KR102536873B1 - Washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention includes a first housing having an opening and a space in which a drum accommodating laundry is inserted; a partition wall sealing the opening and coupled to the first housing; a second housing that seals one surface of the barrier rib and is coupled to the first housing; a storage tank for storing carbon dioxide supplied to the drum; a first compressor and a second compressor for compressing carbon dioxide discharged after washing is completed inside the drum and transferring the carbon dioxide to the storage tank; a first oil separator separating oil from carbon dioxide compressed by the first compressor and the second compressor; and a first valve that opens and closes a flow path for guiding the oil separated by the first oil separator to the first compressor or the second compressor.

Description

Washing machine {Washing machine}

The present invention relates to a washing machine, and more particularly, to a washing machine that uses carbon dioxide to treat clothes such as laundry.

A washing machine using carbon dioxide is filled with gaseous carbon dioxide and liquid carbon dioxide throughout the washing tub during washing and rinsing. In order to do laundry using carbon dioxide, the storage tank fills the washing tank with carbon dioxide, and when the washing is finished, the carbon dioxide is drained from the washing tank to the distillation tank and put into the storage tank to reuse the carbon dioxide. Also, in the washing tub, a pulley is connected to a driving shaft to rotate the drum, and a motor pulley and a drum pulley are connected with a belt to rotate the drum.

According to the conventional method according to prior art US20040020510A1, carbon dioxide is filled up to the space where the motor is installed by using the laundry space where clothes are accommodated and the space where the motor is installed without distinction. Therefore, there is a problem in that the amount of carbon dioxide used when washing is inevitably increased. In addition, due to the large amount of carbon dioxide, pressure vessels related to carbon dioxide become unnecessarily large, and the overall size of the system becomes very large and heavy, so there is a problem that there are many restrictions on the space in which the system is installed. Also, since the prior art cannot take the drum out of the laundry space, it cannot provide an environment for repairing the drum to the operator.

A washing machine using carbon dioxide as a washing solvent may use a compressor to recover and regenerate carbon dioxide after washing. Oilless reciprocating compressors used in existing carbon dioxide washing machines are inefficient and excessively large due to low volumetric efficiency, high driving torque, and difficulty in high-speed driving. In addition, periodic maintenance of the non-lubricated sealing material is required, which causes an increase in maintenance cost. Therefore, although it is possible to apply an oil-lubricated scroll compressor capable of high-speed driving, a problem may occur that the compressor driving oil is mixed with the carbon dioxide washing solvent.

The present invention is to solve the above problems, and applies an oil-lubricated scroll compressor so that the size can be configured compactly. In addition, a washing machine employing a plurality of oil separators to separate oil mixed with carbon dioxide is provided.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and the present invention provides a washing machine capable of reducing environmental pollution by reducing the amount of carbon dioxide used when washing clothes.

In addition, the present invention provides a washing machine capable of reducing the size of a pressure-resistant container using carbon dioxide by reducing the amount of carbon dioxide used.

In addition, the present invention provides a washing machine capable of providing an environment capable of repairing a rotating drum while receiving laundry.

In addition, the present invention provides a washing machine capable of reducing a space occupied by a motor assembly for rotating a drum, thereby reducing a space occupied by the washing machine.

In addition, the present invention provides a washing machine capable of stably operating the washing machine by maintaining the same pressure in a washing space where a drum is disposed and a driving space where a motor is disposed.

The present invention applies an oil-lubricated scroll compressor for a more compact and economical carbon dioxide washing machine. In order to form a high flow rate and differential pressure, one or more oil-fed scroll compressors are operated in parallel or in series, but one or more oil separators are applied to increase the separation efficiency of the oil discharged from the compressor.

The present invention relates to techniques for effectively supplying oil to one or more compressors. By setting the valve so that the amount of oil separated from the oil separator during the washing process and the amount of oil supplied to the compressor are the same, the amount of oil discharged may be re-supplied to the compressor.

In the present invention, the inside of the washing tub is spatially separated into a washing unit and a motor unit, and a barrier rib is installed to prevent liquid carbon dioxide used as a washing solvent from passing into the motor unit. The bulkhead may be made of a detachable part. In addition, by installing a motor directly on the rotating shaft of the laundry drum to minimize unnecessary space in the motor unit, the amount of carbon dioxide consumed when processing clothes can be reduced, and the overall size of the washing machine can be reduced because the distillation tank and storage tank can be miniaturized. .

By installing a through hole in the upper part of the partition wall so that the pipe of the heat exchanger disposed in the partition wall passes through, gaseous carbon dioxide can move between the washing unit and the motor unit, thereby maintaining pressure equilibrium between the washing unit and the motor unit.

The present invention includes a first housing having an opening and a space in which a drum accommodating laundry is inserted; a partition wall sealing the opening and coupled to the first housing; A washing machine including a second housing that seals one surface of the partition and is coupled to the first housing.

In addition, the present invention includes a first housing having an opening and a space in which a drum accommodating laundry is inserted; a partition wall sealing the opening and coupled to the first housing; and a second housing that seals one surface of the partition wall and is coupled to the first housing, wherein the partition wall allows liquid carbon dioxide injected into a space provided by the first housing and the partition wall to pass through the second housing and the partition wall. It provides a washing machine characterized in that it blocks movement to the space provided by the.

In addition, the present invention includes a first housing having an opening and a space in which a drum accommodating laundry is inserted; a partition wall sealing the opening and coupled to the first housing; and a second housing that seals one surface of the bulkhead and is coupled to the first housing, wherein the size of the opening is greater than that of the cross section of the drum. Therefore, the operator can access the drum through the opening to perform maintenance on the drum.

The present invention includes a first housing having an opening and a space in which a drum accommodating laundry is inserted; a partition wall sealing the opening and coupled to the first housing; and a second housing sealing one surface of the partition wall and coupled to the first housing, wherein the first housing includes a first flange formed along the opening, and the second housing is connected to the first flange. A washing machine including a coupled second flange is provided.

The present invention includes a first housing having an opening and a space in which a drum accommodating laundry is inserted; a partition wall sealing the opening and coupled to the first housing; and a second housing that seals one surface of the barrier rib and is coupled to the first housing, wherein the barrier rib includes a first through-hole through which a rotating shaft of the motor passes and a second through-hole through which gaseous carbon dioxide moves. A washing machine is provided.

The present invention includes a first housing having an opening and a space in which a drum accommodating laundry is inserted; a partition wall sealing the opening and coupled to the first housing; and a second housing that seals one surface of the partition wall and is coupled to the first housing, wherein a heat exchanger in which a refrigerant moves is disposed in the partition wall, and the heat exchanger is formed by the first housing and the partition wall. A washing machine disposed in the space is provided. and a motor assembly coupled to the bulkhead, wherein the motor assembly includes a stator, a rotor, and a bearing housing.

The present invention includes a first housing having an opening and a space in which a drum accommodating laundry is inserted; a partition wall sealing the opening and coupled to the first housing; and a second housing that seals one surface of the partition wall and is coupled to the first housing, wherein a heat exchanger in which a refrigerant moves is disposed in the partition wall, and the heat exchanger is formed by the first housing and the partition wall. A washing machine disposed in the space is provided. and a motor assembly coupled to the bulkhead, wherein the motor assembly includes a stator, a rotor, and a bearing housing, and a communication hole through which external air is introduced or discharged is formed in the bearing housing.

The present invention includes a first housing having an opening and a space in which a drum accommodating laundry is inserted; a partition wall sealing the opening and coupled to the first housing; and a second housing that seals one surface of the partition wall and is coupled to the first housing, wherein a heat exchanger in which a refrigerant moves is disposed in the partition wall, and the heat exchanger is formed by the first housing and the partition wall. A washing machine disposed in the space is provided. and a motor assembly coupled to the bulkhead, wherein the motor assembly includes a stator, a rotor, and a bearing housing, and an O-ring is disposed at a portion where the bearing housing is coupled to the partition wall, and the O-ring contains liquid carbon dioxide. A washing machine that is prevented from moving to a space opposite to a bulkhead is provided.

