U.S. patent application number 17/040408 was filed with the patent office on 2021-01-28 for refrigerant purifcation apparatus.
The applicant listed for this patent is Gree Electric Appliances, Inc. of Zhuhai. Invention is credited to Dongbing Hu, Haili Hu, Lishu Hu, Nan Jiang, Hua Liu, Ying Zhang, Zhiping Zhang.
Application Number | 20210025629 17/040408 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005168340 |
Filed Date | 2021-01-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20210025629 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Liu; Hua ; et al. |
January 28, 2021 |
Refrigerant Purifcation Apparatus
Abstract
A refrigerant purification apparatus, comprising a main shell
and a separation baffle, a liquid separation space and a liquid
collection space located under the liquid separation space are
formed in the main shell; the liquid separation space in
communication with the liquid collection space by means of a
collection pipe. The baffle is provided at a position adjacent to a
first refrigerant inlet within the liquid separation space to
collide with moisture-containing refrigerant injected by means of
the first refrigerant inlet, such that the refrigerant and the
water in the water-containing refrigerant are separated and layered
in the liquid separation space; the pipe configured to introduce
the refrigerant located at a lower layer in the liquid separation
space into the liquid collection space; and a water outlet
configured to discharge the moisture located at a upper layer in
the liquid separation space.
Inventors: |
Liu; Hua; (Zhuhai,
Guangdong, CN) ; Zhang; Zhiping; (Zhuhai, Guangdong,
CN) ; Hu; Haili; (Zhuhai, Guangdong, CN) ; Hu;
Dongbing; (Zhuhai, Guangdong, CN) ; Hu; Lishu;
(Zhuhai, Guangdong, CN) ; Zhang; Ying; (Zhuhai,
Guangdong, CN) ; Jiang; Nan; (Zhuhai, Guangdong,
CN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Gree Electric Appliances, Inc. of Zhuhai |
Zhuhai, Guangdong |
|
CN |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005168340 |
Appl. No.: |
17/040408 |
Filed: |
December 17, 2018 |
PCT Filed: |
December 17, 2018 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/CN2018/121534 |
371 Date: |
September 22, 2020 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25B 2345/005 20130101;
F25B 45/00 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F25B 45/00 20060101
F25B045/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 5, 2018 |
CN |
201810422065.3 |
Claims
1. A refrigerant purification apparatus, comprising: a main shell,
a liquid separation space and a liquid collection space being
formed in the main shell, the liquid collection space being located
below the liquid separation space, and the liquid separation space
and the liquid collection space being in communication by a
collection pipe, wherein the main shell is provided with a first
refrigerant inlet and a water outlet in communication with the
liquid separation space, and the main shell is provided with a
first refrigerant outlet in communication with the liquid
collection space; a separation baffle, provided in the liquid
separation space at a position adjacent to the first refrigerant
inlet, the separation baffle configured to collide with a
water-containing refrigerant injected from the first refrigerant
inlet, so that refrigerant and water in the water-containing
refrigerant are separated and layered in the liquid separation
space, the collection pipe configured to introduce the refrigerant
located at a lower layer within the liquid separation space into
the liquid collection space, and the water outlet configured to
discharge the water located at a upper layer within the liquid
separation space.
2. The refrigerant purification apparatus as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the water outlet is vertically higher than the collection
pipe.
3. The refrigerant purification apparatus as claimed in claim 1,
further comprising a water-separation sleeve being sleeved outside
a collection port of the collection pipe, an upper opening of the
water-separation sleeve being higher than the collection port, and
a lower opening of the water-separation sleeve being lower than the
collection port.
4. The refrigerant purification apparatus as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the separation baffle comprises: a side baffle vertically
disposed in the liquid separation space; and an upper baffle
horizontally disposed on the top of the side baffle.
5. The refrigerant purification apparatus as claimed in claim 4,
wherein the separation baffle further comprises a lower baffle, the
lower baffle is disposed at the bottom of the side baffle, and the
lower baffle separate the liquid separation space and the liquid
collection space in the main shell.
