Refrigerant switching device and air conditioning system

Abstract

Disclosed in the present application are a refrigerant switching device and an air conditioning system. The refrigerant switching device comprises a housing, an air duct structure, a refrigerant switching mechanism and a fan, wherein the housing is provided with a first air port and a second air port; the air duct structure is located in an accommodating cavity of the housing and connected to the housing; the air duct structure divides the accommodating cavity into an air duct and a storage cavity; a plurality of ventilation holes arranged at intervals are provided in the air duct structure; the ventilation holes connect the air duct to the storage cavity; the first air port communicates with the storage cavity by means of the air duct and the ventilation holes; the second air port communicates with the storage cavity; one of the first air port and the second air port is an air inlet, and the other of the first air port and the second air port is an air outlet; the refrigerant switching mechanism is located in the storage cavity; and the fan is configured to generate an airflow within the air duct through the first air port.

Description

A refrigerant switching device and air conditioning system

[0001] Related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to the following Chinese patent applications:

[0003] The application filed on May 31, 2024, with application number 2024212425533, is entitled "A refrigerant switching device and an air conditioning system";

[0004] The full text of the aforementioned patent is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0005] This application relates to the field of air conditioning technology, and in particular to a refrigerant switching device and an air conditioning system. Background Technology

[0006] In multi-split air conditioning systems, refrigerant switching devices are typically used to transfer refrigerant between heat source units and load units, allowing one heat source unit to work with multiple load units simultaneously. Refrigerant is the medium used in air conditioning systems to transfer heat energy. It is a substance that easily absorbs heat and turns into a gas, and easily releases heat and turns into a liquid. It can transfer heat energy through evaporation and condensation.

[0007] However, in related technologies, when a refrigerant leak occurs in the refrigerant switching device, because the refrigerant is flammable and explosive, if the refrigerant cannot be discharged in time, the flammable refrigerant will remain in the refrigerant switching device, which can easily lead to safety accidents. Summary of the Invention

[0008] This application provides a refrigerant switching device and an air conditioning system, which can conveniently discharge leaked refrigerant from the casing, avoiding refrigerant stagnation in the casing and potential safety accidents.

[0009] In a first aspect, this application provides a refrigerant switching device, comprising:

[0010] The housing has a receiving cavity, and the housing is provided with a first air vent and a second air vent;

[0011] A duct structure, located within the receiving cavity and connected to the housing, divides the receiving cavity into a duct and a storage cavity. The duct structure has multiple spaced-apart vents connecting the duct and the storage cavity. A first air outlet connects to the storage cavity via the duct and the vents, and a second air outlet connects to the storage cavity. One of the first and second air outlets is an air inlet, and the other is an air outlet.

[0012] The refrigerant switching mechanism is located inside the storage cavity.

[0013] In some embodiments of this application, a plurality of the vent holes are arranged along the extension direction of the air duct.

[0014] In some embodiments of this application, the second air outlet is spaced apart from the air duct, and / or the second air outlet is connected to the air duct through the storage cavity and the ventilation hole.

[0015] In some embodiments of this application, the air duct extends from the first air outlet to the second air outlet, and the second air outlet is connected to the storage cavity through the air duct and the ventilation hole.

[0016] In some embodiments of this application, the air duct structure includes: an air duct located within the receiving cavity and connected to the housing, the cavity of the air duct forming the air duct, a plurality of ventilation holes disposed on the air duct, and / or, a first ventilation opening is provided at the first end of the air duct, the first ventilation opening communicating with the air duct through the first ventilation opening.

[0017] In some embodiments of this application, at least two of the vent holes are located on different sides of the duct.

[0018] In some embodiments of this application, the air duct structure includes: a partition located within the receiving cavity and connected to the housing, the partition dividing the receiving cavity into an air duct and a storage cavity, a plurality of ventilation holes disposed on the partition, a first air outlet disposed on the housing in an area corresponding to the air duct, and / or, a second air outlet disposed on the housing in an area corresponding to the storage cavity.

[0019] In some embodiments of this application, the air duct structure extends in a direction away from the first air outlet, and / or the air duct extends in the extension direction of the air duct structure.

[0020] In some embodiments of this application, the air duct structure includes a first portion extending along a first direction and a second portion extending along a second direction, the second portion being connected to the first portion, the second direction intersecting the first direction, and / or, the air duct extending along the extension direction of the air duct structure.

[0021] In some embodiments of this application, the housing is a sealed housing. In some embodiments of this application, the refrigerant switching mechanism includes a refrigerant inlet pipe and a refrigerant outlet pipe, and the housing is provided with a through-port, through which the refrigerant inlet pipe and the refrigerant outlet pipe exit the receiving cavity; wherein, a sealing element is provided between the refrigerant inlet pipe and the inner wall of the through-port, and / or between the refrigerant outlet pipe and the inner wall of the through-port.

