The present invention relates to a cooling device comprising a flow regulator which reduces the noise originating from the fluid during the refrigeration cycle.

In the refrigeration circuits of cooling devices, capillary pipes are used in order to lower the pressure of the fluid. The fluid, the pressure of which is decreased by means of the capillary pipes, flows at a high speed at the capillary pipe outlet and is generally two-phase. The fluid converts to the gas phase at the evaporator outlet. The fluid that is two-phase or in the gas phase and that tends to have hydrodynamic instability causes the generation of noise. Moreover, noise is generated due to the vibration and turbulence originating from the sudden pressure difference during the transfer of the fluid from the capillary pipes with narrow cross-sectional area to the pipes having wider cross-sectional area. In the state of the art, utilization of porous flow regulators is known in order to decrease the said disturbing sound level which can be generally heard from the outside. In the state of the art European Patent Application No. EP0943879, it is described that the porous flow regulator that provides reduction in the noise originating from the refrigerant fluid is fixed between the capillary pipe and the pipe wherein at least some part of the capillary pipe is located.

The aim of the present invention is the realization of a cooling device comprising a flow regulator that reduces the noise originating from the fluid.

The cooling device realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, comprises a compressor that enables the refrigeration cycle to be performed, a condenser that transfers thermal energy to the outside environment, an evaporator that draws the thermal energy in the environment being cooled, a capillary pipe that is disposed between the condenser and the evaporator and that enables the refrigerant at the outlet of the condenser to be delivered to the evaporator by expanding, and a return pipe that extends from the evaporator to the compressor. The cooling device of the present invention comprises an at least partially flexible flow regulator that carries the refrigerant, that is situated among the pipes between the evaporator and the condenser, that decreases the noise by absorbing the vibrations originating from the pressure differences in the fluid, that has a corrugated shape differentiating from one end to the other end and wherein the circulation of the refrigerant is realized. By means of the corrugated surface of the flow regulator, the flow rate of the refrigerant is decreased and the fluid is prevented from generating noise by hitting the walls of the flow regulator.

In an embodiment of the present invention, one end of the flow regulator opens to the evaporator inlet and the other end thereof to the capillary pipe. By means of the flow regulator, the acoustic energy of the refrigerant received from the capillary pipe is decreased before the refrigerant enters the evaporator. Thus, vibration-induced noise formation on the evaporator is prevented.

In a derivative of this embodiment, the shape of the flow regulator is frustoconical, accordion and cylindrical respectively in the flow direction of the refrigerant. That the flow regulator is composed of different geometrical shapes arranged successively enables the physical characteristics of the refrigerant to change in a slow and stable manner along the flow regulator. Thus, the refrigerant flows in a more stable manner and noise originating from the flow of the refrigerant is decreased.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the flow regulator is situated at the outlet of the evaporator. Since the bubbles in the refrigerant contact the return pipe walls and burst while the refrigerant leaving the evaporator in gas phase moves towards the compressor, noise and vibration increase especially at the evaporator outlet. The flow regulator damps the increasing vibration thanks to its flexible configuration and geometry.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the portion of the flow regulator close to the evaporator outlet is frustoconical and the portion thereof close to the compressor is cylindrical. In an embodiment of the present invention, the accordion portion of the flow regulator is produced from elastomeric material. Thanks to its flexible structure, the flow regulator reduces the vibration-induced noise by damping the vibrations caused by the high pressure fluid. The cooling device realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:

Figure 1 - is the schematic view of the refrigerant circulation line of a cooling device.

Figure 2 - is the sideways view of a flow regulator. The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1- Cooling device

2- Compressor

3- Condenser

4- Evaporator 5- Capillary pipe

6- Return pipe

7- Flow regulator

The cooling device (1) comprises a compressor (2) enabling the refrigeration cycle to be performed, a condenser (3) that transfers thermal energy to the outside environment, an evaporator (4) that draws thermal energy from the environment being cooled, at least one capillary pipe (5) that is disposed between the condenser (3) and the evaporator (4) and that enables the refrigerant to be delivered to the evaporator (4) by expanding at the outlet of the condenser (3), and a return pipe

(6) that is disposed between the evaporator (4) and the compressor (2) and that carries the refrigerant in gas phase to the compressor (2).

