Refrigerant cycle system
First Claim
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1. A refrigerant cycle system comprising:
- a compressor which compresses and discharges refrigerant;
a condenser for cooling and condensing refrigerant discharged from the compressor;
a decompression device decompressing refrigerant from an outlet of the condenser; and
an evaporator for evaporating refrigerant from the decompression device, the evaporator being disposed so that refrigerant from the evaporator is sucked into the compressor, wherein;
the condenser includes a first heat exchange unit, a second heat exchange unit at a downstream side of the first heat exchange unit in a refrigerant flow direction, and a gas liquid separator arranged between the first heat exchange unit and the second heat exchange unit in the refrigerant flow direction in such a manner that refrigerant discharged from the compressor is cooled in the first heat exchange unit and at least gas refrigerant separated in the gas-liquid separator flows into the second heat exchange unit; and
in the condenser, a refrigerant state flowing from the first heat exchange unit to the gas-liquid separator is changed in accordance with a super-heating degree of refrigerant discharged from the compressor to change a liquid refrigerant amount stored in the gas-liquid separator.
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Abstract
A condenser of a refrigerant cycle system includes a first heat exchange unit into which refrigerant discharged from a compressor flows, a second heat exchange unit disposed at a downstream of the first heat exchange unit in a refrigerant flow direction, and a gas-liquid separator disposed between the first and second heat exchange units in the refrigerant flow direction. In the refrigerant cycle system, at least gas refrigerant separated in the gas-liquid separator flows into the second heat exchange unit so that an amount of liquid refrigerant stored in the gas-liquid separator is changed in accordance with a super-heating degree of refrigerant discharged from the compressor.
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Citations
50 Claims
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1. A refrigerant cycle system comprising:
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a compressor which compresses and discharges refrigerant;
a condenser for cooling and condensing refrigerant discharged from the compressor;
a decompression device decompressing refrigerant from an outlet of the condenser; and
an evaporator for evaporating refrigerant from the decompression device, the evaporator being disposed so that refrigerant from the evaporator is sucked into the compressor, wherein;
the condenser includes a first heat exchange unit, a second heat exchange unit at a downstream side of the first heat exchange unit in a refrigerant flow direction, and a gas liquid separator arranged between the first heat exchange unit and the second heat exchange unit in the refrigerant flow direction in such a manner that refrigerant discharged from the compressor is cooled in the first heat exchange unit and at least gas refrigerant separated in the gas-liquid separator flows into the second heat exchange unit; and
in the condenser, a refrigerant state flowing from the first heat exchange unit to the gas-liquid separator is changed in accordance with a super-heating degree of refrigerant discharged from the compressor to change a liquid refrigerant amount stored in the gas-liquid separator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
a communication path through which liquid refrigerant stored in the gas-liquid separator is introduced into an upstream side of the decompression device in the refrigerant flow direction. -
3. The refrigerant cycle system according to claim 2, further comprising
a restriction unit for restricting an opening degree of the communication path, disposed in the communication path. -
4. The refrigerant cycle system according to claim 1, wherein the decompression device is a fixed restrictor.
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5. The refrigerant cycle system according to claim 1, wherein the decompression device is a variable restrictor which adjusts a restriction opening degree in accordance with a state of high-pressure refrigerant.
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6. The refrigerant cycle system according to claim 5, wherein the variable restrictor has a variable throttle valve which changes an opening degree in accordance with a pressure difference between upstream and downstream sides of the variable throttle valve.
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7. The refrigerant cycle system according to claim 1, wherein the evaporator is disposed inside a passenger compartment of a vehicle, and the decompression device is disposed outside the passenger compartment.
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8. The refrigerant cycle system according to claim 1, wherein the first heat exchange unit and the second heat exchange unit are integrated to form a single heat exchanger.
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9. The refrigerant cycle system according to claim 8, wherein the gas-liquid separator is disposed to be integrated with the first heat exchange unit and the second heat exchange unit.
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10. The refrigerant cycle system according to claim 1, wherein the first heat exchange unit is disposed separately from the second heat exchange unit.
