JP4682795B2 - Expander-integrated compressor and refrigeration cycle apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an expander-integrated compressor and an refrigeration cycle apparatus including an expander that expands fluid and a compressor that compresses fluid.

  2. Description of the Related Art As a power recovery type refrigeration cycle that recovers expansion energy of a refrigerant with an expander and uses it as part of work for compressing the refrigerant with a compressor, one using an expander-integrated compressor is known. (For example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

  A refrigeration cycle using a conventional expander-integrated compressor will be described. FIG. 10 shows a refrigeration cycle using an expander-integrated compressor having the same configuration as that of Patent Document 1. This refrigeration cycle includes a compressor 1, a gas cooler 2, an expander 3, an evaporator 4, an electric motor 5, a shaft 6 directly connecting the compressor 1, the expander 3, and the electric motor 5, an expander suction rod 11, and an expansion. It comprises a bypass circuit 31 that bypasses the discharge pipe 12 and an expansion valve 30 that adjusts the flow rate. The refrigerant is compressed from room temperature low pressure to high temperature high pressure in the compressor 1 and then cooled to room temperature high pressure in the gas cooler 2. And after expanding to low temperature and low pressure in the expander 3 and the expansion valve 30, it is heated by the evaporator 4 to normal temperature. FIG. 11 shows a refrigeration cycle using an expander-integrated compressor having the same configuration as that of Patent Document 2. Patent Document 2 is configured without the bypass circuit 31 and the expansion valve 30 of Patent Document 1.

  In such a refrigeration cycle system, the expander 3 recovers the expansion energy of the refrigerant, converts it into rotational energy of the shaft 6, and uses part of the work for driving the compressor 1 as an electric motor 5. The power of the engine was reduced and high-efficiency operation of the cycle was realized.

  FIG. 12 shows a Mollier diagram using carbon dioxide, which is a high-pressure refrigerant, as an example of the operation of such a refrigeration cycle apparatus. In this cycle, a gas cooler is connected from the compressor outlet (point D). The refrigerant (point A) cooled by 2 flows into the expander 3 and is expanded by isentropic expansion in the expander 3. In this case, only the enthalpy amount “ha” between the evaporator inlet “point B” and the evaporator inlet “point E” in the case where the expansion valve is isoenthalpy-expanded from “point A” by an expansion valve as in the prior art, Collected on the system side. As a result, only the value “hb-ha” obtained by subtracting the recovered power “ha” from the necessary input “hb” needs to be actually input to the compressor. Efficient operation is achieved.

However, according to Patent Document 1, as shown in FIG. 10, in a refrigeration cycle in which a bypass circuit 31 is installed between the suction pipe 11 and the discharge pipe 12 of the expander, power recovery in the expander 3 is started at the time of startup. Since the mechanical loss is larger than the effect, the expansion valve 30 is fully opened to eliminate the differential pressure.
JP 2001-116371 A JP 2000-249411 A

  However, the power recovery type refrigeration cycle apparatus without a bypass circuit as shown in FIG. 11 is highly efficient because a part of the expansion energy can be recovered by the expander, and since there is no bypass circuit and an expansion valve, space is saved. Although there was an advantage that it could be configured, since there was no expansion valve, at the time of startup, the mechanical loss was larger than the power recovery effect in the expander, and high-efficiency operation was not possible. Further, when the refrigeration cycle apparatus is stopped after operation, a differential pressure remains in the high-pressure part that constitutes the compressor discharge part to the expander suction part and the low-pressure part that constitutes the expander discharge part to the compressor suction part. If there is a differential pressure, the load torque applied to the electric motor increases and the compressor cannot be started. The liquid refrigerant present on the low-pressure side expands due to an increase in the outside air temperature, and a very high pressure is applied to the evaporator. There was a risk of destroying the heat exchanger. In other words, if there is a differential pressure, the operating efficiency is reduced due to mechanical loss at startup, the problem of efficiency and controllability that the compressor cannot be started, and the safety of destroying the heat exchanger when stopped Had problems.

