US20240369271A1
CONNECTING PIPELINE OF EVAPORATOR, EVAPORATOR AND REFRIGERATOR
Publication
Application
Classifications
IPC Classifications
CPC Classifications
Applicants
HEFEI HAIER REFRIGERATOR CO.,LTD, QINGDAO HAIER REFRIGERATOR CO., LTD., HAIER SMART HOME CO., LTD.
Inventors
Yanbin WAN, Jianquan CHEN, Haijuan WANG, Wenchao XUE, Yang LIU, Xiaobing ZHU
Abstract
The present invention provides a connecting pipeline of evaporator, an evaporator, and a refrigerator. The connecting pipeline is configured to connect with the refrigerant inlet of the evaporator and comprises first pipeline, second pipeline and inlet pipeline connected in sequence, wherein the inlet pipeline is connected to the refrigerant inlet, and the inner diameter of the first pipeline is larger than the inner diameter of the second pipeline. The connecting pipeline of the evaporator can effectively reduce noise by being configured to comprise first pipeline, second pipeline and inlet pipeline connected in sequence, wherein the inlet pipeline is connected to the refrigerant inlet and the inner diameter of the first pipeline is larger than the inner diameter of the second pipeline.
Figures
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001]The present invention relates to the technical field of refrigerating and freezing devices, and in particular to a connecting pipeline of evaporator, an evaporator, and a refrigerator.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002]In the refrigeration cycle of a refrigerator, before the refrigerant enters the inlet of the evaporator, the liquid phase refrigerant in the pipeline gradually starts to vaporize, exhibiting flash evaporation. The intense gas-liquid flow is prone to create bubbles, and the bursting of these bubbles can cause fluid turbulence. Combined with the periodic compressive suction and exhaust refrigeration system, this can lead to pulsating fluids. The discontinuous turbulent two-phase flow impacts the refrigeration pipeline, generating eddy currents and abnormal sounds, leading to eruption noise. The eruption noise at the evaporator in existing refrigerators is significant, affecting the user experience.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003]An objective of the present invention is to provide a connecting pipeline that can be connected to the front end of the evaporator's inlet to reduce noise.
[0004]A further objective of the present invention is to further reduce the vibration noise during the operation of the evaporator.
[0005]In particular, the present invention provides a connecting pipeline for an evaporator, the connecting pipeline is configured to connect with the refrigerant inlet of the evaporator and comprises:
[0006]a first pipeline, a second pipeline, and an inlet pipeline connected in sequence, wherein the inlet pipeline is connected to the refrigerant inlet, and the inner diameter of the first pipeline is larger than the inner diameter of the second pipeline.
[0007]Optionally, the length of the first pipeline ranges from 0.02 m to 1.25 m.
[0008]Optionally, the length of the first pipeline ranges from 0.02 m to 0.9 m.
- [0010]the inner diameter of the first pipeline is 0.5-10 mm, the wall thickness of the first pipeline is 0.2-3 mm.
- [0012]the second pipeline is welded or integrally drawn with the inlet pipeline.
- [0014]the length of the second pipeline's outlet end inserted into the inlet pipeline is 10-30 mm.
[0015]The present invention aiso provides an evaporator equipped with the connecting pipeline as described aforementioned.
- [0017]the evaporator further includes inter-pipe fixators made of flexible material, each inter-pipe fixator has at least two fixing slots, the inter-pipe fixators are connected to at least two of the first pipeline, second pipeline, inlet pipeline, and outlet pipeline through the at least two fixing slots, effectively reducing noise caused by pipeline resonance during the operation of the evaporator.
[0018]Optionally, the outlet pipeline is welded to the refrigerator's return air pipe, and the outlet pipeline is threaded through one of the fixing slots of the inter-pipe fixators.
- [0020]the inter-pipe fixators are positioned in an area of 45-55 mm before and after the diameter change point between the second pipeline and the inlet pipeline.
[0021]The present invention aiso provides a refrigerator equipped with the evaporator as described aforementioned.
- [0023]an inner liner defining a storage compartment; and
- [0024]fixing clamps, consisting of a body part and a clamping part, the inner liner is equipped with an installation port into which the body part is inserted, positioning the clamping part inside the inner liner; the clamping part includes an upper clamping section and a lower clamping section formed by bending forward from the upper end and the lower end of the front side of the body part separately, the upper clamping section bends upwards, and the lower clamping section bends downwards, there is a gap between the front ends of the upper clamping section and the lower clamping section, thus the gap can define a space between the front ends to accommodate the pipelines of the evaporator, and the inner side of the tipper clamping section and/or the lower clamping section is equipped with flexible component.
