Falling film heat exchanger

A heat exchanger for a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) system, comprising:

• a shell having an inlet configured to receive refrigerant and an outlet configured to output the refrigerant;
• a refrigerant distributor disposed within the shell;
• and
• a plurality of evaporating tubes disposed within the shell and positioned below the refrigerant distributor,
• wherein the refrigerant distributor comprises a perforated plate having a plurality of holes each extending substantially along a vertical axis, wherein each hole of the plurality of holes extends from a top surface of the perforated plate to a bottom surface of the perforated plate, wherein the top surface comprises an arcuate section that curves along a longitudinal axis of the heat exchanger, and wherein a first portion of the top surface along the arcuate section is positioned above a second portion of the top surface along the arcuate section, with respect to the vertical axis.

A heat exchanger for a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) system, comprising:

• a shell having an inlet configured to receive refrigerant and an outlet configured to output the refrigerant;
• a refrigerant distributor disposed within the shell;
• a spray header disposed within the shell and positioned above the refrigerant distributor;
• and
• a plurality of evaporating tubes disposed within the shell and positioned below the refrigerant distributor, wherein each evaporating tube of the plurality of evaporating tubes extends along a longitudinal axis,
• wherein the refrigerant distributor comprises a perforated plate having a plurality of holes, wherein each hole of the plurality of holes extends through a thickness of the perforated plate from a top surface of the perforated plate to a bottom surface of the perforated plate, wherein the plurality of holes is arranged in at least one row and configured to drip the refrigerant from the bottom surface directly onto the plurality of evaporating tubes, wherein spacings between adjacent holes of the at least one row vary along the longitudinal axis, sizes of the adjacent holes of the at least one row vary along the longitudinal axis, or a combination thereof, and wherein the spray header is configured to spray the refrigerant directly onto the top surface of the perforated plate and toward a central portion of the perforated plate.

A heat exchanger for a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) system, comprising:

• a shell having an inlet configured to receive refrigerant and an outlet configured to output the refrigerant;
• a refrigerant distributor disposed within the shell;
• a plurality of evaporating tubes disposed within the shell and positioned below the refrigerant distributor, wherein each evaporating tube of the plurality of evaporating tubes extends along a longitudinal axis, and wherein the refrigerant distributor comprises a perforated plate configured to drip the refrigerant onto the plurality of evaporating tubes;
• and
• a spray header disposed within the shell and positioned above the refrigerant distributor, wherein the spray header has a plurality of openings configured to output the refrigerant toward the refrigerant distributor, wherein the plurality of openings is arranged along a lateral axis, substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, wherein the spray header comprises:
• a manifold configured to direct the refrigerant toward the plurality of openings;
• a first spray head extending along the lateral axis, wherein the first spray head is configured to receive the refrigerant from the manifold, the first spray head comprises a first plurality of openings of the plurality of openings, the first plurality of openings is arranged along the lateral axis, and the first plurality of openings is configured to spray the refrigerant directly onto a perforated surface of the perforated plate;
• and
• a second spray head extending along the lateral axis, wherein the second spray head is configured to receive the refrigerant from the manifold, the second spray head comprises a second plurality of openings-portion of the plurality of openings, the second plurality of openings is arranged along the lateral axis, and the second plurality of openings is configured to spray the refrigerant directly onto the perforated surface of the perforated plate,
• wherein the first spray head and the second spray head are offset from a central portion of the perforated plate along the longitudinal axis, and wherein the first spray head and the second spray head are configured to spray the refrigerant toward the central portion of the perforated plate.