  In order to solve the problem of the differential pressure, if the expansion valve is provided on the bypass circuit and the bypass circuit shown in FIG. 10, it is possible to eliminate the differential pressure by opening the expansion valve. . However, the configuration of FIG. 10 has a problem that the configuration of the system becomes large.

  The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and in a power recovery type refrigeration cycle using an expander-integrated compressor, the high-pressure part and the low-pressure part are pressure-equalized inside the sealed container of the expander-integrated compressor. As a result, at startup, the efficiency is improved by reducing mechanical loss and the startup characteristics are reduced by reducing the startup torque of the electric motor.At the time of shutdown, high pressure is applied to the heat exchanger due to expansion of the low-pressure refrigerant. Protects against heat exchanger breakage, and eliminates the need for bypass circuits and valves by providing a communication path and opening / closing means inside the expander-integrated compressor, improving efficiency and controllability and safety It is an object of the present invention to provide an expander-integrated compressor that realizes improved performance and space saving, and a refrigeration cycle apparatus using the same.

The expander-integrated compressor according to the present invention stores a positive displacement expander, a positive displacement compressor, and an electric motor in which the expander and the compressor are connected in a single shaft in a sealed container,
The closed container has a communication path provided in the expander for communicating the high pressure portion that is the compressor discharge portion and the low pressure portion that is the expander discharge portion or the compressor suction portion. ,
The communication path is provided with means that can be opened and closed.

In the expander-integrated compressor, when the high pressure portion and the low pressure portion are not communicated with each other, the pressure difference between the high pressure portion and the low pressure portion is maintained, but by allowing the communication, the refrigerant flows from the high pressure portion to the low pressure portion. In the expander, the high pressure part and the low pressure part can be equalized.

  The expander is provided with means capable of changing the volume of fluid flowing into the expansion chamber.

  As a result, the volume flow rate circulating in the refrigeration cycle can be changed without using a bypass circuit that can change the volume flow rate of the refrigerant, and a highly efficient and space-saving expander-integrated compressor can be realized.

  The expander includes a cylindrical cylinder, a shaft having an eccentric shaft, a piston that is fitted to the eccentric shaft and rotates eccentrically inside the cylinder, and a space between the cylinder and the piston is provided on the suction side. A rotary expander provided with n rotary type fluid mechanisms (n is an integer of 2 or more) composed of partition members for partitioning a space and a discharge side space, and closing an end face of a cylinder of the rotary type expander At least a part of the plate may be a rotatable movable part, and the movable part may be provided with a suction port to the cylinder and the communication path.

  As a result, the suction volume of the expander can be made variable by the second suction hole, and the mass flow rate of the refrigerant circulating in the refrigeration cycle can be changed without using a bypass circuit, thereby realizing high efficiency. In addition, the opening and closing means can be configured by the movable part and the fixed part, and the communication path provided in the movable part can be communicated, thereby simplifying the apparatus.

  The compressor may be provided with means capable of changing the suction volume of the fluid flowing into the compression chamber.

  This makes it possible to change the volume flow rate of the refrigerant circulating in the refrigeration cycle without using a bypass circuit, eliminating the need for bypass piping, and realizing a space-saving expander-integrated compressor.

The refrigeration cycle apparatus includes the expander-integrated compressor, a gas cooler, an evaporator,
The refrigerant discharged from the compressor circulates in the order of the gas cooler, the expander, and the evaporator.

  As a result, a space-saving and highly efficient refrigeration cycle apparatus can be realized.

  When the electric motor is stopped, the opening / closing means is set to communicate with the communication path.

  As a result, it is possible to equalize the high-pressure part and the low-pressure part at the time of stoppage, and to protect the heat exchanger and improve the start-up characteristics.

