U.S. patent application number 10/929386 was filed with the patent office on 2005-03-03 for condenser.
This patent application is currently assigned to LG ELECTRONICS INC., Seoul, Republic Korea. Invention is credited to Chin, Sim Won, Hong, Ki Soo, Moon, Dong Soo.
Application Number | 20050044882 10/929386 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34132223 |
Filed Date | 2005-03-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050044882 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hong, Ki Soo ; et
al. |
March 3, 2005 |
Condenser
Abstract
A condenser where a refrigerant introduced from a compressor is
coexisting in super-heated vapor, two-phase and super-cooled liquid
states combines a plurality of refrigerant paths within at least
one of super-heated vapor and two-phase regions to output the
refrigerant to the super-cooled liquid region, and provides a
proper percentage of the super-cooled liquid region.
Inventors: |
Hong, Ki Soo; (Seoul,
KR) ; Chin, Sim Won; (Gwangmyeng-si, KR) ;
Moon, Dong Soo; (Seoul, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
GREENBLUM & BERNSTEIN, P.L.C.
1950 ROLAND CLARKE PLACE
RESTON
VA
20191
US
|
Assignee: |
LG ELECTRONICS INC., Seoul,
Republic Korea
|
Family ID: |
34132223 |
Appl. No.: |
10/929386 |
Filed: |
August 31, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/507 ;
62/498 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25B 39/04 20130101;
F25B 40/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
062/507 ;
062/498 |
International
Class: |
F25B 007/00; F25B
039/04; F25B 001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 2, 2003 |
KR |
61149/2003 |
Claims
1. In an apparatus including a compressor and a condenser where a
refrigerant introduced from the compressor is coexisting in
super-heated vapor, two-phase and super-cooled liquid states, the
condenser combines a plurality of refrigerant paths within at least
one of super-heated vapor and two-phase regions to extend to a
super-cooled liquid region.
2. The condenser according to claim 1, wherein the super-cooled
liquid region to which the refrigerant paths for the refrigerant
outputted from the two-phase region are combined to extend is
formed at a rear end of the tube for the two-phase region.
3. The condenser according to claim 2, wherein, as the plurality of
refrigerant paths for the refrigerant outputted from the two-phase
region are combined to extend to the super-cooled liquid region,
the paths for the two-phase region are increased.
4. The condenser according to claim 3, wherein, as the two-phase
region is increased, efficiency of heat transmission is
increased.
5. The condenser according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerant
which is branched off into one or more and introduced into the
super-heated vapor region passes through each two-phase region to
flow into the super-cooled liquid region on the path combined by
one or more, being outputted to a device that reduces at least one
of temperature and pressure.
6. The condenser according to claim 5, wherein the device that
reduces at least one of temperature and pressure includes an
expansion valve.
7. The condenser according to claim 1, wherein the super-cooled
path region has a percentage ranging from 7% to 23% of the
refrigerant path region of the condenser.
8. The condenser according to claim 7, wherein the tube for the
super-cooled liquid region has a proper percentage ranging from 7%
to 20% of the whole tubes, whereby a coefficient of performance
(COP) and efficiency of consumption electric power become optimal
in an air conditioner.
9. The condenser according to claim 1, wherein the number of the
whole tubes within the condenser is set to have two rows and 26
steps, and the super-cooled tube accounts for 7% of the whole tubes
when being arranged in two steps, 15% of the whole tubes when being
arranged in four steps and 23% of the whole tubes when being
arranged in six steps.
10. The condenser according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerant
paths for the refrigerant outputted from the two-phase region are
combined to allow the refrigerant to be inputted into the
super-cooled liquid region through the one or more combined
refrigerant paths.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a condenser, and more
particularly to a condenser outputting a refrigerant to a
super-cooled liquid region by combining a plurality of refrigerant
paths on at least one of a super-heated vapor region and a
two-phase region in the condenser where the refrigerant introduced
from a compressor coexists in super-heated vapor, two-phase, and
super-cooled liquid states, and providing a proper percentage of
the super-cooled liquid region.