The present invention includes a first housing having an opening and a space in which a drum accommodating laundry is inserted; a partition wall sealing the opening and coupled to the first housing; A washing machine including a second housing that seals one surface of the partition wall and is coupled to the first housing, and includes a storage tank for storing carbon dioxide supplied to the drum.

The present invention includes a first housing having an opening and a space in which a drum accommodating laundry is inserted; a partition wall sealing the opening and coupled to the first housing; A second housing that seals one surface of the bulkhead and is coupled to the first housing, and includes a distillation chamber for distilling liquid carbon dioxide used in the drum.

The present invention includes a first housing having an opening and a space in which a drum accommodating laundry is inserted; a partition wall sealing the opening and coupled to the first housing; A second housing that seals one surface of the partition wall and is coupled to the first housing, wherein the first housing and the second housing are coupled to form a closed space, and the closed space is connected to the partition wall. It provides a washing machine characterized in that divided by.

The present invention includes a first housing having an opening and a space in which a drum accommodating laundry is inserted; a partition wall sealing the opening and coupled to the first housing; and a second housing that seals one surface of the partition wall and is coupled to the first housing, wherein carbon dioxide is injected into the drum to perform laundry, and the partition wall is a space provided by the first housing and the partition wall. It provides a washing machine characterized in that it blocks the movement of liquid carbon dioxide injected into the space provided by the second housing and the partition wall.

The size of the opening may be larger than the size of the cross section of the drum.

The size of the opening may be larger than the size of the maximum cross section of the drum.

The size of the opening may be larger than the size of the maximum cross section of the space of the first housing.

The size of the opening may remain the same up to the central portion of the first housing.

The first housing may include a first flange formed along the opening, and the second housing may include a second flange coupled to the first flange.

It is possible that a seating groove to which the barrier rib is coupled is formed in the first flange along the opening.

It is possible that the first flange is provided with a first seating surface extending radially from the circumference of the seating groove, and the second flange is provided with a second seating surface coupled to the first seating surface in surface contact. .

The barrier rib may include a first through hole through which a rotating shaft of the motor passes and a second through hole through which gaseous carbon dioxide moves.

The second through hole may be disposed at a higher position than the first through hole.

A heat exchanger coupled to the partition wall may be further included, and a refrigerant pipe moving in the heat exchanger may pass through the second through hole.

It is possible that the second through hole is two separate holes.

A heat exchanger in which a refrigerant moves is disposed in the partition wall, and the heat exchanger may be disposed in a space formed by the first housing and the partition wall.

A heat insulating member may be disposed between the heat exchanger and the barrier rib.

The heat exchanger may include a bracket coupled to the partition wall, and the bracket may be fixed to the partition wall by a bolt penetrating the partition wall and a cap nut coupled to the bolt.

A motor assembly coupled to the bulkhead may be included, and the motor assembly may include a stator, a rotor, and a bearing housing.

It is possible to include a rotating shaft disposed in the bearing housing, one end of the rotating shaft coupled to the rotor, and the other end of the rotating shaft coupled to the drum.

A sealing unit may be disposed around the rotating shaft, and the sealing unit may be disposed to be exposed to a space formed by the first housing and the barrier rib.

The sealing part may prevent liquid carbon dioxide from moving to a space opposite to the barrier rib.

A communication hole through which external air can flow in or out may be formed in the bearing housing.

A first flow path and a second flow path through which air can flow in or out may be spaced apart from each other on the rotating shaft.

The first passage and the second passage may be formed in a radial direction from the center of the rotation shaft.

It is possible that a connection passage connecting the first passage and the second passage is formed.

The connection flow path may be disposed at the center of rotation of the rotation shaft and vertically connected to the first flow path and the second flow path, respectively.

An O-ring may be disposed at a portion where the bearing housing is coupled to the partition wall, and the O-ring may prevent liquid carbon dioxide from moving to a space opposite to the partition wall.

An O-ring cover for preventing separation of the O-ring is coupled to the O-ring, and a storage tank for storing carbon dioxide supplied to the drum may be included.

It is possible to include a distillation chamber for distilling the liquid carbon dioxide used in the drum.

It is possible to include a filter for filtering contaminants when discharging the liquid carbon dioxide used in the drum.

It is possible to include a compressor that reduces the pressure inside the drum.

It is possible that the first housing and the second housing are coupled to form a closed space, and the closed space is divided by the partition wall.

According to the present invention, the efficiency of a compressor can be improved and a washing machine having a small volume can be manufactured. Driving noise can be reduced by applying an oil-lubricated scroll compressor.

An oil-lubricated scroll compressor is applied, but oil is separated from carbon dioxide used as a washing solvent, so that clothes can be prevented from being contaminated by oil.

In addition, the maintainability of the compressor can be improved through effective control of the amount of return oil.

According to the present invention, since the amount of carbon dioxide used is reduced, the amount of carbon dioxide that needs to be reprocessed after use can be reduced, and the energy efficiency of the entire system can be improved. In addition, since the amount of carbon dioxide used is reduced, the size of the tank for storing carbon dioxide that must be stored before use can be reduced, and the size can be improved to have a small overall size.

In particular, the amount of carbon dioxide used is reduced compared to the prior art. This reduces the amount of carbon dioxide that needs to be reprocessed after use. Since the amount of carbon dioxide used is reduced, not only the capacity of the tank for storing carbon dioxide, but also the overall size of the washing machine for using carbon dioxide may be reduced. In addition, since the amount of carbon dioxide to be reprocessed after use is reduced, the time required for washing or rinsing can also be reduced.

In addition, according to the present invention, various parts such as a drum can be separated from all parts to provide an environment for a worker to approach and repair. In addition, by providing a structure that can be produced as an actual product by combining various parts, workers can easily manufacture a washing machine using carbon dioxide.

In addition, according to the present invention, since the stator and the rotor are disposed together around the axis of rotation that rotates the drum, the space occupied by the motor assembly is reduced, and thus the size of the washing machine can be reduced. In addition, since the coupling relationship of components for rotating the drum is simplified, noise can be reduced when the drum is rotated and efficiency of power transmission can be improved.

In addition, according to the present invention, liquid carbon dioxide does not flow into the driving space where the motor is disposed, but gaseous carbon dioxide can flow into the driving space, so that the drum can be rotated while maintaining pressure equilibrium between the washing space and the driving space. Therefore, the drum can be stably rotated when the washing machine is operated. In addition, since the driving space is filled with gaseous carbon dioxide, the amount of carbon dioxide used when washing clothes or the like can be reduced.

1 is a diagram illustrating the concept of one embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a view explaining the appearance of main parts of one embodiment.
Figure 3 is a front view of Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 2;
5 is a view in which the second housing is separated from FIG. 2;
6 is a view showing a state in which a part of the drum in FIG. 5 is removed to the rear;
7 is a diagram illustrating a drum and some components;
Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 7;
Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective view of Fig. 7;
10 is an exploded perspective view in which main parts of FIG. 7 are disassembled in detail;
11 is a view explaining a partition wall;
12 is a view explaining the function of the second through hole;
13 is a view illustrating a structure in which a heat exchanger is coupled to a partition wall.
14 is a view explaining an O-ring and an O-ring cover installed on a bulkhead.
15 is a diagram explaining a state in which the configuration of FIG. 14 is coupled to other components;
16 is a diagram showing a rotation axis;
17 is a view explaining a state in which the rotation shaft of FIG. 16 is coupled to other components;
18 is a diagram illustrating the concept of one embodiment.
19 is a diagram explaining an operation process of one embodiment;
20 and 21 are diagrams illustrating a technique in which two compressors are operated in parallel.
22 and 23 are diagrams illustrating a technique in which two compressors are operated in tandem.
24 is a diagram illustrating a path through which oil trapped in a storage tank or washing chamber is moved;

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention that can specifically realize the above object will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In this process, the size or shape of the components shown in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity and convenience of explanation. In addition, terms specifically defined in consideration of the configuration and operation of the present invention may vary according to the intentions or customs of users and operators. Definitions of these terms should be made based on the content throughout this specification.

