Mixed-Refrigerant Separation Layout for Lower-Temperature Liquid Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigeration apparatuses struggle to maximize the refrigeration capacity of lower-boiling-point refrigerants when cooling to extremely low temperatures, leading to suboptimal cooling performance due to incomplete separation of mixed refrigerants into gas and liquid phases.
Innovation Solution
A refrigeration apparatus with a compressor, multiple condensers, and gas-liquid separators that progressively separate a mixed refrigerant into distinct gas and liquid phases, allowing the lower-boiling-point refrigerant to be concentrated and expanded for enhanced cooling, while using branch channels and expansion valves to regulate flow and condensation temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a dual refrigeration apparatus with separate high-temperature-side and low-temperature-side refrigerant circuits is used to achieve extremely low temperatures, then the cooling performance is improved, but the device size and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the high-temperature-side and low-temperature-side refrigerant circuits into a single integrated refrigeration system. The compressor, condenser, and expansion valve are shared between both refrigeration cycles, while only the evaporators are separate. This consolidation reduces the overall number of components, thereby decreasing system weight and size while maintaining the capability to achieve extremely low temperatures through the cascaded evaporator configuration.
2Device complexity
If a single compressor with mixed refrigerant is used to reduce system size, then the device complexity is reduced, but the refrigeration capacity of the lower-boiling-point refrigerant is not maximized due to incomplete gas-liquid separation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the condensation and separation process into multiple stages. After the mixed refrigerant is condensed in the condenser, it undergoes sequential gas-liquid separations in multiple separators arranged in series. This multi-stage segmentation allows for more complete separation of the lower-boiling-point refrigerant into the gas phase, maximizing its refrigeration capacity in the evaporator while maintaining a relatively simple single-compressor system structure.
3Ease of operation
If the mixed refrigerant is incompletely separated into gas and liquid phases, then the system operation is simplified, but the cooling performance deteriorates due to suboptimal utilization of lower-boiling-point refrigerant
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces multiple gas-liquid separators as intermediary devices between the condenser and the evaporator. These separators act as mediators that progressively refine the gas-liquid separation of the mixed refrigerant. The first separator performs the primary separation, and subsequent separators continue the separation process, ensuring that the lower-boiling-point refrigerant is maximally concentrated in the gas phase before entering the evaporator, thereby achieving optimal cooling performance without overcomplicating the overall system operation.
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 cooling of liquids to temperatures lower than conventional systems by maximizing the refrigeration capacity of the lower-boiling-point refrigerant, achieving nearly ideal cooling performance.
Implementation Method 1
a compressor (20) that compresses a mixed refrigerant in a gas phase
Implementation Method 2
a first condenser (21) that cools the mixed refrigerant which has been compressed by the compressor (20) so as to condense a part of the mixed refrigerant into a liquid phase
Implementation Method 3
a first gas-liquid separator (22) that separates the mixed refrigerant in a gas-liquid mixed phase which has passed through the first condenser (21), into a first fluid portion in a gas phase and a second fluid portion in a liquid phase
Implementation Method 4
a second condenser (23) for condensing a part of the first fluid portion which has been separated by the first gas-liquid separator (22)
Implementation Method 5
a second gas-liquid separator (24) that separates the first fluid portion in a gas-liquid mixed phase which has passed through the second condenser (23), into a third fluid portion in a gas phase and a fourth fluid portion in a liquid phase
Implementation Method 6
a third condenser (25) for condensing the third fluid portion which has been separated by the second gas-liquid separator (24)
Implementation Method 7
a first expansion valve (26) that expands the third fluid portion which has been condensed by the third condenser (25)
Implementation Method 8
an evaporator (27) for evaporating the third fluid portion which has been expanded by the first expansion valve (26)
Data Source
AI summary
A part of a gas-phase mixed refrigerant compressed by a compressor (20) is condensed by a first condenser (21). Then, the mixed refrigerant is separated by a first gas-liquid separator (22) into a gas-phase first fluid portion (I) and a liquid-phase second fluid portion (II) which has been condensed into a liquid phase. A part of the gas-phase first fluid portion (I) is further condensed by a second condenser (23). Then, the first fluid portion is further separated by a second gas-liquid separator (24) into a gas-phase third fluid portion (III) and a liquid-phase fourth fluid portion (IV) which has been condensed into a liquid phase. Thereafter, the gas-phase third fluid portion (III) is condensed and then expanded.