Gas-liquid separator, air-conditioning system, and vehicle

Abstract

Disclosed in the present application are a gas-liquid separator, an air-conditioning system, and a vehicle. The gas-liquid separator comprises a housing and a heating tube. The housing is provided with a separation chamber and a gas intake hole in communication with the separation chamber, the gas intake hole being used for allowing gas to flow into the separation chamber. At least a portion of the heating tube is located within the separation chamber, the heating tube being capable of heating the gas. The heating tube is provided with an internal passage, a gas inlet end, and a gas outlet end; the gas inlet end is provided with a gas inlet that communicates the separation chamber with the internal passage, thus allowing the gas to flow from the separation chamber into the internal passage; and the gas outlet end is provided with a gas outlet in communication with the internal passage, the gas outlet being used for allowing the gas inside the internal passage to pass through to flow out of the housing.

Description

Gas-liquid separators, air conditioning systems and vehicles

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on March 5, 2024, with application number 202420417095.6 and invention name “Gas-liquid separator, air-conditioning system and vehicle”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application belongs to the technical field of gas-liquid separation, and in particular relates to a gas-liquid separator, an air-conditioning system and a vehicle. Background Art

[0003] With the rapid development of electric vehicles, air conditioning systems have become an indispensable part of electric vehicles. These systems cool or heat the air inside the vehicle through a circulating refrigerant (e.g., Freon). The gas-liquid separator in an air conditioning system separates the gaseous and liquid components of the refrigerant, preventing the liquid from entering the compressor during the compression cycle, thereby ensuring the normal operation and efficient performance of the air conditioning system. However, conventional gas-liquid separators are complex in structure, require numerous components, and occupy a large space.

[0004] The above statements are only used to provide background information related to the present application and do not necessarily constitute prior art.

[0005] Application Contents

[0006] The purpose of the embodiments of the present application is to provide a gas-liquid separator, an air-conditioning system and a vehicle, including but not limited to solving the problems of the gas-liquid separator in the related art such as complex structure, large number of components and large space occupation.

[0007] The technical solution adopted in the embodiment of this application is:

[0008] In a first aspect, a gas-liquid separator is provided, which includes an outer shell and a heating tube, the outer shell having a separation chamber and an air inlet connected to the separation chamber, the air inlet being used for allowing gas to flow into the separation chamber; at least a portion of the heating tube is located in the separation chamber, the heating tube can heat the gas, the heating tube has an internal channel, an air inlet end and an air outlet end, the air inlet end has an air inlet, the air inlet connects the separation chamber and the inner channel so that the gas in the separation chamber flows into the inner channel; the air outlet end has an air outlet connected to the inner channel, the air outlet is used for allowing the gas in the inner channel to pass through so as to flow out of the outer shell.

[0009] In the gas-liquid separator of the embodiment of the present application, when in use, the air inlet is located at the upper portion of the housing. Thus, after the refrigerant enters the separation chamber through the air inlet, the refrigerant liquid settles at the bottom of the housing under the action of its own gravity. The refrigerant gas can enter the internal channel of the heating tube through the upper air inlet, flow through the internal channel to the air outlet, and finally be discharged through the air outlet, thus achieving gas-liquid separation. During this process, the heating tube can heat the refrigerant while also guiding the refrigerant gas to be discharged. In other words, the heating element and the exhaust pipe are integrated into a single heating tube, making the gas-liquid separator more compact and reducing the number of components and occupied space.

[0010] In some embodiments, the heating tube includes a tube wall and an electric heating element, the tube wall is arranged to form an internal channel; the tube wall has an inherent electric heating element embedded in it; and / or the outer wall surface of the tube wall is connected to the electric heating element; and / or the inner wall surface of the tube wall is connected to the electric heating element.

[0011] By adopting the technical solution of this embodiment, the electric heating element can be flexibly set to meet different heating requirements.

[0012] In some embodiments, the electric heating element includes at least one of an electric heating wire and an electric heating film.

[0013] By adopting the technical solution of this embodiment, the structure of the electric heating element can be flexibly set to meet different heating requirements.

[0014] In some embodiments, when the electric heating element includes a heating wire, the heating wire is spirally arranged along the extension direction of the tube wall.

[0015] By adopting the technical solution of this embodiment, the heating wire is spirally arranged along the extension direction of the tube wall, so that the heating wire can cover the entire circumference of the tube wall, thereby improving the uniformity of heating of the heating tube, which is beneficial to improving the heating effect of the refrigerant and reducing flash evaporation.

[0016] In some embodiments, the pipe wall is an insulating pipe wall.

[0017] By adopting the technical solution of this embodiment, the pipe wall adopts an insulating pipe wall structure, and the pipe wall is not charged, which is beneficial to improving the reliability of the gas-liquid separator.

[0018] In some embodiments, when the electric heating element includes an electric heating film, the tube wall is a metal tube wall.

[0019] By adopting the technical solution of this embodiment, the electric heating film has insulating properties and the metal tube is not charged, which is beneficial to improving the reliability of the gas-liquid separator; in addition, the metal tube has good thermal conductivity, which is also beneficial to improving the heating effect of the refrigerant.

[0020] In some embodiments, the heating tube further includes a connector for electrically connecting to an external power source, the connector being electrically connected to the electric heating element, and the connector being exposed outside the housing.

[0021] By adopting the technical solution of this embodiment and the provision of the joint, the heating tube can be conveniently electrically connected to an external power source, thereby achieving electrical heating of the heating tube.

[0022] In some embodiments, the heating tube includes a first straight segment, a second straight segment and a connecting segment. The first straight segment and the second straight segment are arranged in parallel and spaced apart. The connecting segment is connected between the ends of the first straight segment and the second straight segment located on the same side. The end of the first straight segment away from the connecting segment forms an air inlet end, and the end of the second straight segment away from the connecting segment forms an air outlet end.

[0023] By adopting the technical solution of this embodiment, the refrigerant flows a long distance in the heating tube, which extends the heating time of the refrigerant by the heating tube. The refrigerant heating effect is good, which can effectively reduce the liquid content in the discharged refrigerant and better reduce the flash evaporation phenomenon.

[0024] In some embodiments, the connecting segment is spirally wound around an end portion of the first straight segment away from the air inlet end.

[0025] By adopting the technical solution of this embodiment, the connecting section is spirally shaped, which can effectively increase the length of the heating tube and better extend the heating time of the heating tube for the refrigerant. The heating effect of the refrigerant is better, and the liquid content in the discharged refrigerant can be better reduced, and the flash evaporation phenomenon is better reduced. In addition, the connecting section is spirally wound around the end of the first straight section away from the air inlet end, so that the end of the first straight section away from the air inlet end is located on the inner side of the spiral connecting section. The structure between the first straight section and the spiral section is more compact, which is conducive to reducing the space occupied by the heating tube and reducing the space occupied by the gas-liquid separator.

[0026] In some embodiments, the gas-liquid separator further includes a desiccant, and the desiccant is located between the end of the first straight section away from the air inlet end and the connecting section.

[0027] By adopting the technical solution of this embodiment, the desiccant can absorb moisture in the refrigerant, reducing problems such as corrosion of components such as pipes and fittings, and ice blockage of the expansion valve; in addition, the desiccant can be installed in the gap space between the first straight section and the connecting section, making the structure of the gas-liquid separator more compact, which is conducive to reducing occupied space.

[0028] In some embodiments, the gas outlet is further provided with a pressure equalizing hole, which connects the separation cavity and the internal channel.

[0029] By adopting the technical solution of this embodiment, since the internal channel and the separation chamber are connected through the pressure equalizing hole, when the compressor is restarted, the pressure in the internal channel will not drop significantly under the suction of the hydraulic press, thereby reducing the refrigerant liquid from entering the compressor and reducing the risk of liquid hammer damage and abnormal noise in the compressor.

[0030] In some embodiments, the air inlet and the air outlet are located on the same side of the heating tube, and an oil return hole is provided on the side of the heating tube away from the air inlet and the air outlet, and the oil return hole connects the separation chamber and the internal channel.

[0031] By adopting the technical solution of this embodiment, a very small amount of oil deposited at the bottom of the separation chamber can flow back to the compressor through the oil return hole, thereby lubricating the compressor and reducing wear and abnormal noise of the compressor.

[0032] In some embodiments, the gas-liquid separator further includes a filter element, which is disposed at the oil return hole to filter the oil flowing into the oil return hole.