1 is a diagram illustrating the concept of an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 , a washing machine according to an embodiment includes a component capable of storing carbon dioxide or treating carbon dioxide because it processes various clothes such as washing and rinsing using carbon dioxide.

The washing machine according to an embodiment may be divided into a supply unit for supplying carbon dioxide, a washing unit for processing clothes, and a recycling unit for processing used carbon dioxide. The supply unit may include a tank for storing liquid carbon dioxide and a compressor for liquefying gaseous carbon dioxide. Tanks may include make-up tanks and storage tanks. The washing unit may include a washing chamber into which carbon dioxide and clothes may be put together. The regeneration unit has a filter for separating pollutants dissolved in liquid carbon dioxide after washing, a cooler for converting gaseous carbon dioxide into a liquid state, a distillation chamber for separating pollutants dissolved in liquid carbon dioxide, and a filter for storing separated pollutants after distillation. It may contain a contamination chamber.

The replenishment tank 20 may store carbon dioxide to be supplied to the washing chamber 10 . Of course, the replenishment tank 20 is a storage tank that can be used when replenishment of carbon dioxide is required, and may not be provided in situations where replenishment of carbon dioxide is not required. In a normal situation, the replenishment tank is not provided, but the replenishment tank is coupled as necessary to replenish carbon dioxide, and when the replenishment is completed, the replenishment tank can be separated from the washing machine.

The storage tank 30 supplies carbon dioxide to the washing chamber 10 and stores the carbon dioxide recovered through the distillation chamber 50 .

The cooler 40 liquefies the gaseous carbon dioxide again and stores it in the storage tank 30 .

The distillation chamber 50 distills the liquid carbon dioxide used in the washing chamber 10 . Through the distillation process, carbon dioxide is vaporized to separate and remove contaminants.

The compressor 80 may depressurize the inside of the pressurized washing chamber 10 to about 1.5 bar.

The contamination chamber 60 stores contaminants filtered through distillation in the distillation chamber 50 .

The filter unit 70 may filter out contaminants in the process of discharging the liquid carbon dioxide used in the washing chamber 10 to the distillation chamber 50 . The filter unit 70 may use a filter having a plurality of fine holes.

In the washing chamber 10, laundry or rinsing is performed by putting clothes therein. When the valve of the storage tank 30 connected to the washing chamber 10 opens the flow path, air pressures in the washing chamber 10 and the storage tank 30 become similar. At this time, gaseous carbon dioxide may be injected first, and then liquid carbon dioxide may be filled by pressurizing the inside of the washing chamber 10 through a device such as a pump. The inside of the washing chamber 10 can perform washing for 10 to 15 minutes and rinsing for 3 to 4 minutes under conditions of approximately 45 to 51 bar and 10 to 15° C. When washing or rinsing is completed, liquid carbon dioxide is discharged from the washing chamber 10 to the distillation chamber 50 .

The valve 90 removes air inside the wash chamber 10 before washing starts to prevent freezing of moisture in the wash chamber 10 . This is because washing performance deteriorates when moisture freezes inside the washing chamber 10 .

Figure 2 is a view explaining the appearance of a main part of one embodiment, Figure 3 is a front view of Figure 2, Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 2.

2 to 4 , the washing chamber 10 according to an embodiment includes a door 300, a first housing 100, and a second housing 200. At this time, the washing chamber 10 refers to a space in which clothes are accommodated and various clothes treatments such as washing or rinsing of the clothes are performed. In addition, a motor assembly providing a driving force capable of rotating the drum accommodated in the wash chamber may be installed inside the wash chamber.

The door 300 is provided on one side of the first housing 100 to open and close the inlet 102 provided in the first housing. When the door 300 opens the inlet 102, the user can put clothes that need to be treated into the first housing 100 or take out the clothes that have been treated.

A space is provided inside the first housing 100 in which a drum 350 accommodating laundry is inserted. The drum 350 is rotatably provided so that liquid carbon dioxide and clothes are mixed with each other while laundry is accommodated therein.

The first housing 100 is provided with an opening 104 in addition to the inlet 102 . The opening 100 is located on the opposite side of the inlet 102 and is larger than the inlet 102 .

The first housing 100 is formed in a cylindrical shape as a whole, the inlet 102 having a circular shape is formed on one side, and the opening 100 having a circular shape is provided on the other side.

The drum 350 may rotate clockwise or counterclockwise inside the first housing 100 while forming a cylindrical shape similar to the shape of the inner space of the first housing 100 .

The size of the opening 104 may be larger than the size of the cross section of the drum 350 so that a worker or a user can take out the drum 350 through the opening 104 and repair it. At this time, the size of the opening 104 may be larger than the size of the maximum cross section of the drum 350 . Therefore, a worker or the like can open the opening 104 and take out the drum 350 . It is also possible to install the drum 350 inside the first housing 100 through the opening 104 .

The size of the opening 104 may be larger than the size of the maximum cross section of the space of the first housing 100 . In addition, it is possible that the size of the opening 104 remains the same up to the central portion of the first housing 100 . When a worker or the like takes out or inserts the drum 350 into the first housing 100, a space sufficient to not interfere with the drum 350 can be secured.

In one embodiment, clothing may be put into the first housing 100 using the inlet 102 , and maintenance or assembly of the drum 350 may use the opening 104 . The inlet 102 and the opening 104 may be located on opposite sides of the first housing 100 to face each other.

The first housing 100 is provided with an inlet pipe 110 through which carbon dioxide is supplied to the first housing 100 . The inlet pipe 110 is a pipe exposed to the outside of the first housing 100, and a pipe through which carbon dioxide can move can be coupled to the components described in FIG. 1.

A filter fixing part 130 capable of fixing the filter part 70 is provided in the first housing 100 . The filter fixing part 130 is formed to protrude in a radial direction from the cylindrical shape of the first housing 100 to form a space into which a filter can be inserted. The filter fixing part 130 is provided with a discharge pipe 132 through which carbon dioxide filtered through the filter part 70 can be discharged from the first housing 100 . Carbon dioxide used in the first housing 100 may be discharged to the outside of the first housing 100 through the discharge pipe 132 .

The first housing 100 includes a first flange 120 formed along the opening 104 . The first flange 120 extends along the outer circumferential surface of the first housing 100 in a radial direction similar to the cylindrical shape of the first housing 100 . The first flanges 120 are evenly disposed along the circumference of the first housing 100 in a direction in which the radius of the first housing 100 increases.

The second housing 200 may be coupled to the first housing 100 to form one washing chamber. At this time, the washing chamber may provide a space in which clothes are processed and a space in which a motor assembly providing a driving force for rotating the drum is installed.

The second housing 200 includes a second flange 220 coupled to the first flange 120 . The second housing 200 is formed to have a size similar to that of the cross section of the first housing 100 and is disposed behind the first housing 100 .

The second flange 220 is coupled to the first flange 120 by a plurality of bolts, etc., so that the internal pressure in the state in which the second housing 200 is fixed to the first housing 100 is the external atmospheric pressure. Allows for greater pressure to be maintained.

A filter 140 capable of filtering foreign substances is disposed in the first filter fixing part 130 provided in the first housing 200 . The filter 140 includes a plurality of small holes, so that foreign substances cannot pass through the holes, while liquid carbon dioxide passes through the holes and is discharged to the outside of the first housing 100 through the discharge pipe 132. can

In one embodiment, a barrier rib 400 is included to seal the opening 104 and is coupled to the first housing 100 . The second housing 200 can seal one surface of the partition wall 400 .

Referring to FIG. 4 , the drum 350 is disposed in the left space of the partition wall 400 so that laundry or rinsing or the like can be treated while mixing clothes and liquid carbon dioxide. On the other hand, the motor assembly 500 may be disposed in a space on the right side of the partition wall 400 to provide a driving force for rotating the drum 350 . In this case, a part of the motor assembly 500 may pass through the barrier rib 400 and be coupled to the drum 350 .

