JP2001263919A - Refrigeration system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem of a conventional machine room structure that the leaked gas of HC refrigerant stands in the machine room of a refrigerator and it is very difficult to decrease the concentration of HC refrigerant gas quickly in the machine room. SOLUTION: A guide plate for accelerating draft action in the machine room is provided above a compressor. When gas leaks from piping part on the periphery of the compressor, leaked gas is discharged through draft action, thus decreasing the concentration of HC refrigerant gas quickly in the machine room.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a heat exhaust structure capable of coping with a gas leak of HC refrigerant in a machine room of a refrigerating apparatus, and is applicable to refrigerators, air conditioners, dehumidifiers and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Due to the problem of destruction of the ozone layer in the stratosphere by chlorofluorocarbon, chlorofluorocarbon (hereinafter referred to as CFC) and hydrochlorofluorocarbon (hereinafter referred to as HCF).
C) is subject to regulation. As an alternative, a hydrofluorocarbon containing no chlorine in the molecule (hereinafter, referred to as HFC) is effective, but a hydrocarbon (hereinafter, referred to as HC) having extremely little effect on global warming is also being studied. . Specific HCs include propane, isobutane and mixtures thereof.

[0003] Hereinafter, an example of an HC refrigerator as one of such refrigerating apparatuses will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a conventional HC refrigerator. In FIG. 9, the refrigerator main body 101 includes a heat insulating box 10.
2, a door 106 and a machine room 107, and the heat-insulating box 102 includes an outer box 103, an inner box 104, and a heat insulator 105. A compressor 108 is installed in the machine room 107. The compressor 108 is connected to a condenser 109, an expansion mechanism 110, an evaporator 111, and the like via a refrigerant pipe 112. The evaporator 111 is installed on the back side of the inner box 104. Also, this refrigerant cycle has H
C refrigerant 113 and refrigerating machine oil 114 are sealed.

The refrigerating machine oil may be a naphthenic or paraffinic mineral oil or an alkylbenzene-based synthetic oil.

The inner box 104 is provided with a temperature control means 115 for controlling the temperature inside the inner box 104 by stopping the operation of the compressor 108. A door switch 116 turns on the interior lamp 117.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described with reference to FIG. Compressor 108, condenser 109, expansion mechanism 11
0, in the refrigerating apparatus including the evaporator 111,
08 compresses the low-temperature low-pressure refrigerant gas, discharges the high-temperature high-pressure refrigerant gas, and sends it to the condenser 109. The refrigerant gas sent to the condenser 109 becomes a high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant liquid while releasing the heat into the air via the condenser 109 and the like, and the expansion mechanism 1
Sent to 10. The high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant liquid passing through the expansion mechanism becomes low-temperature and low-pressure wet vapor by the throttle effect, and becomes evaporator 11.
Sent to 1. The refrigerant that has entered the evaporator 111 absorbs heat from the surroundings and evaporates to cool the inner box 104. Evaporator 11
The low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant gas that has passed through 1 is sucked into the compressor 108. Hereinafter, the same cycle is repeated.

When the inside of the inner box 104 is sufficiently cooled, the inside temperature control means 115 stops the operation of the compressor 108 and stops the cooling. Then, when the temperature in the inner box 104 rises and reaches a predetermined temperature, the internal temperature control means 115
Starts the cooling operation of the compressor 108 again. Less than,
The gas leakage of the HC refrigerant in the refrigeration system having such a configuration will be described. It is conceivable that flammable HC refrigerant leaks into or out of the refrigerator due to breakage or corrosion of the joint. If the refrigerant leaks, the inside of the refrigerating room is in a sealed state, and therefore, enters the explosion concentration range by a small amount. As is well known, a refrigerator has an ignition source such as a defrost heater, a door switch, and static electricity.

As a method of detecting a refrigerant leak at an early stage, for example, an invention of adding an odor to an HC refrigerant as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 8-14675 has been considered.

[0010]

Accordingly, combustible HC
The refrigerant could ignite and explode, leading to serious accidents. The same can be said when an ignition source is located near the outside of the refrigerator depending on the installation location.

An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigeration system with less danger.

