JP2010190523A - Refrigerant distributor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a compact refrigerant distributor reducing dispersion in distribution of flow to each of branch pipes even when many branch pipes are disposed. <P>SOLUTION: This refrigerant distributor 10 includes an inflow pipe 13 in which a refrigerant flows, a distributor body 11 through which the refrigerant flowing in from the inflow pipe 13 passes, a refrigerant guide 12 disposed in the distributor body 11, and the plurality of branch pipes 14 to which the refrigerant passing through a refrigerant flow channel formed between the refrigerant guide 12 and the distributor body 11 is discharged. A refrigerant flow channel communicated in the circumferential direction, is formed between an inner peripheral face of the distributor body 11 and the refrigerant guide 12. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a heat exchanger constituting a refrigeration cycle, and more particularly to a refrigerant distributor attached to an evaporator having a plurality of flow paths.

  When the evaporator constituting the refrigeration cycle includes a plurality of flow paths, the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant that has exited the expansion valve is distributed to each flow path using a distributor. At this time, it is ideal that the refrigerant is evenly distributed to each flow path. This is because when the distribution of the refrigerant is uneven, the performance of the evaporator is lowered and the performance of the refrigeration cycle is also lowered. In order to achieve an even distribution of refrigerant, several proposals have been made regarding distributors.

For example, as shown in FIG. 6, Patent Document 1 discloses a refrigerant distributor including an inlet pipe 102 into which refrigerant Xin flows in, a distributor body 101 having a hollow inside, and a plurality of branch pipes 103 through which refrigerant Xout flows out. 100, when the length of the distributor main body 101 is L mm and the inner diameter is D ₂ mm, it is set so that 2 ≦ L / D ₂ ≦ 8, and the change of the installation angle about ± 10 °, the inlet refrigerant Xin Deviation (variation) in the flow rate ratio in each flow path entering the heat exchanger from the outlet of the distributor with respect to the change in the dryness (0.2 to 0.4) or the change in the refrigerant flow rate (50 to 100%) A refrigerant distributor 100 with a small pressure loss is obtained.

JP 2006-349229 A JP-A-6-323696

The branch pipe 103 is usually arranged on the upper surface of the distributor main body 101 on the circumference. However, when the number of the branch pipes 103 is large, for example, eight or more, corresponding to the flow path of the evaporator, In order to secure an arrangement space, the inner diameter D ₂ mm of the distributor main body 101 must be increased. Therefore, in order to satisfy the condition of 2 ≦ L / D ₂ ≦ 8 specified in Patent Document 1, the length L of the distributor main body 101 must be increased. If it does so, it will become difficult to install the divider | distributor 100 in a narrow place of installation space like the heat exchanger entrance of an indoor unit, for example. When the condition of 2 ≦ L / D ₂ ≦ 8 is not satisfied, as the volume of the distributor main body 101 increases, a large-scale vortex or secondary flow is generated in the distributor main body 101, and the branch pipe Before reaching 103, a non-uniform distribution of gas and liquid occurs. If it does so, the ratio (flow volume distribution) of the gas and liquid of the refrigerant which flows into each branch pipe 103 will vary, and evaporation performance will fall greatly.
In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a compact refrigerant distributor that reduces variations in flow distribution to each branch pipe even when the number of branch pipes is large.

The refrigerant distributor of the present invention made for such an object includes an inflow pipe into which a refrigerant supplied from a device arranged on the upstream side flows, a distributor main body through which the refrigerant flowing in from the inflow pipe passes, and a distributor A refrigerant guide that is arranged coaxially with the inflow pipe in the main body and expands the flow of the refrigerant radially, and a refrigerant that has passed through a refrigerant flow path formed between the refrigerant guide and the distributor main body are arranged on the downstream side. And a plurality of branch pipes for discharging toward the device.
The present invention is characterized in that the refrigerant flow path is communicated in the circumferential direction at least in a predetermined range on the upstream side of the distributor main body.

  According to the refrigerant distributor of the present invention, the refrigerant is spread radially by the refrigerant guide, and a smooth flow is formed. In addition, when the refrigerant guide is provided, the cross-sectional area of the refrigerant flow path can be reduced as compared with the case where the refrigerant guide is not provided, so that the possibility of causing a vortex and a secondary flow in the refrigerant is small. Therefore, the refrigerant that has flowed into the distributor main body is less likely to cause a drift in which the distribution of gas and liquid is not uniform. Moreover, even if a slight drift occurs in which the gas and liquid distribution is not uniform, the refrigerant flow path between the refrigerant guide and the distributor main body communicates in the circumferential direction, so that the portion flows downstream. The refrigerant moves freely in the circumferential direction, and the homogenization of the gas-liquid two-phase flow is promoted in the refrigerant flow path.