[0033] By adopting the technical solution of this embodiment, the filter element can remove impurities in the oil flowing into the oil return hole, reduce the wear of the compressor, and reduce the blockage of the circuit.

[0034] In some embodiments, the filter is mounted on the portion of the heating tube where the oil return hole is located.

[0035] By adopting the technical solution of this embodiment, the filter element can filter the oil entering the oil return hole from any angle, with a good oil filtering effect, which can better reduce the wear of the compressor and reduce circuit blockage.

[0036] In some embodiments, the gas-liquid separator further includes an oil blocking cover, which is located in the separation chamber and between the air inlet and the air inlet hole. The orthographic projection of the air inlet on the oil blocking cover at least partially overlaps with the oil blocking cover.

[0037] By adopting the technical solution of this embodiment, the positive projection of the air inlet on the oil-blocking cover at least partially overlaps with the oil-blocking cover, so that the refrigerant flowing from the air inlet into the separation chamber can collide with the oil-blocking cover, the refrigerant gas and the refrigerant liquid can be better separated, and the refrigerant gas-liquid separation effect is better.

[0038] In some embodiments, the oil-blocking cover includes a plate portion and an annular side wall portion, the annular side wall portion is connected to the periphery of the plate portion and protrudes from the plate portion, the air inlet end and the air outlet end pass through the plate portion, the annular side wall portion is located on the side of the plate portion facing away from the air inlet hole, and the air inlet is located on the inner side of the annular side wall portion.

[0039] By adopting the technical solution of this embodiment, the annular side wall portion can guide the refrigerant liquid to flow to the bottom of the separation chamber. In addition, the air inlet is located on the inner side of the annular side wall portion, which can also reduce the refrigerant liquid flowing into the air inlet and improve the gas-liquid separation effect of the refrigerant.

[0040] In some embodiments, a height of the ring sidewall portion protruding from the plate portion is greater than a distance from the air inlet to the plate portion.

[0041] By adopting the technical solution of this embodiment, the annular side wall portion can shield at least a portion of the air inlet, making it difficult for refrigerant liquid to enter the air inlet, thereby improving the gas-liquid separation effect of the gas-liquid separator.

[0042] In some embodiments, the outer shell includes a shell and an end cover, the end cover is arranged at the opening of the shell, the end cover and the shell are arranged to form a separation cavity, the heating tube is connected to the end cover, the air inlet is arranged on the end cover, the end cover is provided with an air outlet, and the air outlet is connected to the air outlet.

[0043] By adopting the technical solution of this embodiment, the outer shell adopts the structure of end cover and shell, which has a simple structure and is easy to process and manufacture; in addition, the air inlet and outlet are both arranged on the end cover, and the refrigerant enters and exits from the same side of the outer shell, which can facilitate the arrangement of a heating pipe with a longer distance, improve the gas-liquid separation effect, and also facilitate the connection of the gas-liquid separator with components such as the compressor.

[0044] In a second aspect, an air-conditioning system is provided, comprising the gas-liquid separator as described in the above embodiment.

[0045] In a third aspect, a vehicle is provided, comprising the air-conditioning system as described in the above embodiment.

[0046] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of the present application. In order to more clearly understand the technical means of the present application, it can be implemented in accordance with the contents of the specification. In order to make the above and other purposes, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the specific implementation methods of the present application are listed below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0047] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or descriptions of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0048] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a vehicle provided in some embodiments of the present application.

[0049] FIG2 is a schematic structural diagram of an air-conditioning system provided in some embodiments of the present application.

[0050] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of a gas-liquid separator provided in some embodiments of the present application from one perspective.

[0051] FIG4 is an exploded schematic diagram of the gas-liquid separator shown in FIG3 .

[0052] FIG5 is a schematic structural diagram of the gas-liquid separator shown in FIG3 from another perspective.

[0053] FIG6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG5 .

[0054] FIG7 is an exploded schematic diagram of the gas-liquid separator shown in FIG3 with the shell hidden.

[0055] FIG8 is a schematic structural diagram of the heating tube shown in FIG7 from one perspective.

[0056] FIG9 is a cross-sectional view along line BB in FIG8 .

[0057] FIG10 is a cross-sectional view of a heating tube provided in some embodiments of the present application along line BB in FIG8 .

[0058] FIG11 is a cross-sectional view of a heating tube provided in some embodiments of the present application along line BB in FIG8 .

[0059] FIG12 is a schematic structural diagram of the heating tube shown in FIG7 from another perspective.

[0060] Among them, the reference numerals in the figures are:

[0061] 1000, vehicle; 1100, air conditioning system; 1200, vehicle body; 1300, battery; 1400, wheel; 100, gas-liquid separator; 10, housing; 101, separation chamber; 11, housing; 12, end cap; 121, air inlet; 122, air outlet; 123, third through hole; 124, protrusion; 20, heating tube; 201, internal passage; 21, tube wall; 22, electric heating element; 22a, heating wire; 22b, heating film; 23, first straight segment; 231 , air inlet end; 2311, air inlet; 24, second straight section; 241, air outlet end; 2411, air outlet; 2412, pressure equalizing hole; 25, connecting section; 251, oil return hole; 26, connector; 30, desiccant; 40, filter element; 50, oil blocking cover; 51, plate portion; 511, first through hole; 512, second through hole; 52, ring side wall portion; 200, first heat exchange module; 300, second heat exchange module; 400, expansion valve; 500, reversing valve; 600, compressor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0062] In order to make the technical problems, technical solutions and beneficial effects to be solved by this application more clearly understood, this application is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain this application and are not intended to limit this application.

[0063] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this application belongs; the terms used herein are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application; the terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof in the specification and claims of this application and the above-mentioned figure descriptions are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions.

[0064] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the technical terms "first," "second," etc., are used solely to distinguish between different objects and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance, or to implicitly specify the quantity, specific order, or primary-secondary relationship of the technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature designated "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of such features.

[0065] References herein to "embodiments" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiments may be included in at least some embodiments of the present application. The appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor does it constitute an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive of other embodiments. It is understood, both explicitly and implicitly, by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein may be combined with other embodiments in any suitable manner.

[0066] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term "and / or" is simply a description of the association relationship between associated objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent the following three situations: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. In addition, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the associated objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0067] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term "plurality" refers to two or more (including two). Similarly, "multiple groups" refers to two or more (including two groups), and "multiple sheets" refers to two or more (including two sheets). "Several" means one or more, unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0068] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the technical terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc. indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the referred device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be understood as limiting the embodiments of the present application.

[0069] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, technical terms such as "installed," "connected," "connected," and "fixed" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integration; mechanical connections or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and internal connections between two components or interactions between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present application based on specific circumstances.

[0070] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, when an element is referred to as being “fixed to” or “disposed on” another element, it may be directly on the other element or indirectly on the other element. When an element is referred to as being “connected to” another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or indirectly connected to the other element.

[0071] With the rapid development of electric vehicles, air conditioning systems have become an important component of electric vehicles; air conditioning systems can regulate the temperature, humidity and circulation of air inside the vehicle, improving the comfort and driving safety of drivers and passengers.

[0072] In related technologies, to prevent liquid refrigerant from entering the compressor, a gas-liquid separator is often installed at the compressor inlet. This separator separates the gaseous and liquid portions of the refrigerant, preventing it from entering the compressor during the compression cycle, thereby ensuring the normal operation and efficient performance of the air conditioning system. The gas-liquid separator typically includes a housing and an exhaust pipe. The exhaust pipe is located within the housing. When refrigerant enters the housing, the liquid refrigerant accumulates at the bottom of the housing under the action of its own gravity. The refrigerant gas enters the exhaust pipe from the upper portion of the housing and is discharged through the exhaust pipe, thus achieving gas-liquid separation of the refrigerant.

[0073] However, when the compressor starts, flash evaporation will occur inside the gas-liquid separator. Flash evaporation refers to the excess refrigerant liquid accumulated in the gas-liquid separator after the compressor stops. When the compressor starts the next time, under the action of the compressor suction, the pressure in the gas-liquid separator suddenly drops, and the refrigerant liquid will suddenly boil. The boiling gas-liquid mixed refrigerant enters the compressor, which can easily cause liquid shock damage to the compressor and emit abnormal noise, reducing the user's car experience.

[0074] In order to solve the above problems, it is proposed to arrange a heating element around the outer shell of the gas-liquid separator. When the compressor is started, the heating element can heat the refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator in time, reduce the liquid content in the refrigerant, and reduce the flash evaporation phenomenon. However, the heating element arranged around the outer shell of the gas-liquid separator has a complex structure, a large number of components, and occupies a large space.