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11. The refrigerant cycle system according to claim 1, further comprising
a volume chamber member disposed between the evaporator and the compressor in the refrigerant flow direction, which expands a refrigerant flow passage to reduce a pulsating noise of refrigerant sucked into the compressor. -
12. The refrigerant cycle system according to claim 11, wherein the volume chamber member has a volume chamber in which refrigerant from the evaporator is separated into gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant.
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13. The refrigerant cycle system according to claim 1, further comprising
adjustment means for adjusting an amount of liquid refrigerant stored in the gas-liquid separator in accordance with the super-heating degree of refrigerant discharged from the compressor, wherein the adjustment means reduces the amount of liquid refrigerant stored in the gas-liquid separator when the super-heating degree of refrigerant discharged from the compressor increases. -
14. The refrigerant cycle system according to claim 1, wherein:
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the first heat exchange unit and the second heat exchange unit are disposed integrally to have a plurality of tubes disposed in parallel with each other, through which refrigerant flows;
the condenser further includes a first header tank disposed at one end side of the first and second heat exchange units to communicate with the tubes, and a second header tank disposed at the other end side of the first and second heat exchange units to communicate with the tubes; and
the gas-liquid separator is disposed to be integrated with any one of the first and second header tanks.
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15. The refrigerant cycle system according to claim 5, wherein the decompression device is a variable restrictor which adjusts a restriction opening degree in accordance with a super-cooling degree of high-pressure refrigerant.
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16. A refrigerant cycle system comprising:
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a compressor which compresses and discharges refrigerant;
a condenser for cooling and condensing refrigerant discharged from the compressor;
a decompression device decompressing refrigerant from an outlet of the condenser;
an evaporator for evaporating refrigerant from the decompression device, the evaporator being disposed so that refrigerant from the evaporator is sucked into the compressor;
a gas liquid separator for separating refrigerant into gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant; and
adjustment means for adjusting an amount of liquid refrigerant stored in the gas-liquid separator in accordance with a super-heating degree of refrigerant discharged from the compressor, wherein the adjustment means reduces the amount of liquid refrigerant stored in the gas-liquid separator to increase a flow amount of refrigerant circulating in the compressor when the super-heating degree of refrigerant discharged from the compressor increases. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
a main refrigerant passage through which refrigerant flows through the compressor, the condenser, the decompression device and the evaporator in this order, wherein the gas-liquid separator is disposed to separate refrigerant branched from the main refrigerant passage at a predetermined position into gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant, and to return at least one of gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant separated from each other to the main refrigerant passage at a downstream side of the predetermined position in the main refrigerant passage in a refrigerant flow direction.
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19. The refrigerant cycle system according to claim 16, wherein:
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the gas-liquid separator is disposed to separate refrigerant from the condenser into gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant; and
the adjustment means is a bypass passage through which a part of refrigerant discharged from the compressor is directly introduced into the gas-liquid separator while bypassing the condenser.
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20. The refrigerant cycle system according to claim 16, wherein:
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the gas-liquid separator is disposed at a downstream side of the decompression device in a refrigerant flow direction to separate refrigerant from the decompression device into gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant; and
the adjustment means includes a bypass passage though which a part of refrigerant discharged from the compressor is introduced into the gas-liquid separator, and an additional decompressing unit disposed in the bypass passage to decompress refrigerant introduced into the gas-liquid separator.
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21. The refrigerant cycle system according to claim 16, wherein the adjustment means is heating means for adjusting a heating amount of liquid refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator in accordance with the super-heating degree of refrigerant discharged from the compressor.
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22. The refrigerant cycle system according to claim 16, further comprising
a main refrigerant passage through which refrigerant flows through the compressor, the condenser, the decompression device and the evaporator in this order, wherein the adjustment means includes a communication path through which liquid refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator returns to the main refrigerant passage, and a valve disposed in the communication path to increase a valve opening degree in accordance with an increase of the super-heating degree of refrigerant discharged from the compressor. -
23. The refrigerant cycle system according to claim 19, wherein the gas-liquid separator is disposed to return both gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant separated from each other in the gas-liquid separator to the main refrigerant passage at a downstream side of the predetermined position in the refrigerant flow direction within the condenser.
