JP4591829B2 - Refrigeration equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a refrigeration apparatus applied to an air conditioner for cooling and heating indoor air.

  As a refrigeration apparatus applied to an air conditioner or the like, one that cools and warms air, water, or the like using a refrigeration cycle that repeatedly changes the state of refrigerant vaporization and liquefaction is known. For example, the refrigeration apparatus compresses the refrigerant with a compressor, condenses the refrigerant discharged from the compressor with a condenser, decompresses the condensed refrigerant with a decompression unit, and evaporates the decompressed refrigerant with an evaporator. To cool and cool air and water.

  In such a refrigeration apparatus, since the gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor is high pressure, when the high-pressure gas refrigerant flows through the refrigerant pipe, the pressure of the flowing refrigerant exceeds the allowable pressure of the refrigerant pipe. There is a fear. Thus, for example, it has been proposed to reduce the operating rotational speed of the compressor to keep the pressure of the flowing refrigerant below the allowable pressure of the refrigerant pipe (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP-A-2005-49057

  However, in the conventional method such as Patent Document 1, when the pressure of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor is reduced, the operating speed of the compressor is reduced, so that the circulation amount of the refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle per unit time is reduced. Will be reduced. As a result, the performance of the refrigeration cycle may deteriorate due to a decrease in the refrigerant circulation rate.

  An object of the present invention is to realize a refrigeration apparatus that is more suitable for suppressing the deterioration of the refrigeration cycle performance while ensuring the pressure resistance of the refrigerant pipe on the discharge side of the compressor.

In order to solve the above problems, a refrigeration apparatus of the present invention includes a compressor that compresses and discharges a refrigerant, a condenser that condenses the refrigerant discharged from the compressor, and a refrigerant that flows out of the condenser. In a refrigeration apparatus including a decompression means for decompressing and an evaporator for evaporating the decompressed refrigerant, a refrigerant pipe on the discharge side of the compressor is provided with a refrigerant density adjusting means for cooling the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe. The refrigerant density adjusting means is configured to circulate a container having a flow passage cross-sectional area larger than that of the refrigerant pipe and condensed water generated on the surface of the evaporator, and exchange heat between the condensed water and the refrigerant in the container. The cooling heat exchanger is formed by a base pipe through which condensed water flows, and a plurality of heat exchange pipes that are connected to the base pipe and are erected from the base pipe into the container. It is characterized by being made.

  According to this, when the high-pressure gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor is cooled, the cooled refrigerant becomes a gas-liquid two-phase state in which the gas refrigerant and the liquid refrigerant are mixed. Here, the liquid refrigerant has a smaller pressure per unit volume than the gas refrigerant, but has a larger refrigerant amount per unit volume, that is, a refrigerant density. Therefore, by making the gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor into a gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant, it is possible to secure a circulation amount of the refrigerant per unit time while lowering the refrigerant pressure in the refrigerant pipe. As a result, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of the refrigeration cycle performance while ensuring the pressure resistance of the refrigerant pipe on the discharge side of the compressor.

  Here, the refrigerant density adjusting means makes the refrigerant temperature after cooling at least higher than the outside air when cooling the refrigerant discharged from the compressor. Thereby, excessive cooling of the refrigerant can be prevented while cooling the refrigerant discharged from the compressor, so that it is possible to prevent the cooled refrigerant from absorbing heat from the outside air, and it is possible to suppress a decrease in refrigeration cycle performance.

  In the above refrigeration apparatus, the compressor and the evaporator are provided in an indoor unit, the condenser is provided in an outdoor unit, and the refrigerant pipe is a connecting pipe that connects the indoor unit and the outdoor unit. It can arrange as. That is, the refrigeration apparatus can be configured as a so-called remote condenser type in which the compressor is disposed on the indoor unit side. As a result, when the refrigerant discharged from the compressor flows through the crossover pipe, the refrigerant is cooled. Therefore, while reducing the refrigerant pressure below the allowable pressure of the crossover pipe, the amount of refrigerant per unit time is reduced. It can be secured.

