Compressor Liquid Injection for Lower Refrigerant Discharge Temperature
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Refrigeration systems face inefficiencies due to high discharge temperatures of refrigerant, which reduce cooling capacity and system performance, as heat is generated during compression, necessitating methods to lower these temperatures effectively.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a liquid-refrigerant injection system, a single-phase cooling-liquid injection system, and an economizer system, which inject refrigerant or cooling liquid at intermediate-pressure locations within the compressor to absorb heat and reduce discharge temperatures, thereby enhancing cooling capacity and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If refrigerant is compressed in the compressor, then the refrigerant pressure increases, but the discharge temperature becomes relatively high
Solution Approach 1:
Liquid refrigerant is injected into the compression chamber before compression occurs, allowing it to absorb heat during the compression process and prevent temperature rise before it becomes problematic
Solution Approach 2:
Liquid refrigerant acts as an intermediary substance that absorbs heat between the compression process and the discharged refrigerant, reducing the discharge temperature without interfering with the pressure increase
2Temperature
If liquid refrigerant is injected into the compression chamber, then the discharge temperature decreases, but the compressor efficiency may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Only a controlled amount of liquid refrigerant is injected into the compression chamber, providing sufficient cooling to reduce discharge temperature while minimizing the negative impact on compression efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The injection system controls the amount and timing of liquid refrigerant injection, adjusting parameters to optimize the balance between discharge temperature reduction and compression efficiency maintenance
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
These systems effectively decrease the discharge temperature of refrigerant, increase cooling capacity, and improve the overall efficiency of the refrigeration system by allowing quasi-isothermal compression and reducing the need for additional cooling components.
Implementation Method 1
The injected liquid refrigerant may absorb heat during compression of the refrigerant flowing therethrough
Implementation Method 2
The injected liquid refrigerant may decrease the temperature of the compression process and the temperature of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor
Implementation Method 3
The cooling liquid... may absorb heat during the compression of the refrigerant flowing therethrough
Implementation Method 4
The cooling liquid, which may be externally separated from the refrigerant flow, may decrease the temperature of the refrigerant being discharged by the compressor
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigeration system can incorporate a cooling-liquid injection system that can inject a cooling liquid into an intermediate-pressure location of the compressor. The cooling liquid can absorb the heat of compression during the compression of the refrigerant flowing therethrough. The refrigeration system can include an economizer system that injects a refrigerant vapor into an intermediate-pressure location of the compressor in conjunction with the injection of the cooling liquid. A refrigeration system can include a liquid-refrigerant injection system that can inject liquid refrigerant into an intermediate-pressure location of the compressor. The injected liquid refrigerant can reduce the discharge temperature of the refrigerant. The liquid-refrigerant injection system can be used with the cooling-liquid injection system and/or the economizer system.