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24. The refrigerant cycle system according to claim 16, further comprising:
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a refrigerant inlet provided in the one of the first and second header tanks, through which refrigerant from the compressor is introduced; and
a bypass passage through which a part of refrigerant flowing into the refrigerant inlet is directly introduced into the gas-liquid separator while bypassing the first heat exchange unit.
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25. The refrigerant cycle system according to claim 16, wherein the decompression device is a fixed restrictor.
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26. The refrigerant cycle system according to claim 16, wherein the decompression device is a variable restrictor which adjusts a restriction opening degree in accordance with a state of high-pressure refrigerant.
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27. The refrigerant cycle system according to claim 26, wherein the variable restrictor has a variable throttle valve which changes an opening degree in accordance with a pressure difference between upstream and downstream sides of the variable throttle valve.
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28. The refrigerant cycle system according to claim 26, wherein the decompression device is a variable restrictor which adjusts a restriction opening degree in accordance with a super-cooling degree of high-pressure refrigerant.
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29. The refrigerant cycle system according to claim 16, wherein the evaporator is disposed inside a passenger compartment of a vehicle, and the decompression device is disposed outside the passenger compartment.
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30. The refrigerant cycle system according to claim 16, further comprising
a volume chamber member disposed between the evaporator and the compressor in the refrigerant flow direction, which expands a refrigerant flow passage to reduce a pulsating noise of refrigerant sucked into the compressor. -
31. The refrigerant cycle system according to claim 30, wherein the volume chamber member has a volume chamber in which refrigerant from the evaporator is separated into gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant.
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32. A refrigerant cycle system comprising:
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a compressor which compresses and discharges refrigerant;
a condenser for cooling and condensing refrigerant discharged from the compressor;
a decompression device decompressing refrigerant from an outlet of the condenser;
an evaporator for evaporating refrigerant from the decompression device, the evaporator being disposed so that refrigerant from the evaporator is sucked into the compressor;
a main refrigerant passage in which the compressor, the condenser, the decompression device and the evaporator are disposed in this order;
a gas liquid separator for separating refrigerant into gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant; and
adjustment means for adjusting an amount of liquid refrigerant stored in the gas-liquid separator in accordance with a super-heating degree of refrigerant circulating in the main refrigerant passage, wherein the adjustment means reduces the amount of liquid refrigerant stored in the gas-liquid separator to increase a flow amount of refrigerant circulating in the main refrigerant passage when the super-heating degree of refrigerant circulating in the main refrigerant passage increases.
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33. A condenser for a refrigerant cycle system comprising:
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a heat-exchanging portion having a plurality of tubes disposed in parallel with each other, through which refrigerant flows, the heat-exchanging portion is composed of a first heat exchange unit and a second heat exchange unit disposed in order in a refrigerant flow direction;
first and second header tanks disposed at both sides of the heat-exchanging portion to communicate with the tubes; and
a gas-liquid separator disposed to separate refrigerant into gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant, between the first heat exchange unit and the second heat exchange unit in the refrigerant flow direction, wherein;
the first heat exchange unit is for cooling and condensing refrigerant from the compressor;
the gas-liquid separator is disposed to separate refrigerant from the first heat exchange unit into gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant;
the second heat exchange unit is disposed to cool and condense gas refrigerant from the gas-liquid separator; and
the gas-liquid separator is disposed to be integrated with one of the first and second header tanks. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
the gas-liquid separator is disposed to form a gyrating flow of refrigerant flowing from the first heat exchange portion to generate a centrifugal force; and
the gas-liquid separator separates refrigerant into gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant using the centrifugal force due to the gyrating flow.
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35. The condenser according to claim 33, further comprising:
a communication path through which liquid refrigerant stored in the gas-liquid separator is introduced into the one of the first and second header tanks.
