Refrigeration cycle apparatus
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigeration cycle apparatuses face challenges in maintaining compressor performance and ensuring sufficient installation space due to excessive liquid refrigerant supply through bypass circuits, leading to heat loss and reduced energy efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A refrigeration cycle apparatus with a bypass circuit that includes a second branching portion with a liquid outflow pipe and a gas outflow pipe, separated by gravitational direction, to separate gas-liquid refrigerant, preventing excessive liquid supply to the compressor and improving performance without increasing device size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If the flow rate of refrigerant through the bypass circuit is increased to reduce pressure loss, then pressure loss reduction is achieved, but excessive liquid refrigerant is supplied to the compressor causing heat loss and performance degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the refrigerant flow into separate liquid and gas pathways using the second branching portion with liquid outflow pipe and gas outflow pipe. This segmentation allows liquid refrigerant to be directed away from the compressor while gas refrigerant proceeds to the compressor, thereby reducing excessive liquid supply and associated heat loss while maintaining the beneficial pressure loss reduction from increased bypass flow rate
Solution Approach 2:
The second branching portion acts as an intermediary device between the bypass circuit and the compressor. It mediates the refrigerant flow by separating liquid and gas phases, preventing direct delivery of excessive liquid refrigerant to the compressor while still allowing the bypass circuit to operate at higher flow rates for pressure loss reduction
2Stress or pressure
If the flow rate of refrigerant through the bypass circuit is increased to reduce pressure loss, then pressure loss reduction is achieved, but the performance of the compressor is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The second branching portion segments refrigerant flow into liquid and gas streams, directing liquid refrigerant through the liquid outflow pipe away from the compressor and gas refrigerant through the gas outflow pipe to the compressor. This segmentation protects compressor performance by preventing liquid slugging while maintaining the pressure loss benefits of increased bypass flow rate
Solution Approach 2:
The second branching portion serves as an intermediary that protects the compressor from excessive liquid refrigerant supply. It enables the bypass circuit to operate at higher flow rates for pressure loss reduction while mediating to prevent compressor performance degradation
3Reliability
If a refrigerant-to-refrigerant heat exchanger or refrigerant tank is made larger to prevent compressor degradation, then compressor performance is protected, but installation space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The second branching portion provides a compact segmentation solution that separates liquid and gas refrigerant flows without requiring large heat exchangers or refrigerant tanks. This achieves compressor performance protection through flow separation in a space-efficient manner
Solution Approach 2:
The second branching portion acts as a compact intermediary device that protects compressor performance without requiring large installation space. It replaces the need for oversized heat exchangers or tanks with a streamlined flow separation approach
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 apparatus enhances compressor performance and maintains installation space by separating refrigerant flow, reducing liquid supply to the compressor, thus improving energy efficiency and ensuring high performance without enlarging devices.
Implementation Method 1
a second branching portion configured to separate two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant into gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant, the second branching portion including a gas outflow pipe and a liquid outflow pipe which are arranged one above the other in a direction of gravitational force
Implementation Method 2
a condenser configured to condense the refrigerant
Implementation Method 3
liquid refrigerant condensed in the heat exchanger is reduced in pressure by an expansion device to change into two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant
Implementation Method 4
the liquid refrigerant of the two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant is evaporated to change into low-pressure gas refrigerant
Implementation Method 5
the low-pressure gas refrigerant is sent out from this heat exchanger, flows into a compressor, and is compressed by the compressor to change into high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigeration cycle apparatus includes a main circuit and a bypass circuit. The main circuit includes: a compressor; a first condenser; a first refrigerant-to-refrigerant heat exchanger; a first expansion device; a first branching portion; a first evaporator; a third branching; and a fourth branching portion. The bypass includes: a second expansion device; the first refrigerant-to-refrigerant heat exchanger; and a second branching portion. The second branching portion includes a liquid outflow pipe and a gas outflow pipe. The liquid outflow pipe defines one outlet for the refrigerant and is located below the gas outflow pipe. The gas outflow pipe defines another outlet for the refrigerant and is located above the liquid outflow pipe. The one outlet of the second branching portion communicates with the third branching portion. The other outlet of the second branching portion communicates with the fourth branching portion.