Patent Application
20230082318
The present disclosure relates to a pressure vessel and a refrigeration apparatus.
An air conditioner configured to execute refrigeration cycle operation includes a refrigerant circuit having pressure vessels such as a compressor, an accumulator, and a receiver, and a refrigerant pipe connected to each of the pressure vessels. Patent Literature discloses adopting a refrigerant pipe made of less expensive stainless steel in place of a refrigerant pipe made of copper exerting excellent processability such as bending and excellent heat conductivity.
Patent Literature 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2010-151327
(1) The present disclosure provides a pressure vessel provided on a refrigerant circuit,
the pressure vessel including a vessel body made of iron, an inlet pipe causing a refrigerant to flow into the vessel body, and an outlet pipe causing the refrigerant to flow out of the vessel body, in which
a pipe corresponding to at least one of the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe includes a first portion made of stainless steel, a second portion made of a material whose main component is copper, and a brazed portion connecting the first portion and the second portion,
the first portion has an end on a first side in a pipe axial direction of the pipe, the end being disposed outside the vessel body,
the first portion has an end on a second side in the pipe axial direction, the end being connected to the second portion, and
the second portion is connected to the vessel body.
(2) The present disclosure provides a refrigeration apparatus including the pressure vessel according to (1) described above.
Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Description will be made hereinafter to embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the drawings.
A refrigeration apparatus 1 exemplifies an air conditioner configured to condition indoor temperature and indoor humidity, and includes an outdoor unit 2 disposed outdoors and an indoor unit 3 disposed indoors. The outdoor unit 2 and the indoor unit 3 are connected to each other via a refrigerant pipe 10.
The refrigeration apparatus 1 includes a refrigerant circuit 4 configured to execute vapor compression refrigeration cycle operation. The refrigerant circuit 4 includes a plurality of element components and the refrigerant pipe 10 connecting the plurality of element components. The refrigerant circuit 4 includes, as the element components, an indoor heat exchanger 11, a compressor 12, a muffler 13, an outdoor heat exchanger 14, an expansion mechanism 15, an accumulator 16, a four-way switching valve (switching mechanism) 17, and the like, which are connected via the refrigerant pipe 10. The refrigerant pipe 10 includes a liquid pipe 10L and a gas pipe 10G. The liquid pipe 10L and the gas pipe 10G are provided with a liquid shutoff valve 18L and a gas shutoff valve 18G, respectively.
The indoor heat exchanger 11 is provided in the indoor unit 3 and executes heat exchange between a refrigerant and indoor air. Examples of the indoor heat exchanger 11 include a fin-and-tube heat exchanger of a cross-fin type and a heat exchanger of a microchannel type. The indoor heat exchanger 11 is provided therearound with an indoor fan (not depicted) configured to send indoor air to the indoor heat exchanger 11 and send conditioned air to indoors.
The compressor 12, the muffler 13, the outdoor heat exchanger 14, the expansion mechanism 15, the accumulator 16, and the four-way switching valve 17 are provided in the outdoor unit 2. The compressor 12 is configured to compress a refrigerant sucked from an inlet pipe and discharge the compressed refrigerant from an outlet pipe. Examples of the compressor 12 include various compressors such as a scroll compressor.
The muffler 13 inhibits pressure pulsation of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 12. The outlet pipe of the compressor 12 and the four-way switching valve 17 may interpose an oil separator in place of or in addition to the muffler 13. The oil separator is configured to separate lubricant from fluid mixture that contains the lubricant and a refrigerant and is discharged from the compressor 12.
The outdoor heat exchanger 14 executes heat exchange between the refrigerant and outdoor air. Examples of the outdoor heat exchanger 14 include a fin-and-tube heat exchanger of a cross-fin type and a heat exchanger of a microchannel type. The outdoor heat exchanger 14 is provided therearound with an outdoor fan configured to send outdoor air to the outdoor heat exchanger 14.
