WO2007032651A1

WO2007032651A1 - Connection structure of condenser tubes in air conditioning system for communication equipment

Info

Publication number: WO2007032651A1
Application number: PCT/KR2006/003686
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hee Tae Park
Original assignee: Chang Jo 21 Co Ltd
Current assignee: Chang Jo 21 Co Ltd
Priority date: 2005-09-15
Filing date: 2006-09-15
Publication date: 2007-03-22
Anticipated expiration: 2008-03-15
Also published as: KR100680262B1

Abstract

A condenser tube connection structure of an air conditioning system for communication equipment including an indoor module placed inside a base station in which communication equipment is installed and an outdoor module placed outside the base station and having a condenser. The condenser of the outdoor module has a pair of tubes. A first tube in installed such that a connection pattern, in which the first tube extends inward through one side frame, outward through the other side frame, inward through a horizontal adjoining portion on the other side frame, outward through one side frame, inward through a vertical adjoining portion on one side frame, and then outward through the other side frame, is continuously repeated. A second tube is installed in the same manner as the first tube to be disposed in spaces between portions of the first tube without interfering with the first tube.

Description

CONNECTION STRUCTURE OF CONDENSER TUBES IN AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM FOR COMMUNICATION

EQUIPMENT

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to air conditioning of communication equipment, and more particularly, to a connection structure of condenser tubes in an air conditioning system for communication equipment which improves the heat exchange efficiency of double cooling lines to effectively cool communication equipment disposed in a base station, a booth, etc., thereby preventing overheating of the communication equipment. Background Art

[2] A conventional air conditioning system employs evaporation heat which is absorbed by refrigerant from the surroundings when the refrigerant evaporates. As the refrigerant, liquids such as ammonia, Freon, an azeotropic refrigerant mixture, chloromethyl, and so on, are generally used.

[3] In the conventional air conditioning system, as a vaporized refrigerant, which is compressed by a compressor to a high pressure, flows through a condenser, the refrigerant exchanges heat with the outside air, and condenses to a liquid refrigerant having a high pressure. The liquid refrigerant having a high pressure is then converted into a low pressure liquid refrigerant after being passed through an expansion valve or a capillary tube.

[4] The low pressure liquid refrigerant enters an evaporator, exchanges heat with the inside air, and evaporates. Thereafter, the evaporated low pressure refrigerant enters the compressor to complete an air conditioning cycle which is continuously repeated. The air cooled by the evaporation heat absorbed by the refrigerant in the evaporator is directed to a space or a target object by a blower fan to conduct a cooling function.

[5] The conventional air conditioner uses refrigerant the phase of which can easily be changed such as through condensation and evaporation, to cool a desired space or a target object.

[6] Meanwhile, in a base station or a communication car, various wired or wireless communication equipment is installed. The communication equipment is likely to have loose connections or to break down due to frequent heat generation, whereby the possibility of malfunction increases. For this reason, it is necessary to cool the communication equipment all year round to ensure reliable operation thereof.

[7] However, in the conventional air conditioning system for communication equipment, since naturally cold outside temperatures are not appropriately used and the air conditioning system is driven only by electric power, costs are increased, and waste of electric power results.

[8] In order to overcome these problems, the present applicant has filed Korean Patent

Application No. 2005-14790 entitled "Air conditioner for communication equipment and controlling method thereof." The air conditioner disclosed in this patent document employs outside air while ensuring that the air-conditioned state of an indoor space can be reliably maintained even when a component part of the air conditioner does not work.

[9] Nevertheless, in the case where each of two condensers connected in series in double cooling lines has only one heat exchange tube, heat exchange efficiency is deteriorated to some extent, and when one heat exchange tube does not properly work, the functionality of the entire air conditioner is impaired. Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[10] Accordingly, the present invention has been made in an effort to solve the problems occurring in the related art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a condenser tube connection structure of an air conditioning system for communication equipment in which a pair of heat exchange tubes constitute double cooling lines and are installed in each condenser so that they do not interfere with each other, thereby improving cooling efficiency and reliably maintaining the cooled state of communication equipment.

Technical Solution

[11] In order to achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a condenser tube connection structure of an air conditioning system for communication equipment including an indoor module, placed inside a base station in which communication equipment is installed, and an outdoor module, placed outside the base station and having a condenser, wherein the condenser of the outdoor module has a pair of tubes; a first tube is installed in a manner such that a connection pattern, in which the first tube extends inward through one side frame of the condenser, outward through the other side frame of the condenser, inward through a horizontal adjoining portion on the other side frame, outward through one side frame, inward through a vertical adjoining portion on one side frame, and then outward through the other side frame, is continuously repeated; and a second tube is installed in the same manner as the first tube to be disposed in spaces between portions of the first tube, while not interfering with the first tube.