In the refrigerant distributor of the present invention, the distributor main body is provided with an enlarged diameter portion whose diameter increases toward the downstream side on the upstream side, and the refrigerant flow path communicating in the circumferential direction is between the refrigerant guide and the enlarged diameter portion. It is preferable to be formed.
By providing an enlarged diameter portion whose diameter increases toward the downstream side on the upstream side, the cross-sectional area of the refrigerant flow path is prevented from abruptly increasing compared to the inflow pipe. Thereby, it can suppress that a vortex and a secondary flow arise in a refrigerant | coolant.
In addition, in this invention, a diameter expands toward a downstream side is a concept including not only the case where a diameter expands continuously but the case where a diameter expands intermittently. For example, even if the diameters are partially equal, if the diameter of the downstream end is larger than that of the upstream end, it is included in the enlarged diameter portion of the present invention.

  In the refrigerant distributor of the present invention, the refrigerant guide preferably has a cross-sectional area that increases from the upstream side to the downstream side in at least a predetermined range on the upstream side of the distributor main body, preferably in a range corresponding to the enlarged diameter portion. . By causing the refrigerant to flow more smoothly, the occurrence of drift is suppressed.

  In the refrigerant distributor of the present invention, it is preferable that the downstream end of the cross-sectional area of the refrigerant flow path on the downstream side of the predetermined range on the upstream side of the distributor main body is smaller than the upstream end. By narrowing the refrigerant flow path, the refrigerant amount can smoothly flow into the branch pipe having a small diameter.

  In the refrigerant distributor of the present invention, it is preferable that the refrigerant flow paths that are independent of each other and that extend along the direction in which the refrigerant flows are provided on the downstream side of the predetermined range on the upstream side of the distributor main body corresponding to the branch pipe. Since the gas-liquid two phases are uniformized in the predetermined range on the upstream side of the distributor body, typically in the range corresponding to the enlarged diameter portion, the refrigerant is kept in a uniform state on the downstream side. It can flow into the branch pipe as it is.

  According to the present invention, even when the number of branch pipes is large, variation in flow rate distribution to each branch pipe can be reduced. In addition, since the effect of reducing variation is not affected by the length and inner diameter of the distributor body, the above effect can be obtained with a compact refrigerant distributor.

The refrigerant distributor concerning this Embodiment is shown, (a) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view, (b) is a top view, (c) is 1c-1c arrow sectional drawing of (a). It is sectional drawing of the refrigerant distributor concerning other embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the refrigerant | coolant guide used for the refrigerant | coolant divider | distributor concerning this Embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the other refrigerant | coolant guide used for the refrigerant | coolant divider | distributor concerning this Embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the other refrigerant | coolant guide used for the refrigerant | coolant divider | distributor concerning this Embodiment. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the refrigerant distributor described in patent document 1.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1, the refrigerant distributor 10 according to the present embodiment is disposed in an inflow pipe 13 into which refrigerant flows, a distributor main body 11 through which the refrigerant flows in, and a distributor main body 11. It is comprised from the refrigerant | coolant guide 12 and the some branch pipe 14 from which a refrigerant | coolant flows out.
The refrigerant distributor 10 is applied to a refrigeration cycle that operates as follows. That is, the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant by the compressor is condensed by the condenser and then sent to the expansion valve. The expansion valve makes the gas-liquid two-phase. This refrigerant is distributed to a plurality of flow paths provided in the evaporator by the refrigerant distributor 10. The refrigerant evaporated in the evaporator is merged when leaving the evaporator and flows into the compressor.

The inflow pipe 13 is connected to the expansion valve side in the refrigeration cycle, and the refrigerant that has been gas-liquid two-phase by the expansion valve flows into the inflow pipe 13.
The branch pipe 14 is connected to the evaporator side, and discharges the refrigerant that has passed through the distributor main body 11 toward the evaporator. The number of branch pipes 14 corresponding to the plurality of flow paths provided in the evaporator is provided. In this example, eight branch pipes 14 are provided corresponding to the number of flow paths of the evaporator.
The inflow pipe 13 and the branch pipe 14 are made of a metal material such as stainless steel, aluminum alloy, or copper alloy having corrosion resistance. The same applies to the distributor main body 11 described below. However, the present invention is not limited to the metal material.

