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US 11,029,065 B2Granted
Multi-stage oil batch boiling system
AssigneeCarrier Corporation
InventorAnthony S. Molavi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vapor compression system (20) comprises: a compressor (24) having a suction port (26) and a discharge port (28); a refrigerant flowpath (33) from the discharge port and returning to the suction port; a first heat exchanger (30) along the refrigerant flowpath; a second heat exchanger (50) along the refrigerant flowpath; and a vaporizer system (22; 300). The vaporizer system comprises: a first vaporizer (68A; 368A) and a second vaporizer (68B: 368B) each comprising: a vessel (86; 386) having an inlet (84), a vapor outlet (124), and a liquid outlet (130); and a gas bypass flowpath (160) in heat transfer relation with an interior of the vessel.
Claims21
A vapor compression system (20) comprising:
- a compressor (24) having a suction port (26) and a discharge port (28);
- a refrigerant flowpath (33) from the discharge port and returning to the suction port;
- a first heat exchanger (30) along the refrigerant flowpath;
- a second heat exchanger (50) along the refrigerant flowpath;
- and
- a vaporizer system (22;
- 300),
- wherein:
- the vaporizer system comprises:
- a first vaporizer (68A;
- 368A) comprising:
- a vessel (86;
- 386) having an inlet (84), a vapor outlet (124), and a liquid outlet (130);
- and
- a gas bypass flowpath branch (160A) in heat transfer relation with an interior of the first vaporizer vessel;
- a second vaporizer (68B;
- 368B) comprising:
- a vessel (86;
- 386) having an inlet (84), a vapor outlet (124), and a liquid outlet (130);
- and
- a gas bypass flowpath branch (160B) in heat transfer relation with an interior of the second vaporizer vessel;
- and
- one or more valves (80, 140) positioned to provide:
- a first operational condition comprising draining lubricant (544) from the first vaporizer while not draining lubricant from the second vaporizer;
- and
- a second operational condition comprising draining lubricant (544) from the second vaporizer while not draining lubricant from the first vaporizer.
23 more elements
A method for using a vapor compression system (20), the vapor compression system comprising:
- a compressor (24) having a suction port (26) and a discharge port (28);
- a refrigerant flowpath (33) from the discharge port and returning to the suction port;
- a first heat exchanger (30) along the refrigerant flowpath;
- a second heat exchanger (50) along the refrigerant flowpath;
- and
- a vaporizer system (22;
- 300),
- wherein:
- the vaporizer system comprises:
- a first vaporizer (68A;
- 368A) comprising:
- a vessel (86;
- 386) having an inlet (84), a vapor outlet (124), and a liquid outlet (130);
- and
- a gas bypass flowpath branch (160A) in heat transfer relation with an interior of the first vaporizer vessel;
- and
- a second vaporizer (68B;
- 368B) comprising:
- a vessel (86;
- 386) having an inlet (84), a vapor outlet (124), and a liquid outlet (130);
- and
- a gas bypass flowpath branch (160B) in heat transfer relation with an interior of the second vaporizer vessel,
- the method comprising:
- running the compressor (24) to drive a refrigerant flow (500) along the refrigerant flowpath (33), the refrigerant flow containing a lubricant;
- diverting a flow (530) of the refrigerant and lubricant to the vaporizer system to alternatingly deliver the refrigerant and lubricant to the first vaporizer through the inlet (84) of the first vaporizer and the second vaporizer through the inlet (84) of the second vaporizer;
- draining lubricant (544) from the first vaporizer while not draining lubricant from the second vaporizer;
- and
- draining lubricant (544) from the second vaporizer while not draining lubricant from the first vaporizer.
25 more elements
A method for using a vapor compression system (20), the vapor compression system comprising:
- a compressor (24) having a suction port (26) and a discharge port (28);
- a refrigerant flowpath (33) from the discharge port and returning to the suction port;
- a first heat exchanger (30) along the refrigerant flowpath;
- a second heat exchanger (50) along the refrigerant flowpath;
- and
- a vaporizer system (22;
- 300),
- wherein:
- the vaporizer system comprises:
- a first vaporizer (68A;
- 368A) comprising:
- a vessel (86;
- 386) having an inlet (84), a vapor outlet (124), and a liquid outlet (130);
- and
- a gas bypass flowpath branch (160A) in heat transfer relation with an interior of the first vaporizer vessel;
- and
- a second vaporizer (68B;
- 368B) comprising:
- a vessel (86;
- 386) having an inlet (84), a vapor outlet (124), and a liquid outlet (130);
- and
- a gas bypass flowpath branch (160B) in heat transfer relation with an interior of the second vaporizer vessel,
- the method comprising:
- running the compressor (24) to drive a refrigerant flow (500) along the refrigerant flowpath (33), the refrigerant flow containing a lubricant;
- diverting a flow (530) of the refrigerant and lubricant to the vaporizer system to alternatingly deliver the refrigerant and lubricant to the first vaporizer through the inlet (84) of the first vaporizer and the second vaporizer through the inlet (84) of the second vaporizer;
- passing refrigerant (560) through a conduit (150) of the first vaporizer to transfer heat to refrigerant and lubricant in the first vaporizer;
- and
- passing refrigerant (560) through a conduit (150) of the second vaporizer to transfer heat to refrigerant and lubricant in the second vaporizer.
25 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.