  When the refrigeration apparatus is configured as a remote condenser type, the refrigerant density adjusting unit can cool the refrigerant discharged from the compressor with water generated on the surface of the evaporator. Thereby, it is possible to easily secure water for cooling the refrigerant in the refrigerant pipe on the discharge side of the compressor, and it is possible to simplify the apparatus configuration as compared with preparing a new water source for cooling water.

  The refrigerant density adjusting means includes a cooling heat exchanger therein, guides the refrigerant evaporated in the evaporator to the cooling heat exchanger, and discharges the refrigerant discharged from the cooling heat exchanger to the compressor. The refrigerant discharged from the compressor can be cooled by the refrigerant of the cooling heat exchanger. That is, the refrigerant evaporated from the evaporator is used as a fluid for cooling the refrigerant in the refrigerant piping on the discharge side of the compressor. Thereby, the refrigerant in the refrigerant pipe can be easily cooled, and it is not necessary to provide a new pipe or the like for the cooling fluid, so that the apparatus configuration can be simplified.

  Further, in the refrigeration apparatus of the present invention, a plurality of refrigerant pipes on the discharge side of the compressor can be provided in parallel instead of the refrigerant density adjusting means. According to this, the volume of the flow path of the gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor increases according to the number of refrigerant pipes. Therefore, by increasing the number of the refrigerant pipes as necessary, it is possible to secure the circulation amount of the whole refrigerant per unit time while lowering the refrigerant pressure in each refrigerant pipe. As a result, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of the refrigeration cycle performance while ensuring the pressure resistance of the refrigerant pipe on the discharge side of the compressor.

  In addition to providing the refrigerant density adjusting means, a plurality of refrigerant pipes on the discharge side of the compressor can be provided in parallel. According to this, since the refrigerant pressure in each refrigerant pipe can be lowered, the dryness of the refrigerant is increased, and the cooling efficiency of the refrigerant by the refrigerant density adjuster is increased.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the more suitable refrigeration apparatus can be implement | achieved by suppressing the fall of refrigeration cycle performance, ensuring the pressure | voltage resistance of the refrigerant | coolant piping at the discharge side of a compressor.

(First embodiment)
A first embodiment of a refrigeration apparatus to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to the drawings. The refrigeration apparatus of this embodiment is an example applied to a so-called remote condenser type air conditioner. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an air conditioner according to the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, an air conditioner that cools and warms indoor air in an office, a factory, or the like includes a compressor 10 that compresses and discharges a refrigerant, and a heat source side heat exchanger that condenses the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 10. A condenser 12, an expansion valve 14 as a decompression means for decompressing the refrigerant flowing out of the condenser 12, an evaporator 16 as a use side heat exchanger for evaporating the refrigerant decompressed by the expansion valve 14, and the like A refrigeration cycle is formed.

  In the air conditioner of the present embodiment, the refrigerant density adjuster 20 that cools the flowing refrigerant is provided in the gas-side refrigerant pipe 18 on the discharge side of the compressor 10. Thereby, the fall of the refrigerating cycle performance can be suppressed, ensuring the pressure | voltage resistance of the gas side refrigerant | coolant piping 18 of the discharge side of the compressor 10. FIG.

  The air conditioner of this embodiment will be described in more detail. As shown in FIG. 1, the air conditioner includes an indoor unit A disposed in a room such as an office or a factory, and an outdoor unit B disposed outdoors. The indoor unit A and the outdoor unit B are connected to each other via a gas side refrigerant pipe 18 as a gas side crossover pipe and a liquid side refrigerant pipe 22 as a liquid side crossover pipe.

