JP2012255584A - Distributor and heat pump device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To distribute fluid evenly even when flow rate of the fluid varies.SOLUTION: The distributor 1 includes: a distribution pipe 2 whose inner diameter gradually increases from one end toward the another end; a distribution member 3 having a plurality of holes 9 formed therein, and for closing the another end of the distribution pipe 2; and a float 6 provided in the distribution pipe 2 such that the float can move, according to the flow rate of the fluid, along the center line of a flow path defined by the distribution pipe 2. The distributor 1 distributes and delivers the fluid flowed in from an opening of the one end of the distribution pipe 2 through each of the holes 9 formed in the distribution member 3.

Description

  The present invention relates to a distributor that distributes a fluid such as a refrigerant. The present invention also relates to a heat pump apparatus including a distributor.

  Patent Document 1 describes a distributor that includes a leaf spring in a refrigerant pipe connected to a heat exchanger and distributes the refrigerant to each flow path of the heat exchanger. This distributor changes the flow path area by a leaf spring that deforms according to the refrigerant flow rate, and obtains a stirring effect suitable for the refrigerant flow rate, thereby making the flow rate of the refrigerant distributed to each flow path of the heat exchanger uniform. I am trying.

  Patent Document 2 describes a distributor that includes a truncated cone-shaped rotator provided with a plurality of flow-dividing passages and distributes the refrigerant to each flow path of the heat exchanger. In this distributor, the flow rate of the refrigerant distributed to each flow path of the heat exchanger through the branch passage of the rotating body is made uniform, and the noise is reduced.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-246536 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-246535

In the distributor described in Patent Document 1, the flow path of the refrigerant is asymmetric with respect to the flow path direction. Therefore, a drift occurs, and a deviation occurs in the flow rate of the refrigerant flowing into each flow path of the heat exchanger. Further, the leaf spring may be damaged by the stress acting on the root of the leaf spring.
In the distributor described in Patent Document 2, since the pressure energy of the refrigerant is converted into rotational energy, the energy saving effect is reduced in the heat pump device including the power recovery device.
An object of the present invention is to evenly distribute fluid even when the flow rate of the fluid changes.

The distributor according to the present invention is:
A distribution member formed with a plurality of holes;
A distribution pipe in which the inner diameter gradually increases from one side to the other side, and the port on the other side is blocked by the distribution member, and the fluid flowing from the port on the one side is formed in the distribution member A distribution pipe for distributing and flowing out from the plurality of holes formed;
And a float provided in the distribution pipe so as to be movable along a center line of a flow path formed by the distribution pipe.

  In the distributor according to the present invention, the float moves according to the flow rate of the fluid, and the flow path area in the distribution pipe changes. Therefore, the change in the flow rate of the fluid when the flow rate of the fluid changes is suppressed, and the fluid flow mode can be kept constant. As a result, even when the flow rate of the fluid changes, the fluid can be distributed almost evenly.

1 is a plan view of a distributor 1 according to Embodiment 1. FIG. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A ′ of FIG. 1. The relationship figure of a refrigerant | coolant flow volume and the movement amount of the float 6. FIG. 3 is a relationship diagram between the amount of movement of the float 6 and the flow area of the annular flow path in the distribution pipe 2. FIG. 4 is a relationship diagram between the refrigerant flow rate and the flow rate of refrigerant into each hole 9. Flow diagram of gas-liquid two-phase fluid. Explanatory drawing of slag flow. Explanatory drawing of an annular spray flow. FIG. 6 is a plan view of a distributor 1 according to Embodiment 2. B-B 'sectional drawing of FIG. The block diagram of the heat pump apparatus 11 which concerns on Embodiment 3. FIG. Explanatory drawing of the ejector 15. FIG. The Mollier diagram of the heat pump device 11.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
In the following description, a gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant is assumed as a fluid distributed by the distributor 1, but the distributor 1 can also distribute a fluid other than the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant. is there.

