EP2812638A2 - Heat pump apparatus - Google Patents

Description

 heat pump device

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

A heat pump device of the type mentioned is known from JP 2001 153482 A. This consists inter alia of a compressor (in particular screw compressor), which is followed by a condenser (also called a condenser), in turn, a refrigerant collector (also called refrigerant tank) is connected downstream. The refrigerant collector is connected to the intermediate injection of refrigerant into the compressor with this via a refrigerant line.

Furthermore, in this heat pump device exactly as in the still to be explained inventive device the refrigerant collector nachge ^¬ a controllable expansion valve, which in turn is followed by an evaporator, in turn, the already mentioned compressor is connected downstream. The refrigerant circuit of JP 2001 153482 A therefore corresponds ei ^¬ nem very classic refrigeration cycle, but added to the refrigerant collector for intermediate injection of refrigerant in the compressor.

In the solution according to JP 2001 153482 A a Kältemit ^¬ telzuflussöffnung leading to the compressor refrigerant line opens during proper operation of the heat pump device is always below the refrigerant level in the Kältemit ^¬ telsammler, ie, liquid refrigerant is always discharged from the refrigerant collector in this solution, the Mög ^¬ friendliness opened to cool the compressor, the Heißgastempe- To reduce the temperature and thus extend the application limits of the heat pump device compared to a classic refrigerant circuit without refrigerant collector.

The invention has for its object to further improve a Wärmepumpenvor ^¬ direction of the type mentioned. In particular, the limits of use or the efficiency of such a heat pump device should be even more expanded or increased.

This object is achieved by the features listed in the characterizing part of patent claim 1.

According to the invention, it is thus provided that for adjusting the refrigerant level in the refrigerant collector between the condenser and the refrigerant collector, a controllable expansion valve is arranged and that the refrigerant line depending on the setting of the expansion valve during the loading ^¬ operation of the heat pump device above and / or below the refrigerant level ausmündende Has refrigerant inlet.

In other words, the heat ^¬ pump device according to the invention is characterized in particular by the fact that can be adjusted via the expansion valve, the refrigerant level in the refrigerant collector, wherein the refrigerant inflow opening is formed so that it depending on the setting of the expansion ^¬ onsventils either above and / or below the refrigerant ^¬ tel mirror is formed ausmündend. The proviso "and / or" means that the refrigerant line is formed with its cold ^¬ medium inflow either either so that the refrigerant inflow either opens above or below the refrigerant level, or that the refrigerant additive Flow opening is formed so that it opens both above and below the refrigerant level, which wahlwei ^¬ se may be realized by a correspondingly large refrigerant inlet or by a plurality of refrigerant inflow at the guided into the refrigerant collector refrigerant line.

In contrast to the heat pump device mentioned above, it is thus possible in the heat pump device according to the invention to supply optionally pure refrigerant vapor, liquid refrigerant or even refrigerant wet steam to the compressor. In which state of aggregation the refrigerant is injected into the compressor, can be determined via the controllable Ex ^¬ expansion valve and thus on the refrigerant level in the cold ^¬ means collector.

The injection of vaporous refrigerant improves the efficiency and performance of the heat pump device.

The injection of liquid refrigerant offers, as mentioned above, the ability to cool the compressor to lower the hot gas ^¬ temperature and thus expand the limits of use.

By injecting refrigerant wet steam, that is to say the combination of the two abovementioned possibilities, the advantages of the two injection methods, oriented on the current application situation, can be utilized in a targeted manner via the definition of the vapor liquid ratio.

Other advantageous developments of the heat pump device according to the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims. For the sake of completeness, reference is made to the following documents:

From EP 1 965 154 B1, a heat pump device is known, in which a comparatively small part of the refrigerant coming from the condenser is branched off and led to the ^decoupling voltage via a controllable expansion valve to which a heat exchanger (so-called economizer) is connected downstream to transfer heat between the small, already relaxed some of the refrigerant and the rest of kom from the condenser ^¬ Menden refrigerant. After the economizer, the expanded refrigerant can be injected to the compressor, wherein festle ^¬ gene can be over the setting of the expansion valve, which physical state (liquid, vapor or wet vapor) has the injected refrigerant. In Ver ^¬ equal to the described inventive solution in comparison to the refrigerant collector hochpreisigerer heat exchanger (economiser) is required in the solution according to EP 1965154 Bl.

