JP7118251B2 - Gas-liquid separator and refrigeration cycle equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a gas-liquid separation device and a refrigeration cycle device.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a compressor used as a drive source for a general air conditioner, refrigeration system, etc., oil lubricating the inside of the compressor is discharged out of the compressor together with the compressed high-pressure refrigerant gas. As a result, seizure may occur in the sliding portion of the compressor due to the lack of oil. Therefore, an oil separator is used to separate the oil from the oil-containing refrigerant discharged from the compressor and return the oil to the compressor. In this oil separator, gaseous refrigerant and liquid oil are separated. That is, a gas-liquid two-phase flow in which gas and liquid are mixed is separated into gas and liquid.

For example, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2001-246216 (Patent Document 1) describes a cyclone-type gas-liquid separator. This gas-liquid separator is an oil mist separator. In this gas-liquid separation device, a substantially ring-shaped baffle plate is arranged on the outer periphery of a gas lead-out pipe that extends through the center of the upper end of the cyclone chamber. The baffle plate is arranged above the gas outlet of the gas outlet pipe. A gas introduction port of the gas introduction pipe is arranged above the baffle plate. The oil discharge port of the oil discharge pipe is arranged below the gas outlet port. The gas led out to the cyclone chamber from the gas outlet passes over the baffle plate and is led out from the gas outlet.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-246216

In the gas-liquid separator described in the above publication, the gas that has flowed over the baffle plate to the lower portion of the cyclone chamber is swirled up at the lower portion of the cyclone chamber. As a result, the oil separated in the upper part of the cyclone chamber and flowed to the lower part is lifted up. This swirled oil is sucked into the gas outlet. As a result, the once separated oil is sucked into the gas outlet, and the separation efficiency between the gas and the liquid is lowered.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a gas-liquid separation device and a refrigeration cycle device capable of improving separation efficiency between gas and liquid.

The gas-liquid separator of the present invention separates a gas-liquid two-phase fluid into gas and liquid. The gas-liquid separation device includes a container, an inflow pipe, a liquid discharge pipe, a gas discharge pipe, and a shield wall. The container has an inner wall surface extending along and surrounding a vertically extending central axis. The inflow pipe has an inflow port for inflowing the gas-liquid two-phase fluid into the container. The liquid discharge pipe has a liquid discharge port for discharging the liquid separated from the gas-liquid two-phase fluid from the container. The gas discharge pipe has a gas discharge port for discharging the gas separated from the gas-liquid two-phase fluid from the container. A shielding wall is disposed within the container and connected to the gas discharge tube. The inlet of the inlet pipe is arranged above the shield wall. A liquid discharge port of the liquid discharge pipe is arranged below the shield wall. The gas discharge port of the gas discharge pipe is arranged above the shield wall. The shielding wall includes a plurality of shielding portions. Each of the plurality of shielding portions extends from the gas exhaust pipe toward the inner wall surface of the container. The plurality of shielding parts are arranged so as to be offset from each other along the central axis, and arranged along the entire circumference of the container around the central axis when viewed from the direction along the central axis. Each of the plurality of shielding portions is configured to spirally extend along the central axis.

According to the gas-liquid separation device of the present invention, the plurality of shielding portions of the shielding wall are arranged so as to be displaced from each other along the central axis, and the entirety of the container around the central axis when viewed from the direction along the central axis. arranged around the perimeter. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the gas-liquid two-phase fluid that is swirled up below the shielding wall in the container and is sucked into the gas discharge port beyond the shielding wall. As a result, it is possible to suppress the liquid that has flowed below the shield wall in the container from being swirled up and sucked into the gas discharge port. Therefore, the separation efficiency between gas and liquid can be improved.

1 is a refrigerant circuit diagram of a refrigeration cycle device including a gas-liquid separation device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention; FIG. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is sectional drawing which shows the gas-liquid separation apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing from above the configuration in which the shielding wall of the gas-liquid separation device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention is connected to a gas discharge pipe; FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing from below the configuration in which the shielding wall of the gas-liquid separation device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention is connected to a gas discharge pipe. FIG. 2 is a front view showing a configuration in which the shielding wall of the gas-liquid separation device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention is connected to a gas discharge pipe; FIG. 3 is a top view showing a configuration in which the shielding wall of the gas-liquid separation device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention is arranged inside the container; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the flow of a gas-liquid two-phase fluid in the gas-liquid separation device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a perspective view for explaining the flow of a gas-liquid two-phase fluid passing through a shielding wall in the gas-liquid separation device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention; FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the flow of a gas-liquid two-phase fluid in a gas-liquid separation device of a comparative example; FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing from above a configuration in which a shielding wall of a modified example of the gas-liquid separation device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention is connected to a gas discharge pipe; FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing from below a configuration in which a shielding wall of a modified example of the gas-liquid separation device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention is connected to a gas discharge pipe. FIG. 5 is a front view showing a configuration in which a shielding wall of a modified example of the gas-liquid separation device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention is connected to a gas discharge pipe; FIG. 5 is a top view showing a configuration in which a shielding wall of a modified example of the gas-liquid separation device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention is arranged inside a container; FIG. 8 is a front view showing a configuration in which the shielding wall of the gas-liquid separation device according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention is connected to a gas discharge pipe; FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the flow of a gas-liquid two-phase fluid in a gas-liquid separation device according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention; FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a gas-liquid separation device according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention; FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the flow of a gas-liquid two-phase fluid in a gas-liquid separation device according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention;

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same or corresponding members and portions are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will not be repeated.