[0025]The connecting pipeline of the evaporator in the present invention can effectively reduce noise by being configured to comprise first pipeline, second pipeline and inlet pipeline connected in sequence, wherein the inlet pipeline is connected to the refrigerant inlet, and the inner diameter of the first pipeline is larger than the inner diameter of the second pipeline.
[0026]Furthermore, by equipping the evaporator in the present invention with inter-pipe fixators made of flexible material and configuring the inter-pipe fixators connected to at least two of the first pipeline, second pipeline, inlet pipeline, and outlet pipeline through the at least two fixing slots, noise caused by pipeline resonance during the operation of the evaporator effectively reduced.
[0027]The aforesaid and other objectives, advantages and features of the present invention will be more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the specific embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0028]The followings will describe some specific embodiments of the present invention in detail in an exemplary rather than restrictive manner with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference signs in the drawings represent the same or similar components or parts. Those skilled in the art shall understand that these drawings may not be necessarily drawn according to the scales. In the drawings:
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0047]
[0048]Different fluid states lead to different noise outcomes which generally classified into three scenarios: the first scenario is that the refrigerant has entirely transitioned to gas before entering the refrigerant inlet of the evaporator (200), resulting in relatively lower efficiency of the evaporator (200) and relatively bigger pipeline noise; the second scenario is that the refrigerant is a two-phase fluid before entering the refrigerant inlet of the evaporator (200), leading to lower evaporation efficiency and increased eruption noise due to the disordered two-phase flow; the third scenario is that the refrigerant enters the evaporator (200) as a pure liquid after post-throttling and evaporates, which is ideal state with the highest refrigeration efficiency and minimal noise impact. The inventors have improved the structure and length of the pipelines through theoretical and simulation analyses, addressing the issue of significant eruption noise at the front end of the refrigerant inlet of the evaporator (200) and achieving high efficiency and low noise in the transition from liquid to gas phase.
[0049]In some embodiments, the length of the first pipeline (301) in the connecting pipeline (300) ranges from 0.02 m to 1.25 m, preferably between 0.02 m and 0.9 m.
[0050]The N-S equations and the k-ε turbulence model are used for simulations, in which the N-S equations are used as the control equations and the standard k-c two-equation turbulence model is applied to establish a closed set of control equations. The closed set of control equations are as follows:
[0051]In the above equations, i and j indicate coordinate directions; k indicates gas phase or liquid phase; αk is the k-phase volume fraction, ρk is density of the k-phase, μk is velocity of the k-phase; φk is any physical quantity of the k-phase; rkφ is the diffusion coefficients of the k-phase and Skφ is the source phase of the k-phase.
[0052]
[0053]The length of the first pipeline (301) correlates with the refrigerant dryness in the inlet pipeline (203) of the evaporator (200). The length of the first pipeline (301) affects the dryness value of the pipeline.
[0054]x=(hx-hf)/(hs-hf). In the calculation formula, x is the dryness, h is the specific enthalpy of wet steam, hx is the enthalpy of wet steam, hf is the enthalpy of saturated liquid, and hs is the enthalpy of saturated steam.
[0055]The sound power level of the whole machine in different length intervals of the first pipeline (301) was tested, and the results are shown in the table below.
| Length Range: m | Sound Power Level: dB(A) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| <0.02 | 40.1~42.0 | ||
| 0.02-0.9 | 34.8~35.6 | ||
| 0.9-1.25 | 36.0~37.3 | ||
| >1.25 | 40.1~43.5 | ||
[0056]As can be seen from the above table, the noise reduction is optimal when the length of the first pipeline (301) is in the range of 0.02-0.9 m, and the noise is relatively small when the length of the first piping (301) is in the range of 0.9-1.25 m. However, the sound power level is larger when the length of the first piping (301) is less than 0.02 m or greater than 1.25 m.
