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US 2022/0026115 A1Published application
Cooling system with flexible evaporating temperature
AssigneeHeatcraft Refrigeration Products LLC
InventorShitong Zha
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cooling system implements various processes to improve efficiency in high ambient temperatures. First, the system can flood one or more low side heat exchangers in the system. Second, the system can direct a portion of vapor refrigerant from a low side heat exchanger to a flash tank rather than to a compressor. Third, the system can transfer heat from refrigerant at a compressor suction to refrigerant at the discharge of a high side heat exchanger.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- a high side heat exchanger configured to remove heat from a refrigerant;
- a first ejector configured to receive refrigerant from the high side heat exchanger;
- a flash tank configured to store refrigerant, the first ejector further configured to direct refrigerant from the high side heat exchanger to the flash tank;
- a first low side heat exchanger configured to use refrigerant from the flash tank to cool a first space;
- a first separator configured to receive refrigerant from the first low side heat exchanger, the refrigerant from the first low side heat exchanger comprising a first liquid portion and a first vapor portion;
- a second low side heat exchanger configured to use refrigerant from the flash tank to cool a second space;
- a second separator configured to receive refrigerant from the second low side heat exchanger, the refrigerant from the second low side heat exchanger comprising a second liquid portion and a second vapor portion;
- an accumulator configured to receive the first liquid portion and the second liquid portion, the accumulator further configured to separate refrigerant within the accumulator into a third liquid portion and a third vapor portion;
- a first valve configured to open to direct the first vapor portion to the first ejector, the first ejector further configured to direct the first vapor portion to the flash tank, the first valve further configured to close to direct the first vapor portion to the accumulator;
- a second valve configured to open to direct the second vapor portion to the first ejector, the first ejector further configured to direct the second vapor portion to the flash tank, the second valve further configured to close to direct the second vapor portion to the accumulator;
- and
- a compressor configured to compress the third vapor portion from the accumulator.
9 more elements
A method comprising:
- removing, by a high side heat exchanger, heat from a refrigerant;
- receiving, by a first ejector, refrigerant from the high side heat exchanger;
- storing, by a flash tank, refrigerant;
- directing, by the first ejector, refrigerant from the high side heat exchanger to the flash tank;
- using, by a first low side heat exchanger, refrigerant from the flash tank to cool a first space;
- receiving, by a first separator, refrigerant from the first low side heat exchanger, the refrigerant from the first low side heat exchanger comprising a first liquid portion and a first vapor portion;
- using, by a second low side heat exchanger, refrigerant from the flash tank to cool a second space;
- receiving, by a second separator, refrigerant from the second low side heat exchanger, the refrigerant from the second low side heat exchanger comprising a second liquid portion and a second vapor portion;
- receiving, by an accumulator, the first liquid portion and the second liquid portion;
- during a first mode of operation:
- opening a first valve to direct the first vapor portion to the first ejector;
- directing, by the first ejector, the first vapor portion to the flash tank;
- and
- closing a second valve to direct the second vapor portion to the accumulator;
- during a second mode of operation:
- closing the first valve further to direct the first vapor portion to the accumulator;
- opening the second valve to direct the second vapor portion to the first ejector;
- and
- directing, by the first ejector, the second vapor portion to the flash tank;
- separating, by the accumulator, refrigerant within the accumulator into a third liquid portion and a third vapor portion;
- and
- compressing, by a compressor, the third vapor portion from the accumulator.
19 more elements
A system comprising:
- a high side heat exchanger configured to remove heat from a refrigerant;
- a first ejector configured to receive refrigerant from the high side heat exchanger;
- a flash tank configured to store refrigerant, the first ejector further configured to direct refrigerant from the high side heat exchanger to the flash tank;
- a first low side heat exchanger configured to use refrigerant from the flash tank to cool a first space;
- a first separator configured to receive refrigerant from the first low side heat exchanger, the refrigerant from the first low side heat exchanger comprising a first liquid portion and a first vapor portion;
- a second low side heat exchanger configured to use refrigerant from the flash tank to cool a second space;
- a second separator configured to receive refrigerant from the second low side heat exchanger, the refrigerant from the second low side heat exchanger comprising a second liquid portion and a second vapor portion;
- an accumulator configured to:
- receive the first liquid portion and the second liquid portion;
- and
- separate refrigerant within the accumulator into a third liquid portion and a third vapor portion;
- a first valve;
- a second valve, during a first mode of operation:
- the first valve configured to open to direct the first vapor portion to the first ejector;
- the first ejector further configured to direct the first vapor portion to the flash tank;
- and
- the second valve configured to close to direct the second vapor portion to the accumulator;
- during a second mode of operation:
- the first valve further configured to close to direct the first vapor portion to the accumulator;
- the second valve further configured to open to direct the second vapor portion to the first ejector;
- and
- the first ejector further configured to direct the second vapor portion to the flash tank;
- and
- a compressor configured to compress the third vapor portion from the accumulator.
21 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.