# US 11,439,923 B2 · Swirl generator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,439,923 B2 - Document ID: US11439923B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/679,909 - Filed: 2019-11-11 - Published: 2021-05-13 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2019-11-11 - Assignees: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation - Applicants: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation - Inventors: Wei-Lin Cho - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11439923B2 ## CPC - B01B 1/005: {Evaporation for physical or chemical purposes; Evaporation apparatus therefor, e.g. evaporation of liquids for gas phase reactions} - F25B 39/02: Evaporators - F25B 41/385: Dispositions with two or more expansion means arranged in parallel on a refrigerant line leading to the same evaporator - F28F 9/0282: {by varying the geometry of conduit ends, e.g. by using inserts or attachments for modifying the pattern of flow at the conduit inlet or outlet} - F28F 9/24: Arrangements for promoting turbulent flow of heat-exchange media, e.g. by plates (F28F1/38 takes precedence; in general F15D) - F25B 2339/02: Details of evaporators - F25B 2500/09: Improving heat transfers - F28D 2021/0071: {Evaporators} - B01B: BOILING; BOILING APPARATUS {; EVAPORATION; EVAPORATION APPARATUS} - F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS - F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16) - 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) ## Abstract Disclosed is a swirl generator for an evaporator, having: a body that extends along a body-center axis between opposing inlet and outlet ends, and includes: a fluid inlet at the inlet end; an outer surface that, at that the outlet end, defines an outlet region with a curved outer boundary forming a convex curve that extends radially inward from an outer diameter surface of the body to an outer axial surface of the body; a center passage formed within the body that extends from the inlet towards the outlet along the body-center axis; and a swirl passage formed at the outlet end of the body, the swirl passage extending between the center passage and the curved outer boundary along a swirl passage axis, whereby a fluid entering from the inlet exits the body at the curved outer boundary, the swirl passage axis forming an acute angle with the body-center axis. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An evaporator assembly including: a header that defines an outlet port; an evaporator body that defines an evaporator passage in fluid communication with the outlet port; and a swirl generator, comprising: a swirl generator body that extends along a body-center axis between opposing inlet and outlet ends, the swirl generator body including a fluid inlet at the inlet end, wherein the swirl generator body includes an outer surface that, at that the outlet end, defines an outlet region that includes a curved outer boundary that forms a convex curve that extends radially inward from an outer diameter surface of the body to an outer axial surface of the body; a center passage formed within the swirl generator body that extends from the inlet towards the outlet along the body-center axis; and a swirl passage formed at the outlet end of the swirl generator body so as to face the evaporator body, the swirl passage extending between the center passage and the curved outer boundary along a swirl passage axis such that a fluid entering the center passage from the inlet end exits the swirl generator body at the curved outer boundary, wherein the swirl passage axis forms an acute angle with the body-center axis. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The evaporator assembly of claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the swirl generator body is cylindrical. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The evaporator assembly of claim 1, wherein the curved outer boundary is rounded. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The evaporator assembly of claim 1, wherein a center passage diameter is larger than a swirl passage diameter. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The evaporator assembly of claim 1, wherein the swirl generator body forms a plurality of swirl passages that are circumferentially offset from one another and axially aligned with one another. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The evaporator assembly of claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the swirl generator body defines a flange between the opposing ends of the swirl generator body. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The evaporator assembly of claim 1, wherein an outer diameter of the swirl generator body is larger on one side of the swirl generator body than another side of the swirl generator body. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The evaporator assembly of claim 7, wherein the outlet port includes: a one portion that is sized to receive the evaporator body, wherein the one side of the swirl generator body is received within the evaporator passage; another portion that is sized to receive the other side of the swirl generator body; and an intermediate portion that is sized to receive the flange of the swirl generator. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The evaporator assembly of claim 1, wherein the curved outer boundary of the swirl generator body is adjacent to and at least partially faces a sidewall of the evaporator passage. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The evaporator assembly of claim 1, further including: a plurality of outlet ports formed within the header; a plurality of evaporator passages formed within the evaporator body in fluid communication with respective ones of the plurality of outlet ports, a plurality of swirl generators fluidly connected between the plurality of outlet ports and respective ones of the plurality of evaporator passages. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The evaporator assembly of claim 10, wherein the plurality of evaporator passages each have a grooved inner geometry or a smooth inner geometry. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A method of utilizing the evaporator assembly of claim 1, the method comprising: directing the fluid into the center passage of the swirl generator from the outlet port of the header; directing the fluid into the swirl passage defined by the swirl generator; directing the fluid into the evaporator passage of the evaporator body from the swirl passage; and forming a swirling fluid stream from the swirl passage, in which the fluid moves towards the sidewall of the evaporator passage and moves downstream along the evaporator passage. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein directing the fluid into the center passage of the swirl generator includes directing the fluid into the center passage of respective ones of a plurality of swirl generators from respective ones of a plurality of outlet ports of the header.