초록 ▼

A refrigerant system is provided where the functions of an economizer heat exchanger and liquid-suction heat exchanger are combined. The two configurations are disclosed with a single common heat exchanger construction. In a first configuration, a series of valves selectively routes only one of two

A refrigerant system is provided where the functions of an economizer heat exchanger and liquid-suction heat exchanger are combined. The two configurations are disclosed with a single common heat exchanger construction. In a first configuration, a series of valves selectively routes only one of two possible refrigerant flows through a common heat exchanger such that a control can selectively activate either an economizer heat exchanger circuit or a liquid-suction heat exchanger function. In a second configuration, both refrigerant flows are passed to the common heat exchanger through separate fluid lines and are selectively activated by the control. Variations of the second configuration are also disclosed.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A refrigerant system comprising: a compressor, a condenser downstream of said compressor, an expansion device downstream of said condenser, and an evaporator downstream of said expansion device; and a common heat exchanger for providing an economizer circuit heat exchanger fu

What is claimed is: 1. A refrigerant system comprising: a compressor, a condenser downstream of said compressor, an expansion device downstream of said condenser, and an evaporator downstream of said expansion device; and a common heat exchanger for providing an economizer circuit heat exchanger function and a liquid-suction heat exchanger function. 2. The refrigerant system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said common heat exchanger communicates with a main refrigerant flow from said condenser to said expansion device, and selectively communicates with a tapped refrigerant tapped from said main refrigerant flow, and passing through said common heat exchanger, said tapped refrigerant providing said economizer circuit function, and being returned to an intermediate compression point at said compressor, said common heat exchanger also receiving a suction refrigerant tapped downstream of said evaporator and being returned to a suction port on said compressor providing liquid-suction heat exchanger function. 3. The refrigerant system as set forth in claim 2, wherein a flow control device is placed on a line containing said tapped refrigerant intermediate to a line containing said main refrigerant and said common heat exchanger such that said economizer function may be selectively provided. 4. The refrigerant system as set forth in claim 2, wherein a flow control device is positioned on said suction refrigerant tap downstream of said evaporator and upstream of said common heat exchanger such that said liquid-suction heat exchanger function may be selectively provided. 5. The refrigerant system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said tapped refrigerant and said suction refrigerant flows can pass through said common heat exchanger simultaneously, and through separate flow lines. 6. The refrigerant system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said common heat exchanger includes a supply line that is selectively communicated to one of said tapped refrigerant and said suction refrigerant. 7. The refrigerant system as set forth in claim 6, wherein a system of flow control devices selectively communicates either said tapped refrigerant or said suction refrigerant to said supply line. 8. The refrigerant system as set forth in claim 7, wherein a first tap line tapped off of said main refrigerant flow line provides said tapped refrigerant and passes to said supply line, and a second tap line is tapped from a position downstream of said evaporator and provides said suction refrigerant and communicates to said supply line, a first flow control device positioned downstream of said second tap line, and a second flow control device positioned on said second tap line, a third flow control device positioned on said first tap line, and intermediate to said supply line and said main refrigerant flow line, and an intermediate pressure return line communicating refrigerant from said common heat exchanger back to an intermediate compression point in said compressor with a fourth flow control device, an unloader line selectively communicating said intermediate pressure return line back to a suction return line, with a fifth flow control device positioned on said unloader line. 9. The refrigerant system as set forth in claim 8, wherein said first flow control device is closed and said second flow control device is open with said third flow control device closed, said fourth flow control device closed, and said fifth flow control device open to provide said liquid-suction heat exchanger function. 10. The refrigerant system as set forth in claim 8, wherein said first flow control device is open, said second flow control device is closed, said fifth flow control device is closed, and said third and fourth flow control devices are open to provide said economizer heat exchanger function. 11. The refrigerant system as said forth in claim 2, wherein said common heat exchanger has a separate flow line to receive said tapped refrigerant and said suction refrigerant, such that both of said economizer heat exchanger function and said liquid-suction heat exchanger function can occur simultaneously. 12. The refrigerant system as set forth in claim 11, wherein said liquid-suction heat exchanger function occurs permanently. 13. The refrigerant system as set forth in claim 12, wherein a flow control device or system of flow control devices allows selective bypass of said common heat exchanger by said suction refrigerant. 14. A refrigerant system comprising: a compressor, a condenser downstream of said compressor, an expansion device downstream of said condenser, and an evaporator downstream of said expansion device; a liquid-suction heat exchanger for providing a liquid-suction heat exchanger function, said liquid-suction heat exchanger being positioned to receive refrigerant downstream of said evaporator, and to direct a refrigerant from a location downstream of said condenser to be cooled by said refrigerant downstream of said evaporator; and a flow control device for selectively providing refrigerant downstream of said condenser to said liquid-suction heat exchanger. 15. The refrigerant system as set forth in claim 14, wherein said liquid-suction heat exchanger also provides an economizer heat exchanger function by receiving refrigerant from a tap line downstream of said condenser. 16. The refrigerant system as set forth in claim 14, wherein a three-way valve directs refrigerant downstream of said condenser either directly to said expansion device and to said evaporator, or directly to said liquid-suction heat exchanger. 17. The refrigerant system as set forth in claim 16, wherein refrigerant passes from said evaporator downstream through said liquid-suction heat exchanger when said flow control device is in either position. 18. The refrigerant system as set forth in claim 14, wherein the economizer heat exchanger and a liquid-suction heat exchanger are separate heat exchangers.