Forced oil cooling for refrigeration compressor
AssigneeSystematic Refrigeration, Inc.
InventorDaniel James O'Brien
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention is a method and apparatus for cooling compressor oil in a refrigeration system by passing the oil through a heat exchanger cooled by evaporating refrigerant. The refrigerant is pumped into the heat exchanger by a liquid refrigerant pump. The use of the pump avoids the requirement of a mixing pipe with an internal venturi nozzle, while also providing oil-cooling that is relatively free of noise and disturbance to those in the vicinity of the refrigeration unit.
Claims14
An apparatus for cooling oil in a refrigeration system compressor, comprising:
- one or more compressors coupled to receive gaseous refrigerant from cooling units;
- an oil separator coupled to receive compressed refrigerant gas from the one or more compressors, the oil separator being adapted for separating oil from the compressed refrigerant gas;
- a condenser unit coupled to receive compressed refrigerant gas from the oil separator;
- a liquid pump coupled to receive liquid refrigerant from the condenser unit;
- and
- an oil heat exchanger coupled to receive the oil separated from the compressed refrigerant gas at the oil separator and to convey the oil to the one or more compressors, and coupled to receive liquid refrigerant from the liquid pump and to convey evaporated refrigerant to the condenser unit;
- wherein evaporation of liquid refrigerant in the oil heat exchanger provides cooling to the oil passing through the oil heat exchanger.
A method of cooling compressor oil in a refrigeration system, comprising:
- passing the compressor oil through a heat exchanger;
- pumping liquid refrigerant into the heat exchanger with a liquid refrigerant pump;
- and
- evaporating the pumped liquid refrigerant in the heat exchanger so as to cool the compressor oil passing therethrough.
A system for cooling compressor oil in a refrigeration system, comprising:
- means for passing the compressor oil through a heat exchanger;
- means for pumping liquid refrigerant into the heat exchanger with a liquid refrigerant pump;
- and
- means for evaporating the pumped liquid refrigerant in the heat exchanger so as to cool the compressor oil passing therethrough.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.