Heat medium circulation system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat medium circulation systems fail to effectively prevent refrigerant, especially flammable refrigerants, from leaking into and staying in the heat medium circuit, posing safety risks.
Innovation Solution
A heat medium circulation system with a gas-liquid separating portion that separates and discharges refrigerant from the heat medium circuit, utilizing a configuration that includes a gas-liquid separating portion positioned at the highest point of the heat medium circuit, a divider plate to guide liquid phase heat medium, and an ejecting device to discharge gas phase refrigerant outside, enhancing separation efficiency and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If refrigerant circulates in a refrigerant circuit, then cooling/heating function is achieved, but refrigerant may leak into the heat medium circuit causing safety hazards
Solution Approach 1:
A gas-liquid separating portion is introduced as an intermediary component in the heat medium circuit. This separator acts as a barrier that captures and removes refrigerant bubbles that leak from the refrigerant circuit, preventing them from circulating through the entire heat medium system. The separator includes a gas outlet that vents captured refrigerant safely, thus mediating between the potential harm of leakage and system safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The system converts the harmful effect of refrigerant leakage into a manageable situation by using the density difference between refrigerant vapor and heat medium. The refrigerant, being lighter, naturally rises to the gas-liquid separator where it is captured and discharged. This transforms the harmful leakage into a controllable separation process that enhances overall system safety.
2Reliability
If a gas-liquid separating portion is added to separate refrigerant from heat medium, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gas-liquid separating portion is merged with the existing heat medium circuit components rather than being a completely separate system. The separator integrates with the heat medium flow path, using the natural flow of heat medium to drive the separation process. This merging approach adds safety functionality while minimizing the increase in overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The gas-liquid separator operates autonomously using the natural density difference between refrigerant vapor and liquid heat medium. The refrigerant bubbles naturally rise to the separation chamber and are discharged through the gas outlet without requiring external power or control systems. This self-service operation adds safety functionality while avoiding the complexity of powered separation systems.
3Productivity
If the gas-liquid separating portion is positioned at the highest point, then refrigerant separation efficiency is improved, but installation difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gas-liquid separator utilizes the vertical dimension by positioning itself at the highest point of the heat medium circuit. This vertical positioning exploits gravity to naturally separate refrigerant bubbles (which rise) from the liquid heat medium. By using the vertical dimension and gravity, the system achieves high separation efficiency without requiring complex mechanical separation mechanisms that would complicate installation.
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
The system effectively prevents refrigerant from staying in the heat medium circuit, particularly when flammable refrigerants like propane are used, reducing safety hazards and minimizing power consumption by optimizing pipe layout and separation performance.
Implementation Method 1
a gas-liquid separating portion provided in the heat medium circuit downstream of the use-side heat exchanger and upstream of the use-side terminal for separating refrigerant which leaks at least into the heat medium circuit from heat medium
Implementation Method 2
the position where the heat medium flows into the gas-liquid separating portion is lower than a position where the heat medium flows out from the gas-liquid separating portion
Implementation Method 3
an ejecting device connected to the gas-liquid separating portion for discharging at least refrigerant separated in the gas-liquid separating portion to outside
Implementation Method 4
a use-side heat exchanger through which liquid phase heat medium, which is cooled or heated by refrigerant, flows
Implementation Method 5
the heat medium circuit through which liquid phase heat medium, which is cooled or heated by refrigerant, circulates
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure provides a heat medium circulation system having excellent safety capable of suppressing the staying of refrigerant in a heat medium circuit even when the refrigerant leaks from a refrigerant circuit through which refrigerant circulates into the heat medium circuit through which heat medium circulates. The heat medium circulation system 20 of the present disclosure further includes, a gas-liquid separating portion 9 provided in the heat medium circuit 50 downstream of the use-side heat exchanger 3 and upstream of the use-side terminal 10 for separating the refrigerant which leaks at least into the heat medium circuit 50 from the heat medium; and an ejecting device 8 connected to the gas-liquid separating portion 9 for discharging at least the refrigerant separated in the gas-liquid separating portion 9 to outside, wherein an inflow pipe 9b through which at least the heat medium flows into the gas-liquid separating portion 9 and an outflow pipe 9c through which the heat medium flows out from the gas-liquid separating portion 9 are connected to the gas-liquid separating portion 9, a position where at least the heat medium flows into the gas-liquid separating portion 9 is located lower than a position where the heat medium flows out from the gas-liquid separating portion 9.