Embodiment 1.
First, referring to FIG. 1, the configuration of a refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a refrigerant circuit diagram of a refrigeration cycle device 100 according to this embodiment. Refrigeration cycle device 100 in the present embodiment is, for example, an air conditioner. Also, an oil separator will be described as an example of the gas-liquid separation device 10 .

As shown in FIG. 1, a refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment includes a compressor 1, a four-way valve 2, an outdoor heat exchanger 3, a flow control valve 4, an indoor heat exchanger 5, a A liquid separator (oil separator) 10 is mainly provided. Compressor 1, four-way valve 2, outdoor heat exchanger 3, flow control valve 4, indoor heat exchanger 5 and gas-liquid separator 10 are connected by piping. Thus, the refrigerant circuit of the refrigeration cycle device 100 is configured. A compressor 1, a four-way valve 2, an outdoor heat exchanger 3, a flow control valve 4, and a gas-liquid separator 10 are arranged in the outdoor unit 100a. An indoor heat exchanger 5 is arranged in the indoor unit 100b. The outdoor unit 100a and the indoor unit 100b are connected by extension pipes 6a and 6b.

The compressor 1 is configured to compress and discharge the sucked refrigerant. The compressor 1 is configured to compress refrigerant flowing into the outdoor heat exchanger 3 or the indoor heat exchanger 5 . The compressor 1 may be a constant speed compressor with a constant compression capacity, or an inverter compressor with a variable compression capacity. This inverter compressor is configured so that the number of revolutions can be variably controlled.

The four-way valve 2 is configured to switch the flow of refrigerant. Specifically, the four-way valve 2 is configured to switch the refrigerant flow to the outdoor heat exchanger 3 or the indoor heat exchanger 5 depending on whether the air conditioner is in heating operation or in cooling operation.

The outdoor heat exchanger 3 is connected to the four-way valve 2 and the flow control valve 4 . The outdoor heat exchanger 3 functions as a condenser that condenses the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 1 during cooling operation. Also, the outdoor heat exchanger 3 functions as an evaporator that evaporates the refrigerant depressurized by the flow rate control valve 4 during heating operation. The outdoor heat exchanger 3 is for heat exchange between refrigerant and air. The outdoor heat exchanger 3 includes, for example, a pipe (heat transfer pipe) through which a refrigerant flows, and fins attached to the outside of the pipe.

The flow control valve 4 is connected to the outdoor heat exchanger 3 and the indoor heat exchanger 5 . The flow control valve 4 serves as a throttle device that decompresses the refrigerant condensed by the outdoor heat exchanger 3 during cooling operation. In addition, the flow control valve 4 serves as a throttle device that reduces the pressure of the refrigerant condensed by the indoor heat exchanger 5 during heating operation. The flow control valve 4 is, for example, a capillary tube, an electronic expansion valve, or the like.

The indoor heat exchanger 5 is connected to the four-way valve 2 and the flow control valve 4 . The indoor heat exchanger 5 functions as an evaporator that evaporates the refrigerant depressurized by the flow rate control valve 4 during cooling operation. Also, the indoor heat exchanger 5 functions as a condenser that condenses the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 1 during heating operation. The indoor heat exchanger 5 is for heat exchange between refrigerant and air. It has an indoor heat exchanger 5, for example, a pipe (heat transfer pipe) in which a refrigerant flows, and fins attached to the outside of the pipe.

The gas-liquid separation device 10 is connected downstream of the discharge pipe of the compressor 1 . The gas-liquid separator 10 is configured to separate a gas-liquid two-phase fluid into gas and liquid. In the present embodiment, the oil separator as the gas-liquid separation device 10 is configured to separate oil from the oil-containing refrigerant discharged from the compressor 1 . An oil separator as the gas-liquid separation device 10 is connected upstream of the suction pipe of the compressor 1 so as to return the oil separated from the oil-containing refrigerant to the compressor 1 .

Next, the configuration of the gas-liquid separation device 10 according to the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 to 6. FIG.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the configuration of the gas-liquid separation device 10 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the gas-liquid separation device 10 according to the present embodiment includes a container 11, an inflow pipe 12, a liquid discharge pipe 13, a gas discharge pipe 14, a swirl vane 15, and a shield wall 16. and In the gas-liquid separation device 10 according to the present embodiment, a separation method using a swirling downward flow is used. Note that the gas-liquid separation device 10 may use a cyclone system. In the cyclone system, the gas-liquid two-phase fluid flows from the gas discharge pipe into the container so that the gas-liquid two-phase fluid flows along the peripheral wall of the container, thereby generating a swirling flow. Therefore, when the cyclone system is used, the gas-liquid separation device 10 may not have the swirl vane 15 .

