CN116368338A

CN116368338A - Heat pump

Info

Publication number: CN116368338A
Application number: CN202180074211.8A
Authority: CN
Inventors: C·弗雷德
Original assignee: Viessmann Climate Solutions SE
Current assignee: Viessmann Climate Solutions SE
Priority date: 2020-10-28
Filing date: 2021-10-26
Publication date: 2023-06-30
Also published as: WO2022089687A1; US20230384019A1; EP4237763A1; DE102020128276A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a heat pump comprising a refrigerant circuit (1) for a refrigerant, a refrigerant collector (2) belonging to the refrigerant circuit (1) and through which the refrigerant flows, an expansion device (3) belonging to the refrigerant circuit (1) and through which the refrigerant flows and which is connected downstream of the refrigerant collector (2) as seen in the direction of flow of the refrigerant, an evaporator (4) belonging to the refrigerant circuit (1) and which is connected downstream of the expansion device (3) as seen in the direction of flow of the refrigerant, and a condensate pan (5) assigned to the evaporator (4) for collecting condensate accumulated at the evaporator (4), wherein the refrigerant collector (2) is configured to be connected in a thermally conductive manner to the condensate pan (5). According to the invention, the distance between the refrigerant collector (2) and the condensate pan (5) is at most 15cm in order to transfer the heat present outside the refrigerant collector (2) to the condensate pan by means of heat conduction.

Description

Heat pump

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a heat pump according to the preamble of claim 1.

Background

A heat pump of the type mentioned at the outset is known from EP 3 358277 A1. In the broadest possible sense, in this solution, the refrigerant collector arranged there is configured to be connected thermally conductively to the condensate pan arranged there by means of a tube.

A further heat pump of a similar type is known from EP 2 500 676 B1. The heat pump includes a refrigerant circulation circuit for a refrigerant, a refrigerant collector which belongs to the refrigerant circulation circuit and through which the refrigerant flows, an expansion device which belongs to the refrigerant circulation circuit and through which the refrigerant flows and which is connected downstream of the refrigerant collector as viewed in a flow direction of the refrigerant, an evaporator which belongs to the refrigerant circulation circuit and through which the refrigerant flows and which is connected downstream of the expansion device as viewed in the flow direction of the refrigerant, and a condensate pan which is provided to the evaporator and which is used for collecting condensate accumulated at the evaporator. In this solution, a heat exchanger is arranged in the condensate pan so that the condensate pan remains free from ice. The heat exchanger is flown through by the refrigerant, which is then fed to the evaporator itself.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the present invention is to improve a heat pump of the type mentioned at the outset. In particular, the efficiency of the heat pump should be improved.

This object is achieved by a heat pump of the type mentioned at the outset by the features specified in the characterizing part of claim 1.

That is, according to the present invention, in order to transfer heat existing outside the refrigerant collector to the condensate pan by heat conduction, the distance between the refrigerant collector and the condensate pan is 15cm at maximum.

In other words, the solution according to the invention is thereby characterized in that heat accumulated at the outer wall of the refrigerant collector is transferred to the condensate pan, in particular by heat conduction. In the prior art described above, however, the heat transfer is effected in a broad sense, in particular optionally only to a very small extent, predictably by means of the described lines (EP 3 358277 Al) or by means of convection (EP 2 500 676 Bl), that is to say by means of the new hot refrigerant being continuously conveyed to the condensate pan via the lines and the described heat exchanger, i.e. the heat is additionally transferred to the condensate pan by means of the refrigerant. In the solution according to the invention, however, as already described, the heat which is originally present outside the refrigerant collector is transferred to the condensate pan, in particular by thermal conduction (and possibly also by thermal radiation), which correspondingly increases the efficiency of the heat pump. Conditions are as follows: the fact that the refrigerant collector is configured to be connected thermally to the condensate pan includes the possibility that it is arranged directly on the condensate pan, i.e. in direct contact with the condensate pan, on the one hand, but that a thermal conductor is arranged between the refrigerant collector and the condensate pan, which thermal conductor conducts heat from the refrigerant collector to the condensate pan, on the other hand.