[0075] Based on this, an embodiment of the present application provides a gas-liquid separator. After the refrigerant enters the separation chamber from the air inlet of the shell, the refrigerant liquid will accumulate at the bottom of the shell under the action of its own gravity. The refrigerant gas enters the internal channel from the air inlet of the heating tube, flows along the internal channel to the air outlet, and is finally discharged through the air outlet, thus achieving gas-liquid separation of the refrigerant. In this process, the heating tube can heat the refrigerant while the refrigerant gas can be discharged from the heating tube, so that the heating tube can also be used as the exhaust pipe of the gas-liquid separator. That is, the heating element and the exhaust pipe are integrated into one heating tube, making the structure of the gas-liquid separator more compact and reducing the number of components and occupied space of the gas-liquid separator.

[0076] The technical solutions described in the embodiments of the present application are applicable to air-conditioning systems and vehicles using air-conditioning systems.

[0077] The automobile air conditioner provided in the embodiments of the present application can be applied to various types of vehicles, such as internal combustion engines, smart electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles, or the vehicle can also be a hydrogen energy vehicle or other power type vehicle.

[0078] The vehicle may be an autonomous vehicle, which may be a vehicle with partial autonomous driving functions or a vehicle with full autonomous driving functions. That is to say, the autonomous driving level of the autonomous vehicle may refer to the classification standards of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and be divided into no automation (L0), driving assistance (L1), partial automation (L2), conditional automation (L3), high automation (L4) or full automation (L5).

[0079] As shown in FIG. 1 , a vehicle 1000 is exemplarily provided. The vehicle 1000 includes a vehicle body 1200 , a battery 1300 , and a plurality of wheels 1400 .

[0080] The body 1200 is the main part of the vehicle 1000 and includes basic components such as doors, windows, seats, chassis, and the powertrain system located inside the body 1200. The battery 1300 is detachably suspended below the chassis, and multiple wheels 1400 (for example, 4, 6, or 8 wheels) are rotatably distributed on the chassis. The battery 1300 serves as the power source of the vehicle 1000 and provides electrical energy to the powertrain system. The powertrain system is connected to the wheels 1400 to convert the electrical energy of the battery 1300 into driving force and transmit it to the wheels 1400 to drive the vehicle 1000.

[0081] For example, the powertrain system includes a motor and a transmission. The battery 1300 supplies power to the motor. The output shaft of the motor is connected to the wheel 1400 through the transmission. The motor drives the wheel 1400 to rotate, thereby driving the vehicle 1000 to travel.

[0082] For example, the vehicle 1000 provided in the embodiment of the present application can be a passenger car (such as a small car or a passenger bus) or various types of trucks. In this case, the interior of the vehicle body 1200 has a passenger space for passengers and / or a cargo space for carrying goods.

[0083] For example, the vehicle 1000 provided in the embodiment of the present application can be any type of automobile that can be driven by electricity, such as a battery electric vehicle (BEV), a range extended electric vehicle (REEV), a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) or a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV).

[0084] As shown in Figure 1, vehicle 1000 also includes an air conditioning system 1100. Air conditioning system 1100 is capable of regulating the temperature of the passenger compartment of vehicle 1000. Air conditioning system 1100 may be a heat pump air conditioning system 1100. A heat pump air conditioning system is an air conditioning system that integrates cooling and heating functions, utilizing heat pump technology to transfer heat from one location to another to regulate the indoor temperature. A heat pump air conditioning system utilizes the reciprocating refrigerant cycle to achieve both cooling and heating through components such as a first heat exchange module, a compressor, a second heat exchange module, and an expansion valve.

[0085] As shown in FIG2 , an exemplary air conditioning system 1100 is provided. The air conditioning system 1100 includes a first heat exchange module 200, a second heat exchange module 300, an expansion valve 400, a reversing valve 500, a compressor 600, and a gas-liquid separator 100, which are connected by pipes. The first heat exchange module 200, the expansion valve 400, and the second heat exchange module 300 are connected in series and connected to the compressor 600 via the reversing valve 500 to form a closed loop. The gas-liquid separator 100 is provided on the pipe between the air inlet of the compressor 600 and the reversing valve 500. The reversing valve 500 can change the flow direction of the refrigerant, interchange the functions of the first heat exchange module 200 and the second heat exchange module 300, and realize the interchange of cooling and heating of the air conditioning system 1100.

[0086] During cooling, the flow direction of the refrigerant can be referred to the direction indicated by the solid arrow. The compressor 600 will compress the refrigerant into a high-temperature and high-pressure gas. Then, the refrigerant gas enters the second heat exchange module 300 and is condensed into liquid. Then, the refrigerant liquid enters the first heat exchange module 200 through the expansion valve 400, and evaporates and absorbs heat in the first heat exchange module 200 to cool the air in the car. The evaporated refrigerant is finally sucked into the compressor 600 after passing through the gas-liquid separator 100. This cycle is repeated to realize the refrigeration cycle.

[0087] During heating, the flow direction of the refrigerant can refer to the direction indicated by the dotted arrow. The compressor 600 will compress the refrigerant into a high-temperature, high-pressure gas. Then, the refrigerant gas enters the first heat exchange module 200 to be liquefied into a low-temperature, high-pressure liquid. At this time, the refrigerant will release a large amount of heat and heat the air in the car; after that, the low-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant liquid is decompressed by the expansion valve 400, and then evaporated by the second heat exchange module 300. The evaporated refrigerant is sucked into the compressor 600 after passing through the gas-liquid separator 100. This cycle is repeated to realize the heating cycle.

[0088] Referring to Figures 3 to 12 , which are representative schematic diagrams of a gas-liquid separator 100 provided in an embodiment of the present application, the gas-liquid separator 100 provided in the embodiment of the present application is described in the following exemplary embodiment using an air conditioning system 1100 as an example. It will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications, additions, substitutions, deletions, or other changes may be made to the following embodiments in order to apply the relevant designs of the gas-liquid separator 100 provided in the embodiment of the present application to other applications, and such modifications remain within the scope of the principles of the gas-liquid separator 100 provided in the embodiment of the present application.

[0089] It should be noted that the gas mentioned in the following embodiments of the present application may be a refrigerant, wherein the refrigerant may also be mixed with substances such as engine oil and water vapor; the reason why substances such as engine oil are present in the refrigerant is that the compressor 600 will increase the temperature and pressure of the low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant gas by compressing it, and then discharge it. These discharged gases may contain a small amount of engine oil, water vapor, impurities, etc. The gas-liquid separator 100 provided in the following embodiments of the present application is described for separating the gaseous and liquid states in the refrigerant. Of course, in other embodiments, the gas may also be other substances that need to be separated into gaseous and liquid states.

[0090] As shown in Figures 3 to 6, in some embodiments of the present application, a gas-liquid separator 100 is provided, which includes a shell 10 and a heating tube 20. The shell 10 has a separation chamber 101 and an air inlet 121 connected to the separation chamber 101, and the air inlet 121 is used to allow gas to flow into the separation chamber 101; at least a portion of the heating tube 20 is located in the separation chamber 101, and the heating tube 20 can heat the gas. The heating tube 20 has an internal channel 201, an air inlet end 231 and an air outlet end 241, and the air inlet end 231 has an air inlet 2311, and the air inlet 2311 connects the separation chamber 101 and the internal channel 201 so that the gas in the separation chamber 101 flows into the internal channel 201; the air outlet end 241 has an air outlet 2411 connected to the internal channel 201, and the air outlet 2411 is used to allow the gas in the internal channel 201 to pass through to flow out of the shell 10.

[0091] The housing 10 may refer to a hollow shell 11 structure. The interior of the housing 10 forms a separation chamber 101. The air inlet 121 may refer to a through hole extending through the wall of the separation chamber 101. The air inlet 121 may connect the exterior of the gas-liquid separator 100 with the separation chamber 101, allowing refrigerant to enter the separation chamber 101 through the air inlet 121. The separation chamber 101 may provide an installation space for the heating tube 20 and may also protect the heating tube 20.

