HFO Heat Cycle System with Acid Detection in Discharge Pipe

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Solution Overview

Problem

Hydrofluoroolefin (HFO)-based heat cycle systems face instability and decomposition issues due to the generation of acidic products like hydrogen fluoride, which can affect the reliability of the system, necessitating a method to detect decomposition effectively.

Innovation Solution

A heat cycle system incorporating a compressor, high-pressure and low-pressure heat exchangers, and an acid detector with a sight glass in the discharge pipe to monitor for acid generation, ensuring pressure resistance and acid detection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If HFO-based working medium is used to reduce global warming potential, then environmental performance is improved, but system stability and reliability deteriorate due to decomposition

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveglobal warming potentialVSAvoidsystem reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The acid detector is installed in the discharge pipe to perform preliminary detection of acid generation before it causes significant damage to the system. This allows early warning and preventive maintenance, addressing the reliability issue while maintaining the environmental benefits of HFO usage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Difficulty of detecting and measuring

If acid detector with sight glass is installed in discharge pipe, then decomposition detection capability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedecomposition detection capabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Difficulty of detecting and measuringVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sight glass replaces complex chemical analysis equipment with a simple visual observation system. The transparent window allows direct viewing of the working medium's condition, enabling acid detection through visual inspection of condensation or residue without requiring sophisticated analytical instruments

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The sight glass creates a visual copy or representation of the internal pipe condition by making the working medium visible through the transparent window. This allows operators to observe decomposition indicators without directly accessing or interfering with the high-pressure working medium

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUS11548267B2Heat cycle system

Publication Date: 2023.01.10 AGC INC

AI summary

A heat cycle system is a heat cycle system (1) using a working medium containing hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) that has a double bond in a molecule structure, the heat cycle system (1) having a compressor (10), a high-pressure side heat exchanger (12), a low-pressure side heat exchanger (14), an expansion mechanism (13), and an acid detection means (40) which is disposed in a discharge pipe (21) connecting the compressor (10) and the high-pressure side heat exchanger (12) and which detects acid generated by decomposition of the working medium in a heat cycle.