The structure of the divider | distributor 1 which concerns on Embodiment 1 is demonstrated.
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a distributor 1 according to the first embodiment.
2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA ′ of FIG.
The distributor 1 according to the first embodiment includes a distribution pipe 2, a distribution member 3, an outflow pipe 4, an inflow pipe 5, a float 6, a guide 7, and a stopper 8.
The distribution pipe 2 is a pipe having an inner diameter that gradually increases from the lower side toward the upper side, and is a pipe that forms a frustoconical channel inside. The distribution member 3 is a circular plate-like member provided so as to close the mouth of the distribution pipe 2 having the larger inner diameter. The distribution member 3 has a plurality of holes 9 formed at equal intervals on a circle concentric with the opening having the larger inner diameter of the distribution pipe 2. The outflow pipe 4 is a pipe attached to each hole 9. The inflow pipe 5 is a pipe attached to the port having the smaller inner diameter of the distribution pipe 2. The float 6 is provided in the distribution pipe 2 so as to be movable along the center line of the flow path formed by the distribution pipe 2. The float 6 has a shape in which the cross-sectional area gradually increases from the smaller inner diameter of the distribution pipe 2 toward the larger side. The float 6 has, for example, a conical shape in which the side where the inner diameter of the distribution pipe 2 is small is a vertex and the side where the inner diameter of the distribution pipe 2 is large is the bottom surface. The guide 7 is a rod-like member attached to the distribution member 3 and provided on the center line of the flow path formed by the distribution pipe 2. The stopper 8 is a member provided at the end of the guide 7 opposite to the distribution member 3.
The float 6 can move along the center line of the flow path formed by the distribution pipe 2 as described above, when the guide 7 passes through the hole formed in the center. Even when the float 6 moves to the distribution member 3 side and comes into contact with the distribution member 3, the float 6 does not completely block the holes 9. In addition, the float 6 moves to the stopper 8 side and does not contact the inner wall of the distribution pipe 2 even when it contacts the stopper 8.

An operation of the distributor 1 according to the first embodiment will be described.
The distributor 1 is used with the outflow pipe 4 side up and the inflow pipe 5 side down. The distributor 1 distributes the refrigerant flowing into the distribution pipe 2 from the inflow pipe 5 to the outflow pipes 4 through the holes 9 and causes the refrigerant to flow out.
When the refrigerant does not flow into the distribution pipe 2 from the inflow pipe 5, the float 6 is in contact with the stopper 8. When the refrigerant flows into the distribution pipe 2 from the inflow pipe 5, the float 6 moves upward (distribution member 3 side) by the refrigerant. The refrigerant that has flowed into the distribution pipe 2 passes through an annular flow path formed between the float 6 and the inner wall of the distribution pipe 2 and is distributed and discharged to each outflow pipe 4 through each hole 9.

FIG. 3 is a relationship diagram between the refrigerant flow rate and the amount of movement of the float 6 (the amount of movement of the float 6 from the stopper 8). In FIG. 3, the horizontal axis indicates the refrigerant flow rate, and the vertical axis indicates the amount of movement of the float 6.
A force from the bottom to the top acts on the float 6 by the refrigerant pressure, and a force from the top to the bottom acts by the dead weight of the float 6. Therefore, the float 6 stops at a position where both forces are balanced. Therefore, when the refrigerant flow rate is large, the momentum of the refrigerant is large, so that the force acting on the float 6 increases from the bottom to the top, and the amount of movement of the float 6 increases. On the other hand, when the refrigerant flow rate is small, since the momentum of the refrigerant is small, the force acting on the float 6 from the bottom to the top decreases, and the movement amount of the float 6 decreases.

FIG. 4 is a relationship diagram between the amount of movement of the float 6 and the flow area in the distribution pipe 2 (the area of the annular flow path formed between the float 6 and the inner wall of the distribution pipe 2). In FIG. 4, the horizontal axis indicates the amount of movement of the float 6, and the vertical axis indicates the flow path area.
As the amount of movement of the float 6 increases, the flow path area increases. Therefore, the flow path area increases as the refrigerant flow rate increases.