6. The refrigerant purification apparatus as claimed in claim 1,
wherein a gas collection space is formed in the main shell and
located above the liquid separation space and communicates with the
liquid separation space, the gas collection space configured to
collect a gaseous refrigerant separated from the water-containing
refrigerant, and the main shell is provided with an air outlet in
communication with the gas collection space.
7. The refrigerant purification apparatus as claimed in claim 6,
further comprising a filter, the filter being disposed in the gas
collection space to filter the gaseous refrigerant separated from
the water-containing refrigerant.
8. The refrigerant purification apparatus as claimed in claim 7,
wherein the filter comprises two porous baffles and a gas-liquid
filtering net disposed between the two porous baffles.
9. The refrigerant purification apparatus as claimed in claim 6,
wherein the main shell is provided with a pressure measurement port
in communication with the gas collection space.
10. The refrigerant purification apparatus as claimed in claim 6,
further comprising: a sub-shell sleeved on the main shell, the
sub-shell being adjacent to the gas collection space, a heat
exchange space being formed between the sub-shell and the main
shell, and on the sub-shell disposed a second refrigerant inlet and
a second refrigerant outlet in communication with the heat exchange
space.
11. The refrigerant purification apparatus as claimed in claim 10,
wherein the second refrigerant inlet is located below the second
refrigerant outlet.
12. The refrigerant purification apparatus as claimed in claim 10,
further comprising a viewing window, the viewing window being
mounted on at least one of the main shell and the sub-shell.
13. The refrigerant purification apparatus as claimed in claim 12,
wherein a plurality of viewing windows are disposed at intervals in
a vertical direction.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is the United States national phase of
International Application No. PCT/CN2018/121534 filed Dec. 17,
2018, and claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No.
201810422065.3 filed May 5, 2018, the disclosures of which are
hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Technical Field
[0002] The present disclosure relates to the field of air
conditioners, in particular, to a refrigerant purification
apparatus and a refrigerant unit.
Background
[0003] When using an existing refrigerant unit, external water may
enter the refrigerant system. Once water enters the refrigerant
system, it would adversely affect heat transfer and the stability
of the refrigerant unit.
[0004] Existing refrigerant purification apparatus could not remove
the water in the refrigerant systems, so the above problems still
affect the operation of the refrigerant unit.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] In order to solve the problem of refrigerant purification
apparatus in the prior art unable to remove water in refrigerant
systems, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a
refrigerant purification apparatus and a refrigerant unit.
[0006] An embodiment of the present application provides a
refrigerant purification apparatus, comprising: a main shell, a
liquid separation space and a liquid collection space being formed
in the main shell, the liquid collection space being located below
the liquid separation space, and the liquid separation space and
the liquid collection space being in communication by a collection
pipe, wherein the main shell is provided with a first refrigerant
inlet and a water outlet in communication with the liquid
separation space, and the main shell is also provided with a first
refrigerant outlet in communication with the liquid collection
space; a separation baffle, provided in the liquid separation space
at a position adjacent to the first refrigerant inlet, the
separation baffle configured for colliding with a water-containing
refrigerant injected from the first refrigerant inlet, so that
refrigerant and water in the water-containing refrigerant are
separated and layered in the liquid separation space, the
collection pipe configured to introduce the refrigerant located at
a lower layer within the liquid separation space into the liquid
collection space, and the water outlet configured to discharge the
water located at a upper layer within the liquid separation
space.
[0007] In one embodiment, the water outlet is vertically higher
than the collection pipe.
[0008] In one embodiment, the refrigerant purification apparatus
further comprises a water-separation sleeve, the water-separation
sleeve is sleeved outside a collection port of the collection pipe,
the upper opening of the water-separation sleeve is higher than the
collection port, and the lower opening of the water-separation
sleeve is lower than the collection port.
[0009] In one embodiment, the separation baffle comprises: a side
baffle, vertically disposed in the liquid separation space; and an
upper baffle, horizontally disposed on the top of the side
baffle.
