Patent Publication Number: US-2010115980-A1

Title: Connection pipe and refrigerant flowing system comprising the same

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The embodiment relates to an air conditioner, and more particularly, to a connection pipe that connects refrigerant pipes through which refrigerant is flowed and a refrigerant flowing system comprising the same. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In general, an air conditioner is an electric home appliance that keeps the room cool or heat. The air conditioner as above includes an outdoor unit and an indoor unit, and keeps the room cool or heat as refrigerant circulating the outdoor unit and the indoor unit performs a heat-exchange with outdoor air and indoor air. Refrigerant pipes are provided for circulating the refrigerant. A connection pipe is also provided for connecting the ends of the refrigerant pipes adjacent to each other. One ends of the refrigerant pipes adjacent to each other are inserted into both ends of the connection pipe, respectively. 
     However, when any one of the refrigerant pipes connected to the connection pipe is formed in a curved line shape such as U shape in the related art, liquid-phase refrigerant of refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe is flowed along the inner circumferential surface of the refrigerant pipe. Therefore, a problem may arise in that the refrigerant flowing inside the refrigerant pipe cannot be evenly flowed inside the refrigerant pipe according to the phase. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The embodiment relates to a connection pipe. In the embodiment, a flow cross-sectional area of a portion of channels provided inside the connection pipe that connects two refrigerant pipes is reduced so that liquid-phase refrigerant and gas-phase refrigerant flowing through the channels are mixed. Therefore, the embodiment has an advantage in that the refrigerant flowing through the inside of the refrigerant can be flowed evenly irrespective of the phase. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a longitudinal sectional view showing the first embodiment of the connection pipe according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state where the refrigerant pipes are connected by the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a longitudinal sectional view showing the second embodiment of the connection pipe according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
     In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown byway of illustration specific preferred embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that logical structural, mechanical, electrical, and chemical changes maybe made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. To avoid detail not necessary to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the description may omit certain information known to those skilled in the art. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims. 
     Hereinafter, the constitution of a first embodiment of a connection pipe according to the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a longitudinal sectional view showing the first embodiment of the connection pipe according to the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the connection pipe  100  serves to connect first and second refrigerant pipes  10  and  20  (see  FIG. 2 ) adjacent to each other. The connection pipe  100  includes a connection pipe main body  110  and a plurality of channels  120 . The connection pipe main body  110  includes first and second coupling parts  111  and  113  and a mixing part  115 , and the channel  120  includes inlet and outlet channels  121  and  123  and a mixing channel  125 . 
     More specifically, the first and second coupling parts  111  and  113  are provided at both ends of the connection pipe main body  110 , respectively, as shown in the drawing. The first and second coupling parts  111  and  113  are places where the first and second refrigerant pipes  10  and  20  are coupled. At this time, the outer diameter and the inner diameter of the first and second coupling parts  111  and  113  are determined to have the same value. 
     The mixing part  115  is provided in the central portion of the connection pipe main body  10  corresponding to between the first and second coupling parts  111  and  113 , as shown in the drawing. The mixing part  115  is to mix refrigerant that is received from the first refrigerant pipe  10  coupled to the first coupling part  111  to be transferred to the second refrigerant pipe  20  coupled to the second coupling part  113 . More specifically, the mixing part  115  mixes the liquid-phase or gas-phase refrigerant transferred from the first refrigerant pipe  10  to transfer it into the second refrigerant pipe  20 . At least the inner diameter of the mixing part  115  is determined to have a relatively smaller value compared to the inner diameter of the first and second coupling parts  111  and  113 . And, in the embodiment, although the outer diameter of the mixing part  115  is determined to have the same value of the outer diameter of the first and second coupling parts  113  and  113 , it is not always limited thereto. 
     The inlet and outlet channels  121  and  123  and the mixing channel  125  are provided inside the first and second coupling parts  111  and  113  and the mixing part  115 , respectively. In other words, the inlet channel  121  is provided inside the first coupling part ill, the outlet channel  123  is provided inside the second coupling part  113 , and the mixing channel  125  is provided inside the mixing part  115 . Therefore, the inlet and output channels  121  and  123  are substantially communicated with each other by the mixing channel  125 . 
