1 according to this embodiment, the shortest distance L1 between the outer surface of the sealed container 15 and the outer surface of the upper body portion 31au of the accumulator 20 is smaller than the shortest distance L2 between the outer surface of the sealed container 15 and the outer surface of the lower body portion 31al of the accumulator 20. A gas-liquid separation chamber SR is located inside the upper body portion 31au, and a buffer chamber BR is located inside the lower body portion 31al.

[0069] Generally, if the sealed container and accumulator of the compressor can be brought closer together, the installation volume of the compressor can be reduced and installation ease can be improved. However, in conventional compressors, the outlet pipe that connects the sealed container and the accumulator container, which has a curved section, requires a certain radius of curvature at the curved section and also needs to have a section that connects to the joint that leads to the suction side of the compression mechanism. Therefore, conventional compressors require a certain distance between the sealed container and the accumulator container. In other words, in practice, there are strict limitations on the distance that can be brought closer together in conventional compressors. On the other hand, in the compressor 3 according to this embodiment, while satisfying the above relation (1), the shortest distance L1 between the outer surface of the sealed container 15 and the outer surface of the lower body portion 31al is made larger than the shortest distance L2 between the outer surface of the sealed container 15 and the outer surface of the lower body portion 31al, thereby partially relaxing the restriction on the distance between the sealed container 15 and the accumulator container 31. The compressor 3 and refrigeration cycle device 1 can improve installation by bringing the upper body portion 31au of the container 31, where the gas-liquid separation chamber SR, which requires a large volume, closer to the sealed container 15. In other words, the compressor 3 and refrigeration cycle device 1 can improve installation by bringing the outer surface of the upper body portion 31au of the container 31, where the outlet pipe 43 is not provided, closer to the outer surface of the body portion 15a of the sealed container 15.

[0070] Furthermore, the compressor 3 and refrigeration cycle device 1 according to this embodiment include a compression mechanism 19 having two or more cylinders 24, 25, and 26. Generally, the accumulator becomes larger as the number of cylinders in a compressor increases. Moreover, in conventional compressors, the accumulator is positioned higher as the number of cylinders increases. In the compressor 3 according to this embodiment, outlet pipes 43 corresponding to two or more cylinders 24, 25, and 26 can be provided on the side surface of the lower body portion 31al of the accumulator 20, so the accumulator 20 is not positioned higher compared to conventional compressors. Therefore, the compressor 3 and refrigeration cycle device 1 can more effectively suppress the upward expansion of the installation volume of the compressor 3 when it has two or more cylinders.

[0071] Furthermore, in the compressor 3 and refrigeration cycle device 1 according to this embodiment, the type of refrigerant is a single refrigerant such as R410A or R1234yf, or a mixed refrigerant containing at least R1234yf. When these refrigerants are used, the compressor 3 is usually operated at a higher rotational speed, depending on the purpose and specifications. Therefore, the compressor 3 and refrigeration cycle device 1 can improve performance in a way that suppresses a decrease in volumetric efficiency even when the supercharge rotational speed is shifted to the higher rotational speed side. In particular, even when the pressure specification range of the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 3 is kept within a relatively low pressure range and the compressor 3 is driven at a higher rotational speed in order to secure a larger refrigerant circulation amount, the compressor 3 and refrigeration cycle device 1 can secure a sufficient liquid refrigerant receiving volume in the container 31 while keeping the overall size of the container 31 of the accumulator 20 down.

[0072] Furthermore, in the compressor 3 and refrigeration cycle device 1 according to this embodiment, the part of the container 31A where the gas-liquid separation chamber SR of the accumulator 20 is located is a one-piece structure. Therefore, the compressor 3 and refrigeration cycle device 1 can reduce the number of parts and eliminate some of the processes for joining parts together. Consequently, the compressor 3 and refrigeration cycle device 1 can reduce the manufacturing cost of the container 31 of the accumulator 20, improve the reliability of the container 31, and thereby reduce the manufacturing cost of the compressor 3 and refrigeration cycle device 1 and improve the reliability of the compressor 3 and refrigeration cycle device 1.

[0073] Therefore, the compressor 3 and refrigeration cycle device 1 according to this embodiment can utilize the supercharging effect while also having excellent ease of installation.

[0074] While several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be carried out in a variety of other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims of the invention and its equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 1...Refrigeration cycle unit, 3...Rotary compressor (compressor), 5...Radiator, 7...Expansion device, 9...Heat absorber, 13...Refrigerant piping, 13a...Suction pipe, 13b...Discharge pipe, 15...Sealed container, 15a...Body, 15b...Upper end plate, 15c...Lower end plate, 17...Electric motor, 19...Compression mechanism, 20...Accumulator, 21...Fittings, 23...Sealed terminal section, 24, 25, 26...Cylinders 27...polder, 31...container, 31a...body, 31au...upper body, 31al...lower body, 31b...upper end plate, 31c...lower end plate, 39...partition plate, 40...inlet pipe, 41...connecting pipe, 41d...oil return hole, 41i...inlet opening, 41o...outlet opening, 43...outlet pipe, 43i...inlet opening, 43o...outlet opening, 45...strainer, 47...separation plate, 49...support plate.

Claims

1. A sealed container, A compression mechanism housed in the aforementioned sealed container and capable of compressing a refrigerant, A motor housed in the sealed container and used to drive the compression mechanism, The system comprises an accumulator located outside the sealed container and connected to the suction side of the compression mechanism, The accumulator is A stepped cylindrical container, A partition plate is provided inside the container to divide the internal space of the container into a gas-liquid separation chamber and a buffer chamber, An inlet pipe fixed to the container and connected to the gas-liquid separation chamber, A connecting pipe that penetrates the partition plate and connects the gas-liquid separation chamber and the buffer chamber, The container comprises at least one outlet pipe fixed to the container and connected to the buffer chamber, The at least one outlet pipe is provided on the side of the container in which the buffer chamber is located, A compressor that satisfies the following relational expression (1), where D1 is the maximum outer diameter of the part of the container where the gas-liquid separation chamber is located, and D2 is the maximum outer diameter of the part of the container where the buffer chamber is located. D1 > D2 (1)

2. The compressor according to claim 1, wherein the shortest distance between the outer surface of the sealed container and the outer surface of the portion of the container where the gas-liquid separation chamber is located is L1, and the shortest distance between the outer surface of the sealed container and the outer surface of the portion of the container where the buffer chamber is located is L2, satisfies the following relational expression (2). L1 < L2 (2)

3. The compressor according to claim 1, wherein the compression mechanism has two or more cylinders.

4. The compressor according to claim 1, wherein the type of refrigerant is a single refrigerant of R410A, R1234yf, or a mixed refrigerant containing at least R1234yf.

5. The compressor according to claim 1, characterized in that the part of the container in which the gas-liquid separation chamber is located has a one-piece structure.

6. A compressor according to any one of claims 1 to 5, Heat sink and Expansion device and Heat absorber and A refrigeration cycle device comprising a compressor, a heat sink, an expansion device, and a heat absorber connected to a refrigerant piping for circulating the refrigerant.

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