Refrigeration Apparatus Liquid Bypass Control Valve
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigeration systems face challenges in reducing refrigerant liquid back and excessive temperature increases, often requiring large accumulators that increase system size and environmental impact, while also compromising refrigeration capacity and safety.
Innovation Solution
A refrigeration apparatus with a liquid bypass circuit and control valve system that regulates refrigerant flow and compressor speed to manage evaporation pressure, reducing liquid back and refrigerant usage without an accumulator, ensuring proper cooling operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an accumulator is added to reduce liquid back, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and volume increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the accumulator from the system entirely and replaces it with a liquid bypass circuit that diverts excess liquid refrigerant around the expansion valve. This extraction of the problematic component (accumulator) while maintaining its function (liquid back reduction) resolves the contradiction between reliability and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid bypass circuit acts as an intermediary mechanism between the condenser and evaporator, providing an alternative path for liquid refrigerant to bypass the expansion valve when liquid back is detected. This intermediary solution achieves liquid back reduction without requiring an accumulator, thus improving reliability while avoiding increased device complexity.
2Temperature
If a liquid bypass circuit is added to control discharge temperature, then temperature control is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid bypass circuit serves multiple functions simultaneously: it controls discharge temperature by bypassing liquid refrigerant around the expansion valve, prevents liquid back to the compressor, and maintains refrigeration capacity. This multi-functionality allows temperature control improvement without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the opening degree of the liquid bypass control valve based on discharge temperature feedback, changing the flow parameters of refrigerant to maintain optimal temperature. This parameter-based control achieves precise temperature management while using a relatively simple bypass circuit structure.
3Productivity
If compressor rotation speed is increased to compensate for reduced refrigerant flow, then refrigeration capacity is maintained, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback control where the liquid bypass control valve opening degree is adjusted based on discharge temperature and refrigeration load conditions. This feedback mechanism optimizes the balance between refrigerant flow through the evaporator and discharge temperature control, maintaining refrigeration capacity without excessive energy consumption by avoiding unnecessary compressor speed increases.
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid bypass circuit provides dynamic control of refrigerant flow distribution, allowing the system to adapt refrigerant allocation between the bypass path and evaporator based on real-time conditions. This dynamic adjustment maintains refrigeration capacity while optimizing energy consumption by preventing situations that would require high-speed compressor operation.
4Productivity
If surplus refrigerant is filled to compensate for bypass losses, then refrigeration capacity is improved, but system volume and environmental burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid bypass circuit performs preliminary action by diverting excess liquid refrigerant before it can cause liquid back to the compressor or require additional refrigerant filling. This proactive control maintains proper refrigerant distribution and prevents the need for surplus refrigerant, achieving refrigeration capacity without increasing refrigerant quantity.
Solution Approach 2:
The bypass circuit creates an alternative flow path that copies the function of surplus refrigerant management without actually requiring additional refrigerant. By replicating the refrigerant flow control function through the bypass valve, the system maintains capacity while avoiding the environmental burden of increased refrigerant quantity.
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 effectively reduces refrigerant liquid back and excessive temperature increases, optimizing refrigeration capacity and system compactness while minimizing refrigerant usage and environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
a liquid bypass control valve provided on the liquid bypass flow path to control flow of the refrigerant in the liquid bypass flow path
Implementation Method 2
a compressor configured to compress the refrigerant
Implementation Method 3
a condenser configured to condense the refrigerant compressed by the compressor
Implementation Method 4
an expansion valve configured to expand the refrigerant liquid condensed by the condenser
Implementation Method 5
an evaporator configured to evaporate the refrigerant expanded by the expansion valve
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigeration apparatus 10 according to one embodiment opens a liquid bypass control valve 16B when a discharge temperature of the refrigerant, which has been discharged from a compressor 11 and does not yet flow into a condenser 12, exceeds a threshold value, and closes the liquid bypass control valve 16B when the discharge temperature is equal to or less than the threshold value. In addition, the refrigeration apparatus 10 regulates revolutions of the compressor 11 such that an evaporation pressure of the refrigerant, which flows through a refrigeration circuit 10A at a position downstream of an evaporator 14 and upstream of the compressor 11, the position being downstream of a downstream-end connection point of a liquid bypass flow path 16A, corresponds to a preset target evaporation pressure.