Abstract:
A method for recovering and using energy from a fluid exiting an outlet of a compressor in an air conditioning system, the method including: disposing an ejector between a compressor and a condenser of an air conditioning system, the ejector including a first inlet for receiving a working fluid and a second inlet for receiving an ejection fluid; connecting the first inlet of the ejector to an outlet of the compressor; connecting an outlet of the ejector to an inlet of the condenser; and connecting the second inlet of the ejector to an evaporator of the air conditioning system.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of International Patent Application No. PCT/CN2012/073168 with an international filing date of Mar. 28, 2012, designating the United States, now pending, and further claims priority benefits to Chinese Patent Application No. 201210048140.7 filed Feb. 28, 2012. The contents of all of the aforementioned applications, including any intervening amendments thereto, are incorporated herein by reference. Inquiries from the public to applicants or assignees concerning this document or the related applications should be directed to: Matthias Scholl P.C., Attn.: Dr. Matthias Scholl Esq., 245 First Street, 18th Floor, Cambridge, Mass. 02142. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The invention relates to the field of refrigeration and heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), and more particularly to an air conditioning system and a method for recovering and using a fluid from an outlet of a compressor thereof. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Air conditioning system primarily includes a throttle valve, an evaporator, a condenser, and a compressor. The compressor, the condenser, the throttle valve, and the evaporator are connected in series. As a main energy-consuming component of the air conditioning, the compressor consumes the electric energy and converts the electric energy into pressure, so that a fluid medium in the evaporator is transformed from a liquid state into a gas state, and heat energy is absorbed. The fluid medium is pressurized by the compressor and therefore is at high pressure and high temperature when it leaves the compressor. The fluid medium is cooled by the condenser and is transformed from a gas state into a liquid state whereby releasing the heat energy. Different means and devices have been utilized to recover the heat released by the condenser but rarely have provided satisfactory results. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    In view of the above-described problems, it is one objective of the invention to provide a method for recovering and using energy from a fluid exiting an outlet of a compressor of an air conditioning system. 
         [0007]    It is another objective of the invention to provide an air conditioning system. 
         [0008]    The method and the system are capable of effectively recovering energy from a fluid exiting an outlet of the compressor and fully utilizing the recovered energy without additional energy consumption. 
         [0009]    The energy consumption of the compressor of the air conditioning is largely decreased or the cooling (heating) capacity of the compressor is largely improved without increasing the power consumption. 
         [0010]    To achieve the above objective, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, there is provided a method for recovering and using energy from a fluid exiting an outlet of a compressor of an air conditioning system, the method comprising: disposing an ejector between a compressor and a condenser of an air conditioning system, the ejector comprising a first inlet for receiving a working fluid and a second inlet for receiving an ejection fluid; connecting the first inlet of the ejector to an outlet of the compressor; connecting an outlet of the ejector to an inlet of the condenser; and connecting the second inlet of the ejector to an evaporator of the air conditioning system. 
         [0011]    In certain embodiments of the invention, a working fluid passes through the ejector where it is mixed with an ejection fluid from the evaporator to form a mixed fluid, and the mixed fluid then enters the condenser. The mixed fluid has a much lower temperature and requires a much smaller cooling load. The mixed fluid is cooled by the condenser and passes through a throttle valve to return to the evaporator, thereby forming a reciprocating cycle. In the above process, the pressure energy from the outlet of the compressor is converted into the speed energy, so that the ejection fluid is sucked by the ejector. Similarly, the fluid medium is extracted out of the evaporator by the compressor, and therefore a negative pressure is produced in the evaporator, the fluid medium is transformed from a liquid state into a gas state, and the heat energy is absorbed. Thus, the load carrying capacity of the compressor is largely improved without increasing the electricity consumption, or the electricity consumption of the compressor is largely decreased under a constant load. 
         [0012]    In a class of this embodiment, the outlet of the compressor is connected in parallel to a plurality of ejectors. 
         [0013]    In a class of this embodiment, the outlet of the compressor is connected in series to a plurality of ejectors. 
         [0014]    In a class of this embodiment, the outlet of the compressor is connected to the ejectors in a mixed connection type; and the mixed connection type comprises a serial connection and a parallel connection. 
         [0015]    In a class of this embodiment, the second inlet of the ejector for receiving the ejection fluid is connected to one or more evaporators. 
         [0016]    In a class of this embodiment, the outlet of the ejector is provided with a four-way valve, and the four-way valve is connected to the condenser and the evaporator. 
         [0017]    In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, there is provided an air conditioning system. The air conditioning system comprises: a compressor, the compressor comprising an outlet; an ejector, the ejector comprising: a first inlet for receiving a working fluid, a second inlet for receiving an ejection fluid, and an outlet; a condenser, the condenser comprising an inlet, and an outlet; and an evaporator, the evaporator comprising an inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet. The ejector is disposed between the compressor and the condenser. The outlet of the compressor is connected to the first inlet of the ejector for receiving the working fluid. The outlet of the ejector is connected to the inlet of the condenser. The outlet of the condenser is connected to an inlet of the evaporator. The first outlet of the evaporator is connected to the second inlet of the ejector for receiving the ejection fluid and the second outlet of the evaporator is connected to the compressor. 
         [0018]    Advantages according to embodiments of the invention are summarized as follows: the efficiency of the air conditioning system of the invention is increased by above 30%. Under the same electricity consumption, the heating or cooling capacity of the air conditioning system is largely improved. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    The invention is described hereinbelow with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0020]      FIG. 1  is a structure diagram of an air conditioning system in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  is a structure diagram of an ejector in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  is a structure diagram of an air conditioning system in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
       [0023]    In the drawings, the following reference numbers are used:  1 . Compressor;  2 . Ejector;  3 . Condenser;  4 . Gas-water separator;  5 . First throttle valve;  5 ′. Second throttle valve;  6 . First evaporator; and  6 ′. Second evaporator. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0024]    For further illustrating the invention, experiments detailing an air conditioning system and a method for recovering and using energy from an outlet of a compressor thereof are described below. It should be noted that the following examples are intended to describe and not to limit the invention. 
