CO2 Vehicle A/C Expansion Block Integration for Shorter Refrigerant Lines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air-conditioning systems for vehicles have increased manufacturing costs and energy losses due to the complexity and length of refrigerant lines resulting from separately connected expansion valves, internal heat exchangers, and accumulators.
Innovation Solution
The integration of expansion means and internal heat exchangers, as well as internal heat exchangers and accumulators, within the air-conditioning system using carbon dioxide as refrigerant, reduces the number of assembly processes and simplifies the refrigerant line, incorporating an expansion block with integrated expansion valves and heat exchangers to control refrigerant flow and optimize efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If expansion valve, internal heat exchanger, and accumulator are separately connected on the refrigerant line, then each component can be independently controlled and maintained, but the refrigerant line becomes extended and complicated, increasing manufacturing cost and energy loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the expansion valve, internal heat exchanger, and accumulator into a single integrated assembly that is mounted on the refrigerant line. This merging of previously separate components reduces the overall complexity of the refrigerant line configuration and minimizes the total length of refrigerant piping required, thereby reducing manufacturing cost and energy loss while maintaining the functional independence of each component through internal separation
2Ease of manufacture
If expansion valve, internal heat exchanger, and accumulator are separately connected on the refrigerant line, then each component can be independently controlled and maintained, but the refrigerant line becomes extended and complicated, increasing energy loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the expansion valve, internal heat exchanger, and accumulator into one compact assembly, reducing the number of separate assembly processes required and minimizing the refrigerant line length. This reduction in line length directly decreases energy loss during refrigerant circulation while maintaining ease of manufacture through modular assembly
3Device complexity
If expansion valve, internal heat exchanger, and accumulator are separately connected on the refrigerant line, then each component can be independently controlled and maintained, but the refrigerant line becomes extended, increasing the number of assembly processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the expansion valve, internal heat exchanger, and accumulator into a single integrated assembly unit. This consolidation simplifies the refrigerant line configuration from multiple separate connections to one unified assembly, thereby reducing the number of assembly processes required and improving manufacturing productivity
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 integration minimizes costs and energy losses by reducing the size and length of refrigerant lines, enhancing system efficiency by controlling refrigerant flow and optimizing the heat exchange process, thereby improving overall performance.
Implementation Method 1
The internal heat exchanger 6 heat-exchanges high-pressure refrigerant of the outlet of the gas cooler 1 with low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant of the outlet of the evaporator 3 to thereby reduce enthalpy of refrigerant introduced into the expansion valve 2
Implementation Method 2
the expansion valve 2 controls the refrigerant flow during throttling by detecting the temperature and pressure of the refrigerant of the outlet of the gas cooler 1 to keep proper temperature and pressure for the optimum efficiency of the system
Implementation Method 3
a compressor, a gas cooler, an internal heat exchanger, an expansion valve, an evaporator, and so on
Implementation Method 4
a CO 2 refrigerant system has a supercritical cycle that absorbs heat at lower pressure than the critical pressure but emits heat at higher pressure (supercritical state) than the critical pressure
Implementation Method 5
an expansion valve, an evaporator, and so on
Implementation Method 6
the accumulator 4 serves to remove liquid refrigerant contained in vapor refrigerant discharged from the evaporator 3 and supply only vapor refrigerant to the compressor 5
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to an air-conditioning system for vehicles, in which expansion means and an internal heat exchanger are formed integrally with each other or expansion means, an internal heat exchanger and an accumulator are formed integrally with one another in an air-conditioning system using carbon dioxide (CO2) as refrigerant so as to minimize and simplify a refrigerant line, thereby reducing the cost and a loss of energy according to a reduction in the number of assembly processes thereof. The air-conditioning system includes a compressor, a gas cooler, expansion means and an evaporator as a refrigerant line for circulating refrigerant in this order.