Method for integrating components of a refrigeration system
AssigneeCarrier Corporation
InventorJohn D. Manning
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A flash subcooler is provided to meter a portion of the refrigerant flowing from the condenser to the evaporator to an intermediate heat exchanger to subcool refrigerant flowing from the condenser to the evaporator. This diverted refrigerant is flashed to provide subcooling and is then redirected to the compressor as is the flow of refrigerant from the evaporator. Both the refrigeration system and subassemblies for accomplishing the above are disclosed as well as methods of operation thereof.
Claims9
A method of operating a refrigeration circuit having a compressor, condenser and evaporator which comprises the steps of:
- connecting the components of the refrigeration circuit such that liquid refrigerant from the condenser circulates to the evaporator through an intermediate heat exchanger;
- joining the components of the refrigeration circuit such that gaseous refrigerant from the evaporator circulates to the compressor;
- diverting a portion of the refrigerant circulating from the condenser to the evaporator to the intermediate heat exchanger wherein the refrigerant is vaporized absorbing heat energy from the liquid refrigerant flowing to the evaporator;
- routing the diverted portion of the refrigerant from the intermediate heat exchanger to the step of joining such that the diverted portion of the refrigerant from the intermediate heat exchanger flows to the compressor with the gaseous refrigerant from the evaporator at the same suction pressure.
A method of integrating a replacement component for a portion of an air conditioning system the air conditioning system including a refrigeration circuit having a compressor, condenser and evaporator wherein the component being replaced is designed to have a first refrigerant flow rate and the replacement component has a second higher refrigerant flow rate which comprises the steps of:
- routing refrigerant from the condenser to the evaporator through a first flow path of an intermediate heat exchanger;
- diverting a portion of the refrigerant from the step of routing to a second flow path of the intermediate heat exchanger;
- and
- conducting the diverted portion of refrigerant from the second flow path of the intermediate heat exchanger to the compressor such that the diverted portion of refrigerant bypasses the evaporator.
A method of connecting an evaporator designed to be utilized with a refrigeration circuit having a first design head pressure with a condenser and compressor of a refrigeration circuit having a second design head pressure for refrigerant flowing therethrough which comprises the steps of:
- joining the condenser and the evaporator to an intermediate heat exchanger such that refrigerant circulates through the intermediate heat exchanger as refrigerant flows from the condenser to the evaporator;
- connecting the evaporator to the compressor such that gaseous refrigerant circulates from the evaporator to the compressor;
- and
- diverting a portion of the refrigerant flowing from the condenser to the evaporator through the intermediate heat exchanger to the flow of refrigerant flowing from the evaporator to the condenser.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.