Further, the gas-liquid separation device 10 according to the present embodiment has an inflow portion 10a, a separation portion 10b, a run-up section 10c1, a transition portion 10c2, and a liquid collecting portion (oil collecting portion) 10d. . The inflow part 10 a is a part into which the gas-liquid two-phase fluid flows into the gas-liquid separation device 10 . The inflow portion 10 a is configured by an inflow pipe 12 . The separation part 10b is a part that separates the gas-liquid two-phase fluid into gas and liquid. The separation section 10b is composed of the upper portion of the container 11 and the swirl vanes 15. As shown in FIG. The approach section 10c1 is a section between the gas discharge pipe 14 and the swirl vane 15. As shown in FIG. The approach section 10c1 is provided in the transition section 10c2. The transition portion 10 c 2 is a portion where the separated gas is discharged from the gas discharge pipe 14 . The transition portion 10 c 2 is composed of the central portion of the container 11 and the upper portion of the gas discharge pipe 14 . The liquid collecting portion (oil collecting portion) 10d is a portion that collects the separated liquid. A liquid collecting portion (oil collecting portion) 10 d is constituted by the lower portion of the container 11 and the central portion of the gas discharge pipe 14 . A liquid discharge pipe 13 is connected to the liquid collecting portion (oil collecting portion) 10d.

The container 11 extends along a vertically extending central axis CL. A central axis CL of the container 11 extends vertically. The container 11 has an internal space. The container 11 has an inner wall surface IS surrounding the central axis CL. The inner wall surface IS of the container 11 is configured such that the cross section orthogonal to the central axis CL is circular. The container 11 is configured so that the separation portion 10b and the transition portion 10c2 have the same diameter (inner diameter and outer diameter), and the diameter of the liquid collecting portion (oil collecting portion) 10d is larger than that of the transition portion 10c2. is configured to

The inflow pipe 12 is connected to the discharge side of the compressor 1 shown in FIG. The inflow pipe 12 is connected to the upper end of the container 11 . The inflow pipe 12 is arranged coaxially with the central axis CL of the container 11 . The inflow pipe 12 penetrates the ceiling of the container 11 . The inflow pipe 12 is configured to allow the gas-liquid two-phase fluid to flow into the container 11 . The inflow pipe 12 has an inflow port 12 a through which the gas-liquid two-phase fluid flows into the container 11 . In this embodiment, the inflow pipe 12 is configured to allow the oil-containing refrigerant to flow into the container 11 . The inflow port 12 a of the inflow pipe 12 is arranged above the swirl vane 15 . The inflow port 12 a of the inflow pipe 12 is arranged above the shielding wall 16 .

Liquid discharge pipe 13 is connected to oil return pipe 20 shown in FIG. A liquid discharge pipe 13 is connected to the lower end of the container 11 . The liquid discharge pipe 13 is arranged at a position different from the central axis CL of the container 11 . A liquid discharge pipe 13 passes through the bottom of the container 11 . The liquid discharge pipe 13 is configured to discharge the liquid separated from the gas-liquid two-phase fluid from the container 11 . The liquid discharge pipe 13 has a liquid discharge port 13 a for discharging the liquid separated from the gas-liquid two-phase fluid from the container 11 . In this embodiment, the liquid discharge pipe 13 is configured to discharge the oil separated from the oil-containing refrigerant from the container 11 . A liquid discharge port 13 a of the liquid discharge pipe 13 is arranged below the swirl vane 15 . A liquid discharge port 13 a of the liquid discharge pipe 13 is arranged below the shielding wall 16 .

The gas exhaust pipe 14 is connected to the four-way valve 2 shown in FIG. Gas discharge pipe 14 is connected to the lower side of container 11 . The gas discharge pipe 14 is arranged coaxially with the central axis CL of the container 11 . Gas exhaust pipe 14 penetrates the bottom of container 11 . The gas discharge pipe 14 has a gas discharge port 14 a for discharging the gas separated from the gas-liquid two-phase fluid from the container 11 . In the present embodiment, the gas discharge pipe 14 is configured to discharge from the container 11 the refrigerant in which the oil is separated from the oil-containing refrigerant. The gas discharge port 14a is arranged so as to overlap with the central axis CL.

A gas discharge port 14a of the gas discharge pipe 14 is arranged below the swirl vane 15 and above the liquid discharge port 13a. That is, the gas discharge port 14a of the gas discharge pipe 14 is arranged between the swirl vane 15 and the liquid discharge port 13a in the vertical direction. The gas discharge port 14 a is provided at the tip of the gas discharge pipe 14 arranged inside the container 11 . The gas discharge port 14 a is arranged directly below the swirl vane 15 . The gas discharge port 14a is arranged with an approach section 10c1 between it and the swirl vane 15 in the vertical direction. The gas discharge pipe 14 has an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the container 11 .

A gas discharge port 14 a of the gas discharge pipe 14 is arranged above the shielding wall 16 . A gas discharge port 14a of the gas discharge pipe 14 is arranged above the shielding wall 16 in the vertical direction. The gas discharge port 14a of the gas discharge pipe 14 is arranged with a gap from the shielding wall 16 in the vertical direction.