[0003] 2. Background of the Related Art
[0004] In general, a compression refrigerating cycle is completed
by a compressor 5, a condenser 1, an expansion valve 3 and an
evaporator 4. Currently, a stronger attention is drawn to a demand
that consumption electric power should be lowered to the maximum
level in air conditioners composed of the compression refrigerating
cycle.
[0005] Thus, various efforts have been propelled including
improvement in performance of each of main components constituting
the compression refrigerating cycle.
[0006] FIG. 1 shows a main engine of a general compression
refrigerating cycle.
[0007] Referring to the figure, an air conditioner, etc. exerts its
performance by cooled air which is generated by the compression
refrigerating cycle.
[0008] To be more specific, the compression refrigerating cycle is
completed by a compressor 5 converting a gas refrigerant of
low-temperature and low pressure into a gas refrigerant of
high-temperature and high-pressure, a condenser 1 converting the
gas refrigerant of high-temperature and high-pressure into a liquid
refrigerant of middle-temperature and high-pressure, an expansion
valve 3 converting the liquid refrigerant of middle-temperature and
high-pressure into a liquid refrigerant of low-temperature and
low-pressure, and an evaporator 4 converting the liquid refrigerant
of low-temperature and low-pressure into the gas refrigerant of
low-temperature and low pressure.
[0009] Here, the condenser 1 is provided with a cooling fan 2 in
order to supply external or outdoor air.
[0010] The condenser 1 supplied with the gas refrigerant of
high-temperature and high-pressure from the compressor 5 converting
it into the liquid refrigerant of middle-temperature and
high-pressure, and to transfers the converted result to the
expansion valve 3.
[0011] At this time, an actuating fluid undergoes a state change in
the order of a vapor state and a two-phase state in the condenser
1.
[0012] In the case of the vapor or two-phase state, a pressure drop
is relatively very high compared to the liquid state. For this
reason, many branches are provided in order to reduce the pressure
drop.
[0013] Assuming that the fluids having the substantially same mass
flow, the gas has a volume 1000 times as much as the liquid has,
and thus has a flow speed about 1000 times. In this case, the
pressure drop is generated, and the compressor 5 performs more
work. To avoid this, a tube is branched off.
[0014] Explaining it more fully, either the vapor or the two-phase
fluid has faster velocity of a flow than that of the liquid.
Therefore, it is more advantageous to flow through a plurality of
tubes divided, i.e. branched off, than to continuously flow through
a single tube.
[0015] Because a flow rate is dispersed, so much is reduced in the
pressure drop. In other words, the pressure drop is smaller when
the flow rate is high than when the flow rate is low.
[0016] Further, because the fluid flows through the plurality of
branched tubes which are shorter than and have the same flow rate
as the single tube, the pressure drop becomes reduced.
[0017] The meaning that the pressure drop is reduced means that a
work which a compressor performs is reduced so much, consumption
electric power of the compressor is reduced.
[0018] Meanwhile, the liquid has a slower flow velocity and has
merely one tenth of a thermal conductivity as compared to the vapor
or the two-phase fluid, so that it is no necessary to flow with
dispersion.
[0019] In other words, the more the liquid region is increased, the
less the two-phase region having good thermal conductivity is
decreased. Thus, the heat exchanger suffers more damage even when
being the same size.
[0020] Therefore, in order to overcome this drawback, it will be
sufficient to collect the liquid and flow through the shorter tube.
Namely, the tube is branched off or the tubes are combined. It is a
super-cooled tube that is used for this purpose.
[0021] As to a coefficient of performance (COP), the COP refers to
a value dividing a value of refrigerating or heating capability by
used consumption electric power. According to a domestic (i.e.
Korean) industrial standard, the COP should be maintained to be at
least 3.54 when the air conditioner such as a cooler and/or a
heater should be certificated as a first class.