     More specifically, the refrigerant transferred from the first refrigerant pipe  10  is flowed inside the inlet channel  121 . The refrigerant transferred to the second refrigerant pipe  20  is flowed inside the outlet channel  123 . The refrigerant transferred from the first refrigerant pipe  10  to be flowed through the inlet channel  121  and is flowed through the outlet channel  123  to be transferred to the second refrigerant pipe  20  is flowed inside the mixing channel  125 . In other words, the refrigerant transferred from the first refrigerant pipe  10  is transferred to the second refrigerant pipe  20  by being flowed through the inlet channel  121 , the mixing channel  125 , and the outlet channel  123 . 
     Meanwhile, the mixing channel  125  has a relatively smaller flow cross-sectional area. This is to mix the liquid-phase and gas-phase refrigerant of the refrigerant flowed through the inlet channel  121  and to allow it to be flowed through the outlet channel  123 . More specifically, the liquid-phase refrigerant has a relatively larger specific gravity compared to the gas-phase refrigerant. Therefore, for example, when the liquid-phase and the gas-phase refrigerant flowed into the inlet channel  21  is flowed having the trace of a curved line rather than a straight line such as the case where the first refrigerant pipe  10  coupled to the first coupling part  111  is formed in J shape, the liquid-phase refrigerant is mainly flowed on one side of the inlet channel  121  adjacent to the inner circumferential surface of the first coupling part  111  by the centrifugal force and the gas-phase refrigerant is flowed on other portions of the inlet channel  121 . And, the flow direction of the liquid-phase and gas-phase refrigerant flowed through the inlet channel  121 , while being partitioned from each other, is changed, while being flowed through the mixing channel  125  of the relatively smaller flow cross-sectional area, thereby being mixed. 
     The relative reduction in the flow cross-sectional area of the mixing channel  125  as described above is made by a flow interfering part  130  positioned inside the mixing part  115 , that is, on the mixing channel  125 . The flow interfering part  130  is radially extended from the inner circumferential surface of the mixing part  115 . Therefore, the mixing channel  125  may be considered to be formed as the diameter of the boundary portions between the inlet and outlet channels  121  and  123  is relatively reduced compared to that of other portions of the inlet and outlet channels  121  and  123  by the flow interfering part  130 . 
     Meanwhile, the connection pipe  100  may be considered to be symmetrical in the orthogonal direction to the direction that the refrigerant is substantially flowed. In other words, with the connection  100 , the first and second coupling parts  111  and  113  are symmetrical with each other in the orthogonal direction to the direction the refrigerant is flowed based on the mixing part  115 . Therefore, the inlet and outlet channels  121  and  123  may also be symmetrical in the orthogonal direction to the direction that the refrigerant is flowed based on the mixing channel  125 . This is for the connection pipe  100  to connect the first and second refrigerant pipes  10  and  20 , irrespective of the direction thereof. Therefore, a worker can connect the first and second refrigerant pipes  10  and  20  to the connection pipe  100 , irrespective of the direction of the connection pipe  100 . 
     Hereinafter, the application of the first embodiment of the connection pipe according to the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       FIG. 2  is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state where the refrigerant pipes are connected by the first embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the first and second refrigerant pipes  10  and  20  are connected by the connection pipe  100 . At this time, the first and second channels  11  and  21  are provided inside the first and second refrigerant pipes  10  and  20 , respectively. In the embodiment, the first refrigerant pipe  10  is formed in J shape and the second refrigerant pipe  20  is formed in Y shape to distribute the refrigerant in two directions. And, one ends of the first and second refrigerant pipes  10  and  20  are coupled to the first and second coupling parts  111  and  113  of the connection pipe  100 , respectively. 
     Meanwhile, in a state where the first and second refrigerant pipes  10  and  20  are coupled to the first and second coupling parts  111  and  113 , respectively, the first and second channels  11  and  21  are connected to the inlet and outlet channels  121  and  123 , respectively. Therefore, the first and second channels  11  and  21  are substantially communicated with each other by the inlet and outlet channels  121  and  123  and the mixing channel  125  that communicates the inlet and outlet channels  121  and  123 . 