The swirl vane 15 is configured to swirl the gas-liquid two-phase fluid so that it flows downward from above. The swirl vane 15 is configured to generate a swirl flow. The swirl vane 15 is configured to cause the liquid separated from the gas-liquid two-phase fluid by the swirl force of the swirl flow to flow downward from above while circulating along the inner wall surface IS. The swirl vane 15 is arranged inside the container 11 . The swirl vane 15 is arranged on the upper side inside the container 11 . The swirl vane 15 is arranged directly below the inflow port 12 a of the inflow pipe 12 .

The swirl vane 15 has a shaft 15a and a plurality of spiral plates 15b. Axis 15a extends along central axis CL. The shaft 15a is preferably arranged coaxially with the central axis. A plurality of spiral plates 15b are connected to the outer peripheral surface of the shaft 15a. The plurality of helical plates 15b are configured to generate a swirling force with respect to the gas-liquid two-phase fluid. The plurality of spiral plates 15b spirally extend along the central axis CL. The plurality of helical plates 15b may be arranged at equal angles to each other around the central axis CL. Each outer peripheral end of the plurality of spiral plates 15b is preferably in contact with the inner wall surface IS of the container 11 .

The shielding wall 16 is arranged inside the container 11 . The shielding wall 16 is arranged in the central portion of the container 11 in the vertical direction. Specifically, the shielding wall 16 is arranged at the transition portion 10c2. The shielding wall 16 is connected to the gas exhaust pipe 14 . The shielding wall 16 is connected to the upper portion of the gas exhaust pipe 14 .

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing from above the configuration in which the shielding wall 16 of the gas-liquid separation device 10 according to the present embodiment is connected to the gas discharge pipe 14 . FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing from below the configuration in which the shielding wall 16 of the gas-liquid separation device 10 according to the present embodiment is connected to the gas discharge pipe 14 . As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the shielding wall 16 has a plurality of shielding portions 16a. The shielding wall 16 is configured such that a gas-liquid two-phase fluid flows between each of the plurality of shielding portions 16a. The plurality of shielding portions 16a are densely arranged on the upstream side in the flow direction of the gas-liquid two-phase fluid.

The shielding wall 16 may have two or more shielding portions 16a. In this embodiment, the shielding wall 16 includes three shielding portions 16a. Specifically, the shielding wall 16 has a first shielding portion 16a1, a second shielding portion 16a2, and a third shielding portion 16a3. The first shielding portion 16a1, the second shielding portion 16a2, and the third shielding portion 16a3 are arranged so as to be spirally twisted along the central axis CL as a whole.

FIG. 5 is a front view showing a configuration in which the shielding wall 16 of the gas-liquid separation device 10 according to this embodiment is connected to the gas discharge pipe 14. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, the plurality of shielding portions 16a are arranged so as to be offset from each other along the central axis CL. The plurality of shielding portions 16a are arranged so as to be displaced from each other in the vertical direction. In the present embodiment, the first shielding portion 16a1, the second shielding portion 16a2, and the third shielding portion 16a3 are arranged in this order from top to bottom. Each of the plurality of shielding portions 16a preferably overlaps with each other in the vertical direction. Specifically, in the vertical direction, the lower end of the first shielding portion 16a1 overlaps the upper end of the second shielding portion 16a2, and the lower end of the second shielding portion 16a2 overlaps the upper end of the third shielding portion 16a3. are preferably overlapped.

FIG. 6 is a top view showing a structure in which the shielding wall 16 of the gas-liquid separation device 10 according to the present embodiment is arranged inside the container 11. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 6 , each of the multiple shielding portions 16 a extends from the gas discharge pipe 14 toward the inner wall surface IS of the container 11 . Each of the plurality of shielding portions 16 a extends in the radial direction of the container 11 from the gas discharge pipe 14 toward the inner wall surface IS of the container 11 . A plurality of shielding portions 16 a radially extend from the gas discharge pipe 14 toward the inner wall surface IS of the container 11 . An inner peripheral end of each of the shielding portions 16 a is connected to an outer peripheral surface of the gas discharge pipe 14 . It is preferable that the outer peripheral edge of each of the plurality of shielding portions 16 a is in contact with the inner wall surface IS of the container 11 .

The plurality of shielding portions 16a are arranged over the entire circumference of the container 11 around the central axis CL when viewed from the direction along the central axis CL. When the shielding wall 16 is viewed from above along the central axis CL, the plurality of shielding portions 16a are arranged so as to line up without gaps around the central axis CL. When the shielding wall 16 is viewed from above along the central axis CL, each of the plurality of shielding portions 16a has a sector shape. When the shielding wall 16 is viewed from above along the central axis CL, each of the plurality of shielding portions 16a is preferably fan-shaped at an angle of 120° around the central axis CL. .

