Compressor system for heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and/or refrigeration system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing chiller systems with economizers operate inefficiently due to pressure differentials that disrupt the flow of working fluid between components, leading to backflow and inefficient operation.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an auxiliary compressor system with multiple compressors to pressurize vapor working fluid from the economizer system, reducing pressure differentials and ensuring efficient flow to the condenser, while maintaining a smaller footprint and lower cost compared to single compressors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single compressor is used to pressurize refrigerant from the economizer, then the system can handle high refrigerant flow, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The compressor system is segmented into multiple auxiliary compressors (first auxiliary compressor, second auxiliary compressor) that operate in parallel. Each compressor handles a portion of the refrigerant flow from the economizer, distributing the workload and reducing the complexity and cost associated with a single high-capacity compressor while maintaining the required refrigerant flow handling capacity.
2Productivity
If pressure differential is reduced to prevent backflow, then fluid flow efficiency improves, but additional compression components are required
Solution Approach 1:
The auxiliary compressors are configured to discharge pressurized refrigerant into a common discharge line that leads to the condenser. This merging of discharge paths allows multiple compressors to work together as a unified system, achieving efficient refrigerant flow and pressure equalization without requiring separate discharge infrastructure for each compressor, thereby limiting the increase in system complexity.
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
The auxiliary compressor system improves the efficiency of HVAC&R systems by facilitating smooth fluid flow to the condenser, enhancing operational efficiency without significantly increasing manufacturing costs or space requirements.
Implementation Method 1
an economizer system configured to reduce a pressure of a refrigerant to separate the refrigerant into a liquid refrigerant and a vapor refrigerant
Implementation Method 2
a first auxiliary compressor configured to receive the first vapor refrigerant flow from the economizer system and pressurize the first vapor refrigerant flow
Data Source
AI summary
A heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and/or refrigeration (HVAC&R) system, comprising an economizer system configured to reduce a pressure of a refrigerant to provide a first vapor refrigerant flow and a second vapor refrigerant flow. The HVAC&R system also includes an auxiliary compressor system that has a first auxiliary compressor configured to receive the first vapor refrigerant flow from the economizer system and pressurize the first vapor refrigerant flow to provide a first pressurized vapor refrigerant flow and a second auxiliary compressor configured to receive the second vapor refrigerant flow from the economizer system and pressurize the second vapor refrigerant flow to provide a second pressurized vapor refrigerant flow. The auxiliary compressor system is configured to discharge a combined vapor refrigerant flow comprising the first pressurized vapor refrigerant flow and the second pressurized vapor refrigerant flow toward a condenser of the HVAC&R system.