  The indoor unit A includes an expansion valve 14 that depressurizes the refrigerant that flows from the outdoor unit B through the liquid-side refrigerant pipe 22, and an evaporator 16 that cools the indoor air by evaporating the liquid refrigerant expanded by the expansion valve 14. , A compressor 10 that sucks and compresses the gas refrigerant evaporated in the evaporator 16, and a refrigerant density adjuster that passes to the outdoor unit B through the gas-side refrigerant pipe 18 after cooling the gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor 10 20 and so on. The outdoor unit B includes a condenser 12 that liquefies the gas refrigerant flowing from the indoor unit A through the gas-side refrigerant pipe 18 by cooling it with outside air. That is, the air conditioner of this embodiment is a so-called remote condenser type air conditioner in which the compressor 10 is provided in the indoor unit A.

  The refrigerant density adjuster 20 of this embodiment includes a cooling heat exchanger that cools the gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor 10. The cooling heat exchanger is connected to a cooling pipe 24 through which condensed water (hereinafter referred to as drain water) generated on the heat exchange surface of the evaporator 16 flows. The cooling pipe 24 has an upstream side connected to a drain pan disposed at, for example, the lower edge of the evaporator 16, and a downstream side communicating with the flow path of the cooling heat exchanger of the refrigerant density adjuster 20. The position of the refrigerant density adjuster 20 may be inside the indoor unit A, or may be a pipe line portion between the indoor unit A and the outdoor unit B in the gas side refrigerant pipe 18. In short, the refrigerant density adjuster 20 may be arranged in the previous stage of the gas side refrigerant pipe 18 where pressure resistance should be considered.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the refrigerant density adjuster 20. First, as shown in FIG. 2A, the refrigerant density adjuster 20 includes a container 25 through which the refrigerant passes, a cooling heat exchanger 26 in which heat exchange tubes are arranged in the container 25, and the like. The container 25 has a refrigerant inlet 28 that communicates with the discharge side of the compressor 10 and a refrigerant outlet 30 that communicates with the gas-side refrigerant pipe 18. The refrigerant outlet 30 is formed on the side wall facing the side wall provided with the refrigerant inlet 28. The cooling heat exchanger 26 has a cooling water inlet 32 communicating with the cooling pipe 24 and a cooling water outlet 35 at both ends. The base pipe connecting the cooling water inlet 32 and the cooling water outlet 35 is formed with a plurality of heat exchange pipes 34 a to 34 d erected toward the inside of the container 25. In addition, although the drain water which adhered to the heat exchange surface of the evaporator 16 and was dripped is used as cooling water here, the water supplied from the water source prepared separately may be used. Further, in order to increase the heat exchange efficiency between the refrigerant and the drain water, the flow direction of the refrigerant and the flow direction of the drain water are reversed, but they may be the same direction.

  Moreover, it may replace with the form of FIG. 2A, and the form shown to FIG. 2B may be sufficient as the refrigerant density regulator 20. FIG. As shown in FIG. 2B, the refrigerant density adjuster 20 includes a cylindrical container 36 through which the refrigerant passes, a cooling heat exchanger 38 disposed in a bellows shape in the container 36, and the like. The cooling heat exchanger 38 includes a cooling water inlet 40 and a cooling water outlet 42 that penetrate the outer surface of the container 36.

  Moreover, it may replace with the form of FIG. 2A or FIG. 2B, and the form shown to FIG. 2C may be sufficient as the refrigerant density adjuster 20. FIG. As shown in FIG. 2C, the refrigerant density adjuster 20 includes a cylindrical container 44 that surrounds the outer surface of the gas-side refrigerant pipe 18. The container 44 is disposed coaxially with the gas side refrigerant pipe 18. The gap between the inner surface of the container 44 and the outer surface of the gas-side refrigerant pipe 18 is a cooling heat exchange channel through which cooling water flows in the axial direction. The refrigerant density adjuster 20 is not limited to the form shown in FIGS. 2A to 2C, and may be any form that can cool the gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor 10.

