JP7732792B2 - Reserve tank, cooling device, and projector - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates to a reservoir tank, a cooling device, and a projector.

In cooling devices that cool a heat-generating element by circulating a refrigerant, a reserve tank is known for trapping air that has become mixed in with the refrigerant.

The liquid cooling tank described in Patent Document 1 separates and traps air that has become mixed in with the refrigerant, preventing air from getting into the pump that serves as the power source for circulating the refrigerant.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-84958

The liquid cooling tank described in Patent Document 1 has the problem that air re-enters the refrigerant when the amount of refrigerant circulating is increased.

This disclosure provides a reserve tank with improved gas-liquid separation performance, as well as a cooling device and projector equipped with the same.

A reserve tank according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a tank body that stores refrigerant therein, an inlet channel that allows the refrigerant to flow into the tank body, an outlet channel that allows the refrigerant to flow out of the tank body, a collision member that faces the outlet of the inlet channel inside the tank body and has a first surface against which the refrigerant flowing out from the outlet of the inlet channel collides, and an air bubble prevention member that faces the inlet of the outlet channel inside the tank body and prevents air bubbles from entering the outlet channel.

A cooling device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes the above-described reserve tank, a pump that circulates the refrigerant, a heat receiving unit that recovers heat from a heat generating element, and a heat exchanger that cools the refrigerant. The cooling device cools the heat generating element by circulating the refrigerant stored in the reserve tank.

A projector according to one aspect of the present disclosure is equipped with the above-described cooling device.

This disclosure provides a reserve tank with improved gas-liquid separation performance, as well as a cooling device and projector equipped with the same.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a cooling device according to a first embodiment; Schematic diagram of the cooling device of FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a reserve tank included in the cooling device of FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the reserve tank of FIG. Plan view of the reserve tank of Figure 3 AA cross-sectional view of FIG. 5A BB cross-sectional view of FIG. 5A 4 is a plan view of the reserve tank of FIG. 3 from another direction. 6A - CC cross section An enlarged view of the dashed-line region R1 in FIG. 6B. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a collision member and an air bubble entrapment prevention member included in the reserve tank of FIG. FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a reserve tank according to a second embodiment; 8B is a cross-sectional view of the reserve tank taken along the line DD in FIG. 8A. 8B is a cross-sectional view of the reserve tank taken along the line E-E in FIG. 8B is a plan view of the reservoir tank of FIG. 8A from another direction. 9A is a cross-sectional view of the reserve tank taken along the line FF. FIG. 8B is a perspective view showing an air bubble entrapment prevention member and a collision member included in the reserve tank of FIG. 8A; FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a reserve tank according to a third embodiment. 11A is a cross-sectional view of the reserve tank taken along the line G-G. HH cross-sectional view of the reserve tank of FIG. 11A. 11B is a plan view of the reservoir tank of FIG. 11A from another direction. 12A is a cross-sectional view of the reserve tank taken along line II. FIG. 11B is a perspective view showing an air bubble entrapment prevention member and a collision member included in the reserve tank of FIG. 11A. FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a reserve tank according to a fourth embodiment. 14A is a cross-sectional view of the reserve tank taken along the line J-J. 14A is a cross-sectional view of the reserve tank taken along the line K-K. 14B is a plan view of the reservoir tank of FIG. 14A from another direction. 15A is a cross-sectional view of the reserve tank taken along the line L-L. FIG. 14B is a perspective view showing an air bubble entrapment prevention member and a collision member included in the reserve tank of FIG. 14A. FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a reserve tank according to a fifth embodiment. 17A is a cross-sectional view of the reserve tank taken along the line M-M. 17A is a cross-sectional view of the reserve tank taken along the line N-N. 17B is a plan view of the reservoir tank of FIG. 17A from another direction. 18A is a cross-sectional view of the reserve tank taken along the line O-O. FIG. 17B is a perspective view showing an air bubble entrapment prevention member and a collision member included in the reserve tank of FIG. 17A. 19A and 19B are cross-sectional views of the air bubble entrapment prevention member and the collision member taken along the line P-P;

(Background to this disclosure)
2. Description of the Related Art In projection-type image display devices (projectors) and the like, cooling devices are used to cool heat-generating components such as laser light sources.

Known cooling methods for cooling devices include directly cooling the light source with a fan, or placing a heat sink with heat dissipation fins in contact with the heat-generating body and cooling the heat sink with a fan. Another known method is to create a heat sink module in which a heat receiving body and a heat dissipating body are thermally connected using a heat pipe, and then cooling the heat dissipating body with a fan.

Furthermore, some cooling devices use a liquid refrigerant to cool the device. In cooling devices that circulate a refrigerant, a highly thermally conductive refrigerant is forcibly circulated using a pump, and heat from the heat receiving part is dissipated by the heat dissipation part. Some devices also improve cooling performance by cooling the heat dissipation part with a fan. Furthermore, some cooling devices that use this type of refrigerant are equipped with a reserve tank to prevent air from getting into the pump when circulating the refrigerant.

In recent years, there has been a rapid shift in projectors from lamp light sources to laser light sources, which have a higher heat density. There is also a demand for projectors to be higher in brightness and able to be installed in all directions (360°). This requires cooling devices to have high cooling performance and be able to be installed in all directions. At the same time, there is also a demand for lighter and more compact projectors.

Therefore, there is a demand for cooling devices and reserve tanks that are smaller while increasing the refrigerant circulation flow rate to improve cooling performance.