In the present embodiment, when the shielding wall 16 is viewed from above along the central axis CL, the region between the inner wall surface IS of the container 11 and the gas discharge pipe 14 is covered by the shielding wall 16 without any gap. covered. In this embodiment, the shielding wall 16 is arranged so that the bottom of the container 11 cannot be seen when viewed from the flow direction of the gas-liquid two-phase fluid.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, in this embodiment, each of the plurality of shielding portions 16a is configured to slope downward from the gas discharge pipe 14 toward the inner wall surface IS of the container 11. . Specifically, the first shielding portion 16a1, the second shielding portion 16a2, and the third shielding portion 16a3 are all inclined downward. Note that each of the plurality of shielding portions 16a may be configured horizontally.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in this embodiment, each of the plurality of shielding portions 16a is curved so as to protrude upward. Each of the plurality of shielding portions 16a is configured to have a curved surface that protrudes upward. Specifically, each of the first shielding portion 16a1, the second shielding portion 16a2, and the third shielding portion 16a3 is configured to have a curved surface that protrudes upward.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the dimension along the central axis CL from the gas discharge port 14a of the gas discharge pipe 14 to the uppermost shielding portion 16a among the plurality of shielding portions 16a is The dimension is equal to or more than half the inner diameter and equal to or less than half the length of the portion of the gas discharge pipe 14 disposed inside the container 11 . Specifically, in the vertical direction, the distance from the gas discharge port 14a of the gas discharge pipe 14 to the first shielding portion 16a1 is equal to or more than half the inner diameter of the container 11 . In the vertical direction, the distance from the gas discharge port 14a of the gas discharge pipe 14 to the first shielding portion 16a1 is at least half the length of the portion of the gas discharge pipe 14 disposed inside the container 11. is doing. In other words, in the vertical direction, the first shielding portion 16a1 is arranged in the upper range from the center of the portion of the gas discharge pipe 14 arranged inside the container 11 .

Next, with reference to FIG. 1 again, the operation of refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 in the present embodiment will be described. The solid line arrows in the figure indicate the refrigerant flow during the cooling operation, and the broken line arrows in the figure indicate the refrigerant flow during the heating operation.

The refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 of the present embodiment can selectively perform cooling operation and heating operation. In cooling operation, refrigerant circulates through the refrigerant circuit in the order of compressor 1, gas-liquid separator (oil separator) 10, four-way valve 2, outdoor heat exchanger 3, flow control valve 4, and indoor heat exchanger 5. In cooling operation, the outdoor heat exchanger 3 functions as a condenser, and the indoor heat exchanger 5 functions as an evaporator. In heating operation, the refrigerant circulates through the refrigerant circuit in the order of the compressor 1, the gas-liquid separator 10, the four-way valve 2, the indoor heat exchanger 5, the flow control valve 4, and the outdoor heat exchanger 3. In heating operation, the indoor heat exchanger 5 functions as a condenser, and the outdoor heat exchanger 3 functions as an evaporator.

Furthermore, the cooling operation will be explained in detail. When the compressor 1 is driven, a high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant is discharged from the compressor 1 . This refrigerant contains oil that lubricates the inside of the compressor. That is, this refrigerant is an oil-containing refrigerant. The high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous oil-containing refrigerant discharged from the compressor 1 flows into the gas-liquid separation device 10 . The gas-liquid separator 10 separates oil from the oil-containing refrigerant. The refrigerant from which the oil is separated by the gas-liquid separator 10 flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 3 via the four-way valve 2 . In the outdoor heat exchanger 3, heat is exchanged between the flowing gas refrigerant and the outdoor air. As a result, the high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant is condensed into a high-pressure liquid refrigerant.

The high-pressure liquid refrigerant sent out from the outdoor heat exchanger 3 is turned into a two-phase refrigerant of low-pressure gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant by the flow control valve 4 . The two-phase refrigerant flows into the indoor heat exchanger 5 . In the indoor heat exchanger 5, heat is exchanged between the flowing two-phase refrigerant and indoor air. As a result, the two-phase refrigerant evaporates from the liquid refrigerant and becomes a low-pressure gas refrigerant. This heat exchange cools the room. The low-pressure gas refrigerant sent out from the indoor heat exchanger 5 flows into the compressor 1 via the four-way valve 2, is compressed into high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant, and is discharged from the compressor 1 again. This cycle is then repeated.

Also, the heating operation will be described in detail. By driving the compressor 1 in the same manner as in the cooling operation, the oil-containing refrigerant in a high-temperature, high-pressure gas state is discharged from the compressor 1 . The high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous oil-containing refrigerant discharged from the compressor 1 flows into the gas-liquid separation device 10 . The gas-liquid separator 10 separates oil from the oil-containing refrigerant. The refrigerant from which the oil is separated by the gas-liquid separator 10 flows into the indoor heat exchanger 5 via the four-way valve 2 . In the indoor heat exchanger 5, heat is exchanged between the refrigerant that has flowed in and the indoor air. As a result, the high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant is condensed into a high-pressure liquid refrigerant. This heat exchange heats the room.

The high-pressure liquid refrigerant sent out from the indoor heat exchanger 5 is turned into a two-phase refrigerant of low-pressure gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant by the flow control valve 4 . The two-phase refrigerant flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 3 . In the outdoor heat exchanger 3, heat is exchanged between the flowing two-phase refrigerant and the outdoor air. As a result, the two-phase refrigerant evaporates from the liquid refrigerant and becomes a low-pressure gas refrigerant. The low-pressure gas refrigerant sent out from the outdoor heat exchanger 3 flows into the compressor 1 via the four-way valve 2, is compressed into high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant, and is discharged from the compressor 1 again. This cycle is then repeated.