[0022] In order to enhance the COP, it has been devised to force
the compressor 5 to do a less work by not only enhancing
performance to each main component constituting the compression
refrigerating cycle but also decreasing a pressure difference in
such a way to decrease condensation pressure instead of increasing
evaporation pressure. However, this approach has been limited to a
certain extent.
[0023] FIG. 2 shows a process where a refrigerant is introduced
into a condenser and then outputted through a super-heated vapor
region, a two-phase region and a super-cooled liquid region.
[0024] As shown in FIG. 2, the refrigerants branched and then
introduced into the super-heated vapor region pass through
respective two-phase regions and then are outputted through
respective super-cooled liquid regions as they are branched.
[0025] Thus, as set forth above, although the liquid within the
super-cooled liquid region is not required to flow with dispersion
due to the slow flow velocity and the low thermal conductivity
having merely one tenth over the two-phase region, the liquid is
outputted through each tube, so that the liquid (or super-cooled)
region is increased and so the two-phase region having good thermal
conductivity is decreased. Consequently, the heat exchanger having
the given size results in deteriorating performance and increasing
the consumption electric power.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0026] An object of the invention is to solve at least the above
problems and/or disadvantages and to provide at least the
advantages described hereinafter.
[0027] Accordingly, one objective of the present invention is to
increase a two-phase region having good heat transmission on a path
where a gas refrigerant introduced into a condenser is
heat-exchanged, and to provide a proper percentage of a
super-cooled liquid region capable of enhancing refrigerating
capability and a coefficient of performance.
[0028] Another objective of the present invention to combine a
plurality of refrigerant paths for a refrigerant outputted from a
two-phase region to extend to a super-cooled liquid region.
[0029] Yet another objective of the present invention to further
provide a super-cooled liquid region in a condenser performing a
compression refrigerating cycle to thereby increase refrigerating
capability in a refrigerating system such as an air
conditioner.
[0030] The foregoing and other objects and advantages are realized
by, in an apparatus including a compressor and a condenser where a
refrigerant introduced from the compressor is coexisting in
super-heated vapor, two-phase and super-cooled liquid states,
providing the condenser combining a plurality of refrigerant paths
within at least one of super-heated vapor and two-phase regions to
extend to a super-cooled liquid region formed at a rear end portion
of the two-phase region.
[0031] According to another aspect of the invention, the
super-cooled liquid region of the condenser has a percentage
ranging from 7% to 20% of the refrigerant path region.
[0032] According to the invention, the refrigerant is outputted to
the super-cooled liquid region through the combined refrigerant
path, so that the two-phase region having good heat transmission is
substantially increased. Further, the super-cooled liquid region is
provided at a proper percentage, so that a super-cooled degree is
increased to thereby enhance performance of an air conditioner and
to reduce its consumption electric power.
[0033] Additional advantages, objects, and features of the
invention will be set forth in part in the description which
follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary
skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be
learned from practice of the invention. The objects and advantages
of the invention may be realized and attained as particularly
pointed out in the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0034] The invention will be described in detail with reference to
the following drawings in which like reference numerals refer to
like elements wherein:
[0035] FIG. 1 illustrates main components of a general compression
refrigerating cycle;
[0036] FIG. 2 illustrates a process where a refrigerant is
introduced into a condenser and then outputted through super-heated
vapor, two-phase, and super-cooled liquid regions;
[0037] FIG. 3 is a block diagram schematically showing a structure
including a condenser according to the invention;
[0038] FIG. 4 shows a state of a refrigerant, and path and region
through which the refrigerant passes in a condenser; and
[0039] FIG. 5 shows graph and table showing relation between a
super-cooled tube and a coefficient of performance (COP).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0040] The following detailed description will present a condenser
according to a preferred embodiment of the invention in reference
to the accompanying drawings.
[0041] FIG. 3 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a
structure including a condenser according to the present invention,
FIGS. 4A and 4B show a state of a refrigerant in the condenser, and
path and region through which the refrigerant passes, and FIG. 5 is
graph and table showing relation between a super-cooled tube and a
coefficient of performance.