     The refrigerant flowed through the first channel  11  is transferred to the inlet channel  121 . At this time, the refrigerant transferred to the inlet channel  121  includes liquid-phase refrigerant (indicated in dotted lines on the drawing) and gas-phase refrigerant (indicated in dotted lines on the drawing). Also, owing to the difference in centrifugal force according to the difference in a specific gravity between the liquid-phase refrigerant and gas-phase refrigerant, the liquid-phase refrigerant will be mainly flowed through a portion of the first channel  11  adjacent to the inner circumferential surface of the first refrigerant pipe  10  to be transferred to the inlet channel  121 , and the gas-phase refrigerant will be flowed through other portions of the first channel  11  to be transferred to the inlet channel  121 . Also, the liquid-phase refrigerant of the refrigerant transferred to the inlet channel  121  will be flowed along a portion of the inlet channel  121  adjacent to the inner circumferential surface of the first coupling part  111 , and the gas-phase refrigerant will be flowed through other portions of the inlet channel  121 . 
     Meanwhile, the liquid-phase and gas-phase refrigerant flowed through the inlet channel  121  is transferred to the mixing channel  125 . And, the liquid-phase and gas-phase refrigerant transferred to the mixing channel  125  is flowed through the mixing channel  125  to be transferred to the outlet channel  123 . However, the flow cross-sectional area of the mixing channel  125  is relatively reduced compared to the inlet channel  121 , as described above. Therefore, the liquid-phase and gas-phase refrigerant is transferred to the outlet channel  123  in a mixed state, while being flowed through the mixing channel  125 . 
     More specifically, the flow of the liquid-phase and gas-phase refrigerant flowed through the inlet channel  121  to be transferred to the mixing channel  125  is interfered by the flow interfering part  130 . Therefore, the liquid-phase refrigerant flowed through a portion of the inlet channel  121  adjacent to the inner circumferential surface of the first coupling part  111  and the gas-phase refrigerant flowed through other portions of the inlet channel  121  may be mixed with each other. 
     And, the liquid-phase and gas-phase refrigerant mixed, while being flowed through the mixing channel  125 , is flowed through the outlet channel  123  to be transferred to the second channel  21 . Therefore, while the refrigerant is branched by the second refrigerant pipe  20 , a phenomenon that the liquid-phase or gas-phase refrigerant is concentrated in any one direction is prevented. 
     Hereinafter, the constitution of a second embodiment of a connection pipe according to the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       FIG. 3  is a longitudinal sectional view showing the second embodiment of the connection pipe according to the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the connection pipe  200  according to the embodiment includes first and second coupling parts  211  and  213  and a mixing part  215 . Inlet and output channels  221  and  223  and a mixing channel  225  are provided inside the connection pipe  200 , and a flow interfering part  230  is provided on the mixing channel  225 . The constitution of the embodiment as described above is the same as the aforementioned first embodiment. 
     Guide surfaces  231  are provided at upper and lower surfaces of the flow interfering part  230  that the upstream side of the inlet channel  221  and the downstream side of the outlet channel  223  face each other on the drawing. The guide surfaces  231  are to prevent swirling phenomenon from being generated by the edges between the inner circumferential surface of the first coupling part corresponding to the upstream of the inlet channel  221  and one surface of the flow interfering part  230 , while the liquid-phase and gas-phase refrigerant is transferred to the mixing channel  225 . 
     Although the present invention has been described in detail reference to its presently preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and equivalents can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, as set forth in the appended claims. 
     In the embodiment as described above, the constituent forming the mixing channel is named as the flow interfering part but the name thereof is not limited to the flow interfering part. In other words, so far as the inlet direction of the refrigerant flowed into the inlet channel can be substantially changed, if the flow interfering part is named as other name, that is, a direction changing part, it would be substantially the same constituent. 
     In the connection pipe and the refrigerant flowing system comprising the same according to the present invention constituted as described above, the liquid-phase and gas-phase refrigerant is evenly mixed, passing through the connection pipe connecting the refrigerant pipes adjacent to each other. Therefore, the phenomenon that the refrigerant is locally concentrated on one side of the inside of the refrigerants according to the phase can be prevented.