CN102187168A - Condensate removal by means of condensate evaporation in a refrigeration device - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a condensate evaporator for a refrigeration device, comprising at least one evaporator and a compressor (10). The condensate evaporator comprises a receiving chamber (12) for the condensation water to be evaporated and developing in the refrigeration device. The receiving chamber (12) is in thermal contact with the compressor (10) and is heated by the exhaust heat of the compressor (10) in order to produce water vapor from the condensation water.

Description

Draining condensate with condensate evaporators in cooling plants

technical field

The invention relates to a cooling device, in particular for switchboards, having a refrigeration circuit with an evaporator, a liquefier and a compressor, wherein accumulated condensate is evaporated in a condensate evaporator with a condensate receiving chamber.

Background technique

Such cooling devices are used, for example, to condition the air in switchboards, in which a series of electronic components are housed, which emit enormous power losses (in the form of heat). Condensate that accumulates on the evaporator drips off and collects in the condensate collection container located below it. It is known that the condensate is transported by means of a suction device from the condensate collection container to an electrically heated condensate evaporator, where the condensate is vaporized and discharged into the surroundings as water vapor.

Whether the filling limit of the condensate in the condensate collection container has been reached can be detected by means of a sensor or a float switch which switches on the suction on the one hand and the heater in the condensate evaporator on the other hand. As soon as the condensation state in the condensate collection container falls below the predetermined filling state, both the suction device and the heater in the condensate evaporator are switched off. This solution is technically very complex and therefore expensive to implement, and additional energy is required for the electrical heating of the condensate evaporator.

In addition to condensate evaporators heated by electricity, the use of heat for heating the gas is also known (high-pressure conduit of the refrigerant circuit).

Contents of the invention

It is an object of the present invention to specify a form for draining condensate, in particular in cooling systems by means of a condensate evaporator, in which accumulated condensate is evaporated with as little technical effort as possible and without additional energy. Furthermore, the condensate evaporators used should be constructed as simply as possible.

This object of the invention is achieved by a condensate water evaporator with the features of claim 1 and by a cooling device with the features of claim 13 . Advantageous refinements are described in each case in the dependent claims.

Accordingly, in the condensate evaporator according to the invention it is provided that the receiving chamber is arranged in thermal contact with the compressor and that the condensate is heated by the waste heat of the compressor in order to generate water vapor. According to the invention, the waste heat of the compressor can be used to heat and vaporize the condensed water in the receiving space. It may not be necessary to use additional energy, eg for electrically driven heating. Rather, evaporation can be achieved using the waste heat accumulated by the compressor of the cooling device.

Operating costs can thus be reduced by using the condensate evaporator according to the invention. Furthermore, a complicated configuration of heaters driven with additional energy is unnecessary. Overall, therefore, the condensate evaporator according to the invention is cost-effective both during manufacture and during operation.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the receiving chamber rests against the outer casing of the compressor and at least partially surrounds it. Thus, on the one hand a good thermal contact between the compressor and the receiving chamber is ensured. On the other hand, a particularly compact construction is achieved.

The receiving chamber can be designed in a particularly simple manner as a collecting trough. The collection trough can here have a substantially right-angled cross-section open upwards and have thin inner walls, a bottom and an outer wall which rest against the compressor casing. Such a construction can be produced very simply, for example as a plastic casting. In this case, the thinner the inner wall that lies against the outer shell of the compressor, the better is the heat transfer from the compressor to the condensate water to be evaporated located in the receiving space.

In order to further improve the heat transfer from the compressor to the condensed water in the receiving chamber, a thermally conductive glue can be installed between the inner wall of the receiving chamber and the outer surface of the compressor.

According to a preferred embodiment, condensate accumulated on the evaporator of the cooling system, for example as a result of a temperature drop below the dew point, can be introduced into the receiving chamber of the condensate evaporator via an addition hose. The condensate collected at the evaporator into a suitable container can flow by gravity into the receiving chamber of the condensate evaporator, ie without using an electrically driven pump.

In order to achieve an optimal inflow, the filling hose can be held substantially perpendicular to the bottom of the receiving chamber by means of the stop element. The retaining element can here be in particular a cross-shaped sleeve or a rib structure suitably formed on the bottom of the receiving chamber.

In order to prevent uncontrolled overflow of condensed water into the receiving chamber in the event of excessive accumulation of condensed water, a through-hole can be provided on the bottom of the receiving chamber, on which an overflow pipe protruding into the receiving chamber is formed. In this case, the height of the overflow pipe on the base of the receiving chamber is lower than the height of the inner or outer wall of the receiving chamber.

In order that the condensed water flowing out through the overflow pipe cannot flow away uncontrollably, a tubular sleeve can be formed on the through-opening on the underside of the bottom facing away from the receiving chamber, into which a suitable drain hose can be plugged on the casing.

