Pipeline system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigeration systems in data centers face issues with gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant causing damage to compressors, leading to surge protection, bearing protection, and shutdowns due to liquid refrigerant entering the suction port, which disrupts temperature control.
Innovation Solution
A pipeline system with a refrigeration cycle loop and a cooling branch, incorporating a heating assembly, such as a heat exchanger, to convert gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant into superheated gaseous refrigerant before it reaches the compressor suction port, preventing liquid entrainment and associated compressor issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If liquid refrigerant is used for cooling the compressor, then the cooling effect is improved, but liquid refrigerant enters the suction port causing compressor damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the thermodynamic parameter of the refrigerant by introducing a heating assembly that heats the two-phase refrigerant before it enters the suction port. This parameter change (temperature increase) converts the harmful two-phase state into a safe superheated vapor state, allowing liquid refrigerant to be used for cooling while preventing compressor damage
Solution Approach 2:
The heating assembly acts as an intermediary component between the cooling process and the compressor suction port. It mediates the conflict by processing the two-phase refrigerant through heating, transforming it into a safe state before it reaches the compressor, thus enabling both cooling and protection functions
2Productivity
If two-phase refrigerant is returned to the compressor suction port, then the cooling branch function is achieved, but surge protection and bearing protection mechanisms are triggered causing shutdown
Solution Approach 1:
The heating assembly performs preliminary action by heating the two-phase refrigerant before it enters the suction port. This advance treatment prevents the harmful effects of two-phase refrigerant entry, allowing the cooling branch to function while avoiding surge and bearing protection triggers that would cause shutdown
3Temperature
If liquid refrigerant enters the compressor, then cooling is provided, but lubrication failure and dry running occur
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the temperature parameter of the refrigerant through the heating assembly, the patent transforms liquid refrigerant into superheated vapor before compressor entry. This parameter change eliminates the harmful lubrication failure and dry running issues while preserving the cooling benefit achieved through liquid refrigerant circulation
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
Enhances the reliability of compressor operation by preventing surge protection and shutdowns, maintaining stable temperature conditions in data centers, especially under low-load conditions.
Implementation Method 1
When the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant passes through the heating assembly, it is heated and converted into a superheated gaseous refrigerant
Implementation Method 2
the heating assembly is configured as a heat exchanger. In the cooling branch, the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant exchanges heat with an exhaust gas from the compressor when passing through the heat exchanger
Implementation Method 3
The Liquid refrigerant, which is throttled, is heated by the evaporator (with heat coming from the data center) and then converts to a gaseous refrigerant
Implementation Method 4
which then evaporates into a low-temperature and low-pressure superheated gaseous refrigerant after absorbing heat in the evaporator
Implementation Method 5
In the condenser, the gaseous refrigerant releases heat and converts to the liquid refrigerant again
Data Source
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AI summary
A pipeline system, comprising a refrigeration cycle loop composed of a condenser (10), a refrigerant pump (20), a throttling element (30), an evaporator (40), and a compressor (50), and further comprising a cooling branch composed of the condenser (10), the refrigerant pump (20), the compressor (50), and a heating assembly. A high-pressure liquid refrigerant is outputted from the condenser (10), and then is divided into two paths after passing through the refrigerant pump (20), wherein one path of the high-pressure liquid refrigerant sequentially passes through the throttling element (30), the evaporator (40), and an air suction port of the compressor (50), and then returns to the condenser (10), thereby completing the refrigeration cycle loop; and the other path of the high-pressure liquid refrigerant is inputted into a flow path inside the compressor (50) to form a gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant, and the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant passes through the heating assembly to form a superheated gaseous refrigerant and the superheated gaseous refrigerant returns to the air suction port of the compressor (50), thereby completing the cooling branch. The refrigeration system can avoid damage to the compressor as a result of the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant directly returning to a compression module of the compressor (50), and operation is stable.