As the refrigerant circulation flow rate increases, the flow rate of refrigerant flowing into the reserve tank also increases. As the flow rate of refrigerant flowing into the reserve tank increases, the flow velocity of the refrigerant into the reserve tank also increases. At this time, the flowing refrigerant causes significant vibrations at the interface between the refrigerant and air in the reserve tank, making it easier for the air trapped inside the reserve tank to re-enter the circulation path of the cooling device. Therefore, as the refrigerant flow rate increases, the reserve tank's gas-liquid separation performance decreases. To avoid this decrease in gas-liquid separation performance, the reserve tank must be made larger, making it difficult to achieve both gas-liquid separation performance and compactness.

The inventor(s) therefore investigated a reserve tank with improved gas-liquid separation performance, as well as a cooling device and projector equipped with the same, and arrived at the following invention.

A reserve tank according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a tank body that stores a refrigerant therein, an inlet channel for allowing the refrigerant to flow into the tank body, an outlet channel for allowing the refrigerant to flow out of the tank body, a collision member disposed inside the tank body opposite the outlet of the inlet channel and having a first surface against which the refrigerant flowing out of the inlet channel collides, and an air bubble prevention member disposed inside the tank body opposite the inlet of the outlet channel and preventing air bubbles from entering the outlet channel.

This configuration makes it possible to provide a reserve tank with improved gas-liquid separation performance.

The inlet of the outlet passage may be located inside the tank body, away from the inner wall of the tank body.

With this configuration, gas-liquid separation performance can be maintained even if the orientation of the tank body is changed.

The inlet passage includes a first inlet passage through which refrigerant flows from outside the tank body, and a second inlet passage that connects the first inlet passage to the outlet, and the cross-sectional area of the second inlet passage may be larger than the cross-sectional area of the first inlet passage.

This configuration allows the refrigerant to flow into the tank body from outside while slowing down its flow rate. As a result, fluctuations at the interface between the refrigerant and air inside the tank are reduced, preventing air from re-entering the refrigerant flowing out of the reserve tank.

The outlet of the inlet passage and the inlet of the outlet passage may be arranged in a first direction and may be located at different positions in the first direction from the outlet of the inlet passage and the inlet of the outlet passage, and the collision member may be arranged between the outlet of the inlet passage and the inlet of the outlet passage in the first direction.

This configuration allows the reserve tank to be used regardless of its orientation.

The first surface may have one or more through holes formed therein that allow the refrigerant to move to the opposite side of the first surface.

With this configuration, some of the refrigerant flowing in from the inlet channel flows along the collision member, while another portion flows through the through-holes, dispersing the refrigerant that has flowed into the tank body. This reduces the overall flow rate of the refrigerant inside the tank body and prevents air from re-entering.

The tank body may be provided with a first region in which the outlet of the inlet channel is located and a second region in which the inlet of the outlet channel is located. The first and second regions may be separated by a collision member, and the first and second regions may be connected by one or more through holes.

With this configuration, the outlet of the inlet channel and the inlet of the outlet channel are located in different areas separated by the collision member, preventing the refrigerant that flows into the tank body from the outlet of the inlet channel from flowing directly out the outlet channel. This prevents air from mixing with the refrigerant flowing out of the tank body.

The sum of the opening areas of one or more through holes may be greater than the opening area of the inlet passage outlet.

This configuration reduces the flow rate of the refrigerant inside the tank body.

The collision member and the air bubble prevention member may be formed integrally.

This configuration simplifies the structure of the tank body while reducing the flow rate of the inflowing refrigerant.

The first surface of the collision member may be formed in a flat shape.

With this configuration, the flow velocity of the inflowing refrigerant can be reduced by colliding with the collision member.

The first surface of the collision member may be formed concavely.

This configuration makes it easy to change the path of the inflowing refrigerant. It also reduces pressure loss when the inflowing refrigerant collides with the collision member.

The first surface of the collision member may be formed in a convex shape.

This configuration makes it easy to change the path of the inflowing refrigerant. It also reduces pressure loss when the inflowing refrigerant collides with the collision member.

The collision member may have a sidewall surrounding the first surface of the collision member, and the sidewall may cover at least a portion of the outlet of the inlet passage.

This configuration allows the flow of the inflowing refrigerant to be reversed. This reduces the fluctuation of the interface between the refrigerant and air inside the tank body due to the inflow of refrigerant, and reduces the amount of air contained in the outflowing refrigerant. As a result, gas-liquid separation performance can be improved.

A cooling device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes the above-described reserve tank, a pump for circulating the refrigerant, a heat receiving section for recovering heat from a heat generating element, and a heat exchanger for cooling the refrigerant, and circulates the refrigerant stored in the reserve tank to cool the heat generating element.

This configuration allows the cooling device to be made smaller while improving cooling performance.

A projector according to one aspect of the present disclosure is equipped with the above-described cooling device.

This configuration makes it possible to provide a compact projector with improved cooling performance.

Embodiments will be described in detail below, with reference to the drawings as appropriate. However, more detailed explanations than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed explanations of matters that are already well known or redundant explanations of substantially identical configurations may be omitted.

This is to avoid unnecessary redundancy in the following description and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art. The inventor(s) provide the accompanying drawings and the following description to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

(Embodiment 1)
[Configuration of cooling device]
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a cooling device 1 according to a first embodiment. Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of the cooling device 1 of Fig. 1.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the cooling device 1 comprises a reserve tank 10, a pump 20, a heat receiving unit 30, and a heat exchanger 40. The reserve tank 10 is a tank that stores refrigerant and removes air contained in the refrigerant. The pump 20 is a power source that circulates the refrigerant. The heat receiving unit 30 is thermally connected to a heat generating element 31 and absorbs heat generated by the heat generating element 31. The heat exchanger 40 cools the refrigerant using an air-cooled fan 41.

