Energy conserving refrigerant flow processor
AssigneeEchelon International, Inc.
InventorJohnny E. Smith
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A refrigerant flow processor has a vessel with an inlet for receiving recirculating refrigerant from a motor driven compressor and a condenser and having an outlet for returning the refrigerant to an evaporator through an expansion valve. The vessel is configured to establish a vortexing motion of liquefied refrigerant as it travels from the inlet to the outlet. A helical flow guiding component at the vessel outlet causes a highly turbulent flow within the conduit which connects the outlet to the expansion valve. The flow processor reduces energy consumption and operating cost by reducing the load on the motor driven compressor.
Claims12
A flow processing vessel having an inlet for receiving a flow of liquefied refrigerant from a refrigerant condenser and having an outlet for delivering a flow of the liquefied refrigerant to an expansion device and evaporator through an outlet conduit, said vessel being configured to provide vortex rotation of the liquid flow as it travels downward and inward from the inlet towards the outlet and having a turbulence enhancing component at said outlet for causing turbulence in the flow within the outlet conduit, wherein the improvement comprises:
- said turbulence enhancing component having a flow guiding member at said outlet which member has a helical inner surface that extends vertically within the flow at said outlet and which is oriented to impart rotational motion to the flow as it passes downward through said outlet.
A refrigerant flow processor comprising:
- a vessel forming an upright cylindrical vortex chamber and having a fluid inlet at an upper region thereof and a fluid outlet at the center of a bottom portion thereof,
- a flow delivery tube extending from said fluid inlet within said chamber, said tube being angled to direct incoming refrigerant towards a side region of said vortex chamber to reinforce rotation of fluid flow therein,
- an upright lower coupling sleeve extending downward from said fluid outlet and being adapted to receive a fluid outflow conduit, and
- a vortex generator which extends downward through said outlet and into an upper region of said lower coupling sleeve, said vortex generator having a flow guiding member with a helical inner surface which is curved to conform with the path of the liquid flow which is undergoing vortex rotation and descending through said outlet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.