The barrier rib 400 is formed to be larger than the size of the opening 104 and is placed in contact with the opening 104 to seal the opening 104 . The partition wall 400 and the opening 140 form a substantially circular shape similar to the shape of the first housing 100, and the diameter L of the opening 104 is smaller than the diameter of the partition wall 400. . The diameter L of the opening 104 is larger than the diameter of the drum 350 . Therefore, the size of the cross section of the drum 350 is the smallest, the size of the cross section of the opening 104 is medium, and the size of the partition wall 400 is the largest.

The barrier rib 400 is arranged to have a plurality of steps, so that strength can be secured.

A seating groove 122 to which the partition wall 400 is coupled is formed in the first flange 120 along the opening 104 . That is, the seating groove 122 is provided at a portion extending radially from the opening 104 . The seating groove 122 is recessed by the thickness of the partition wall 400 so that the first flange 120 and the second flange 220 can come into contact with each other. The seating groove 122 is formed to have the same shape as the outer circumferential shape of the partition wall 400, so that when the partition wall 400 is seated in the seating groove 122, the surface of the first flange 120 It is possible to flatten.

The first flange 120 is provided with a first seating surface 124 that extends radially from the circumference of the seating groove 122, and the second flange 220 is provided with the first seating surface 124. A second seating surface 224 coupled by surface contact is provided. The first seating surface 124 and the second seating surface 224 are disposed to come into contact with each other, so that carbon dioxide injected into the inner space of the first housing 100 is prevented from being discharged to the outside. The first seating surface 124 and the second seating surface 224 are disposed on outer circumferential surfaces of the first housing 100 and the second housing 200, so that the two housings are bolted together while making surface contact with each other. A mating surface capable of being coupled may be provided.

A heat exchanger 600 in which a refrigerant moves is disposed inside the partition wall 400, and the heat exchanger 600 is disposed in a space formed by the first housing 100 and the partition wall 400. The heat exchanger 600 may change the temperature of the space of the first housing 100 . It is possible to lower the humidity of the internal space of the first housing 100 by changing the temperature of the space formed by the first housing 100 to a low level.

A heat insulating member 650 is disposed between the heat exchanger 600 and the partition wall 400 . The heat insulating member 650 blocks the transfer of the temperature of the heat exchanger 600 to the partition wall 400 as it is. The heat insulating member 650 reduces the effect of the temperature change of the heat exchanger 600 on the partition wall 400 . The heat insulating member 650 is formed similarly to the shape of the heat exchanger 600, so it is possible to cover the entire area of the heat exchanger 600.

FIG. 5 is a view in which the second housing is separated from FIG. 2 , and FIG. 6 is a view showing a state in which a part of the drum in FIG. 5 is removed backward.

5 and 6 , when the second housing 200 is separated from the first housing 100, the partition wall 400 is exposed to the outside. Since the partition wall 400 is coupled to the seating groove of the first housing 100, even if the second housing 200 is separated from the first housing 100, the inside of the first housing 100 The space is not exposed to the outside. The barrier rib 400 is coupled to the second housing 200 by a plurality of bolts or the like.

A motor assembly 500 is coupled to a central portion of the partition wall 400 , and a second through hole 420 is formed at an upper side of the motor assembly 500 . A refrigerant pipe 610 circulating a refrigerant in the heat exchanger 600 passes through the second through hole 420 .

When the barrier rib 400 is separated from the first housing 100, the opening 104 is exposed. At this time, the drum 350 can be drawn out through the opening 104 . Since the size of the opening 104 is larger than that of the drum 350, maintenance of the drum 350 is possible through the opening 104.

A gasket 320 is disposed between the partition wall 400 and the seating groove 122 . Accordingly, when the barrier rib 400 is coupled to the first housing 100, carbon dioxide may be prevented from leaking therebetween. When the partition wall 400 is seated in the seating groove 122, it is possible to combine it with a plurality of bolts while compressing the gasket 320. A plurality of coupling holes for coupling to the first housing 100 may be evenly disposed along the outer circumferential surface of the barrier rib 400 .

7 is a view illustrating a drum and some components, FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 7 , FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 7 , and FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a main part of FIG. 7 in detail.

7 and 8 show a state in which the first housing 100 is removed, and the drum 350 is exposed to the outside. The drum 350 is also formed in a cylindrical shape as a whole, and clothes inputted through the input port 102 are provided to be able to move into the drum 350 .

The drum 350, the heat exchanger 600, and the heat insulating member 650 are disposed on the left side with the partition wall 400 interposed therebetween. The motor assembly 500 is disposed on the right side of the partition wall 400 .

9 is a view in which the drum 350 and the barrier rib 400 are separated. A rotating shaft 510 of the motor assembly 500 is coupled to the drum 350 at the rear of the drum 350 . Therefore, when the rotating shaft 510 is rotated, the drum 350 may also be rotated. In addition, when the rotation direction of the rotating shaft 510 is changed, the rotation direction of the drum 350 is also changed.

Since the motor assembly 500 is coupled to the bulkhead 400, driving force for rotating the drum 350 is not transmitted using a separate belt or the like. Therefore, in one embodiment, since the rotational force of the motor is directly transmitted, loss of power or generated noise can be reduced.

FIG. 10 provides an exploded perspective view of components installed on the bulkhead in FIG. 9 .

The heat exchanger 600 is formed in a donut shape as a whole similar to the shape of the opening 104 . A circular through hole 602 is formed in the center of the heat exchanger 600 so that the rotary shaft 510 of the motor can pass therethrough.

The heat insulating member 650 is provided in a shape corresponding to the heat exchanger 600 and blocks a temperature change generated in the heat exchanger 600 from being transmitted to the partition wall 400 . The heat insulating member 650 is made of a material having low thermal conductivity and is disposed between the heat exchanger 600 and the barrier rib 400 . A circular through hole 652 is formed in the center of the heat insulating member 650 so that the rotation shaft 510 of the motor can pass therethrough.

The through-hole 602 of the heat exchanger 600 and the through-hole 652 of the heat insulating member 650 may have circular shapes having similar sizes. However, the through hole 652 is additionally provided with a through hole 654 through which a refrigerant pipe 610 providing refrigerant to the heat exchanger 600 can pass.

The heat exchanger 600 includes a bracket 620 coupled to the partition wall 400 . The bracket 620 may be fixed to the partition wall 400 by a bolt 624 penetrating the partition wall 400 and a cap nut 626 coupled to the bolt 624 .

The bracket 620 has a three-dimensionally stepped shape and is disposed on a surface of the heat exchanger 600 where the thickness is thin. The bolt 624 may be disposed in the stepped groove portion and coupled to the cap nut 626 .

A plurality of brackets 620 are provided so that the heat exchanger 600 and the heat insulating member 650 are coupled to the partition wall 400 at a plurality of points. Although FIG. 10 provides an embodiment in which three brackets 650 are provided, it is possible that more brackets or fewer brackets are disposed. A plurality of brackets are evenly arranged in various positions of the heat exchanger 600, so that the heat exchanger 600 can be stably fixed.

The motor assembly 500 is coupled to the barrier rib 400 . The motor assembly 500 may include a stator 570, a rotor 550, and a bearing housing 520. The bearing housing 520 includes the rotating shaft 510, one end of the rotating shaft 510 is coupled to the rotor 550, and the other end of the rotating shaft 510 is coupled to the drum 350. Accordingly, as the rotor 550 rotates around the stator 570, the rotating shaft 510 also rotates.

The stator 570 is fixed to the bearing housing 520 to provide an environment in which the rotor 550 rotates.

When the bearing housing 520 is coupled to the partition wall 400, an O-ring 450 is disposed between the bearing housing 520 and the partition wall 400 so that injection into the first housing 100 occurs. Liquid carbon dioxide is prevented from moving into the gap between the partition wall 400 and the bearing housing 520 . At this time, an O-ring cover 460 is disposed to improve the coupling force of the O-ring 450. The O-ring cover 460 is formed similarly to the shape of the O-ring 450. The O-ring cover 460 reduces the surface of the O-ring 450 exposed to one side of the partition wall 400, so that the gap can be more strongly sealed.

11 is a view illustrating a partition wall. FIG. 11A is a front view of the partition wall 400, and FIG. 11B is a cross-sectional side view of the central portion of the partition wall 400.