The heat receiving portion 30 of the cooling device 1 is thermally connected to a heat generating element 31, such as a laser light source of a projector.

In the cooling device 1, the pump 20 is used as a power source to circulate the refrigerant through the refrigerant transport paths 50a-50d, thereby cooling the heating element 31.

Specifically, heat generated by the heat-generating element 31 is recovered in the heat receiving section 30. As the refrigerant flows through the heat receiving section 30, the heat recovered in the heat receiving section 30 is absorbed by the refrigerant. The refrigerant that absorbed the heat travels from the refrigerant transport path 50c through the pump 20 and the refrigerant transport path 50d to the heat exchanger 40, where it is cooled by air blown by the air-cooling fan 41. The cooled refrigerant passes through the refrigerant transport path 50a and flows into the reserve tank 10 through the inlet path 13 (see Figures 3 and 4) and is introduced into the reserve tank 10. After gas-liquid separation of the refrigerant occurs in the reserve tank 10, the refrigerant flows out of the reserve tank 10 through the outlet path 14 (see Figures 3 and 4) and flows through the refrigerant transport path 50b to return to the heat receiving section 30.

Antifreeze solutions such as ethylene glycol aqueous solution or propylene glycol aqueous solution can be used as the refrigerant. In addition, the refrigerant may contain an anticorrosion additive to prevent corrosion of copper or copper alloys, which are used in the materials that make up the heat receiving portion 30.

The refrigerant transport paths 50a-50d are constructed by combining flexible tubes and metal pipes. The flexible tubes are made of a polymeric material with low gas permeability, such as butyl rubber or fluororubber. The metal pipes are made of copper, aluminum, stainless steel, or other materials.

[Reserve tank configuration]
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the reserve tank 10 included in the cooling device 1 of FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the reserve tank 10 of FIG. 3. FIG. 5A is a plan view of the reserve tank 10 of FIG. 3. FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view of the reserve tank 10 of FIG. 5A taken along line A-A. FIG. 5C is a cross-sectional view of the reserve tank 10 of FIG. 5A taken along line B-B. FIG. 6A is a plan view of the reserve tank 10 of FIG. 3 from another direction. FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view of line C-C of FIG. 6A. FIG. 6C is an enlarged view of the dashed line region R1 of FIG. 6B. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the collision member 101 and the air bubble entrapment prevention member 100 included in the reserve tank 10 of FIG. 3.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the reserve tank 10 comprises a tank body 16, an inlet channel 13, an outlet channel 14, a collision member 101, and an air bubble prevention member 100.

The tank body 16 stores a refrigerant therein. The tank body 16 includes a lower tank portion 11 and an upper tank portion 12. The lower tank portion 11 and the upper tank portion 12 are cylindrical, bottomed containers, and by joining their openings together, the tank body 16 is formed, which has a roughly cylindrical internal space. The lower tank portion 11 is provided with an inlet channel 13 that allows the refrigerant to flow into the tank body 16, and an outlet channel 14 that allows the refrigerant to flow out of the tank body 16.

A refrigerant refill pipe 15 is provided in the tank upper portion 12, and when the refrigerant inside the tank body 16 becomes low, refrigerant can be refilled through the refrigerant refill pipe 15. The refrigerant refill pipe 15 is usually fitted with a rubber cap (not shown). To refill the refrigerant, the rubber cap is removed and a container containing the refrigerant, such as a syringe, is connected to the refrigerant refill pipe 15 to refill the refrigerant. Alternatively, the refrigerant can be refilled by connecting a hose or the like to the refrigerant refill pipe 15.

The lower tank portion 11 and the upper tank portion 12 can be formed from a resin such as polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) or polyphenylene ether (PPE). Alternatively, the lower tank portion 11 and the upper tank portion 12 may be formed from a metal or the like.

The refrigerant flows from the inlet 13b of the inlet channel 13 provided in the lower tank portion 11 through the inlet channel 13, and then flows into the tank body 16 from the outlet 13a of the inlet channel 13. Meanwhile, the refrigerant flows from the inlet 14a of the outlet channel 14 provided in the lower tank portion 11 through the outlet channel 14, and then flows out of the tank body 16 from the outlet 14b of the outlet channel 14.

As shown in Figure 5B, the outlet 13a of the inlet channel 13 is located inside the tank body 16, away from the inner wall 11w of the tank body 16.

The refrigerant that passes through the inlet channel 13, as indicated by arrow F1, flows into the interior of the tank body 16 from the outlet 13a. A portion of the refrigerant that flows out from the outlet 13a collides with the collision member 101 (described below), changes its direction of travel, as indicated by arrow F2, and flows in. The other portion of the refrigerant that flows out from the outlet 13a passes through the through hole 103 provided in the collision member 101, as indicated by arrow F3, and flows in without changing its direction of travel.

The inlet channel 13 includes a first inlet channel 13c through which the refrigerant flows from outside the tank body 16, and a second inlet channel 13d that connects the first inlet channel 13c to the outlet 13a of the inlet channel 13. The first inlet channel 13c penetrates the cylindrical side wall of the lower tank section 11 and is a flow path from the outside to the inside of the tank body 16. The second inlet channel 13d extends from the bottom of the lower tank section 11 toward the upper tank section 12. The cross-sectional area of the second inlet channel 13d is larger than that of the first inlet channel 13c. With the inlet channel 13 configured in this manner, the flow rate of the refrigerant is slowed as it passes through the second inlet channel 13d, which has a larger cross-sectional area. As shown in Figure 5B, the inlet channel 13 is configured so that the direction in which the refrigerant flows through the first inlet channel 13c is perpendicular to the direction in which the refrigerant flows through the second inlet channel 13d.