[0042] To begin with, description will be made with reference to
FIG. 3.
[0043] A refrigerant outputted from an indoor unit (not shown) is
branched off into one or more paths through a service valve and a
discharge valve of a compressor, and then inputted into a condenser
1.
[0044] The branched paths of the invention pass through tubes of
super-heated vapor and two-phase regions and are combined into a
tube of a super-cooled liquid region.
[0045] Further, the tube for the super-cooled liquid region has a
proper percentage of 7-20% of the total length of the tubes. At
this point, both a coefficient of performance (COP) of an air
conditioner and performance of consumption electric power amounts
to the highest.
[0046] In the condenser 1 according to the invention, a working
fluid is subjected to change of its state into vapor, two-phase and
liquid in that order.
[0047] For the liquid state, a drop of pressure is relatively low
compared to the vapor or two-phase state. Hence, in order to reduce
the pressure drop, it is not necessary to branch off the
liquid.
[0048] In general, if the fluid having the same weight flows, the
liquid has a volume of about 1/1000 as compared with the gas, thus
having a flow velocity of only about 1/1000. For this reason, it
will do if the liquid is not branched off
[0049] FIGS. 4A and 4B show a process where the refrigerant is
introduced into the condenser through a plurality of paths (e.g.
two or three paths) and outputted through the super-heated vapor
region, the two-phase region and the super-cooled liquid region in
the invention.
[0050] As shown in the figures, the refrigerants branched and
introduced into the super-heated vapor region each pass through the
two-phase regions to flow into the super-cooled liquid region on
the combined refrigerant path, and then outputted to the expansion
valve (main LEV of FIG. 3).
[0051] The tube for the super-cooled liquid region has a proper
percentage when amounting to 7-20% of the length of the whole
tubes. In this case, the air conditioner has the highest COP and
performance of the consumption electric power.
[0052] FIGS. 5A and 5B are a graph and table showing relation
between the super-cooled tube and the COP.
[0053] In FIG. 3, the number of the whole tubes within the
condenser 1 is set to have two rows and 26 steps. Here, a test
shows the relation between the super-cooled tube of the whole tubes
and the COP. When the super-cooled tube was arranged in two steps
(at this point, the super-cooled tube accounted for 7% of the whole
tubes), the consumption electric power used was measured to be 569
W, while capability of refrigeration was measured to be 2692 W.
Thus, it was found that the COP was 4.73.
[0054] When the super-cooled tube was arranged in four steps (at
this point, the super-cooled tube accounted for 15% of the whole
tubes), the consumption electric power used was measured to be 567
W, while capability of refrigeration was measured to be 2745 W.
Thus, it was found that the COP was 4.84, which was a little
increased compared to the super-cooled tube arranged in two steps.
However, when the super-cooled tube was arranged in six steps (at
this point, the super-cooled tube accounted for 23% of the whole
tubes), the consumption electric power used was measured to be 586
W, while capability of refrigeration was measured to be 2726 W.
Thus, it was found that the COP was 4.65, which was decreased again
compared to the super-cooled tube arranged in two steps.
[0055] As seen from the foregoing, when the pencentage of the
super-cooled tube installed in the condenser amounts to a range
from 7% to 20% of the whole tubes, the COP can be obtained to the
optimal level.
[0056] In the above-mentioned invention, the refrigerant paths of
the two-phase region are combined to extend to the super-cooled
liquid region, and the proper percentage of the super-cooled liquid
region is represented, so that the two-phase region is increased.
Consequently, it is possible to enhance the efficiency of heat
transmission and the COP and to reduce the consumption electric
power.
[0057] While the invention has been shown and described with
reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, it will be
understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form
and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit
and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
[0058] For example, the invention may be applicable to a
refrigerator performing condensation and other products performing
the similar function.
[0059] Therefore, the description of the present invention is
intended to be illustrative, and not to limit the scope of the
claims.
* * * * *