[0012]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In a refrigerating apparatus which utilizes a compressor or a condenser of a refrigeration cycle incorporating an HC refrigerant to produce a draft action and discharge heat inside a machine room to the outside, A guide plate for promoting the draft action is provided at the upper part of the compressor, and when gas leaks from the compressor and surrounding piping, the gas leaked by the draft action is discharged outside the room by the draft action. In addition, it is possible to provide a refrigeration apparatus (such as a refrigerator) that does not easily reach the explosive limit concentration in the machine room and has no danger.

Further, since the guide plate is made of a dew tray or a machine room cover, no new parts are added,
Even if there is a gas leak in the machine room, the leak gas in the machine room can be smoothly discharged to the outside, which is advantageous in terms of cost.

The guide plate made of the dew tray or the machine room cover guides the heat of the compressor or the condenser to the exhaust heat passage formed by the corner cutout of the machine room cover. In this way, the gas leaked into the corner notch due to gas leakage in the machine room can be smoothly discharged along the corner notch on the back of the refrigerator due to the draft effect. Can be done.

Further, the air inlet is an opening formed between the lower base of the machine room and the refrigerator main body, and the air entering the machine room through this opening forms a compressor and a guide plate forming an upper guide plate of the compressor. After passing through the lower part of the guide plate made of the saucer or the machine room cover, it is discharged outside the machine room cover, so the draft speed in the machine room increases the air speed and the heat dissipation in the machine room Of course, even if the gas leaks inside the machine room, the refrigeration system (refrigerator, air conditioner, Machine).

[0016]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 is a rear perspective view of a refrigerator provided with the present invention, FIG. 2 is a rear view of a main part of a machine room of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the machine room of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a machine showing another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the machine room in FIG. 4, FIG.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a main part of the machine room cover of FIG. 4, FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a main part of the back of the machine room showing another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of the machine room of FIG.

First, the configuration of the refrigerator shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 and the configuration of the heat exhaust passage in the machine room will be described.
The refrigerator main body 1 has a refrigerator interior 20 formed therein.
Reference numerals 2 and 3 denote doors for closing the front opening of the interior 20 of the refrigerator, 2 is a freezer compartment door, and 3 is a refrigerator compartment door. The outer box 15 forming the outer shell of the refrigerator body 1 includes a ceiling plate 16 and a side plate 1.
7, a rear plate 8, a bottom plate 9, and the like. The item numbers 8, 9, 16, and 17 each include a heat insulating material 22 between the inner box 21 and the inner box 21.
Are filled to form the refrigerator main body 1. 5 is a compressor, 7 is a dew tray for storing defrost water, 19 is a condenser which forms a part of a refrigeration cycle and radiates heat from the inside 20 of the refrigerator. Reference numerals 7 and 19 are mounted in a machine room 14 formed at a lower portion of the refrigerator main body 1.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a base on which the compressor 6, the condenser 19 and the like are mounted, which is attached to the lower part of the refrigerator body.

Reference numeral 13 denotes an air inlet provided on the lower surface of the machine room, and an opening formed between the front end of the base 6 and the bottom plate 9 forming the refrigerator main body, the width of which is substantially the same size as the refrigerator main body. have. The air that has flowed in from the air intake 13 enters the entire machine room 14.

Numeral 4 denotes a heat-dissipating passage formed by cutting the rear corner of the refrigerator main body 1 and having a width of about 50 mm at both ends of the rear plate 8 having both ends located at both corners of the rear. Is formed by a substantially concave back plate 8 having a horizontal cross section formed over the entire length in the vertical direction. When the warmed heat in the machine room enters the lower part of the exhaust heat passage 4, the warmed heat is raised upward by a force (draft action) above the exhaust heat passage 4. It is configured so that it can be discharged outside from the room.

Next, the shape of the above-mentioned dew tray 7 will be described. In FIG. 3, the depth of the dew tray 7 is large enough to receive the heat of the compressor 5 and furthermore has a shape in the width direction. Is a dew tray A corresponding to the center of the compressor 5 as shown in FIG.
A fixed inclined surface 7a which is directed upward from the point in the left-right direction.
have. Further, the bottom plate inclined surface 7a has a dew pan configuration in which both end portions in the width direction are located near the step of the back plate 8 where the heat exhaust passage 4 is formed. Therefore, the air from the outlet of the bottom inclined surface 7a of the dew receiving tray 7 reaches the lower part of the exhaust heat passage 4 and then rises toward the exhaust heat passage 4.