[0022] In some embodiments of this application, the refrigerant switching mechanism includes a refrigerant inlet pipe and a refrigerant outlet pipe. The first air outlet and the second air outlet are respectively located on the left and right sides of the housing. At least one of the left and right sides of the housing is provided with a plurality of the refrigerant inlet pipes, and / or, one of the front and rear sides of the housing is provided with a plurality of the refrigerant outlet pipes, and / or, the other of the front and rear sides of the housing is provided with an electronic control component.

[0023] In some embodiments of this application, a valve is provided between the first air outlet and the second air outlet, and a refrigerant sensor is provided in at least one of the air duct and the storage cavity. The refrigerant sensor is configured to monitor the refrigerant concentration in the storage cavity. When the refrigerant concentration is greater than a predetermined threshold, the valve opens, and the first air outlet and the second air outlet are connected; and / or, when the refrigerant concentration is less than the predetermined threshold, the valve closes, isolating the first air outlet and the second air outlet. In some embodiments of this application, the housing includes an upper sidewall, a lower sidewall, and four peripheral sidewalls located between the upper sidewall and the lower sidewall. The upper sidewall, the lower sidewall, and the four peripheral sidewalls enclose the storage cavity; wherein, the first air outlet and the second air outlet are located on any one of the upper sidewall, the lower sidewall, and the four peripheral sidewalls, or the first air outlet and the second air outlet are located on any two of the upper sidewall, the lower sidewall, and the four peripheral sidewalls.

[0024] In some embodiments of this application, a heat insulation layer is provided on the inner wall surface of the housing.

[0025] In some embodiments of this application, the air duct structure is located on at least one side of the refrigerant switching mechanism.

[0026] In some embodiments of this application, the refrigerant switching mechanism includes a liquid pipe, a gas pipe, a liquid control valve disposed in the liquid pipe, and a gas control valve disposed in the gas pipe, and / or, a plurality of the liquid control valves are arranged in a row, and / or, a plurality of the gas control valves are arranged in a row, and / or, at least one of the row of gas control valves and the row of liquid control valves is arranged parallel to at least a portion of the air duct. In some embodiments of this application, a plurality of the liquid control valves are arranged in a row along a third direction, and / or, a plurality of the gas control valves are arranged in a row along the third direction, and / or, at least a portion of the air duct extends along the third direction.

[0027] In some embodiments of this application, at least a portion of the vent is disposed toward the liquid control valve and the gas control valve.

[0028] Secondly, this application also provides an air conditioning system, including a heat source unit, at least one load unit, and a refrigerant switching device as described in any of the above embodiments, wherein the refrigerant switching device is located between the heat source unit and at least one load unit and is configured to switch between a cooling mode and a heating mode.

[0029] In some embodiments of this application, the air conditioning system further includes a fan, wherein the air inlet of the fan is connected to the air outlet.

[0030] In some embodiments of this application, the air conditioning system includes multiple refrigerant switching devices, the first air outlet or the second air outlet is connected to an external air duct, and the fan is disposed in the receiving cavity or the external air duct.

[0031] In some embodiments of this application, the external duct includes: a central duct;

[0032] In addition, multiple branch ducts are connected to the main duct, and / or each branch duct is connected to the refrigerant switching device, and / or the fan is located in the receiving cavity, the branch duct, or the main duct. Attached Figure Description

[0033] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments or related technologies of this application, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or related technologies will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0034] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the refrigerant switching device in one embodiment of this application;

[0035] Figure 2 is a partial structural schematic diagram of the refrigerant switching device in one embodiment of this application;

[0036] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the air duct structure and the shell in one embodiment of this application;

[0037] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the air duct structure and the shell in another embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the air duct structure and the shell in another embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the air duct structure and the shell in another embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the air duct structure and the shell in another embodiment of this application;

[0041] Figure 8 is a structural schematic diagram of the air duct structure and the shell in another embodiment of this application;

[0042] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the air duct structure and the shell in another embodiment of this application;

[0043] Figure 10 is a structural schematic diagram of the refrigerant switching device and the housing in another embodiment of this application;

[0044] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the refrigerant switching device and the housing in another embodiment of this application;

[0045] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of an air conditioning system in one embodiment of this application;

[0046] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of the refrigerant switching device and external air duct in one embodiment of this application;

[0047] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of the refrigerant switching device and external air duct in another embodiment of this application;

[0048] Figure 15 is a schematic diagram of the refrigerant switching device and external air duct in another embodiment of this application.