  According to the expander-integrated compressor of the present invention, in the power recovery type refrigeration cycle using the expander, the high-pressure unit is formed by communicating the communication path provided in the sealed container of the expander-integrated compressor. When stopping, the low-pressure refrigerant expands to protect against damage to the heat exchanger caused by high pressure on the heat exchanger. By making it smaller, the starting characteristics can be improved. Further, space saving can be realized by providing the communication path and the opening / closing means inside the hermetic container of the expander-integrated compressor.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
In FIG. 1, the refrigerant circuit figure of the refrigerating-cycle apparatus in this embodiment is shown. The refrigeration cycle apparatus includes a refrigerant circuit 10 in which a compressor 1, a gas cooler 2, an expander 3, and an evaporator 4 are connected in order, and the compressor 1 and the expander 3 are connected to the electric motor 5 in a single axis. The arrows indicate the direction in which the refrigerant flows. Further, a communication passage 8 that communicates the discharge portion of the compressor 1 and the discharge portion of the expander 3 and an opening / closing means 9 that opens and closes the communication passage 8 are provided. In this embodiment, a ball valve is used as such an opening / closing means. However, the opening / closing means 9 is not particularly limited, and may be an expansion valve capable of adjusting a differential pressure or an electromagnetic valve only for opening / closing. The refrigerant circuit 10 is filled with a refrigerant that becomes a supercritical state in a high-pressure portion (portion from the compressor 1 through the gas cooler 2 to the expander 3). In the present embodiment, carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) is filled as such a refrigerant. However, the type of refrigerant is not particularly limited. The refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit 10 may be a refrigerant that does not enter a supercritical state during operation.

  Next, the expander-integrated compressor used in the refrigeration cycle in the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the expander-integrated compressor. A scroll compressor 1 is disposed on the upper side of the inside of the sealed container 41, a two-stage rotary expander 3 is disposed on the lower side, and an electric motor 5 including a rotor 21 and a stator 22 is disposed therebetween. These are connected by a shaft coupling portion 32.

  However, the types of the compressor 1 and the expander 3 may be other rotary compressors. For example, a rotary type, a scroll type, and a multi-vane type can be suitably used. Furthermore, the arrangement relationship of the compressor 1, the expander 3, and the electric motor 5 is not limited at all.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the scroll compressor 1 includes a fixed scroll 74, an orbiting scroll 73, an Oldham ring 75, a bearing member 77, a muffler 79, a suction pipe 71, and a discharge pipe 72. Has been. The orbiting scroll 73 is fitted to the eccentric shaft of the compressor shaft 76 and is restrained from rotating by the Oldham ring 75. The orbiting scroll 73 has a spiral wrap 73a, the fixed scroll 74 has a wrap 74a, and the wrap 73a and the wrap 74a mesh with each other. The orbiting scroll 73 performs a orbiting motion as the shaft 76 rotates, and the volume of the orbiting scroll 71 is reduced while the crescent-shaped working chamber 80 formed between the wraps 73a and 74a moves from the outside to the inside. The working fluid sucked from the air is compressed, and the sealed container is discharged from the discharge hole 72a provided at the center of the fixed scroll 74 and the flow path 72b provided in the fixed scroll 74 and the bearing member 77 via the inner space 79a of the muffler 79. 41 is discharged into the internal space 41a. While the working fluid stays in the internal space 41a, the mixed lubricating oil is separated by gravity, centrifugal force, or the like, and then discharged from the discharge pipe 72 to the refrigeration cycle.