[12] According to another aspect of the present invention, the indoor module comprises expansion valves installed on refrigerant pipes, brine coolers each having a pair of heat exchange tubes to which the refrigerant pipe extending from each expansion valve and a separate brine pipe are respectively connected, compressors for compressing refrigerant having passed through the brine coolers, an indoor heat exchanger having a heat exchange tube to which the brine pipe extending from the brine coolers is connected, and at least one indoor blower located adjacent to the indoor heat exchanger.

[13] According to another aspect of the present invention, the outdoor module comprises a pair of circulation pumps connected in parallel to the brine pipe extending from the indoor heat exchanger, a pair of outdoor heat exchangers connected in series with each other while facing each other and each having a heat exchange tube to which the brine pipe extending from the circulation pumps is connected, a pair of condensers facing each other and having tubes to which the refrigerant pipes extending from the compressors of the indoor module are connected in parallel, and at least one outdoor blower located between the pair of outdoor heat exchangers.

[14] According to still another aspect of the present invention, the expansion valves, the brine coolers and the compressors of the indoor module constitute a single cooling group which is divided into first and second cooling sections; the first and second cooling sections are respectively connected to the refrigerant pipes which are separate from each other; two brine coolers are connected in series to one brine pipe; and each of a pair of condensers in the outdoor module has a pair of heat exchange tubes to which the refrigerant pipes extending from the respective cooling sections are connected.

[15] According to a still further aspect of the present invention, each of a pair of condensers in the outdoor module has a pair of heat exchange tubes to which the refrigerant pipes extending from the respective cooling sections are connected.

Advantageous Effects

[16] Thanks to the above features, the condenser tube connection structure of an air conditioning system for communication equipment according to the present invention provides advantages in that heat exchange efficiency is improved due to the presence of parallel connections, and even when one heat exchange tube is not working properly, the other heat exchange tube can reliably maintain the cooled state of communication equipment. Also, because the space inside a condenser is utilized to a maximum, the heat exchange efficiency of refrigerant is further improved. Brief Description of the Drawings

[17] The above objects, and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent after reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings, in which: [18] FIG. 1 is a schematic structural view illustrating an air conditioning system for communication equipment in which a condenser tube connection structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is used;

[19] FIG. 2 is a front cross-sectional view illustrating the condenser tube connection structure according to the present invention; and

[20] FIG. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view illustrating the condenser tube connection structure according to the present invention.

[21] <Description of Reference Numerals for Main Parts of Drawings>

[22] 100: indoor module 110: expansion valves

[23] 120: brine coolers 121: heat exchange tubes

[24] 130: compressors 140: indoor heat exchanger

[25] 141: heat exchange tube 150: indoor blowers

[26] 160: refrigerant pipes 170: brine pipe

[27] 180: communication equipment

[28] 190: indoor temperature sensor

[29] 200: outdoor module

[30] 210: circulation pumps 220: outdoor heat exchangers

[31] 221: heat exchange tubes 230: condensers

[32] 231 : heat exchange tubes 23 Ia: first tube

[33] 231b: second tube 232: one side frame

[34] 233: the other side frame

[35] 240: outdoor blowers 250: outdoor temperature sensor

[36] 260: brine temperature sensor

[37] 270: louvers 280: receiver driers

[38] 300: base station

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[39] Reference will now be made in greater detail to a preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.

[40] FIG. 1 is a schematic structural view illustrating an air conditioning system for communication equipment in which a condenser tube connection structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is used.

[41] Referring to FIG. 1, first, the construction of an air conditioning system for communication equipment, in which the condenser tube connection structure in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention is used, will be described. The air conditioning system comprises an indoor module 100 which is placed inside a base station 300, and an outdoor module 200 which is placed outside the base station 300.

[42] The indoor module 100 comprises expansion valves 110, brine coolers 120, compressors 130, an indoor heat exchanger 140, and indoor blowers 150.

[43] The expansion valves 110 are installed on respective refrigerant pipes 160, and rapidly convert the liquid refrigerant supplied through the refrigerant pipes 160 and having a high pressure into misty refrigerant having a low temperature and a low pressure.

[44] Each of the brine coolers 120 has a pair of heat exchange tubes 121 to which the refrigerant pipe 160 extending from each of the expansion valves 110 and a separate brine pipe 170 are respectively connected.

[45] The compressors 130 compress the refrigerant having passed through the brine coolers 120, and comprise conventional compressors for compressing refrigerant to a high pressure.

