Compressor with cooling system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing climate-control systems face inefficiencies in compressor operation, particularly in effectively circulating working fluids between heat exchangers, which affects the system's ability to provide reliable cooling and heating.
Innovation Solution
The climate-control system incorporates a configuration with multiple compressors, heat exchangers, and fluid paths that include expansion devices and a flash tank, allowing for the separation and re-circulation of vapor and liquid working fluids, along with controlled fluid paths and valves to manage pressure and temperature, optimizing the compression and heat transfer processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single compressor is used to circulate working fluid, then the system structure is simple, but the cooling and heating efficiency is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The single compressor is divided into two separate compressors: a first compressor for compressing liquid refrigerant to high pressure, and a second compressor for compressing vapor refrigerant to high pressure. This segmentation allows each compressor to handle specific phases of refrigerant, improving overall system efficiency and heat transfer performance while maintaining manageable system complexity through dedicated functional roles for each compressor unit.
2Productivity
If working fluid is directly circulated without separation, then the fluid path is simple, but the compression process is inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
A flash tank is introduced as an intermediary device in the fluid path to separate liquid and vapor phases of the refrigerant after it passes through the expansion valve. This intermediary separation allows the first compressor to efficiently compress liquid refrigerant while the second compressor handles vapor refrigerant, optimizing the compression process for each phase type and improving overall compression efficiency.
3Productivity
If vapor injection is not used, then the compressor operation is simple, but the heat transfer performance is limited
Solution Approach 1:
Vapor refrigerant is extracted from the flash tank before the main compression process and pre-compressed by the second compressor. This preliminary action of pre-compressing vapor refrigerant improves heat transfer performance by ensuring proper vapor compression occurs in advance, while the control complexity is managed through coordinated operation of the two compressors with the flash tank serving as a buffer.
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 configuration enhances the efficiency and reliability of the climate-control system by optimizing the compression and heat transfer processes, ensuring effective cooling and heating performance.
Implementation Method 1
The flash tank may be in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger and may receive working fluid from the first heat exchanger. The flash tank includes a vapor outlet and a liquid outlet.
Implementation Method 2
The first heat exchanger may be in fluid communication with the second compressor and may receive working fluid from the second compressor. The second heat exchanger may be in fluid communication with the flash tank and may receive working fluid from the liquid outlet.
Implementation Method 3
The first compressor may include a first compression mechanism, a first inlet, a second inlet and an outlet. The first compression mechanism may receive working fluid from the first inlet and discharge the working fluid through the outlet.
Data Source
AI summary
A system may include first and second compressors, first and second heat exchangers, a flash tank, and first, second and third fluid paths. The first compressor may include first and second inlets. The second compressor may receive fluid from an outlet of the first compressor. The first heat exchanger may receive fluid from the second compressor. The flash tank may receive fluid from the first heat exchanger and includes a vapor outlet and a liquid outlet. The second heat exchanger may be in fluid communication with the flash tank and may receive fluid from the liquid outlet. The first fluid path extends from an outlet of the second heat exchanger to an inlet of the second compressor. The second fluid path extends from the vapor outlet to the first fluid path. The third fluid path may transmit fluid from the vapor outlet to the second inlet.