Partitioned Heat Exchange Device to Reduce Compressor Slugging Risk
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current heat exchange systems in outdoor cabinets or equipment rooms face challenges with high energy consumption and inefficiency, particularly due to the independent operation of compression refrigeration cycle and gravity heat pipe systems, which result in large, heavy, and costly components, as well as a slugging risk for compressors.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchange device with a partitioned housing that separates internal and external circulation cavities, where the compressor is housed in the internal cavity to reduce the slugging risk and includes a valve system to control the flow of heat exchange working medium between the evaporator, compressor, and condenser, allowing for efficient heat exchange modes that optimize temperature control and reduce energy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the compressor is disposed in the outdoor environment (external circulation cavity), then the heat exchange device can operate in high ambient temperature, but the compressor has a slugging risk
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into two independent circulation cavities (internal and external) that are thermally isolated from each other. The compressor is placed in the internal circulation cavity which is communicated with the indoor environment, while the condenser is placed in the external circulation cavity communicated with the outdoor environment. This segmentation allows the compressor to operate in a thermally stable indoor environment even when the outdoor temperature is high, eliminating the slugging risk while maintaining high ambient temperature operation capability.
2Temperature
If a compression refrigeration cycle system and a gravity heat pipe cycle system are used independently, then the system can meet high ambient temperature requirements, but the system is large in size, heavy in weight, and high in cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the compression refrigeration cycle system and the gravity heat pipe cycle system into a single integrated heat exchange device. Both systems share common components including the housing, partition plate, evaporator, compressor, condenser, and working medium. The internal circulation cavity handles the compression refrigeration cycle for indoor temperature control, while the external circulation cavity handles the gravity heat pipe cycle for outdoor heat dissipation. This merging reduces the overall size and weight compared to having two completely independent systems, while still meeting high ambient temperature requirements.
3Adaptability or versatility
If two groups of evaporators and two groups of condensers are used in independent compression refrigeration cycle and gravity heat pipe cycle systems, then the system can work in both heat exchange modes, but the components are large in size, heavy in weight, and high in cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements multi-functionality by having the evaporator and compressor serve both the compression refrigeration cycle and the gravity heat pipe cycle. The evaporator is positioned to facilitate heat exchange in both modes, and the compressor can operate in both compression refrigeration mode and gravity heat pipe mode. The condenser similarly serves dual purposes in both circulation cavities. This universality allows the system to switch between heat exchange modes as needed while using a single set of components rather than two separate sets, thereby reducing size, weight, and cost.
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 solution reduces the slugging risk of compressors, improves refrigeration precision, and enhances heat exchange efficiency, resulting in a more compact, cost-effective, and energy-efficient system capable of meeting various heat exchange requirements.
Implementation Method 1
The evaporator is configured to cool down hot air flowing to a surface of the evaporator, and the hot air on the surface of the evaporator heats up a heat exchange working medium inside the evaporator
Implementation Method 2
the heat exchange working medium inside the evaporator absorbs heat and becomes a gaseous heat exchange working medium
Implementation Method 3
The compressor compresses the gaseous heat exchange working medium to allow the gaseous heat exchange working medium to become a high-temperature and high-pressure heat exchange working medium
Implementation Method 4
A first valve group is disposed between an inlet of the compressor and an outlet of the evaporator. When the first heat exchange mode is used for heat exchange, the outlet of the evaporator is communicated with the inlet of the compressor by using the first valve group
Data Source
AI summary
This application provides a heat exchange device and a heat exchange system. The heat exchange device has a first heat exchange mode, and includes a housing, a partition plate, an evaporator, and a compressor. The partition plate divides space inside the housing into an internal circulation cavity and an external circulation cavity. The evaporator and the compressor are located in the internal circulation cavity. A first valve group is disposed between an inlet of the compressor and an outlet of the evaporator. When the first heat exchange mode is used for heat exchange, the evaporator is communicated with the compressor by using the first valve group. In this application, the compressor is disposed in the internal circulation cavity, so that a temperature difference between the compressor and the evaporator is small, thereby reducing a slugging risk of the compressor.