Since the bulkhead 400 has a plurality of steps as shown in the cross-sectional side view, it can provide enough strength to fix the heat exchanger 600 on one side and the motor assembly 500 on the other side. there is.

A first through-hole 410 through which the rotary shaft 510 of the motor passes is disposed at the center of the partition wall 400 . Since the first through hole 410 is formed in a circular shape, no contact occurs with the rotating shaft 510 passing through the first through hole 410 .

The barrier rib 400 includes a second through hole 420 through which gaseous carbon dioxide moves. The second through hole 420 may be disposed at a higher position than the first through hole 410 . The second through hole 420 is disposed so that the refrigerant pipe 610 passes therethrough. The size of the second through hole 420 may be larger than that of the first through hole 410 .

It is possible that the second through hole 420 is two separate holes. The second through hole 420 may be arranged symmetrically around the center of the partition wall 400 .

The partition wall 400 is a component that can be separated from the first housing 100 or the second housing 200, and provides a structure in which the heat exchanger 600 and the motor assembly 500 are coupled. can

In addition, when the barrier rib 400 is separated from the first housing 100, an environment in which a user or the like can separate the drum 350 from the first housing 100 can be provided.

The barrier rib 400 may be formed stepwise a plurality of times forward or backward, and may increase strength. In addition, it is possible to have curved surfaces in some sections, so that they can withstand forces in various directions. An outermost portion of the barrier rib 400 may be shaped to be coupled to the seating groove 122 of the first housing 100 .

11B, while moving from the outermost part of the bulkhead 400 to the center, it protrudes to the left, protrudes to the right, and then protrudes to the left, and is stepped by various lengths in various directions, such as protruding to the left. can increase

12 is a view explaining the function of the second through hole.

Carbon dioxide is injected into the drum 350 to perform washing. At this time, the carbon dioxide is a mixture of liquid carbon dioxide and gaseous carbon dioxide. Since liquid carbon dioxide is heavier than gaseous carbon dioxide, it is located at the bottom, and gaseous carbon dioxide is located in the empty space above it.

As the drum 350 rotates, liquid carbon dioxide is mixed with clothes and the like located inside the drum 350 .

The barrier rib 400 blocks liquid carbon dioxide introduced into the space provided by the first housing 100 and the barrier rib 400 from moving into the space provided by the second housing 200 and the barrier rib 400. do. That is, since the barrier rib 400 seals the opening 104 , liquid carbon dioxide cannot move to the opposite side of the barrier rib 400 .

While laundry, such as laundry, is performed, the space by the first housing 100 and the partition wall 400 and the space by the second housing 200 and the partition wall 400 are separated from each other. The space formed by the housing 100 and the barrier rib 400 is filled with liquid carbon dioxide and gaseous carbon dioxide at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure. Therefore, in order to stably maintain the pressure in the washing chamber, only gaseous carbon dioxide, not liquid idealized carbon, is moved into the space formed by the second housing 200 and the partition wall 400 to maintain pressure equilibrium.

At this time, gaseous carbon dioxide may pass through the partition wall 400 through the second through hole 420 provided in the partition wall 400 . However, since the second through hole 420 is disposed at a position higher than the height of the liquid carbon dioxide, liquid carbon dioxide cannot move through the second through hole 420 .

Typically, the amount of liquid carbon dioxide used in washing or rinsing does not exceed half of the drum 350. That is, it does not rise above the height of the rotating shaft 510 coupled to the drum 350.

Accordingly, when the second through hole 420 is located at a higher position than the rotating shaft 510 , liquid carbon dioxide does not move through the second through hole 420 . However, since gaseous carbon dioxide is filled in the space formed by the first housing 100 and the partition wall 400, it can be freely moved to the space formed by the second housing 200 and the partition wall 400 to achieve pressure equilibrium. there is.

That is, gaseous carbon dioxide and liquid carbon dioxide are mixed in the space partitioned by the first housing 100 and the partition wall 400 while clothes treatment such as washing or rinsing is performed. On the other hand, liquid carbon dioxide does not exist in the space partitioned by the second housing 200 and the barrier rib 400, and only gaseous carbon dioxide exists. Since the two spaces are in a pressure equilibrium state, liquid carbon dioxide does not need to exist in the space formed by the second housing 200 and the partition wall 400, and the amount of liquid carbon dioxide used can be reduced. Accordingly, the total amount of carbon dioxide used for washing or rinsing or the like can be reduced, thereby reducing the amount of carbon dioxide used compared to the prior art. This reduces the amount of carbon dioxide that needs to be reprocessed after use. Since the amount of carbon dioxide used is reduced, not only the capacity of the tank for storing carbon dioxide, but also the overall size of the washing machine for using carbon dioxide may be reduced. In addition, since the amount of carbon dioxide to be reprocessed after use is reduced, the time required for washing or rinsing can also be reduced.

13 is a view illustrating a structure in which a heat exchanger is coupled to a partition wall.

FIG. 13 shows a cross-sectional main portion of a portion where the bracket 620 contacts the heat exchanger 600 .

The bracket 620 has a stepped shape, and the stepped portion contacts the heat exchanger 600 to fix the heat exchanger 600. The protruding portion is disposed to contact the heat insulating member 650 .

The bolt 624 is fixed to the protruding portion, and the bolt 624 penetrates the insulating member 650 and the partition wall 400 . A cap nut 626 is provided on the opposite side of the bolt 624 to fix the bolt 624. The cap nut 626 may contact the partition wall 400 at a plurality of points to secure a fixing force to the partition wall 400 .

The cap nut 626 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole, and a coupling groove is formed at a portion in contact with the partition wall 400 . A sealing ring 627 is disposed in the coupling groove to seal the gap when the cap nut 626 is coupled to the partition wall 400 . That is, when the cap nut 626 is coupled to the bolt 624, the seal ring 627 is compressed and the cap nut 626 strongly presses and fixes the bolt 624. At this time, the partition wall 400 is also pressed together, and the hole through which the bolt 624 passes may be sealed.

A plurality of brackets 620 are provided to fix the heat exchanger 600 at various positions. Although the shape of the bracket 620 may vary when viewed from each direction, the method in which the bracket 620 is coupled by bolts and cap nuts is the same.

14 is a view explaining an O-ring and an O-ring cover installed on a partition wall, and FIG. 15 is a view explaining a state in which the configuration of FIG. 14 is coupled to other components.

An O-ring 450 is disposed at a portion where the bearing housing 520 is coupled to the partition wall 400 . The O-ring 450 prevents liquid carbon dioxide from moving to a space opposite to the partition wall 400 .

That is, since the rotating shaft 510 is arranged to pass through the first through hole 410 of the barrier rib, a gap must exist. Since the rotating shaft 510 rotates, there must be a gap with the through hole 410, and the gap cannot be sealed. Therefore, the bearing housing 520 is coupled to the partition wall 400, and the O-ring 450 seals the gap between the bearing housing 520 and the partition wall 400, thereby sealing the gap by the O-ring 450. Carbon dioxide can be prevented from migrating through the cracks.

An O-ring cover 460 that prevents the O-ring 450 from being separated is coupled to the O-ring 450 . The O-ring cover 460 surrounds one surface of the O-ring 450 to prevent the O-ring 450 from being exposed to a space provided by the first housing 100 . Therefore, the O-ring cover 460 can prevent the O-ring 450 from being separated due to counter pressure.

FIG. 16 is a view showing a rotation shaft, and FIG. 17 is a view explaining a state in which the rotation shaft of FIG. 16 is coupled to other components.

A rotating shaft 510 having one side coupled to the drum 350 and the other side coupled to the rotor 550 is provided at the center of the bearing housing 520 . The rotating shaft 510 is disposed to pass through the center of the bearing housing 520 .

The rotating shaft 510 may be supported by the bearing housing 520 by a first bearing 521 and a second bearing 522 . The rotating shaft 510 is rotatably supported by two bearings. At this time, the two bearings may include various shapes as long as they are components that support rotation.

