Refrigerant accumulator and method of manufacture thereof

An accumulator for receiving a two phase fluid mixture of refrigerant, for storing liquid refrigerant and for discharging gaseous refrigerant which comprises:

• a tube mounted in a generally vertical direction having an upper end and a lower end, said tube receiving a two phase fluid mixture of refrigerant at the upper end and discharging gaseous refrigerant at the lower end;
• a shell formed about and connected to the tube intermediate the ends thereof forming a container of a selected volume;
• said tube having a discharge opening located near the top of the container to allow the refrigerant mixture entering the upper end of the tube to flow into the container;
• said tube having an inlet opening communicating the container with the tube for discharging gaseous refrigerant from the lower end of the tube, said inlet openings being located below the discharge opening and spaced above the bottom of the container such that liquid refrigerant may collect in the lower portion of the container without being discharged from the container;
• and
• diverting means mounted in the tube between the inlet opening and the discharge opening, said diverting means acting to prevent flow of refrigerant directly from the upper end of the tube to the lower end of the tube whereby refrigerant entering the upper end of the tube flows through the discharge opening into the container and may then flow from the container through the inlet opening to the lower end of the tube.