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An air conditioning or refrigeration system having a subcooler (18) for subcooling liquid or hot gaseous refrigerant before the refrigerant is supplied to a heat exchanger, such as an evaporator (24) or a condenser (14). The refrigerant subcooler or precooler (18, 18A, 18B) utilized in the method an

An air conditioning or refrigeration system having a subcooler (18) for subcooling liquid or hot gaseous refrigerant before the refrigerant is supplied to a heat exchanger, such as an evaporator (24) or a condenser (14). The refrigerant subcooler or precooler (18, 18A, 18B) utilized in the method and apparatus of the refrigeration system has an inner cylindrical housing (38, 38A) positioned in concentric relation to an outer cylindrical housing (48, 48A) and forming an annulus (53, 53A) therebetween. A small portion of refrigerant is diverted from the main body of refrigerant at the subcooler (18, 18A) and is passed through an expanison valve (32, 32A) for vaporizing upon entering the subcooler (18, 18A). The diverted vaporized refrigerant passes in heat exchange relation to the refrigerant in the inner housing in two complete passes or laps by first moving along the length of the subcooler (18, 18A, 18B) in one direction, and then reversing its flow path and moving in a reverse direction of travel along the length of the subcooler (18, 18 A, 18B) along the annulus (53, 53A) between the inner housing (38, 38A) and the outer housing (48, 48A).

대표청구항 ▼

In an air conditioning system having a compressor, a first heat exchange means connected to the compressor for receiving refrigerant therefrom, a second heat exchange means connected to the first heat exchange means for receiving liquid refrigerant therefrom; and suction line means between the secon

In an air conditioning system having a compressor, a first heat exchange means connected to the compressor for receiving refrigerant therefrom, a second heat exchange means connected to the first heat exchange means for receiving liquid refrigerant therefrom; and suction line means between the second heat exchange means and the compressor for routing refrigerant from the second heat exchanger means to the compressor; an improved refrigerant subcooler for at least one of said heat exchange means for supplying subcooled refrigerant thereto, said improved subcooler comprising: an elongate outer tubular housing having an inlet end and an outlet end for refrigerant to said one of said heat exchange means; an elongate inner tubular housing positioned within said outer tubular housing in a generally concentric relation to said outer tubular housing and defining an annulus between the outer periphery of said inner housing and the inner periphery of said outer housing, said inner housing having an inlet end and an outlet end in inwardly spaced relation to the respective inlet and outlet ends of said outer housing; a refrigerant main supply line connected to said inner tubular housing adjacent the inlet end thereof to supply refrigerant to be cooled to said inner tubular housing; a refrigerant inlet branch line diverging from the main supply line adjacent the inlet end of the inner housing and connected to the inner tubular housing to divert a relatively small portion of the main body of refrigerant from the main supply line to the inner tubular housing for flowing from the inlet end to the outlet end of said inner housing and cooling the main body of refrigerant therein; an expansion valve in said inlet branch line adjacent the inlet end of said inner housing for vaporizing the refrigerant therein; means within the inner tubular housing to separate the diverted refrigerant therein from the main body of refrigerant to be cooled during simultaneous flow of the refrigerants in a first pass from said inlet end of the inner housing to the outlet end thereof such that the diverted refrigerant absorbs heat from the main body of refrigerant; a refrigerant outlet line from the outlet end of said inner housing to said one of said heat exchange means to supply the main body of subcooled refrigerant thereto; means adjacent said outlet end of the inner housing to direct the diverted vaporized refrigerant being discharged thereat from the inner housing into the annulus between the inner and outer housings for a second reverse pass of the vaporized refrigerant in an opposite direction along the annulus from the outlet end of said inner housing to said inlet end thereof such that the vaporized refrigerant in the annulus absorbs heat from the refrigerant within the inner housing during flow along the annulus; and outlet line means adjacent said inlet end of said inner housing to conduct the flow of gaseous refrigerant from the annulus to said suction line means for flow to the compressor.