  The operation of the cooling operation of the air conditioner configured as described above will be described. The refrigerant that circulates between the indoor unit A and the indoor unit B cools the secondary refrigerant (for example, room air) by repeatedly changing the state of vaporization and liquefaction. More specifically, the gas refrigerant sucked into the compressor 10 is compressed by the compressor 10. The high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor 10 passes through the refrigerant density adjuster 20 and then dissipates heat to the outside air and condenses. The condensed refrigerant is decompressed by the expansion valve 14. The decompressed refrigerant is evaporated by the heat of the room air in the evaporator 16. During this evaporation process, the room air that passes through the heat exchange surface of the evaporator 16 is cooled.

  Here, in the present embodiment, the high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor 10 is cooled by the refrigerant density adjuster 20. More specifically, the gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor 10 is cooled by exchanging heat with the relatively low-temperature drain water in the cooling pipe 24 by the cooling heat exchanger of the refrigerant density adjuster 20. . The cooled refrigerant becomes a gas-liquid two-phase state in which a gas refrigerant and a liquid refrigerant are mixed. The liquid refrigerant has a smaller pressure per unit volume than the gas refrigerant, but has a larger refrigerant amount per unit volume, that is, a refrigerant density. Accordingly, the gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor 10 is converted into a gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant by the refrigerant density adjuster 20, thereby reducing the refrigerant pressure in the gas-side refrigerant pipe 18 and circulating the refrigerant per unit time. Can be secured. As a result, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of the refrigeration cycle performance while securing the pressure resistance of the gas-side refrigerant pipe 18 on the discharge side of the compressor 10, and thus the operation of the air conditioner can be stably maintained.

  In addition, when the refrigerant density adjuster 20 cools the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 10, the refrigerant temperature after cooling is set to a temperature higher than that of the outside air. Thereby, since the refrigerant | coolant discharged from the compressor 10 is cooled, excessive cooling of a refrigerant | coolant is prevented, Therefore It can avoid that the refrigerant | coolant after cooling absorbs heat from outside air, and can suppress the fall of refrigeration cycle performance.

  Further, as the refrigerant of the present embodiment, for example, an HFC refrigerant represented by 410A is applied from the viewpoint of protecting the ozone layer. The HFC refrigerant has a relatively higher refrigerant pressure than the HCFC refrigerant represented by R22. In this regard, according to the present embodiment, the refrigerant pressure in the gas side refrigerant pipe 18 can be reduced. Therefore, when the HFC refrigerant is used as the refrigerant, even if the gas side refrigerant pipe 18 is for HCFC refrigerant, the gas side refrigerant pipe 18 can be used. For example, when replacing an air conditioner compatible with HCFC refrigerant with one compatible with HFC refrigerant, the existing gas-side refrigerant pipe 18 and liquid-side refrigerant pipe 22 can be used as they are. Becomes easier. In addition, according to the present embodiment, since the circulation amount of the refrigerant per unit time can be secured while the refrigerant pressure in the gas side refrigerant pipe 18 is reduced, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of the refrigeration cycle performance.

(Second embodiment)
A second embodiment of a refrigeration apparatus to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the refrigerant evaporated in the evaporator 16 is used as a fluid for cooling the refrigerant in the gas-side refrigerant pipe 18, and the drain water generated on the surface of the evaporator 16 is used. Different. Therefore, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the location mutually corresponding to 1st embodiment, and it demonstrates centering around difference.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the air conditioner of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the evaporator 16 is connected to the compressor 10 via the refrigerant density adjuster 20. The compressor 10 communicates with the gas side refrigerant pipe 18 via the refrigerant density adjuster 20. More specifically, in the evaporator 16, the refrigerant discharge side pipe 50 communicates with the cooling heat exchange inlet side of the refrigerant density adjuster 20. In the refrigerant density adjuster 20, the piping 52 on the outlet side of the heat exchange for cooling communicates with the suction side of the compressor 10. The discharge side pipe 54 of the compressor 10 communicates with the gas side refrigerant pipe 18 via the refrigerant density adjuster 20. In short, the refrigerant density adjuster 20 according to the present embodiment guides the refrigerant evaporated in the evaporator 16 to the internal cooling heat exchanger, and passes the refrigerant discharged from the cooling heat exchanger to the compressor 10. The refrigerant discharged from the machine 10 is cooled by the refrigerant in the cooling heat exchanger.