The expansion mechanism 15 is disposed between the outdoor heat exchanger 14 and the indoor heat exchanger 11 on the refrigerant pipe 10 of the refrigerant circuit 4, and expands the incoming refrigerant to be decompressed to have predetermined pressure. Examples of the expansion mechanism 15 include an electronic expansion valve having a variable opening degree, and a capillary tube.
The accumulator 16 is disposed between a suction port of the compressor 12 and the four-way switching valve 17 in the refrigerant circuit 4, and is configured to separate the incoming refrigerant into a gas refrigerant and a liquid refrigerant. The gas refrigerant thus separated by the accumulator 16 is sucked into the compressor 12.
The four-way switching valve 17 is configured to be switchable between a first state indicated by a solid line and a second state indicated by a broken line in
The pressure vessel depicted in
The present specification will also refer to an axial direction including a center in a transverse section of a pipe such as the inlet pipe 22 or the outlet pipe 23, as a “pipe axial direction”. A radial direction of a pipe perpendicular to the pipe axial direction will also be called a “pipe diameter direction”. An end or an end surface on a first side in the pipe axial direction of the pipe will also be called a “first end” or a “first end surface”, and an end or an end surface on a second side in the pipe axial direction will also be called a “second end” or a “second end surface”. Each of the “first end” and the “second end” in the pipe axial direction of the pipe refers to a region positioned at an end in the pipe axial direction of the pipe, such as a region adjacent to the “first end surface” or the “second end surface”, and may not necessarily include the “first end surface” or the “second end surface” in the pipe axial direction.
The inlet pipe 22 is provided on an upper part of the vessel body 21 (the upper lid 21b). The inlet pipe 22 has a first end (upper end) in the pipe axial direction, which projects from the vessel body 21. The first end of the inlet pipe 22 is connected to the four-way switching valve 17 (see
The outlet pipe 23 is disposed on the upper part of the vessel body 21 (upper lid 21b) and adjacent to the inlet pipe 22. The outlet pipe 23 has a first end (upper end) in the pipe axial direction, which projects from the vessel body 21. The first end of the outlet pipe 23 is connected to the compressor 12 (see
The accumulator 16 includes two inner pipes 24 and 25 disposed in the vessel body 21. The inner pipe 24 extends downward from the second end of the inlet pipe 22. The inner pipe 25 extends downward from the second end of the outlet pipe 23, is bent upward into a U shape in a lower part of the vessel body 21, and extends into the upper part of the vessel body 21.
The pressure vessel depicted in
The inlet pipe 28 is provided on an upper part of the vessel body 27 (the upper lid 27b). The inlet pipe 28 has a first end (upper end) in the pipe axial direction, which projects from the vessel body 27. The first end of the inlet pipe 28 is connected to the accumulator 16 (see
The outlet pipe 29 is provided halfway (on the trunk 27a) in a vertical direction of the vessel body 27. The outlet pipe 29 has a first end in the pipe axial direction, which projects from the vessel body 27. The first end of the outlet pipe 29 is connected to the muffler 13 (see
The injection pipe 30 is provided on the upper part of the vessel body 27 (the upper lid 27b). The injection pipe 30 causes an intermediate pressure refrigerant to flow from a subcooler or the like (not depicted) into the vessel body 27. The injection pipe 30 is accordingly one kind of the inlet pipe 28. The injection pipe 30 has a first end in the pipe axial direction, which projects from the vessel body 27. The injection pipe 30 has a second end in the pipe axial direction, which is disposed in the vessel body 27.
The inlet pipes 22 and 28 (including the injection pipe 30) and the outlet pipes 23 and 29 in the pressure vessels such as the accumulator 16 and the compressor 12 are structured as described below. In the following description, the inlet pipes 22, 28, and 30 and the outlet pipes 23 and 29 will be collectively called a “first pipe” denoted by reference sign 50. The vessel bodies 21 and 27 will be denoted by reference sign 60 without distinction among the accumulator 16, the compressor 12, and the like.