The receptacle can comprise at least one region with an enlarged cross-section, in which the retaining element of the adjoining hose and/or the overflow is formed. By means of these measures, a substantially continuous heat transfer of the condensate around the compressor housing is achieved without the additional devices having an interfering influence on the evaporation in this area. Furthermore, the extended area provides comfortable handling when plugging the filling hose onto the stop element and/or when plugging the discharge hose onto the tubular sleeve of the overflow pipe.

In order to reduce the curvature of the receiving chamber for placement on the outer surface of the evaporator, the receiving chamber can contain at least one region with a narrowed cross-section.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the receiving chamber can surround the outer casing of the compressor at least partially in a somewhat C-shaped manner. In this case, the free end of the receiving chamber can be closed by a closing plate.

By means of the tensioning element, the free end of the receiving chamber can be clamped relative to the outer casing of the compressor. The tensioning element, which can in particular be a spring clip, can act on an add-on which is molded on the free end of the receptacle.

According to the invention, a cooling device, in particular for switchboards, is also described, which has a refrigeration circuit with an evaporator, a liquefier and a compressor, wherein the condensed water is fed into the condensed water evaporator according to the invention, and the condensed water is evaporated The device is placed in thermal contact with the compressor.

Description of drawings

The invention is explained in more detail below with the aid of exemplary embodiments depicted in the drawings. in:

Figure 1 shows a condensed water evaporator in schematic and perspective views;

FIG. 2 shows the condensate water evaporator according to FIG. 1 in a schematic top view, with spring clips arranged on the free ends;

FIG. 3 shows the condensate evaporator according to FIGS. 1 and 2 in a schematic side view;

FIG. 4 shows a schematic side view of the compressor on which the condensate evaporator according to FIGS. 1 to 3 is arranged;

FIG. 5 shows the compressor according to FIG. 4 in a schematic front view, on which the condensate evaporator according to FIGS. 1 to 3 is arranged; and

FIG. 6 shows a schematic plan view of the compressor according to FIGS. 4 and 5 , on which the condensate evaporator according to FIGS. 1 to 3 is arranged.

Detailed ways

FIG. 1 shows the condensate evaporator as a one-piece plastic injection-molded part. The condensate evaporator has a receiving chamber 12 which is designed as a substantially C-shaped collecting trough 12 . The accommodating chamber 12 has a substantially right-angled cross-section that is open upwards and has a thin inner wall 16 , a bottom 18 and an outer wall 20 . This receiving chamber 12 can be connected to a feed hose (not shown) which conducts condensate accumulated on the (not shown) evaporator into the receiving chamber 12 . For this purpose, a stop element 22 is integrally formed on the bottom 18 of the collecting chamber 12 . The retaining element 12 is designed as a cross-shaped sleeve, so that when the supply hose is plugged in, condensation water can flow into the receiving chamber 12 between the cross-shaped ribs of the cross-shaped sleeve.

FIG. 2 shows the condensate evaporator according to FIG. 1 in a schematic plan view. The bottom 18 of the receiving chamber 12 has a through-hole 24 , and an overflow pipe 26 protruding into the receiving chamber 12 is formed on the through-hole 24 .

The height of the overflow pipe 26 on the bottom 18 of the receiving chamber 12 is lower than the height of the inner wall 16 or the outer wall 20 of the receiving chamber 12 on the bottom 18 .

The receiving chamber 12 has a region 32 which has an enlarged cross section. This region 32 is formed by the eversion of the outer wall 20 . On the one hand, the stop element 22 for plugging in the supply hose is arranged in this region 32 , and on the other hand, the overflow pipe 26 formed on the through-opening 24 is arranged in this region 32 .

The receptacle 12 also has a region 34 with a narrowed cross section. The effect of this narrowed cross-section is to flexibly bend into a C-shaped housing chamber 12 for installation on a compressor (not shown in FIG. 2 ).

The C-shaped receiving chamber 12 forms two free ends 36a, 36b. The free end 36a is closed by a closing plate 38a and the free end 36b is closed by a closing plate 38b.

At the free ends 36a, 36b of the receptacle 12, appendages 42a and 42b are formed on extensions of the closure plates 38a and 38b, respectively, on which the tensioning element 40, designed as a spring clip, acts. The clip-like tensioning element 40 is formed from a leaf spring and has two ends 44a and 44b which are bent into an S or Z shape. The end 44a of the tensioning element 40 engages the attachment 42a from behind on the free end 36a of the receiving chamber 12 , whereas the end 44b of the tensioning element 40 engages from behind on the free end 36b of the receiving chamber 12 Addition 42b.

FIG. 3 shows the condensate evaporator according to FIGS. 1 and 2 in a schematic side view.

It can be clearly seen from FIG. 3 that the region 32 of enlarged cross section is arranged laterally on the receiving chamber 12 . The bottom of the accommodating chamber 32 is offset upward in a step-like manner relative to the bottom 18 of the accommodating chamber 12 .

On the underside 28 of the bottom of the region 32 or the bottom 18 of the receiving chamber facing away from the receiving chamber 12 or the region 32 , a tubular sleeve 30 is formed on the through-opening 24 for receiving a (not shown) outflow hose. .

