Oil return management in a HVAC system

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described to help manage oil return such as in a chiller system of a HVAC system. A refrigerant/oil mixture can be directed out of the evaporator into an oil return heat exchanger that is configured to help vaporize a refrigerant portion of the refrigerant/oil mixture. Superheat refrigerant vapor can be directed from a condenser into the oil return heat exchanger as the heat energy to vaporize the refrigerant portion in the refrigerant/oil mixture. The oil return heat exchanger can be positioned lower than the evaporator so that gravity can help the refrigerant/oil mixture to flow into the oil return heat exchanger.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.