Refrigeration cycle apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
The refrigeration cycle apparatus experiences a decrease in heating and cooling capacity due to refrigerant being bypassed from the high-pressure side, reducing the flow rate in heat exchangers.
Innovation Solution
A refrigeration cycle apparatus with a bypass pipe extending from the liquid pipe between the first and second expansion devices to the compressor's suction side, incorporating a third expansion device and refrigerant cooler to ensure refrigerant flows directly to heat exchangers without bypassing, maintaining capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If refrigerant is bypassed from the high-pressure side to cool the controller, then the controller cooling function is improved, but the heating and cooling capacity of the refrigeration cycle apparatus is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
A refrigerant cooler is introduced as an intermediary component in the bypass pipe. The refrigerant cooler includes a heat exchange mechanism that allows the bypassed refrigerant to cool the controller without directly mixing with the main refrigerant flow to the heat exchangers. This mediator enables independent controller cooling while preserving main refrigerant flow capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigerant circuit is segmented into a main flow path (through heat exchangers) and a bypass path (through the refrigerant cooler to the controller). The bypass pipe is positioned downstream of the heat-source-side heat exchanger and upstream of the load-side heat exchanger, creating distinct flow segments that can operate independently. This segmentation allows the controller cooling function to be decoupled from the main heating/cooling capacity path.
2Ease of operation
If refrigerant is bypassed from the high-pressure side, then the controller can be cooled, but the flow rate of refrigerant in the heat exchangers is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The refrigerant cooler acts as an intermediary that receives bypassed refrigerant and transfers its cooling capacity to the controller through a separate heat exchange process. The refrigerant in the cooler does not mix with or reduce the flow in the main heat exchanger circuits, maintaining independent flow paths and quantities.
Solution Approach 2:
The bypass pipe is positioned in a different spatial and functional dimension within the refrigerant circuit - specifically downstream of the heat-source-side heat exchanger and upstream of the load-side heat exchanger. This dimensional placement allows the bypass flow to be added to or subtracted from the main circuit without affecting the core heat exchange processes in the primary heat exchangers.
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 configuration prevents capacity loss by ensuring all refrigerant from the compressor flows to heat exchangers, enhancing heating and cooling performance and simplifying the refrigerant circuit.
Implementation Method 1
a third expansion device provided at the bypass pipe, and configured to decompress the refrigerant that flows through the bypass pipe
Implementation Method 2
a refrigerant cooler provided at the bypass pipe and downstream of the third expansion device, and configured to cause heat exchange to be performed between the refrigerant decompressed by the third expansion device and heat generated from the controller
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigeration cycle apparatus includes: a refrigerant circuit in which a compressor, a heat-source-side heat exchanger, a first expansion device, a second expansion device, and a load-side heat exchanger are sequentially connected by refrigerant pipes and in which refrigerant is circulated; a controller that controls the refrigerant circuit; a bypass pipe extending from a liquid pipe between the first expansion device and the second expansion device toward a suction side of the compressor; a third expansion device provided at the bypass pipe to decompress the refrigerant that flows through the bypass pipe; and a refrigerant cooler provided at the bypass pipe and downstream of the third expansion device to cause heat exchange to be performed between the refrigerant decompressed by the third expansion device and heat generated from the controller.