[0010] In one embodiment, the separation baffle further comprises a
lower baffle, the lower baffle is disposed at the bottom of the
side baffle, and the lower baffle separates the liquid separation
space and the liquid collection space in the main shell.
[0011] In one embodiment, a gas collection space is formed in the
main shell, and the gas collection space is located above the
liquid separation space and communicates with the liquid separation
space. The gas collection space configured to collect the gaseous
refrigerant separated from the water-containing refrigerant. The
main shell is provided with an air outlet in communication with the
gas collection space.
[0012] In one embodiment, the refrigerant purification apparatus
further comprises a filter, the filter being disposed in the gas
collection space to filter the gaseous refrigerant separated from
the water-containing refrigerant.
[0013] In one embodiment, the filter comprises two porous baffles
and a gas-liquid filtering net disposed between the two porous
baffles.
[0014] In one embodiment, the main shell is provided with a
pressure measurement port in communication with the gas collection
space.
[0015] In one embodiment, the refrigerant purification apparatus
further comprises: a sub-shell sleeved on the main shell and
adjacent to the gas collection space, and a heat exchange space
being formed between the sub-shell and the main shell, on the
sub-shell disposed a second refrigerant inlet and a second
refrigerant outlet in communication with the heat exchange
space.
[0016] In one embodiment, the second refrigerant inlet is located
below the second refrigerant outlet.
[0017] In one embodiment, the refrigerant purification apparatus
further comprises a viewing window, the viewing window being
mounted on at least one of the main shell and the sub-shell.
[0018] In one embodiment, there are a plurality of viewing windows,
and the plurality of viewing windows disposed at intervals in a
vertical direction.
[0019] In the above embodiments, the water-containing refrigerant
is injected into the liquid collection space from the first
refrigerant inlet, and the water-containing refrigerant is sprayed
onto the separation baffle for collision, which is beneficial to
the separation of the refrigerant and the water in the
water-containing refrigerant. Subsequently, the refrigerant and the
water would be deposited in the liquid separation space. Since the
density of water is less than the density of the refrigerant, the
water would float above the refrigerant. Then, the refrigerant
located at the lower layer within the liquid separation space is
introduced, by the collection pipe, into the liquid collection
space, and then the refrigerant is discharged from the first
refrigerant outlet. In this way, water and refrigerant could be
effectively separated from the water-containing refrigerant,
ensuring the stability of the operation of the refrigerant
unit.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] The drawings constituting a part of the present disclosure
intend to provide a further understanding of the present
disclosure. The embodiments of the present disclosure and their
descriptions are used to illustrate the present disclosure and are
not intended to limit the present disclosure. In the drawings:
[0021] FIG. 1 is a schematic structural view of an embodiment of a
refrigerant purification apparatus illustrated from a first
perspective according to the present disclosure;
[0022] FIG. 2 is a schematic structural view of the refrigerant
purification apparatus of FIG. 1 illustrated from a second
perspective.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0023] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and
advantages of the present disclosure clearer, the present
disclosure would be described in further details with embodiments
and accompanying drawings. Here, the exemplary embodiments of the
present disclosure and the description thereof are used to
illustrate the present disclosure, but are not intended to limit
the present disclosure.
[0024] FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show an embodiment of the refrigerant
purification apparatus of the present disclosure. The refrigerant
purification apparatus comprises a main shell 10 and a separation
baffle 20. A liquid separation space 11 and a liquid collection
space 12 are formed in the main shell 10. The liquid collection
space 12 is located below the liquid separation space 11, and the
liquid separation space 11 and the liquid collection space 12
communicate with each other through a collection pipe 17. The main
shell 10 is provided with a first refrigerant inlet 14 and a water
outlet 15 in communication with the liquid separation space 11, and
the main shell 10 is also provided with a first refrigerant outlet
16 in communication with the liquid collection space 12. The
separation baffle 20 is disposed in the liquid separation space 11
at a position adjacent to the first refrigerant inlet 14, and the
separation baffle 20 is configured to collide with the
water-containing refrigerant injected from the first refrigerant
inlet 14, so that the refrigerant and the water in the
water-containing refrigerant are separated and layered in the
liquid separation space 11. The collection pipe 17 introduces the
refrigerant located in a lower layer within the liquid separation
space 11 into the liquid collection space 12, and the water outlet
15 discharges the water located in a upper layer within the liquid
separation space 11.