A vessel body 60 is made of iron. The vessel body 60 is provided with an opening 61 configured to receive the first pipe 50. The opening 61 is constituted by an inner circumferential surface of a sleeve 62 bent toward inside the vessel body 60 to have a cylindrical shape. The sleeve 62 may alternatively be bent toward outside the vessel body 60 to have a cylindrical shape. The sleeve 62 may exemplarily be formed by burring.
The first pipe 50 includes a first portion 51 and a second portion 52. The first portion 51 is made of stainless steel. The first portion 51 is made of SUS304, SUS304L, SUS436L, SUS430, or the like. The first portion 51 has a first end 51a in the pipe axial direction, which is disposed outside the vessel body 60. The first portion 51 has a second end 51b in the pipe axial direction, at least part of which is disposed in the vessel body 60 and is connected to the second portion 52.
The second end 51b of the first portion 51 is provided with a minor diameter portion 51c reduced in outer diameter, while a stepped portion 51d is interposed therebetween. The first end 51a of the first portion 51 is provided with a major diameter portion 51e increased in outer diameter, while a stepped portion 51f is interposed therebetween. The major diameter portion 51e has an inner circumferential surface provided with a plated portion 51g made of a material whose main component is copper. A refrigerant pipe 20 made of a material whose main component is copper is brazed with use of a phosphor copper brazing material or the like to the plated portion 51g.
The second portion 52 is made of copper or copper alloy, which is a material whose main component is copper. The second portion 52 has a cylindrical shape. The second portion 52 has an inner circumference into which the minor diameter portion 51c of the first portion 51 is inserted. The second portion 52 has an inner circumferential surface facing an outer circumferential surface of the minor diameter portion 51c of the first portion 51 in the pipe diameter direction. The inner circumferential surface of the second portion 52 and the outer circumferential surface of the minor diameter portion 51c of the first portion 51 are brazed to each other. The inner circumferential surface of the second portion 52 and the outer circumferential surface of the minor diameter portion 51c accordingly interpose a brazed portion 53 made of a brazing material.
The second portion 52 is restricted from moving toward the first side in the pipe axial direction relatively to the first portion 51 to be positioned, by the stepped portion 51d positioned at a proximal end of the minor diameter portion 51c. The second portion 52 has a second end surface 52b1 in the pipe axial direction, which is disposed closer to the second side in the pipe axial direction (lower side in
The second portion 52 is inserted to the sleeve 62 of the vessel body 60 and is fixed to the sleeve 62. Specifically, the second portion 52 has an outer circumferential surface disposed to face the inner circumferential surface of the sleeve 62 of the vessel body 60 in the pipe diameter direction. The outer circumferential surface of the second portion 52 and the inner circumferential surface of the sleeve 62 are brazed to each other. The outer circumferential surface of the second portion 52 and the inner circumferential surface of the sleeve 62 accordingly interpose a brazed portion 54 made of a brazing material.
The second portion 52 and the sleeve 62 are connected to each other by brazing with use of a brass brazing material. Typical examples of such brazing include burner brazing. The burner brazing is different from “furnace brazing” and is executed manually or with use of a brazing device including a burner.
A conventional pressure vessel includes inlet and outlet pipes made of copper (hereinafter, also called the “inlet pipe and the like”) and brazed with use of the brass brazing material to the vessel body 60 made of iron. If the inlet pipe and the like are entirely made of stainless steel, connection of the inlet pipe and the like to the vessel body 60 made of iron needs a silver brazing material that is more expensive than the brass brazing material. According to one or more embodiments, the first pipe 50 includes the first portion 51 made of stainless steel and the second portion 52 made of a material whose main component is copper (made of copper or copper alloy), and the second portion 52 is connected to the vessel body 60. Accordingly, similarly to the conventional pressure vessel, the first pipe 50 including the first portion 51 made of stainless steel can be connected to the vessel body 60 by brazing with use of the brass brazing material.