  In FIG. 2, the two-stage rotary expander 3 includes a first cylinder 42, a second cylinder 43 that is thicker than the first cylinder 42, and an intermediate plate 57 that partitions them. The first piston 45 fitted to the eccentric portion 44a of the shaft 44 rotates eccentrically in the first cylinder 42, and the second piston 46 fitted to the eccentric portion 44a of the shaft 44 is In the second cylinder 43, an eccentric rotational movement is performed. The first vane 47 (shown in FIG. 9) is reciprocally held in the vane groove 42a (shown in FIG. 9) of the first cylinder 42, the tip is in contact with the first piston 45, and the second vane (Not shown) is reciprocally held in a vane groove 43 a (not shown) of the second cylinder 43, and the tip contacts the second piston 46. A first spring 49 (also shown in FIG. 9) that pushes the first vane 47 is housed in the vane groove 42a and a second spring (not shown) that pushes the second vane 48 is housed in the vane groove 43a. An upper end plate 51 constituted by a pipe 53 and a discharge pipe 54 and a lower end plate 52 in contact with the muffler 58 are provided with bearings that support the shaft 44. The discharge side of the first cylinder 42 and the suction side of the second cylinder 43 communicate with each other through a communication hole 57a provided in the intermediate plate 57, and function as one working chamber. After the high-pressure working fluid flows from the suction pipe 53 into the working chamber of the first cylinder 42 through the suction hole 51 a provided in the upper end plate 51, the working fluid is formed in the working chamber formed from the working chamber of the second cylinder 43. After expanding and rotating the shaft 44 to become a low pressure, it is once discharged into the inner space 52c of the muffler 58 through the lower end plate 52, and discharged from the discharge pipe 54 to the refrigeration cycle through the discharge flow path 52b. . Here, a discharge valve 59 is provided in the discharge hole 52 a of the lower end plate 52. The discharge valve 59 is a thin metal plate, is installed so as to close the discharge hole 52a from the inner space 52c side of the muffler 58, and is a differential pressure valve that opens when the pressure on the upstream side of the discharge valve 59 becomes higher than the pressure on the downstream side. It has become.

  In FIG. 2, inside the upper end plate 51 of the two-stage rotary expander 3, a discharge flow path 51b through which the low-pressure refrigerant after expansion is led to the discharge pipe 54 and the discharge flow path 51b branch off. The communication path 8 led to the internal space 41a of the sealed container 41 in which the high-pressure refrigerant after compression is present. In addition, on the side of the inner space 41 a of the upper end plate 51 that is the outlet of the communication path 8, an opening / closing means 9 that opens and closes the communication path 8 is provided. When the opening / closing means 9 is closed, the refrigerant is discharged from the discharge pipe 54 to the refrigeration cycle via the discharge flow path 51b and does not flow into the communication path 8, but when the opening / closing means 9 is open, The path 51b communicates with the internal space 41a of the sealed container. With such a configuration, the low pressure portion after expansion and the high pressure portion immediately after compression can communicate with each other.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to equalize high and low pressures by the communication passage 8 provided in the upper end plate 51 of the expander 3 and the opening / closing means 9.

  In the present embodiment, the communication path 8 and the opening / closing means 9 are provided on the upper end plate 51 of the expander 3. However, since the expander 3 exists in the internal space 41a of the closed container 41 where the high-pressure refrigerant after discharge from the compressor exists, the communication path 8 includes the low-pressure refrigerant after expansion and the high-pressure refrigerant existing in the closed container internal space 41a. As long as it can be formed so as to communicate with each other, the communication path 8 and the opening / closing means 9 may be installed anywhere inside the sealed container 41. That is, the communication path 8 is not branched from the discharge flow path 51 b of the upper end plate 51, but the discharge flow dew 42 b of the first cylinder 42, the discharge flow path 57 b of the intermediate plate 57, and the discharge flow path of the second cylinder 43. 43b may be branched, and the lower end plate 52 and the muffler 58 may be provided anywhere. The opening / closing means 9 is not provided on the inner space 41a side of the upper end plate, but may be provided anywhere on the first cylinder 42, the middle plate 57, the second cylinder 43, the lower end plate 52, and the muffler 58. .

  In the present embodiment, the low-pressure part of the expander discharge part and the high-pressure part after discharge of the compressor are communicated by the communication passage 8 when the electric motor 5 is stopped. FIG. 3 shows the speed of the electric motor 5 and the opening / closing timing of the opening / closing means 9. When the electric motor 5 decelerates from the constant speed state and stops, the opening / closing means 9 is opened and the communication path 8 is communicated. Further, during acceleration, the communication path 8 is “closed” and is not communicated. However, the communication path 8 may be communicated at the time of transition from the constant speed state to the stop state (deceleration), at the time of transition from the stop state to the constant speed state (acceleration), or the communication path 8 may always be connected at the time of stop. It is not necessary to communicate.

