Accumulator of air conditioner

Abstract

The present invention provides an accumulator of an air conditioner, in which a coolant outlet pipe is a dual pipe with an internal pipe and an external pipe, a return cap is combined to the lower end of the dual pipe, and a gas coolant flows from the upper portion inside a tank through a gas coolant inlet between the internal pipe and the external pipe, turns into the internal pipe at the return cap, and then continues flowing through the gas coolant outlet to an outer pipe. Therefore, the accumulator can be manufactured from a small tank, so that it can be easily mounted in a small space with high liquid-vapor separating performance and pressure resistance.

1 . An accumulator of an air conditioner, comprising:
 a tank;   a coolant intake that is formed at the upper portion inside the tank; and   a coolant outlet pipe that is vertically disposed in the tank to discharge a gas coolant separated from a coolant that has flowed in the tank, and has a gas coolant outlet at the upper portion of the tank,   wherein the coolant outlet pipe is a dual pipe with an internal pipe and an external pipe, and   a return cap is combined to the lower end of the dual pipe, the gas coolant flows from the upper portion inside the tank through a gas coolant inlet between the internal pipe and the external pipe, turns into the internal pipe at the return cap, and then continues flowing through the gas coolant outlet to an outer pipe.   
   
   
       2 . The accumulator of an air conditioner as set forth in  claim 1 ,
 wherein the coolant intake is formed above a section plate disposed at the upper portion inside the tank,   the gas coolant inlet is formed under the section plate, and   a liquid coolant block pipe that surrounds the gas coolant inlet to prevent a liquid coolant from flowing into the coolant outlet pipe through the gas coolant inlet is formed under the section plate.   
   
   
       3 . The accumulator of an air conditioner as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the liquid coolant block pipe is a cone-shaped pipe with the top cut and the lower end open. 
   
   
       4 . The accumulator of an air conditioner as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the liquid coolant block pipe is a cylindrical pipe with the lower end open. 
   
   
       5 . The accumulator of an air conditioner as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the passage area defined by a gap between the liquid coolant block pipe and the external pipe of the coolant outlet pipe is larger than the passage area between the internal pipe and external pipe of the coolant outlet pipe. 
   
   
       6 . The accumulator of an air conditioner as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the coolant inlet extends to the lower portion of the section plate and the gas coolant inlet pipe is formed above the section plate. 
   
   
       7 . The accumulator of an air conditioner as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein an upper body that has the coolant intake and a gas coolant outlet that is formed by connection with the internal pipe of the dual pipe is combined to the upper end of the tank. 
   
   
       8 . The accumulator of an air conditioner as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein a coolant inlet of the upper body is formed at the side of the upper body and communicated with the coolant intake to easily separate liquid and vapor from a coolant that flows into the upper portion inside the tank by circumferentially rotating the coolant. 
   
   
       9 . The accumulator of an air conditioner as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein a protrusion with a round side is formed at the bottom of the upper body where the internal pipe of the dual pipe is connected, in order to easily induce a cyclone by allowing the coolant that flows into the tank through the coolant intake to hit the round side and easily rotate. 
   
   
       10 . The accumulator of an air conditioner as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein an explosion plate that explodes under a predetermined pressure to rapidly discharge a coolant outside at an abnormal high pressure is provided at lower portion of the tank. 
   
   
       11 . The accumulator of an air conditioner as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein an oil return hole  14   c  is formed in the return cap to allow oil for a compressor (oil separated from the coolant) to flow into and circulate through the coolant outlet pipe. 
   
   
       12 . The accumulator of an air conditioner as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein a filter is provided to the return cap to prevent any foreign substances from flowing inside through the oil return hole. 
   
   
       13 . The accumulator of an air conditioner as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the bottom of the tank under the return cap is formed deeper than other portions to easily collect and recover the oil. 
   
   
       14 . The accumulator of an air conditioner as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the bottom of the tank under the return cap is formed deeper than other portions to easily collect and recover the oil. 
   
   
       15 . The accumulator of an air conditioner as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the diameter of the tank of the accumulator is in the range of 30 mm to 60 mm so that the accumulator is mounted in a small space with high liquid-vapor separating performance and pressure resistance. 
   
   
       16 . The accumulator of an air conditioner as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a high-pressure coolant inlet pipe that longitudinally surrounds a part of the outside of the external pipe of the coolant outlet pipe; and   a high-pressure coolant outlet pipe that longitudinally surrounds the other part of the outside of the external pipe of the coolant outlet pipe,   wherein a connection cap is combined to the lower ends of the high-pressure coolant inlet pipe and the high-pressure coolant outlet pipe such that the coolant that flows inside through the high-pressure coolant inlet pipe turns into the high-pressure coolant outlet pipe at the connection cap.   
   
   
       17 . The accumulator of an air conditioner as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein the high-pressure coolant inlet pipe and the high-pressure coolant outlet pipe each have a curved thin tube with a plurality of coolant passage inside. 
   
   
       18 . The accumulator of an air conditioner as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the curved insides of the curved thin tubes is joined to the outside of the external pipe of the coolant outlet pipe so that the coolant in the coolant outlet pipe exchanges heat with the coolants in the high-pressure coolant inlet pipe and the high-pressure coolant outlet pipe. 
   
   
       19 . The accumulator of an air conditioner as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein heat conductive fins are provided on the curved outside of the curved thin tube. 
   
   
       20 . The accumulator of an air conditioner as set forth in  claim 19 , wherein the heat conductive fins are integrally formed with the curved thin tube, protruding outside. 
   
   
       21 . The accumulator of an air conditioner as set forth in  claim 19 , wherein the heat conductive fin is an offset fin with folds. 
   
   
       22 . The accumulator of an air conditioner as set forth in  claim 19 , wherein the heat conductive fin is a flat fin that is inserted around the curved thin tube. 
   
   
       23 . The accumulator of an air conditioner as set forth in  claim 19 , wherein the curved thin tube is formed by being pressed in a curved thin tube shape without post-machining. 
   
   
       24 . The accumulator of an air conditioner as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein the connection cap is integrally formed with the return cap of the coolant outlet pipe. 
   
   
       25 . The accumulator of an air conditioner as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein the coolant intake is a pipe that is vertically disposed from the upper portion through the tank and has a coolant injection hole through the outside of the pipe to rotate an injected coolant.