Next, operation of the gas-liquid separation device (oil separator) 10 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 7. FIG. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the flow of the gas-liquid two-phase fluid in the gas-liquid separation device 10 according to this embodiment. In FIG. 7, the gas-liquid two-phase fluid flow is indicated by hollow arrows, and the gas flow is indicated by dashed arrows.

As shown in FIG. 1 , in the refrigerant circuit of the refrigeration cycle device 100 , the oil-containing refrigerant discharged from the compressor 1 is separated into refrigerant and oil by the gas-liquid separation device 10 . The oil-containing refrigerant contains refrigerant and oil (refrigerating machine oil) enclosed in the compressor 1 . The refrigerant separated from the oil-containing refrigerant by the gas-liquid separation device 10 is discharged to the four-way valve 2 . On the other hand, the oil separated from the oil-containing refrigerant by the gas-liquid separation device 10 is discharged to the suction side of the compressor 1 through the oil return pipe 20 .

As shown in FIG. 7, when the oil-containing refrigerant, which is a gas-liquid two-phase fluid, flows into the gas-liquid separation device 10 from the inflow pipe 12, the swirl flow generated by the plurality of spiral plates 15b of the swirl vanes 15 causes Oil is separated from the oil-containing refrigerant. The oil separated from the oil-containing refrigerant collides with the inner wall surface IS of the container 11 to form a liquid film, and flows to the bottom of the container 11 along the inner wall surface IS of the container 11 due to gravity and swirling flow. Thus, the oil is collected by the oil collecting portion 10d. The collected oil is discharged from the liquid discharge pipe 13 . Oil discharged from the liquid discharge pipe 13 is returned to the suction side of the compressor 1 through the oil return pipe 20 . On the other hand, the refrigerant from which the oil has been separated is discharged from the gas discharge pipe 14 . The refrigerant discharged from the gas discharge pipe 14 flows into the four-way valve 2 .

FIG. 8 is a perspective view for explaining the flow of the gas-liquid two-phase fluid passing through the shielding wall 16 within the gas-liquid separation device 10 according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 8, gas flow is indicated by dashed arrows. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, part of the refrigerant from which the oil has been separated when passing through the swirl vane 15 passes through each of the plurality of shields 16a due to the swirling flow and is placed in the lower part of the container 11. The oil flows into the oil collecting portion 10d. A part of this refrigerant is taken up by the oil collecting portion 10d. At this time, the oil in the oil collecting portion 10d is lifted up together with the refrigerant. The shield wall 16 suppresses the flow of the refrigerant and oil that have been swirled up above the shield wall 16 . Therefore, suction of the refrigerant and oil that has been lifted up to the gas discharge port 14 a of the gas discharge pipe 14 arranged above the shielding wall 16 is suppressed.

Next, the effects of this embodiment will be described.
According to the gas-liquid separation device 10 of the present embodiment, the plurality of shielding portions 16a of the shielding wall 16 are arranged so as to be offset from each other along the central axis CL, and when viewed from the direction along the central axis CL It is arranged over the entire circumference of the container 11 around the central axis CL. Therefore, the shielding wall 16 suppresses the gas-liquid two-phase fluid swirled up below the shielding wall 16 in the container 11 from moving above the shielding wall 16 . Therefore, it is possible to prevent the gas-liquid two-phase fluid swirled up below the shielding wall 16 in the container 11 from exceeding the shielding wall 16 and being sucked into the gas discharge port 14a. As a result, it is possible to suppress the liquid that has flowed below the shielding wall 16 in the container 11 from being swirled up and sucked into the gas discharge port 14a. Therefore, the separation efficiency between gas and liquid can be improved.

In the gas-liquid separation device 10 of the present embodiment, the gas discharge port 14 a of the gas discharge pipe 14 is arranged above the shielding wall 16 . Therefore, compared with the conventional cyclone separator, the effective cross-sectional area through which the gas passes toward the gas discharge port 14a can be widened. Therefore, it is possible to improve the separation efficiency between the gas and the liquid without increasing the pressure loss.

In the oil separator as the gas-liquid separation device 10 according to the present embodiment, the efficiency of oil return to the compressor 1 can be improved by improving the oil separation efficiency. Therefore, it is possible to suppress seizure of the sliding portion of the compressor 1 due to oil shortage. Moreover, it is possible to prevent the oil discharged from the compressor 1 from remaining in the outdoor heat exchanger 3 and the indoor heat exchanger 5 . Therefore, a decrease in the coefficient of performance (COP) of the refrigeration cycle device 100 can be suppressed.

The gas-liquid separation device 10 of the present embodiment further includes a swirl vane 15 arranged inside the container 11 . A conventional cyclonic separator impinges a gas-liquid two-phase fluid perpendicularly against the inner wall surface of a vessel. That is, the gas-liquid two-phase fluid collides with the inner wall surface in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. However, in the conventional cyclone separator, when the distance between the inner wall surface of the container and the gas discharge pipe is short, the separated liquid re-scatters and is sucked into the gas discharge port together with the gas, resulting in the separation of the gas and the liquid. separation efficiency is reduced. Therefore, it is difficult to reduce the size of conventional cyclone separators. On the other hand, in the gas-liquid separation device 10 according to the present embodiment, the swirl vane 15 can generate a centrifugal force due to the swirling flow inside the container 11 . Therefore, the gas-liquid separation device 10 according to the present embodiment can be easily miniaturized as compared with the conventional cyclone separator.