  According to this embodiment, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment, the cooling pipe 24 can be omitted, so that the device configuration of the indoor unit A can be simplified. Moreover, even when drain water hardly arises on the surface of the evaporator 16 due to indoor humidity, the gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor 10 can be reliably cooled. In addition, when this embodiment and 1st embodiment are combined, a much more effect can be exhibited.

(Third embodiment)
A third embodiment of a refrigeration apparatus to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to the drawings. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a plurality of gas-side refrigerant pipes 18 on the discharge side of the compressor 10 are provided in parallel. Therefore, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the location mutually corresponding to 1st embodiment, and it demonstrates centering around difference.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the air conditioner of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, the compressor 10 is provided with a refrigerant density adjuster 20 on the discharge side. The refrigerant density adjuster 20 is the same as that in the first embodiment. The refrigerant density adjuster 20 is connected to the condenser 12 via a plurality of gas side refrigerant pipes 18a to 18m. Here, the gas side refrigerant pipes 18a to 18m are gas side transition pipes connecting the indoor unit A and the outdoor unit B, and are arranged in parallel. The condenser 12 is connected to the expansion valve 14 via a plurality of liquid side refrigerant pipes 22a to 22m. The liquid side refrigerant pipes 22a to 22m here are also liquid side connecting pipes connecting the indoor unit A and the outdoor unit B.

  In such an air conditioner, the gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor 10 is cooled by the refrigerant density adjuster 20, and then branched into the gas-side refrigerant pipes 18a to 18m. The refrigerant that has flowed through the gas side refrigerant pipes 18 a to 18 m merges and flows into the condenser 12. Moreover, the refrigerant | coolant which flowed out from the condenser 12 branches and flows into each liquid side refrigerant | coolant piping 22a-22m. The refrigerant that has flowed through each of the liquid side refrigerant pipes 22 a to 22 m joins and flows into the expansion valve 14.

  According to this embodiment, the volume of the flow path of the gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor 10 increases in proportion to the number of gas side refrigerant pipes 18a to 18m. Therefore, by increasing the number of the gas side refrigerant pipes 18a to 18m as necessary, it is possible to secure the circulation amount of the whole refrigerant per unit time while reducing the refrigerant pressure in each of the gas side refrigerant pipes 18a to 18m. . As a result, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the refrigeration cycle performance while ensuring the pressure resistance of the gas side refrigerant pipes 18a to 18m that are gas side crossover pipes. The same applies to the liquid side refrigerant pipes 22a to 22m.

  Moreover, since the dryness of a refrigerant | coolant increases by reducing the refrigerant | coolant pressure in each gas side refrigerant | coolant piping 18a-18m, the cooling efficiency of the refrigerant | coolant by the refrigerant density regulator 20 can be improved. As a result, the refrigerant density in each of the gas side refrigerant pipes 18a to 18m can be further increased.

  Moreover, when replacing the existing air conditioner in a building with a new air conditioner, the gas side refrigerant | coolant piping 18a-18m and the liquid side refrigerant | coolant piping 22a-22m may already be arrange | positioned in the building. In this case, according to the present embodiment, since the existing gas side refrigerant pipes 18a to 18m and the liquid side refrigerant pipes 22a to 22m can be used as they are without being replaced, the installation work of the replacement is easy. become.

