Receiver and refrigerant cycle system

Details Receiver and refrigerant cycle system Receiver and refrigerant cycle system

2000-09-27

2002-04-23

Esquivel, Denise L (Department: 3744)

Refrigeration

Refrigeration producer

Compressor-condenser-evaporator circuit

C165S143000, C165S173000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06374632

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a refrigerant cycle system with an improved refrigerant-sealing performance. More particularly, the present invention relates to a receiver-integrated condenser of a refrigerant cycle, and also relates to a receiver separated from a condenser of a refrigerant cycle, which are suitably applied to an automotive air conditioner.
2. Description of Related Art
In a refrigerant cycle of a conventional air conditioner, a receiver and a condenser are integrally formed so that an installation space of the receiver and the condenser in a vehicle is reduced. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,761 discloses a receiver-integrated refrigerant condenser as shown in FIG.
13
. The receiver-integrated refrigerant condenser includes a pair of first and second header tanks
121
,
122
, and a core portion
123
disposed between the first and second heater tanks
121
,
122
. Further, separators are disposed in the first and second header tank
121
,
122
so that inner spaces of the first and second header tanks
121
,
122
are separated into plural spaces, respectively. As shown in
FIG. 13
, a receiving unit
131
is formed integrally with the second header tank
122
in the receiver-integrated refrigerant condenser. An inner space of the receiving unit
131
communicates with the second header tank
122
through a first communication hole
132
provided at a lower side of the second header tank
122
, so that liquid refrigerant condensed in a condensing portion
136
of the core portion
123
flows into the receiving unit
131
through the first communication hole
132
. Refrigerant flowing into the receiving unit
131
is separated into gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant, and the liquid refrigerant is stored in the receiving unit
131
. Further, a second communication hole
135
is provided in the second header tank
122
at a lower side of the first communication hole
132
. Thus, liquid refrigerant within the receiving unit
131
flows into the second header tank
122
from the second communication hole
135
, and flows into a super-cooling portion
137
of the core portion
123
.
However, in the conventional receiver-integrated refrigerant condenser, heat from the second header tank
122
is transmitted to refrigerant within the receiving unit
131
, and is stored in the refrigerant of the receiving unit
131
. That is, when refrigerant amount sealed in the refrigerant cycle is increased after bubbles disappear, liquid refrigerant surface within the receiving unit
131
is increased to become higher. Therefore, liquid refrigerant in the receiving unit
131
is boiled by the transmitted heat, and gas refrigerant is increased in the receiving unit
131
. In this case, when a little amount of refrigerant is added in the refrigerant cycle after bubbles disappear, super-cooling degree of the liquid refrigerant is increased, and operation power for driving a compressor of the refrigerant cycle is increased. Further, in a case where the receiving unit
131
is not cooled by cool air, it is difficult to maintain the super-cooling degree in a predetermined range when refrigerant amount sealed in the refrigerant cycle is increased. As a result, refrigerant sealing performance of the refrigerant cycle is deteriorated.
On the other hand, in a conventional receiver separated from a condenser of a refrigerant cycle, all refrigerant from the condenser is introduced into the receiver from an upper side inlet or a lower side inlet of the receiver. When an entire amount of refrigerant flowing from the condenser is introduced from the upper side inlet of the receiver and flows downwardly in the receiver, a gas-liquid boundary surface is readily disturbed within the receiver by dynamical force of refrigerant flowing from the upper side inlet, and gas refrigerant may be mixed to refrigerant flowing into a super-cooling unit. Alternatively, when an entire amount of refrigerant flowing from the condenser is introduced from the lower side inlet of the receiver and flows upwardly in the receiver, because both refrigerant inlet and outlet are provided at the lower side of the receiver, refrigerant from the refrigerant inlet directly flows toward the refrigerant outlet, and it is difficult to cool an upper side of the receiver by refrigerant flowing from the condenser. As a result, when the receiver is used in a high-temperatures condition, liquid refrigerant at an upper side of the receiver may be boiled, and it is difficult to increase the liquid refrigerant surface within the receiver.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a receiver with both refrigerant inlets, for a refrigerant cycle system, which improves refrigerant sealing performance.
It is an another object of the present invention to provide a refrigerant cycle system with a receiver, which prevents a disturbance of gas-liquid surface within the receiver, while improving cooling effect of refrigerant at an upper side of the receiver.
It is a further another object of the present invention to provide a receiver-integrated condenser for a refrigerant cycle system, which prevents heat from high-temperature refrigerant of a condensing portion from being directly transmitted to liquid refrigerant within a receiving unit.
According to the present invention, a receiver for a refrigerant cycle system includes a tank member for separating refrigerant from a condenser into gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant and for storing liquid refrigerant therein, a first refrigerant inlet from which refrigerant from the condenser is directly introduced into an upper side within the tank member, a second refrigerant inlet from which refrigerant from the condenser is directly introduced into a lower side within the tank member, and a refrigerant outlet from which liquid refrigerant within the tank member is introduced to an outside of the tank member. Therefore, refrigerant from the condenser can be flow into both upper and lower sides of the tank member of the receiver from both the first and second refrigerant inlets. Thus, the upper side part of the receiver can be always cooled by refrigerant from the first refrigerant inlet, having passed through the condenser. Accordingly, even when the receiver is used around a vehicle engine or hot air having passed through a radiator flows around the receiver, it can effectively prevent liquid refrigerant at an upper side of the receiver from being boiled. As a result, a liquid refrigerant surface can move upwardly, and refrigerant sealing performance can be improved within the receiver. Further, because refrigerant from the condenser flows into both the upper and lower sides of the receiver from the first and second refrigerant inlets, a part of refrigerant can flow into liquid refrigerant within the receiver from the second refrigerant inlet, and a dynamical pressure of refrigerant from the first refrigerant inlet can be reduced. Accordingly, it can effectively prevent a gas-liquid boundary surface from being disturbed.
Preferably, the receiver further includes an inlet pipe, disposed in the tank member to extend in an up-down direction, through which refrigerant from the condenser flows. Further, the first refrigerant inlet is provided in the inlet pipe at an upper side of the inlet pipe, and the second refrigerant inlet is provided in the inlet pipe at a position lower than the first refrigerant inlet. Therefore, refrigerant from the condenser can readily flow upper and lower sides of the receiver with a simple structure.
More preferably, the inlet pipe is disposed in the tank member in such a manner that refrigerant from the first refrigerant inlet flows toward a top inner surface of the tank member. Therefore, upper side part of the receiver can be further effectively cooled by refrigerant from the first refrigerant inlet, and a disturbance of the gas-liquid boundary surface of the receiver can be effectively prevented.
According to the present invention

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