JP2010276211A - Fine particle injection apparatus and fine particle injection method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily inject fine particles into a refrigerant path without stopping the operation of a refrigeration apparatus when refrigerant is gradually leaking from a refrigeration apparatus in use.
In a fine particle injection apparatus for injecting fine particles Hm into a refrigerant path X of a refrigeration apparatus, a first container 8 that contains a mixture of the fine particles Hm and refrigerating machine oil Lo, and a low pressure side in the refrigerant path X The second container 9 that contains the liquid refrigerant Rl having a saturation pressure higher than the pressure, and the first container 8 and the second container 9 communicate with each other at the upper part, and the first container 8 In addition, the injection pipe 11 connected to the service port 7 provided in the low-pressure side pipe 5d in the refrigeration apparatus and the injection pipe 11 connected to the bottom of the refrigeration apparatus is attached to the fine particles Hm contained in the first container 8 and the refrigerating machine oil. The mixture with Lo was connected to the service port 7 provided in the low-pressure side pipe 5d in the refrigeration apparatus by the pressure of the gas refrigerant Rg evaporated from the liquid refrigerant Rl accommodated in the second container 9. The refrigerant is injected into the refrigerant path X through the injection pipe 11.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a fine particle injection apparatus and a fine particle injection method for injecting fine particles for preventing leakage into a refrigerant path of a refrigeration apparatus.

  As a new sealing technology that can prevent refrigerant from leaking into the atmosphere through pinholes and cracks caused by corrosion in the pipes that make up the refrigerant path of the refrigeration system, it is dispersed in refrigeration oil. A technique using fine particles has been proposed (see Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-083099

  When the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 is applied to a new refrigeration apparatus, fine particles are dispersed in refrigeration oil in advance, and the refrigerant is filled in a refrigerant path and further filled with a refrigerant. Since fine particles can be injected into the refrigerant path, there is no particular technical difficulty. However, although it corresponds to many cases, there is a problem that technical difficulties are involved in injecting fine particles into the refrigerant path when the refrigerant gradually leaks from the refrigeration apparatus in use. .

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and in the case where the refrigerant is gradually leaking from the refrigeration apparatus in use, the fine particles can be easily injected into the refrigerant path without stopping the operation of the refrigeration apparatus. The purpose is to be able to.

  In the present invention, as a first means for solving the above-described problem, in the fine particle injection device for injecting the fine particles Hm into the refrigerant path X of the refrigeration device, a first mixture containing the fine particles Hm and the refrigerating machine oil Lo is accommodated. 1 container 8 and a second container 9 containing a liquid refrigerant Rl having a saturation pressure higher than the low-pressure side pressure in the refrigerant path X, and the first container 8 and the second container 9 Is connected to the bottom of the first container 8 and an injection pipe 11 connected to the service port 7 provided in the low-pressure side pipe 5d in the refrigeration apparatus.

  By configuring as described above, the mixture of the fine particles Hm contained in the first container 8 and the refrigerating machine oil Lo is caused by the pressure of the gas refrigerant Rg evaporated from the liquid refrigerant Rl contained in the second container 9. Then, the refrigerant is injected into the refrigerant path X through the injection pipe 11 connected to the service port 7 provided in the low-pressure side pipe 5d in the refrigeration apparatus. That is, the fine particles Hm can be easily and reliably injected into the refrigerant path X in the refrigeration apparatus in use.

  In the present invention, as a second means for solving the above-described problems, in the fine particle injection apparatus including the first means, the first container 8 is disposed outside the second container 9. The internal / external double container can also be configured. In such a configuration, the apparatus can be made compact, and the pressure strength of the second container 9 can be reduced, so that the cost can be reduced.

  In the present invention, as a third means for solving the above-described problem, in the fine particle injection apparatus including the first means, the first container 8 and the second container 9 are arranged in two upper and lower stages. In this case, the first and second containers 8 and 9 can be thinned by increasing the pressure resistance by reducing the diameter of the device, and the welded part can be simplified by simplifying the structure. Can also be reduced. Moreover, even when the refrigerant pressure in the second container 9 is insufficient, the second container 9 can be easily heated, so that the lack of pressure can be easily resolved.