[0092] The heating tube 20 can refer to a hollow tube, the inner hole of which forms an internal channel 201. The heating tube 20 can also generate heat so that the heating tube 20 can heat the refrigerant flowing through the internal channel 201; or, the heat generated by the heating tube 20 can heat the refrigerant outside the heating tube 20, that is, the refrigerant flows into the separation chamber 101 from the air inlet 121 and is heated by the heating tube 20, and then flows into the compressor through the air inlet 2311, the internal channel 201 and the air outlet 2411; or, the heat generated by the heating tube 20 can both heat the refrigerant flowing through the internal channel 201 and heat the refrigerant outside the tube 20, that is, the refrigerant flows into the separation chamber 101 from the air inlet 121 and is heated by the heating tube 20, and then enters the internal channel 201 through the air inlet 2311 and is heated again by the heating tube 20, and finally the refrigerant flows into the compressor through the air outlet 2411.

[0093] At least part of the heating tube 20 is located in the separation chamber 101 . It is understandable that part of the heating tube 20 is located in the separation chamber 101 and the other part is located outside the separation chamber 101 . The heating tube 20 may also be entirely located in the separation chamber 101 .

[0094] For example, the air inlet end 231 of the heating tube 20 passes through the outer shell 10 and is exposed outside the outer shell 10 , and the rest of the heating tube 20 is located in the separation chamber 101 .

[0095] For example, the air outlet end 241 of the heating tube 20 passes through the shell 10 and is exposed outside the shell 10, and the rest of the heating tube 20 is located in the separation chamber 101; the air outlet 2411 can also be directly located outside the shell 10 to achieve the discharge of refrigerant.

[0096] For example, the air inlet end 231 and the air outlet end 241 of the heating tube 20 are both located in the separation chamber 101 , and the rest of the heating tube 20 is located outside the housing 10 .

[0097] One of the two ends of the heating tube 20 is the air inlet end 231, and the other end is the air outlet end 241; the air inlet 2311 can refer to a through hole formed by the tube wall 21 of the air inlet end 231, and the air inlet 2311 is located in the separation chamber 101, and the air inlet 2311 can connect the separation chamber 101 and the internal channel 201; the air outlet 2411 can refer to a through hole formed at the end face of the air outlet end 241, or it can refer to a through hole formed by the tube wall 21 of the air outlet end 241, and the air outlet 2411 can allow the refrigerant in the internal channel 201 to pass through to be discharged outside the shell 10; wherein, the air outlet end 241 can directly pass through the shell 10, so that the air outlet 2411 is located outside the shell 10 to realize the discharge of the refrigerant; or the shell 10 can be provided with an air outlet 122, and the air outlet end 241 is inserted into the air outlet 122, so that the air outlet 122 and the air outlet 2411 are connected to realize the discharge of the refrigerant.

[0098] In the gas-liquid separator 100 of the embodiment of the present application, when in use, the air inlet 2311 is located at the upper portion of the housing 10. Thus, after the refrigerant enters the separation chamber 101 through the air inlet 121, the refrigerant liquid is deposited at the bottom of the housing 10 under the action of its own gravity, and the refrigerant gas can enter the internal channel 201 of the heating tube 20 from the upper air inlet 2311, and flow through the internal channel 201 to the air outlet 2411, and finally be discharged through the air outlet 2411, thus achieving gas-liquid separation. During this process, the heating tube 20 can heat the refrigerant while also guiding the refrigerant gas to be discharged, that is, integrating the heating element and the exhaust pipe into a single heating tube 20, making the structure of the gas-liquid separator 100 more compact and reducing the number of components and the space occupied.

[0099] In some air-conditioning systems 1100, the heating element is mostly arranged in the coolant circuit; when the air-conditioning system 1100 is heating, the heating element first provides heat to the coolant, and then transfers the heat to the refrigerant through heat exchange. Multiple heat exchanges cause the heating efficiency to decrease and the energy consumption to increase; while the gas-liquid separator 100 of the embodiment of the present application can directly heat the refrigerant through the heating pipe 20, which reduces the number of heat exchanges and improves the heat exchange efficiency. It can also increase the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant at the inlet of the compressor 600, thereby improving the heating performance and working efficiency of the air-conditioning system 1100.

[0100] The gas-liquid separator 100 of the embodiment of the present application can heat the refrigerant through the heating pipe 20 before the compressor 600 is started, thereby reducing the refrigerant liquid content in the gas-liquid separator 100, reducing the flash evaporation phenomenon, and reducing the problems of liquid hammer damage and abnormal noise in the compressor 600.

[0101] In some embodiments of the present application, referring to Figures 7 to 11, the heating tube 20 includes a tube wall 21 and an electric heating element 22, the tube wall 21 is arranged to form an internal channel 201; the tube wall 21 has an inherent electric heating element 22 embedded therein; and / or, the outer wall surface of the tube wall 21 is provided with the electric heating element 22; and / or, the inner wall surface of the tube wall 21 is connected to the electric heating element 22.

[0102] The tube wall 21 may also refer to the portion of the heating tube 20 used to enclose and form the internal channel 201 ; the wall surface of the tube wall 21 facing the internal channel 201 is the inner wall surface, and the wall surface of the tube wall 21 facing away from the internal channel 201 is the outer wall surface.

[0103] The electric heating element 22 may be a component that converts electrical energy into thermal energy for heating an object or medium. The electric heating element 22 may be made of a resistance wire or a resistor. When current passes through the electric heating element 22, the resistance wire or resistor generates heat, which is transferred to the object or medium to be heated. The electric heating element 22 may have a variety of shapes, such as a spiral, a strip, or a tube.

[0104] An electric heating element 22 is embedded in the tube wall 21. It can be understood that the electric heating element 22 is located between the inner wall surface and the outer wall surface of the tube wall 21, so that the electric heating element 22 and the tube wall 21 are integrated into one component; the tube wall 21 can also protect the electric heating element 22, reduce the corrosion of the electric heating element 22 by the refrigerant, and improve the service life of the heating tube 20.

[0105] The outer wall surface of the tube wall 21 is connected to an electric heating element 22 . It can be understood that the electric heating element 22 is located outside the tube wall 21 , and the heat emitted by the electric heating element 22 heats the refrigerant in the internal channel 201 through the tube wall 21 .

[0106] The inner wall surface of the tube wall 21 is connected to an electric heating element 22. It can be understood that the electric heating element 22 is located on the inner side of the tube wall 21, that is, located in the internal channel 201. The electric heating element 22 can directly heat the refrigerant located in the internal channel 201. The heating effect of the refrigerant is good, which reduces the refrigerant liquid content in the gas-liquid separator 100, reduces the flash evaporation phenomenon, and can also increase the temperature of the refrigerant at the inlet of the compressor 600, thereby improving the heating performance of the air-conditioning system 1100.

[0107] In a possible embodiment, the tube wall 21 has an internal electric heater 22 ; or, the outer wall surface of the tube wall 21 is connected to the electric heater 22 ; or, the inner wall surface of the tube wall 21 is connected to the electric heater 22 .

[0108] In another possible embodiment, the tube wall 21 has an inherent electric heating element 22 embedded therein, and the outer wall surface of the tube wall 21 is connected to the electric heating element 22; or, the tube wall 21 has an inherent electric heating element 22 embedded therein, and the inner wall surface of the tube wall 21 is connected to the electric heating element 22; or, the outer wall surface of the tube wall 21 is connected to the electric heating element 22, and the inner wall surface of the tube wall 21 is connected to the electric heating element 22.

[0109] In another possible embodiment, an electric heating element 22 is embedded in the tube wall 21 , the outer wall surface of the tube wall 21 is connected to the electric heating element 22 , and the inner wall surface of the tube wall 21 is connected to the electric heating element 22 .

[0110] By adopting the technical solution of this embodiment, the electric heating element 22 can be flexibly arranged to meet different heating requirements.

[0111] In some other embodiments of the present application, the electric heating element 22 includes at least one of an electric heating wire 22a and an electric heating film 22b.

[0112] The heating wire 22a can refer to a component that can be heated when powered, also known as a resistance wire; the heating wire 22a is typically made of one or more slender metal wires. The heating wire 22a is a type of electric heating element. When current passes through the metal wire, the metal wire produces a resistance heating effect, converting electrical energy into thermal energy, thereby heating the surrounding object or medium. The heating wire 22a can be made of materials such as nickel-chromium alloy, iron-chromium-aluminum alloy, etc. For example, the heating wire 22a can be embedded in the tube wall 21; for example, the heating wire 22a can be spirally wound on the outer wall surface of the tube wall 21; for example, the heating wire 22a can extend spirally along the inner wall surface of the tube wall 21.

[0113] The electric heating film 22b is a thin film material that utilizes the principle of resistive heating. It is typically composed of a conductive material and an insulating material. The heating function is achieved by coating the film surface with a conductive material and then covering it with an insulating material. Conductive materials include, but are not limited to, copper and silver; insulating materials include, but are not limited to, polyester film, polyimide film, silicone, and polyamide film.