[0025] By applying the technical solution of the present
disclosure, the water-containing refrigerant is injected into the
liquid collection space 12 through the first refrigerant inlet 14.
The water-containing refrigerant is sprayed onto the separation
baffle 20 for collision, which is beneficial to the separation of
the refrigerant and the water in the water-containing refrigerant.
Subsequently, the refrigerant and water would be deposited in the
liquid separation space 11. Since the density of water is less than
the density of the refrigerant, the water would float above the
refrigerant. Then, the collection pipe 17 would introduce the
refrigerant located in the lower layer within the liquid separation
space 11 into the liquid collection space 12 and then be discharged
from the first refrigerant outlet 16; the water located in the
upper layer within the liquid separation space 11 would be
discharged by water outlet 15. In this way, water and refrigerant
would be effectively separated from the water-containing
refrigerant, ensuring the stability of the operation of the
refrigerant unit.
[0026] As shown in FIG. 1, as a preferred embodiment, the water
outlet 15 is higher than the collection pipe 17 in a vertical
direction. In this way, in conformity with the principle that the
density of water is less than the density of refrigerant, it is
easier to separate water and refrigerant.
[0027] As a preferred embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the
refrigerant purification apparatus further comprises a
water-separation sleeve 18. The water-separation sleeve 18 is
sleeved outside the collection port of the collection pipe 17. The
upper opening of the water-separation sleeve 18 is higher than the
collection port, and the lower opening of the water-separation
sleeve 18 is lower than the collection port. When separating water
and refrigerant, since the liquid level between the water and the
refrigerant may change, a water-separation sleeve 18 is provided
outside the collection port of the collection pipe 17 to separate a
large portion of water whose liquid level is below the collection
port, so as to prevent excessive water from entering the collection
port as the liquid level changes. In this way, the separation
efficiency of the water-containing refrigerant is improved. In the
technical solution of this embodiment, the throttle area of the
water-separation sleeve 18 is larger than the throttle area of the
collection pipe 17.
[0028] As shown in FIG. 1, as an optional embodiment, the
separation baffle 20 comprises a side baffle 21 and an upper baffle
22. The side baffle 21 is vertically disposed in the liquid
separation space 11, and the upper baffle 22 is horizontally
disposed on the top of the side baffle 21. When the first
refrigerant inlet 14 sprays the water-containing refrigerant toward
the side baffle 21, the water-containing refrigerant would be
sputtered from the side baffle 21 toward the surroundings, and the
upper baffle 22 could prevent the water-containing refrigerant from
splashing upward. At the same time, it could avoid the instability
of the liquid surface caused by the impact of the incoming liquid
on the liquid surface, which is conducive to stable drainage. More
preferably, the separation baffle 20 further comprises a lower
baffle 23 that is disposed at the bottom of the side baffle 21. The
lower baffle 23 separates the liquid separation space 11 and the
liquid collection space 12 in the main shell 10, so that the lower
baffle 23 could also separate spaces.
[0029] As a preferred embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a gas
collection space 13 is further formed in the main shell 10. The gas
collection space 13 is located above the liquid separation space 11
and communicates with the liquid separation space 11. During the
separation of the water-containing refrigerant, a large amount of
gaseous refrigerant would also be produced. The gas collection
space 13 is used to collect the gaseous refrigerant separated from
the water-containing refrigerant. The main shell 10 is provided
with an air outlet 19 in communication with the gas collection
space 13. In this way, the refrigerant purification apparatus of
the present disclosure could also separate gaseous refrigerant.