As shown in Figure 5C, the inlet 14a of the outflow channel 14 is located inside the tank body 16, away from the inner wall 11w of the tank body 16. In this embodiment, the inlet 14a of the outflow channel 14 is located near the center of the interior of the tank body 16.

An air bubble prevention member 100 (described below) is disposed at the inlet 14a of the outflow channel 14, and the refrigerant inside the tank body 16 collides with the air bubble prevention wall 102b of the air bubble prevention member 100 and enters the outflow channel 14. The air bubble prevention wall 102b is designed to prevent air bubbles (air) from entering the refrigerant being discharged from the tank body 16. The refrigerant that enters the outflow channel 14 is discharged to the outside of the tank body 16 from the outlet 14b of the outflow channel 14, as shown in Figures 5A and 5B.

As shown in FIG. 6B, the outlet 13a of the inlet channel 13 and the inlet 14a of the outlet channel 14 are arranged facing the Z direction. Here, the Z direction corresponds to the "first direction" in this disclosure. That is, the inlet channel 13 and the outlet channel 14 are both arranged so that their openings face the Z direction. In the Z direction, the outlet 13a of the inlet channel 13 and the inlet 14a of the outlet channel 14 are located at different positions. That is, the outlet 13a of the inlet channel 13 and the inlet 14a of the outlet channel 14 are located at different heights in the Z direction.

Returning to Figure 4, an air bubble entrapment prevention member 100 is disposed inside the tank body 16. In this embodiment, the collision member 101 is formed integrally with the air bubble entrapment prevention member 100 (see Figure 7).

As shown in FIG. 5B, the collision member 101 is disposed inside the tank body 16, facing the outlet 13a of the inflow channel 13. The collision member 101 has a first surface 101a against which the refrigerant flowing out of the inflow channel 13 collides. The collision member 101 also has a second surface 101b opposite the first surface 101a. In this embodiment, the first surface 101a is formed in a flat shape. The first surface 101a is formed as a flat surface along the XY plane. Therefore, a portion of the refrigerant flowing out from the outlet 13a of the inflow channel 13, as indicated by arrow F1, collides with the first surface 101a of the collision member 101, slows down, changes direction, and flows into the tank body 16, as indicated by arrow F2.

The collision member 101 has a through hole 103 formed therein that allows the refrigerant to move from the first surface 101a toward the second surface 101b (the surface opposite the first surface 101a). The through hole 103 is formed small relative to the opening size of the outlet 13a of the inflow channel 13. More preferably, the through hole 103 is formed sufficiently small relative to the outlet 13a of the inflow channel 13. In this embodiment, the collision member 101 has two through holes 103. The number of through holes 103 is not limited to two, and may be one or more.

By forming a through hole 103 in the collision member 101, a portion of the refrigerant flowing out from the outlet 13a of the inlet channel 13 passes through the through hole 103 from the first surface 101a of the collision member 101 and moves to the opposite side of the first surface 101a, as shown by arrow F3.

In this way, by providing the through-holes 103 in the collision member 101, the refrigerant flowing out from the outlet 13a of the inlet channel 13 is dispersed in the directions of arrows F2 and F3, reducing the overall flow velocity of the refrigerant and preventing flow bias.

As shown in Figure 6B, the collision member 101 is positioned in the Z direction between the outlet 13a of the inlet channel 13 and the inlet 14a of the outlet channel 14. That is, the inlet 14a of the outlet channel 14 is positioned higher in the Z direction than the outlet 13a of the inlet channel 13, and the collision member 101 is positioned between the inlet 14a and the outlet 13a in the Z direction. By positioning the collision member 101 in this manner, the flow of refrigerant flowing out from the outlet 13a of the inlet channel 13 can be dispersed to a position away from the outlet channel 14, preventing the refrigerant from directly entering the outlet channel 14.

The air bubble prevention member 100 is positioned inside the tank body 16, facing the inlet 14a of the outflow channel 14. The air bubble prevention member 100 is intended to prevent air bubbles (air) from entering the outflow channel 14.

As shown in FIG. 6C, the air bubble entrapment prevention member 100 has a lid portion 102a and an air bubble entrapment prevention wall 102b. The lid portion 102a is positioned to face the inlet 14a of the outflow channel 14. The positioning of the lid portion 102a makes it possible to restrict the flow of refrigerant into the outflow channel 14 from the Z direction. The air bubble entrapment prevention wall 102b is a cylindrical member positioned to surround the inlet 14a of the outflow channel 14 and the lid portion 102a. In this embodiment, the air bubble entrapment prevention wall 102b has a shape resembling a notched circle when viewed from the Z direction. This shape creates a large gap between the air bubble entrapment prevention wall 102b and the inlet 14a of the outflow channel 14, thereby preventing pressure loss of the refrigerant flowing into the inlet 14a. Additionally, the gap between the air bubble prevention wall 102b and the inlet 14a can be reduced near the notch 14c of the inlet 14a (described below), preventing pressure loss of the refrigerant while removing air bubbles from the refrigerant flowing into the inlet 14a. A gap is provided between the outer periphery of the lid 102a and the air bubble prevention wall 102b, allowing the refrigerant to pass through this gap. The air bubble prevention wall 102b can restrict the flow of refrigerant into the outflow channel 14 from the X and Y directions.