Moreover, the refrigerant circuit 10 shown in FIG. 1 is not restricted to the refrigerant circuit 10 which distribute | circulates a refrigerant | coolant only to one direction. The expander-integrated compressor may be provided in a refrigerant circuit capable of changing the refrigerant flow direction. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, it is possible to provide an expander-integrated compressor in a refrigerant circuit capable of heating operation and cooling operation by having a four-way valve or the like.
(Second Embodiment)
The communication path 8 and the opening / closing means 9 according to the first embodiment are installed in the expander 3. However, the communication path 8 and the opening / closing means 9 according to the present invention may be installed in the compressor 1. Hereinafter, it will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 5 shows a refrigerant circuit diagram of the refrigeration cycle apparatus in the present embodiment. The refrigeration cycle apparatus includes a refrigerant circuit 10 in which a compressor 1, a gas cooler 2, an expander 3, and an evaporator 4 are connected in order, and the compressor 1 and the expander 3 are connected to the electric motor 5 in a single axis. is doing. Further, a communication passage 8 that communicates the suction portion of the compressor 1 and the discharge portion of the compressor 1 and an opening / closing means 9 that opens and closes the communication passage 8 are provided. In FIG. 2, the same components as those in FIG.

  FIG. 6 shows a cross section of the expander-integrated compressor according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 6, the electric motor 5, the scroll compressor 1, and the two-stage rotary expander 3 have substantially the same configuration as that of the first embodiment described with reference to FIG. . The same numbers are used for the same parts, and the description of the same configuration and operation as in the first embodiment is omitted.

  In FIG. 6, the suction scroll 71b through which the low-pressure fluid before compression is guided to the working chamber is branched to the fixed scroll 74 of the scroll compressor 1, and the high-pressure fluid outside the compression section branches off from the suction passage 71b. The communication path 8 led to the internal space 41a of the existing sealed container 41 is provided. The fixed scroll 74 that is the outlet of the communication path 8 is provided with an opening / closing means 9 that opens and closes the communication path 8. When the opening / closing means 9 is closed, it flows into the working chamber 80 from the suction hole 71a through the suction passage 71b. When the opening / closing means 9 is open, the suction passage 71b and the internal space 41a of the sealed container communicate with each other. With such a configuration, the low pressure portion before compression and the high pressure portion immediately after compression are communicated.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the high and low pressures can be equalized by the communication passage 8 provided in the fixed scroll 74 of the compressor and the opening / closing means 9.

In this embodiment, the communication path 8 and the opening / closing means 9 are provided in the fixed scroll 74 of the compressor. However, the compressor 1 branches off from the flow path through which the low-pressure fluid before compression is guided to the working chamber 80. If the communication path 8 and the opening / closing means 9 are formed between the internal space 41a of the hermetic container 41 of the expander-integrated compressor in which the high-pressure fluid immediately after compression exists outside the compression unit, the inside of the hermetic container 41 It can be installed anywhere. That is, the communication path 8 may branch from the bearing member 77 instead of branching from the fixed scroll 74. Similarly, the opening / closing means 9 may be provided on the bearing member 77.
(Third embodiment)
The communication path 8 and the opening / closing means 9 according to the first embodiment are installed in the expander 3. However, the communication path 8 and the opening / closing means 9 according to the present invention may be provided in the expander 3 having a variable volume mechanism.

  The refrigeration cycle apparatus has the same configuration as that shown in FIG.

  Next, the expander-integrated compressor used in the refrigeration cycle will be described. In FIG. 7, the longitudinal cross-sectional view of the expander integrated compressor in this embodiment is shown. In the present embodiment, the two-stage rotary expander 3 includes an upper end plate fixing portion 61 and an upper end plate movable portion 62. The electric motor 5, the scroll compressor 1, and the two-stage rotary expander 3 have the same configuration as that of the first embodiment described with reference to FIG. The same numbers are used for the same parts, and the description of the same configuration and operation as in the first embodiment is omitted.

