Heat Pump Subcooler Nesting for Compact Outdoor Unit Layout

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional heat pumps with plate type subcoolers face challenges in compact arrangement due to large volumes of components like accumulators, oil separators, and receivers, leading to increased size and space requirements.

Innovation Solution

A compact heat pump design where the receiver, accumulator, oil separator, and subcooler are packaged in the outdoor unit, with the subcooler in the refrigerant flow downstream of the receiver, the accumulator in the compressor's intake path, and the oil separator in the compressor's discharge path, arranged in a specific inclined configuration to optimize space utilization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a plate type heat exchanger with large heat exchange capacity is adopted as a subcooler, then cooling performance is improved, but the volume of the subcooler increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling performanceVSAvoidvolume of subcooler

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The subcooler is disposed inside the receiver by utilizing the internal space of the receiver. The receiver serves as a housing for both the liquid refrigerant and the subcooler, creating a nested configuration where one component (subcooler) is placed within another (receiver). This nesting approach allows the plate type heat exchanger to achieve large heat exchange capacity without increasing the overall external volume of the heat pump system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Reliability

If an accumulator with large volume is provided for separating gaseous and atomized refrigerant, then separation performance is improved, but the overall size of the heat pump increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseparation performanceVSAvoidoverall size

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The accumulator and receiver are merged into a single integrated component. The receiver is configured to accommodate both the liquid refrigerant storage function and the accumulator function for separating gaseous and atomized refrigerant. By combining these two functions into one component, the system achieves reliable refrigerant separation without increasing the overall external volume, as the merged component utilizes internal space efficiently.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If both receiver and accumulator are provided as separate components, then functional reliability is improved, but space utilization deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefunctional reliabilityVSAvoidspace utilization

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The receiver and accumulator are merged into a single integrated component where the receiver serves dual purposes: storing liquid refrigerant and accommodating the accumulator for separating gaseous and atomized refrigerant. This merging maintains the functional reliability of having both components while significantly improving space utilization by eliminating the need for separate external housings.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Productivity

If a plate type heat exchanger is disposed outside the receiver, then heat exchange efficiency is maintained, but the arrangement complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat exchange efficiencyVSAvoidarrangement complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The subcooler is nested inside the receiver, eliminating the need for separate external arrangement. This nesting configuration maintains heat exchange efficiency as the subcooler retains its plate type structure and refrigerant flow path, while simultaneously reducing arrangement complexity by integrating the subcooler within the existing receiver housing rather than requiring separate spatial coordination with other components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

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 outdoor unit 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

a subcooler provided in a liquid refrigerant path of a refrigerant flow downstream of the receiver

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat exchange: Heat Exchanger

Implementation Method 2

an accumulator for separating a gaseous refrigerant and an atomized refrigerant

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhase separation: Phase Change

Implementation Method 3

an oil separator separating a lubricating oil of a compressor from a refrigerant gas

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDensity separation: Density Gradient

Data Source

PatentUS11566797B2Heat pump

Publication Date: 2023.01.31 YANMAR POWER TECH CO LTD

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.