[0057]
[0058]In some embodiments, the first pipeline (301) of the connecting pipeline (300) is connected upstream to a capillary tube (not shown in the diagram); the inner diameter of the first pipeline (301) is 0.5-10 mm, and the wall thickness of the first pipeline (301) is 0.2-3 mm. The inner diameter of the first pipeline (301) exceeds that of the capillary tube. If the wall of the first pipeline (301) is too thin, the noise reduction effect is poor; if the wall is too thick, it incurs higher costs; if the inner diameter of the first pipeline (301) is too small, other types of noise issues may arise. Therefore, the preferred inner diameter for the first pipeline (301) is set between 0.5-10 mm, the wall thickness is set between 0.2-3 mm.
[0059]The connecting pipeline (300) of this embodiment addresses eruption noise through the fixation process between the first pipeline (301), second pipeline (302), and inlet pipeline (203). The noise effect is strongly related to the design of the fixation process. Poor design can lead to low-frequency abnormal sounds. To ensure process consistency, the connecting pipeline (300) in the embodiment optimizes the connection methods between the pipelines. In some embodiments, the first pipeline (301) is welded or integrally drawn with the second pipeline (302); the second pipeline (302) is welded or integrally drawn with the inlet pipeline (203).
[0060]
[0061]The embodiment also provides an evaporator (200) equipped with the aforementioned connecting pipeline (300).
[0062]In some embodiments, the outlet pipeline (204) of the evaporator (200) is welded to the refrigerator's (100) return air pipe (not shown in the diagram), and the outlet pipeline (204) is threaded through one of the fixing slots (411) of the inter-pipe fixators (400). As shown in
[0063]In some embodiments, the inter-pipe fixators (400) are positioned in an area of 45-55 mm before and after the diameter change point between the first pipeline (301) and the second pipeline (302); and/or the inter-pipe fixators (400) are positioned in an area of 45-55 mm before and after the diameter change point between the second pipeline (302) and the inlet pipeline (203).
[0064]
[0065]The inter-pipe fixators (400) can be a one-piece flexible structure and made of materials like TPE, rubber or silicone. For example, if the inter-pipe fixators (400) are made from TPE material, the hardness is HS (A) 35-65, and each evaporator (200) need to be equipped with two inter-pipe fixators (400).
[0066]The fixing part (401) of the inter-pipe fixators (400) includes a first fixing segment (441) and a second fixing segment (442); the second fixing segment (442) extends forward from the lower rear side of the first fixing segment (441); the fixing slots (411) are located on the first fixing segment (441), the second fixing segment (442) or at the intersection between the two. Specifically, the first fixing segment (441) of the inter-pipe fixators (400) is provided with a plug-in port (412) on its upper part; the moving part (402) is connected to the front end of the second fixing segment (442), so that after the pipeline being inserted into the fixing slot (411), turning the moving part (402) upward can insert the plug-in part (403) into the plug-in port (412). Additionally, the plug-in part (403) is provided with a plug-in protrusion (430) at the position where the plug-in part (403) protrude from the plug-in port (412), which can further ensure a stable fixation of the inter-pipe fixators (400) with the pipeline.
[0067]As shown in
[0068]With these innovative designs, structurally, the inter-pipe fixators (400) can be securely fitted with each pipeline, loosening and displacement are prevented during the transportation and use of the refrigerator (100) and the requirements for stability are satisfied. In terms of material, the inter-pipe fixators (400) are resistant to high temperatures, low temperatures, corrosion, aging, and characterized with good toughness, and unlikely to break. In terms of installation, the inter-pipe fixators (400) are easy to install and can save installation time and labor costs. In terms of manufacturing, the inter-pipe fixators (400) are easy to mold and process, with stable positioning of the fixing slots (411), ensuring the pipelines do not fall out and maintaining stability in the pipeline gap. Additionally, all parts of the inter-pipe fixators (400) are smooth and flat, without any special protrusions or grooves, ensuring smooth and convenient installation. Moreover, the entire outline of the inter-pipe fixators (400) can be designed as a triangle composed of several smooth arcs, making the overall appearance of the inter-pipe fixators (400) smooth and facilitating installation.