FIG. 4 shows a schematic side view of a compressor 10 on which the condensate evaporator according to FIGS. 1 to 3 is arranged. FIG. 5 shows the compressor 10 shown in FIG. 4 in front view.

The compressor 10 has an essentially cylindrical outer surface 14 . The droplet separator 46 is provided on the front face of the compressor 10 . The droplet separator 46 is connected to the compressor 10 via an elbow 48 .

FIG. 6 shows the compressor according to FIGS. 4 and 5 in a schematic plan view.

The receiving space 12 of the condensate evaporator is arranged in thermal contact with the compressor 10 . In this case, the receiving chamber 12 bears against the outer shell surface 14 of the compressor. The receiving chamber 12 , which is designed as a collecting trough, rests directly with its thin inner wall 12 on the outer casing 14 of the compressor 10 . Furthermore, heat-conducting glue (not shown) can be inserted between the outer surface 14 of the compressor 10 and the inner wall 16 of the receiving chamber 12 .

The receptacle 12 surrounds the outer shell 14 of the compressor 10 in a somewhat C-shape, wherein the free ends 36 a and 36 b of the receptacle 12 are clamped relative to the outer shell 14 of the compressor by means of tensioning elements 40 .

The tensioning element 40 has a groove 50 in the region of the elbow 48 through which the elbow 48 extends from the compressor 10 to the droplet separator 46 .

The compressor 10 shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 is part of a (not shown) cooling device, in particular for a switchboard. In addition to the compressor 10, the refrigerating circuit of such a cooling device has at least an evaporator and a liquefier. The condensed water accumulated on the evaporator is introduced into the condensed water evaporator shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, where it is heated by the waste heat of the compressor 10, and thus vaporized.

Claims (13)

1. Condensate evaporator for a cooling device having at least one evaporator and a compressor (10) with a receiving chamber (12) for condensate accumulated on the cooling device to be evaporated , characterized in that the accommodating chamber (12) is arranged in thermal contact with the compressor (10) and is heated by waste heat of the compressor (10) to generate water vapor from condensed water. 2. Condensate water evaporator according to claim 1, characterized in that the receiving chamber (12) rests against the outer casing (14) of the compressor (10) and at least partially surrounds it . 3. Condensate water evaporator according to claim 1, characterized in that the receiving chamber (12) is formed as a collection trough, which has a substantially right-angled cross-section open upwards and has a close-fitting The thin inner wall (16) on the outer casing (14) of the compressor (10) also has a bottom (18) and an outer wall (20). 4. The condensed water evaporator according to claim 1, characterized in that, the inner wall (16) of the accommodating cavity (12) and the outer cover surface (14) of the compressor (10) can be Put thermal paste in between. 5. The condensate water evaporator according to claim 1, characterized in that the receiving chamber (12) can be connected to a feed hose which guides the condensed water into the receiving chamber (12). 6. Condensate water evaporator according to claim 1, characterized in that the inlet hose can be held substantially in relation to the receiving chamber (12) by means of a retaining element (22), in particular a cross-shaped bushing The bottom (18) is vertical. 7. The condensed water evaporator according to claim 1, characterized in that, the bottom (18) of the receiving chamber (12) has a through-hole (24), which extends into the receiving chamber (12) An overflow pipe (26) is formed on the through hole (24), wherein compared with the height of the inner wall or the outer wall (20) of the accommodation chamber (12), the overflow pipe is at the height of the accommodation chamber (12). (12) The height on the bottom (18) is lower. 8. The condensate evaporator according to claim 1, characterized in that on the underside (28) of the bottom (18) facing away from the receiving chamber (12) a tubular sleeve (30) is integrally formed on the The through hole (24) is used to accommodate the discharge hose. 9. The condensate evaporator according to claim 1, characterized in that the receiving chamber (12) contains at least one region (32) with an enlarged cross-section, the stop element ( 22) and/or the overflow pipe (26) is formed in this region. 10. The condensate evaporator according to claim 1, characterized in that the receiving chamber (12) contains at least one region (32) with a narrowed cross-section for increased flexibility. 11. The condensate water evaporator according to claim 1, characterized in that the receiving chamber (12) partially surrounds the outer cover surface (14) of the compressor (10) in a slightly C-shaped manner, Wherein the free ends (36a, 36b) of the receiving chamber (12) are closed by closing plates (38a, 38b) and can be relative to all positions of the compressor (10) by means of the tensioning element (40). The outer cover (14) is clamped. 12. Condensate water evaporator according to claim 1, characterized in that an appendage (42a, 42b) is molded onto the free end (36a, 36b) of the receiving chamber (12), the stretch Tightening elements (40), in particular spring clips, can act on the appendages (42a, 42b). 13. A cooling device, in particular for switchboards, having a refrigeration circuit with an evaporator, a liquefier and a compressor (10), characterized in that condensed water can be introduced according to any one of claims 1 to 12 In the condensed water evaporator according to item 1, wherein the condensed water evaporator is arranged in thermal contact with the compressor (10).

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