FIG. 5 is a relationship diagram between the refrigerant flow rate and the flow rate of the refrigerant into each hole 9. In FIG. 5, the horizontal axis indicates the refrigerant flow rate, and the vertical axis indicates the inflow speed of the refrigerant into each hole 9. In FIG. 5, the relationship when the float 6 is provided is indicated by a solid line, and the relationship when the float 6 is not provided is indicated by a broken line.
The refrigerant velocity U in the distribution pipe 2 is expressed by “U = W / (A × ρ)” using the refrigerant mass flow rate W, the flow path area A in the distribution pipe 2, and the refrigerant density ρ. Is done. The flow path area A is a flow area of an annular flow path formed between the float 6 and the inner wall of the distribution pipe 2 when the float 6 is provided.
When the float 6 is not provided, the flow path area A is constant, so that the refrigerant speed U increases as the refrigerant flow rate (mass flow rate W) increases. On the other hand, when the float 6 is provided, as described above, the flow area A of the annular flow path increases as the refrigerant flow rate increases. Therefore, even if the refrigerant flow rate changes, the refrigerant speed U becomes substantially constant.

FIG. 6 is a flow pattern diagram of a gas-liquid two-phase fluid. In FIG. 6, the horizontal axis indicates the flow rate ratio between the gas and the liquid, and the vertical axis indicates the mass flow rate of the gas. The flow rate ratio between the gas and the liquid is dimensionless, and the unit of the mass flow rate of the gas is kg / m ² s (kg is kilogram, m ² is square meter, and s is second).
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the slag flow. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of an annular spray flow. 7 and 8, the white portions indicate gas refrigerant, and the hatched portions indicate liquid refrigerant.
The flow mode represents the flow state of the gas phase portion and the liquid phase portion in the gas-liquid two-layer flow. As shown in FIG. 6, the flow mode includes a wave flow, a laminar flow, a slag flow, an annular spray flow, a spiral flow, a bubble flow, and the like. Typical flow patterns include slag flow and annular spray flow. As shown in FIG. 7, the slag flow is a flow pattern in which bullet-shaped bubbles and liquid refrigerant flow irregularly. As shown in FIG. 8, in the annular spray flow, the liquid refrigerant flows on the wall surface of the tube, and the gas refrigerant and droplets flow in the center of the tube. Whether it is a slag flow or an annular spray flow strongly depends on the speed of the refrigerant, and when the speed is low, it becomes a slag flow, and when the speed is high, it becomes an annular spray flow.
As described above, the distributor 1 can make the speed of the refrigerant substantially constant even if the refrigerant flow rate changes. Therefore, the distributor 1 can always be an annular spray flow, for example, even if the refrigerant flow rate changes. When the refrigerant becomes an annular spray flow, most of the liquid refrigerant flows along the pipe wall surface (the inner wall surface of the distribution pipe 2), so that the liquid refrigerant can be distributed to the holes 9 almost evenly.

As described above, the distributor 1 according to Embodiment 1 can distribute the liquid refrigerant to the holes 9 almost evenly even when the flow rate of the refrigerant changes.
In addition, the distributor 1 according to the first embodiment has a resistance smaller than that of the conventional distributor, although the float 6 serves as a flow path resistance. Therefore, the distributor 1 according to Embodiment 1 has a small pressure loss. In general, the pressure loss increases as the refrigerant flow rate increases. However, in the distributor 1 according to the first embodiment, as the refrigerant flow rate increases, the float 6 moves and the flow path area increases. Therefore, the pressure loss when the refrigerant flow rate increases can be reduced.

  In the above description, the float 6 has a conical shape. However, the float 6 may have, for example, a shape in which the vicinity of the apex of the cone has a spherical shape, or may have a truncated cone shape. Further, in the above description, the float 6 has a shape in which the cross-sectional area gradually increases from the side where the inner diameter of the distribution pipe 2 is smaller toward the larger side. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the float 6 may be cylindrical, for example. The shape of the float 6 on the stopper 8 side may be a streamline shape. By adopting a streamline shape, noise generated when the refrigerant collides with the float 6 can be reduced.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
In the second embodiment, a distributor 1 having a slightly different configuration from the distributor 1 according to the first embodiment will be described. In the second embodiment, the same components as those in the distributor 1 according to the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

