JP3133477B2 - Refrigeration equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a refrigeration system having a return pipe for returning oil separated by an oil separator to a compressor, and more particularly to an improvement in a valve provided in the return pipe for adjusting the amount of oil returned. About.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A compressor, an oil separator for separating oil in a refrigerant discharged from the compressor, and a return pipe for returning the oil separated by the oil separator to the compressor are provided. The applicant has proposed Japanese Patent Application No. 2-307923 as a refrigerating apparatus provided with a valve for adjusting a return amount of oil in a pipe.

The valves used in this proposal generally include an inlet pipe 51 and an outlet pipe 53, as shown in FIG.
And a suction element 56, a coil 57 and a coil holder 59 provided at the upper end of the housing 55. When the plunger 61 is slidably provided in the housing 55 and the coil 57 is energized to attract the plunger 61 upward by the suction element 56 against the spring force of the spring 63, the inlet pipe 51 When the power is released from the outlet pipe 53, the plunger 61 is urged by the spring 63, and the ball 65 at the tip of the plunger 61 closes the passage 52 connecting the pipes 51 and 53.

Further, since the valve having the above-described structure is provided in the oil return pipe, the oil flows through the inlet pipe 51 and the outlet pipe 53 while being mixed with a refrigerant such as Freon 22.

[0005]

However, in the prior art, since the oil separator is located at a higher position than the valve, when the operation of the compressor is stopped for a long time, the oil separator is disconnected from the oil separator. Oil from the housing 55 through the inlet pipe 51
Flows into the space 67 of the spring 63 through a slight gap 66 between the inner wall of the plunger 61 and the plunger 61, and stays there. There is a problem that becomes worse. During operation, as described above, Freon 2
Since the oil flows along with the refrigerant such as the second refrigerant, the viscosity of the oil decreases, so that even if the oil flows into the space 67, the movement of the plunger 61 is not hindered.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art and to provide a refrigerating apparatus in which the movement of a valve for adjusting the return amount of oil is not hindered in any case. It is in.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a compressor, an oil separator for separating oil in a refrigerant discharged from the compressor, and an oil separator for separating the oil from the refrigerant. And a return pipe for returning the recovered oil to the compressor, wherein the return pipe is provided with a valve for adjusting the return amount of the oil, wherein the valve is disposed at a higher position than the oil separator. Things.

[0008]

According to the present invention, even if the outdoor unit is stopped for a long period of time, and thus the oil from the oil separator flows out from a high place to a low place, the valve according to the present invention provides the oil separator. The lubricating oil does not reach the position of the valve and does not penetrate into it, so that the movement of the plunger is not hindered by the oil.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0010] In FIG. 1, ₁ 1, 1 ₂ represents an outdoor unit, 3 denotes an indoor unit. The outdoor unit 1 _1, the accumulator 10 _1, a compressor 11 _1,
Oil separator 12 ₁ , four-way valve 13 ₁ , outdoor heat exchanger 14
_1, the outdoor electric expansion valve 15 _1, and a refrigerant regulator 16 _1.

[0011] The outdoor unit 1 ₂ is the same as the outdoor unit 1 _1, the description thereof is omitted. The indoor unit 3 includes an indoor heat exchanger 34 and an indoor electric expansion valve 35 (hereinafter, referred to as “indoor mechanical valve 35”). From this indoor unit 3, extend the inter-unit pipe comprising a gas pipe 5 and the liquid pipe 7, this unit pipes, the outdoor unit 1 _1, 1 ₂ are connected in parallel.

The oil separator 12 ₁ separates the lubricating oil in the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 11 ₁ , and the separated lubricating oil is passed through the return pipes 21 ₁ and 22 ₁ to the compressor 11 _1. Is returned to. Off valve in the return pipe 21 ₁ 23 _1, 2
5 ₁ is provided. The return pipe 21 ₁ and the suction pipe of the compressor 11 ₁ is connected by conduit 65.

The return pipes 21 ₁ , 21 ₂ of the outdoor units 1 ₁ , 12
21 ₂ are connected by a balance tube 51. The balance pipe 51, through the auxiliary pipe 53 _1, the four-way valve 1
3 connected between the ₁ and the check valve 18 _1, to the auxiliary pipe 53 _1, closing valve 55 ₁ is provided.

[0014] refrigerant regulator 16 ₁ is connected to the balance pipe 51 through the auxiliary pipe 57 _1, closing valve 59 ₁ is provided in the auxiliary pipe 57 _1. Off valve 60 ₁ is provided in the refrigerant regulator 16 ₁ of the liquid pipe 7. The on-off valve 60 ₁ is an electromagnetic valve having a unidirectional, it is impossible to stop the flow from the left to right in the drawing.

[0015] Thus, according to this embodiment is characterized in the return pipe 21 open-close valve 23 ₁ provided on the _1, 25 ₁ of the installation position of the lubricating oil, with reference to FIG. 2, at least on-off valve 23 ₁ , 25 ₁ are located higher than the oil separator 12 ₁ .

