accumulator
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Solution Overview
Problem
In heat pump systems, the existing accumulators face issues where liquid phase refrigerant can flow into the outflow pipe, potentially mixing foreign materials with the circulated refrigerant, leading to increased flow and frequency, which can cause operational errors and malfunctions, and increasing the size of the accumulator to prevent this is not feasible.
Innovation Solution
The accumulator design includes a strainer with a base portion or support column to lift the bottom plate from the tank bottom and a second mesh filter covering the communication hole, allowing effective trapping and removal of foreign materials without increasing the overall height, ensuring reliable operation and preventing blockages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the overall height of the outflow pipe or tank is increased to decrease the flow of liquid phase refrigerant toward the outflow pipe, then the flow and frequency of liquid phase refrigerant mixing with foreign material is reduced, but the size of the accumulator increases
Solution Approach 1:
The outflow pipe is divided into an inner pipe and an outer pipe forming a double pipe structure. The strainer is segmented into a mesh filter portion and a bottom plate portion with communication holes. This segmentation allows the strainer to be positioned effectively without increasing overall height while still preventing foreign material from entering the circulated refrigerant.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of solving the problem by increasing height (vertical dimension), the invention uses the radial dimension by positioning the strainer at the lower end of the outflow pipe with communication holes in the bottom plate. This dimensional shift allows foreign material removal without compromising the compact vertical size of the accumulator.
2Reliability
If a strainer is provided in the outflow pipe to trap foreign material, then foreign material removal is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The strainer integrates multiple functions into a single component: the mesh filter portion traps foreign material, the bottom plate portion provides structural support and defines communication holes, and the casing houses both elements. This merging reduces device complexity compared to having separate components for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The strainer serves multiple purposes: it acts as a filter for foreign material removal, provides structural support within the outflow pipe, and its bottom plate with communication holes facilitates liquid phase refrigerant flow while preventing foreign material passage. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components.
3Reliability
If the strainer is positioned at the lower end of the outflow pipe, then foreign material trapping is effective, but liquid phase refrigerant may flow into the space between inner and outer pipes
Solution Approach 1:
The mesh filter acts as an intermediary between the liquid phase refrigerant containing foreign material and the downward gas phase refrigerant flowing passage. It allows liquid phase refrigerant to pass through while trapping foreign material, preventing foreign material from contaminating the circulated refrigerant even when liquid phase refrigerant flows into the space between inner and outer pipes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design effectively reduces the amount of foreign materials in the circulated refrigerant, preventing operation errors and malfunctions while maintaining a compact accumulator size, ensuring reliable operation of heat pump system components.
Implementation Method 1
a strainer which is provided in the vicinity of a bottom portion of the outflow pipe (the outer pipe thereof) and traps and removes the foreign material included in the liquid phase refrigerant
Implementation Method 2
The refrigerant which is introduced into the accumulator 250 collides with the gas-liquid separation body so as to be diffused radially and separated into a liquid phase refrigerant and a gas phase refrigerant
Implementation Method 3
the liquid phase refrigerant (including oil) flows downward along the inner peripheral surface of the tank so as to be accumulated in the lower portion of the tank
Implementation Method 4
the oil which is accumulated in the lower portion of the tank along with the liquid phase refrigerant moves toward the tank bottom portion by a difference in specific weight or property with respect to the liquid phase refrigerant
Data Source
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AI summary
[Object] To provide an accumulator capable of trapping and removing a foreign material mixed with a liquid phase refrigerant even when the liquid phase refrigerant flows into an outflow pipe and hence decreasing the amount of the foreign material in the circulated refrigerant without causing an increase in size. [Solving Means] An accumulator includes an outflow pipe (30) having a double pipe structure including an inner pipe (31) and an outer pipe (32) and a strainer (40) provided in the vicinity of a lower end of the outflow pipe (30) and including a mesh filter (45), wherein the mesh filter (45) is disposed between a space (J) formed between the inner pipe (31) and the outer pipe (32) and a space (I) inside the inner pipe and a casing (42) of the strainer (40) is provided with a communication hole (46) causing the space (J) to communicate with a lower space (S) of the tank (10).