More preferably, the refrigerant purification apparatus further
comprises a filter 30. The filter 30 is disposed in the gas
collection space 13. The filter 30 is used to filter the gaseous
refrigerant separated from the water-containing refrigerant. The
filter 30 could filter water and impurities in the gaseous
refrigerant. Optionally, in the technical solution of this
embodiment, the filter 30 comprises two porous baffles 31 and a
gas-liquid filter net 32 disposed between the two porous baffles
31, wherein the porous baffles 31 are used to fix gas-liquid filter
net 32. As shown in FIG. 1, an inner support ring 131 is provided
in the main shell 10, and the filter 30 is fixedly mounted on the
inner support ring 131.
[0030] As shown in FIG. 1, as a preferred embodiment, the main
shell 10 is provided with a pressure measurement port 60 in
communication with the gas collection space 13. The refrigerant
purification apparatus further comprises a pressure gauge, and the
pressure gauge is disposed on the pressure measurement port 60. As
shown in FIG. 1, the pressure measuring port 60 is provided at the
top of the gas collecting space 13, and the output air pressure of
the gas collecting space 13 is measured by the pressure gauge.
[0031] As shown in FIG. 1, the refrigerant purification apparatus
further comprises a sub-shell 40. The sub-shell 40 is disposed on
the main shell 10 and is adjacent to the air collection space 13. A
heat exchange space 41 is formed between the sub-shell 40 and the
main shell 10. The sub-shell 40 is provided with a second
refrigerant inlet 42 and a second refrigerant outlet 43 in
communication with the heat exchange space 41. Usually, the
low-pressure refrigerant is introduced into the liquid separation
space 11 through the first refrigerant inlet 14. The high-pressure
refrigerant is introduced into the heat exchange space 41 through
the second refrigerant inlet 42 to allow the high-pressure
refrigerant to exchange heat with the low-pressure refrigerant
steam in the gas collection space 13. The low-pressure refrigerant
steam becomes superheated steam after heat exchange, which helps
the refrigerant droplets entrained in the low-pressure refrigerant
steam evaporate and become steam. Optionally, in the technical
solution of this embodiment, the second refrigerant inlet 42 is
located below the second refrigerant outlet 43. In addition, it is
also feasible to dispose the second refrigerant inlet 42 above the
second refrigerant outlet 43. In the technical solution of this
embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, an upper support ring 132 and a
lower support ring 133 are provided outside the main shell 10, and
the sub-shell 40 is fixed between the upper support ring 132 and
the lower support ring 133.
[0032] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the refrigerant purification
apparatus further comprises a viewing window 50. The viewing window
50 is mounted on the main shell 10. The viewing window 50 provided
on the main shell 10 helps to observe the liquid level when
separating the water-containing refrigerant, so as to control the
flow rate of the first refrigerant inlet 14 injected into the
water-containing refrigerant. More preferably, the viewing window
50 is also mounted on the sub-shell 40 to help observation of the
high-pressure refrigerant in the sub-shell 40. As a preferred
embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, there are a plurality of viewing
windows 50, and the plurality of viewing windows 50 are disposed at
intervals in a vertical direction, so as to observe the state
within the refrigerant purification apparatus.
[0033] By using the refrigerant purification apparatus of the
present disclosure, the water in the water-containing refrigerant
could be effectively separated out, and the low-pressure
refrigerant steam could also be used to cool the high-pressure
refrigerant liquid to increase its supercooling degree. The filter
30 could also separate the liquid droplets entrained in the
low-pressure refrigerant steam, to avoid liquid contained in
incoming gas, and improve the stability of the unit.
[0034] The disclosure above is preferred embodiments of the present
disclosure and is not intended to limit the present disclosure. For
those skilled in the art, the embodiments of the present disclosure
may have various modifications and changes. Any modification,
equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. within the spirit and
principles of the present disclosure should be included in the
protection scope of the present disclosure.
* * * * *