[0049] Reference numerals: 10. Shell; 11. Receiving cavity; 111. Air duct; 112. Storage cavity; 12. First air outlet; 13. Second air outlet; 14. Third air outlet; 15. Fourth air outlet; 16. Pipe inlet; 171. Upper side wall; 172. Lower side wall; 173. Peripheral side wall; 20. Air duct structure; 21. Vent hole; 22. Air duct; 23. Partition; 24. First part; 25. Second part; 30. Refrigerant switching mechanism; 31. Refrigerant inlet pipe; 32. Refrigerant outlet pipe; 33. Seal; 34. Electrical control assembly; 35. Valve; 36. Liquid pipe; 37. Gas pipe; 38. Liquid control valve; 39. Gas control valve; 40. Fan; 50. Heat source unit; 60. Load unit; 70. External air duct; 71. Main air duct; 72. Branch air duct. Detailed Implementation

[0050] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0051] This application provides a refrigerant switching device and an air conditioning system to solve the problem in the related technology that when a refrigerant leak occurs in the refrigerant switching device, because the refrigerant is flammable and explosive, if the refrigerant cannot be discharged in time, the flammable refrigerant will remain in the refrigerant switching device, which can easily lead to safety accidents.

[0052] In a first aspect, this application provides a refrigerant switching device, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, which includes a housing 10, an air duct structure 20, and a refrigerant switching mechanism 30.

[0053] In one embodiment, the housing 10 has a receiving cavity 11, and a first air vent 12 and a second air vent 13 are provided on the housing 10; the housing 10 is a protective shell for the refrigerant switching device, and the overall shape of the housing 10 can be a cuboid, a cube, a cylinder or other shapes, which are not specifically limited in this application; the first air vent 12 and the second air vent 13 are openings formed on the housing 10, and the first air vent 12 and the second air vent 13 can penetrate through the inner and outer sides of the housing 10, and the shape of the first air vent 12 and the second air vent 13 can be a rectangle, a square, a circle or other shapes, which are not specifically limited in this application.

[0054] The air duct structure 20 is located inside the receiving cavity 11 and connected to the shell 10. The air duct structure 20 divides the receiving cavity 11 into an air duct 111 (as shown in Figure 8) and a storage cavity 112. The air duct structure 20 is provided with a plurality of spaced ventilation holes 21, which connect the air duct 111 and the storage cavity 112. It can be understood that the air duct structure 20 is a solid structure located inside the receiving cavity 11. The air duct structure 20 can divide the receiving cavity 11 into two cavities, the air duct 111 and the storage cavity 112, and the air duct 111 and the receiving cavity 11 are connected through the ventilation holes 21.

[0055] The refrigerant switching mechanism 30 is located inside the storage cavity 112. The refrigerant switching mechanism 30 is a pipeline structure in the refrigerant switching device that is connected to the heat source unit 50 (as shown in Figure 10) and the load unit 60 (as shown in Figure 10) in the air conditioning system. The refrigerant is transferred between the load unit 60 and the heat source unit 50 through the pipeline in the refrigerant switching mechanism 30. The specific type of refrigerant can be selected according to actual needs, and this application does not impose any restrictions.

[0056] The first air vent 12 is connected to the storage cavity 112 through the air duct 111 and the ventilation hole 21, and the second air vent 13 is connected to the storage cavity 112. One of the first air vent 12 and the second air vent 13 is the air inlet, and the other of the first air vent 12 and the second air vent 13 is the air outlet.

[0057] Understandably, when the refrigerant switching mechanism 30 experiences problems such as pipe damage or valve connection seal failure leading to refrigerant leakage, the flammable refrigerant disperses within the storage cavity 112. At this time, a fan 40 (as shown in Figure 13) can be used to blow or exhaust air into the duct 111 through either the first air outlet 12 or the second air outlet 13, generating airflow within the duct 111. Since the duct 111 is connected to the storage cavity 112 via the vent 21 on the duct structure 20, the airflow will form an airflow field within the storage cavity 112. The refrigerant within the storage cavity 112 flows with this airflow field and is then passed through the first air outlet 112 by the airflow field. The refrigerant is brought out of the storage cavity 112 by the first air outlet 12 or the second air outlet 13, so that the leaked refrigerant can be discharged from the housing 10 more conveniently and in a timely manner, avoiding the refrigerant from being trapped in the housing 10 and causing a safety accident. In addition, since the air duct structure 20 is provided with multiple vent holes 21 and the multiple vent holes 21 are located in different positions, the multiple vent holes 21 can form multiple airflow fields at different positions in the storage cavity 112. Through these multiple airflow fields, the refrigerant at different leakage points can also be quickly discharged from the housing 10, so as to prevent the refrigerant from not being quickly discharged from the housing 10 because the refrigerant leakage point is far away from the first air outlet 12 and the second air outlet 13.

