| Refrigeration system having an integrated bypass system -> Monitor Keywords |
|
|
  Refrigeration system having an integrated bypass systemUSPTO Application #: 20070039351Title: Refrigeration system having an integrated bypass system Abstract: A heat transfer system usable as an air conditioner, a heat pumpt or the like includes a compressor, a condenser, a main expansion device and an evaporator connected in a closed circuit through which a refrigerant is circulated, and a bypass device in which subcooling is performed rather than in the downstream portion of the condenser, as is conventional. The subcooling device is comprised of a unitary integrated structure having an inner tube connectable in a main refrigerant flow path at the outlet of a condenser, a concentric outer tube having end portions sealed to the outside of the inner tube thereby providing a chamber surrounding the inner tube, an inlet orifice connecting the inner tube to an upstream end of the outer tube that allows a portion of the refrigerant flowing in the inner tube to be diverted to the chamber, at a reduced temperature and pressure, an outlet orifice at the downstream end of the outer tube; and a return line in communication with the outlet orifice, and connectable to the main refrigerant path, whereby the diverted refrigerant can flow through the chamber, provide subcooling for refrigerant flowing in the inner tube, and then be returned to the main refrigerant flow path. The outlet orifice may also be sized to cause a pressure drop in the refrigerant as it exits the chamber, thereby accommodating a pressure differential between the refrigerant in the bypass device and the main refrigerant path at the point of reentry. (end of abstract)
Agent: Ostrolenk Faber Gerb & Soffen - New York, NY, US Inventor: Cheolho Bai USPTO Applicaton #: 20070039351 - Class: 062513000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Refrigeration, Refrigeration Producer, Heat Exchange Between Diverse Function Elements The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070039351. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] The present application is a 35 U.S.C. .sctn. 371 national phase conversion of PCT/US2004/005721 filed 25 Feb. 2004, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/451,356, filed 28 Feb. 2003, incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates generally to a high efficiency heat transfer system and more specifically, to such a system utilizing a bypass path to optimize the sizes of components, including the condenser, compressor and evaporator, thereby increasing overall system efficiency. For convenience, the invention will be described in the context of a "refrigeration system" but it is to be understood that the invention is directly applicable to purely refrigeration systems and also to similar systems used as heat pumps. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional refrigeration system, generally denoted at 10. The system includes a compressor 12, a condenser 14, an expansion device 16 and an evaporator 18. These components are connected together typically via copper tubing such as indicated at 19 to form a closed loop system through which a refrigerant such as R-12, R-22, R-134a, R-407c, R-410a, ammonia, carbon dioxide or natural gas is cycled. [0004] The main steps in the refrigeration cycle are compression of the refrigerant by compressor 12, heat extraction from the refrigerant to the environment by condenser 14, throttling of the refrigerant in the expansion device 16, and heat absorption by the refrigerant from the space being cooled in evaporator 18. This process, sometimes referred to as a vapor-compression refrigeration cycle, is used in air-conditioning systems, which cool and dehumidify air in a living space, in a moving vehicle (e.g., automobile, airplane, train, etc.), in refrigeration equipment, in heat pumps and in other applications. As will be appreciated, the system configuration of FIG. 1 is generally representative of all such systems. [0005] In the condenser 14, heat is removed from the refrigerant so that the superheated refrigerant vapor from the compressor 12 becomes liquid refrigerant by the time it reaches the exit of the condenser. In FIG. 1, the condenser 14 is divided into two parts, 14a and 14b. The first portion of the condenser identified as 14b is where superheated refrigerant vapor becomes saturated vapor, a process called desuperheating, and the saturated vapor undergoes phase change from vapor to liquid refrigerant. The second portion of the condenser identified as 14a is where the liquid refrigerant is further cooled below the saturation temperature at the condenser pressure, a process known as subcooling. [0006] In my Application Ser. No. PCT/US03/36424, filed Nov. 11, 2003, entitled REFRIGERATION SYSTEM WITH BYPASS SUBCOOLING AND COMPONENT SIZE DE-OPTIMIZATION (the '424 application), I disclose a refrigeration system in which the subcooling is performed in a secondary refrigerant path which partially bypasses the main refrigerant path, rather than in the condenser. [0007] A system of this type is shown in FIG. 2. Here, the