Heat Pump Subcooler and Accumulator Layout for Compact Outdoor Unit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat pumps with plate type subcoolers face challenges in compact arrangement due to large volumes of components like accumulators, receivers, and oil separators, leading to increased size and inefficient space utilization.
Innovation Solution
The heat pump is designed with a compact outdoor unit that houses a receiver, accumulator, oil separator, and subcooler in a package, where the subcooler is placed in the refrigerant flow downstream of the receiver, the accumulator is in the compressor's intake path, and the oil separator is in the compressor's discharge path, with strategic inclined arrangements to optimize space usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a plate type heat exchanger with large volume is adopted as the subcooler to increase cooling performance, then the heat exchange capacity and cooling efficiency are improved, but the heat pump size increases due to insufficient space utilization
Solution Approach 1:
The subcooler is disposed inside the receiver by utilizing the receiver's internal space. The receiver serves as the outer housing while the subcooler is nested within it, creating a compact arrangement where one component is placed inside another to reduce overall system volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a conventional horizontal or external arrangement of components to a vertical three-dimensional arrangement. By disposing the subcooler inside the receiver and arranging components vertically, the design充分利用s the vertical space dimension to achieve compactness while maintaining large heat exchange capacity.
2Ease of operation
If a receiver with large volume is disposed outside the accumulator and plate type heat exchanger to accommodate the subcooler, then the subcooler can be properly arranged, but the heat pump size further increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the receiver and subcooler into a single integrated structure where the subcooler is disposed inside the receiver. This combination eliminates the need for separate external arrangement of these components, reducing the overall number of discrete components and optimizing space utilization within the heat pump housing.
3Reliability
If an oil separator with large volume is provided to separate lubricating oil from refrigerant gas, then the separation function is improved, but the space for disposing the oil separator increases the overall heat pump size
Solution Approach 1:
The oil separator is disposed inside the receiver, nesting this component within the existing receiver structure. This arrangement allows the oil separator to utilize the internal space of the receiver rather than requiring separate external space, thereby maintaining effective oil separation function while minimizing the overall heat pump volume.
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 allows for a compact heat pump design by efficiently arranging large volume components, utilizing space effectively and maintaining high cooling performance with a plate type heat exchanger as the subcooler.
Implementation Method 1
the subcooler provided in a liquid refrigerant path of a refrigerant flow downstream of the receiver
Implementation Method 2
a plate type heat exchanger with a large heat exchange capacity and high cooling efficiency is adopted as a subcooler
Implementation Method 3
a heat pump may be provided with an accumulator for separating a gaseous refrigerant and an atomized refrigerant
Implementation Method 4
If an oil separator separating a lubricating oil of a compressor from a refrigerant gas is provided
Data Source
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AI summary
A subcooler is made up of a plate type heat exchanger. The accumulator is located between a compressor and the subcooler in a width direction of an outdoor unit in a planar view. The subcooler overlaps with the accumulator in the width direction in the planar view. As a result, a compact heat pump can be provided when the subcooler is a plate type heat exchanger.