         [0025]    It should be noted that “upper” and “lower” positions in the following description indicate an upper direction and lower direction in the drawings, respectively; and “inner” or “outer” position indicates a direction facing towards or away from the drawings or a geometric center of a specific component in the drawings. 
       EXAMPLE 1 
       [0026]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , an ejector  2  comprises: an ejecting section α, a mixing section β, and a diffusing pressurizing section γ. A left side showing in  FIG. 2  is an inlet b of the ejector functioning as an inlet end of a working fluid, a right side showing in  FIG. 2  is an outlet c of the ejector functioning as an outlet end of a mixed fluid, and a lower side is an ejection fluid inlet n of the ejector functioning as an inlet end b of an ejection fluid. As shown in  FIG. 1 , an outlet a of the compressor  1  is connected to the inlet b of the ejector  2  to enable a high pressure high temperature fluid medium flowing out of the outlet a of the compressor  1  to enter the inlet b of the ejector  2  and become the working fluid of the ejector. The outlet c of the ejector  2  is connected to an inlet d of the condenser  3  of the air conditioning system so that the working fluid and an ejection fluid after mixing, diffusing, and pressurizing enter the condenser  3  via the inlet d thereof. An outlet e of the condenser  3  is connected to an inlet f of a gas-liquid separator  4  of the air conditioning system, the fluid medium after filtration flows out of an outlet g of the gas-liquid separator and enters an inlet h of a throttle valve of the air conditioning system. The fluid medium after throttling flows from an outlet i of the throttle valve  5  and enters the evaporator  6  of the air conditioning system. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the fluid medium enters the evaporator  6  via an inlet j thereof, flows out the evaporator via a first outlet k and a second outlet  1  thereof after vaporization and heat absorption in the evaporator, and thereafter enters the compressor via an inlet m and the ejector via the ejection fluid inlet n. Thus, a reciprocating cycle is formed. 
         [0027]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the air conditioning system is formed by the compressor, the ejector, the condenser, the gas-liquid separator, the throttle valve, and the evaporator. Working process of the air conditioning system is as follows: the high temperature high pressure fluid medium functioning as the working fluid flows out of the outlet of the compressor, passes through the ejector where the fluid medium is mixed with the ejection fluid from the evaporator, and enters the condenser. A mixed fluid has a much lower temperature and requires a much smaller cooling load. The mixed fluid is cooled by the condenser, passes through the throttle valve, and returns to the evaporator, thereby forming a reciprocating cycle. In this process, the pressure at the outlet of the compressor is converted into the speed energy, so that the ejection fluid is sucked under the work of the ejector, the function of which is the same as that the fluid medium is extracted by the evaporator. Thus, a negative pressure is produced in the evaporator, and the fluid medium is converted from the liquid state into the gas state, and the heat energy is absorbed. In the above process, the pressure energy from the outlet of the compressor is converted into the speed energy, so that the ejection fluid is sucked by the ejector. Similarly, the fluid medium is extracted out of the evaporator by the compressor, and therefore a negative pressure is produced in the evaporator, the fluid medium is transformed from a liquid state into a gas state, and heat energy is absorbed. Thus, the load carrying capacity of the compressor is largely improved in the absence of increasing the electricity consumption, or the electricity consumption of the compressor is largely decreased under a constant load. 
       EXAMPLE 2 
       [0028]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , an outlet a of the compressor in  FIG. 1  is connected to an inlet b of an ejector  2 , a structure of which is shown in  FIG. 2 , to enable a high pressure high temperature fluid medium at the outlet a of the compressor to become a working fluid of the ejector and to enter the ejector via the inlet b thereof. An outlet c of the ejector  2  is connected to an inlet d of the condenser  3  of the air conditioning system, the working fluid and an ejection fluid are mixed, diffused, and pressurized in the ejector  2 , and a mixed fluid enters the condenser  3  via the inlet d thereof. An outlet e of the condenser  3  is connected to an inlet f of a gas-liquid separator  4  of the air conditioning system. The fluid medium after filtration flows out of an outlet g of the gas-liquid separator  4  and enters a first throttle valve  5  and a second throttle valve  5 ′ via an inlet h and an inlet h′, respectively. One path of the fluid medium after throttling flows out of an outlet i of the first throttle valve  5  and enters an inlet j of a first evaporator  6 , while the other path of the fluid medium after throttling flows out of an outlet i′ of the second throttle valve  5 ′ and enters an inlet j′ of a second evaporator  6 ′. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the two paths of fluid medium after vaporization and heat absorption flow out of the first evaporator  6  and the second evaporator  6 ′ via an outlet k and an outlet k′, respectively, and simultaneously enter the compressor  1  via the inlet m thereof and the ejector  2  via the ejector inlet n, respectively. Thus, a reciprocating cycle is formed. 
         [0029]    The air conditioning system is further provided with a four-way valve at the outlet of the ejector. The four-way valve communicates with the condenser and the evaporator, respectively (not shown in the figures), so that the outlet of the ejector communicates with the evaporator (in the heating condition, the evaporator functions as a condenser) to exchange functions of the condenser and the evaporator, thereby realizing the heating. 
         [0030]    The air conditioning system of the invention largely increases the load carrying capacity of the compressor in the absence of increasing the electricity consumption, or largely decreases the electricity consumption of the compressor decreased under a constant load. 
         [0031]    For simplicity, those falling in the prior art are omitted in the specification. 
         [0032]    While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects, and therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.