The structure of the divider | distributor 1 which concerns on Embodiment 2 is demonstrated.
FIG. 9 is a plan view of the distributor 1 according to the second embodiment.
10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB ′ of FIG.
The distributor 1 according to the second embodiment is different from the distributor 1 according to the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in that an elastic body 10 is provided instead of the guide 7 and the stopper 8. In the first embodiment, the float 6 has a conical shape, but in the second embodiment, the float 6 has a conical shape having a spherical apex. The float 6 may have other shapes as described in the first embodiment.
The elastic body 10 is attached to the central portion of the distribution member 3 and elastically deforms along the center line of the flow path formed by the distribution pipe 2. In FIG. 10, the elastic body 10 is a spring, but the elastic body 10 may be an object having other elasticity. The float 6 is attached to the distribution member 3 via the elastic body 10. The float 6 is movable along the center line of the flow path formed by the distribution pipe 2 when the elastic body 10 is deformed.

The operation of the distributor 1 according to the second embodiment will be described.
The distributor 1 is used with the outflow pipe 4 side up and the inflow pipe 5 side down. The distributor 1 distributes the refrigerant flowing into the distribution pipe 2 from the inflow pipe 5 to the outflow pipes 4 through the holes 9 and causes the refrigerant to flow out.
When the refrigerant does not flow into the distribution pipe 2 from the inflow pipe 5, the float 6 stretches the elastic body 10 by its own weight and is positioned on the inflow pipe 5 side. When the refrigerant flows into the distribution pipe 2 from the inflow pipe 5, the float 6 is pushed by the refrigerant to contract the elastic body 10, and the float 6 moves upward (distribution member 3 side). The refrigerant that has flowed into the distribution pipe 2 passes through an annular flow path formed between the float 6 and the inner wall of the distribution pipe 2 and is distributed and discharged to each outflow pipe 4 through each hole 9.

Thereby, similarly to the distributor 1 according to Embodiment 1, the speed of the refrigerant becomes substantially constant even if the refrigerant flow rate changes. Therefore, the distributor 1 can always be an annular spray flow, for example, even if the refrigerant flow rate changes. Therefore, the distributor 1 according to the second embodiment has the same effects as the distributor 1 according to the first embodiment.
Further, the distributor 1 according to the second embodiment can control the amount of movement of the float 6 not only by the weight of the float 6 but also by the elastic force of the elastic body 10. Therefore, for example, even when the force applied to the float 6 by the refrigerant is excessive with respect to the weight of the float 6, the moving amount of the float 6 can be controlled by the elastic body 10. Therefore, the refrigerant can be equally distributed over a wider range of refrigerant flow rates than the distributor 1 according to the first embodiment.

Embodiment 3 FIG.
In the third embodiment, a heat pump device 11 using the distributor 1 according to the first and second embodiments will be described.

The configuration of the heat pump device 11 according to Embodiment 3 will be described.
FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of the heat pump device 11 according to the third embodiment.
The heat pump device 11 according to Embodiment 3 includes a refrigerant circuit 12 in which the refrigerant circulates. In the refrigerant circuit 12, the discharge side 13b of the compressor 13 and the radiator 14 (first heat exchanger) are connected by piping, the radiator 14 and the first inlet 15a of the ejector 15 are connected by piping, and the ejector 15 The outlet 15c of the distributor 16 and the inlet 16a of the distributor 16 are connected by piping, the outlet 16b of the distributor 16 and the evaporator 17 (second heat exchanger) are connected by piping, and the evaporator 17 and the compressor 13 are sucked. The side 13a is connected by piping. In the refrigerant circuit 12, the branch point Z between the radiator 14 and the first inlet 15a of the ejector 15 and the expansion valve 18 (decompression mechanism) are connected by a pipe, and the expansion valve 18 and the evaporator 19 (third) are connected. The heat exchanger is connected by piping, and the evaporator 19 and the second inlet 15b of the ejector 15 are connected by piping.
Here, the distributor 16 is the distributor 1 according to the first and second embodiments, the inlet 16 a of the distributor 16 is the inflow pipe 5, and the outlet 16 b is each outflow pipe 4. That is, the outlet 15c of the ejector 15 and the inflow pipe 5 are connected by the pipe. Moreover, each outflow pipe 4 and each refrigerant flow path of the evaporator 17 are connected.
In the compressor 13, the rotation speed of the motor is controlled according to the cooling load or the heating load by inverter control, and the refrigerant flow rate circulating in the refrigerant circuit 12 is controlled.