The air flowing from the air inlet 13 on the lower surface of the machine room exchanges heat with the compressor 5, the condenser 19 and the like. Heat exchanged air tries to rise from the air intake in the machine room by being heated (draft action)
Works upwards.

The warmed air hits the bottom inclined surface 7a of the dew receiving tray 7, and is then discharged outside while being guided along the bottom plate inclined surface 7a. At this time, since the outlet of the bottom inclined surface 7a is located almost directly below the exhaust heat passage 4, the air from the outlets of the both bottom plate inclined portions flows to the previous exhaust heat passage 4 by the draft action. , And thereafter, a heat exhaust passage that is discharged above the heat exhaust passage 4 is formed.

The above-described exhaust heat configuration is performed during the operation and stop of the compressor 5.

Next, a case where HC refrigerant leaks gas from a pipe connection portion connecting the refrigeration cycle in the machine room 14 will be described. When gas leaks from the cycle piping in the machine room, the gas naturally rises along the flow of air in the machine room. As described above, the fresh air flowing from the air inlet 13 on the lower surface of the machine room gradually becomes warm air while passing through the compressor 5 and the condenser 19 together with the HC refrigerant gas on the way. This warm air hits both bottom inclined surfaces 7a of the dew tray 7 by a draft action, and then the left and right inclined surfaces 7a serve as guide plates and are guided to the left and right ends of the dew tray 7, and are discharged on both sides of the rear surface. Heat passage 4
It is discharged upward along with. Therefore, in the event that a gas leak occurs in the machine room, as described above, the structure is such that the gas in the machine room is quickly discharged outside, so that the HC refrigerant gas in the machine room does not accumulate. In other words, since the refrigerant gas in the machine room is diffused outside, it is possible to prevent the explosion concentration limit in the machine room from reaching the explosive concentration limit. By doing so, it is possible to provide the customer with a refrigeration system with no danger, and it is possible to smoothly release gas leaks inside the machine room to the outside without adding new parts, thereby minimizing the cost of the refrigeration system as much as possible. Is possible.

In a normal use state, the air in the machine room is discharged outside by the inclined bottom surface 7a of the dew tray, thereby increasing the wind speed of the air passing through the compressor 5, the condenser 19 and the like in the machine room. This naturally increases the amount of heat dissipated in the machine room and improves the cooling performance.

Next, another embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 will be described. Reference numeral 10 denotes a machine room cover for covering the rear of the machine room in which the compressor 5, the condenser 19 and the like are installed.

The machine room cover 10 is provided at the entire open height of the machine room, and has the same cross-sectional shape as the back plate 8. Numeral 11 denotes an inclined surface in which both end portions of the machine room cover 10 have the same shape as the back surface portion 8.
A ventilation passage 12 communicating with a lower part of the air passage is formed. Reference numeral 11a denotes a heat exhaust port formed on the inclined surface 11. This exhaust heat port 1
1a is configured to discharge the heat in the machine room to the ventilation path 12.

On the rear side of the machine room cover 10 above the machine room, there is provided a fixed inclined surface extending upward and downward in the left-right direction from a point B corresponding to the center of the compressor at the top of the compressor. A V-shaped inclined rib 10a is provided. The inclined rib 10a for guiding is located above the compressor 5,
The length of the rib is large enough to receive the heat of the compressor and the like, and both ends of the V-shaped inclined rib 10a are heat exhaust ports opened on both sides of the machine room cover 10. 1
The configuration extends to near 1a.

The heat in the machine room that hits the inclined rib 10a is transferred along the V-shaped inclined rib to the machine room cover 1.
0, the heat exhaust port 11a opened on the inclined surfaces 11 on both sides, the ventilation path 1
It is led to 2. FIG. 6 shows the machine room cover 1
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a main part of FIG.
As described above, the inclined ribs 10a serve to guide the heat of the machine room to the heat exhaust ports 11a on both sides, and are formed integrally with the machine room cover 10.