[0058] When the fan 40 is a blower, the air outlet of the fan 40 can be connected to the first air inlet 12. At this time, the first air inlet 12 is the air inlet, and the second air inlet 13 is the air outlet. The fan 40 blows air into the air duct 111 through the first air inlet 12. The airflow passes through the air outlet, the first air inlet 12, the air duct 111, the vent 21, the storage cavity 112, and the second air inlet 13 in sequence, so that the leaked refrigerant is discharged from the second air inlet 13. When the fan 40 is an exhaust fan, the air inlet of the fan 40 can be connected to the first air inlet 12. The first air inlet 12 is the air outlet, and the second air inlet 13 is the air inlet. The fan 40 exhausts air through the first air inlet 12. The airflow passes through the second air inlet 13, the storage cavity 112, the vent 21, the air duct 111, the first air inlet 12, and the air inlet in sequence, so that the leaked refrigerant is discharged from the first air inlet 12.

[0059] In one embodiment, the refrigerant switching device may further include a refrigerant sensor and an electronic control component. The refrigerant sensor is configured to monitor the refrigerant concentration in the receiving cavity 11. The electronic control component is electrically connected to the refrigerant sensor and the fan 40. When the refrigerant sensor detects a refrigerant leak in the receiving cavity 11, it sends a signal to the electronic control component, which then controls the fan 40 to start, thereby timely discharging the leaked refrigerant from the storage cavity 112. The refrigerant sensor may be a refrigerant leak detector, and the electronic control component may be a microcontroller or a user terminal, etc. This application does not impose any specific limitations.

[0060] Referring again to Figure 2, in some embodiments of this application, multiple vents 21 are arranged along the extension direction of the air duct 111 so that airflow fields can be formed in more different areas within the storage cavity 112, so that airflow fields can flow through any area within the storage cavity 112 as much as possible, thereby ensuring that the refrigerant at different leakage points can also be quickly discharged from the housing 10 by the airflow field.

[0061] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, in one embodiment of this application, the second air vent 13 is spaced apart from the air duct 111. The second air vent 13 is connected to the air duct 111 through the storage cavity 112 and the vent 21. It can be understood that the second air vent 13 is not in direct contact with the air duct structure 20, but is connected to the air duct 111 through the storage cavity 112 and the vent 21, so that the storage cavity 112 can be connected to the outside atmosphere through the second air vent 13. The gas outside the shell 10 can enter the storage cavity 112 through the second air vent 13, so that when the refrigerant leaks continuously, a continuous airflow field can be generated in the storage cavity 112.

[0062] As shown in Figure 4, in another embodiment of this application, the air duct 111 extends from the first air outlet 12 to the second air outlet 13. The second air outlet 13 is connected to the storage cavity 112 through the air duct 111 and the vent 21. It can be understood that the second air outlet 13 is directly connected to the air duct structure 20, so that the storage cavity 112 can be in a sealed state. When the fan 40 is started, a negative pressure is generated in the air duct 111, so that the gas in the storage cavity 112 flows to the air duct 111 through the vent 21, which can create a "vacuum" effect in the storage cavity 112, and can minimize the amount of refrigerant residue in the storage cavity 112.

[0063] Leak Leak Leak

[0064] In one embodiment, the housing 10 includes an upper sidewall 171 (as shown in FIG1), a lower sidewall 172, and four peripheral sidewalls 173 located between the upper sidewall 171 and the lower sidewall 172, the upper sidewall 171, the lower sidewall 172, and the four peripheral sidewalls 173 forming a receiving cavity 11.

[0065] In one embodiment, the second air vent 13 and the first air vent 12 can both be located on the same side of the housing 10 (as shown in Figure 3), that is, the first air vent 12 and the second air vent are located on any one of the upper side wall 171, the lower side wall 172 and the four peripheral side walls 173. In another embodiment, the second air vent 13 and the first air vent 12 can also be located on different sides of the housing 10 (as shown in Figures 4 and 5), that is, the first air vent 12 and the second air vent 13 are located on any two of the upper side wall 171, the lower side wall 172 and the four peripheral side walls 173. In this case, the first air vent 12 and the second air vent 13 can be located on opposite sides of the housing 10 (as shown in Figure 4), or the first air vent 12 and the second air vent 13 can be located on adjacent sides of the housing 10 (as shown in Figure 5).

[0066] It should also be noted that Figures 3 to 5 only illustrate the case where there is only one air duct structure 20 and only two air vents, the first air vent 12 and the second air vent 13, on the housing 10. As shown in Figure 6, in other embodiments of this application, there may be two or more air duct structures 20, and the air ducts 111 of each air duct structure 20 are connected to the first air vent 12 and the second air vent 13.

[0067] It should also be noted that Figures 3 to 6 only illustrate the case where the housing 10 is provided with only two air vents, namely the first air vent 12 and the second air vent 13. As shown in Figure 7, in other embodiments of this application, the housing 10 may be provided with more air vents, such as the third air vent 14, the fourth air vent 15, etc., and all the air vents are connected to the air duct 111 in the air duct structure 20.

