US 5,417,078 AGranted

Refrigerator flow control apparatus

AssigneeCarrier Corporation

InventorsEdward A. Huenniger, George M. Case

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Abstract

A refrigerant flow control system for regulating the flow of a refrigerant liquid from a condenser sump to an evaporator wherein the control system regulates the liquid flow as a function of both the level of the liquid in the condenser sump and the system pressure differential between the condenser and evaporator of the refrigeration system. The flow control system includes a stop, biasing means, a guidepost, a standpipe, a generally tubular metering sleeve, and a float member.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A refrigerant flow control apparatus for regulating the flow of a refrigerant liquid from a condenser sump to an evaporator;

the flow control system comprising:
a standpipe vertically disposed in the condenser sump and having a tubular wall with at least one metering slot extending axially on said standpipe through the tubular wall for facilitating fluid flow from the condenser sump to a sump outlet;
a generally tubular metering sleeve slidably disposed within said standpipe and displaceable between the extreme axial positions wherein said sleeve respectively covers and uncovers said at least one metering slot;
a float member that is slidably disposed on said standpipe and adapted to float on the refrigerant liquid in the condenser sump, said float member including means for coupling said float member through the tubular wall of said standpipe to the metering sleeve to raise or lower said metering sleeve as a function of the vertical position of the float member along said standpipe wherein said metering sleeve meters the liquid flow through the at least one metering slot;
a stop member disposed in said sump outlet for throttling fluid flow through a sump outlet aperture, said stop member having the differential pressure between the condenser and the evaporator acting thereon and being responsively, displaceable axially between closed and open axial positions to respectively close or open said sump outlet aperture;
biasing means disposed in the sump outlet for biasing said stop member toward the closed axial position but allowing said stop member to move toward the open position as the differential pressure is increased;
whereby the control system regulates the liquid flow as a function of both the level of the liquid in the condenser sump and the system pressure differential between the condenser and evaporator;
and
a guidepost attached to a sump outlet floor and disposed in the axial bore of said stop member for guiding said stop member between the closed and open axial positions, wherein when said stop member is in the closed axial position said stop member forms a confronting relationship with said sump outlet aperture for substantially obstructing the fluid flow from the condenser sump to the evaporator.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

A refrigerant flow control apparatus for regulating the flow of a refrigerant liquid from a condenser sump to an evaporator;

the flow control system comprising:
a standpipe vertically disposed in the condenser sump and having a tubular wall with at least one metering slot extending axially on said standpipe through the tubular wall for facilitating fluid flow from the condenser sump to a sump outlet;
a generally tubular metering sleeve slidably disposed within said standpipe and displaceable between the extreme axial positions wherein said sleeve respectively covers and uncovers said at least one metering slot;
a float member that is slidably disposed on said standpipe and adapted to float on the refrigerant liquid in the condenser sump, said float member including means for coupling said float member through the tubular wall of said standpipe to the metering sleeve to raise or lower said metering sleeve as a function of the vertical position of the float member along said standpipe wherein said metering sleeve meters the liquid flow through the at least one metering slot;
a stop member disposed in said sump outlet for throttling fluid flow through a sump outlet aperture, said stop member having the differential pressure between the condenser and the evaporator acting thereon and being responsively, displaceable axially between closed and open axial positions to respectively close or open said sump outlet aperture;
biasing means disposed in the sump outlet for biasing said stop member toward the closed axial position but allowing said stop member to move toward the open position as the differential pressure is increased;
whereby the control system regulates the liquid flow as a function of both the level of the liquid in the condenser sump and the system pressure differential between the condenser and evaporator;
and
a guidepost attached to a sump outlet floor and disposed in the axial bore of said stop member for guiding said stop member between the closed and open axial positions, wherein when said stop member is in the closed axial position said stop member forms a confronting relationship with said sump outlet aperture for substantially obstructing the fluid flow from the condenser sump to the evaporator.

6 more elements