[46] The indoor heat exchanger 140 has a heat exchange tube 141, and the brine pipe

170 extending from the brine coolers 120 is connected to the heat exchange tube 141.

[47] The indoor blowers 150 are positioned adjacent to the heat transfer surface of the indoor heat exchanger 140, where heat transfer occurs, and are structured so that air cooled through the heat exchange function of the indoor heat exchanger 140 can be blown toward communication equipment 180.

[48] The indoor blowers 150 function to increase contact and heat exchange efficiency between the indoor heat exchanger 140 and indoor air.

[49] The outdoor module 200 comprises circulation pumps 210, outdoor heat exchangers

220, condensers 230, and outdoor blowers 240.

[50] A pair of circulation pumps 210 are used and are connected in parallel to the brine pipe 170 extending from the indoor heat exchanger 140. Preferably, regulation valves are respectively installed in the inlet and the outlet of each circulation pump 210 to appropriately regulate the amounts of brine which passes through the inlet and the outlet of each circulation pump 210.

[51] In the present invention, due to the fact that double brine circulation structures, in which the pair of circulation pumps 210 are installed in parallel, are adopted, when one circulation pump 210 does not work, the other circulation pump 210 can properly operate, as a result of which the cooled state of the communication equipment disposed in the base station 300 can be reliably maintained.

[52] The outdoor heat exchangers 220 are located to face each other and are connected in series with each other. Each outdoor heat exchanger 220 has a heat exchange tube 221 to which the brine pipe 170 extending from the circulation pumps 210 is connected.

[53] Therefore, in the present invention, because the outdoor module 200 adopts a double structure in which the pair of outdoor heat exchangers 220 are installed in series on the brine pipe 170, heat exchange efficiency can be significantly improved.

[54] The condensers 230 are located adjacent to both ends of the outdoor heat exchangers 220 to face each other. The pair of condensers 230 are connected in parallel to the refrigerant pipes 160. Each condenser 230 has a pair of tubes 231 to which the refrigerant pipes 160 extending from the compressors 130 of the indoor module 100 are respectively connected.

[55] The condensers 230 serve heat exchangers for condensing and liquefying the refrigerant which is supplied from the compressors 130 and has a high pressure.

[56] The pair of outdoor blowers 240 are located between the pair of outdoor heat exchangers 220 and between the pair of condensers 230. In particular, the outdoor blowers 240 are positioned adjacent to the heat transfer surfaces of the outdoor heat exchangers 220, where heat transfer occurs, and function to increase contact and heat exchange efficiency between the outdoor heat exchangers 220 and outdoor air.

[57] In the meanwhile, in the present invention, in order to effectively control the cooling function, an indoor temperature sensor 190 is installed inside the base station 300, and an outdoor temperature sensor 250 is installed outside the base station 300.

[58] A brine temperature sensor 260 is installed on a portion of the brine pipe 170 that enters the outdoor module 200 after passing through the indoor heat exchanger 140.

[59] The temperatures sensed by the indoor temperature sensor 190, the outdoor temperature sensor 250 and the brine temperature sensor 260 are compared with one another or with reference temperatures, based on which the indoor heat exchanger 140 and the outdoor heat exchangers 220 are selectively driven to cool the space inside the base station 300.

[60] As the refrigerant, liquids such as ammonia, Freon, an azeotropic refrigerant mixture, chloromethyl, and so on, are generally used. The brine is a water solution of CaCl 2 and NaCl.

[61] Unexplained reference numerals 270 and 270' designate louvers for the condensers

230 and the outdoor heat exchangers 220.

[62] FIG. 2 is a front cross-sectional view illustrating the condenser tube connection structure according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view illustrating the condenser tube connection structure according to the present invention.

[63] The pair of tubes 231 (shown in (a) and (b) in FIG. 2) arranged in each condenser

230 comprise a first tube 231a and a second tube 231b. The first tube 231a extends inward through one side frame 232 of the condenser 230, extends over a predetermined length to be elongate, and extends outward through the other side frame 233 of the condenser 230. [64] Then, the first tube 231a extends inward through a horizontal adjoining portion on the other side frame 233, extends over the predetermined length to be elongate, and extends outward through one side frame 232. Thereupon, the first tube 231a extends inward through a vertical adjoining portion on one side frame 232, extends over the predetermined length to be elongate, and extends outward through the other side frame 233 of the condenser 230.

[65] This connection pattern is continuously repeated. That is to say, the first tube 231a extends inward through a horizontal adjoining portion on the other side frame 233, extends over the predetermined length to be elongate, and extends outward through one side frame 232. The connection pattern continues along the side frames 232 and 233 of the condenser 230.