A notch 14c (see Figure 4) is formed in the inlet 14a of the outflow channel 14. The notch 14c in the inlet 14a of the outflow channel 14 allows a gap to be formed between the lid 102a and the inlet 14a, even when the lid 102a is positioned close to the inlet 14a of the outflow channel 14. By placing the air bubble prevention member 100, the refrigerant flows along the air bubble prevention wall 102b and enters the outflow channel 14 through the notch 14c (arrow F4 in Figure 6C). As described above, the air bubble prevention wall 102b is formed to minimize the gap between it and the notch 14c in the inlet 14a, allowing the lid 102a to prevent air bubbles from entering the inlet 14a of the outflow channel 14. Furthermore, because the gap between the outer wall of the outflow channel 14 and the air bubble entrainment prevention wall 102b is small, air bubbles in the refrigerant are prevented from passing through the gap, preventing them from entering the outflow channel 14. In this way, the air bubble entrainment prevention member 100 can prevent air bubbles from entering the outflow channel 14.

As shown in Figure 7, in this embodiment, the air bubble entrapment prevention member 100 and the collision member 101 are integrally formed. The air bubble entrapment prevention member 100 and the collision member 101 are connected by a connecting portion 100a extending from the outside of the air bubble entrapment prevention wall 102b. The connecting portion 100a rises from the collision member 101 in the Z direction and is structured to separate the flow path of the refrigerant flowing in the Z direction from the two through holes 103. By integrally forming the air bubble entrapment prevention member 100 and the collision member 101 in this way, the structure of the tank body 16 can be simplified.

In addition, two base portions 100b extend in the Y direction from the air bubble entrainment prevention wall 102b. These serve as bases when attaching the air bubble entrainment prevention member 100 to the tank body 16.

[Reserve tank operation]
Here, the operation of the reserve tank 10 will be described.

The refrigerant cooled in the heat exchanger 40 passes through the refrigerant transport path 50a and flows into the reserve tank 10. The refrigerant from the refrigerant transport path 50a enters the reserve tank 10 through the inlet 13b of the inlet path 13. The refrigerant that enters the inlet path 13 passes through the first inlet path 13c, slows down in the second inlet path 13d, and flows out from the outlet 13a of the inlet path 13 to reach the inside of the tank body 16.

A portion of the refrigerant flowing out from the outlet 13a of the inlet channel 13 collides with the first surface 101a of the collision member 101, changes direction, and flows into the tank body 16 (arrow F2 in Figure 5B). Meanwhile, another portion of the refrigerant flowing out from the outlet 13a of the inlet channel 13 passes through the through hole 103 provided in the collision member 101 and flows to the opposite side of the first surface 101a (arrow F3 in Figure 5B).

By arranging the collision member 101 opposite the outlet 13a of the inlet channel 13, the flow velocity of the refrigerant flowing into the tank body 16 is reduced. Furthermore, by colliding with the collision member 101 and changing the direction of travel of the refrigerant, the swaying of the interface 3a between the refrigerant and air inside the tank body 16 shown in Figure 6B can be reduced. When the interface 3a sways, air bubbles tend to become mixed into the refrigerant flowing out of the outlet channel 14. However, in this embodiment, the arrangement of the collision member 101 reduces the swaying of the interface 3a, improving gas-liquid separation performance. Furthermore, by arranging the collision member 101, the swaying of the interface 3a can be reduced even when the refrigerant flow rate is increased. Therefore, the refrigerant flow rate can be increased and cooling performance can be improved without enlarging the reserve tank 10 itself.

The refrigerant inside the tank body 16 passes through the air bubble prevention member 100 and is discharged from the inlet 14a of the outflow channel 14 via the outflow channel 14 to the outside of the tank body 16. At this time, the air bubble prevention wall 102b, which is arranged to surround the inlet 14a of the outflow channel 14, prevents air bubbles from entering the outflow channel 14.

The refrigerant discharged outside the tank body 16 passes through the refrigerant transport path 50b and flows to the heat receiving section 30.

[effect]
According to the above-described embodiment, the reserve tank 10 includes the tank body 16, the inlet channel 13, the outlet channel 14, the collision member 101, and the air bubble entrainment prevention member 100. The collision member 101 is disposed opposite the outlet 13a of the inlet channel 13. With this configuration, the refrigerant flowing into the tank body 16 from the inlet channel 13 is caused to collide with the collision member 101, thereby reducing the flow velocity of the refrigerant and preventing the interface 3a between the refrigerant and the air inside the tank body 16 from vibrating. As a result, it is possible to prevent air bubbles from entraining in the refrigerant flowing out of the tank body 16 without increasing the size of the tank body 16. Therefore, it is possible to provide a small reserve tank 10 with improved gas-liquid separation performance.

The inlet channel 13 also includes a first inlet channel 13c through which the refrigerant flows in from outside the tank body 16, and a second inlet channel 13d that connects the first inlet channel 13c to the outlet 13a. The cross section of the second inlet channel 13d is larger than the cross section of the first inlet channel 13c. This configuration allows the flow rate of the refrigerant to be reduced in the second inlet channel 13d. By reducing the flow rate in the second inlet channel 13d and allowing the refrigerant to flow out of the outlet 13a of the inlet channel 13 at a reduced flow rate, the impact of the refrigerant flowing out of the outlet 13a on the interface 3a can be reduced.

The collision member 101 also has a first surface 101a with which the refrigerant flowing out of the inlet channel 13 collides. The first surface 101a of the collision member 101 is formed on a flat surface. When the refrigerant collides with the first surface 101a of the collision member 101, the direction of travel of the refrigerant can be changed. This reduces the amount of refrigerant that flows directly to the interface 3a between the refrigerant and the air, thereby reducing the impact on the interface 3a.

Furthermore, the inlet 14a of the outflow channel 14 is located inside the tank body 16, away from the inner wall 11w of the tank body 16. By locating the inlet 14a of the outflow channel 14 away from the inner wall 11w of the tank body 16, regardless of the orientation in which the reserve tank 10 is placed, the inlet 14a of the outflow channel 14 is located closer to the refrigerant than the interface 3a between the refrigerant and the air. In other words, the inlet 14a of the outflow channel 14 is always located within the refrigerant. Therefore, regardless of the orientation in which the reserve tank 10 is used, gas-liquid separation performance can be achieved.

