Reservoir for Temporary Storage of Refrigerant in a Refrigerant Circuit

This application claims priority from German Patent Application Number DE 102024117900.7, filed on Jun. 25, 2024, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.

The present invention relates to a reservoir for temporary storage of refrigerant in a refrigerant circuit, and a refrigerant circuit that has such a reservoir.

Reservoirs are used in motor vehicles for temporary storage of refrigerant in a refrigerant circuit, also known to the person skilled in the art as “refrigerant reservoirs.” In addition to temporary storage, these reservoirs are also needed to separate gaseous refrigerant from liquid refrigerant.

Based on this, the object of the present invention is to create new forms of reservoirs for temporary refrigerant storage.

This is achieved with the subject matter of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

The fundamental idea of the invention is to therefore form an integral deflecting element in the housing of such a reservoir for temporary refrigerant storage, with which the refrigerant is deflected immediately upon entering the housing.

The flow of the refrigerant can be deflected in a controlled manner with this deflecting element, resulting in an improved phase separation of the gaseous and fluid phases of the refrigerant. Consequently, when the reservoir is integrated in a refrigerant circuit, substantially only liquid refrigerant is removed from the reservoir, while leaving the gaseous refrigerant therein. Furthermore, the refrigerant in the reservoir is better distributed inside the housing by the deflecting element, making better use of the reservoir's volume. By forming the deflecting element integrally in the housing, i.e. forming the housing and deflecting element as an integral unit, this deflecting element can be produced easily and inexpensively. This has a positive impact on the overall production costs for the reservoir.

In detail, the reservoir obtained with the invention has a housing through which the refrigerant can flow. There is at least one intake on the housing for the refrigerant. The reservoir also has an outlet for the refrigerant.

The reservoir has a deflecting element that is integrally formed in the housing for deflecting refrigerant entering the housing through the intake. The housing and deflecting element therefore form an integral unit made of a single material. The housing and deflecting element can be made of metal, in particular steel or aluminum, or plastic.

The deflecting element in a preferred embodiment of the reservoir has a segment at a distance to the housing that deflects refrigerant striking it. This deflecting segment is connected to the housing with an attachment segment. These two segments can form an integral component. The deflecting segment can deflect the refrigerant in the desired manner through its shape and surface contour as well as its orientation in the housing. Because the orientation and shape of the deflecting element can be determined easily during the production of the reservoir, a variety of deflecting elements can be obtained for specific applications.

In an advantageous design, the reservoir has a circumferential wall. In particular, the housing in this embodiment can form a hollow cylinder. At least one deflecting element is formed as an integral part of the circumferential wall in this embodiment, which protrudes into the housing. This is particularly advantageous when the intake for the refrigerant is also formed in the circumferential wall.

The circumferential wall preferably extends axially as well as circumferentially about the reservoir. Furthermore, the deflecting element in this variation is formed in the housing such that the refrigerant striking it is deflected in both the axial and circumferential directions. This results in better phase separation of the refrigerant.

A segment of the deflecting element can preferably extend along the circumference near the intake. This ensures that the deflecting element only extends in the housing where refrigerant entering through the intake can strike the deflecting element.

In another embodiment, the housing can be made of two parts, one of which forms a container, while the other is a lid that closes the container, or an opening therein. The container comprises a bottom and a circumferential wall, which preferably form an integral unit. The reservoir can ideally be placed such that the force of gravity acts along the axial direction thereof, toward the bottom of the housing. The lid forms the upper surface of the reservoir, while the bottom forms the lower surface thereof. There are a first and second intake in the housing, spaced axially apart from one another along the circumferential wall of the housing that connects the lid and the bottom to one another, radially delimiting the housing toward the exterior. The reservoir also has first and second deflecting elements for the refrigerant entering the housing at the first and second intakes. The first deflecting element is formed as an integral part of the circumferential wall. The second deflecting element in this embodiment is attached to the lid, and preferably formed as an integral part thereof. When the force of gravity is parallel to the axial direction of the reservoir, acting toward the bottom of the housing, the refrigerant can be deflected axially, in particular counter to the force of gravity, thus exploiting gravity to separate the phases of the refrigerant. Consequently, the lighter gaseous phase remains in the upper part of the housing, near the lid. By placing the outlet near the bottom, the gaseous phase remains in the reservoir, while only liquid refrigerant is able to exit the housing.

The lid can be releasably attached to the container with a threaded connection. This makes it easy to attach the lid to the container. It can also be easily removed from the container, if the interior needs to be accessed, i.e. for servicing. The second deflecting element extends along the entire circumference of the inside of the reservoir. This ensures that a deflecting segment of the deflecting element is always near the intake, regardless of the rotational orientation of the lid on the container, such that any refrigerant entering the reservoir is deflected.

In a preferred embodiment, the lid can be permanently attached to the container with a material bond, in particular through welding or with an adhesive, such that it cannot be removed. Because the lid can be positioned on the container such that the deflecting element is near the intake before it is bonded to the container when assembling the reservoir, the deflecting element in this embodiment does not need to extend along the entire circumference, unlike with the variation described in the preceding paragraph. This results in more space for refrigerant in the reservoir.