[0114] For example, the electric heating film 22 b is coated on the outer wall surface of the tube wall 21 ; for example, the electric heating film 22 b can be covered on the inner wall surface of the tube wall 21 .

[0115] In one possible embodiment, the electric heating element 22 includes a heating wire 22a. The electric heating element 22 adopts the structural form of the heating wire 22a. The heating wire 22a has a fast heating speed and can quickly reduce the refrigerant liquid content in the gas-liquid separator 100, thereby better reducing the flash evaporation phenomenon.

[0116] In another possible embodiment, the electric heating element 22 includes an electric heating film 22b. The electric heating element 22 adopts the structural form of the electric heating film 22b. The electric heating film 22b has the characteristics of being thin, light, soft, and heating evenly, which is beneficial to reducing the space occupied by the heating tube 20 and heating evenly, which is beneficial to improving the heating effect of the refrigerant and reducing the flash evaporation phenomenon; the electric heating film 22b is soft and can also better adapt to various shapes of tube walls 21 to meet the heating requirements of heating tubes 20 of different shapes.

[0117] In another possible embodiment, the electric heating element 22 includes an electric heating wire 22a and an electric heating film 22b. The electric heating element 22 can take into account the advantages of both the electric heating wire 22a and the electric heating film 22b, and can also better meet the heating requirements of the refrigerant.

[0118] By adopting the technical solution of this embodiment, the structure of the electric heating element 22 can be flexibly set to meet different heating requirements.

[0119] In some other embodiments of the present application, when the electric heating element 22 includes a heating wire 22 a , the heating wire 22 a is spirally arranged along the extension direction of the tube wall 21 .

[0120] The extension direction of the tube wall 21 may refer to the flow direction of the refrigerant in the internal channel 201 , or may refer to the length direction of the heating tube 20 .

[0121] By adopting the technical solution of this embodiment, the heating wire 22a is spirally arranged along the extension direction of the tube wall 21, so that the heating wire 22a can cover the entire circumference of the tube wall 21, thereby improving the uniformity of heating of the heating tube 20, which is beneficial to improving the heating effect of the refrigerant and reducing flash evaporation.

[0122] In other embodiments of the present application, the pipe wall 21 is an insulating pipe wall.

[0123] The insulating tube wall may refer to a tube wall 21 made of an insulating material, which may be, but is not limited to, rubber, plastic, or the like. The heating tube 20 may be formed by wrapping a spiral heating wire 22a with an insulating material to form a hollow tube, which is then bent and heat-treated. The heating tube 20 may also be formed by placing the heating wire into a mold, injecting insulating material into the mold, and then heat-treating the hollow tube.

[0124] By adopting the technical solution of this embodiment, the pipe wall 21 is formed with an insulating pipe wall structure, and the pipe wall 21 is not charged, which is beneficial to improving the reliability of the gas-liquid separator 100.

[0125] In some other embodiments of the present application, when the electric heating element 22 includes an electric heating film 22 b , the tube wall 21 is a metal tube wall.

[0126] The metal tube wall may refer to a tube wall 21 made of a metal material, and the metal material may be, but is not limited to, stainless steel, copper, or aluminum. For example, the electric heating film 22b is directly covered on the outside of the metal tube and then heated to produce the heating tube 20.

[0127] By adopting the technical solution of this embodiment, the electric heating film 22b has insulation properties and the metal tube is not charged, which is beneficial to improving the reliability of the gas-liquid separator 100; in addition, the metal tube has good thermal conductivity, which is also beneficial to improving the heating effect of the refrigerant.

[0128] In other embodiments of the present application, referring to Figures 4 to 6, the heating tube 20 further includes a connector 26 for electrically connecting to an external power source. The connector 26 is electrically connected to the electric heating element 22, and the connector 26 is exposed outside the housing 10.

[0129] Connector 26 may be a component electrically connected to an external power source. Connector 26 electrically connects to the external power source, allowing electrical conduction of the electric heating element 22 to achieve heating of the heating tube 20. Connector 26 may be a lead extending from the end face of the heating tube 20, or a socket for connecting to an external power source. Of course, other structures are also possible. The external power source may be the battery 1300 within the vehicle 1000 or other components capable of providing electrical energy. Connector 26 may be located at either the air inlet 231 or the air outlet 241.

[0130] The connector 26 is exposed outside the housing 10. It is understood that the connector 26 is located outside the housing 10. For example, if the connector 26 is provided at the air inlet end 231, the air inlet end 231 may pass through the housing 10, and the connector 26 is provided at the portion of the air inlet end 231 located outside the housing 10. For example, if the connector 26 is provided at the air outlet end 241, the air outlet end 241 may pass through the housing 10, and the connector 26 is provided at the portion of the air outlet end 241 located outside the housing 10.

[0131] By adopting the technical solution of this embodiment, the provision of the connector 26 can facilitate the electrical connection of the heating tube 20 with an external power source, thereby achieving electrical heating of the heating tube 20 .

[0132] In other embodiments of the present application, referring to Figures 4 to 7, the heating tube 20 includes a first straight segment 23, a second straight segment 24 and a connecting segment 25. The first straight segment 23 and the second straight segment 24 are arranged in parallel and spaced apart. The connecting segment 25 is connected between the ends of the first straight segment 23 and the second straight segment 24 located on the same side. The end of the first straight segment 23 away from the connecting segment 25 forms an air inlet end 231, and the end of the second straight segment 24 away from the connecting segment 25 forms an air outlet end 241.

[0133] The heating tube 20 can be bent to form a multi-section structure, wherein a straight section near one end is a first straight section 23, a straight section near the other end is a second straight section 24, and a section of the heating tube 20 connecting the first straight section 23 and the second straight section 24 is a connecting section 25.

[0134] The first straight segment 23 and the second straight segment 24 are arranged in parallel and spaced apart. The air inlet end 231 and the air outlet end 241 are located on the same side of the first straight segment 23 and the second straight segment 24. The connecting segment 25 connects between the ends of the first straight segment 23 and the second straight segment 24 on the other side. The connecting segment 25 can extend the length of the heating tube 20. In this way, the refrigerant entering the internal channel 201 through the air inlet 2311 can flow through the first straight segment 23, the connecting segment 25, and the second straight segment 24 in sequence. This allows the refrigerant to have a longer flow distance within the heating tube 20, resulting in a longer heating time. This can effectively reduce the liquid content in the discharged refrigerant and effectively minimize flash evaporation. The connecting segment 25 can have various shapes, such as an elongated strip, an arc, or a spiral.

[0135] By adopting the technical solution of this embodiment, the refrigerant flows over a long distance in the heating tube 20, which extends the heating time of the refrigerant by the heating tube 20. The heating effect of the refrigerant is good, which can effectively reduce the liquid content in the discharged refrigerant and better reduce the flash evaporation phenomenon.

[0136] In some other embodiments of the present application, referring to FIG. 7 , the connecting segment 25 is spirally wound around the end of the first straight segment 23 away from the air inlet end 231 .

[0137] The end of the first straight segment 23 away from the air inlet end 231 may refer to the end of the first straight segment 23 and the connecting segment 25 ; the connecting segment 25 is spirally wound around the end where the first straight segment 23 and the connecting segment 25 are connected.

[0138] For example, the connecting segment 25 starts from the lower end of the first straight segment 23 and extends spirally upward along the first straight segment 23 until it connects with the lower end of the second straight segment 24 .

[0139] By adopting the technical solution of this embodiment, the connecting section 25 is spirally shaped, which can effectively increase the length of the heating tube 20 and better extend the heating time of the heating tube 20 on the refrigerant. The heating effect of the refrigerant is better, and the liquid content in the discharged refrigerant can be better reduced, and the flash evaporation phenomenon can be better reduced. In addition, the connecting section 25 is spirally wound around the end of the first straight section 23 away from the air inlet end 231, so that the end of the first straight section 23 away from the air inlet end 231 is located on the inner side of the spiral connecting section 25. The structure between the first straight section 23 and the spiral section is more compact, which is conducive to reducing the occupied space of the heating tube 20 and reducing the occupied space of the gas-liquid separator 100.

[0140] In other embodiments of the present application, referring to FIGS. 4 to 7 , the gas-liquid separator 100 further includes a desiccant 30 . The desiccant 30 is located between the end of the first straight section 23 away from the air inlet end 231 and the connecting section 25 .

