Liquid separator, cooling system, and gas-liquid separation method

Abstract

A liquid separator including a cylindrical closed container in which a refrigerant is stored, a refrigerant inflow pipe that allows the refrigerant to flow into the closed container, and a refrigerant outflow pipe that allows the vapor-phase refrigerant in a space inside the closed container to flow out, in which the refrigerant inflow pipe and the refrigerant outflow pipe are each connected from the upper part of the closed container toward the inside thereof, and the closed container has a short cylindrical shape in which the height is smaller relative to the diameter.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A liquid separator comprising:
 a closed container having a cylindrical shape in which a refrigerant is stored; a refrigerant inflow pipe that allows the refrigerant to flow into the closed container; and a refrigerant outflow pipe that allows the refrigerant that has flowed into a space inside the closed container to flow out, wherein:   the refrigerant inflow pipe and the refrigerant outflow pipe are each arranged from the upper part of the closed container toward the inside thereof; and   the closed container is formed in a short cylindrical shape in which the height is smaller relative to the diameter.   
     
     
         2 . The liquid separator according to  claim 1 , wherein a splash prevention plate for preventing the scattering of refrigerant droplets is installed near the outlet of the refrigerant inflow pipe located in the closed container. 
     
     
         3 . The liquid separator according to  claim 2 , wherein the splash prevention plate is composed of a mesh-shaped plate. 
     
     
         4 . The liquid separator according to  claim 2 , wherein the splash prevention plate is composed of a plate having a large number of through holes. 
     
     
         5 . The liquid separator according to  claim 2 , wherein the splash prevention plate is composed of a net-like body formed by entwining a plurality of fibers. 
     
     
         6 . The liquid separator according to  claim 1 , wherein a liquid intrusion prevention plate for preventing intrusion of the liquid-phase refrigerant in the closed container is further provided near the inlet of the refrigerant outflow pipe. 
     
     
         7 . The liquid separator according to  claim 1 , wherein the closed container is provided with a liquid level sensor that detects the liquid level of the liquid-phase refrigerant and a control unit that stops the entire device when the detected value of the liquid level sensor exceeds a predetermined limit value. 
     
     
         8 . The liquid separator according to  claim 1 , wherein a discharge valve for discharging the liquid-phase refrigerant is provided at the lower part of the closed container. 
     
     
         9 . A cooling system comprising an evaporator that absorbs ambient heat by evaporating a liquid-phase refrigerant, a compressor that compresses a vapor-phase refrigerant, a condenser that releases the heat of the refrigerant that has been pressurized by the compressor and condenses the vapor-phase refrigerant, and a decompression expansion valve that depressurizes and expands the liquid-phase refrigerant cooled by the condenser along a refrigerant path, wherein:
 a liquid separator for gas-liquid separation of the refrigerant after passing through the evaporator is provided on the upstream side of the compressor; and   the liquid separator includes a closed container having a cylindrical shape in which a refrigerant is stored; a refrigerant inflow pipe that allows the refrigerant to flow into the closed container; and a refrigerant outflow pipe that allows the refrigerant in a space inside the closed container to flow out, the cylindrical closed container being formed in a short cylindrical shape in which the height is smaller relative to the diameter.   
     
     
         10 . A gas-liquid separation method comprising:
 connecting a closed container having a cylindrical shape in which the refrigerant is stored, with a refrigerant inflow pipe that allows a refrigerant to flow into and a refrigerant outflow pipe that allows the refrigerant in a space inside the closed container to flow out, and   forming the closed container in a short cylindrical shape in which the height is smaller relative to the diameter.