Indoor Branch Pipe Trap Layout for Two-Phase Refrigerant Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Air-conditioning systems face reliability issues when using gas-liquid two-phase transfer due to reduced refrigerant amounts, leading to insufficient refrigerant circulation in operating indoor units when some units are in operation and others are in a stop state.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a trap portion in the indoor-side pipes of the connection pipe, filled with gas refrigerant, to suppress refrigerant flow to non-operating indoor units, ensuring adequate refrigerant circulation in operating units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If gas-liquid two-phase transfer is performed to reduce refrigerant amount, then refrigerant saving is achieved, but reliability decreases due to insufficient refrigerant circulation in operating indoor units
Solution Approach 1:
The connection pipe is segmented into multiple indoor-side pipes, each serving a specific indoor unit. Trap portions are strategically placed in specific indoor-side pipes to control refrigerant flow distribution, ensuring that operating indoor units receive adequate refrigerant while preventing excessive flow to non-operating units.
Solution Approach 2:
A trap portion filled with gas refrigerant is introduced as an intermediary element in the refrigerant circulation system. This gas refrigerant acts as a flow resistance regulator, controlling the distribution of liquid refrigerant in the two-phase state to ensure proper refrigerant circulation in operating indoor units.
2Use of energy by moving object
If refrigerant amount is reduced for efficiency, then energy efficiency improves, but refrigerant circulation becomes insufficient when some indoor units are stopped
Solution Approach 1:
Different indoor-side pipes are treated differently based on the operational status of connected indoor units. Trap portions are selectively installed in indoor-side pipes connected to non-operating indoor units, creating local variations in flow resistance that optimize refrigerant distribution according to actual operational needs.
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
Minimizes the decrease in reliability by maintaining sufficient refrigerant circulation in operating indoor units during gas-liquid two-phase transfer, even when some indoor units are in an operation stop state.
Implementation Method 1
refrigerant in a gas-liquid two-phase state passes through the connection pipe connecting the outdoor unit and the indoor units
Data Source
AI summary
An air-conditioning system that performs a refrigeration cycle in a refrigerant circuit, includes: an outdoor unit; a plurality of indoor units; and a connection pipe disposed between the outdoor unit and the indoor units and that forms at least a refrigerant passage through which refrigerant in a gas-liquid two-phase state flows. The connection pipe includes: a branch portion that includes an indoor-side pipe group including indoor-side pipes that each communicates with any one of the indoor units, and diverges refrigerant flowing from the outdoor unit side; and a trap portion disposed in at least any one of the indoor-side pipes and is filled with refrigerant in a gas state.