[0068] As shown in Figures 3 to 7, in one embodiment of this application, the air duct structure 20 includes an air duct 22, which is located within the receiving cavity 11 and connected to the housing 10. The cavity of the air duct 22 forms an air duct 111. Multiple ventilation holes 21 are disposed on the air duct 22, and a first ventilation opening is provided at the first end of the air duct 22. The first ventilation opening 12 connects to the air duct 111 through the first ventilation opening. It can be understood that the air duct 22 is a hollow tubular structure with an annular cross-section. The tubular structure can form the air duct 111 by its own enclosure without needing to define the air duct 111 together with the housing 10, making the formation of the air duct 111 more convenient. The overall shape of the air duct 22 can be a round tube, a square tube, or other shapes of tube, and this application does not impose specific limitations.

[0069] Furthermore, at least two vents 21 are located on different sides of the duct 22. It is understood that by providing vents 21 with different orientations on different sides of the duct 22, airflow fields with different directions can be formed in the storage cavity 112, so that refrigerant leaking from leak points in different directions can also be quickly discharged from the casing 10.

[0070] As shown in Figure 8, in another embodiment of this application, the air duct structure 20 includes a partition 23. The partition 23 is located inside the receiving cavity 11 and connected to the housing 10. The partition 23 divides the receiving cavity 11 into an air duct 111 and a storage cavity 112. Multiple vents 21 are disposed on the partition 23. A first vent 12 is disposed on the housing 10 in the area corresponding to the air duct 111, and a second vent 13 is disposed on the housing in the area corresponding to the storage cavity 112. It can be understood that the partition 23 is a plate-like structure. The partition 23 and the inner sidewall of the housing 10 can jointly define the air duct 111. Compared with a tubular structure, the plate-like structure has a larger plate surface area to set the vents 21, which can make airflow possible in any area of ​​the storage cavity 112, thereby ensuring that the refrigerant at different leakage points can be quickly discharged from the housing 10 by the airflow. The partition 23 can be connected to the housing 10 by welding, gluing, snap-fitting, riveting, threaded connection or other methods.

[0071] As shown in Figures 3 to 7, in one embodiment of this application, the air duct structure 20 extends in a direction away from the first air outlet 12, and the air duct 111 extends in the extending direction of the air duct structure 20. It can be understood that the air duct structure 20 is a long strip-shaped structure extending in a direction away from the first air outlet 12. The simple shape of the air duct structure 20 makes it easier for it to avoid the refrigerant switching mechanism 30 when placed in the receiving cavity 11, thereby preventing the air duct structure 20 from affecting the arrangement of the refrigerant switching mechanism 30.

[0072] As shown in Figure 9, in another embodiment of this application, the air duct structure 20 includes a first portion 24 extending along a first direction and a second portion 25 extending along a second direction. The second portion 25 is connected to the first portion 24, and the second direction intersects the first direction. The air duct 111 extends along the extension direction of the air duct structure 20. It should be noted that the air duct structure 20 includes at least a first portion 24 and a second portion 25 extending along two different directions, so that the air duct structure 20 and the air duct 111 can pass through more areas within the receiving cavity 11. By providing vents 21 at various locations in the air duct structure 20, it is possible to ensure that any area within the housing cavity 112 has an airflow field, thereby ensuring that the refrigerant at different leakage points can also be quickly discharged from the housing 10 by the airflow field. The air duct structure 20 can be "bow", "V", "S", "Z", wavy, parabolic, or other shapes. The first direction can be any direction, and the first direction can be perpendicular or not perpendicular to the second direction.

[0073] In one embodiment, the housing 10 is a sealed housing, which can improve the sealing performance of the housing 10, thereby preventing refrigerant leakage from the housing 10, and can also improve the heat insulation performance of the housing 10, reducing heat loss of the refrigerant.

[0074] As shown in Figures 10 and 11, in one embodiment, the refrigerant switching mechanism 30 includes a refrigerant inlet pipe 31 and a refrigerant outlet pipe 32. A through-port 16 is provided on the housing 10. The refrigerant inlet pipe 31 and the refrigerant outlet pipe 32 pass through the through-port 16 and exit the receiving cavity 11. Sealing elements 33 are provided between the refrigerant inlet pipe 31 and the inner wall of the through-port 16, and between the refrigerant outlet pipe 32 and the inner wall of the through-port 16. It should be noted that the refrigerant inlet pipe 31 is the pipe used to connect to the refrigerant in the refrigerant switching mechanism 30, and the refrigerant outlet pipe 32 is the pipe used to supply refrigerant output. The sealing element 33 seals the gaps between the refrigerant inlet pipe 31 and the inner wall of the through-port 16, and between the refrigerant outlet pipe 32 and the inner wall of the through-port 16, thereby further improving the sealing performance of the receiving cavity 11. The sealing element 33 can be a sealing ring.