main refrigeration path is the same as the system shown in FIG. 1, but there is also provided a bypass line 27 into which a portion of the refrigrant from the main refrigeration path is diverted. This includes a secondary expansion device 23, and a heat exchanger 22 thermally coupled to the main refrigerant flow path between the condenser 14 and the main expansion device 16. As the diverted portion of the refrigerant exiting condenser 14 passes through secondary expansion device 23, its pressure and temperature are lowered substantially below the condenser outlet pressure and temperature. [0008] The cold refrigerant mixture exiting secondary expansion device 23 then flows through heat exchanger 22, where heat is extracted from the liquid refrigerant flowing from condenser 14, producing additional subcooling in the liquid refrigerant. The additional subcooling produced from the bypass technology makes the subcooling process in the condenser unnecessary. This is indicted in FIG. 2 by a smaller condenser in which the subcooling section 14a has been eliminated, and is shown in outline. [0009] Because the refrigerant pressure in bypass line 27 at the outlet of the heat exchanger is greater than the pressure at the outlet of evaporator 18, a pressure differential accommodating device (PDAD) 38 is used to couple the outlet of the bypass line to the primary refrigerant line. The pressure differential accommodating device can be either a vacuum generating device or a pressure-reducing device, as disclosed in the '424 application. [0010] Other information concerning the implications and benefits flowing from the use of a bypass path for subcooling is also disclosed in the '424 application, and the entire contents of that application are hereby incorporated herein by reference, as if fully set forth. [0011] Although significant improvements over conventional systems in which subcooling takes place in the condenser are achieved using bypass subcooling, the need remains to find ways to further reduce cost and size, especially in small systems. The present invention addresses this continuing need. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0012] It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide improvements in bypass subcooling for refrigeration systems, heat pumps and the like. [0013] It is another object of the invention to provide a subcooling bypass device employing components which can be manufactured less expensively than conventional components. [0014] It is also an object of the invention to provide a subcooling bypass line employing components which can be manufactured more compactly than conventional components. [0015] An additional object of the invention is to provide an improved component which can be employed to provide bypass subcooling in a refrigeration or heat pump system. [0016] Yet a further object of the invention is to provide such an improved component by which bypass subcooling can be provided less expensively than with conventional components. [0017] Another object of the invention is to provide such an improved component which will permit refrigeration in a heat pump system employing bypass subcooling to be more compact than if conventional components are employed for the bypass path. [0018] According to a first aspect of the invention, subcooling is provided by a bypass device comprising means for diverting a portion of the liquid refrigerant exiting the condenser in the main refrigerant path to the bypass path, expansion means for reducing the pressure and temperature of the diverted refrigerant, heat exchange means thermally coupling a refrigerant flow path containing the diverted refrigerant at the reduced pressure and temperature to a portion of the main refrigerant path downstream of the condenser to extract sufficient heat from the refrigerant therein to provide subcooling, and outlet means connected to the heat exchange means for returning the diverted refrigerant to the main refrigerant path downstream of the heat exchanger means. [0019] According to the first aspect of the invention, the outlet means may comprise a pressure differential accommodating means. [0020] Further according to the first aspect of the invention, all of the stated functions of the bypass line are performed by a single mechanical component. Continue reading... Full patent description for Refrigeration system having an integrated bypass system Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Refrigeration system having an integrated bypass system patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Refrigeration system having an integrated bypass system or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Refrigerant cycle device with ejector and refrigerant branch structure for the same Next Patent Application: Pendant Industry Class: Refrigeration ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Refrigeration system having an integrated bypass system patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 3.57359 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Medical: Surgery , Surgery(2) , Surgery(3) , Drug , Drug(2) , Prosthesis , Dentistry |
||