Furthermore, the collision member 101 is formed with through holes 103 that allow the refrigerant to move from the first surface 101a toward the opposite side of the first surface 101a. With this configuration, part of the refrigerant collides with the collision member 101 and changes its direction of travel, while the other part of the refrigerant passes through the through holes 103. By dispersing the refrigerant and flowing it inside the tank body 16, the overall flow velocity of the refrigerant can be reduced and flow imbalances can be suppressed.

In addition, the outlet 13a of the inlet channel 13 and the inlet 14a of the outlet channel 14 are arranged in the Z direction (first direction), and the outlet 13a of the inlet channel 13 and the inlet 14a of the outlet channel 14 are located at different positions in the Z direction, and the collision member 101 is arranged between the outlet 13a of the inlet channel 13 and the inlet 14a of the outlet channel 14 in the Z direction. This configuration prevents the refrigerant, which has changed direction at the first surface 101a of the collision member 101, from directly reaching the inlet 14a of the outlet channel 14.

In addition, the collision member 101 is formed integrally with the air bubble entrapment prevention member 100. This configuration simplifies the structure of the tank body 16 while easily preventing the refrigerant from affecting the interface 3a.

In the above-described embodiment, an example was described in which two through holes 103 are provided in the collision member 101, but the collision member 101 may have one or more through holes 103 formed therein.

(Embodiment 2)
Embodiment 2 will be described with reference to Figures 8A to 10. In Embodiment 2, the same or equivalent configurations as in Embodiment 1 will be denoted by the same reference numerals. In Embodiment 2, descriptions that overlap with those in Embodiment 1 will be omitted.

Figure 8A is a plan view showing the reserve tank 110 according to the second embodiment. Figure 8B is a cross-sectional view taken along line D-D of the reserve tank 110 in Figure 8A. Figure 8C is a cross-sectional view taken along line E-E of the reserve tank 110 in Figure 8A. Figure 9A is a plan view of the reserve tank 110 in Figure 8A from another direction. Figure 9B is a cross-sectional view taken along line F-F of the reserve tank 110 in Figure 9A. Figure 10 is a perspective view showing the air bubble intrusion prevention member 200 and the collision member 201 included in the reserve tank 110 in Figure 8A.

In the second embodiment, the shape of the collision member 201 differs from that of the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, the tank body 16 is provided with a first region 16a in which the outlet 13a of the inlet channel 13 is located, and a second region 16b in which the inlet 14a of the outlet channel 14 is located. The first region 16a and the second region 16b are separated by the collision member 201. The collision member 201 has a plurality of through holes 203a, 203b formed therein, which connect the first region 16a and the second region 16b.

As shown in Figures 8B-8C and 9B, in this embodiment, the collision member 201 is arranged to divide the interior of the tank body 16 into two regions. The outlet 13a of the inlet channel 13 is located in the first region 16a, and the inlet 14a of the outlet channel 14 is located in the second region 16b. Therefore, the collision member 201 divides the interior of the tank body 16 into a region (first region 16a) where the refrigerant flows from the outside of the tank body 16 to the inside, and a region (second region 16b) where the refrigerant flows from the inside of the tank body 16 to the outside.

The outlet 13a of the inlet channel 13 and the inlet 14a of the outlet channel 14 are located in different areas separated by the collision member 201, so that the refrigerant that flows into the tank body 16 from the outlet 13a of the inlet channel 13 can be prevented from flowing directly out of the tank body 16 from the inlet 14a of the outlet channel 14.

As shown in Figure 10, in this embodiment, the collision member 201 is formed in a disk shape. Four through holes 203a are formed along the outer periphery of the disk-shaped collision member 201. In addition, a through hole 203b is formed in a position facing the outlet 13a of the inlet channel 13 when the collision member 201 is placed in the tank body 16.

A portion of the refrigerant that passes through the inlet channel 13 and flows out from the outlet 13a (arrow F21 in Figure 8B) collides with the first surface 201a of the collision member 201, changes direction, and flows through the through-hole 203a into the second region 16b (arrow F22 in Figure 8B). Another portion of the refrigerant that passes through the inlet channel 13 and flows out from the outlet 13a (arrow F21 in Figure 8B) flows through the through-hole 203b into the second region 16b (arrow F23 in Figure 8B).

The formation of four through holes 203a allows the refrigerant that flows into the first region 16a from outside the tank body 16 to flow into the second region 16b. The refrigerant that flows out from the outlet 13a of the inlet channel 13 does not flow directly into the second region 16b, but rather flows into the first region 16a and then through the through holes 203a and 203b to the second region 16b, thereby preventing vibrations at the interface 3a between the refrigerant and the air.

The sum of the opening areas of the multiple through holes 203a, 203b in the collision member 201 is larger than the opening area of the outlet 13a of the inlet channel 13. By forming the through holes 203 in this manner, the flow rate of the refrigerant that flows into the tank body 16 can be reduced. As a result, the fluctuation of the interface 3a between the refrigerant and the air can be reduced, improving gas-liquid separation performance.

(Embodiment 3)
11A to 13, a third embodiment will be described. In the third embodiment, the same or equivalent components as those in the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals. In the third embodiment, descriptions that overlap with those in the first embodiment will be omitted.