The deflecting element can preferably be designed and placed in the housing such that refrigerant striking it is deflected along the circumference. When the reservoir is placed such that gravity acts along its axial direction, the phases of the refrigerant can be separated by the centrifugal force acting along the circumference due to the deflection. This centrifugal force causes the heavier liquid phase of the refrigerant to be deflected more strongly toward the radially outer part of the housing interior than the lighter gaseous phase. In this variation, the outlet in the reservoir is at a radial distance to the central axis of the housing, preferably near the outer edge of the bottom of the container, i.e. near the circumferential wall. This ensures that only the liquid refrigerant can exit the housing through the outlet.

In another preferred embodiment, the housing can have at least one cast deflecting element. This simplifies production of the housing with an integral deflecting element, resulting in significant cost benefits in the production of the reservoir.

In another preferred embodiment, at least part of the deflecting element can be curved. In this embodiment, the surface of the deflecting element facing the intake, in particular the deflecting surface, can have a concave shape. When the curvature is oriented correctly in the housing, the desired deflection can be obtained relatively easily.

In an advantageous embodiment, a dehumidifier can be used in the housing to separate water out of the refrigerant, and a filter can be used to remove particles, in particular contaminants. By removing particles and separating out water, it is ensured that they will not damage any components in the refrigerant circuit.

In a preferred embodiment, a liquid-permeable sheath made of a flexible material can encase the dehumidifier, which encompasses an interior space through which the refrigerant can flow. There is a drying agent in this interior space that absorbs humidity in the refrigerant. This efficiently removes any water in the refrigerant.

The invention also relates to a refrigerant system with a refrigerant circuit through which refrigerant circulates. The refrigerant system also contains a device for conveying the refrigerant through the refrigerant circuit. The refrigerant system also contains the reservoir described above, which is in the refrigerant circuit and through which refrigerant flows. The advantages of the reservoir obtained with the invention therefore also apply to the refrigerant obtained with the invention.

Other important features and advantages of the invention can be derived from the dependent claims, the drawings, and the descriptions of the drawings.

It is understood that the features specified above and described below can be used not only in the given combinations, but also in other combinations or in and of themselves, without abandoning the framework of the present invention.

illustrates an example of a reservoirobtained with the invention, cut longitudinally. The reservoirhas a housingthat encompasses an interiorthrough which the refrigerant K can flow. The housingforms a hollow cylinder in this example, which has a circumferential walland a central axis M, along which the axial direction A of the housingextends. The radial direction R is perpendicular to the axial direction A, and extends at a right angle away from the central axis M. The circumferential direction U is perpendicular to the both the axial direction A and the radial direction R, encompassing the central axis M. The circumferential wallextends along the axial direction A as well as along the circumferential direction, and radially delimits the interiorof the housing toward the exterior.

The housingis also made of two parts, comprising a containerand a lidfor closing an openingin the container. The containerhas a bottomand a circumferential wall, which preferably form an integral unit. The lidis releasably attached to the containerwith a threaded connection (not shown), i.e. the lidcan be screwed onto the container. The lidcan have an outer threading, and the containercan have a complementary inner threading for this (not shown).

The reservoiris shown in its operating position in all of the figures, in which the gravity S acts antiparallel to the axial direction A, from top to bottom in the drawing plane. The lidthus forms the upper surfaceof the reservoir, and the bottomforms the lower surfaceof the reservoir.

The circumferential wallinhas a first axial segmentthat transitions to a radially recessed second axial segmentin the axial direction A. The radius of the second axial segmentis therefore smaller than the radius of the first axial segmentstarting from the central axis M. The two axial segments,and a radial separating wallcan divide the interiorinto two subspaces,, which are connected to one another by a holein the separating wall. In a simplified version, the circumferential walldoes not need to have axial segments,with different radii R, R.

There are first and second intakes,in the circumferential wall, or its first axial segmentin the example shown in, which are spaced apart axially, through which refrigerant K can enter the housing interior. The reservoiralso has an outletin the circumferential wall, or its second axial segment, through which refrigerant K can exit the housing interior. The refrigerant K thus enters the first subspacethrough the two intakes,, enters the second subspacethrough the holein the separating wall, and exits the housing interiorthrough the outlet.

As shown in, the reservoirhas two deflecting elements,in the housing interior. The first deflecting elementis near the first intakein the housing interior, and forms an integral part of the circumferential wallof the housing, protruding from this circumferential wallinto the housing interior. The second deflecting elementis near the second intakein the housing interior, and can form an integral part of the lidfor the housing. Both deflecting elements,are designed and placed in the housing interiorsuch that they deflect refrigerant K striking the deflecting segmentin the axial direction A and upwards, i.e. toward the lidor the upper surface. Both deflecting elements,have a deflecting segmentat a distance to the housing, with which refrigerant K can be deflected. The deflecting segmentsof each deflecting element,are curved. The surfacesof the deflecting segmentsfacing the first and second intakes,are concave in the longitudinal section cut along the axial direction A shown here.