[0075] In one embodiment, the first air vent 12 and the second air vent 13 are located on the left and right sides of the housing 10, respectively. At least one of the left and right sides of the housing 10 is provided with multiple refrigerant inlet pipes 31; one of the front and rear sides of the housing 10 is provided with multiple refrigerant outlet pipes 32; and the other of the front and rear sides of the housing 10 is provided with an electronic control component 34 (as shown in Figure 2). It is understood that the electronic control component 34 is configured to control the operation of the electronic devices in the refrigerant switching device. The refrigerant inlet pipes 31, refrigerant outlet pipes 32, and electronic control component 34 are located on different sides, allowing them to avoid each other. This makes the arrangement of the refrigerant inlet pipes 31, refrigerant outlet pipes 32, and electronic control component 34 more convenient and allows for full utilization of the space within the receiving cavity 11.

[0076] In one embodiment, a valve 35 is provided between the first air outlet 12 and the second air outlet 13. A refrigerant sensor is installed in at least one of the air duct 111 and the storage cavity 112. When the refrigerant concentration is greater than a predetermined threshold, the valve 35 opens, connecting the first air outlet 12 and the second air outlet 13. When the refrigerant concentration is less than the predetermined threshold, the valve 35 closes, isolating the first air outlet 12 and the second air outlet 13. It is understood that when the refrigerant concentration is greater than the predetermined threshold, it indicates a refrigerant leak inside the housing 10. In this case, the valve 35 can open promptly, connecting the first air outlet 12 and the second air outlet 13, allowing the fan 40 to promptly discharge the leaked refrigerant from the housing 10 when it starts. When the refrigerant concentration is less than the predetermined threshold, it indicates no refrigerant leak inside the housing 10. In this case, the valve 35 is closed, disconnecting the first air outlet 12 and the second air outlet 13, thereby preventing external gas from entering the storage cavity 11 through the first air outlet 12 and the second air outlet 13. The specific value of the predetermined threshold can be selected according to actual needs, and this application does not impose specific restrictions.

[0077] In one embodiment, an insulation layer is provided on the inner wall surface of the housing 10, which can improve the insulation performance of the housing 10 and reduce the heat loss of the refrigerant.

[0078] In one embodiment, the air duct structure 20 is located on at least one side of the refrigerant switching mechanism 30, such that the air duct structure 20 avoids the refrigerant switching mechanism 30 and prevents the air duct structure 20 from affecting the installation of the refrigerant switching mechanism 30. The air duct structure 20 may be located above, below, to the left, or to the right of the refrigerant switching mechanism 30.

[0079] In some embodiments of this application, the refrigerant switching mechanism 30 includes a liquid pipe 36, a gas pipe 37, a liquid control valve 38 disposed in the liquid pipe 36, and a gas control valve 39 disposed in the gas pipe 37. A plurality of liquid control valves 38 are arranged in a row, a plurality of gas control valves 39 are arranged in a row, and at least one of the row of gas control valves 39 and the row of liquid control valves 38 is arranged parallel to at least a portion of the air duct 111. Understandably, during long-term use, the connection points of valves 35, such as liquid control valve 38 and gas control valve 39, are prone to refrigerant leakage in the pipes (liquid pipe 36 and gas pipe 37) due to sealing failure. Based on the multiple vent holes 21 provided on the duct structure 20, at least one of the row of liquid control valves 38 and the row of gas control valves 39 is parallel to at least a portion of the duct 111. This ensures that there is a vent hole 21 near each liquid control valve 38 and / or each gas control valve 39. When leakage occurs at the liquid control valve 38 and the gas control valve 39, the leaked refrigerant can be promptly drawn into the duct 111 through the vent hole 21 and discharged into the receiving cavity 11 through the duct structure 20. In addition, at least a portion of the duct 111 can avoid the gas control valve 39 and / or the liquid control valve 38, making the arrangement of the gas control valve 39, the liquid control valve 38, and the duct structure 20 more convenient and making full use of the space within the receiving cavity 11.

[0080] In one embodiment, a plurality of liquid control valves 38 are arranged in a row along a third direction, a plurality of gas control valves 39 are arranged in a row along a third direction, and at least a portion of the air duct 111 extends along a third direction. It is understood that the arrangement direction of the row of liquid control valves 38 is the same as the arrangement direction of the row of gas control valves 39, and both are parallel to at least a portion of the air duct 111, such that each liquid control valve 38 and each gas control valve 39 has a vent 21 nearby. This allows the leaked refrigerant to be promptly drawn into the air duct 111 and discharged into the receiving cavity 11 through the air duct structure 20 when a leak occurs at the liquid control valve 38 or gas control valve 39. Furthermore, the liquid control valves 38 and gas control valves 39 can avoid each other. The third direction can be parallel to or intersect with the first direction.

