Evaporator with enhanced refrigerant distribution
AssigneeLennox Manufacturing Inc.
InventorsOved W. Hanson, Leonard J. Van Essen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An evaporator for evaporating a phase change refrigerant in a space conditioning system such as an air conditioner, heat pump or refrigeration system, is provided. The evaporator includes an inlet for introducing the refrigerant into the evaporator, an outlet for discharging the refrigerant from the evaporator and plural conduits defining a plurality of hydraulic flow paths between the inlet and the outlet. In accordance with the invention, a separator is provided to substantially separate liquid refrigerant from vapor refrigerant before the refrigerant is introduced into the evaporator to enhance refrigerant distribution within the evaporator, thereby improving evaporator performance.
Claims10
In combination:
- an evaporator for evaporating a phase change refrigerant by transferring heat to the refrigerant from an external fluid, said evaporator having inlet means for introducing the refrigerant into said evaporator, outlet means for discharging the refrigerant from said evaporator, and plural conduits extending between said inlet means and said outlet means and defining a plurality of hydraulic flow paths to accommodate refrigerant flow therethrough;
- a separator operable to substantially separate liquid refrigerant from vapor refrigerant before the refrigerant is introduced into said evaporator, such that substantially only the liquid refrigerant is introduced into at least a portion of said evaporator;
- a first refrigerant line for introducing the refrigerant into said separator;
- second and third refrigerant lines for discharging the refrigerant from said separator, said second refrigerant line being located to discharge substantially only the liquid refrigerant and said third refrigerant line being located to discharge substantially only the vapor refrigerant;
- and
- said inlet means including an inlet header having an internal baffle dividing said inlet header into first and second portions, said second refrigerant line communicating between said separator and said first portion for introducing substantially only the liquid refrigerant into said first portion, said third refrigerant line communicating between said separator and said second portion on an opposite side of said baffle from said first portion for introducing substantially only the vapor refrigerant into said second portion, a first one or more of said conduits communicating with said first portion, such that substantially only the liquid refrigerant is introduced into said first one or more of said conduits, a second one or more of said conduits being in fluid communication with said second portion, such that substantially only the vapor refrigerant is introduced into said second one or more of said conduits.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.