The ejector 15 will be described.
FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of the ejector 15. In FIG. 12, (a) shows the configuration of the ejector 15, and (b) shows the pressure change of the refrigerant in the ejector 15. In FIG. 12B, the horizontal axis indicates the distance from the first inlet 15a of the ejector 15, and the vertical axis indicates the refrigerant pressure.
The ejector 15 includes a nozzle 20, a mixing unit 21, and a diffuser 22. The nozzle 20 includes a decompression section 20a, a throat section 20b, and a divergent section 20c.
The nozzle 20 flows out of the radiator 14 and the high-pressure refrigerant (driving refrigerant, pressure Pg) flowing in from the first inlet 15a is decompressed and expanded by the decompression unit 20a to be sonic at the throat 20b, and supersonic at the divergent part 20c. As reduced pressure and accelerated. As a result, the nozzle 20 discharges a super-high-speed gas-liquid two-phase driving refrigerant (pressure Pi) to the mixing unit 21. The suction refrigerant is sucked by the pressure difference ΔPsuc between the ultra-high speed driving refrigerant and the refrigerant (suction refrigerant, pressure Pe) at the second inlet 15b. The ultra-high speed driving refrigerant and the low-speed suction refrigerant start to mix from the outlet of the nozzle 20, that is, the inlet of the mixing unit 21, and the pressure is recovered (increased) by exchanging the momentum of each other. Furthermore, in the diffuser 22, when the flow path is enlarged, the mixed refrigerant is decelerated, the dynamic pressure is converted into a static pressure, and the pressure is increased. Then, the refrigerant (pressure Pj) whose pressure has increased flows out from the outlet 15c. That is, there is a pressure difference ΔP between the suction refrigerant at the second inlet 15b and the refrigerant flowing out from the outlet 15c.

The operation of the heat pump device 11 will be described.
FIG. 13 is a Mollier diagram of the heat pump device 11. In FIG. 13, the horizontal axis indicates the specific enthalpy of the refrigerant, and the vertical axis indicates the pressure of the refrigerant. In addition, each point from a to h in FIG. 13 corresponds to each point from a to h in FIGS. 11 and 12, and indicates the state of the refrigerant at each point in FIGS. 11 and 12. In FIG. 13, a state where the distributor 16 is a conventional distributor is indicated by a broken line.
The refrigerant in the state a (high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant) discharged from the compressor 13 is cooled by heat exchange with the outside air in the radiator 14 to be in the state b. The refrigerant in the state b is branched in the branch part Z.
One of the refrigerants branched at the branching part Z is decompressed and expanded in the expansion valve 18 and enters a state c. The refrigerant in the state c is heated by heat exchange with the outside air in the evaporator 19 to be in the state d. The refrigerant in the state d flows to the second inlet 15b of the ejector 15 as a suction refrigerant.
The other refrigerant divided in the branch portion Z flows from the first inlet 15a of the ejector 15 into the nozzle 20 as a driving refrigerant. The refrigerant that has flowed into the nozzle 20 is decompressed and expanded to a state e and is discharged from the nozzle 20. The refrigerant in the state e is mixed with the refrigerant in the state d in the mixing unit 21 and becomes the refrigerant in the state f. The refrigerant in the state f is boosted in the mixing unit 21 and the diffuser 22 and enters the state g. The refrigerant in the state g is equally distributed to each flow path of the evaporator 17 in the distributor 16 and is heated by the heat exchange with the outside air in the evaporator 17 to be in the state h. The refrigerant in the state h is compressed by the compressor 13 and becomes the refrigerant in the state a.

