Multi-Compressor Oil Return Layout for Balanced Lubrication
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Solution Overview
Problem
In air conditioners with multiple compressors, unbalanced oil levels can lead to mechanical abrasion due to insufficient oil distribution, causing compressor damage.
Innovation Solution
A system where oil separated from refrigerant by oil separators is collected and distributed through a common inlet pipe to all compressors via branch pipes, ensuring balanced oil levels and preventing insufficiency across all compressors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If oil separators are respectively coupled to outlets of compressors for separating oil from refrigerant, then oil separation efficiency is improved, but oil distribution balance deteriorates causing insufficient oil in some compressors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the separate oil collection systems into a common oil collection pan where oil from multiple compressors accumulates together. The common oil collection pan combines the oil streams from all compressors, ensuring that each compressor receives adequate oil supply from the pooled oil reservoir, thus resolving the oil distribution balance issue while maintaining effective oil separation at each compressor outlet.
2Device complexity
If oil collected from one compressor is supplied only to the same compressor, then oil supply path simplicity is improved, but compressor oil level balance deteriorates leading to mechanical abrasion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a common oil collection pan as an intermediary component between the compressors and the oil supply system. This intermediary pool collects oil from all compressors and redistributes it to ensure each compressor receives sufficient oil, preventing mechanical abrasion while adding only one additional component to the system rather than complex individual supply paths.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple compressors are included in one outdoor unit to match indoor unit capacities, then system adaptability is improved, but oil level balance among compressors deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The common oil collection pan serves multiple compressors simultaneously, providing a universal oil supply solution that works regardless of the number or capacity of individual compressors. This multi-functional oil collection and distribution system ensures that compressors of varying capacities all receive adequate oil from the shared reservoir, maintaining oil level balance across the entire system.
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 solution maintains proper oil levels in all compressors, preventing mechanical damage and ensuring efficient operation by distributing combined streams of separated oil, which are also cooled within an accumulator to prevent heating of low-temperature gas refrigerant.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of oil separators connected to outlets of the compressors for separating refrigerant and/or oil discharged from the compressors
Implementation Method 2
the combined streams of the separated oil may be introduced into the accumulator and their temperature decreased by the low-temperature liquid refrigerant accumulated in the accumulator
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
An air conditioner includes a plurality of compressors, a plurality of oil separators, a plurality of oil collection pipes, a common inlet pipe, and a plurality of branch inlet pipes. The oil separators are connected to outlets of the compressors for separating a refrigerant and/or oil discharged from the compressors. The oil collection pipes are respectively connected to the oil separators for collecting oil separated by the oil separators. The common inlet pipe receives the collected oil and allows the oil to flow to the compressors. The branch inlet pipes branch off from the common inlet pipe and are respectively connected to the compressors.