Furthermore, attention is drawn to DE 33 29 661 A1, from which one of EP 1 965 154 B1 corresponding solution is known, where ^¬ is formed there as the economizer or the heat exchanger as a refrigerant collector. In both cases, however, the refrigerant coming from the condenser is divided before the heat exchanger or before the refrigerant collector into two partial streams, which are brought together again at the compressor.

In addition, reference is still made to US 2011/174014 AI and DE 102010 024986 AI. The heat pump device according to the invention including its advantageous developments according to the dependent claims will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawings Darstel ^{¬ development of} various embodiments.

It shows schematically

Figure 1 is a basic embodiment of the invention

 Heat pump device with a refrigerant collector;

 Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the refrigerant collector according to Figure 1;

 Figure 3 shows the embodiment of Figure 1 with a

 4/2-way switching valve;

Figure 4 shows an embodiment with a Sauggaswärmetau ^¬ shear in the refrigerant collector and a 4/2-Wegeum- switching valve;

 Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the refrigerant collector according to Figure 4; and

 FIG. 6 shows a heat pump device according to the prior art

 Technology (JP 2001 153482 A).

The heat pump devices shown in Figures 1, 3, 4 and 6 consist in a known manner from a compressor 1, in particular a so-called screw or Scrollverdich- ter, which is followed by a condenser 2, which is particularly preferably designed as a plate capacitor. This condenser is a refrigerant collector 3 (also called high pressure collector) downstream, which is connected to the intermediate injection of refrigerant in the compressor 1 with this via a refrigerant line 4 ^¬ . As already explained, this intermediate injection serves the purpose of improving the efficiency of the heat pump device. tion or to expand the application limits of the heat pump device.

Essential for the illustrated in Figures 1, 3 and 4, the heat pump device according to the invention is now that for adjusting the refrigerant level in the refrigerant collector 3 between the condenser 2 and the refrigerant collector 3, an electronically controllable (and reversible working) expansion ^¬ onsventil 5 is arranged and that includes the refrigerant line 4 depending on the setting of the expansion valve 5, a heat pump during operation of the device above and / or below the refrigerant level refrigerant inflow opening out ^¬ opening. 6

In Figure 2, the refrigerant collector 3 is shown enlarged for better understanding. As can be seen, a From ^¬ section 7 of the refrigerant pipe 4 in the refrigerant collector 3 is arranged. The refrigerant inflow opening (s) 6 is (are) arranged on the section 7 of the refrigerant line 4. The section 7 is tubular and in particular formed as a U-shaped piece of pipe. The section 7 also has a vertical extension direction and an open line end 8. The ^¬ of fene conduit end 8 forming at least one of the Kältemittelzu ^¬ flow openings 6 and is preferably always located, during operation of the heat pump apparatus of the above refrigerant Spie ^¬ gels. As further seen in Figure 2, a plurality of superimposed refrigerant ^¬ inlet openings 6 are provided at section 7.

As can be seen from Figures 1, 3 and 4, it is preferably provided that the refrigerant collector 3 connected to the expansion valve 5, during the operation of the heat pump ^¬ device opening below the refrigerant level Refrigerant supply port 9 has. About this Kältemit- telzufuhranschluss 9, the refrigerant enters the Kältemit ^¬ telsammler 3. Furthermore, it is preferably provided that the refrigerant collector 3 a 10 ver ^¬-bound to a second electronically controllable (and reversible working) expansion valve, during operation of the heat pump apparatus below the refrigerant level opening out refrigerant ^{discharge ¬} connection 11 has. About this refrigerant discharge port 11, the refrigerant to the second expansion valve 10 is abge ^¬ leads.

In particular, from Figure 2 it will be understood how the refrigerant collector according to the invention works: About the cooling medium supply port 9 passes refrigerant in the Kältemit ^¬ telsammler 3. the electronically controlled expansion valves 5 and 10, the course (with a corresponding, not separately illustrated heat pump control means also called refrigeration circuit controller), the height of the refrigerant level is adjusted. At the level of Figure 2 can only vaporous refrigerant on the Kältemittelzu ^¬ flow openings 6 in the section 7 thus into the refrigerant line ^¬ 4 and from there to the compressor. 1 If the refrigerant level is increased, liquid refrigerant can also pass into the section 7 and thus to the compressor 1 via one or more refrigerant inflow openings 6. This liquid refrigerant mixes it with the incoming through the üb ^¬ membered refrigerant inflow opening 6 refrigerant vapor into a refrigerant wet steam. Finally, to flood the refrigerant receiver 3 completely, so adjust such a refrigerant level in which all the refrigerant inflow ports ^¬ 6 are positioned in the liquid refrigerant, it would be at the compressor to a fully liquid intermediate Injection, which, as explained, especially desirable ^{¬ is} worth if you want to cool the compressor.