Meanwhile, the first bearing 521 and the second bearing 522 have different sizes, so that the rotating shaft 510 can be stably supported. Meanwhile, the shape of the rotating shaft 510 of the portion supported by each bearing may be formed differently.

A sealing part 540 is provided on one side of the first bearing 521 . The sealing part 540 is disposed along the circumference of the rotating shaft 510 . The sealing part 540 is disposed to be exposed to the space provided by the first housing 100 and the partition wall 400 to prevent carbon dioxide from moving into the gap between the rotating shaft 510 and the bearing housing 520. It can be prevented. In particular, the sealing part 540 may prevent liquid carbon dioxide from moving to a space opposite to the barrier rib 400 .

The sealing part 540 includes a shaft chamber housing 542 disposed between the rotating shaft 510 and a hole through which the rotating shaft passes to seal the gap. A shaft chamber 544 is disposed at a portion where the shaft chamber housing 542 and the rotating shaft 510 meet to improve sealing power. The shaft chamber 544 may be disposed to surround an outer circumferential surface of the rotation shaft 510 .

A communication hole 526 through which external air can flow in or out is formed in the bearing housing 520 . The communication hole 526 of the bearing housing 520 is exposed to a space partitioned by the second housing 200 and the partition wall 400 .

A first flow path 512 and a second flow path 514 through which air can flow in or out are spaced apart from each other on the rotating shaft 510 . In this case, the first flow path 512 and the second flow path 514 may be formed in a radial direction from the center of the rotation shaft 510 .

The air in the space partitioned by the second housing 200 and the partition wall 400 can move to the inside of the rotating shaft 510 through the first flow path 512 and the second flow path 514. .

In particular, a connection passage 516 connecting the first passage 512 and the second passage 514 is formed. The connection passage 516 may be disposed at the center of rotation of the rotation shaft 510 and vertically connected to the first passage 512 and the second passage 514 , respectively.

If there is no connection passage 516, the first passage 512 and the second passage 514 form a passage in which a hole is opened on the outer surface of the rotating shaft 510, but the opposite side is blocked. Therefore, it is substantially difficult for air to move to the first flow path 512 or the second flow path 514 . To this end, in one embodiment, the connection passage 516 connecting the two passages is formed so that air can more easily flow through the first passage 512, the second passage 514, and the second passage 514 when the internal pressure is changed. By moving to the connection passage 516, the rotating shaft 510 may be maintained the same as the change in external pressure.

The rotating shaft 510 rotates while one side is fixed to the drum 350 and the other side is fixed to the rotor 550 . Therefore, noise or vibration may occur in the rotating shaft 510, but when it rotates in a place where there is a pressure difference, the noise or vibration inevitably increases. Accordingly, in the present embodiment, a communication hole 526 through which air is introduced into the bearing housing 520 is provided. Since the bearing housing 520 is a relatively large component and has a space in which air can enter and circulate, air can flow in even if the air inlet and outlet are not distinguished. On the other hand, since the rotary shaft 510 is made of a material with high rigidity and is weak enough to secure a space for air to easily enter, an air flow path cannot be formed large. Therefore, a plurality of flow passages are connected to each other to provide a path through which the introduced air can be discharged through the opposite flow passage.

In one embodiment, in the washing chamber 10, the first housing 100 and the second housing 200 are coupled to form an airtight space. At this time, the closed space may be divided into two spaces by the partition wall 400 . One side of the partition wall 400 is a space for processing clothes, and the other side is a space for installing a motor or the like.

18 is a diagram illustrating a concept of an embodiment.

In one embodiment, the compressor 80 may include two compressors. The compressor 80 includes a first compressor 82 and a second compressor 84 that compress carbon dioxide discharged after washing is completed inside the drum and move it to the storage tank 10 . Carbon dioxide after washing in the washing chamber 10 is guided to the storage tank 30 by the first compressor 82 and the second compressor 84 . Initially parallel operation, i.e. two compressors each compressing the carbon dioxide. In the second half, the carbon dioxide can be moved to the storage tank 30 while compressing the carbon dioxide through serial operation, that is, the two compressors perform multi-stage compression.

Reciprocating (piston-cylinder volumetric compression method) washing machine using two-stage compressor, when the specified pressure is reached during the washing machine recovery mode operation, the parallel operation mode is first converted to the series operation mode by switching the valve on the system side for a certain period of time (△ t) After that, by adjusting the number of rotations of the compressor, it is possible to implement a serial operation mode in the real high pressure ratio region.

However, if the system is operated in this way, there are three vulnerabilities. First, during the period of Δt, a low-speed + series operation causes a section in which the recovery flow rate decreases, which causes an increase in the total washing time. Second, by changing the mechanical behavior (= rotation speed) of the compressor after the change in high load due to the chemical change of the carbon dioxide fluid, a rapid change in rotation speed during operation at a high pressure ratio may cause a decrease in durability of the friction surface of the compression unit. At this time, if a technology to prevent deterioration of durability in the compressor is applied (hardening the material of the friction part, heat treatment of the bearing, etc.), the material cost inevitably rises. Third, since the design (fixed) pressure ratio of the compressor must be considered, it is limited when setting the mode conversion pressure, and without accurate load distribution, the load is inevitably concentrated on a specific compression stage (stage 1 or stage 2). Therefore, in the present embodiment, considering the above technical disadvantages, it is implemented in a different direction.

19 is a diagram explaining an operation process of one embodiment.

In this embodiment, when using a plurality of (or multi-stage) compressors of the same capacity, it is assumed that the total load should be divided equally among the compressors (compression stages). The load of a single compressor divided in this way is expressed as shaft torque, and if the flow rate passing through each compressor is the same during serial operation, the torque is proportional to the compressor pressure ratio (= discharge pressure / inlet pressure). That is, in order to maximize compressor operation efficiency in a system using a positive displacement compressor, it is important to form operating conditions such that the pressure ratio of the first compressor and the pressure ratio of the second compressor are the same. However, it is realistically impossible to set the pressure ratio uniformly in real time for a compressor having a fixed design compression ratio. Therefore, from the viewpoint of compressor protection, it is advantageous from the viewpoint of ensuring durability that the first criterion is to select the pressure ratio equally under the worst condition, and the second criterion is to operate the compressor at a lower pressure ratio at a higher temperature. That is, it is better to operate the high-pressure single-side compressor at a lower pressure ratio in terms of durability.

In most washing machines in which the size of the intercooler is limited, the discharge temperature of the high-pressure end-side comp (second compressor 84) is higher than the discharge temperature of the low-pressure end-side comp (first compressor 82) during the second-stage compression. For example, the pressure ratio of the second compressor 84 is driven at 4.9, and the pressure ratio of the first compressor 82 is driven at 5.2, so that the load on the second compressor 84 located on the high-pressure end side is relatively small. It is possible to ensure the durability of the compressor.

Referring to FIG. 19, when washing is finished, the first compressor 82 and the second compressor 84 are arranged in parallel to compress carbon dioxide and guide it to the storage tank 30 (S10). At this time, since the two compressors have the same capacity, the compression efficiency is high, and the time required to compress carbon dioxide can be reduced.

washing chamber pressure
(barA) driving mode 1st compressor
RPM
[rpm] 2nd compressor
RPM
[rpm] 40 → 14 (=P1 (1st set pressure)) parallel 6500 6500 14 → 13 (=P2 (2nd set pressure) parallel 6500 2500 13 → 2.5 serial 6500 2500

<Specific implementation method>

Since the wash chamber pressure is the same as the drum internal pressure, the terms are used interchangeably. A drum is located in the wash chamber because the pressure in the area where the two components are placed is the same.

When the pressure in the washing chamber, that is, the internal pressure of the drum is lowered by the first set pressure P1, the number of rotations of the second compressor 84 is changed (S20 and S30). The two compressors are operated in parallel until the pressure inside the drum drops to the first set pressure (eg, 14), but the rotation speed of the two compressors is the same.

Since the carbon dioxide in the washing chamber 10 is continuously compressed while the two compressors are operating, the pressure inside the washing chamber is continuously reduced.