  8A is a perspective view of the upper end plate fixing portion 61 of the expander 3 in the expander-integrated compressor of FIG. 7, and FIG. 8B is an expander in the expander-integrated compressor of FIG. FIG. 8C is a perspective view of the expander-integrated compressor of FIG. 7 in which the upper end plate fixing portion 61 and the movable portion 62 of the expander 3 are assembled. is there.

  As shown in FIG. 8A, the fixed portion 61 has a cylindrical surface 61a having the same central axis as the shaft 44, a cylindrical surface 61b having an inner diameter smaller than the cylindrical surface 61a, and a stepped portion 61c therebetween. . In addition, an inflow path 61d through which the working fluid from the suction pipe 53 is guided, an inflow path 61e branched in the vertical direction therefrom, and a communication path 61f that connects the cylindrical surface 61a and the discharge flow path 61g inside the fixed portion 61 are provided. Prepare. Further, as shown in FIG. 9, the first cylinder 42 is provided with an inflow path 42c and a first suction hole 42d in communication with the inflow path 42c as a flow path communicating with the inflow path 61e. Further, the cylindrical surface has a discharge passage 42b through which the discharge fluid of the expander flows.

  As shown in FIG. 8 (b), the movable portion 62 has a shaft hole 62a into which the shaft 44 is fitted on the inner side, and on the outer side, a cylindrical surface 62b to be fitted into the cylindrical surface 61a of the fixed portion 61, and The cylindrical surface 62c is fitted to the cylindrical surface 61b of the fixed portion 61, and a circumferential channel groove 62d is provided 180 degrees in the rotational direction of the shaft 44 on the cylindrical surface 62b. Further, an upper surface inflow hole 62e is provided on the upper surface of the movable portion 62, communicates with the communication passage 62f, the cylindrical surface 62c is provided with a gear 62a in the circumferential direction, and second from the flow channel groove 62d to the lower side. It has a suction hole 62g.

  As shown in FIG. 8C, the fixed portion 61 and the movable portion 62 are fitted, and the movable portion 62 is rotatably supported inside the fixed portion 61. Then, by rotating the movable portion 62, the second suction hole 62g and the communication passage 62f can be rotated around the shaft 44. At this time, the step (not shown) between the step 61c of the fixed portion 61 and the cylindrical portions 62b and 62c of the movable portion 62 comes into contact with each other, thereby preventing the movable portion 62 from coming out of the fixed portion 61 upward. Yes. The lower end surface of the fixed portion 61 and the lower end surface of the movable portion 62 constitute the same plane. The upper end plate fixing portion 61 includes a gear 65 (shown in FIG. 7) that meshes with a gear 62a provided on the movable portion 62, and a rotary electric motor 63 (shown in FIG. 7) that drives the gear 65a. The upper end plate movable portion 62 can be rotated around the axis of the shaft 44 by the rotary electric motor 63.

  The upper end plate movable portion 61 and the fixed portion 62 in the present embodiment have two functions as shown below. The first function is that the working fluid that has flowed into the two-stage rotary expander 3 from the suction pipe 53 is divided into two paths from the inflow path 61d of the upper end plate fixing portion 61 and flows into the upper working chamber 55. It is a variable mechanism. The first path is a path that passes from the inflow path 61d to the inflow path 61e, the inflow path 42c of the first cylinder 42, and the first suction hole 42d, and the second path is a flow of the movable part 62 from the inflow path 61d. This is a route through the passage groove 62d and the second suction hole 62g. That is, the suction volume of the working fluid flowing into the upper working chamber 55 can be changed by controlling and changing the position of the second suction hole. The second function is that when the position of the communication path 62f is matched with the position of the discharge flow path 61g of the upper end plate fixing portion 61, the communication path 62f and the discharge flow path 61g communicate with each other. Means. These two functions can be used properly depending on the rotational position of the movable portion 62. In the present embodiment, the two functions cannot be used at the same time, but may be configured so that they can be used at the same time. For example, this can be dealt with by changing the arrangement of the second suction hole 62g and the communication passage 62f. Hereinafter, the position and function of the movable portion 62 will be described.