  As mentioned above, according to 1st and 2nd embodiment, in the remote condenser type air conditioner which has the compressor 10 which compresses a refrigerant | coolant in the indoor unit A side, the gas side refrigerant | coolant which connects the indoor unit A and the outdoor unit B The pipe 18 can be used even with a low pressure specification. The same applies to the liquid side refrigerant pipe 22. And even when using such a gas side refrigerant | coolant piping 18 and the liquid side refrigerant | coolant piping 22 and forming a refrigerant | coolant circulation path, the performance fall of a refrigerating cycle can be avoided.

  In addition, although the air conditioner to which this invention was applied was demonstrated by 1st and 2nd embodiment, it is not restricted to this. For example, the air conditioner of the first and second embodiments is a remote condenser type in which the compressor 10 is built in the indoor unit A. In the remote condenser type air conditioner, it becomes easy to secure electric power of the compressor 10 and the like, and maintenance of the compressor 10 and the like becomes easy. Therefore, the remote condenser type air conditioner is suitable, for example, when high reliability is required. The example in which the present invention is applied during the cooling operation of such a remote condenser air conditioner has been described, but the present invention can also be applied to the heating operation of a separate air conditioner.

  The point which applies this invention at the time of heating operation of a separate type air conditioner is added. The separate type air conditioner is one in which the compressor 10 is built in the outdoor unit B, and is suitable, for example, when reduction of noise and vibration of the indoor unit A is required. Also in the heating operation of such a separate air conditioner, the high-pressure gas refrigerant is passed through the gas-side refrigerant pipe 18 as a transition pipe. Therefore, also in the case of the separate type, it is desirable to provide the refrigerant density adjuster 20 in the outdoor unit B, that is, on the discharge side of the compressor 10 in order to ensure the pressure resistance of the gas side refrigerant pipe 18. However, in the case of a separate type, water supplied from a separately prepared water source may be used as water for cooling the refrigerant. Moreover, it may replace with providing the refrigerant | coolant density adjuster 20, or may provide multiple gas side refrigerant | coolant piping 18 in parallel with it.

  In short, when the pressure resistance of the refrigerant pipe on the discharge side of the compressor 10 becomes a problem, the refrigerant density adjuster 20 that cools the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe may be provided, or alternatively or together with it, A plurality of gas side refrigerant pipes 18 may be arranged in parallel. Although the air conditioner has been described as an example, the present invention can also be applied when applied to a refrigerator or a freezer.

1 is a system diagram showing a configuration of a first embodiment of an air conditioner to which the present invention is applied. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the refrigerant density regulator of FIG. It is a systematic diagram which shows the structure of 2nd embodiment of the air conditioner to which this invention is applied. It is a systematic diagram which shows the structure of 3rd embodiment of the air conditioner to which this invention is applied.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Compressor 12 Condenser 14 Expansion valve 16 Evaporator 18 Gas side refrigerant | coolant piping 20 Refrigerant density regulator

Claims (2)

A compressor that compresses and discharges the refrigerant, a condenser that condenses the refrigerant discharged from the compressor, a decompression unit that decompresses the refrigerant that flows out of the condenser, and an evaporation that evaporates the decompressed refrigerant In a refrigeration apparatus equipped with
The refrigerant pipe on the discharge side of the compressor is provided with refrigerant density adjusting means for cooling the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe ,
In the refrigerant density adjusting means, a container having a flow path cross-sectional area larger than that of the refrigerant pipe and condensed water generated on the surface of the evaporator are circulated, and heat exchange is performed between the condensed water and the refrigerant in the container. A cooling heat exchanger
The cooling heat exchanger is formed by a base pipe through which the condensed water flows, and a plurality of heat exchange pipes standing from the base pipe toward the inside of the container so as to communicate with the base pipe. Refrigeration equipment.   The compressor and the evaporator are provided in an indoor unit, the condenser is provided in an outdoor unit, and the refrigerant pipe is provided as a connecting pipe connecting the indoor unit and the outdoor unit. The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

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