Refrigerating system using non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant

Abstract

A refrigerating system may include a compressor configured to compress a non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant, a condenser configured to condense the compressed non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant, a three-way valve configured to branch the non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant condensed by the condenser, a first evaporator configured to supply cold air to a first interior space, a second evaporator configured to supply cold air to a second interior space at a temperature higher than at a temperature of the first interior space, and a capillary tube configured to expand the non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant branched by the three-way valve and supply the expanded non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant to at least one of the first evaporator or the second evaporator. With such features, a high-efficiency refrigerating system to which the non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant is applied may be implemented.

1 . A refrigerating apparatus, comprising:
 a compressor to compress a non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant;   a condenser to condense the compressed non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant;   at least two evaporators including a first evaporator configured to supply cold air to a first interior space, and a second evaporator configured to supply cold air to a second interior space at a temperature higher than a temperature of the first interior space;   a valve configured to branch the refrigerant condensed by the condenser to at least two branches;   at least two capillary tubes including a first capillary tube configured to connect the valve to a refrigerant inlet side of the first evaporator, and a second capillary tube configured to connect the three-way valve to a refrigerant inlet side of the second evaporator;   a compressor suction pipe to connect the refrigerant outlet side of the second evaporator to an inlet side of the compressor;   a regenerative heat exchanger in which at least a portion of the at least two capillary tubes is adjacent to the compressor suction pipe to exchange heat therebetween,   a check valve to allow the non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant to flow from the first evaporator to the second evaporator; and   at least one gas-liquid separator disposed at the compressor suction pipe, the gas-liquid separator being not disposed in a connection pipe between the first evaporator and the second evaporator.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerating apparatus according to the  claim 1 , wherein the gas-liquid separator is provided at the outlet side of the second evaporator. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerating apparatus according to the  claim 1 , wherein the regenerative heat exchanger includes a shielding region in the regenerative heat exchanger in order to shield the heat exchange between the capillary tube and the compressor suction pipe, where a geometric region from a point to the first evaporator or the second evaporator, at said point, a temperature of the non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant flowing through the respective capillary tube is lower than a temperature of the non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant flowing through the compressor suction pipe. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerating apparatus according to the  claim 3 , wherein the temperature at the point is within a range of −5° C. to 5° C. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerating apparatus according to the  claim 3 , wherein the shielding region is included within 1 m or less from an outlet of the respective capillary tube and an inlet of the compressor suction pipe. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerating apparatus according to the  claim 1 , wherein the check valve does not allow refrigerant flow from the second evaporator to the first evaporator such that a reverse flow of the refrigerant is prevented when switching from simultaneous operation of the first interior space and the second interior space to operation of the second interior space alone. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerating apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first interior space is a freezer compartment and the second interior space is a refrigerating compartment. 
     
     
         8 . A refrigerating apparatus, comprising:
 a compressor to compress a non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant;   a condenser to condense the compressed non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant;   an expander to expand the condensed non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant;   an evaporator to evaporate the expanded non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant to supply cold air;   a compressor suction pipe to connect the refrigerant outlet side of the evaporator to an inlet side of the compressor;   a shielding region, in which at least a portion of the capillary tube is shielded so as not to exchange heat with at least a portion of the compressor suction pipe which is adjacent to the at least a portion of the capillary tube.   
     
     
         9 . The refrigerating apparatus according to the  claim 8 , wherein a temperature of the non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant increase during an evaporation of the evaporator. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigerating apparatus according to the  claim 8 , wherein the shielding region is a geometric region from a point to the evaporator, at said point, a temperature of the non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant flowing through the respective capillary tube is lower than a temperature of the non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant flowing through the compressor suction pipe. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigerating apparatus according to the  claim 10 , and wherein the temperature at the point is within a range of −5° C. to 5° C. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigerating apparatus according to the  claim 8 ,
 wherein the non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant comprises isobutane and propane and, the weight ratio of the isobutane is 50%≤isobutane≤90%   
     
     
         13 . The refrigerating apparatus according to the  claim 8 , wherein the shielding region is included within 1 m or less from an outlet of the respective capillary tube and an inlet of the compressor suction pipe. 
     
     
         14 . The refrigerating apparatus according to the  claim 8 , wherein the shielding region is included in a regenerative heat exchanger in which the capillary tube is adjacent to the compressor suction pipe so as to exchange heat therebetween. 
     
     
         15 . The refrigerating apparatus according to  claim 8 , comprising a heat exchange region in which at least a portion of the capillary tube is adjacent to the compressor suction pipe so as to exchange heat with the at least a portion of the compressor suction pipe. 
     
     
         16 . The refrigerating apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the at least a portion of the capillary tube is contact with the at least a portion of the compressor suction pipe by welding. 
     
     
         17 . A refrigerating apparatus, comprising:
 a compressor to compress a non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant;   a condenser to condense the compressed non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant;   an expander to expand the condensed non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant;   at capillary tube to expand the non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant branched by the valve and to supply the expanded non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant to the evaporator;   a compressor suction pipe to connect the refrigerant outlet side of the evaporator to an inlet side of the compressor;   a regenerative heat exchanger in which the capillary tube is adjacent to the compressor suction pipe to exchange heat therebetween;   a shielding region in the regenerative heat exchanger in order to shield the heat exchange between the capillary tube and the compressor suction pipe, wherein the shielding region is included within 1 m or less from an outlet of the respective capillary tube and an inlet of the compressor suction pipe.   
     
     
         18 . The refrigerating apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the regenerative heat exchanger includes a heat exchange region in which at least a portion of the capillary tube contacts with at least a portion of the compressor suction pipe. 
     
     
         19 . The refrigerating apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the shielding region and the heat exchange region meets at a point. 
     
     
         20 . The refrigerating apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein a temperature at boundary of the shielding region and the heat exchange region is fluctuate within a range of −5° C. to 5° C.