A further preferred feature of the invention Lö ^¬ solution consists again with reference to Figures 2 and 5 in that the refrigerant collector exhibiting 3 by at least one through opening 12, in particular oriented vertically arranged partition member 13 and the partition wall (preferably a perforated plate, metal mesh or the like) is formed divided into a first and a second chamber 14, 15, wherein in the first chamber 14, the refrigerant supply port 9 opens and wherein the first chamber 14 of the refrigerant discharge port 11 goes off.

Due to the expansion of the refrigerant in the expansion valve 5, the flow in the first chamber 14 is highly turbulent. The proviso of the separating element 13 leads to a calming of the refrigerant in the second chamber 15, in which the portion 7 of the refrigerant line 4 is arranged, which in turn is favorable for the desired precise adjustment of the ratio zwi ^¬ 's liquid and vapor refrigerant.

As already explained, the refrigerant collector 3 a two ^¬ tes electronically controllable expansion valve 10 nachgeschal ^¬ tet which is in turn connected to an evaporator 16 to the compressor 1 (in particular finned evaporator) connected downstream. With reference to Figures 4 and 5, a further specifics ^¬ derheit the solution according to the invention is that a refrigerant-carrying and heat-exchanging with the refrigerant in the refrigerant collector 3 line 17 is disposed in the first chamber 14 of the refrigerant receiver 3, the one hand to the volatilization ^¬ fer 16 and on the other hand connected to the compressor 1. This line 17 forms together with the refrigerant collector. 3 a so-called Sauggaswärmetauscher for supercooling of the refrigerant, which can be taken on the expansion valves 5 and 10 and thus on the refrigerant level on the already mentioned, not illustrated ^¬ heat pump control device and corresponding sensors for measuring the Sauggasüberhitzung or subcooling.

It is further provided with reference to Figures 3 and 4 that between the condenser 2 and the expansion valve 5, a (preferably bi-directional) filter 18 (also called Fil ^¬ tertrockner) is arranged. In addition, a (preferably bidirectionally operating) filter 19 (Fil ^¬ tertrockner) is also between the second expansion valve 10 and the evaporator 16 is arranged.

In order to use the heat pump apparatus according to the invention both for heating and for cooling purposes, with reference to Figure 3 and 4 of the compressor 1 nachgeschalte ^¬ tes change-over valve, in particular a 4/2-way reversing valve 20 is provided: In the figures 3 and 4 In this case, the heating operation is shown in which taken over the evaporator 16, for example Erd ^¬ heat and discharged through the condenser 2 to a room of a building to be heated. Would you turn the 4/2-way switching valve according to Figures 3 and 4 by 90 ° (both clockwise and counterclockwise), which is easily possible due to the symmetrical structure of the heat pump apparatus according to the invention, the evaporator would 16 to the condenser and the Condenser 2 become the evaporator. In this case, heat would be dissipated via the evaporator, for example, from a room of a building and discharged via the Verflüs ^¬ siger, for example, to the environment of the building. For a better understanding, the functional mode of the ^exemplary embodiments according to FIGS. 3 and 4 will be explained in more detail below:

In the solution according to FIG. 3, gaseous refrigerant is brought to a higher pressure level via the compressor 1, supplied to the condenser 2 via the 4/2-way switching valve, where it is completely condensed and undercooled. The liquid Käl ^¬ temittel passes through the filter 18 and then passes the ex ^¬ pansionsventil 5 in which it ge ^¬ is brought to a lower pressure level. In this case, a part of the refrigerant passes into the gas ^¬ shaped state. The refrigerant is then fed to the cold ^¬ means collector 3, which is divided into two areas. On the refrigerant supply port 9 of the Kältemittelsamm ^¬ toddlers 3, the refrigerant is very turbulent due to the high speed Strömungsge ^¬. Thereafter, the refrigerant flows via passage opening 12 flows to the separator 13 (see Figure 2) in the traffic area of the coolant collector 3 (chamber 15), where the liquid portion due to gravity un ^¬ th settles. Via the refrigerant inflow opening 6, which ends in the upper region of the coolant collector 3, exclu ^¬ Lich gaseous refrigerant is sucked in and the Zwischenein ^¬ spraying of the compressor 1 is supplied. The liquid Kältemit ^¬ tel is supplied to the expansion valve 10, via which the pressure on evaporation pressure level is reduced. A part of the refrigerant ^¬ means goes over it in the gaseous state. Thereafter, the refrigerant enters the evaporator 16, where it is completely evaporated and overheated. The refrigerant is finally fed to the compressor 1 via the 4/2-way switching valve. The cycle closes.