The construction of these on-off valves 23 ₁ and 25 ₁ is exactly the same as that of the conventional one, and as shown in FIG. 3, a housing 55 having an inlet pipe 51 and an outlet pipe 53.
And a suction element 5 provided at the upper end of the housing 55.
6, a coil 57 and a coil holder 59 are provided. When the plunger 61 is slidably provided in the housing 55 and the coil 57 is energized to attract the plunger 61 upward by the suction element 56 against the spring force of the spring 63, the inlet pipe 51 When the outlet pipe 53 communicates and the power is released, the plunger 61 is urged by the spring 63, and the ball 65 at the tip of the plunger 61 closes the passage 52.

Next, the operation will be described.

When the four-way valves 13 ₁ and 13 ₂ are switched as shown in FIG. 1, the refrigerant flows in the direction shown by the arrow in FIG. In this case, the outdoor unit 1 _1, 1 ₂ are both operated, the outdoor electric expansion valve 15 _1, 15 _2, and the indoor mechanical valve 35 is opening control according to the load. The outdoor heat exchangers 14 ₁ and 14 ₂ function as evaporators, and the indoor heat exchanger 3
4 acts as a condenser. That is, warm air is sent from the indoor heat exchanger 34, and the heating operation is performed.

When the four-way valves 13 ₁ and 13 ₂ are switched in the opposite direction as shown, the refrigerant flows in the direction opposite to the arrow in FIG. In this case, the outdoor units 1 ₁ and 1 ₂ are both operated, and the outdoor electric expansion valves 15 ₁ and 15 ₂ are almost fully opened.
The opening degree of the indoor mechanical valve 35 is adjusted according to the load. The outdoor heat exchangers 14 ₁ and 14 ₂ operate as condensers, and the indoor heat exchanger 34 operates as an evaporator. That is, cool air is sent from the indoor heat exchanger 34, and the cooling operation is performed.

By the way, during the operation of the outdoor units 1 ₁ , 1 ₂ , the oil separated by the oil separators 12 ₁ , 12 ₂ is returned to the return pipes 21 ₁ , _{1 2} connected to the lower part of the oil separators 12 ₁ , 12 ₂ . 21 _2, and the oil separator 12 _1, 12 ₂ of the return pipe 22 ₁ which is connected to the upper, 22 ₂ through compressor 1
Back to 1 _1, 11 _2. Then, return pipes 21 ₁ and 2
1 to _2, on-off valve 23 ₁ as described above, 25 _1, 2
3 _2, since 25 ₂ are provided, the return pipe 21 _1, 21 ₂
Through the on-off valves 23 ₁ , 25 ₁ , 2
It will return after passing through 3 ₂ and 25 ₂ .

If the oil is returned during operation, the returned oil is mixed with the refrigerant such as Freon 22 and returned, so that the oil has a low viscosity and the space 67 of the on-off valves 23 ₁ , 25 ₁ , 23 ₂ , and 25 ₂ .
The movement of the plunger 61 is not hindered even if oil flows into the inside.

However, in a multi-type air conditioner, there is a case where a neighboring outdoor unit is stopped while a certain outdoor unit is operated. Conventionally, when the outdoor unit is stopped for a long time,
Oil from the oil separator 12 _1, 12 ₂ flows out under the action of flowing at low from a height, with reference to FIG. 3, the on-off valve 23 _1,
25 ₁ , 23 ₂ , and 25 ₂ flow into the space 67 of the spring 63 through the inlet 51, and stay there, so that
When the coil 57 is energized, the movement of the plunger 61 may deteriorate due to the viscosity of the oil.

Thus, according to this embodiment, referring to FIG. 2, since the on-off valves 23 ₁ , 25 ₁ , 23 ₂ , and 25 ₂ are arranged at a higher position than the oil separator, the outdoor unit Lubricating oil does not reach the position of the on-off valve during
There is no return of the lubricating oil, so that high-viscosity oil does not flow into the space 67 of the on-off valves 23 ₁ , 25 ₁ , 23 ₂ , 25 ₂ , and the movement of the plunger 61 is always smooth.

Although the present invention has been described based on one embodiment, it is apparent that the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the on-off valves 23 ₁ , 25 ₁ , 23 ₂ ,
In valves other than 25 _2, the valve 55 _first oil is provided in the line for circulating (balance tube 51), 55 _2, 59 _1, 59 ₂
If so, it is desirable to place it at a high place.

[0025]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, since the valve is disposed at a higher position than the oil separator, even when the outdoor unit is stopped for a long time,
Oil does not penetrate into the valve, and the movement of the plunger does not deteriorate due to the viscosity of the oil.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a refrigerant circuit diagram showing one embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view showing the arrangement of valves.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a structure of a valve.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 _1, 1 ₂ the outdoor unit 3 indoor unit 10 _1, 10 ₂ accumulator 11 _1, 11 ₂ compressor 12 _1, 12 ₂ oil separator 21 _1, 21 ₂ return pipe 23 _1, 25 _1, 23 _2, 25 ₂ valve

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A compressor, an oil separator for separating oil in the refrigerant discharged from the compressor, and a return pipe for returning the oil separated by the oil separator to the compressor. A refrigeration system in which a valve for adjusting the amount of oil returned is disposed in a return pipe, wherein the valve is disposed higher than the oil separator.