Vortex generator to recover performance loss of a refrigeration system
AssigneeVai Holdings, LLC
InventorsYoung I. Cho, Cheolho Bai
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The performance of a refrigeration system is often reduced due to insufficient refrigerant charge or due to the use of an inverter compressor. The performance loss is associated with the operating condition, which is not at the optimum, thus yielding less than the maximum EER (energy efficiency ratio). A vortex generator restores the optimum operating condition in the refrigeration system with insufficient refrigerant charge or using an inverter compressor.
Claims9
A refrigeration system having a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator each component having an inlet and an outlet, arranged in succession and connected in a closed loop in order to circulate refrigerant through the closed loop, wherein said refrigeration system operates at less than peak efficiency, the refrigeration system further comprising:
- a vortex generator placed approximately one quarter of the way from the inlet of the compressor.
An improved refrigeration system having a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator arranged in succession and connected via conduit in a closed loop in order to circulate refrigerant through the closed loop, wherein said refrigeration system operates at less than peak efficiency, the improvement comprising:
- a second vortex generator placed in the closed loop after the expansion device and before the evaporator for converting at least a portion of the refrigerant vapor exiting the expansion device into liquid.
A refrigeration system comprising:
- a compressor;
- a first condenser;
- a vortex generator;
- a second condenser approximately three times as large as said first condenser;
- an expansion device;
- and
- an evaporator, all arranged in succession and communicating via conduit in a closed loop in order to circulate an unintentionally below recommended amount of refrigerant through the closed loop.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.