Integrated Refrigerant Container for Receiver-Accumulator Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat pump systems for car air-conditioners require separate components for refrigerant separation and storage, leading to increased space and component count, which is inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerant container with a tank, gas/liquid inlet port, liquid-phase outlet port, and gas-phase outlet port that separates refrigerant into liquid and gas phases, functioning as both a receiver and accumulator by guiding liquid-phase refrigerant to the expansion valve and gas-phase refrigerant to the compressor, with a gas-liquid separator, segmented outlet pipe, and on-off valve for efficient operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate receiver and accumulator components are used for refrigerant separation and storage, then reliable refrigerant phase separation is achieved, but the number of components and space occupied increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the receiver and accumulator into a single integrated refrigerant container. The container includes a liquid-phase outlet port connected to the expansion valve and a gas-phase outlet port connected to the compressor suction side, allowing both receiver and accumulator functions to be performed by one component rather than requiring separate units.
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigerant container is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it serves as both a receiver for liquid-phase refrigerant storage and an accumulator for gas-phase refrigerant storage. The single container structure with differentiated outlet ports enables it to fulfill the roles of both separate components in the refrigeration cycle.
2Reliability
If separate receiver and accumulator components are used, then distinct liquid and gas refrigerant pathways are established, but the space occupied by the system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the spatial occupation of separate receiver and accumulator into a single container volume. By integrating both functions into one component, the overall system footprint is reduced while maintaining distinct internal pathways for liquid and gas refrigerant flow through the separate outlet ports.
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 design reduces the number of components and space occupied, simplifies system piping, and allows for cost and size reduction by integrating receiver and accumulator functions within a single container.
Implementation Method 1
a gas-liquid separator disposed below the cap member in the tank, the gas-liquid separator having the shape of a conical hat or an inverted wide bowl
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a refrigerant container having a rational structure with a small number of components, the container having both the functions of a receiver and an accumulator. Specifically, the refrigerant container includes a tank 10 capable of temporarily storing a refrigerant; and a gas/liquid inlet port 15, a liquid-phase outlet port 16, and a gas-phase outlet port 17 that are provided in an upper portion of the tank 10. The refrigerant container 1 is adapted to separate a refrigerant introduced through the gas/liquid inlet port 15 into a liquid-phase refrigerant and a gas-phase refrigerant, and has the function of a receiver that guides only the liquid-phase refrigerant after the separation to the side of an expansion valve via the liquid-phase outlet port 16, and the function of an accumulator that guides the gas-phase refrigerant after the separation to the suction side of a compressor via the gas-phase outlet port 17 together with oil contained in the liquid-phase refrigerant.