The second portion 52 has a first end surface 52a1 in the pipe axial direction, which is disposed closer to the first side in the pipe axial direction (upper side in
The second end surface 51b1 in the pipe axial direction of the first portion 51 is disposed closer to the second side in the pipe axial direction (lower side in
The first portion 51 and the second portion 52 of the first pipe 50 are connected by furnace brazing and are placed in a high-temperature environment in a furnace. The second portion 52 made of copper may thus have coarsened copper crystal grains to cause strength deterioration. According to one or more embodiments, the first portion 51 made of stainless steel and the vessel body 60 made of iron are disposed to be overlapped with each other in the pipe diameter direction. The second portion 52 is not provided by itself where the vessel body 60 and the first pipe 50 are connected to each other, and the second portion 52 is overlapped with at least one of the vessel body 60 and the first portion 51 in the pipe diameter direction. Strength deterioration of the second portion 52 is accordingly compensated with the vessel body 60 and the first portion 51.
The second end surface 51b1 of the first portion 51 is disposed closer to the first side in the pipe axial direction than the second end surface 52b1 of the second portion 52. The first pipe 50 can thus be reduced in entire length in comparison to another case where the second end surface 51b1 of the first portion 51 is disposed closer to the second side in the pipe axial direction than the second end surface 52b1 of the second portion 52, in other words, a case where the second end 51b of the first portion 51 projects toward the second side in the pipe axial direction than a second end 52b of the second portion 52. This enables increase in the number of first pipes 50 simultaneously provided in the furnace for furnace brazing between the first portion 51 and the second portion 52 of each of the first pipes 50, which achieves improvement in production efficiency of the first pipes 50. The second end surface 51b1 of the first portion 51 and the second end surface 52b1 of the second portion 52 may alternatively be disposed flush with each other.
The second portion 52 may alternatively be provided at the second end 51b of the first portion 51 in a state where the second end surface 52b1 is disposed closer to the first side in the pipe axial direction (upper side in
The first pipe 50 according to one or more embodiments is exemplarily applied to the inlet pipe 22 and the inner pipe 24 of the accumulator 16 depicted in
The first pipe 50 according to one or more embodiments is exemplarily applied to the outlet pipe 23 and the inner pipe 25 of the accumulator 16 depicted in
The second pipe 55 is made of iron or the like. The second pipe 55 can thus be connected to the second portion 52 made of a material whose main component is copper, by burner brazing with use of the brass brazing material or the like. As depicted in
The second pipe 55 may not necessarily be made of iron, and may alternatively be made of a material whose main component is copper. In this case, the second pipe 55 can be connected easily to the second portion 52 by burner brazing or the like. The second pipe 55 may still alternatively be made of aluminum, aluminum alloy, or stainless steel. Note that the second pipe 55 made of iron leads to further cost reduction for production of the pressure vessel.
The vessel body 60 of the pressure vessel according to one or more embodiments includes a body 64 and a joint tube 65. The body 64 and the joint tube 65 are made of iron. The body 64 constitutes a primary part of the vessel body 60 and is configured to contain a refrigerant. The body 64 includes a sleeve 64a bent inward. The sleeve 64a has an inner circumferential surface constituting an opening 64b.
The joint tube 65 is provided to attach the first pipe 50 to the vessel body 60. The joint tube 65 has a cylindrical shape. The joint tube 65 is inserted to the sleeve 64a. The joint tube 65 has an outer circumferential surface facing the inner circumferential surface of the sleeve 64a. The joint tube 65 is attached to the sleeve 64a by welding. The joint tube 65 extends into the body 64 to constitute the inner pipe of the vessel body 60.
The second portion 52 of the first pipe 50 is connected to the joint tube 65. Specifically, the outer circumferential surface of the second portion 52 is disposed to face an inner circumferential surface of the joint tube 65. The outer circumferential surface of the second portion 52 is brazed to the inner circumferential surface of the joint tube 65 with use of the brass brazing material or the like. The outer circumferential surface of the second portion 52 and the inner circumferential surface of the joint tube 65 accordingly interpose the brazed portion 54. The first portion 51 of the first pipe 50 is positioned to be overlapped with the joint tube 65 in the pipe diameter direction. The remaining configurations of the first pipe 50 are similar to those according to the first embodiments.
