Refrigeration system
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigeration systems with multiple heat exchangers face issues where non-operational heat exchangers accumulate liquid refrigerant, leading to a shortage during unit operation and affecting normal functioning.
Innovation Solution
The refrigeration system incorporates a switch structure and a discharge path that allows for the connection and disconnection of heat exchangers, enabling the extraction of accumulated refrigerant from non-operational heat exchangers into the operational system, thus maintaining adequate refrigerant levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple heat exchangers are used in the refrigeration system, then the system can provide multiple functions (cooling, heating, hot water), but liquid refrigerant accumulates in non-operational heat exchangers causing refrigerant shortage during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the accumulated liquid refrigerant from non-operational heat exchangers through dedicated discharge paths. Each non-operational heat exchanger is equipped with a discharge path that includes a discharge valve and discharge tube, allowing the refrigerant to be removed and redirected to operational heat exchangers, thus resolving the refrigerant shortage problem while maintaining multi-functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary components (discharge valves, discharge tubes, and control units) that mediate between non-operational heat exchangers and operational heat exchangers. These intermediaries enable the transfer of refrigerant from storage locations (non-operational heat exchangers) to active locations (operational heat exchangers) based on system demands
2Adaptability or versatility
If three or more heat exchangers are installed, then the system can switch between different operating modes, but the complexity of the system increases with multiple components and control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit serves multiple functions: it controls the main refrigerant flow distribution to different heat exchangers, monitors refrigerant levels in each heat exchanger, and automatically activates the appropriate discharge paths when refrigerant accumulation is detected. This multi-functional control approach reduces the need for separate control mechanisms for each function
Solution Approach 2:
The discharge paths are pre-configured and ready for immediate activation. The discharge valves are positioned and connected in advance within the heat exchanger assemblies, so when refrigerant accumulation is detected, the system can immediately activate the discharge function without requiring complex real-time decision-making or reconfiguration
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 solution effectively prevents refrigerant shortages by allowing the system to redistribute refrigerant from non-operational heat exchangers, ensuring continuous normal operation of the refrigeration system.
Implementation Method 1
when a pressure of the low-pressure side of said one operating system is lower than a pressure in the non-selected heat exchanger, the discharge path is connected so that refrigerant in the non-selected heat exchanger flows into the low-pressure side of said one operating system
Implementation Method 2
the first throttle valve or second throttle valve is first adjusted to lower the pressure of the low-pressure side of said one operating system, so that refrigerant in the non-selected heat exchanger is able to flow into the low-pressure side of said one operating system
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a refrigeration system, comprising refrigeration system components, a connecting pipeline, a switch structure, and discharging channels (123, 124; 623, 624). The refrigeration system components comprise three heat exchangers (101; 102; 112). The refrigeration system components can be connected via the connecting pipeline, and are combined into different working systems via the switch structure. When two heat exchangers are selected by the switch structure to form one working system and the saturation temperature corresponding to the internal pressure of the unselected heat exchanger is higher than the medium or environment temperature of the heat exchanger, a liquid refrigerant accumulates inside the non-working heat exchanger. According to the refrigeration system, the switch structure is arranged at either end of the non-working heat exchanger, so that the non-working heat exchanger is isolated from a working system cycle, and under the condition where the pressure at a low-pressure side (C; Q) of the working system is less than the internal pressure of the non-working heat exchanger, additional discharging channels (123, 124; 623, 624) communicate with the non-working heat exchanger and the low-pressure side (C; Q) of the working system, so that the refrigerant accumulating in the non-working heat exchanger is transferred to the system cycle, avoiding a lack of refrigerant in the system cycle.