  In the present invention, as a fourth means for solving the above-described problem, when the fine particle Hm is injected using the fine particle injection apparatus including the first, second, or third means, the refrigeration is performed. The operation of the apparatus can also be continued. In such a configuration, the particulate Hm can be injected into the refrigerant path X while the operation of the refrigeration apparatus is continued.

  According to the first means of the present invention, in the fine particle injection device for injecting the fine particles Hm into the refrigerant path X of the refrigeration device, the first container 8 that contains a mixture of the fine particles Hm and the refrigerating machine oil Lo; The second container 9 that contains the liquid refrigerant Rl having a saturation pressure higher than the low-pressure side pressure in the refrigerant path X and the first container 8 and the second container 9 communicate with each other at the upper part. The first container 8 is connected to the bottom of the first container 8 and an injection pipe 11 connected to the service port 7 provided in the low-pressure side pipe 5d of the refrigeration apparatus is attached to be accommodated in the first container 8. The mixture of the fine particles Hm and the refrigerating machine oil Lo is supplied to the service port provided in the low-pressure side pipe 5d in the refrigeration apparatus by the pressure of the gas refrigerant Rg evaporated from the liquid refrigerant Rl accommodated in the second container 9. Since the liquid is injected into the refrigerant path X via the injection pipe 11 connected to the refrigerant 7, the fine particles can be easily and surely injected into the refrigerant path X in the refrigeration apparatus in use. There is an effect.

  As in the second means of the present invention, in the fine particle injection apparatus provided with the first means, it is constituted by an inner / outer double container in which the first container 8 is disposed outside the second container 9. In such a case, the apparatus can be made compact, and the pressure strength of the second container 9 can be reduced, so that the cost can be reduced.

  As in the third means of the present invention, in the fine particle injection apparatus provided with the first means, the first container 8 and the second container 9 can also have a two-stage upper and lower structure, When configured in this manner, the first and second containers 8 and 9 can be made thinner by increasing the pressure resistance strength by reducing the diameter of the apparatus, and the number of welds can be reduced by simplifying the structure. Moreover, even when the refrigerant pressure in the second container 9 is insufficient, the second container 9 can be easily heated, so that the lack of pressure can be easily resolved.

  As in the fourth means of the present invention, when the fine particle Hm is injected using the fine particle injection apparatus provided with the first, second or third means, the operation of the refrigeration apparatus is continued. In such a configuration, it is possible to inject the fine particles Hm into the refrigerant path X while continuing the operation of the refrigeration apparatus.

It is a refrigerant circuit diagram which shows the usage example of the microparticle injection apparatus concerning the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is an expanded sectional view showing the particulate injection device concerning a 1st embodiment of the invention in this application. It is an expanded sectional view showing the particulate injection device concerning a 2nd embodiment of the invention in this application. It is an expanded sectional view showing a particulate injection device concerning a 3rd embodiment of the invention in this application. It is an expanded sectional view showing the particulate injection device concerning a 4th embodiment of the invention in this application. It is an expanded sectional view which shows the principal part of the refrigerant | coolant piping by which microparticles | fine-particles were inject | poured with the microparticle injection apparatus concerning each embodiment of this invention.

  Hereinafter, several embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a refrigerant circuit diagram showing a usage example of a fine particle injection device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

  The refrigerant circuit X is configured by sequentially connecting the compressor 1, the condenser 2, the expansion mechanism 3, and the evaporator 4 with refrigerant piping. The discharge port 1a of the compressor 1 and the condenser 2 are connected by a high-pressure gas pipe 5a, and the condenser 2 and the expansion mechanism 3 are connected by a high-pressure liquid pipe 5b. And the evaporator 4 are connected by a low-pressure liquid pipe 5c, and the evaporator 4 and the suction port 1b of the compressor 1 are connected by a low-pressure gas pipe 5d.