[0081] In one embodiment, at least part of the through hole is arranged toward the liquid control valve 38 and the gas control valve 39. This ensures that the airflow field generated in the receiving cavity 11 through the vent hole 21 passes through the liquid control valve 38 and the gas control valve 39. It also shortens the distance between the vent hole 21 and the liquid control valve 38 and the gas control valve 39. This allows the leaked refrigerant to be drawn into the air duct 111 more quickly through the vent hole 21 and discharged from the receiving cavity 11 through the air duct structure 20 when refrigerant leakage occurs at the liquid control valve 38 and the gas control valve 39.

[0082] Secondly, based on the above-mentioned refrigerant switching device, this application also provides an air conditioning system, as shown in FIG12. The air conditioning system includes a heat source unit 50, at least one load unit 60, and a refrigerant switching device as described in any of the above embodiments. The refrigerant switching device is located between the heat source unit 50 and at least one load unit 60 and is configured to switch between cooling mode and heating mode.

[0083] It is understood that the piping structure in the refrigerant switching device is connected to the refrigerant transmission piping in the heat source unit 50 and the refrigerant transmission piping in the load unit 60. The refrigerant circulates between the heat source unit 50 and the load unit 60 through the piping structure in the refrigerant switching device to switch between cooling mode and heating mode. The specific operation of the refrigerant switching device has been disclosed in related technologies and will not be described in detail in this application.

[0084] As shown in Figures 13 to 15, in one embodiment, the air conditioning system further includes a fan 40. The air inlet of the fan 40 is connected to the air outlet 13. It can be understood that in this embodiment, the fan 40 is an exhaust fan. The fan draws in air through the air inlet. Compared with blowing air, using an exhaust method to remove the refrigerant leaking in the storage cavity 112 can make the refrigerant discharge cleaner. Furthermore, the first air outlet 12 is an air outlet, and the second air outlet 13 is an air inlet. The air inlet of the fan 40 is connected to the first air outlet 12, so that the fan 40 can directly draw in the gas in the air duct 111 through the first fan 12. The refrigerant in the storage cavity 112 flows to the air duct 111 along with the air in the storage cavity 112, and then multiple strong airflow fields are formed in the storage cavity 112 through multiple vents 21, which can make the refrigerant discharge cleaner.

[0085] In one embodiment, the air conditioning system includes multiple refrigerant switching devices. A first air vent 12 or a second air vent 13 is connected to an external air duct 70. A fan 40 is disposed within the receiving cavity 11 or the external air duct 70. It is understood that when the fan 40 is disposed within the receiving cavity 11, the fan 40 is connected to the first air vent 12 or the second air vent 13 within the receiving cavity 11, ensuring the airtightness of the housing 10. When the fan 40 is disposed within the external air duct 70, the fan 40 is connected to the first air vent 12 or the second air vent 13 through the external air duct 70, also ensuring the airtightness of the housing 10.

[0086] In one embodiment, the air conditioning system further includes a main air duct 71 and multiple branch air ducts 72. The multiple branch air ducts 72 are connected to the main air duct 71. Each branch air duct 72 is connected to a refrigerant switching device. The fan 40 of the refrigerant switching device is located in the receiving cavity 11 (as shown in Figure 13), or in the branch air duct 72 (as shown in Figure 14), or in the main air duct 71 (as shown in Figure 15). Multiple refrigerant switching devices can be supplied with or exhausted through a single main air duct 71, which can reduce the number of pipes and thus reduce the cost of the air conditioning system. Furthermore, when the fan 40 is located in the main air duct 71, only one fan 40 is needed to meet the needs of all refrigerant switching devices.

[0087] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A refrigerant switching device, wherein, include: The housing has a receiving cavity, and the housing is provided with a first air vent and a second air vent; A duct structure, located within the receiving cavity and connected to the housing, divides the receiving cavity into a duct and a storage cavity. The duct structure has multiple spaced-apart vents connecting the duct and the storage cavity. A first air outlet connects to the storage cavity via the duct and the vents, and a second air outlet connects to the storage cavity. One of the first and second air outlets is an air inlet, and the other is an air outlet. The refrigerant switching mechanism is located inside the storage cavity.

2. The refrigerant switching device according to claim 1, wherein, The plurality of ventilation holes are arranged along the extension direction of the air duct.

3. The refrigerant switching device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The second air vent is spaced apart from the air duct, and the second air vent is connected to the air duct through the storage cavity and the ventilation hole.

4. The refrigerant switching device according to claim 3, wherein, The air duct extends from the first air outlet to the second air outlet, and the second air outlet is connected to the storage cavity through the air duct and the ventilation hole.