Further advantageous further developments of the heat pump according to the invention result from the dependent claims.

Drawings

The heat pump according to the invention and advantageous further developments thereof according to the dependent claims are explained in detail below with the aid of the figures of two embodiments.

In the accompanying drawings:

fig. 1 schematically shows a first embodiment of a heat pump according to the invention, wherein the refrigerant collector and the condensate pan are configured to be directly connected to each other; and

fig. 2 schematically shows a second embodiment of the heat pump according to the invention, wherein the refrigerant collector and the condensate pan are configured to be connected to each other by means of a heat conducting element.

Detailed Description

The invention shown in fig. 1 and 2 relates to a heat pump. The heat pump includes a refrigerant circulation circuit 1 for refrigerant, a refrigerant collector 2 which belongs to the refrigerant circulation circuit 1 and through which the refrigerant flows, an expansion device 3 which belongs to the refrigerant circulation circuit 1 and through which the refrigerant flows and which is connected downstream of the refrigerant collector 2 as viewed in a flow direction of the refrigerant, an evaporator 4 which belongs to the refrigerant circulation circuit 1 and through which the refrigerant flows and which is connected downstream of the expansion device 3 as viewed in the flow direction of the refrigerant, and a condensate pan 5 which is provided to the evaporator 4 and which is used for collecting condensate accumulated at the evaporator 4.

Furthermore, a refrigerant collector 2 is provided, which is designed to be thermally conductively connected to the condensate pan 5. It is particularly preferred to provide that the refrigerant collector 2 is configured to be connected "without convection" to the condensate pan 5. It is also preferred here that the heat-conducting element 6 is embodied in a contactless manner with the refrigerant. This means that, for example, in particular the lines leading the refrigerant do not serve as heat-conducting elements 6, but rather separate heat-conducting elements 6 are provided for heat conduction.

As can be seen, the solution according to the invention makes it possible to dispense with an electrical heating device, which may be provided on the condensate pan, for the purpose of keeping it free of ice, thereby ultimately increasing the efficiency of the heat pump.

It is now important for the heat pump according to the invention that the distance between the refrigerant collector 2 and the condensate pan 5 is maximally 15cm, preferably less than 10cm, particularly preferably less than 5cm, or even (only) 0cm. The last case is shown in fig. 1, that is to say, in this solution, a refrigerant collector 2 is provided which is configured to be in contact with the condensate pan 5. It is alternatively preferred that a heat conducting element 6, preferably (because of good heat conduction) metal, is arranged between the refrigerant collector 2 and the condensate pan 5, see fig. 2. The condition according to the invention regarding "maximum 15cm" is based on the practical consideration that heat transfer important for the purpose set can no longer be achieved by a significantly larger distance (as for example in EP 3 358277al described at the outset).

Furthermore, the refrigerant collector 2 is preferably arranged below the condensate pan 5 during satisfactory operation of the heat pump. It is also preferred that the condensate pan 5 has a discharge trough and/or that the refrigerant collector 2 is configured to be at least thermally conductively connected to the discharge trough.

Furthermore, the refrigerant collector 2 is preferably configured as a high-pressure collector. The refrigerant circuit 1 here preferably has a high-pressure side 1.1 with a condenser 8 and a low-pressure side 1.2 with an evaporator 4. It is furthermore preferred that the refrigerant collector 2 is arranged on the high-pressure side 1.1 of the refrigerant circuit 1. This causes the refrigerant in the refrigerant collector 2 and thus the refrigerant collector 2 itself to have a relatively high temperature. Whereby a large amount of heat energy can be transferred to the condensate pan 5 to defrost said condensate pan.

It is also preferable that the refrigerant cycle circuit 1 has a compressor 7 through which the refrigerant flows and which is connected downstream of the evaporator 4 as viewed in the flow direction of the refrigerant. Finally, the refrigerant circuit 1 preferably has a condenser 8 through which the refrigerant flows and which is connected downstream of the compressor 7, as viewed in the direction of flow of the refrigerant.