  A service port 7 having an on-off valve 6 is attached to the low-pressure gas pipe 5d. The service port 7 is used when a refrigerant is replenished, etc., but in this embodiment, a particle injection device Y described later is connected.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the fine particle injection device Y according to the present embodiment accommodates a mixture of sealing fine particles (for example, fluororesin fine particles having a particle size of 0.1 to 5 μm) Hm and refrigerating machine oil Lo. The first container 8 and the second container 9 that contains the liquid refrigerant Rl having a saturation pressure higher than the low-pressure side pressure in the refrigerant path X are configured outside the second container 9. It is composed of an inner and outer double container in which one container 8 is disposed. In the first container 8, the fine particles Hm are separated from the refrigerating machine oil Lo and held in the lower layer.

  The first container 8 and the second container 9 are communicated with each other by a pressure equalizing hole 10 having a diameter of 0.5 mm formed in the upper part, and the upper part of the second container 9 and the first container The upper part of 8 is filled with the gas refrigerant Rg evaporated from the liquid refrigerant Rl. The first container 8 communicates with the bottom (that is, the particulate layer) of the first container 8 and is connected to a service port 7 provided in a low-pressure side pipe (that is, the low-pressure gas pipe 5d) in the refrigeration apparatus. 11 is attached. Reference numeral 12 is a connection unit for connecting the injection pipe 11 to the service port 7, and 13 is an on-off valve provided in the middle of the injection pipe 11.

  A method of injecting the fine particles Hm into the refrigerant path X using the fine particle injection device Y having the above configuration will be described.

  The injection pipe 11 is connected to the service port 7 through the connection unit 12 with the on-off valves 6 and 13 closed while continuing the operation of the refrigeration apparatus, and then the on-off valves 6 and 13 are opened. Then, due to the pressure difference between the gas refrigerant Rg in the second container 9 and the gas refrigerant in the low-pressure gas pipe 5d, first, the fine particles Hm held at the bottom of the first container 8 are low-pressure via the injection pipe 11. It is injected into the gas pipe 5d, and then refrigeration oil Lo is injected. At this time, the contents were stirred by shaking the double container, and further, the double container was immersed in hot water of 40 ° C. in order to prevent temperature drop due to vaporization of the liquid refrigerant. Therefore, all the fine particles Hm in the first container 8 are injected into the refrigerant path X. That is, the fine particles Hm can be easily and reliably injected into the refrigerant path X in the refrigeration apparatus in use. And since it comprises the inner and outer double container which has arrange | positioned the 1st container 8 on the outer side of the 2nd container 9, while being able to make an apparatus compact, the pressure-resistant intensity | strength of the 2nd container 9 can be reduced. Cost can also be reduced.

  Incidentally, FIG. 6 shows the configuration of the main part (tube wall part) of the refrigerant path X. In the figure, reference numeral 5 is a refrigerant pipe, 51 is a pipe wall having a predetermined thickness of the refrigerant pipe 5, and the refrigerant pipe 5 is made of, for example, copper.

  Inside the refrigerant pipe 5, a refrigerant (any of various new refrigerants or old refrigerants) mixed with the refrigeration oil Lo at a predetermined weight ratio flows in an enclosed state.

  On the other hand, in the refrigerating machine oil Lo mixed in the refrigerant, the sealing fine particles Hm injected by the fine particle injection device Y are added at a predetermined ratio. For example, as shown in the drawing, the pipe wall 51 When a crack CL occurs in the portion, the minute gap of the crack CL is surely closed in the process in which the fine particles Hm pass (leak) toward the outside by the refrigerant pressure through the minute gap of the crack CL. It has become.

  As described above, since the crack CL where the refrigerant leaks is blocked by the fine particles Hm, it is not necessary to replenish the refrigerant every several years conventionally required.

