Vehicle air conditioning system utilizing refrigerant recirculation within the evaporatorccumulator circuit

An air conditioning system containing a refrigerant comprising a compressor having an inlet and an outlet, a condenser having an inlet and an outlet, an evaporator having an inlet and an outlet, a suction conduit connecting the outlet of said evaporator to the inlet of said compressor where the refrigerant returns to the compressor as a low pressure vapor, a discharge conduit connecting the outlet of said compressor to said condenser where upon removal of heat the vapor becomes a high pressure liquid refrigerant, a liquid conduit connecting the outlet of said condenser to the inlet of said evaporator, and an accumulator having an inlet port and an outlet port interposed in said suction conduit, said ports having generally the same axis, said accumulator including an accumulator housing having an upper portion and a lower portion, with said inlet and outlet ports being located in said upper portion, a liquid discharge port in the lower portion of said accumulator housing, a liquid recirculating conduit connecting said discharge port to said liquid conduit, said accumulator housing having a baffle carried by the upper portion of said housing and arranged generally perpendicular to said axis between said inlet and outlet ports to separate the refrigerant vapor from the refrigerant liquid when the combined liquid and vapor refrigerant enters the inlet port of accumulator housing from said evaporator, whereby the separated vapor is directed by said baffle to the inlet of said compressor through said suction conduit and the separated liquid is stored in the lower portion of said accumulator housing and is thereafter recirculated through said liquid discharge port and said liquid recirculating conduit to said liquid conduit and to said evaporator thereby bypassing said condenser and said compressor.