Enhanced economizer operation in a chiller
AssigneeCarrier Corporation
InventorsBiswajit Mitra, Hsihua Li
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A refrigeration system includes a compressor, a heat rejecting heat exchanger, an expansion device, and a heat absorbing heat exchanger fluidly connected to form a closed loop through which a refrigerant is configured to circulate. An economizer heat exchanger is located downstream from an outlet of the heat rejecting heat exchanger and upstream from the expansion device relative to a flow of the refrigerant. The economizer heat exchanger has a main flow path and an economizer flow path formed therein. All liquid refrigerant provided at an outlet of the heat rejecting heat exchanger is provided to the main flow path.
Claims20
A refrigeration system comprising:
- a compressor, a heat rejecting heat exchanger, an expansion device, and a heat absorbing heat exchanger fluidly connected to form a closed loop through which a refrigerant is configured to circulate;
- an economizer heat exchanger located downstream from an outlet of the heat rejecting heat exchanger and upstream from the expansion device relative to a flow of the refrigerant, the economizer heat exchanger having a main flow path and an economizer flow path formed therein, wherein all liquid refrigerant provided at an outlet of the heat rejecting heat exchanger is provided to the main flow path.
A refrigeration system comprising:
- a compressor, a heat rejecting heat exchanger, an expansion device, and a heat absorbing heat exchanger fluidly connected to form a closed loop through which a refrigerant is configured to circulate;
- an economizer heat exchanger located downstream from an outlet of the heat rejecting heat exchanger and upstream from the expansion device relative to a flow of the refrigerant, the economizer heat exchanger having a main flow path and an economizer flow path formed therein, wherein an inlet of the economizer flow path is fluidly coupled to an outlet of the main flow path such that a portion of the refrigerant is provided to the main flow path and the economizer flow path in series.
A method of operating a refrigeration system, the method comprising:
- condensing and cooling a refrigerant;
- further cooling the refrigerant within a main flow path of an economizer heat exchanger;
- separating the refrigerant at an outlet of the main flow path into a first portion and a second portion;
- and
- heating the second portion of the refrigerant provided within an economizer flow path of the economizer heat exchanger.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.