According to the gas-liquid separation device 10 according to the present embodiment, each of the plurality of shielding portions 16 a is configured to slope downward from the gas discharge pipe 14 toward the inner wall surface IS of the container 11 . Therefore, it becomes easy for the gas flowing downward from above to flow downward along the plurality of shielding portions 16a.

According to the gas-liquid separation device 10 according to the present embodiment, each of the plurality of shielding portions 16a is curved so as to protrude upward. Therefore, the gas-liquid two-phase fluid swirled up below the shielding wall 16 in the container 11 can be easily captured by the plurality of shielding portions 16a.

According to the gas-liquid separation device 10 according to the present embodiment, the dimension along the central axis CL from the gas discharge port 14a of the gas discharge pipe 14 to the uppermost shielding portion 16a among the plurality of shielding portions 16a is , which is at least half the inner diameter of the container 11 and not more than half the length of the portion of the gas discharge pipe 14 disposed inside the container 11 . Therefore, the swirling flow from the top to the bottom can pass through the plurality of shielding portions 16a, and the gas-liquid two-phase fluid that is swirled up from the bottom can be caught by the plurality of shielding portions 16a.

Since the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment includes the gas-liquid separation device 10, the separation efficiency between gas and liquid can be improved.

Embodiment 2.
Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 to 13. FIG. The second embodiment of the present invention has the same configuration, operation and effect as those of the first embodiment of the present invention unless otherwise specified. Therefore, the same reference numerals are given to the same configurations as in the first embodiment of the present invention, and the description thereof will not be repeated. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the structure of the plurality of shielding portions 16a.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing from above the configuration in which the shielding wall 16 of the gas-liquid separation device 10 according to the present embodiment is connected to the gas discharge pipe 14 . FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing from below the configuration in which the shielding wall 16 of the gas-liquid separation device 10 according to the present embodiment is connected to the gas discharge pipe 14 . As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, each of the plurality of shielding portions 16a is configured to spirally extend along the central axis CL. Each of the first shielding portion 16a1, the second shielding portion 16a2, and the third shielding portion 16a3 is configured to spirally twist along the central axis CL. The first shielding portion 16a1, the second shielding portion 16a2, and the third shielding portion 16a3 are arranged so as to be spirally twisted along the central axis CL as a whole.

FIG. 12 is a front view showing a configuration in which the shielding wall 16 of the gas-liquid separation device 10 according to this embodiment is connected to the gas discharge pipe 14. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 12, in the present embodiment, first shielding portion 16a1, second shielding portion 16a2, and third shielding portion 16a3 are arranged in this order from top to bottom. In the vertical direction, the lower end of the first shielding portion 16a1 and the upper end of the second shielding portion 16a2 overlap, and the lower end of the second shielding portion 16a2 overlaps the upper end of the third shielding portion 16a3. is preferred.

FIG. 13 is a top view showing a configuration in which the shielding wall 16 of the gas-liquid separation device 10 according to this embodiment is arranged inside the container 11. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 13, each of the first shielding portion 16a1, the second shielding portion 16a2, and the third shielding portion 16a3 extends from the gas discharge pipe 14 toward the inner wall surface IS of the container 11. there is Each of the first shielding portion 16a1, the second shielding portion 16a2, and the third shielding portion 16a3 is arranged over the entire circumference of the container 11 around the central axis CL when viewed in the direction along the central axis CL.

According to the gas-liquid separation device 10 according to the present embodiment, each of the plurality of shielding portions 16a is configured to extend spirally along the central axis CL. Each can generate a swirling flow. Thereby, the separation efficiency can be further improved.

Embodiment 3.
Embodiment 3 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 14 and 15. FIG. The third embodiment of the present invention has the same configuration, operation and effects as those of the first embodiment of the present invention unless otherwise specified. Therefore, the same reference numerals are given to the same configurations as in the first embodiment of the present invention, and the description thereof will not be repeated. In this embodiment, the structure of the shielding wall 16 is different from that of the first embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a front view showing a configuration in which the shielding wall 16 of the gas-liquid separation device 10 according to this embodiment is connected to the gas discharge pipe 14. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 14, in this embodiment, the shielding wall 16 is made of a porous member PM. The porous member PM is configured to trap liquid in each pore. The diameter of each hole of the porous member PM is, for example, 100 μm or less.

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the flow of the gas-liquid two-phase fluid in the gas-liquid separation device 10 according to this embodiment. In FIG. 15, the gas-liquid two-phase fluid flow is indicated by hollow arrows, and the gas flow is indicated by dashed arrows. As shown in FIG. 15, the liquid that is swirled up together with the gas is captured by the shielding wall 16 composed of the porous member PM.