The cooling device (1) of the present invention comprises a flexible flow regulator

(7) with at least some portion in accordion (A) form, that is disposed on the refrigerant circulation line between the evaporator (4) and the condenser (3) and that prevents the noise originating from the fluid. By means of the accordion (A) form of the flow regulator (7), the fluid slows down while passing through the flow regulator (7). Thus, the physical characteristics of the fluid change in a stable manner and the pressure of the fluid is prevented from changing abruptly. Moreover, vibrations generated on the refrigerant circulation line are prevented from generating noise by stimulating the evaporator (4).

In an embodiment of the present invention, the flow regulator (7) is situated between the capillary pipe (5) and the evaporator (4) inlet. The fluid, the pressure of which is decreased by means of the capillary pipe (5), flows at a high speed at the capillary pipe (5) outlet and is generally two-phase. The acoustic energy of the fluid coming from the capillary pipe (5) and having a reduced speed after passing through the flow regulator (7) is decreased at the evaporator (4) inlet. Thus, noise generation is prevented. Vibrations generated on the capillary pipe (5) are damped before reaching the evaporator (4), thus the formation of vibration-induced noise on the evaporator (4) is prevented.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the flow regulator (7) is situated between the evaporator (4) outlet and the return pipe (6). Noise and vibrations increase between the evaporator (4) and the return pipe (6) wherein the fluid is in gas phase. Thanks to its geometry, the flow regulator (7) prevents fluid from creating vortices in the return pipe (6).

In an embodiment of the present invention, the end of the flow regulator (7) connected to the capillary pipe (5) is frustoconical (F) and the end thereof connected to the evaporator (4) inlet is cylindrical (S). By means of the frustoconical (F) form of the flow regulator (7), the fluid that leaves the capillary pipe (5) with increased speed, slows down while moving forward inside the flow regulator (7). By means of the accordion (A) form of the flow regulator (7), the refrigerant flows over the walls of the flow regulator (7) by zigzagging after its flow rate is reduced. The fluid passes through the cylindrical (S) portion and enters the evaporator (4). Thus, noise is prevented from originating due to the pressure change occurring during the fluid transfer between the pipes with different diameters. Thanks to the frustoconical (F), accordion (A) and cylindrical (S) forms of the flow regulator (7) arranged respectively, vibrations with different wavelengths are damped. The acoustic energy of the refrigerant is reduced by making the flow thereof stable.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the end of the flow regulator (7) connected to the evaporator (4) outlet is frustoconical (F) and the end thereof connected to the return pipe (6) is cylindrical (S).

In an embodiment of the present invention, the accordion (A) portion of the flow regulator (7) is produced from elastomeric material. Thanks to its flexible structure, the flow regulator (7) damps the vibrations caused by the acoustic energy of the fluid and prevents formation of noise.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the frustoconical (F) and/or cylindrical (S) portions of the flow regulator (7) are produced from metal. Thus, the flow regulator (7) can be connected to the evaporator (4) inlet by welding. Connecting the simple structured pipes with welding provides savings in material costs.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the frustoconical (F) and/or cylindrical (S) portions of the flow regulator (7) are produced from plastic.

By means of the present invention, the pressure of the fluid is reduced thanks to the at least partially flexible flow regulator (7) with a geometry changing from one end to the other end. The cavitation and vibration noise originating from the pressure change occurring during the fluid transfer between the pipes with different diameters is effectively dampened. Consequently, generation of noise originating from flow and/or physical characteristics of the fluid is prevented and the cooling device (1) is enabled to operate more silently.