[0141] The desiccant 30 may refer to a component capable of absorbing moisture. The desiccant 30 is located in the separation chamber 101 , so that the desiccant 30 can absorb moisture in the refrigerant, thereby reducing corrosion of components such as pipes and fittings, ice blockage of the expansion valve 400, and other problems.

[0142] For example, the desiccant 30 is wound around the end of the first straight segment 23 away from the air inlet end 231 , and the connecting segment 25 is spirally wound around the desiccant 30 , so that the desiccant 30 is located in the gap space between the connecting segment 25 and the first straight segment 23 .

[0143] By adopting the technical solution of this embodiment, the desiccant 30 can absorb moisture in the refrigerant, reduce corrosion of components such as pipes, and ice blockage of the expansion valve 400. In addition, the desiccant 30 can be installed in the gap space between the first straight section 23 and the connecting section 25, making the structure of the gas-liquid separator 100 more compact, which is conducive to reducing the occupied space.

[0144] In other embodiments of the present application, referring to FIG. 6 , the gas outlet 241 is further provided with a pressure equalizing hole 2412 , which communicates with the separation chamber 101 and the internal channel 201 .

[0145] The pressure equalizing hole 2412 may refer to a through hole opened on the portion of the gas outlet end 241 located inside the separation chamber 101 . The pressure equalizing hole 2412 is located inside the separation chamber 101 , so that the pressure equalizing hole 2412 can connect the internal channel 201 and the separation chamber 101 .

[0146] By adopting the technical solution of this embodiment, since the internal channel 201 and the separation chamber 101 are connected through the pressure equalizing hole 2412, when the compressor 600 is restarted, under the suction of the hydraulic press, the pressure of the internal channel 201 will not drop significantly, thereby reducing the refrigerant liquid from entering the compressor 600 and reducing the risk of liquid hammer damage and abnormal noise in the compressor 600.

[0147] In other embodiments of the present application, referring to Figures 4 and 12, the air inlet end 231 and the air outlet end 241 are located on the same side of the heating tube 20, and an oil return hole 251 is provided on the side of the heating tube 20 away from the air inlet end 231 and the air outlet end 241, and the oil return hole 251 connects the separation chamber 101 and the internal channel 201.

[0148] The oil return hole 251 may refer to a through hole that passes through the tube wall 21 of the heating tube 20, which can connect the internal channel 201 and the separation chamber 101, so that the oil return hole 251 connects the separation chamber 101 and the internal channel 201; during the use of the gas-liquid separator 100, the air inlet end 231 and the air outlet end 241 are located on the upper side of the heating tube 20, and the oil return hole 251 is located on the lower side of the heating tube 20, so that the oil return hole 251 is close to the bottom of the separation chamber 101, and some oil (for example: engine oil, etc.) is deposited at the bottom of the separation chamber 101, so that a very small amount of oil can enter the internal channel 201 through the oil return hole 251, and then enter the compressor through the internal channel 201.

[0149] By adopting the technical solution of this embodiment, a very small amount of oil deposited at the bottom of the separation chamber 101 can flow back to the compressor 600 through the oil return hole 251, thereby lubricating the compressor 600 and reducing wear and abnormal noise of the compressor 600.

[0150] In some other embodiments of the present application, the gas-liquid separator 100 further includes a filter element 40 . The filter element 40 is disposed at the oil return hole 251 to filter the oil flowing into the oil return hole 251 .

[0151] The filter 40 may be a component capable of filtering oil. The oil at the bottom of the sediment separation chamber 101 is filtered by the filter 40 to remove impurities before entering the oil return hole 251 and finally entering the compressor 600. The filter 40 may be a filter screen or the like.

[0152] By adopting the technical solution of this embodiment, the filter element 40 can remove impurities in the oil flowing into the oil return hole 251, reduce the wear of the compressor 600, and reduce circuit blockage.

[0153] In other embodiments of the present application, referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 12 , the filter element 40 is sleeved on the portion of the heating tube 20 where the oil return hole 251 is provided.

[0154] The filter element 40 is disposed around the outside of the heating tube 20, and the heating tube 20 is located inside the filter element 40. For example, the filter element 40 is a columnar structure with a through hole in the middle of the filter element 40. The heating tube 20 is passed through the through hole. The oil return hole 251 is located inside the filter element 40. For example, the oil return hole 251 is provided at the bottom of the connecting section 25, and the filter element 40 is sleeved on the bottom of the connecting section 25.

[0155] By adopting the technical solution of this embodiment, the filter element 40 can filter the oil entering the oil return hole 251 from any angle, with a good oil filtering effect, better reducing the wear of the compressor 600 and reducing circuit blockage.

[0156] In other embodiments of the present application, referring to Figures 4 to 7, the gas-liquid separator 100 further includes an oil-blocking cover 50, which is located in the separation chamber 101. The oil-blocking cover 50 is located between the air inlet 2311 and the air inlet hole 121, and the air inlet hole 121 is at least partially overlapped with the oil-blocking cover 50 in its orthographic projection on the oil-blocking cover 50.

[0157] The oil-blocking cover 50 may refer to a component used to collide with the refrigerant entering the separation chamber 101. The oil-blocking cover 50 collides with the refrigerant and diffuses radially. Under the action of gravity, the refrigerant gas will accumulate at the top of the separation chamber 101, and the refrigerant liquid or engine oil can flow along the inner wall of the separation chamber 101 and along the oil-blocking cover 50 to the bottom of the separation chamber 101, thereby improving the gas-liquid separation effect of the refrigerant; the oil-blocking cover 50 is located in the separation chamber 101, and the oil-blocking cover 50 is located between the air inlet 121 and the air inlet 2311, so that the refrigerant enters the separation chamber 101 from the air inlet 121, collides with the oil-blocking cover 50, and then enters the air inlet 2311 after gas-liquid separation.

[0158] The orthographic projection of the air inlet hole 121 on the oil baffle cover 50 at least partially overlaps with the oil baffle cover 50. It can be understood that the plane where the surface of the oil baffle cover 50 facing the air inlet hole 121 is located is the projection plane, and the projection of the air inlet hole 121 on the projection plane along the direction perpendicular to the projection plane can be called the orthographic projection of the air inlet hole 121 on the oil baffle cover 50. This projection can partially overlap with the oil baffle cover 50 or completely overlap with it.

[0159] By adopting the technical solution of this embodiment, the positive projection of the air inlet 121 on the oil-blocking cover 50 at least partially overlaps with the oil-blocking cover 50, so that the refrigerant flowing from the air inlet 121 into the separation chamber 101 can collide with the oil-blocking cover 50, the refrigerant gas and the refrigerant liquid can be better separated, and the gas-liquid separation effect of the refrigerant is better.

[0160] In other embodiments of the present application, referring to Figures 4 to 7, the oil-blocking cover 50 includes a plate portion 51 and an annular side wall portion 52, the annular side wall portion 52 is connected to the periphery of the plate portion 51 and protrudes from the plate portion 51, the air inlet end 231 and the air outlet end 241 pass through the plate portion 51, the annular side wall portion 52 is located on the side of the plate portion 51 facing away from the air inlet hole 121, and the air inlet port 2311 is located on the inner side of the annular side wall portion 52.

[0161] The oil-blocking cover 50 may refer to a hollow structure having an opening at one end. The bottom of the oil-blocking cover 50 opposite to the opening is a plate portion 51. The side wall surrounding the opening in the oil-blocking cover 50 is an annular side wall portion 52. The annular side wall portion 52 is annular. One end of the annular side wall portion 52 is connected to the periphery of the plate portion 51, and the other end of the annular side wall portion 52 protrudes from the plate portion 51.

[0162] The air inlet end 231 and the air outlet end 241 pass through the plate portion 51, and the plate portion 51 is provided with a first through hole 511 and a second through hole 512. The air inlet end 231 and the air outlet end 241 are respectively passed through the first through hole 511 and the second through hole 512, so that the oil-blocking cover 50 can be fixedly connected to the heating tube 20. In this way, there is no need to set other fixing structures in the separation chamber 101 to fix the oil-blocking cover 50, which is conducive to reducing the number of components and reducing occupied space.