Figure 11A is a plan view showing the reserve tank 210 according to the third embodiment. Figure 11B is a cross-sectional view of the reserve tank 210 of Figure 11A taken along G-G. Figure 11C is a cross-sectional view of the reserve tank 210 of Figure 11A taken along H-H. Figure 12A is a plan view of the reserve tank 210 of Figure 11A taken from another direction. Figure 12B is a cross-sectional view of the reserve tank 210 of Figure 12A taken along I-I. Figure 13 is a perspective view showing the air bubble entrapment prevention member 300 and collision member 301 included in the reserve tank 210 of Figure 11A.

Embodiment 3 differs from embodiment 1 in that the first surface 301a of the collision member 301 is formed in a concave shape.

As shown in Figures 11B and 13, the first surface 301a of the collision member 301 is formed concavely with respect to the outlet 13a of the inlet channel 13. In this case, a portion of the refrigerant flowing out from the outlet 13a of the inlet channel 13 into the tank body 16 (arrow F31 in Figure 11B) collides with the first surface 301a of the collision member 301, changes direction, and flows into the interior of the tank body 16 (arrow F32 in Figure 11B). Furthermore, another portion of the refrigerant flowing out from the outlet 13a of the inlet channel 13 into the tank body 16 (arrow F31 in Figure 11B) passes through the through hole 303 formed in the collision member 301 and flows into the interior of the tank body 16 (arrow F33 in Figure 11B).

When the first surface 301a of the collision member 301 has this shape, the refrigerant flowing out of the outlet 13a of the inlet channel 13 faces less flow resistance after colliding with the first surface 301a. This reduces pressure loss while achieving the same effects as in embodiment 1.

(Fourth embodiment)
Embodiment 4 will be described with reference to Figures 14A to 16. In Embodiment 4, the same or equivalent configurations as those in Embodiment 3 will be denoted by the same reference numerals. In addition, in Embodiment 4, descriptions that overlap with those in Embodiment 3 will be omitted.

Figure 14A is a plan view showing the reserve tank 310 according to the fourth embodiment. Figure 14B is a cross-sectional view of the reserve tank 310 of Figure 14A taken along line J-J. Figure 14C is a cross-sectional view of the reserve tank 310 of Figure 14A taken along line K-K. Figure 15A is a plan view of the reserve tank 310 of Figure 14A taken from another direction. Figure 15B is a cross-sectional view of the reserve tank 310 of Figure 15A taken along line L-L. Figure 16 is a perspective view showing the air bubble entrapment prevention member 400 and the collision member 401 included in the reserve tank 310 of Figure 14A.

Embodiment 4 differs from embodiment 3 in that the first surface 401a of the collision member 401 is formed in a convex shape.

As shown in Figures 14B and 16, the first surface 401a of the collision member 401 is formed convexly relative to the outlet 13a of the inflow channel 13. In this case, a portion of the refrigerant flowing out from the outlet 13a of the inflow channel 13 into the tank body 16 (arrow F41 in Figure 14B) collides with the first surface 401a of the collision member 401, changes direction, and flows into the tank body 16 (arrow F42 in Figure 14B). Furthermore, another portion of the refrigerant flowing out from the outlet 13a of the inflow channel 13 into the tank body 16 (arrow F41 in Figure 14B) passes through the through hole 403 formed in the collision member 401 and flows into the tank body 16 (arrow F43 in Figure 14B).

When the first surface 401a of the collision member 401 has this shape, the refrigerant flowing out of the outlet 13a of the inlet channel 13 faces less flow resistance after colliding with the first surface 401a. This reduces pressure loss while achieving the same effects as in embodiment 3.

Fifth Embodiment
17A to 20, a fifth embodiment will be described. In the fifth embodiment, the same or equivalent components as those in the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals. In the fifth embodiment, descriptions that overlap with those in the first embodiment will be omitted.

Figure 17A is a plan view showing the reserve tank 410 according to the fifth embodiment. Figure 17B is an M-M cross-sectional view of the reserve tank 410 in Figure 17A. Figure 17C is an N-N cross-sectional view of the reserve tank 410 in Figure 17A. Figure 18A is a plan view of the reserve tank 410 in Figure 17A from another direction. Figure 18B is an O-O cross-sectional view of the reserve tank 410 in Figure 18A. Figure 19 is a perspective view showing the air bubble intrusion prevention member 500 and collision member 501 included in the reserve tank 410 in Figure 17A. Figure 20 is a P-P cross-sectional view of the air bubble intrusion prevention member 500 and collision member 501 in Figure 19.

In embodiment 5, the shape of the collision member 501 differs from embodiment 1. As shown in Figures 17A and 19-20, the collision member 501 has a side wall 501b that surrounds the first surface 501a, and the side wall 501b covers at least a portion of the outlet 13a of the inlet channel 13.

In this case, a portion of the refrigerant flowing out from the outlet 13a of the inlet channel 13 into the tank body 16 (arrow F51 in FIG. 17B) collides with the first surface 501a of the collision member 501 and reverses its direction of travel (arrow F52 in FIG. 17B). The refrigerant that has changed direction flows along the side wall 501b of the collision member 501 and flows into the tank body 16 (arrow F53 in FIG. 17B). Another portion of the refrigerant flowing out from the outlet 13a of the inlet channel 13 into the tank body 16 (arrow F51 in FIG. 17B) passes through the through hole 503 formed in the collision member 501 and flows into the tank body 16 (arrow F54 in FIG. 17B).

In this way, when the collision member 501 is formed in a box shape and positioned so as to cover at least a portion of the outlet 13a of the inlet channel 13, it is possible to reverse the direction of travel of a portion of the refrigerant flowing out from the outlet 13a of the inlet channel 13. This further reduces the flow rate of the refrigerant flowing into the tank body 16. As a result, the fluctuation of the interface 3a between the refrigerant and the air is reduced, improving gas-liquid separation performance.