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36. The condenser according to claim 35, wherein:
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the gas-liquid separator has a tank portion and a cap member detachably attached to a lower end of the tank portion to close the lower end of the tank portion; and
the communication path is provided in the cap member.
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37. The condenser according to claim 36, further comprising
a filter for filtering liquid refrigerant passing through the communication path, wherein the filter is disposed in the cap member. -
38. The condenser according to claim 33, further comprising:
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a refrigerant inlet provided in the one of the first and second header tanks, through which refrigerant from the compressor is introduced; and
a bypass pass age through which a part of refrigerant flowing into the refrigerant inlet is directly introduced into the gas-liquid separator while bypassing the first heat exchange unit.
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39. A condenser for a refrigerant cycle system having a compressor for compressing refrigerant, the condenser comprising:
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a heat-exchanging portion having a plurality of tubes disposed in parallel with each other, through which refrigerant flows;
first and second header tanks disposed at both sides of the heat-exchanging portion to communicate with the tubes, the first header tank having a refrigerant inlet through which refrigerant discharged from the compressor is introduced;
a gas-liquid separator disposed to separate refrigerant into gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant, the gas-liquid separator being integrally connected to the first header tank; and
a bypass passage through which a part of refrigerant flowing into the refrigerant inlet from the compressor is directly introduced into the gas-liquid separator while by passing the heat-exchanging portion. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
an inlet flow path provided between the first header tank and the gas-liquid separator, through which a part of refrigerant in the refrigerant passage is branched to be introduced into the gas-liquid separator;
a gas return passage through which gas refrigerant within the gas-liquid separator is introduced into the refrigerant passage at a downstream side position from the inlet flow path in a refrigerant flow direction; and
a liquid return passage through which liquid refrigerant within the gas-liquid separator is introduced into the refrigerant passage at a downstream side position from the inlet flow path in the refrigerant flow direction.
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42. The condenser according to claim 41, further comprising
restrictor means provided between a branch point at which the inlet flow path is branched from the refrigerant passage, and a join point at which the gas return path and the liquid return path are joined in the refrigerant passage. -
43. The condenser according to claim 41, further comprising:
a mixing chamber in which refrigerant from the bypass passage and refrigerant from the inlet flow path are mixed, wherein the mixing chamber is provided in such a manner that refrigerant mixed in the mixing chamber is introduced into the gas-liquid separator.
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44. The condenser according to claim 41, wherein:
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the gas-liquid separator includes a cylindrical body portion defining a tank space in which refrigerant is received to be separated into gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant;
the cylindrical body portion has an auxiliary passage extending in parallel with the tank space; and
the auxiliary passage is provided to define at least one of the gas return path and the liquid return path.
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45. The condenser according to claim 43, wherein:
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the gas-liquid separator includes a cylindrical body portion defining a tank space in which refrigerant is received to be separated into gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant;
the cylindrical body portion has first and second auxiliary passages extending in parallel with the tank space;
the first auxiliary passage is provided to define at least one of the gas return path and the liquid return path; and
the second auxiliary passage is provided to define the mixing chamber.
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46. The condenser according to claim 45, wherein the cylindrical body portion and the first header tank are integrally molded.
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47. The condenser according to claim 41, wherein:
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the gas-liquid separator has a tank portion and a cap member detachably attached to a lower end of the tank portion to close the lower end of the tank portion; and
the liquid return path is provided in the cap member.
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48. The condenser according to claim 41, further comprising
a desiccant for a water absorption, disposed within the gas-liquid separator to have a space around the desiccant in the gas-liquid separator, wherein: -
the desiccant is disposed opposite to at least one of the inlet flow path and the liquid return path; and
the space around the desiccant within the gas-liquid separator is set to be larger at a position where the at least one of the inlet flow path and the liquid return path is provided.
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49. The condenser according to claim 39, wherein:
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the gas-liquid separator has a cylindrical body portion defining a tank space; and
the cylindrical body portion is formed integrally with the first header tank.
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50. The condenser according to claim 43, further comprising
a plate member disposed between the gas-liquid separator and the first header tank, wherein the plate member is disposed to define the mixing chamber.
Specification