  9 (a1), (b1), and (c1) are cross-sectional views of the expander D1-D1 of the expander-integrated compressor of FIG. 7, and FIGS. 9 (a2), (b2), and (c2) are FIG. Sectional drawing in D2-D2 of the expander of the expander integrated compressor of this is shown. Here, the relationship between the positions and functions of the first suction hole 42d and the second suction hole 62g, and the upper end plate upper surface suction hole 62e and the communication passage 62f is shown.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 9 (a2), (b2), and (c2), the second suction hole 62g and the communication path 62f are disposed at a position of 180 ° with the shaft as the center. The position of the first suction hole 42d is fixed to 20 deg with respect to the position of the vane 47 around the shaft 44, whereas the position of the second suction hole 62g can be changed from the outside. FIGS. 9A1 and 9A2 illustrate the case where the rotation angle φ of the second suction hole 62g with respect to the position of the vane 47 around the shaft 44 is 20 deg., And (b1) and (b2) are 90 deg. (C1) and (c2) show the case of 180 deg. Needless to say, the rotation angle φ of the second suction hole 62g can be freely changed from 0 deg to 360 deg.

  Next, by controlling the position of the upper end plate movable portion 62, the second suction hole 62g and the communication passage 62f are used for the variable volume mechanism and the pressure equalizing device for eliminating the differential pressure. The positional relationship will be described in detail.

  First, the volume variable mechanism that is the first function will be described. When the position of the upper end plate movable portion 62 is controlled and the position φ of the second suction hole 62g is set to 20 deg, FIGS. 9A1 and 9A2 are obtained. Since the second suction hole 62g is at the same position as the first suction hole 42d, the suction volume is the same as when only the first suction hole 42d is provided. At this time, the upper end plate upper surface suction hole 62e and the communication passage 62f are not in communication. Further, when the position φ of the second suction hole 62g is 90 deg, FIGS. 9B1 and 9B2 are obtained. Since the position φ of the second suction hole 62g has a larger angle than the first suction hole 42d, the suction time becomes longer, and the suction volume becomes larger than those in FIGS. 9 (a1) and (a2). At this time, the upper end plate upper surface suction hole 62e and the communication path 62f are not in communication with each other as before.

  Next, the volume variable mechanism which is the second function will be described. When the position φ of the second suction hole 62g is 180 deg, FIGS. 9C1 and 9C2 are obtained. At this time, the communication passage 62f and the discharge passage 61g of the fixed portion 61 communicate with each other, so that the high / low pressure difference can be eliminated. That is, the opening / closing means 9 can be realized by controlling the positions of the movable portion 62 and the fixed portion 61.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the upper end plate movable portion 62 of the expander is provided with the communication path 8 and the opening / closing means 9, and the suction volume is made variable by controlling the position of the movable portion 62. Thus, the variable volume mechanism that can perform this function and the pressure equalizing function that eliminates the differential pressure between the high pressure portion and the low pressure portion can be realized by a single mechanism. This makes it possible to equalize pressure, which is not possible with a refrigeration cycle using a conventional expander-integrated compressor, without requiring a new device.

  In the present embodiment, the upper end plate fixing portion 61 and the movable portion 62 of the expander are used as the communication path 8 and the opening / closing means 9, but the opening / closing means 9 is composed of the movable portion and the fixed portion for realizing variable volume. The communication path 8 and the opening / closing means 9 may be installed anywhere in the expander without being limited to the upper end plate. Furthermore, if the opening / closing means 9 and the communication path 8 are configured by the movable portion and the fixed portion of the compressor having a variable volume mechanism, the compressor may be installed in the compressor without being limited to the expander.