An optional dehumidifierfor separating water out of the refrigerant K can be placed in the housing interior, specifically the first subspace, indicated schematically by a broken line. There can also be a filterfor removing particles, in particular contaminants, in the housing interior, specifically the second subspace, also indicated schematically by a broken line. The removal of particles and separating out of water ensures that the particles or water will not damage components in the refrigerant circuit.

shows the reservoirfromin a cross section, cut at a right angle to the axial direction A along the line II-Il in. The first deflecting elementis near the first intake, and only extends along part the circumference U. the deflecting segmentis positioned and oriented in the housing interiorsuch that refrigerant K entering the housing interiorstrikes the deflecting segmentand is deflected in the axial direction A toward the lid, i.e. toward the upper surface.

The second deflecting elementextends along the circumferential direction U, as indicated inby a broken line, over the entire circumference of the reservoir. Consequently, a deflecting segmentof the second deflecting elementis always near the second intake, regardless of the orientation of the lidafter it has been screwed on. This deflecting segmentis also designed to deflect refrigerant K entering the housing interiorthrough the second intakethat strikes the deflecting segmentin the axial direction A toward the lid.

In a variation of this example, the lidcan be materially bonded to the container, e.g. through welding or an adhesive, such that it is permanently attached thereto and cannot be removed. In this variation, (not shown in the drawings), the second deflecting elementon the lidcan be oriented prior to attaching the lid to the container, such that it is near the second intake. Consequently, the second deflecting elementonly has to be near the second intake, like the first deflecting element, and does not have to extend over the entire circumference.

shows a variation of the example shown in, in which the circumferential walldoes not have two axial segments,with different radii R, R, as is the case in. The first deflecting elementis designed and placed in the housing interiorsuch that it deflects refrigerant entering the housing interiorthrough the first intakeand striking the deflecting segmentin the circumferential direction U. The second deflecting element(not shown) can be designed like the first deflecting element, such that it deflects refrigerant entering the housing interiorthrough the second intake(not shown in) and striking the deflecting segmentin the circumferential direction U. Both deflecting segmentshave a concave surfacefacing the intakes,, in the cross section perpendicular to the axial direction A shown herein.

When the reservoiris placed in the operating position shown in, such that gravity S acts in the direction antiparallel to the axial direction A, the desired phase separation can be obtained using the centrifugal force acting on the refrigerant K due to the deflection in the circumferential direction U. The centrifugal force causes the heavier liquid refrigerant K to be deflected more strongly into the radially outer partof the housing interiorthan the lighter gaseous refrigerant K. In this variation, the outletis preferably at an axial distance to the central axis M, and particularly preferably in an radially outer partof the housing interior, in particular adjacent to the circumferential wall.

shows part of another variation of the example, cut longitudinally along the axial direction A. In the example shown in, the reservoirhas, like the example shown in, two intakes,, spaced axially apart in the circumferential wall. Unlike in, there is only one deflecting elementfor the two intakes,, the deflecting segmentof which is near both the first intakeand the second intakein the housing interior. The deflecting elementis formed as an integral part of the circumferential wall, like the first deflecting elementin. The deflecting segmenton the deflecting elementis designed here such that refrigerant K entering the housing interiorthrough the first intakeor second intakeis deflected in the axial direction A toward the lid(not shown in). The deflecting segmentis curved along the axial direction A for this. The surfaceof the deflecting segmentfacing the first and second intakes,is therefore concave along the axial direction A.

The housingcan be cast metal, e.g. steel or aluminum, or plastic, in all of the above examples.

The specification can be readily understood with reference to the following Numbered Paragraphs:

Numbered Paragraph 1. A reservoir () for temporary storage of refrigerant (K), in particular in a refrigerant circuit, which has

Numbered Paragraph 2. The reservoir according to Numbered Paragraph 1, characterized in that the deflecting element (,,) has a deflecting segment () at a distance to the housing (), with which refrigerant (K) striking the deflecting segment () is deflected.

Numbered Paragraph 3. The reservoir according to Numbered Paragraph 1 or 2, characterized in that

Numbered Paragraph 4. The reservoir according to any of the Numbered Paragraphs 1 to 3, characterized in that

Numbered Paragraph 5. The reservoir according to Numbered Paragraph 4, characterized in that only a section of the deflecting element (,,) extends along the circumferential direction (U), near the intake (,).

Numbered Paragraph 6. The reservoir according to any of the preceding Numbered Paragraphs, characterized in that

Numbered Paragraph 7. The reservoir according to Numbered Paragraph 6, characterized in that

Numbered Paragraph 8. The reservoir according to Numbered Paragraph 6, characterized in that

Numbered Paragraph 9. The reservoir according to any of the preceding Numbered Paragraphs, characterized in that

Numbered Paragraph 10. The reservoir according to any of the preceding Numbered Paragraphs, characterized in that the housing () is cast with at least one deflecting element (,).

Numbered Paragraph 11. The reservoir according to any of the preceding Numbered Paragraphs, characterized in that