Vapor cycle cooling system for high powered devices
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorsBijan F. Hagh, Joseph Borghese
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An example flash tank includes a first inlet configured to receive a superheated vapor refrigerant, a second inlet configured to receive a two-phase refrigerant, a vapor outlet, a liquid collection volume, and a phase separation matrix including a first fluid path fluidically coupled between the first inlet and the liquid collection volume, a second fluid path fluidically coupled between the second inlet and the liquid collection volume, and a third fluid path fluidically coupled between the vapor outlet and the liquid collection volume. The phase separation matrix is configured to radially distribute thermal mixing of a refrigerant flowing within the first, second, and third fluid paths.
Claims20
A flash tank comprising:
- a first inlet configured to receive a superheated vapor refrigerant;
- a second inlet configured to receive a two-phase refrigerant;
- a vapor outlet;
- a liquid collection volume;
- a phase separation matrix comprising:
- a first fluid path fluidically coupled between the first inlet and the liquid collection volume;
- a second fluid path fluidically coupled between the second inlet and the liquid collection volume;
- and
- a third fluid path fluidically coupled between the vapor outlet and the liquid collection volume,
- wherein the phase separation matrix is configured to radially distribute thermal mixing of a refrigerant flowing within the first, second, and third fluid paths.
A system comprising:
- a subcooler/super-heater;
- and
- a flash tank comprising:
- an inlet configured to receive a superheated vapor refrigerant and a two-phase refrigerant;
- a vapor outlet;
- a liquid collection volume;
- a phase separation matrix disposed between the vapor outlet and the liquid collection volume,
- wherein the inlet is fluidically coupled to the liquid collection volume, wherein the phase separation matrix is configured to separate a vapor phase and a liquid phase of both the superheated vapor refrigerant and the two-phase refrigerant, wherein the subcooler/super-heater is fluidically coupled the vapor outlet.
A system comprising:
- a flash tank downstream of a heat load to be cooled, the flash tank comprising:
- an inlet configured to receive a superheated vapor refrigerant and a two-phase refrigerant;
- a vapor outlet;
- a liquid collection volume;
- a phase separation matrix disposed between the vapor outlet and the liquid collection volume, wherein the phase separation matrix is configured to separate a vapor phase and a liquid phase of both the superheated vapor refrigerant and the two-phase refrigerant;
- within the first, second, and third fluid paths;
- a subcooler/super-heater downstream of the flash tank;
- a compressor downstream of the subcooler/super-heater;
- a condenser downstream of the compressor and upstream of the flash tank;
- an expansion valve intermediate the flash tank and the subcooler/super-heater, the expansion valve configured to discharge a mixture of vapor and liquid refrigerant to the subcooler/super-heater.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.