Flow Diverter Brazing Structure for Uniform Refrigerant Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air conditioners with flow diverters face issues with the expansion valve-side pipe tilting during brazing, leading to uneven refrigerant flow distribution and reduced heat exchange efficiency due to imbalance in flow rates.
Innovation Solution
The air conditioner incorporates a flow diverter with a first connection portion and a second connection portion, where the first connection portion has a brazing portion and a restricting portion with a smaller inner diameter to prevent pipe inclination during brazing, ensuring uniform refrigerant distribution to branched pipes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the expansion valve-side pipe is brazed to the flow diverter with sufficient space for solder, then brazing strength is ensured, but the pipe becomes inclined and refrigerant flow distribution becomes uneven
Solution Approach 1:
The connection portion's inner peripheral surface is segmented into two distinct sections: a brazing portion with a first inner diameter providing space for solder, and a restricting portion with a second inner diameter that prevents pipe inclination. This segmentation allows the same connection structure to fulfill two conflicting requirements - ensuring brazing strength while maintaining alignment precision.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the connection portion's inner peripheral surface are given different local qualities - the brazing portion has a larger diameter for solder accommodation, while the restricting portion has a smaller diameter for alignment control. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by assigning specific functional properties to specific locations within the same component.
2Ease of manufacture
If the pipe connection hole has uniform diameter, then manufacturing is simplified, but the pipe inclines during brazing causing uneven refrigerant flow
Solution Approach 1:
The connection hole is segmented along its axial direction into two portions with different diameters - the brazing portion and the restricting portion. This segmentation maintains manufacturing feasibility while ensuring proper pipe alignment and uniform refrigerant flow distribution to all heat transfer pipes.
3Ease of operation
If the expansion valve-side pipe is allowed to tilt during brazing, then brazing process is easier, but heat exchange efficiency deteriorates due to imbalanced refrigerant flow
Solution Approach 1:
The restricting portion with the smaller second inner diameter is provided in advance to prevent pipe inclination before brazing occurs. This preliminary anti-action counteracts the tendency of the pipe to tilt during the brazing process, ensuring that the pipe remains properly aligned and refrigerant flow distribution remains uniform, thereby preventing energy loss in heat exchange efficiency.
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 prevents the expansion valve-side pipe from tilting during brazing, ensuring uniform refrigerant flow into the heat exchanger, thereby maintaining heat exchange efficiency and preventing deterioration of heat transfer performance.
Implementation Method 1
forms a gap filled with solder for brazing between the inner peripheral surface and an outer peripheral surface of the expansion valve-side pipe
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention is characterized in that: a flow diverter (50) provided in an air conditioner (1) has a flow diverter main body (52) having an internal space (S), and a first connection portion (54) to which a pipe (38) is connected; the first connection portion (54) has an inner peripheral surface (541) that defines a hole (540) through which the pipe (38) is inserted; the inner peripheral surface (541) has, in the direction of a central axis (C), a brazing portion (542) which is provided at a location containing an end on the side where the pipe (38) is inserted, and forms a gap (α) filled with solder (39) for brazing between the inner peripheral surface and an outer peripheral surface of the pipe (38), and a restricting portion (543) located closer to the flow diverter main body (52) than to the brazing portion (542); and the inner diameter (B2) of the restricting portion (543) is smaller than the inner diameter (B1) of the brazing portion (542).