  As described above, the present invention is useful as, for example, an air conditioner and a water heater as a power recovery refrigeration cycle apparatus having an expander-integrated compressor.

Refrigerant circuit diagram of the refrigeration cycle apparatus in the first embodiment of the present invention The longitudinal cross-sectional view of the expander integrated compressor in the 1st Embodiment of this invention The figure which shows the speed of the electric motor 5, and the opening-and-closing timing of the opening-and-closing means 9 in 1st Embodiment. Refrigerant circuit diagram of the refrigeration cycle apparatus in the first embodiment of the present invention using a four-way valve Refrigerant circuit diagram of refrigeration cycle apparatus in second embodiment of the present invention The longitudinal cross-sectional view of the expander integrated compressor in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention Vertical section of an expander-integrated compressor according to the third embodiment of the present invention (A) Perspective view of upper end plate fixing portion of expander in FIG. 7 (b) Perspective view of upper end plate movable portion of expander in FIG. 7 (c) Perspective view of upper end plate of expander in FIG. (A1) (a2) An enlarged cross-sectional view of the D1-D1 cross section and an enlarged cross-sectional view of the D2-D2 cross section of the expander-integrated compressor of FIG. 7 at φ = 20 deg. (B1) (b2) φ = 90 deg. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the D1-D1 cross section and an enlarged cross-sectional view of the D2-D2 cross section of the expander-integrated compressor of FIG. 7 (c1) (c2) The expander-integrated compression of FIG. 7 at φ = 180 deg. Expanded cross section of D1-D1 cross section and expanded cross section of D2-D2 cross section of the expander Diagram of refrigeration cycle using conventional expander-integrated compressor using bypass circuit Diagram of refrigeration cycle using conventional expander-integrated compressor without bypass circuit Mollier diagram of a power recovery refrigeration cycle using an expander-integrated compressor

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Compressor 2 Gas cooler 3 Expander 4 Evaporator 5 Electric motor 6 Shaft 7 Expander-integrated compressor 8 Communication path 9 Opening and closing means 10 Refrigerant circuit 11 Suction cup 12 Discharge pipe 30 Expansion valve 31 Bypass circuit 32 Shaft coupling part 34 Oil Pool 63 Rotating motor 64 First suction hole 65 Gear

Claims (6)

A positive displacement expander, a positive displacement compressor, and an electric motor in which the expander and the compressor are connected in one shaft are housed in a sealed container,
The closed container has a communication path provided in the expander for communicating the high pressure portion that is the compressor discharge portion and the low pressure portion that is the expander discharge portion or the compressor suction portion. ,
An expander-integrated compressor provided with an openable / closable means in the communication path. The expander-integrated compressor according to claim 1 , wherein the expander is provided with a variable volume means capable of changing a suction volume of a fluid flowing into the expansion chamber. The expander includes a cylindrical cylinder, a shaft having an eccentric shaft, a piston that is fitted to the eccentric shaft and rotates eccentrically inside the cylinder, and a space between the cylinder and the piston is provided on the suction side. A rotary expander provided with n rotary fluid mechanisms (n is an integer of 2 or more) composed of a partition member that partitions a space and a discharge side space, and closes an end surface of a cylinder of the rotary expander. At least a portion of the end plate and a movable portion rotating, said the movable part provided with the communicating passage and the suction port to the cylinder, expander-integrated compressor according to claim 1. 2. The expander-integrated compressor according to claim 1 , wherein the compressor is provided with volume variable means capable of changing a suction volume of a fluid flowing into the compression chamber. The expander-integrated compressor according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , a gas cooler, and an evaporator,
A refrigeration cycle apparatus in which refrigerant discharged from the compressor circulates in the order of the gas cooler, the expander, and the evaporator. 6. The refrigeration cycle apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein when the refrigeration cycle apparatus is stopped, the electric motor is stopped and the communication path is communicated by the opening / closing means.

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