According to one or more embodiments, the body 64 and the joint tube 65 of the vessel body 60 are firmly connected to each other by welding. One or more embodiments are thus applicable to a pressure vessel required to have high compressive resistance, like a compressor having large capacity (horsepower).
As in the fourth embodiments, the vessel body 60 according to one or more embodiments includes the body 64 and the joint tube 65. The joint tube 65 has a first end in the pipe axial direction, which is connected with the second portion 52 of the first pipe 50. The joint tube 65 has a second end in the pipe axial direction, which is connected with a different pipe (third pipe) 70.
The third pipe 70 is made of a material whose main component is copper (copper or copper alloy). The third pipe 70 has an outer circumferential surface facing the inner circumferential surface of the joint tube 65 in the pipe diameter direction. The outer circumferential surface of the third pipe 70 and the inner circumferential surface of the joint tube 65 are brazed to each other with use of the brass brazing material or the like. The outer circumferential surface of the third pipe 70 and the inner circumferential surface of the joint tube 65 interpose a brazed portion 57. The third pipe 70 may not necessarily be made of copper, and may alternatively be made of iron, stainless steel, aluminum, or aluminum alloy.
The inner circumferential surface of the joint tube 65 is provided with a protrusion 65a projecting radially inward. The protrusion 65a is provided continuously along the entire inner circumferential surface of the joint tube 65. The protrusion 65a is in contact with the second end surface 52b1 in the pipe axial direction of the second portion 52 of the first pipe 50 inserted to the joint tube 65. This configuration achieves positioning in the pipe axial direction of the first pipe 50 relative to the joint tube 65.
The protrusion 65a is in contact with a first end surface 70b1 in the pipe axial direction of the third pipe 70 inserted to the joint tube 65. This configuration achieves positioning in the pipe axial direction of the third pipe 70 relative to the joint tube 65.
The second end surface 52b1 in the pipe axial direction of the second portion 52 of the first pipe 50 is disposed closer to the second side in the pipe axial direction than the second end surface 51b1 in the pipe axial direction of the first portion 51. This disposition achieves reliable contact between the second end surface 52b1 of the second portion 52 and the protrusion 65a. This also prevents any gap between the second portion 52 and the third pipe 70 in the pipe axial direction. If the second end surface 51b1 of the first portion 51 is disposed closer to the second side in the pipe axial direction than the second end surface 52b1 of the second portion 52, there may be provided a space not including the second portion 52, between the outer circumferential surface of the first portion 51 and the inner circumferential surface of the joint tube 65 in the pipe diameter direction. In such a case, the refrigerant may enter the space to generate unusual sound. The pressure vessel according to one or more embodiments can avoid such defectiveness.
The protrusion 65a according to one or more embodiments may not necessarily be provided along the entire inner circumferential surface of the joint tube 65, and may alternatively be provided at one circumferential point or at each of a plurality of points circumferentially spaced apart from each other.
As in the fourth embodiments, the vessel body 60 according to one or more embodiments includes the body 64 and the joint tube 65. The second portion 52 of the first pipe 50 is connected to the joint tube 65. The joint tube 65 includes a first portion 66 and a second portion 67. The first portion 66 of the joint tube 65 has a cylindrical shape. The first portion 66 is inserted to the sleeve 64a of the body 64. The first portion 66 is joined to the sleeve 64a by welding.
The second portion 67 of the joint tube 65 has a cylindrical shape. The second portion 67 projects from both ends in the pipe axial direction of the first portion 66 of the joint tube 65. The first portion 66 and the second portion 67 of the joint tube 65 are connected to each other by brazing or welding. The second portion 67 has a first end in the pipe axial direction, which is provided with a major diameter portion 67a increased in outer diameter while a stepped portion 67b is interposed therebetween. The second portion 52 of the first pipe 50 is inserted to the major diameter portion 67a. The major diameter portion 67a has an inner circumferential surface, which is connected with the outer circumferential surface of the second portion 52 of the first pipe 50 by brazing or welding.
The joint tube 65 according to one or more embodiments includes the first portion 66 and the second portion 67, so as to be effective in an exemplary case where the second portion 67 has an outer circumferential surface in a complicated shape inapplicable to a shape of the opening 64b of the body 64.