Next, the distributor main body 11 which is a characteristic part of the refrigerant distributor 10 will be described. In the present invention, the side into which the refrigerant flows (the side where the inflow pipe 13 is disposed) is referred to as upstream, and the side from which the refrigerant is discharged (the side where the branch pipe 14 is disposed) is referred to as downstream.
The distributor body 11 is connected to the connecting portion 111 to which the inflow pipe 13 is connected, the enlarged diameter portion 112 that is connected to the connecting portion 111 and has a diameter that increases from the connecting portion 111 toward the downstream, and the enlarged diameter portion 112 and the enlarged diameter portion 112. A cylindrical barrel 113 having the same diameter as the downstream end of the diameter portion 112 and a branch pipe connecting portion 114 for sealing the downstream end of the barrel 113 are provided.
As described above, the eight branch pipes 14 are connected to the branch pipe connecting portion 114 so that the inside of the distributor main body 11 (body portion 113) and the inside of the branch pipe 14 communicate with each other. In FIG. 1, the end of the branch pipe 14 protrudes into the distributor body 11 based on ease of manufacture, and the present invention is not limited to this.
Each part of the distributor body 11 may be separately manufactured and joined, or may be manufactured integrally, and any manufacturing method may be used as long as the distributor body 11 is finally formed.

A conical refrigerant guide 12 is disposed inside the distributor body 11.
The bottom surface of the refrigerant guide 12 is fixed to the inner surface of the branch pipe connecting portion 114, and the top portion is arranged facing upstream. The top may be sharp or may be spherical.
The refrigerant guide 12 is arranged inside the distributor main body 11 so that the axis thereof coincides with the axis of the distributor main body 11. That is, the refrigerant guide 12 is disposed in a symmetrical position inside the distributor main body 11, and the outer periphery thereof extends from the enlarged diameter portion 112 to the body portion 113 between the inner peripheral surface of the distributor main body 11. A gap communicating with the circumferential direction is formed. The refrigerant flows into the branch pipe 14 through this gap, that is, the refrigerant flow path. As will be described later, in the refrigerant distributor 10, a refrigerant flow path that communicates in the circumferential direction between the inner peripheral surface of the distributor main body 11 and the refrigerant guide 12 is provided at least in a portion corresponding to the enlarged diameter portion 112. There is a feature.
Here, since the gradient of the enlarged diameter portion 112 is larger than the gradient of the refrigerant guide 12, the sectional area Ae of the refrigerant flow path in the enlarged diameter portion 112 continuously increases from the upstream toward the downstream. Moreover, this cross-sectional area Ae is larger than the cross-sectional area Ai of the refrigerant | coolant flow path in the connection part 111 (inflow pipe | tube 13) except for the upstream edge part of the enlarged diameter part 112. FIG. In this way, consideration is given so that pressure loss of the refrigerant 12 flowing into the distributor main body 11 from the inflow pipe 13 does not occur. Since the inner diameter of the trunk portion 113 is equal from upstream to downstream, the cross-sectional area Ac of the refrigerant flow path in the trunk portion 113 is continuously narrowed from upstream to downstream. The effect of this will be described later.

  The axial length (hereinafter simply referred to as the length) of the refrigerant guide 12 is set equal to the total length of the enlarged diameter portion 112 and the length of the body portion 113. Therefore, in the example of FIG. 1, the top portion of the refrigerant guide 12 coincides with the horizontal position (indicated by the alternate long and short dash line) of the upstream end portion of the enlarged diameter portion 112. However, this invention is not limited to this, The top part of the refrigerant | coolant guide 12 may be located upstream from the position of the said horizontal direction, and may be located downstream.

  The refrigerant guide 12 may be fixed to the branch pipe connecting portion 114 by a fastening means such as a bolt, an adhesive, or other known means. In addition, here, it is assumed that the refrigerant guide 12 and the branch pipe connecting portion 114 are manufactured separately, but both may be manufactured integrally.

Next, the process from when the refrigerant flows into the inflow pipe 13 to the branch pipe 14 will be described.
The refrigerant converted into the gas-liquid two-phase flow by the evaporator flows into the distributor main body 11 from the inflow pipe 13. The two-phase flow flows into the enlarged diameter portion 112 having a larger cross-sectional area of the refrigerant flow path than the connection portion 111 via the connection portion 111.
The flow of the refrigerant is expanded radially along the refrigerant guide 12 facing the enlarged diameter portion 112. The radial smooth flow is less likely to be biased. Further, by providing the refrigerant guide 12, the cross-sectional area of the refrigerant flow path can be reduced, so that the possibility of causing a vortex and a secondary flow in the refrigerant is small. Therefore, the refrigerant that has flowed into the distributor main body 11 is unlikely to generate a drift in which the distribution of gas and liquid is not uniform. The refrigerant flows in the annular shape in the enlarged diameter portion 112 while being guided by the outer circumferential surface of the refrigerant guide 12 and the inner circumferential surface of the enlarged diameter portion 112. Even if there is a slight drift in which the distribution of gas and liquid is not uniform, the refrigerant flow path between the refrigerant guide 12, the enlarged diameter portion 112, and the distributor main body communicates in the circumferential direction. The refrigerant flowing toward the center is freely moved in the circumferential direction, and the homogenization of the gas-liquid two-phase flow is promoted in the refrigerant flow path.

