Refrigerating machine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerating machines using chlorofluorocarbons as refrigerants pose environmental concerns due to global warming potential and require complex configurations with oil separators for lubricant management, leading to challenging waste disposal issues.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerating machine that uses water as both the refrigerant and lubricant, eliminating the need for oil separators and simplifying the configuration by integrating water as a lubricant in the compressor's bearings, which are supported by a coolant cycle, allowing for easy disposal and reduced environmental impact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If chlorofluorocarbon is used as refrigerant gas, then refrigeration performance is achieved, but environmental harm (global warming) is caused
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameter of the refrigerant from chlorofluorocarbon to water, eliminating the harmful environmental effects while maintaining the refrigeration function through phase change properties of water
2Reliability
If oil separator is added to separate refrigerant gas from lubricating oil, then lubrication management is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the oil separator component from the system by using water as lubricant instead of oil, since water and refrigerant gas do not require separation like oil and refrigerant do
Solution Approach 2:
Water serves multiple functions simultaneously: as refrigerant, as lubricant for bearings, and as a substance that does not require separation from the refrigerant gas, simplifying the overall system
3Reliability
If lubricating oil is used for bearing lubrication, then bearing performance is maintained, but waste oil treatment becomes troublesome
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the lubricant material from oil to water, fundamentally altering the disposal characteristics from requiring complex waste oil treatment to simple water disposal
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 use of water as a refrigerant and lubricant simplifies the machine's configuration, reduces environmental harm, and eliminates the need for complex oil separation, enabling easy and environmentally friendly disposal of the lubricant.
Implementation Method 1
a lubricant supplier for supplying water serving as a lubricant to the bearing
Implementation Method 2
a rotary member which has a rotating shaft and is rotated by a driving force of the motor so as to compress water vapor serving as the refrigerant gas in the compression chamber
Data Source
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AI summary
A compressor and a refrigerating machine which enable an easy disposal of a lubricant, are friendly to the natural environment, and have simple configurations, are provided. The compressor which is used in a refrigerating machine including an evaporator and a condenser and adapted for compressing refrigerant gas evaporated in the evaporator to convey the compressed refrigerant gas to the condenser, includes: a motor; a housing having a compression chamber inside; a rotary member which has a rotating shaft and is rotated by a driving force of the motor so as to compress water vapor serving as the refrigerant gas in the compression chamber; a bearing for supporting the rotating shaft of the rotary member in the housing; and a lubricant supplier for supplying water serving as a lubricant to the bearing.