Linear compressor and refrigerator including same

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing linear compressors face efficiency issues due to reduced refrigerant pressure, leading to decreased cooling power and refrigerant flow back, especially when piston speed increases, causing the suction valve to open at the wrong time and reducing the amount of refrigerant accommodated in the compression chamber.

Innovation Solution

A linear compressor with a muffler design featuring multiple flow tubes and through-holes of varying sizes, which increases refrigerant pressure by widening the flow cross-sectional area, ensuring a higher amount of refrigerant is compressed and maintaining pressure even at increased piston speeds, thus improving efficiency and responsiveness of the suction valve.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If the piston speed is increased to increase cooling power, then the cooling power is improved, but the refrigerant pressure decreases causing the suction valve to open at the wrong time and refrigerant to flow backward

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling powerVSAvoidrefrigerant pressure

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The muffler is divided into multiple flow tubes (first flow tube, second flow tube, third flow tube) with different cross-sectional areas. This segmentation allows the refrigerant flow to be distributed across multiple paths with varying resistance, maintaining pressure while accommodating higher piston speeds and increased cooling power requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different portions of the muffler have different flow cross-sectional areas tailored to local flow requirements. The first flow tube has a larger cross-sectional area for high-volume flow, while the second and third flow tubes have smaller areas for pressure maintenance. This local quality variation ensures optimal pressure distribution throughout the system at high piston speeds.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Power

If the piston speed is increased to increase cooling power, then the cooling power is improved, but the amount of refrigerant accommodated in the compression chamber decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling powerVSAvoidamount of refrigerant

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The muffler is divided into multiple flow tubes (first flow tube, second flow tube, third flow tube) with different cross-sectional areas. This segmentation allows the refrigerant flow to be distributed across multiple paths with varying resistance, maintaining pressure while accommodating higher piston speeds and increased cooling power requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The muffler structure is designed to preliminarily regulate refrigerant flow characteristics before the refrigerant enters the compression chamber. By pre-adjusting the flow distribution through multiple tubes with different cross-sectional areas, the system ensures that the correct amount of refrigerant is prepared for compression at the optimal moment, preventing flow back even at high piston speeds.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Device complexity

If a conventional muffler design is used, then the structure is simple, but the refrigerant pressure is reduced leading to decreased efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemuffler structureVSAvoidcompressor efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The muffler is divided into multiple flow tubes (first flow tube, second flow tube, third flow tube) with different cross-sectional areas. This segmentation allows the refrigerant flow to be distributed across multiple paths with varying resistance, maintaining pressure while accommodating higher piston speeds and increased cooling power requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different portions of the muffler have different flow cross-sectional areas tailored to local flow requirements. The first flow tube has a larger cross-sectional area for high-volume flow, while the second and third flow tubes have smaller areas for pressure maintenance. This local quality variation ensures optimal pressure distribution throughout the system at high piston speeds.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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

The enhanced muffler design increases refrigerant pressure, allowing a larger amount to be accommodated in the compression chamber, boosting cooling power and efficiency while reducing the compressor's size, allowing for a more compact refrigerator design.

Implementation Method 1

a permanent magnet is driven to linearly reciprocate by a mutual electromagnetic force between the permanent magnet and the inner (or outer) stator

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic force: Lorentz Force

Implementation Method 2

increases refrigerant pressure by widening the flow cross-sectional area

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFlow expansion pressure increase: Bernoulli Effect

Data Source

PatentEP3511571B1Linear compressor and refrigerator including same

Publication Date: 2021.06.02 LG ELECTRONICS INC

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AI summary

The present disclosure relates to a linear compressor and a refrigerator including the same. A linear compressor according to the present disclosure includes a shell, a cylinder, a piston and a muffler. And the muffler includes a plurality of flow tubes extending in a flow direction of the refrigerant, and a plurality of through-holes passing through at least one of the plurality of flow tubes.