Special feature: To at operating points with large pressure conditions ^¬ nissen too high a temperature at the refrigerant outlet of the encryption Dichters 1 to prevent, according to the invention the possi ^¬ ability to increase the liquid content in the intermediate injection. The liquid components of the refrigerant evaporate because ^¬ in the compressor and thereby absorb heat. To realize this, the suction pipe (refrigerant pipe 7) of the intermediate injection in the refrigerant receiver 3 is designed to pass through the liquid portion. By means of so-called sniffer bores (refrigerant ^{inflow openings} 6) in the pipeline, liquid refrigerant can be sucked in. The proportion of liquid which is drawn in can be regulated by changing the fill level in the refrigerant collector 3 via the expansion valve 5 downstream of the condenser 2. The control variable is the hot gas temperature at the outlet of the compressor 1.

The solution according to FIG. 4 differs finally from that according to FIG. 3 in that there takes place a heat transfer from the warmer refrigerant in the refrigerant collector 3 to the colder refrigerant in the coil via a pipe coil (line 17) (keyword: suction gas superheating). As a result, the gaseous portion of the refrigerant in the refrigerant ^¬ collector partially or completely condensed, whereby the ratio of liquid to gas increases. The line 17 ver ^¬ runs from the evaporator 16 via the 4/2-way valve to the first chamber 14 and from there directly to the compressor first

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 compressor

 2 condenser

 3 refrigerant collectors

 4 refrigerant line

 5 expansion valve

 6 refrigerant inflow opening

7 section

 8 line end

 9 refrigerant supply connection

10 expansion valve

 11 Refrigerant discharge connection

12 passage opening

 13 separating element

 14 first chamber

 15 second chamber

 16 evaporators

 17 line

 18 filters

 19 filters

 20 4/2-way switching valve

Claims

claims 1. Heat pump device, comprising a compressor (1), which is followed by a condenser (2), which is followed by a Kältemit ^¬ telsammler (3) for the intermediate injection of refrigerant in the compressor (1) with this via a refrigerant line (4). connected is,  characterized, that is integrally ^¬ arranged for adjusting the refrigerant level in the Kältemit ^¬ telsammler (3) between the condenser (2) and the refrigerant collector (3), a controllable expansion valve (5), and that the refrigerant line (4) has a during operation of the pen device Wärmepum ^¬ above and / or below the refrigerant ^¬ mirror opening out refrigerant inflow opening (6) on ^¬ depending on the setting of the expansion valve (5). 2. Heat pump device according to claim 1,  characterized,  in that a section (7) of the refrigerant line (4) is arranged in the refrigerant collector (3). 3. Heat pump device according to claim 2,  characterized, the section (7) has a vertical extension direction. 4. Heat pump device according to claim 2 or 3,  characterized, that the section (7) has an open line end (8) ^¬. 5. Heat pump device according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized  in that a plurality of superimposed refrigerant inflow openings (6) are provided on the section (7). 6. Heat pump device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized that the refrigerant collector (3) connected to said expansion valve (5), during operation of the pen device Wärmepum ^¬ below the refrigerant level ^¬ open out the refrigerant supply port (9). 7. Heat pump device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that that the refrigerant collector (3) connected to a a second controllable expansion valve (10) during loading ^¬ drive the heat pump device below the Kältemit ^¬ telspiegels ausmündend refrigerant discharge port (11) has ^¬. 8. Heat pump device according to claim 6 and 7,  characterized, is that the refrigerant collector (3) by a least one passage opening (12) exhibiting separating element (13) into a first and a second chamber (14, 15) divided formed from ^¬, wherein in the first chamber (14) of the Kältemit- telzufuhranschluss (9) opens and leaving the first chamber (14) of the refrigerant discharge port (11). 9. Heat pump device according to claim 8, wherein the refrigerant collector (3) is followed by a second controllable expansion valve (10), which is followed by a compressor (1) connected to the evaporator (16),  characterized, in that in the first chamber (14) a refrigerant-carrying and with the refrigerant in the refrigerant collector (3) heat-emitting ^¬ line (17) is arranged, which is connected on the one hand to the evaporator (16) and on the other hand to the compressor (1). 10. Heat pump device according to claim 8 or 9,  characterized,  in that the section (7) of the refrigerant line (4) is arranged in the second chamber (15).