[0163] The annular side wall portion 52 is located on the side of the plate portion 51 facing away from the air inlet 121, and the air inlet 2311 is located on the inner side of the annular side wall portion 52. It can be understood that the annular side wall portion 52 is located on the side of the plate portion 51 close to the air inlet 2311, and the annular side wall portion 52 is arranged on the outside of the air inlet end 231 and the air outlet end 241, and the air inlet 2311 is located on the inner side of the annular side wall portion 52. In this way, after the refrigerant collides with the plate portion 51, the refrigerant liquid can also flow along the outer wall surface of the annular side wall portion 52 to the bottom of the separation chamber 101.

[0164] By adopting the technical solution of this embodiment, the annular side wall portion 52 can guide the refrigerant liquid to flow to the bottom of the separation chamber 101. In addition, the air inlet 2311 is located on the inner side of the annular side wall portion 52, which can also reduce the refrigerant liquid from flowing into the air inlet 2311 and improve the gas-liquid separation effect of the refrigerant.

[0165] In some other embodiments of the present application, referring to FIG. 6 , a height H1 of the annular sidewall portion 52 protruding from the plate portion 51 is greater than a distance H2 from the air inlet 2311 to the plate portion 51 .

[0166] The height H1 of the ring side wall portion 52 protruding from the plate portion 51 may refer to the distance between the end surface of the ring side wall portion 52 facing away from the plate portion 51 and the plate portion 51 .

[0167] The distance between the air inlet 2311 and the plate portion 51 may refer to the distance between the edge of the air inlet 2311 close to the plate portion 51 and the plate portion 51 .

[0168] For example, the height H1 of the annular side wall portion 52 protruding from the plate portion 51 is greater than the distance H2 from the air inlet 2311 to the plate portion 51, so that the end surface of the annular side wall portion 52 facing away from the plate portion 51 is located below the edge of the air inlet 2311 close to the plate portion 51, wherein the end surface of the annular side wall portion 52 facing away from the plate portion 51 is located between the edge of the air inlet 2311 close to the plate portion 51 and the edge of the air inlet 2311 away from the plate portion 51, so that the annular side wall portion 52 can cover a part of the air inlet 2311; the end surface of the annular side wall portion 52 facing away from the plate portion 51 is located at the edge of the air inlet 2311 away from the plate portion 51, which overlaps or is located below the edge of the air inlet 2311 away from the plate portion 51, so that the annular side wall portion 52 can completely cover the air inlet 2311.

[0169] By adopting the technical solution of this embodiment, the annular side wall portion 52 can shield at least a portion of the air inlet 2311 , making it difficult for the refrigerant liquid to enter the air inlet 2311 , thereby improving the gas-liquid separation effect of the gas-liquid separator 100 .

[0170] In other embodiments of the present application, referring to Figures 4 and 7, the outer shell 10 includes a shell 11 and an end cover 12, the end cover 12 is covered at the opening of the shell 11, the end cover 12 and the shell 11 are surrounded to form a separation chamber 101, the heating tube 20 is connected to the end cover 12, the air inlet 121 is provided on the end cover 12, the end cover 12 is provided with an air outlet 122, and the air outlet 2411 is connected to the air outlet 122.

[0171] The end cap 12 refers to a component that covers the opening of the shell 11 to enclose and form the separation chamber 101. Without limitation, the shape of the end cap 12 can be adapted to the shape of the shell 11 to match the shell 11. Optionally, the end cap 12 can be made of a material with a certain hardness and strength (such as aluminum alloy), so that the end cap 12 is not easily deformed when squeezed or collided, so that the gas-liquid separator 100 can have a higher structural strength and improved reliability. The material of the end cap 12 can also be a variety of materials, such as copper, iron, aluminum, stainless steel, aluminum alloy, plastic, etc.

[0172] The shell 11 is a component used to cooperate with the end cover 12 to form a separation chamber 101, wherein the separation chamber 101 is used to accommodate the heating tube 20, the oil-blocking cover 50, the desiccant 30, the filter element 40 and the refrigerant liquid. The shell 11 and the end cover 12 can be independent components, and an opening can be set on the shell 11. The internal environment of the gas-liquid separator 100 is formed by covering the opening with the end cover 12 at the opening. Without limitation, the end cover 12 and the shell 11 can also be integrated. Specifically, the end cover 12 and the shell 11 can form a common connection surface before other components are put into the shell. When the interior of the shell 11 needs to be encapsulated, the end cover 12 is covered with the shell 11. The shell 11 can be of various shapes and sizes, such as a rectangular parallelepiped, a cylindrical shape, a hexagonal prism, etc. Specifically, the shape of the shell 11 can be determined according to the specific shape and size of the heating tube 20. The material of the shell 11 can be various, such as copper, iron, aluminum, stainless steel, aluminum alloy, plastic, etc.

[0173] The air outlet 122 may refer to a through hole for the refrigerant liquid gas to flow out. The air inlet 121 and the air outlet 122 are both provided on the end cover 12. The refrigerant enters and exits from the same side of the outer shell 10. It is convenient to set a longer distance of the heating pipe 20, thereby improving the gas-liquid separation effect, and also facilitating the connection between the gas-liquid separator 100 and components such as the compressor 600; the air outlet end 241 is docked with the air outlet 122, so that the air outlet 122 is connected to the air outlet port 2411, so that the refrigerant gas can flow out of the gas-liquid separator 100 through the air outlet port 2411 and the air outlet 122; or, the air outlet end 241 passes through the air outlet 122, so that the air outlet 2411 is exposed, so that the refrigerant gas is directly discharged from the air outlet 2411.

[0174] The connection between the heating tube 20 and the end cap 12 may also be by, but is not limited to, bolting, bonding, clamping, riveting, welding, or integral molding. Integral molding refers to the use of an integrated process such as extrusion, injection molding, or die-casting. For example, the end cap 12 is provided with a third through-hole 123, through which the air inlet 231 extends. A connector 26 is provided on the end surface of the air inlet 231, with the connector 26 exposed to facilitate electrical connection.

[0175] By adopting the technical solution of this embodiment, the outer shell 10 adopts the structural form of the end cover 12 and the shell 11, which has a simple structure and is easy to process and manufacture; in addition, the air inlet 121 and the air outlet 122 are both provided on the end cover 12, and the refrigerant enters and exits from the same side of the outer shell 10, which can facilitate the arrangement of a longer distance heating pipe 20, thereby improving the gas-liquid separation effect and facilitating the connection between the gas-liquid separator 100 and components such as the compressor 600.

[0176] In some embodiments, the end cover 12 is provided with a protrusion 124, which is located outside the separation chamber 101. There are two protrusions 124, one of which is arranged around the air inlet 121, and the other protrusion 124 is arranged around the air outlet 122 to form a pipe joint structure to facilitate the connection of the gas-liquid separator 100 to the circuit of the air-conditioning system 1100.

[0177] The present application is described below with reference to some specific embodiments.

[0178] Example 1

[0179] In this embodiment, in combination with Figures 3 to 9 and Figure 12, the gas-liquid separator 100 includes an outer shell 10 and a heating tube 20. The outer shell 10 has a separation chamber 101 and an air inlet 121 connected to the separation chamber 101. The air inlet 121 is used to allow gas to flow into the separation chamber 101; at least part of the heating tube 20 is located in the separation chamber 101, and the heating tube 20 can heat the gas. The heating tube 20 has an internal channel 201, an air inlet end 231 and an air outlet end 241. The air inlet end 231 has an air inlet 2311. The air inlet 2311 connects the separation chamber 101 and the internal channel 201 so that the gas in the separation chamber 101 flows into the internal channel 201; the air outlet end 241 has an air outlet 2411 connected to the internal channel 201. The air outlet 2411 is used to allow the gas in the internal channel 201 to pass through to flow out of the outer shell 10.

[0180] In this embodiment, the heating tube 20 further includes a connector 26 for electrically connecting to an external power source. The connector 26 is electrically connected to the electric heating element 22 , and the connector 26 is exposed outside the housing 10 .

[0181] In this embodiment, the heating tube 20 includes a first straight segment 23, a second straight segment 24 and a connecting segment 25. The first straight segment 23 and the second straight segment 24 are arranged in parallel and spaced apart. The connecting segment 25 is connected between the ends of the first straight segment 23 and the second straight segment 24 located on the same side. The end of the first straight segment 23 away from the connecting segment 25 forms an air inlet end 231, and the end of the second straight segment 24 away from the connecting segment 25 forms an air outlet end 241.

[0182] In this embodiment, the connecting segment 25 is spirally wound around the end of the first straight segment 23 away from the air inlet end 231 .

[0183] In this embodiment, the gas-liquid separator 100 further includes a desiccant 30 , which is located between the end of the first straight section 23 away from the air inlet end 231 and the connecting section 25 .