When the internal pressure of the drum is lowered by the second set pressure P2 (for example, 13), the first compressor 82 and the second compressor 84 are placed in series to compress carbon dioxide (S50). At this time, the number of revolutions of the first compressor 82 is the same as the initial one, while the number of revolutions of the second compressor 84 maintains a low number of revolutions.

That is, in this embodiment, the two compressors are operated in parallel at the same number of revolutions until the internal pressure of the drum is lowered to the first set pressure.

When the internal pressure of the drum reaches the first set pressure, the number of rotations of the second compressor 84 is lowered compared to the number of rotations previously operated while the parallel operation is maintained.

When the pressure inside the drum reaches the second set pressure, the operation is switched to series operation. At this time, the number of revolutions of the first compressor 82 and the second compressor 84 maintains the number of revolutions that were driven directly, so that it is possible to prevent excessive load on the compressor when switching from parallel operation to series operation.

The first set pressure P1 may be greater than the second set pressure P2. This is because the carbon dioxide in the washing chamber is moved as the compressor is driven, and thus the pressure inside the washing chamber is reduced.

Meanwhile, in the present embodiment, in the process of moving carbon dioxide from the washing chamber to the storage tank after washing clothes, the number of revolutions of the first compressor 82 among the two compressors is maintained the same, and the first compressor 82 is driven. stability can be ensured.

Until the internal pressure of the drum decreases by the second set pressure P2 , while the first compressor and the second compressor are operated in parallel, it is possible to prevent the compression amount of carbon dioxide from decreasing. For reference, if two compressors are operated in series, it is possible to compress to a high pressure, but this is because the amount of carbon dioxide to be compressed is reduced.

When the internal pressure of the drum is lowered by the first set pressure P1, the rotation speed of the second compressor is lowered, thereby reducing the risk of high load caused by arranging two compressors in series.

20 and 21 are diagrams illustrating a technique in which two compressors are operated in parallel, and FIGS. 22 and 23 are views illustrating a technique in which two compressors are operated in series.

20 and 22 are diagrams conceptually illustrating a path through which carbon dioxide is moved, and FIGS. 21 and 23 are diagrams showing actually implemented states.

Two compressors 82 and 84 are disposed, respectively, and manual valves 802, 810, 818 and 820 are disposed. In the manual valve, the user can control whether the flow path is blocked or the flow path is opened.

Valves 804, 806, 808, 814, and 816 that can open or close the flow path depending on the state of the system are installed. Oil separators 830 and 840 and an oil reservoir 850 may be installed on a path through which carbon dioxide is moved. The oil separator and oil reservoir can separate and temporarily store oil discharged from the compressor along with carbon dioxide.

On the other hand, open the valve (3rd valve 818) installed in the channel through which oil is drained from the oil reservoir, or open the valve (830; first oil separator, 840; second oil separator) installed in the channel through which oil is drained ( When the first valve 814 and the second valve 816 are opened, the stored oil can be returned to the compressor. At this time, it is possible to pass through the metering valve 812.

A flow path 809 in which a safety valve is installed is provided in the flow path through which the carbon dioxide compressed by the first compressor 82 and the second compressor 84 is discharged, so that excessive pressure increase due to excessive compression of carbon dioxide can be prevented. there is.

In addition, an inter cooler 86 may be disposed to lower the temperature of the compressed carbon dioxide when multi-stage compression is performed. In addition, when the parallel operation is performed, the temperature of the carbon dioxide flowing into the second compressor 84 can be lowered, so that the second compressor 84 can be prevented from rising to a high temperature.

A process of performing parallel operation will be described with reference to FIGS. 20 and 21 . In the washing chamber 10 , carbon dioxide is supplied through the manual valve 802 . At this time, the passage through which carbon dioxide is supplied based on the manual valve 802 and the passage passing through the manual valve 802 can be separated from each other.

Meanwhile, the carbon dioxide passing through the manual valve 802 is guided to the suction passage of the first compressor 82, compressed, and discharged to the discharge passage. Since the valve 804 is in an open state, the carbon dioxide passing through the manual valve 802 is compressed by the second compressor 84 after passing through the inter cooler 86 and then discharged.

Since the valve 808 is also in an open state, the carbon dioxide compressed in the first compressor 82 and the carbon dioxide compressed in the second compressor 84 move together to the passage opened by the valve 808. do.

Meanwhile, since the valve 806 blocks the flow path, carbon dioxide cannot move through the valve 806 .

The carbon dioxide passing through the manual valve 810 may separate oil mixed with carbon dioxide while passing through the first oil separator 830, the second oil separator 840, and the oil reservoir 850 in turn.

In the process of compression in the compressors 82 (first compressor, 84; second compressor), oil used in the compressor may be mixed with carbon dioxide. When oil is mixed with carbon dioxide, it is necessary to separate the oil from carbon dioxide that is reused because there is a concern that the oil may be attached to clothes during washing.

After passing through the oil separator and the oil reservoir, the carbon dioxide is moved to the storage tank 30 and stored after closing the manual valve 820 . At this time, since the upper and lower sides can be separated from each other based on the manual valve 820, the user can separate the upper and lower sides from each other based on the manual valve 820 for work.

The oil stored in the oil reservoir 850 can be returned to the compressor when the flow path is opened in the manual valve 818 (third valve).

In addition, the oil separated from the first oil separator 830 opens a flow path in the valve 814 (first valve), and the oil separated from the second oil separator 840 opens the flow path in the valve 816 (second valve 816). ), it can be supplied to two compressors.

20 and 21, the valve 804 and the valve 808 open the flow path, while the valve 806 blocks the flow path through which carbon dioxide moves, realizing a technology in which two compressors operate in parallel. do.

Referring to FIGS. 22 and 21 , a technique operated in series will be described.

20 and 21, the valve 804 and the valve 808 block the flow path, while the valve 806 opens the flow path through which carbon dioxide moves, realizing a technique in which two compressors operate in series. do.

Carbon dioxide guided from the washing chamber is compressed by the first compressor 82 after passing through the valve 802 . At this time, since the valve 804 blocks the flow path, carbon dioxide does not pass through the valve 804 and is guided to the first compressor 82 .

Since the valve 808 blocks the flow path and the valve 806 opens the flow path, the carbon dioxide compressed in the first compressor 82 is guided to the flow path passing through the valve 806, and the inter It is cooled by passing through the cooler 86. Then, after being compressed by the second compressor 84, it moves through the manual valve 818 (third valve).

The process of changing the two compressors from parallel operation to serial operation can be implemented by opening and closing the passages in the valves 804, 806, and 808, respectively. When the operating conditions are changed, it is possible to change from series operation to parallel operation by opening or blocking the flow path at each valve, and then converting from parallel operation to series operation again. When the internal pressure of the drum is lowered by the second set pressure P2, the path through which carbon dioxide moves may be adjusted so that the first compressor and the second compressor are arranged in series.

Referring to FIGS. 20 to 23 , a process of returning oil from the oil separator and the oil reservoir will be described.

In this embodiment, when an oil-fueled compressor is used as a fluid machine for recovering and regenerating carbon dioxide after washing in a washing machine using carbon dioxide as a washing solvent, oil flowing out of the compressor and mixed with the washing solvent is separated and supplied back to the compressor. It's about how. It is also about how to completely remove the oil mixed in the washing solvent and wash it with only pure carbon dioxide washing solvent.

When recovering carbon dioxide, one or more compressors are operated in parallel or in series to form a high flow rate and differential pressure. At this time, oil can be smoothly supplied to each compressor through oil return valve control. In addition, the oil accumulated in the storage tank, which could not be separated from the oil separator, is bypassed instead of being used for washing, so that the oil can be removed from the washing solvent.

In this embodiment, an oil-lubricated scroll compressor may be applied to provide a compact and economical carbon dioxide washing machine. That is, one or more oil-fed scroll compressors are operated in series or parallel to form a high flow rate and differential pressure, and one or more oil separators can be applied to increase the separation efficiency of the oil discharged from the compressor.

In this embodiment, by applying an oil-lubricated sprawl compressor, the volume can be reduced by approximately 60% compared to the case of using an oilless compressor.