[66] The second tube 231b is also installed along the side frames 232 and 233 in the same manner as the first tube 231. The second tube 231b is installed in spaces defined between portions of the first tube 231a while not interfering with the first tube 231a.

[67] Consequently, as the tubes 231a and 231b are installed close together while not interfering with each other, the space in the condenser 230 can be utilized to a maximum, and the heat exchange efficiency of refrigerant is further improved.

[68] Hereafter, the operational effects of the condenser tube connection structure of an air conditioning system for communication equipment according to the present invention, constructed as mentioned above, will be described.

[69] First, basically, since the air conditioning system of the present invention comprises double cooling lines, depending upon the indoor temperature sensed by the indoor temperature sensor 190, the operation of the respective first and second cooling sections (the expansion valves 110, the brine coolers 120, and the compressors 130) and the condensers 230 is determined.

[70] Next, the brine, having exchanged heat in the indoor heat exchanger 140 and absorbed heat inside the base station 300, passes through the outdoor heat exchanger 220. At this time, as the outdoor temperature and the brine temperature, which are sensed by the outdoor temperature sensor 250 and the brine temperature sensor 260, are compared with each other, whether or not the outdoor heat exchanger 220 is operated is determined.

[71] Thus, the brine exchanges heat with the natural cool air through the outdoor heat exchangers 220 to be cooled to a desired temperature, or is bypassed toward the indoor module 100 without exchanging heat in the outdoor heat exchangers 220.

[72] Furthermore, in the present invention, the double brine circulation structures are adopted, in which the pair of circulation pumps 110 and the cooling group (the expansion valves 110, the brine coolers 120, and the compressors 130) and the condensers 230 are respectively installed in parallel, and the brine pipe 170 extends in series through the cooling group. Also, the cooling pipes 160 are branched and connected to the pair of heat exchange tubes 231 arranged in the respective condensers 230. As a result, heat exchange efficiency is improved, and when one heat exchange tube 231 does not properly work, the other heat exchange tube 231 can reliably maintain the cooled state of the communication equipment 180.

[73] In particular, as the pair of heat exchange tubes 231, through which the refrigerant circulated into the condensers 230 connected in parallel to the refrigerant pipes 160 passes, are installed close together while not interfering with each other, the space in the condenser 230 can be utilized to a maximum, and the heat exchange efficiency of the refrigerant is further improved.

[74] In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed typical preferred embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.

Claims

[1] A condenser tube connection structure of an air conditioning system for communication equipment including an indoor module placed inside a base station in which communication equipment is installed and an outdoor module placed outside the base station and having a condenser, wherein the condenser of the outdoor module has a pair of tubes; a first tube in installed in a manner such that a connection pattern, in which the first tube extends inward through one side frame of the condenser, outward through the other side frame of the condenser, inward through a horizontal adjoining portion on the other side frame, outward through one side frame, inward through a vertical adjoining portion on one side frame, and then outward through the other side frame, is continuously repeated; and a second tube is installed in the same manner as the first tube to be disposed in spaces between portions of the first tube without interfering with the first tube.

[2] The condenser tube connection structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein the indoor module comprises expansion valves installed on refrigerant pipes, brine coolers each having a pair of heat exchange tubes to which the refrigerant pipe extending from each expansion valve and a separate brine pipe are respectively connected, compressors for compressing refrigerant having passed through the brine coolers, an indoor heat exchanger having a heat exchange tube to which the brine pipe extending from the brine coolers is connected, and at least one indoor blower located adjacent to the indoor heat exchanger.

[3] The condenser tube connection structure as set forth in claims 1 or 2, wherein the outdoor module comprises a pair of circulation pumps connected in parallel to the brine pipe extending from the indoor heat exchanger, a pair of outdoor heat exchangers connected in series with each other while facing each other and each having a heat exchange tube to which the brine pipe extending from the circulation pumps is connected, a pair of condensers facing each other and having tubes to which the refrigerant pipes extending from the compressors of the indoor module are connected in parallel, and at least one outdoor blower located between the pair of outdoor heat exchangers.

[4] The condenser tube connection structure as set forth in claim 3, wherein the expansion valves, the brine coolers and the compressors of the indoor module constitute a single cooling group which is divided into first and second cooling sections; the first and second cooling sections are respectively connected to the refrigerant pipes which are separate from each other; two brine coolers are connected in series to one brine pipe; and each of a pair of condensers in the outdoor module has a pair of heat exchange tubes to which the refrigerant pipes extending from the respective cooling sections are connected.

[5] The condenser tube connection structure as set forth in claim 4, wherein each of a pair of condensers in the outdoor module has a pair of heat exchange tubes to which the refrigerant pipes extending from the respective cooling sections are connected.