Ejector and refrigeration cycle apparatus having ejector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018120004-A1
Application number	US-201715447585-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 2, 2017
Priority date	Oct 27, 2016
Publication date	May 3, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

An ejector and a refrigeration cycle apparatus having an ejector are provided. The ejector may include an ejector body having an accommodation space therein, a suction portion through which a high pressure refrigerant and a low pressure refrigerant may be suctioned into the accommodation space, and a mixing portion configured to mix the high pressure refrigerant with the low pressure refrigerant; a nozzle provided in the ejector body, having a nozzle neck and an expansion portion, and configured to inject the high pressure refrigerant into the mixing portion; a first needle moveably provided at the expansion portion, and configured to control a flow sectional area of the expansion portion; a second needle moveably provided at the nozzle neck, and configured to control a flow sectional area of the nozzle neck; a first needle drive configured to drive the first needle; and a second needle drive configured to drive the second needle. With such a configuration, the flow sectional area of the nozzle neck and the flow sectional area of the expansion portion may be independently controlled in correspondence to a drive condition.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An ejector, comprising:
an ejector body having an accommodation space therein, a suction portion through which a high pressure refrigerant and a low pressure refrigerant are suctioned into the accommodation space, and a mixing portion configured to mix the high pressure refrigerant with the low pressure refrigerant; a nozzle provided in the ejector body, having a nozzle neck and an expansion portion, and configured to inject the high pressure refrigerant into the mixing portion; a first needle moveably provided at the expansion portion, and configured to control a flow sectional area of the expansion portion; a second needle moveably provided at the nozzle neck, and configured to control a flow sectional area of the nozzle neck; a first needle drive configured to drive the first needle; and a second needle drive configured to drive the second needle.

2 . The ejector of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second needles is provided with a tapered portion, an outer width of which decreases gradually.

3 . The ejector of claim 1 , wherein the first needle is penetratingly-coupled to the second needle so as to be relatively moveable with respect to the second needle.

4 . The ejector of claim 1 , wherein the first needle is penetratingly-coupled to the second needle by screws.

5 . The ejector of claim 4 , wherein the first needle drive includes piezoelectric devices.

6 . The ejector of claim 5 , wherein the second needle drive includes:
a rotor provided at the second needle; and a stator provided around the rotor.

7 . The ejector of claim 6 , wherein the rotor is provided with a permanent magnet inserted into a surface of the second needle.

8 . The ejector of claim 6 , wherein a male screw portion is formed on an outer surface of the first needle, wherein a female screw portion is formed on an inner surface of the second needle, and wherein a support, rotatable and slidable on an outer surface of the first needle, is formed at one side of the female screw portion.

9 . The ejector of claim 8 , wherein the female screw portion and the support are spaced from each other, and wherein a cut-out, spaced from a surface of the first needle, is formed between the female screw portion and the support.

10 . The ejector of claim 1 , wherein the second needle drive includes with piezoelectric devices.

11 . The ejector of claim 1 , wherein the first needle drive includes:
a lead screw spaced from the first needle; a connection member configured to connect the lead screw and the first needle with each other; and a lead screw drive configured to drive the lead screw.

12 . The ejector of claim 11 , wherein a first end of the connection member is connected to the first needle so as to be relatively moveable with respect to the first needle, and a female screw portion screw-coupled to the lead screw is provided at a second end of the connection member.

13 . The ejector of claim 11 , wherein the lead screw drive includes an electric motor.

14 . A refrigeration cycle apparatus having an ejector, comprising:
a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant; a high pressure side heat exchanger connected to the compressor, and configured to cool the compressed refrigerant; a gas-liquid separator connected to the compressor, and configured to separate the refrigerant therein into a gas phase and a liquid phase; an evaporator connected to the gas-liquid separator, and configured to evaporate the refrigerant; and the ejector of claim 1 , the ejector having a first side connected to the high pressure side heat exchanger and having a second side connected to the evaporator.

15 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus of claim 14 , further including a throttle valve provided between the evaporator and the gas-liquid separator, and configured to control a flow sectional area of a flow path that connects the evaporator with the gas-liquid separator.

16 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus of claim 14 , further including:
a drive mode selector configured to select one of a plurality of drive modes; and a controller configured to control the first and second needle drives, based on a drive mode selected by the drive mode selector.

17 . An ejector, comprising:
an ejector body having an accommodation space therein, a suction portion through which a high pressure refrigerant and a low pressure refrigerant are suctioned into the accommodation space, and a mixing portion configured to mix the high pressure refrigerant with the low pressure refrigerant; a nozzle provided in the ejector body, having a nozzle neck and an expansion portion, and configured to inject the high pressure refrigerant into the mixing portion; and first and second needles moveably provided at the expansion portion and the nozzle neck, respectively, and configured to control a flow sectional area of the expansion portion and the nozzle neck, respectively, wherein the first and second needles are coaxial.

18 . The ejector of claim 17 , further including a needle drive configured to drive the first and second needles.

19 . The ejector of claim 18 , wherein the needle drive includes:
a first needle drive configured to drive the first needle; and a second needle drive configured to drive the second needle.

20 . A refrigeration cycle apparatus having an ejector, comprising:
a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant; a high pressure side heat exchanger connected to the compressor, and configured to cool the compressed refrigerant; a gas-liquid separator connected to the compressor, and configured to separate the refrigerant therein into a gas phase and a liquid phase;
an evaporator connected to the gas-liquid separator, and configured to evaporate the refrigerant; and
the ejector of claim 17 , the ejector having a first side connected to the high pressure side heat exchanger and having a second side connected to the evaporator.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Lee Kangwook
• Yang Dongkeun
• Ryu Choonjae

Classifications

• F25B2600/02

  Compressor control · CPC title

• F25B2400/23

  Separators · CPC title

• F25B41/00 Primary

  Fluid-circulation arrangements · CPC title

• F25B2341/0012

  Ejectors with the cooled primary flow at high pressure · CPC title

• B60H2001/3298

  Ejector-type refrigerant circuits · CPC title