[0184] In this embodiment, the gas outlet end 241 is further provided with a pressure equalizing hole 2412 , and the pressure equalizing hole 2412 communicates with the separation chamber 101 and the internal channel 201 .

[0185] In this embodiment, the air inlet end 231 and the air outlet end 241 are located on the same side of the heating tube 20, and an oil return hole 251 is provided on the side of the heating tube 20 away from the air inlet end 231 and the air outlet end 241, and the oil return hole 251 connects the separation chamber 101 and the internal channel 201.

[0186] In this embodiment, the gas-liquid separator 100 further includes a filter element 40 . The filter element 40 is disposed at the oil return hole 251 to filter the oil flowing into the oil return hole 251 .

[0187] In this embodiment, the filter element 40 is sleeved on the portion of the heating tube 20 where the oil return hole 251 is provided.

[0188] In this embodiment, the gas-liquid separator 100 also includes an oil blocking cover 50, which is located in the separation chamber 101. The oil blocking cover 50 is located between the air inlet 2311 and the air inlet hole 121, and the air inlet hole 121 is at least partially overlapped with the oil blocking cover 50 in its positive projection on the oil blocking cover 50.

[0189] In this embodiment, the oil-blocking cover 50 includes a plate portion 51 and an annular side wall portion 52. The annular side wall portion 52 is connected to the periphery of the plate portion 51 and protrudes from the plate portion 51. The air inlet end 231 and the air outlet end 241 pass through the plate portion 51. The annular side wall portion 52 is located on the side of the plate portion 51 that is away from the air inlet hole 121, and the air inlet port 2311 is located on the inner side of the annular side wall portion 52.

[0190] In this embodiment, a height H1 of the annular sidewall portion 52 protruding from the plate portion 51 is greater than a distance H2 from the air inlet 2311 to the plate portion 51 .

[0191] In this embodiment, the outer shell 10 includes a shell 11 and an end cover 12. The end cover 12 is covered at the opening of the shell 11. The end cover 12 and the shell 11 are surrounded to form a separation chamber 101. The heating tube 20 is connected to the end cover 12. The air inlet 121 is provided on the end cover 12. The end cover 12 is provided with an air outlet 122. The air outlet 2411 is connected to the air outlet 122.

[0192] In this embodiment, the heating tube 20 includes a tube wall 21 and an electric heating element 22 . The tube wall 21 is arranged to form an internal channel 201 , and the electric heating element 22 is embedded in the tube wall 21 .

[0193] In this embodiment, the electric heating element 22 includes a heating wire 22 a . The heating wire 22 a is embedded in the tube wall 21 and is spirally arranged along the extending direction of the tube wall 21 .

[0194] In this embodiment, the tube wall 21 is an insulating tube wall.

[0195] Example 2

[0196] The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is that, as shown in FIG10 , an electric heating element 22 is connected to the outer wall surface of the tube wall 21 .

[0197] In this embodiment, the electric heating element 22 includes an electric heating film 22 b , and the electric heating film 22 b is coated on the outer wall surface of the tube wall 21 .

[0198] In this embodiment, the tube wall 21 is a metal tube wall.

[0199] Example 3

[0200] The difference between this embodiment and the second embodiment is that, as shown in FIG11 , an electric heating element 22 is connected to the inner wall surface of the tube wall 21 .

[0201] In this embodiment, the electric heating element 22 includes an electric heating film 22 b , and the electric heating film 22 b covers the inner wall surface of the tube wall 21 .

[0202] In other embodiments of the present application, referring to FIG. 2 , an air-conditioning system 1100 is provided, comprising the gas-liquid separator 100 as described in the above embodiment.

[0203] In other embodiments of the present application, referring to FIG. 1 , a vehicle 1000 is provided, comprising an air conditioning system 1100 as described in the above embodiments.

[0204] The above description of the various embodiments tends to emphasize the differences between the various embodiments. The same or similar aspects can be referenced to each other and will not be repeated herein for the sake of brevity.

[0205] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some or all of the technical features therein. These modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, and they should all be included in the scope of the claims and specification of the present application. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the various technical features mentioned in the various embodiments can be combined in any way. The present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions that fall within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A gas-liquid separator, wherein: include: a housing having a separation chamber and an air inlet communicating with the separation chamber, wherein the air inlet is used for allowing gas to flow into the separation chamber; A heating tube, at least part of which is located in the separation chamber, and is capable of heating the gas. The heating tube has an internal channel, an air inlet end, and an air outlet end. The air inlet end has an air inlet, and the air inlet connects the separation chamber and the internal channel so that the gas in the separation chamber flows into the internal channel; the air outlet end has an air outlet connected to the internal channel, and the air outlet is used for the gas in the internal channel to pass through so as to flow out of the outer shell.

2. The gas-liquid separator according to claim 1, wherein: The heating tube comprises a tube wall and an electric heating element, wherein the tube wall is arranged to form the internal channel; the electric heating element is embedded in the tube wall; and / or the outer wall surface of the tube wall is connected to the electric heating element; And / or, the inner wall surface of the tube wall is connected to the electric heating element.

3. The gas-liquid separator according to claim 2, wherein: The electric heating element includes at least one of an electric heating wire and an electric heating film.

4. The gas-liquid separator according to claim 3, wherein: In the case where the electric heating element includes a heating wire, the heating wire is spirally arranged along the extension direction of the tube wall.

5. The gas-liquid separator according to claim 4, wherein: The pipe wall is an insulating pipe wall.

6. The gas-liquid separator according to claim 3, wherein: In the case where the electric heating element includes an electric heating film, the tube wall is a metal tube wall.

7. The gas-liquid separator according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein: The heating tube further comprises a connector for electrically connecting to an external power source, the connector being electrically connected to the electric heating element, and the connector being exposed outside the housing.

8. The gas-liquid separator according to any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein: The heating tube includes a first straight segment, a second straight segment and a connecting segment. The first straight segment and the second straight segment are arranged in parallel and spaced apart. The connecting segment is connected between the ends of the first straight segment and the second straight segment located on the same side. The end of the first straight segment away from the connecting segment forms the air inlet end, and the end of the second straight segment away from the connecting segment forms the air outlet end.

9. The gas-liquid separator according to claim 8, wherein: The connecting segment is spirally wound around the end of the first straight segment away from the air inlet end.

10. The gas-liquid separator according to claim 9, wherein: The gas-liquid separator further includes a desiccant, which is located between the end of the first straight section away from the air inlet end and the connecting section.

11. The gas-liquid separator according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein: The gas outlet end is further provided with a pressure equalizing hole, which communicates with the separation cavity and the internal channel.

12. The gas-liquid separator according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein: The air inlet end and the air outlet end are located on the same side of the heating tube. An oil return hole is provided on the side of the heating tube away from the air inlet end and the air outlet end. The oil return hole connects the separation chamber and the internal channel.

13. The gas-liquid separator according to claim 12, wherein: The gas-liquid separator further includes a filter element, which is arranged at the oil return hole to filter the oil flowing into the oil return hole.

14. The gas-liquid separator according to claim 13, wherein: The filter is sleeved on the portion of the heating pipe where the oil return hole is provided.

15. The gas-liquid separator according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein: The gas-liquid separator further comprises an oil blocking cover, which is located in the separation chamber and between the air inlet and the air inlet hole. The orthographic projection of the air inlet on the oil blocking cover at least partially overlaps with the oil blocking cover.

16. The gas-liquid separator according to claim 15, wherein: The oil-blocking cover includes a plate portion and an annular side wall portion, the annular side wall portion is connected to the periphery of the plate portion and protrudes from the plate portion, the air inlet end and the air outlet end pass through the plate portion, the annular side wall portion is located on the side of the plate portion facing away from the air inlet hole, and the air inlet is located on the inner side of the annular side wall portion.

17. The gas-liquid separator according to claim 16, wherein: The height of the ring side wall portion protruding from the plate portion is greater than the distance from the air inlet to the plate portion.

18. The gas-liquid separator according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein: The outer shell includes a shell and an end cover, the end cover is arranged at the opening of the shell, the end cover and the shell are arranged to form the separation chamber, the heating tube is connected to the end cover, the air inlet is arranged on the end cover, the end cover is provided with an air outlet, and the air outlet is connected to the air outlet.

19. An air conditioning system, wherein: A gas-liquid separator comprising the gas-liquid separator according to any one of claims 1 to 18.

20. A vehicle, wherein: Includes the air conditioning system as described in claim 19.

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