초록 ▼

A refrigerated intercooler for an air conditioning, refrigeration or similar cooling system. The intercooler provides a thermal interface between colder refrigerant gas leaving the air conditioning system's evaporator and the hotter refrigerant liquid leaving the system's condenser. The thermal inte

A refrigerated intercooler for an air conditioning, refrigeration or similar cooling system. The intercooler provides a thermal interface between colder refrigerant gas leaving the air conditioning system's evaporator and the hotter refrigerant liquid leaving the system's condenser. The thermal interface occurs between the gas in the accumulator portion of the intercooler and the liquid in an interior container of the intercooler. In the preferred embodiment, the interior container is coiled tubing, to promote better heat exchange. The system's oil/refrigerant emulsion is metered and returned from the intercooler to the compressor through an oil return line that is external to the accumulator portion of the intercooler.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A refrigerant intercooler for a cooling system having a condenser, an evaporator and a compressor, said intercooler comprising:an accumulator having an accumulator inlet for receiving a cold oily gas refrigerant and a refrigerant oil from said evaporator and an accumulator outlet for discharging

1. A refrigerant intercooler for a cooling system having a condenser, an evaporator and a compressor, said intercooler comprising:an accumulator having an accumulator inlet for receiving a cold oily gas refrigerant and a refrigerant oil from said evaporator and an accumulator outlet for discharging said cold oily gas refrigerant and said refrigerant oil from said accumulator to said compressor; said accumulator having a bottom region where condensed cold oily refrigerant may accumulate; said inlet in said accumulator bottom region; said accumulator outlet being higher and set apart from said accumulator inlet; a container oriented within an interior of said accumulator; said container in thermal communication with said cold oily gas refrigerant and said refrigerant oil; said container having a container inlet for receiving a hot oily liquid refrigerant from said condenser and a container outlet for discharging said oily liquid refrigerant to said evaporator; and an oil return line external to said accumulator and in fluid communication between a bottom of said interior of said accumulator and said accumulator outlet.