# US 11,029,094 B2 · Heat exchanger > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,029,094 B2 - Document ID: US11029094B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/225,695 - Filed: 2018-12-19 - Published: 2020-06-25 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-12-19 - Assignees: Daikin Applied Americas Inc. - Applicants: Daikin Applied Americas Inc. - Inventors: Michael J. Wilson; Robert Page; Louis A. Moreaux; Jeffrey Stamp; Satoshi Inoue; Shannon Cobb - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11029094B2 ## CPC - F25B 41/00: Fluid-circulation arrangements - F28D 1/05391: {with multiple rows of conduits or with multi-channel conduits combined with a particular flow pattern, e.g. multi-row multi-stage radiators} - F25B 39/022: {with plate-like or laminated elements} - F25B 39/028: {having distributing means} - F28D 7/16: the conduits being arranged in parallel spaced relation ({F28D7/0008 - F28D7/0058 take precedence}; F28D7/02 - F28D7/10 take precedence) - F25B 39/04: Condensers - F25B 2339/024: Evaporators with refrigerant in a vessel in which is situated a heat exchanger - F25B 2339/0242: having tubular elements - F28D 2021/0071: {Evaporators} - F28F 2009/224: {Longitudinal partitions} - F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS - F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general) - F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16) ## Abstract A heat exchanger includes a shell, a refrigerant distributor, tube bundle, and first baffle. The shell has a refrigerant inlet through which at least refrigerant with liquid refrigerant flows and a shell refrigerant vapor outlet. A longitudinal center axis of the shell extends substantially parallel to a horizontal plane. The refrigerant distributor fluidly communicates with the refrigerant inlet and is disposed within the shell. The refrigerant distributor has at least one liquid refrigerant distribution opening that distributes liquid refrigerant. The tube bundle is disposed inside of the shell below the refrigerant distributor. The first baffle extends downwardly from the refrigerant distributor at a top of the tube bundle to at least partially vertically overlap the top of the tube bundle. The first baffle is disposed laterally outwardly of the tube bundle toward a first lateral side of the shell. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A heat exchanger adapted to be used in a vapor compression system, the heat exchanger comprising: a shell having a refrigerant inlet that at least refrigerant with liquid refrigerant flows therethrough and a shell refrigerant vapor outlet, with a longitudinal center axis of the shell extending substantially parallel to a horizontal plane; a refrigerant distributor fluidly communicating with the refrigerant inlet and disposed within the shell, the refrigerant distributor having at least one liquid refrigerant distribution opening that distributes liquid refrigerant; a tube bundle disposed inside of the shell below the refrigerant distributor so that the liquid refrigerant discharged from the refrigerant distributor is supplied to the tube bundle, the tube bundle including a plurality of heat transfer tubes grouped together; and a first baffle including a first baffle portion extending substantially vertically downwardly from the refrigerant distributor so that the first baffle portion is substantially perpendicular to the horizontal plane, the first baffle portion vertically overlapping the top of the tube bundle by a distance of one to three times a tube diameter of the heat transfer tubes, as viewed along the horizontal plane perpendicularly relative to the longitudinal center axis, the first baffle portion having a vertical length one to three times the tube diameter, and the first baffle being disposed laterally outwardly of the tube bundle toward a first lateral side of the shell as viewed along the horizontal plane along the longitudinal center axis. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the first baffle is disposed laterally outwardly of the tube bundle toward the first lateral side of the shell by a distance not larger than three times the tube diameter. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein the first baffle is disposed laterally outwardly of the tube bundle toward the first lateral side of the shell by a distance about one times the tube diameter of the heat transfer tubes or less. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the first baffle is vertically supported by at least one tube support that supports the tube bundle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The heat exchanger according to claim 4, wherein the at least one tube support has a slot that receives and supports the baffle portion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The heat exchanger according to claim 4, wherein the first baffle includes a first lateral portion extending from the first baffle portion in a direction substantially parallel to the horizontal plane, and the first lateral portion is vertically supported by the at least one tube support. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The heat exchanger according to claim 6, wherein the first lateral portion is vertically sandwiched between the at least one tube support and a bottom of the refrigerant distributor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The heat exchanger according to claim 6, wherein the first lateral portion extends laterally inwardly from an upper end of the first baffle portion in a direction away from the first lateral side of the shell. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the first baffle is vertically supported without being fixedly attached to other parts of the heat exchanger. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the first baffle is tack welded to be maintained in position. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the first baffle is constructed of non-permeable material. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The heat exchanger according to claim 11, wherein the first baffle is constructed of sheet metal. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger according to claim 1, further comprising: a second baffle extending downwardly from the refrigerant distributor at the top of the tube bundle to at least partially vertically overlap the top of the tube bundle, the second baffle being disposed laterally outwardly of the tube bundle toward a second lateral side of the shell. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger according to claim 1, further comprising: an upper baffle extending laterally outward from an upper end of the first baffle portion, the upper baffle being substantially parallel to the horizontal plane. ### Claim 15 A heat exchanger adapted to be used in a vapor compression system, the heat exchanger comprising: a shell having a refrigerant inlet that at least refrigerant with liquid refrigerant flows therethrough and a shell refrigerant vapor outlet, with a longitudinal center axis of the shell extending substantially parallel to a horizontal plane; a refrigerant distributor fluidly communicating with the refrigerant inlet and disposed within the shell, the refrigerant distributor having at least one liquid refrigerant distribution opening that distributes liquid refrigerant; a tube bundle disposed inside of the shell below the refrigerant distributor so that the liquid refrigerant discharged from the refrigerant distributor is supplied to the tube bundle, the tube bundle including a plurality of heat transfer tubes grouped together; and a first baffle including a first baffle portion extending substantially vertically downwardly from the refrigerant distributor so that the first baffle portion is substantially perpendicular to the horizontal plane, the first baffle portion vertically overlapping the top of the tube bundle by a distance of one to three times a tube diameter of the heat transfer tubes, as viewed along the horizontal plane perpendicularly relative to the longitudinal center axis, an upper end of the first baffle portion being disposed upwardly from a bottom of the shell between 40% and 70% of an overall height of the shell, and the first baffle being disposed laterally outwardly of the tube bundle toward a first lateral side of the shell as viewed along the horizontal plane along the longitudinal center axis. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The heat exchanger according to claim 15, wherein the first baffle is disposed laterally outwardly of the tube bundle toward the first lateral side of the shell by a distance not larger than three times the tube diameter. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The heat exchanger according to claim 16, wherein the first baffle is disposed laterally outwardly of the tube bundle toward the first lateral side of the shell by a distance about one times the tube diameter of the heat transfer tubes or less. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The heat exchanger according to claim 15, wherein the first baffle is vertically supported by at least one tube support that supports the tube bundle. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The heat exchanger according to claim 15, further comprising: a second baffle extending downwardly from the refrigerant distributor at the top of the tube bundle to at least partially vertically overlap the top of the tube bundle, the second baffle being disposed laterally outwardly of the tube bundle toward a second lateral side of the shell. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The heat exchanger according to claim 15, further comprising: an upper baffle extending laterally outward from an upper end of the first baffle portion, the upper baffle being substantially parallel to the horizontal plane.