The embodiments described above exemplify the accumulator 16 and the compressor 12 as the pressure vessels that are not limited thereto and the examples of which may include the muffler 13 (see
The pressure vessels provided on the refrigerant circuit each include a vessel body, an inlet pipe causing a refrigerant to flow into the vessel body, and an outlet pipe causing the refrigerant to flow out of the vessel body. Typically, the vessel body is made of iron whereas the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe are made of copper. Similarly to the refrigerant pipe according to Patent Literature 1, the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe may be made of stainless steel in consideration of cost or the like. However, the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe made of stainless steel may not be able to be connected with the vessel body made of iron in a manner similar to a conventional method. One or more embodiments of the present disclosure provide a pressure vessel and a refrigeration apparatus, which allow connection, in a manner similar to the conventional method, between a vessel body and inlet and outlet pipes at least one of which is made of stainless steel.
(1) As depicted in
In the above configuration, the first pipe 50 (the inlet pipe 22 or 28 and/or the outlet pipe 23 or 29) includes the first portion 51 made of stainless steel and the second portion 52 made of a material whose main component is copper, and the second portion 52 is connected to the vessel body 60. The second portion 52 can thus be connected to the vessel body 60 in a manner similar to the conventional technique for the first pipe 50 made of copper. The first pipe 50 mostly made of inexpensive stainless steel can accordingly be connected easily to the vessel body 60 as in the conventional technique.
(2) In the first pipe 50 according to each of the above embodiments, the outer circumferential surface of the first portion 51 and the inner circumferential surface of the second portion 52 are connected to each other, the second end surface 52b1 in the pipe axial direction of the second portion 52 is disposed flush with the second end surface 51b1 in the pipe axial direction of the first portion 51 or projects toward the second side in the pipe axial direction than the second end surface 51b1 of the first portion 51. In this case, the first portion 51 does not project toward the second side in the pipe axial direction than the second portion 52, which leads to reduction in entire size of the first pipe 50. When the first portion 51 and the second portion 52 are furnace brazed to each other, a larger number of first pipes 50 can be brazed simultaneously for improvement in production efficiency.
(3) According to the third embodiments (see
(4) The vessel body 60 according to each of the fourth to sixth embodiments (see
(5) In the fifth embodiments (see
(6) In the fifth embodiments (see
(7) In the second embodiments (see
(8) In the first portion 51 of the first pipe 50 according to each of the above embodiments, the second end in the pipe axial direction is provided with the minor diameter portion 51c reduced in outer diameter, and the outer circumferential surface of the minor diameter portion 51c is connected to the inner circumferential surface of the second portion 52 of the first pipe 50. Accordingly, the minor diameter portion 51c of the first portion 51 is inserted to the second portion 52 and the proximal end of the minor diameter portion 51c is made in contact with the end of the second portion 52, for positioning in the pipe axial direction between the first portion 51 and the second portion 52.
(9) The first portion 51 of the first pipe 50 according to each of the above embodiments has a portion overlapped with the vessel body 60 in the pipe diameter direction. When the first portion 51 of the first pipe 50 is overlapped with the vessel body 60 (the sleeve 62 or the joint tube 65) in the pipe diameter direction, the second portion 52 is not provided by itself, for improvement in connection strength between the vessel body 60 and the first pipe 50.
(10) In each of the above embodiments, the first end in the pipe axial direction of the first portion 51 of the first pipe 50 is provided with a plated portion made of a material whose main component is copper or a tube made of a material whose main component is copper. A refrigerant pipe made of copper can thus be connected easily to the end of the first portion 51 made of stainless steel, with use of an inexpensive brazing material.
Although the disclosure has been described with respect to only a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art, having benefit of this disclosure, will appreciate that various other embodiments may be devised without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the scope of the disclosure should be limited only by the attached claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-088945 | May 2020 | JP | national |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/JP2021/001971 | Jan 2021 | US |
| Child | 17989958 | US |