According to the gas-liquid separation device 10 according to the present embodiment, the shielding wall 16 is composed of the porous member PM. Therefore, the shielding wall 16 made of the porous member PM can capture the liquid that is swirled up together with the gas. Thereby, the separation efficiency can be further improved.

Embodiment 4.
Embodiment 4 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 16 and 17. FIG. The fourth embodiment of the present invention has the same configuration, operation and effect as those of the first embodiment of the present invention unless otherwise specified. Therefore, the same reference numerals are given to the same configurations as in the first embodiment of the present invention, and the description thereof will not be repeated. In this embodiment, the structure of the container 11 is different from that of the first embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view showing the gas-liquid separation device 10 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 16, in this embodiment, the inner wall surface IS of the container 11 is provided with a porous capture body 11a. An inner wall surface IS of the container 11 includes a porous capture body 11a. The porous trapping body 11a may be provided over the entire circumference of the oil collecting portion 10d. The porous trapping body 11a is configured to trap liquid in each hole. The diameter of each hole of the porous trapping body 11a is, for example, 100 μm or less.

FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the flow of the gas-liquid two-phase fluid in the gas-liquid separation device 10 according to this embodiment. In FIG. 17, the gas-liquid two-phase fluid flow is indicated by hollow arrows, and the gas flow is indicated by dashed arrows. As shown in FIG. 17, the liquid flowing on the inner wall surface IS of the container 11 and the liquid that is swirled up together with the gas are trapped in the porous trapping body 11a.

According to the gas-liquid separation device 10 according to the present embodiment, the inner wall surface IS of the container 11 contains the porous trapping bodies 11a. Therefore, the porous trapping body 11a can trap the liquid flowing on the inner wall surface IS of the container 11 and the liquid that is swirled up together with the gas. Thereby, the separation efficiency can be further improved.

Each of the above embodiments can be combined as appropriate.
It should be considered that the embodiments disclosed this time are illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the scope of claims rather than the above description, and is intended to include all changes within the scope and meaning equivalent to the scope of the claims.

1 compressor, 2 four-way valve, 3 outdoor heat exchanger, 4 flow control valve, 5 indoor heat exchanger, 10 gas-liquid separator, 11 container, 11a capture body, 12 inflow pipe, 12a inflow port, 13 liquid discharge pipe , 13a liquid discharge port, 14 gas discharge pipe, 14a gas discharge port, 15 swirling vane, 16 shielding wall, 16a shielding part, 100 refrigerating cycle device, 100a outdoor unit, 100b indoor unit, CL central axis, IS inner wall surface .

Claims (10)

A gas-liquid separation device for separating a gas-liquid two-phase fluid into a gas and a liquid,
a container having an inner wall surface extending along a vertically extending central axis and surrounding the central axis;
an inflow pipe having an inflow port for inflowing the gas-liquid two-phase fluid into the container;
a liquid discharge pipe having a liquid discharge port for discharging the liquid separated from the gas-liquid two-phase fluid from the container;
a gas discharge pipe having a gas discharge port for discharging the gas separated from the gas-liquid two-phase fluid from the container;
a shielding wall disposed within the container and connected to the gas discharge pipe;
The inflow port of the inflow pipe is arranged above the shielding wall,
The liquid discharge port of the liquid discharge pipe is arranged below the shielding wall,
The gas discharge port of the gas discharge pipe is arranged above the shielding wall,
The shielding wall includes a plurality of shielding parts,
each of the plurality of shielding portions extends from the gas discharge pipe toward the inner wall surface of the container;
The plurality of shielding portions are arranged along the central axis so as to be offset from each other, and are arranged along the entire circumference of the container around the central axis when viewed from the direction along the central axis ,
The gas-liquid separation device , wherein each of the plurality of shielding portions is configured to spirally extend along the central axis . further comprising a swirl vane disposed within the container;
The inlet of the inflow pipe is arranged above the swirl vane,
The liquid discharge port of the liquid discharge pipe is arranged below the swirl vane,
2. The gas-liquid separator according to claim 1, wherein said gas discharge port of said gas discharge pipe is arranged below said swirl vane and above said liquid discharge port. 3. The gas-liquid separator according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of shielding portions is configured to slope downward from said gas discharge pipe toward said inner wall surface of said container. 4. The gas-liquid separation device according to claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of shielding parts is curved so as to protrude upward. The dimension along the central axis from the gas discharge port of the gas discharge pipe to the uppermost shielding portion among the plurality of shielding portions is equal to or more than half the inner diameter of the container, and the gas is The gas-liquid separation device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, which has a dimension equal to or less than half the length of the portion of the discharge pipe disposed within the container. The gas-liquid separator according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the shielding wall is made of a porous member. The gas-liquid separator according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein said inner wall surface of said container includes a porous trapping body. 2. The gas-liquid separation device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of shielding parts are arranged so as to be spirally twisted along the central axis as a whole. A region between the inner wall surface of the container and the gas discharge pipe is covered without gaps by the shielding wall when the shielding wall is viewed from above along the central axis. Item 1. The gas-liquid separation device according to item 1. A refrigeration cycle device comprising the gas-liquid separation device according to any one of claims 1 to 9 .

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