  The refrigerant in which the gas-liquid two-phase flow is made uniform transitions from the enlarged diameter portion 112 to the trunk portion 113, and proceeds in the trunk portion 113 toward the branch pipe 14. Since the refrigerant flow path corresponding to the body 113 is continuously narrowed from the upstream toward the downstream, the generation of vortices and secondary flows that cause a drift in the gas-liquid two-phase flow is suppressed.

As described above, the trunk portion 113 guides the refrigerant to the branch pipes 14 while maintaining the state in which the gas-liquid two-phase flow is made uniform in the enlarged diameter portion 112, so that the refrigerant distributor 10 has a flow rate to each branch pipe 14. Distribution variation can be reduced.
In addition, the effect of reducing variation in flow rate distribution to each branch pipe 14 according to the present embodiment is not affected by the length and the inner diameter of the distributor body defined in Patent Document 1. Therefore, even if the number of the branch pipes 14 is increased, it is not necessary to increase the length of the distributor main body 11, so that the compact refrigerant distributor 10 can be realized.

  In the present embodiment, the refrigerant guide 12 has a conical shape. Therefore, the cross-sectional area of the refrigerant flow path in the trunk portion 113 is smaller at the downstream end than at the upstream end. By narrowing the refrigerant flow path toward the branch pipe 14 in this way, the refrigerant can smoothly flow into the branch pipe 14 having a small diameter.

  In order to further improve the effect of reducing variation in flow distribution to the branch pipe 14, it is effective to provide the mesh member 15 and the orifice (throttle part) 16 in the inflow pipe 13. It is also effective to create a swirl flow by the refrigerant in the inflow pipe 13, and the inflow pipe 13 is a swirl pipe as shown in FIG. 2D, or a spiral groove or A protrusion may be formed.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the refrigerant guide 12 has a conical shape from the top to the bottom, but the tip 17a including the top is conical like the refrigerant guide 17 shown in FIG. However, the base portion 17b on the downstream side of this can also be a cylindrical shape having the same diameter in the axial direction. The distal end portion 17 a is disposed in the enlarged diameter portion 112 of the distributor main body 11. Further, as shown in FIG. 2B, a refrigerant guide 18 including a bell-shaped tip 18a and a base 18b may be used. The whole refrigerant guide 12 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 may be shaped like a bell. In any form, the gas-liquid two-phase homogenization effect in the enlarged diameter portion 112 can be enjoyed.
Further, the refrigerant guide 12 does not need to be solid, and contributes to weight reduction of the refrigerant guide 19 by providing a hollow portion from the front end portion 19a to the base portion 19b as in the refrigerant guide 19 shown in FIG. .

In order to make the gas-liquid two-phase uniform, the refrigerant distributor 10 is provided with a refrigerant flow path that communicates in the circumferential direction between the enlarged diameter portion 112 and the refrigerant guide 12, but downstream of the enlarged diameter portion 112. The refrigerant flow path in the body portion 113 may be divided. Therefore, in the present invention, in order to form independent refrigerant flow paths along the flow direction of the refrigerant, a partition wall can be provided on the outer periphery of the refrigerant guide 12 as shown in FIG.
The refrigerant guide 20 shown in FIG. 3A includes a conical tip 20a and a columnar base 20b, and is provided with a partition wall 20c extending in the axial direction of the outer peripheral surface of the base 20b. Eight partition walls 20 c are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction so as to correspond to the number of branch pipes 14. A refrigerant path along the axial direction is formed between adjacent partition walls 20 c, and the refrigerant flows into the branch pipe 14 through the refrigerant path corresponding to each branch pipe 14. The refrigerant guide 20 having such a shape is advantageously manufactured by injection molding a resin.