As shown in FIG. 13, the refrigerant flowing into the distributor 16 is a gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant. Therefore, as described in the first embodiment, the liquid refrigerant can be evenly distributed by setting the flow mode of the refrigerant in the distributor 16 to an annular spray flow. As a result, the heat exchange efficiency in the evaporator 17 can be increased.
As described in the first embodiment, the distributor 1 according to the first and second embodiments has a smaller pressure loss than the conventional distributor. Therefore, when the distributor 1 according to the first and second embodiments is used as the distributor 16, the refrigerant sucked by the compressor 13 as compared with the case where the conventional distributor is used (see the broken line in FIG. 13). The pressure can be increased.

As described above, the heat pump device 11 according to Embodiment 3 can evenly distribute the refrigerant to each flow path of the evaporator 17 even when the flow rate of the refrigerant changes. Therefore, the heat exchange efficiency in the evaporator 17 can be increased. Further, the heat pump device 11 according to Embodiment 3 can distribute the refrigerant to each flow path of the evaporator 17 while suppressing the pressure loss even when the flow rate of the refrigerant changes. Therefore, the pressure of the refrigerant sucked by the compressor 13 can be increased.
Therefore, the heat pump device 11 can constitute an efficient refrigeration cycle and can save energy.

  In addition, in the said description, the structure provided with the ejector 15 was demonstrated as a heat pump apparatus using the divider | distributor 1 which concerns on Embodiment 1,2. However, even in the heat pump device in which the compressor, the radiator, the expansion valve, and the evaporator are sequentially connected by piping, and the distributor 1 according to the first and second embodiments is provided at the inlet of the evaporator, A certain amount of energy can be saved.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Distributor, 2 distribution piping, 3 distribution member, 4 outflow piping, 5 inflow piping, 6 float, 7 guide, 8 stopper, 9 holes, 10 elastic body, 11 heat pump apparatus, 12 refrigerant circuit, 13 compressor, 14 heat dissipation 15 Ejector 16 Distributor 17 Evaporator 18 Expansion Valve 19 Evaporator 20 Nozzle 21 Mixing Unit 22 Diffuser

Claims (8)

A distribution member formed with a plurality of holes;
A distribution pipe in which the inner diameter gradually increases from one side to the other side, and the port on the other side is blocked by the distribution member, and the fluid flowing from the port on the one side is formed in the distribution member A distribution pipe for distributing and flowing out from the plurality of holes formed;
A distributor comprising a float provided in the distribution pipe so as to be movable along a center line of a flow path formed by the distribution pipe. The distributor according to claim 1, wherein the float has a shape in which a cross-sectional area gradually increases from the one side toward the other side. The distributor according to claim 2, wherein the float has a conical shape with the other side as a bottom surface. The said float is a magnitude | size which does not cover the said some hole, when it is located in the said other side, and is a size which does not contact the inner wall of the said distribution piping, when it is located in the said one side. A distributor according to any of the above. 5. The distribution according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of holes are formed at equal intervals on a circle concentric with the other-side port of the distribution pipe. vessel. The distributor further comprises:
A rod-shaped guide attached to the distribution member and provided along the center line of the flow path formed by the distribution pipe,
The distributor according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the float is provided through the guide. The distributor further comprises:
An elastic body attached to the distribution member;
The distributor according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the float is attached to the distribution member via the elastic body. The discharge side of the compressor and the first heat exchanger are connected by piping, the first heat exchanger and the first inlet of the ejector are connected by piping, and the outlet of the ejector and the inlet of the distributor are connected by piping. The outlet of the distributor and the second heat exchanger are connected by piping, the second heat exchanger and the suction side of the compressor are connected by piping, and the first heat exchanger A branch point between the first inlet of the ejector and the pressure reducing mechanism are connected by piping, the pressure reducing mechanism and the third heat exchanger are connected by piping, and the third heat exchanger and the second inlet of the ejector are connected. And a refrigerant circuit in which refrigerant is circulated,
The distributor is
A distribution member having a plurality of holes serving as the outlet;
A distribution pipe in which the inner diameter gradually increases from one side to the other side, and the port on the other side is blocked by the distribution member, and the fluid flowing in from the port on the one side serving as the inlet A distribution pipe for distributing and flowing out from the plurality of holes formed in the distribution member;
A heat pump apparatus comprising: a float provided in the distribution pipe so as to be movable along a center line of a flow path formed by the distribution pipe.

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