The heat pump according to the embodiment from fig. 1 according to the invention works as follows (fig. 2 is correspondingly similar):

in normal operation of the heat pump, condensate is formed at the relatively cold evaporator 4, from which it drops downwards and is collected by the condensate pan 5. Since the condensate itself is cold, it may happen that the condensate pan 5 freezes and the condensate can no longer be discharged from the condensate pan 5 via the discharge opening as specified. In the heat pump according to the embodiment according to the invention from fig. 1, the refrigerant collector 2 is now arranged directly below the condensate pan 5. A hot refrigerant is in the refrigerant collector 2, which heats the refrigerant collector 2. Since the refrigerant collector 2 is in direct contact with the condensate pan 5 (or is connected to the condensate pan by means of the heat conducting element 6 according to fig. 2), the refrigerant collector transfers a part of its thermal energy to the condensate pan, whereby ice located in the condensate pan is ablated or thawed or cannot be produced at all during operation of the heat pump. That is, the heat pump according to the invention prevents the condensate pan 5 from freezing in a simple and efficient manner, which in turn improves the efficiency of the heat pump itself.

List of reference numerals

1 refrigeration cycle

1.1 High pressure side

1.2 Low pressure side

2. Refrigerant collector

3. Expansion device

4. Evaporator

5. Condensate disc

6. Heat conducting element

7. Compressor with a compressor body having a rotor with a rotor shaft

8. And a condenser.

Claims

1. A heat pump comprising a refrigerant circuit (1) for a refrigerant, a refrigerant collector (2) belonging to the refrigerant circuit (1) and through which the refrigerant flows, an expansion device (3) belonging to the refrigerant circuit (1) and through which the refrigerant flows and which is connected downstream of the refrigerant collector (2) as seen in the direction of flow of the refrigerant, an evaporator (4) belonging to the refrigerant circuit (1) and through which the refrigerant flows and which is connected downstream of the expansion device (3) as seen in the direction of flow of the refrigerant, and a condensate pan (5) assigned to the evaporator (4) for collecting condensate accumulated at the evaporator (4), wherein the refrigerant collector (2) is configured to be thermally conductively connected to the condensate pan (5), characterized in that the spacing between the refrigerant collector (2) and the condensate pan (5) is maximally 15cm for transferring heat present outside the refrigerant collector (2) to the condensate pan by means of thermal conduction.

2. Heat pump according to claim 1, characterized in that the distance between the refrigerant collector (2) and the condensate pan (5) is less than 10cm, particularly preferably less than 5cm, or 0cm.

3. The heat pump according to the first alternative of claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that a heat conducting element (6) is arranged between the refrigerant collector (2) and the condensate pan (5).

4. A heat pump according to claim 3, characterized in that the heat conducting element (6) is configured in a contactless manner with the refrigerant.

5. Heat pump according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the refrigerant collector (2) is arranged below the condensate pan (5) in a prescribed operation of the heat pump.

6. Heat pump according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the condensate pan (5) has a discharge trough, characterized in that the refrigerant collector (2) is configured to be thermally conductively connected at least to the discharge trough.

7. Heat pump according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the refrigerant collector (2) is configured as a high-pressure collector.

8. Heat pump according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the refrigerant circuit (1) has a high pressure side (1.1) and a low pressure side (1.2), characterized in that the refrigerant collector (2) is arranged at the high pressure side (1.1) of the refrigerant circuit (1).

9. Heat pump according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the refrigerant circuit (1) has a compressor (7) which is flowed through by the refrigerant and which is connected downstream of the evaporator (4) as seen in the flow direction of the refrigerant.

10. Heat pump according to claim 9, characterized in that the refrigerant circuit (1) has a condenser (8) through which refrigerant flows and which is connected downstream of the compressor (7) as seen in the direction of flow of the refrigerant.