5. The refrigerant switching device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The air duct structure includes: The air duct is located inside the receiving cavity and connected to the housing. The cavity of the air duct forms the air channel. A plurality of ventilation holes are provided on the air duct. A first ventilation opening is provided at the first end of the air duct. The first ventilation opening is connected to the air channel through the first ventilation opening.

6. The refrigerant switching device according to claim 5, wherein, At least two of the vent holes are located on different sides of the duct.

7. The refrigerant switching device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The air duct structure includes: A partition is located inside the receiving cavity and connected to the housing. The partition divides the receiving cavity into an air duct and a storage cavity. A plurality of ventilation holes are provided on the partition. The first air vent is provided on the housing in the area corresponding to the air duct, and the second air vent is provided on the housing in the area corresponding to the storage cavity.

8. The refrigerant switching device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, The air duct structure extends in a direction away from the first air outlet, and the air duct extends in the extension direction of the air duct structure.

9. The refrigerant switching device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, The air duct structure includes a first portion extending along a first direction and a second portion extending along a second direction, the second portion being connected to the first portion, the second direction intersecting the first direction, and the air duct extending along the extension direction of the air duct structure.

10. The refrigerant switching device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein, The housing is a sealed housing.

11. The refrigerant switching device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein, The refrigerant switching mechanism includes a refrigerant inlet pipe and a refrigerant outlet pipe. The housing is provided with a through-port, through which the refrigerant inlet pipe and the refrigerant outlet pipe pass out of the receiving cavity. A sealing element is provided between the refrigerant inlet pipe and the inner wall of the through-hole, and between the refrigerant outlet pipe and the inner wall of the through-hole.

12. The refrigerant switching device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein, The refrigerant switching mechanism includes a refrigerant inlet pipe and a refrigerant outlet pipe. The first air outlet and the second air outlet are located on the left and right sides of the housing, respectively. At least one of the left and right sides of the housing is provided with a plurality of the refrigerant inlet pipes. A plurality of refrigerant outlet pipes are provided on one side of the front and rear sides of the housing, and an electronic control assembly is provided on the other side of the front and rear sides of the housing.

13. The refrigerant switching device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein, A valve is provided between the first air outlet and the second air outlet. A refrigerant sensor is provided in at least one of the air duct and the storage cavity. The refrigerant sensor is configured to monitor the refrigerant concentration in the storage cavity. When the refrigerant concentration is greater than a predetermined threshold, the valve opens, and the first air outlet and the second air outlet are connected. When the refrigerant concentration is less than the predetermined threshold, the valve closes, and the first air outlet and the second air outlet are disconnected.

14. The refrigerant switching device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein, The housing includes an upper sidewall, a lower sidewall, and four peripheral sidewalls located between the upper sidewall and the lower sidewall, the upper sidewall, the lower sidewall, and the four peripheral sidewalls enclosing the receiving cavity; The first air vent and the second air vent are located on any one of the upper side wall, the lower side wall, and the four peripheral side walls, or the first air vent and the second air vent are located on any two of the upper side wall, the lower side wall, and the four peripheral side walls.

15. The refrigerant switching device according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein, An insulation layer is provided on the inner wall surface of the shell.

16. The refrigerant switching device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein, The air duct structure is located on at least one side of the refrigerant switching mechanism.

17. The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein, The refrigerant switching mechanism includes a liquid pipe, a gas pipe, a liquid control valve disposed in the liquid pipe, and a gas control valve disposed in the gas pipe. A plurality of liquid control valves are arranged in a row, and a plurality of gas control valves are arranged in a row. At least one of the row of gas control valves and the row of liquid control valves is arranged parallel to at least a portion of the air duct.

18. The air conditioning system according to claim 17, wherein, The plurality of liquid control valves are arranged in a row along a third direction, the plurality of gas control valves are arranged in a row along the third direction, and at least a portion of the air duct extends along the third direction.

19. The air conditioning system according to claim 17 or 18, wherein, At least a portion of the vent is positioned toward the liquid control valve and the gas control valve.

20. An air conditioning system, wherein, It includes a heat source unit, at least one load unit, and a refrigerant switching device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the refrigerant switching device is located between the heat source unit and at least one load unit and is configured to switch between a cooling mode and a heating mode.

21. The refrigerant switching device according to claim 20, wherein, The air conditioning system also includes: A fan, wherein the air inlet of the fan is connected to the air outlet.

22. The air conditioning system according to claim 21, wherein, The air conditioning system includes multiple refrigerant switching devices, the first air outlet or the second air outlet is connected to an external air duct, and the fan is disposed in the receiving cavity or the external air duct.

23. The air conditioning system according to claim 22, wherein, The external air duct includes: Summary of air ducts; and, Multiple branch ducts are connected to the main duct, and each branch duct is connected to the refrigerant switching device. The fan is located in the receiving cavity, the branch duct, or the main duct.

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