The partition wall 21c may be provided only on the downstream side of the base 20b as shown in FIG. 3B without being formed over the entire length of the base 20b. In some cases, the gas-liquid two-phase can be made uniform between the base portion 20b not provided with the partition wall 21c and the body portion 113.
The partition wall 22c is not limited to having the same height over the entire length in the axial direction, and both end portions can be inclined as shown in FIG.
Further, as shown in FIG. 3D, the same effect can be obtained even in a form in which the partition wall 23 c is provided on the downstream side of the conical refrigerant guide 23.

  Patent Document 2 discloses a refrigerant distributor in which independent refrigerant channels are formed along the refrigerant flow direction. However, this refrigerant distributor does not include a portion where the refrigerant flow path communicates in the circumferential direction.

  The refrigerant guide 20 shown in FIG. 3 has the top portions (outer diameters in the radial direction) of the partition walls 20c to 23c as long as a gap is formed between the front end portion 20a and the enlarged diameter portion 112 of the distributor main body 11 in the circumferential direction. Side) may be in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the trunk portion 113, or a gap may be formed between the top of the partition walls 20 c to 23 c and the inner peripheral surface of the trunk portion 113.

  In order to form an independent refrigerant flow path in the body 113 along the axial direction, partition walls 20c to 23c are formed as shown in FIG. 3, and a groove extending in the axial direction is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the refrigerant guide 20. It may be formed. An example is shown in FIG. For example, as shown to Fig.4 (a), it can be set as the refrigerant | coolant guide 20 which formed the U-shaped groove | channel 24c continuous in an axial direction over the front-end | tip part 20a and the base 20b. Moreover, as shown in FIG.4 (b), it can also be set as the starfish-shaped refrigerant guide 20 which has the groove | channel 25c which expanded the width | variety.

  Although the partition walls 20c to 23c shown in FIG. 3 have a form extending linearly, the partition wall 26c can be twisted as shown in FIG. 5 (a). The refrigerant guide 20 provided with a gap between the top of the partition wall 26 c and the inner peripheral surface of the body portion 113 can generate a swirling flow in the refrigerant flowing through the body portion 113. Therefore, the homogenization of the gas-liquid two phases of the refrigerant can be further promoted.

  As a means for further promoting the homogenization of the gas-liquid two phases of the refrigerant flowing through the body portion 113, a refrigerant guide 20 shown in FIG. In the refrigerant guide 20, a partition wall 27c provided on the upstream side and a partition wall 28c provided on the downstream side are arranged with a phase in the circumferential direction shifted by ½. The refrigerant that has flowed through the flow path between the adjacent partition walls 27c on the downstream side is agitated by colliding with and separating from the upstream partition wall 28c, thereby further promoting the homogenization of the gas-liquid two phases.

  In addition to this, as long as it does not depart from the gist of the present invention, the configuration described in the above embodiment can be selected or changed to another configuration as appropriate.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Refrigerant distributor 11 ... Distributor main body 111 ... Connection part, 112 ... Expanded diameter part, 113 ... Trunk part, 114 ... Branch pipe connection part 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23 ... Refrigerant guide 17a, 18a, 19a, 20a ... tip portion 17b, 18b, 19b, 20b ... base portion 20c, 21c, 22c, 23c, 26c, 27c, 28c ... partition wall 24c, 25c ... channel groove (groove)
13 ... Inflow pipe 14 ... Branch pipe

Claims (5)

An inflow pipe into which a refrigerant supplied from an apparatus disposed on the upstream side flows,
A distributor body through which the refrigerant flowing from the inflow pipe passes;
A refrigerant guide arranged coaxially with the inflow pipe in the distributor body, and radially expanding the flow of the refrigerant;
A plurality of branch pipes for discharging the refrigerant that has passed through the refrigerant flow path formed between the refrigerant guide and the distributor main body toward a device disposed on the downstream side,
The refrigerant distributor is characterized in that at least a predetermined range on the upstream side of the distributor main body communicates in the circumferential direction. The distributor main body is provided with an enlarged diameter portion on the upstream side whose diameter increases toward the downstream side,
The refrigerant distributor according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerant flow path communicating in the circumferential direction is formed between the refrigerant guide and the enlarged diameter portion. The refrigerant guide is
The refrigerant distributor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a cross-sectional area increases from the upstream side to the downstream side at least in the predetermined range on the upstream side of the distributor body.   The cross-sectional area of the said refrigerant flow path in the downstream rather than the said predetermined range of the upstream in the said distributor main body is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the said refrigerant flow path in the said predetermined range. Refrigerant distributor.   5. The refrigerant flow path according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a refrigerant flow path that is independent from each other and downstream of the predetermined range on the upstream side of the distributor main body along the flow direction of the refrigerant is provided corresponding to the branch pipe. The refrigerant distributor as described.

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