[0069]
[0070]
[0071]Existing evaporators (200) in refrigerators (100) are typically fixed using harder material clamps, leading to inadequate tightness and insecure fitting with the evaporator's (200) pipelines. This can result in displacement or detachment during the transportation and use of the refrigerator (100). The evaporator (200) of this embodiment, with its fixing clamps (500) equipped with flexible components (507) on the inner sides of the upper clamping section (541) and/or the lower clamping section (542), ensures a tighter fit between the fixing clamps (500) and the evaporator's (200) pipelines. This design stabilizes the evaporator (200) inside the cabinet and also reduces vibration and noise during operation of the evaporator (200). As shown in
[0072]The back side of the body part (503) also forms a limiting piece (501), which, when inserted into the installation port (113), aligns the limiting piece (501) with the outer side of the inner liner (101). Additionally, a handle (502) is formed on the back side of the limiting piece (501). In
[0073]As shown in
[0074]The fixing clamp (500) of this embodiment also includes a shielding part (505) formed at the front part of the clamping part (504) and used to shield the pipeline after the pipeline is inserted into the clamping part (504). The shielding part (505) includes an upper shielding part and a lower shielding part. The upper shielding part consists of a first section (551) extending forward and upward from the front end of the upper clamping section (541) and a second section (552) extending backward and downward from the first section (551). The lower shielding part includes a third section (553) extending forward and downward from the front end of the lower clamping section (542) and a fourth section (554) extending backward and upward from the third section (553). There is a gap (506) between the end of the second section (552) and the end of the fourth section (554). The shielding part (505) effectively prevents the pipelines of the evaporator (200) from falling out of the fixing clamp (500). Moreover, the entire design of the fixing clamp (500) is smooth, flat, without any special protrusions or grooves, ensuring smooth and convenient installation.
[0075]Therefore, those skilled in the art should realize that although multiple exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described in detail, many other variations or modifications that accord with the principle of the present invention may be still determined or derived directly from the content disclosed by the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, the scope of the present invention should be understood and deemed to include these and other variations or modifications.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A connecting pipeline for an evaporator, wherein the connecting pipeline is configured to connect with the refrigerant inlet of the evaporator and comprises a first pipeline, a second pipeline, and an inlet pipeline connected in sequence, wherein the inlet pipeline is connected to the refrigerant inlet, and the inner diameter of the first pipeline is larger than the inner diameter of the second pipeline.
2. The connecting pipeline according to
the length of the first pipeline ranges from 0.02 m to 1.25 m.
3. The connecting pipeline according to
the length of the first pipeline ranges from 0.02 m to 0.9 m.
4. The connecting pipeline according to
the first pipeline is connected upstream to a capillary tube;
the inner diameter of the first pipeline is 0.5-10 mm, the wall thickness of the first pipeline is 0.2-3 mm.
5. The connecting pipeline according to
the first pipeline is welded or integrally drawn with the second pipeline;
the second pipeline is welded or integrally drawn with the inlet pipeline.
6. The connecting pipeline according to
the second pipeline is welded to the first pipeline and/or the inlet pipeline, wherein
the length of the second pipeline's inlet end inserted into the first pipeline is 10-30 mm;
the length of the second pipeline's outlet end inserted into the inlet pipeline is 10-30 mm.
7. An evaporator equipped with the connecting pipeline as described in
8. The evaporator according to
the refrigerant outlet of the evaporator is connected to an outlet pipeline;
the evaporator further includes inter-pipe fixators made of flexible material, each inter-pipe fixator has at least two fixing slots, the inter-pipe fixators are connected to at least two of the first pipeline, second pipeline, inlet pipeline, and outlet pipeline through the at least two fixing slots, effectively reducing noise caused by pipeline resonance during the operation of the evaporator.
9. The evaporator according to
the outlet pipeline is welded to the refrigerator's return air pipe, and the outlet pipeline is threaded through one of the fixing slots of the inter-pipe fixators.
10. The evaporator according to
the inter-pipe fixators are positioned in an area of 45-55 mm before and after the diameter change point between the first pipeline and the second pipeline; and/or
the inter-pipe fixators are positioned in an area of 45-55 mm before and after the diameter change point between the second pipeline and the inlet pipeline.
11. A refrigerator equipped with the evaporator as described in
12. The refrigerator according to
an inner liner defining a storage compartment; and
fixing clamps, consisting of a body part and a clamping part, the inner liner is equipped with an installation port into which the body part is inserted, positioning the clamping part inside the inner liner; the clamping part includes an upper clamping section and a lower clamping section formed by bending forward from the upper end and the lower end of the front side of the body part separately, the upper clamping section bends upwards, and the lower clamping section bends downwards, there is a gap between the front ends of the upper clamping section and the lower clamping section, thus the gap can define a space between the front ends to accommodate the pipelines of the evaporator, and the inner side of the upper clamping section and/or the lower clamping section is equipped with flexible component.