In the above description, each embodiment has been described as an example of the technology disclosed herein. For this purpose, the accompanying drawings and detailed description have been provided.

Therefore, the components shown in the attached drawings and detailed description may include not only components essential for solving the problem, but also components that are not essential for solving the problem in order to illustrate the above-mentioned technology. Therefore, the fact that these non-essential components are shown in the attached drawings or detailed description should not be interpreted as immediately indicating that these non-essential components are essential.

Furthermore, the above-described embodiments are intended to illustrate the technology disclosed herein, and various modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, etc. may be made within the scope of the claims or their equivalents.

This disclosure is applicable to reserve tanks, and cooling devices and projectors equipped with reserve tanks.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Cooling device 10, 110, 210, 310, 410 Reserve tank 13 Inlet channel 13a Outlet 13c First inlet channel 13d Second inlet channel 14 Outlet channel 14a Inlet 16 Tank body 16a First region 16b Second region 20 Pump 30 Heat receiving portion 40 Heat exchanger 41 Air-cooled fan 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 Air bubble entrapment prevention member 101, 201, 301, 401, 501 Collision member 101a, 201a, 301a, 401a, 501a First surface 103, 203, 203a, 203b, 303, 403, 503 Through hole 501b Side wall

Claims (16)

a tank body that stores a refrigerant therein;
an inflow path for allowing the refrigerant to flow into the tank body, the inflow path having an outlet for the refrigerant opening toward an upper side of the tank body ;
an outflow path for causing the refrigerant to flow out from the inside of the tank body, the inlet of the refrigerant being open toward an upper side of the tank body ;
a collision member disposed inside the tank body and facing the outlet of the inlet passage, the collision member having a first surface with which the refrigerant flowing out from the outlet of the inlet passage collides;
an air bubble prevention member that is disposed inside the tank body and faces the inlet of the outflow path, and that prevents air bubbles from entering the outflow path ;
The inlet of the outflow path is provided inside the tank body at a position away from the inner wall of the tank body.
Reserve tank. the inflow passage includes a first inflow passage through which the refrigerant flows from the outside of the tank body, and a second inflow passage connecting the first inflow passage to an outlet of the inflow passage,
The cross-sectional area of the second inlet passage is larger than the cross-sectional area of the first inlet passage.
The reservoir tank according to claim 1 . The inflow path is configured such that the direction in which the refrigerant flows through the first inflow path is perpendicular to the direction in which the refrigerant flows through the second inflow path.
The reserve tank according to claim 2 . the outlet of the inlet passage and the inlet of the outlet passage are arranged in a first direction from a lower side to an upper side of the tank body ,
The outlet of the inlet passage is provided at a position different from the position of the inlet of the outlet passage in the first orientation,
The collision member is disposed between the outlet of the inlet passage and the inlet of the outlet passage in the first orientation.
4. The reserve tank according to claim 1. the collision member has a second surface opposite to the first surface,
The impingement member has one or more through holes that allow the coolant to move from the first surface toward the second surface.
5. The reserve tank according to claim 1. the tank body has, inside the tank body, a first region in which the outlet of the inlet channel is arranged and a second region in which the inlet of the outlet channel is arranged,
the first region and the second region are separated by the collision member,
the one or more through holes communicate with the first region and the second region;
The reserve tank according to claim 5 . a sum of the opening areas of the one or more through holes is greater than an opening area of the outlet of the inlet channel;
The reserve tank according to claim 6 . The collision member and the air bubble entrapment prevention member are integrally formed.
8. The reserve tank according to claim 1. The first surface of the collision member is formed into a flat surface.
A reserve tank according to any one of claims 1 to 8 . The first surface of the collision member is formed in a concave shape.
A reserve tank according to any one of claims 1 to 8 . The first surface of the collision member is formed in a convex shape.
A reserve tank according to any one of claims 1 to 8 . the collision member has a side wall surrounding the first surface of the collision member,
the sidewall covers at least a portion of the outlet of the inlet channel;
A reserve tank according to any one of claims 9 to 11 . The air bubble entrapment prevention member is
a lid portion facing the inlet of the outflow channel;
A cylindrical wall surrounding the inlet of the outflow channel and the lid portion,
The reservoir tank according to claim 1. A reserve tank according to any one of claims 1 to 13 ;
a pump for circulating the refrigerant;
a heat receiving section that recovers heat from the heating element;
a heat exchanger for cooling the refrigerant;
a refrigerant transport path that connects the reserve tank, the pump, the heat receiving portion, and the heat exchanger and through which the refrigerant circulates;
The heat generated in the heating element is recovered by the refrigerant flowing through the heat receiving portion, and the refrigerant is cooled in the heat exchanger, thereby cooling the heating element.
Cooling device. A projector comprising the cooling device according to claim 14 . a tank body that stores a refrigerant therein;
an inflow path for allowing the refrigerant to flow into the tank body, the inflow path having an outlet for the refrigerant opening toward an upper side of the tank body ;
an outflow path for causing the refrigerant to flow out from the inside of the tank body, the inlet of the refrigerant being open toward an upper side of the tank body ;
an air bubble prevention member that is disposed inside the tank body and faces the inlet of the outflow path, and that prevents air bubbles from entering the outflow path;
the inflow passage includes a first inflow passage through which the refrigerant flows from the outside of the tank body, and a second inflow passage connecting the first inflow passage to an outlet of the inflow passage,
The cross-sectional area of the second inlet passage is larger than the cross-sectional area of the first inlet passage,
The inlet of the outflow path is provided inside the tank body at a position away from the inner wall of the tank body.
Reserve tank.