In this embodiment, in order to supply oil to one or more compressors, a plurality of oil separators are installed, and the separated oil is recycled to the compressor. By arranging a plurality of oil separators in series, the oil separation efficiency may be increased by sequentially passing carbon dioxide including oil through the plurality of oil separators.

On the other hand, it provides a structure that collects the oil filtered by each oil separator into a reservoir and returns it to the compressor. At this time, it is possible to measure the amount of return oil by installing an oil flow meter or by calculating the flow rate by means of pressure sensing. It is possible to measure the amount of oil outflow in the compressor by OCR meter or L-CO2 extraction method. It is also possible to determine the oil return amount so that the oil in the oil separator (or oil reservoir) can be maintained in an appropriate amount.

The oil separated in the oil separator is supplied to the carbon dioxide suction line of each compressor through a valve. In order to uniformly supply oil to each compressor in a system in which one or more compressors are applied, it is possible to connect an oil return pipe to an inlet of a main pipe through which carbon dioxide gas flows (between the compressor, the washing tub, and the distillation tub). Of course, it is also possible to install an oil supply line to each compressor.

When a plurality of compressors are operated in parallel, it is possible to return only the oil in the first oil separator 830 . Since the first oil separator 830 is the first oil separator to be encountered after passing through the compressor, the flow rate of carbon dioxide is high and the amount of oil outflow is also high.

When a plurality of compressors are operated in series, it is possible to return only the oil in the second oil separator 840 . Since the serial operation time is shorter than the parallel operation time, the oil of the second oil separator 840 is sufficient.

In addition, it is possible to return the oil traced to the oil reservoir 850 through the third valve 818 after several washing cycles. Unlike the first valve 814 or the second valve 816, the third valve 818 does not open and close the flow path according to specific conditions, but opens and closes the flow path according to the user's need to transfer the stored oil to the compressor. can be returned

The first oil separator 830 separates oil from carbon dioxide compressed in the first compressor and the second compressor. The oil separated by the oil separator 830 may be guided to the compressor through the first valve 814 that opens and closes a flow path leading to the first or second compressor.

The second oil separator 840 separates oil from carbon dioxide passing through the first oil separator 830 . The oil separated in the second oil separator 840 may be guided to the compressor through the second valve 816 that opens and closes a flow path leading to the first compressor 82 or the second compressor 84 .

The oil reservoir 850 may separate oil from carbon dioxide passing through the second oil separator 840 and store the separated oil. The oil stored in the oil reservoir 850 may be returned to the compressor through the third valve 818 that opens and closes a flow path leading to the first or second compressor.

Meanwhile, the first valve 814 may return oil to the compressor by opening a flow path while the first compressor and the second compressor are operated in parallel. On the other hand, the first valve 814 blocks the flow path while the first compressor and the second compressor are operated in series, so that oil is not returned to the compressor.

The second valve 816 blocks the flow path so that oil does not return while the first compressor and the second compressor are operated in parallel. On the other hand, the second valve 816 opens a flow path to return oil to the compressor while the first compressor and the second compressor are operated in series.

The amount of oil filtered by the first oil separator 830 is greater than that of the second oil separator 840 . This is because the carbon dioxide passing through the compressor passes through the first oil separator before being guided to the second oil separator.

Therefore, since the parallel operation is operated for a relatively long time compared to the serial operation, the oil to be filtered in the first oil separator 830 is guided to the compressor so that sufficient oil can be supplied to the compressor.

On the other hand, an oil separator in which oil is returned is distinguished between series operation and parallel operation so that oil can be returned relatively evenly.

The third valve 818 may open the flow path to allow oil to return to the compressor after washing is performed two or more times in succession and ends.

When each of the first valve, the second valve, and the third valve opens the flow path, the other valves do not open the flow path, so that oil can be individually supplied to the compressor. That is, when oil is returned from the first valve, oil is not returned from the second valve and the third valve. Since the other valves work likewise, oil can be returned evenly to the compressor.

24 is a diagram explaining a path through which oil trapped in a storage tank or washing chamber moves

Carbon dioxide is stored in the storage tank, and oil with a relatively high specific gravity may sink as the storage time increases. Therefore, the oil piled up below can be guided between the first oil separator 830 and the second oil separator 840 so that the oil can be filtered through the second oil separator 840 .

At this time, by providing a valve 864, it is possible to open the flow path through the valve 864 only when it is necessary to filter the oil stored in the storage tank 30.

Meanwhile, oil stored in the washing chamber 10 may be filtered by the second oil separator 840 by opening the flow path together with the valve 864 and the valve 862 .

The oil collected in the storage tank 30 sinks under the storage tank 30 due to the difference in specific gravity (density), and during the next wash, it is barby-patted to a third space other than the washing chamber tank for a short time to be supplied to the washing chamber. It is possible to recover the oil contained in the carbon dioxide washing solvent.

Meanwhile, the storage tank 30 may be arranged to be inclined to one side so that the oil stored in the storage tank 30 is collected at the inclined lower part. By separating the relatively downwardly moved oil from carbon dioxide, it is possible to prevent clothes from being contaminated with oil during washing.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and as can be seen from the appended claims, modifications can be made by those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs, and such modifications fall within the scope of the present invention.

100: first housing 104: opening
120: first flange 200: second housing
220: second flange 300: door
350: drum 400: bulkhead
410: first through hole 420: second through hole
500: motor assembly 510: rotation shaft
520: bearing assembly 600: heat exchanger
650: insulation member

Claims (11)

a first housing having an opening and a space in which a drum accommodating laundry is inserted;
a partition wall sealing the opening and coupled to the first housing;
a second housing that seals one surface of the barrier rib and is coupled to the first housing;
a storage tank for storing carbon dioxide supplied to the drum;
a first compressor and a second compressor for compressing carbon dioxide discharged after washing is completed inside the drum and transferring the carbon dioxide to the storage tank;
a first oil separator separating oil from carbon dioxide compressed by the first compressor and the second compressor; and
A first valve that opens and closes a flow path for guiding the oil separated in the first oil separator to a first compressor or a second compressor; and
The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the first valve blocks the flow path while the first compressor and the second compressor are operated in parallel. According to claim 1,
The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the first valve opens the flow path while the first compressor and the second compressor are operated in parallel. delete According to claim 1,
A second oil separator for separating oil from carbon dioxide passing through the first oil separator;
A washing machine comprising: a second valve that opens and closes a flow path for guiding the oil separated by the second oil separator to the first compressor or the second compressor. According to claim 4,
The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the second valve blocks the flow path while the first compressor and the second compressor are operated in parallel. According to claim 4,
The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the second valve opens the flow path while the first compressor and the second compressor are operated in series. According to claim 1,
a second oil separator separating oil from carbon dioxide passing through the first oil separator;
an oil reservoir separating oil from carbon dioxide that has passed through the second oil separator; and
The washing machine further includes a third valve that opens and closes a flow path for guiding the oil stored in the oil reservoir to the first or second compressor. According to claim 7,
The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the third valve opens the passage after washing is performed two or more times in succession and ends. a first housing having an opening and a space in which a drum accommodating laundry is inserted;
a partition wall sealing the opening and coupled to the first housing;
a second housing that seals one surface of the barrier rib and is coupled to the first housing;
a storage tank for storing carbon dioxide supplied to the drum; and
A first compressor and a second compressor compressing the carbon dioxide discharged after washing is completed inside the drum and moving it to the storage tank;
The first compressor and the second compressor
The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the washing machine is operated in parallel until the pressure inside the drum is lowered by a second set pressure, and operated in series when the pressure inside the drum is lower than the second set pressure. According to claim 9,
Before the pressure inside the drum is lowered by the second set pressure, when the pressure inside the drum is lower than the first set pressure higher than the second set pressure, the number of rotations of the second compressor is reduced by the number of rotations of the first compressor. Washing machine, characterized in that lower than the number. According to claim 1,
The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the barrier rib blocks liquid carbon dioxide injected into the space formed by the first housing and the barrier rib from moving into the space formed by the second housing and the barrier rib.

Images