A description will be given of the exhaust heat configuration in the machine room having such a configuration.
The air flowing from 3 is subjected to heat exchange with the compressor 5, the condenser 19 and the like. Thereafter, the heated air causes the entire air in the machine room 14 to rise by the action of the draft action.

The heat is directed to the inclined ribs 10a provided integrally with the machine room cover 10, and then guided to the left and right inclined ribs 10a, and the heat is exhausted to the heat exhaust ports 11a at the corner cutouts on both sides of the machine room cover 10. Then, it is guided to the ventilation passages 12 on both sides of the machine room cover. After that, it is guided by the heat discharge passages 4 on both sides, rises, and is discharged above the refrigerator body 1.

Next, a case where gas leaks from the compressor in the machine room 14 and the surrounding pipe connection will be described. As described above, fresh air flowing from the air intake 13 on the lower surface of the machine room is Along with the leaked gas, it reaches the inclined rib 10a via the compressor 5 and the condenser 19. Then, the warm air of the inclined rib 10a is subjected to a further rising force due to the draft action in the machine room, and the inclined rib 10a serves as a guide plate, and is guided from the heat discharge ports 11a on both sides to the ventilation passages 12 on both sides. Then, the warm air and the leaked gas that have reached the ventilation passage 12 are discharged further upward by the ascending air current by the draft action below and above the exhaust heat passage 4 formed by the rear corner cutout. After that, the air inside the machine room or the leaked gas is released outside the room by the same operation.

Accordingly, since the leaked gas is quickly discharged to the outside of the room by the above-described exhaust heat passage, the leaked gas does not accumulate in the machine room, and the explosion concentration limit in the machine room is prevented as in FIG. You can do it.

Next, the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 will be described. This embodiment is an example in which a machine room cover is combined with the above-described structure of FIG. 1, and the description of the same reference numerals is omitted. In the figure, reference numeral 7 denotes a dew tray having a bottom inclined surface 7a for guiding heat of the compressor 5, the condenser 19 and the like to the left and right (similar to FIG. 2).

Reference numeral 10 denotes a machine room cover that covers the back of the machine room in which the compressor 5, the condenser 19 and the like are installed. The cross-sectional shape is the same as that of the back plate 8. The machine room cover 10 is provided with inclined surfaces 11 at both end portions thereof, and the inclined surfaces 11 are provided with heat exhaust ports 11 a for discharging heat of the machine room. I have.
Further, ventilation passages 12 communicating with the heat discharge port 11a and guiding the discharged heat are provided on both sides. And the ventilation path 12
Is the heat exhaust passage 4 formed in the notch on the back of the refrigerator
It is constituted so that it may communicate with.

Next, the arrangement relationship between the machine room cover 10 and the dew tray 7 will be described. When the machine room cover 10 is attached to the machine room, the rearward direction of the dew tray is substantially abutted on or close to the back surface of the machine room cover. The reason for this is that the space formed by the bottom inclined surface 7a of the dew receiving tray 7 and the back surface of the machine room cover discharges the heat in the machine room to the outside along the bottom inclined surface 7a. Therefore, it is desirable that the clearance between the back surface of the machine room cover and the dew receiving tray 7 has an arrangement relationship as close as possible to the close contact.

Further, the arrangement relationship between the dew tray 7 and the machine room cover 10 in the width direction will be described. Both end portions of the dew tray 7 are disposed to the vicinity of the heat discharge ports 11a on both sides of the machine room cover. This is because the heat in the machine room guided from the bottom inclined surface 7a is smoothly guided from the heat discharge port 11a to the ventilation passages 12 on both sides of the machine room cover. Since the heat guided to the ventilation path 12 of the machine room cover is communicated with the both-side heat discharge passage 4 formed in the rear notch of the refrigerator main body, a draft action works here, and the ventilation of the machine room cover is performed. The heat of the passage 12 rises to the exhaust heat passage 4 and is discharged outside the room above.

