Ejector Refrigeration Layout With Short Liquid Line to Protect Cooling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Ejector-type refrigeration cycles face a reduction in refrigeration performance due to the liquid-phase refrigerant absorbing heat from external environments, especially when the gas-liquid separation device is integrated and the inlet pipe is longer, leading to increased enthalpy and reduced temperature differences in the evaporator.

Innovation Solution

The configuration includes a shorter inlet pipe and positioning the ejector module closer to the evaporator than the compressor, with a gas-liquid separation portion to minimize heat absorption by the liquid-phase refrigerant, ensuring effective refrigeration performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the gas-liquid separation device is integrated with the ejector module, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but the liquid-phase refrigerant absorbs more heat from the external environment, causing refrigeration performance to decrease

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidrefrigeration performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the refrigerant flow path into separate inlet pipe and suction pipe, with the inlet pipe specifically designed to be shorter and thermally isolated to prevent heat absorption by liquid-phase refrigerant, while the suction pipe handles gas-phase refrigerant. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by maintaining the integrated ejector module design while protecting refrigeration performance through dedicated pipe routing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different design qualities to different parts of the system: the inlet pipe is designed with shorter length and thermal insulation properties to minimize heat absorption, while the suction pipe is designed for efficient gas-phase refrigerant transport. This local differentiation allows the integrated ejector module to maintain both ease of manufacture and refrigeration performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Length of stationary object

If the inlet pipe is longer, then the liquid-phase refrigerant has more time to absorb heat from the external environment, but this increases the enthalpy of the refrigerant and reduces the temperature difference in the evaporator, thereby reducing refrigeration performance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinlet pipe lengthVSAvoidrefrigeration performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Length of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary action by designing the inlet pipe to be inherently short and thermally isolated before the refrigerant enters it, preventing heat absorption at the source. This proactive design approach ensures that the liquid-phase refrigerant maintains low enthalpy throughout its journey to the evaporator, preserving refrigeration performance without requiring active cooling measures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 suppresses the reduction in refrigeration performance by maintaining lower enthalpy and temperature differences, enhancing the overall cooling efficiency of the evaporator.

Implementation Method 1

a nozzle portion (31a) that reduces a pressure of a refrigerant which has flowed out of the radiator (12)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure reduction through high-speed ejection: De Laval Nozzle

Implementation Method 2

a pressure increase portion (31e) that mixes the ejection refrigerant with a drawn refrigerant drawn from the refrigerant suction port (31b) and increases a pressure of the mixed refrigerant

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure increase through diffusion: Diffusion

Implementation Method 3

a gas-liquid separation portion (31f) that separates the refrigerant that has flowed out of the pressure increase portion (31e) into gas and liquid

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGas-liquid separation by density difference: Density Gradient

Implementation Method 4

The evaporator (14) evaporates the liquid-phase refrigerant separated by the gas-liquid separation portion

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEvaporation through heat absorption: Evaporation

Data Source

PatentUS10179500B2Ejector-type refrigeration cycle

Publication Date: 2019.01.15 DENSO CORP

AI summary

An ejector-type refrigeration cycle includes an ejector module integrated with a gas-liquid separation device. A length of an inlet pipe that connects a liquid-phase refrigerant outflow port of an ejector module to a refrigerant inflow port of an evaporator is shorter than a length of a suction pipe that connects a gas-phase refrigerant outflow port of the ejector module to a suction port of the compressor.