Second Embodiment FIG. 3 shows a fine particle injection apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

  In this case, the fine particle injection device Y has a two-stage structure with a first container 8 in which fine particles Hm and refrigerating machine oil Lo are accommodated and a second container 9 in which a refrigerant is accommodated. A first container 8 is disposed which is positioned and has the second container 9 positioned on the upper side. The upper part of the second container 9 (ie, the layer filled with the gas refrigerant Rg) and the upper part of the first container 8 (ie, the layer filled with the gas refrigerant Rg) are communicated with each other via the communication pipe 14. ing. In this way, the first and second containers 8 and 9 can be made thinner by increasing the pressure resistance due to the reduction in the diameter of the apparatus, and the number of welds can be reduced by simplifying the structure. Moreover, even when the refrigerant pressure in the second container 9 is insufficient, the second container 9 can be easily heated, so that the lack of pressure can be easily resolved. Other configurations, operational effects, and methods of use are the same as those in the first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted.

Third Embodiment FIG. 4 shows a fine particle injection apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

  In this case, the fine particle injection device Y has a two-stage structure with a first container 8 in which fine particles Hm and refrigerating machine oil Lo are accommodated and a second container 9 in which a refrigerant is accommodated. A first container 8 is located and a second container 9 is disposed on the upper side. The upper part of the second container 9 (ie, the layer filled with the gas refrigerant Rg) and the upper part of the first container 8 (ie, the layer filled with the gas refrigerant Rg) are communicated with each other via the communication pipe 14. ing. In this way, the first and second containers 8 and 9 can be made thinner by increasing the pressure resistance due to the reduction in the diameter of the apparatus, and the number of welds can be reduced by simplifying the structure. Moreover, even when the refrigerant pressure in the second container 9 is insufficient, the second container 9 can be easily heated, so that the lack of pressure can be easily resolved. Other configurations, operational effects, and methods of use are the same as those in the first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted.

Fourth Embodiment FIG. 5 shows a fine particle injection apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

  In this case, the fine particle injection device Y includes a first container 8 in which the fine particles Hm and the refrigerating machine oil Lo are accommodated, and a second container 9 in which the refrigerant is accommodated. The container 9 is configured separately. The upper part of the second container 9 (that is, the layer filled with the gas refrigerant Rg) and the upper part of the first container 8 (that is, the layer that is filled with the gas refrigerant Rg) are communicated via the communication pipe 13. ing. If it does in this way, it will become possible to prevent early discharge of a liquid refrigerant. Moreover, even when the refrigerant pressure in the second container 9 is insufficient, the second container 9 can be easily heated, so that the lack of pressure can be easily resolved. In this case, as in the first to third embodiments, the apparatus can be made compact, and the pressure resistance of the second container 9 can be reduced, so that there is no advantage that the cost can be reduced. . Further, there is no advantage that the first and second containers 8 and 9 can be thinned by increasing the pressure-resistant strength by reducing the diameter of the apparatus.

  The invention of the present application is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it is needless to say that the design can be appropriately changed without departing from the gist of the invention.

1 is a compressor 2 is a condenser 3 is an expansion mechanism 4 is an evaporator 5 is a refrigerant pipe 5d is a low-pressure gas pipe 7 is a service port 8 is a first container 9 is a second container 11 is an injection pipe Hm is particulate Lo Refrigerator oil Rl is liquid refrigerant X is refrigerant path

Claims (4)

  A fine particle injection device for injecting fine particles (Hm) into the refrigerant path (X) of the refrigeration device, and a first container (8) for containing a mixture of the fine particles (Hm) and the refrigerating machine oil (Lo); And a second container (9) containing a liquid refrigerant (Rl) having a saturation pressure higher than the low-pressure side pressure in the refrigerant path (X), and the first container (8) and the second container (9) is communicated with the upper part, and the first container (8) communicates with the bottom of the first container (8) and is connected to the service port (7) provided in the low pressure side pipe (5d) in the refrigeration apparatus. A fine particle injecting device characterized in that an injection tube (11) to be connected is attached.   The fine particle injection device according to claim 1, wherein the fine particle injection device comprises an inner / outer double container in which the first container (8) is disposed outside the second container (9).   The fine particle injection device according to claim 1, wherein the first container (8) and the second container (9) have a two-stage structure.   A method for injecting fine particles, wherein the operation of the refrigeration apparatus is continued when injecting fine particles using the fine particle injecting device according to any one of claims 1, 2, and 3.

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