Explaining the structure of exhausting heat in the machine room having such a configuration, the air flowing in from the air intake 13 reaches the bottom inclined surface 7a via the compressor 5, the condenser 19 and the like. In this portion, since a space surrounded by the bottom inclined surface 7a and the back surface of the machine room cover is formed, the draft action in the machine room is likely to occur, and the warmed air reaching the bottom inclined surface tends to further rise. Therefore, the air hitting the inclined surface 7a rises along the inclined surface in the left-right direction, is discharged to the heat exhaust ports 11a in the cutouts on both sides of the machine room cover 10, and thereafter, the air passages on both sides of the machine room cover. The passage structure is configured to be discharged from the refrigerator main body 1 through the upper and lower heat discharge passages 4 from both sides.

Next, when the HC refrigerant leaks from the pipe connection portion in the machine room 14, it is discharged to the outside of the machine room cover 10 as in the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 4 described above. That is, the leaked gas is discharged from the compressor 5, the condenser 19, the bottom inclined surface 7a, the ventilation holes 11a on both sides of the machine room cover, the ventilation passages 12 on the machine room cover, and the both sides on the rear surface together with the air inlet 13 on the bottom of the machine room. Since the heat passage 4 is configured such that the passage is discharged in the order of the upper part of the refrigerator main body, HC refrigerant gas does not accumulate in the machine room as in the previous embodiment, and the gas in the machine room can be prevented from reaching the explosive limit concentration. .

Although the exhaust heat configuration described above has been described in the case where there is no cooling fan in the machine room (natural ventilation),
A case where a cooling fan (not shown) is built in the machine room will be described. First, during the operation of the cooling fan, the air in the machine room is exhausted outside while diffusing by the fan. At this time, the inside of the refrigerator 20 is cooled at the same time as the heat radiation of the compressor and the condenser in the machine room is promoted.
During the operation of the cooling fan, when the HC refrigerant leaks from the piping in the machine room, the gas in the machine room is discharged outside by the cooling fan. Therefore, HC refrigerant gas does not accumulate in the machine room, and the inside of the machine room 14 can be prevented from reaching the explosive concentration limit.

When the inside of the refrigerator 20 reaches the set temperature, the cooling fan stops, and the inside of the machine room returns to the exhaust heat passage configuration with natural ventilation. Thereafter, the operation and stop of the cooling fan are repeatedly performed.

[0043]

As described above, the present invention utilizes a compressor or a condenser of a refrigeration cycle incorporating an HC refrigerant to produce a draft action and discharge heat in a machine room to the outside. , A guide plate for promoting the drafting action is provided at an upper portion of the compressor, and when gas leaks from the compressor and surrounding pipes, the gas leaked by the drafting action is discharged outside the room. Therefore, even if a gas leak occurs in the machine room, the gas is discharged to the outside by the above-mentioned draft action and the inside of the machine room is less likely to have an explosive limit concentration, and there is no danger refrigeration equipment such as a refrigerator, an air conditioner, and a dehumidifier. It is obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the back of a refrigerator of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear view showing a main part of the machine room of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the machine room of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a rear view showing a main part of a machine room showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the machine room of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a main part of the machine room cover of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a main part of the back of a machine room showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the machine room of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing a conventional refrigerator.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Refrigerator main body, 2 ... Freezer compartment door, 3 ... Refrigerator compartment door, 4 ... Exhaust heat passage, 5 ... Compressor, 6 ... Base, 7 ... Dew tray, 7a ...
Bottom inclined surface, 8 ... Back plate, 9 ... Bottom plate, 10 ... Machine room cover, 10a ... Inclined rib, 11 ... Inclined surface, 11a ... Heat exhaust port, 12 ... Ventilation path, 13 ... Air intake, 14 ... Machine room ,
15: Outer box, 16: Ceiling board, 17: Side panel, 19: Condenser, 20: Storage, 21: Inner box, 22: Heat insulating material.

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a refrigerating apparatus, a draft action is created by using a compressor or a condenser of a refrigeration cycle incorporating an HC refrigerant and heat in a machine room is discharged outside the room.
A guide plate for promoting the draft action is provided at an upper portion of the compressor, and when gas leaks from the compressor and surrounding pipes, the gas leaked by the draft action is discharged outside the room. Refrigeration equipment.