Heat Source Unit Refrigerant Loading via Low-Pressure Suction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The conventional heat source unit for air conditioners requires a lengthy refrigerant loading process due to the low pressure increase in the refrigerant regulator, extending the trial run time and making the process rate-determining.
Innovation Solution
The heat source unit includes a compressor, a refrigerant regulator, an introducing pipe connected to the discharge-side pipe of the compressor, and a lead-out pipe connected to the intake-side pipe, allowing the refrigerant to be loaded into the refrigerant circuit under low pressure, with a control unit managing the flow rate to prevent liquid compression and optimize loading.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the refrigerant is loaded into the refrigerant circuit by connecting to the refrigerant regulator with an introducing pipe branched from the discharge-side pipe and a lead-out pipe connected to the liquid pipe, then the high-pressure gaseous refrigerant can pressurize the refrigerant in the refrigerant regulator, but the pressure increase is only slightly above the liquid refrigerant pressure, causing a long loading time
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of leading out the refrigerant from the refrigerant regulator to the liquid pipe under high pressure, the patent inverts the approach by leading out the refrigerant to the intake-side pipe under low pressure. This reversal of the loading path allows much faster refrigerant transfer while maintaining system reliability through the accumulator's gas-liquid separation function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an accumulator as an intermediary component between the refrigerant regulator and the compressor. The accumulator performs gas-liquid separation, ensuring that only gaseous refrigerant enters the compressor during the loading process. This mediator prevents liquid compression while enabling rapid low-pressure loading to the intake-side pipe.
2Productivity
If the refrigerant is loaded through the liquid pipe under high pressure, then the refrigerant can be pressurized by the high-pressure gaseous refrigerant from the compressor, but the pressure difference is minimal and the loading process becomes rate-determining
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional high-pressure loading approach by implementing low-pressure loading to the intake-side pipe. This reversal eliminates the minimal pressure difference problem, allowing rapid refrigerant transfer from the refrigerant regulator without being rate-determining, thus significantly reducing loading time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the pressure parameter of the loading process from high pressure to low pressure. By leading out the refrigerant to the intake-side pipe where pressure is much lower than in the liquid pipe, the pressure difference between the refrigerant regulator and the destination is maximized, enabling fast loading that does not limit the overall trial run process.
3Reliability
If the refrigerant is led out to the liquid pipe, then the loading can proceed under high pressure conditions, but the process time is extended significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the accumulator as an intermediary device that provides gas-liquid separation. This ensures reliable compressor protection by preventing liquid refrigerant from entering the compressor during the loading process, while simultaneously enabling high productivity through rapid low-pressure loading to the intake-side pipe.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the loading destination from the high-pressure liquid pipe to the low-pressure intake-side pipe. This inversion maintains compressor protection reliability through the accumulator's separation function while dramatically improving loading efficiency by eliminating the pressure bottleneck that slows down the process.
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 enables rapid refrigerant loading, reducing the trial run time and preventing compressor failure from liquid compression, thus enhancing the efficiency and reliability of the refrigerant loading process.
Implementation Method 1
a compressor (100)
Implementation Method 2
the refrigerant located in the refrigerant regulator is loaded into the refrigerant circuit by connecting to the refrigerant regulator an introducing pipe that is branched off from a discharge-side pipe of the compressor
Implementation Method 3
a heat-source-side heat exchanger (200)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A time for loading a refrigerant is shortened when a utilization unit of an air conditioner is installed. A heat source unit 1 includes a compressor 100; a heat-source-side heat exchanger 200; a refrigerant regulator 61 storing a refrigerant; an introducing pipe 62 which is a pipe that is branched off from a discharge-side pipe 110 of the compressor 100 and connected to the refrigerant regulator 67., and introduces the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 100 into the refrigerant regulator 61; and a lead-out pipe 63 which is a pipe that is connected from the refrigerant regulator 61 to an intake-side pipe 120 of the compressor 100, and leads out the refrigerant stored in the refrigerant regulator 61 into the intake-side pipe 120.