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A refrigeration system with integrated accumulator-expander-heat exchanger is disclosed. Refrigerant from a condenser/gas cooler is throttled through a capillary tube while at the same time undergoing a heat exchanging process with refrigerant from an evaporator. This method can elevate the compress

A refrigeration system with integrated accumulator-expander-heat exchanger is disclosed. Refrigerant from a condenser/gas cooler is throttled through a capillary tube while at the same time undergoing a heat exchanging process with refrigerant from an evaporator. This method can elevate the compressor efficiency, increase the specific cooling capacity, and enhance the system performance. The capillary tube, which has dual functions of expansion device and heat exchanger, is placed inside a canister which also functions as an accumulator. The new device combining three separate parts into one can simplify the manufacturing process, lower the system size and weight, and thus decrease cost of the whole system.

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The invention claimed is: 1. An apparatus for a refrigeration system comprising an accumulator having a chamber for receiving refrigerant; an expander for expanding refrigerant and disposed in said chamber, wherein said expander comprises a conduit for carrying refrigerant therethrough, said condui

The invention claimed is: 1. An apparatus for a refrigeration system comprising an accumulator having a chamber for receiving refrigerant; an expander for expanding refrigerant and disposed in said chamber, wherein said expander comprises a conduit for carrying refrigerant therethrough, said conduit having an impedance over at least a portion of its length to produce a pressure drop in fluid therealong; an enclosure in said chamber for carrying gaseous and/or two-phase refrigerant therealong, said enclosure being defined by an enclosure wall and having a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and a portion disposed in a lower portion of said accumulator, the lower portion of the enclosure having one or more bleed holes formed therein for introducing fluid from said chamber into said enclosure, and wherein a major surface area of said conduit is in heat exchange relationship with the interior of said enclosure. 2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said expander conduit is disposed in said enclosure. 3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said enclosure comprises a conduit. 4. An apparatus for a refrigeration system, comprising an accumulator having a chamber for receiving refrigerant; an enclosure in said chamber, said enclosure being defined by an enclosure wall and having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, said accumulator chamber having upper and lower portions, said enclosure extending between said upper and lower portions of the accumulator chamber, and having a lower portion disposed in the lower portion of said chamber, an aperture being formed in the lower portion of said enclosure for introducing fluid from the interior of said chamber into said enclosure; an expander for expanding refrigerant and disposed in said enclosure, wherein said expander comprises a conduit for carrying refrigerant therethrough, said conduit having an impedance over at least a portion of its length to produce a pressure drop in fluid therealong; and separating means for separating refrigerant gas from refrigerant liquid and for introducing refrigerant gas into the inlet of said enclosure, wherein said separating means comprises a fluid inlet for introducing fluid into said chamber and which is positioned to prevent fluid flowing through said inlet into said chamber from flowing directly into the inlet of said enclosure. 5. An apparatus for a refrigeration system, comprising an accumulator having a chamber for receiving refrigerant; an enclosure in said chamber, said enclosure being defined by an enclosure wall and having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, said accumulator chamber having upper and lower portions, said enclosure extending between said upper and lower portions of the accumulator chamber, and having a lower portion disposed in the lower portion of said chamber, an aperture being formed in the lower portion of said enclosure for introducing fluid from the interior of said chamber into said enclosure; an expander for expanding refrigerant and disposed in said enclosure, wherein said expander comprises a conduit for carrying refrigerant therethrough, said conduit having an impedance over at least a portion of its length to produce a pressure drop in fluid therealong; and an expansion device defining one or more restrictive orifices sized to increase the impedance of fluid flow above the impedance provided by said expander conduit. 6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, further comprising valve means for varying the size of at least one orifice. 7. An apparatus for a refrigeration system, comprising an accumulator having a chamber for receiving refrigerant; an enclosure in said chamber, said enclosure being defined by an enclosure wall and having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, said accumulator chamber having upper and lower portions, said enclosure extending between said upper and lower portions of the accumulator chamber, and having a lower portion disposed in the lower portion of said chamber, an aperture being formed in the lower portion of said enclosure for introducing fluid from the interior of said chamber into said enclosure; an expander for expanding refrigerant and disposed in said enclosure, wherein said expander comprises a conduit for carrying refrigerant therethrough, said conduit having an impedance over at least a portion of its length to produce a pressure drop in fluid therealong; and a further conduit for carrying fluid from said accumulator to a compressor and a return conduit for feeding fluid from said compressor to said accumulator and wherein said further and return conduits are in heat exchange relationship. 8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein at least one of (1) the walls of the further and return conduits are in contact with one another and (2) one of said further conduit and said return conduit is inside the other of said further conduit and said return conduit. 9. An apparatus for a refrigeration system, comprising an accumulator having a chamber for receiving refrigerant; an enclosure in said chamber, said enclosure being defined by an enclosure wall and having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, said accumulator chamber having upper and lower portions, said enclosure extending between said upper and lower portions of the accumulator chamber, and having a lower portion disposed in the lower portion of said chamber, an aperture being formed in the lower portion of said enclosure for introducing fluid from the interior of said chamber into said enclosure; an expander for expanding refrigerant and disposed in said enclosure, wherein said expander comprises a conduit for carrying refrigerant therethrough, said conduit having an impedance over at least a portion of its length to produce a pressure drop in fluid therealong; wherein said conduit has an impedance which is distributed over a substantial portion of its length in said chamber. 10. An apparatus for a refrigeration system comprising an accumulator having a chamber for receiving refrigerant, and expansion means for expanding refrigerant, the expansion means comprising a conduit for carrying fluid therethrough and being arranged for exchanging heat with refrigerant in said chamber, said conduit having an impedance over at least a portion of its length to produce a pressure drop in fluid therealong, said expansion means further comprising means for defining one or more restrictive orifice sized to increase the impedance of fluid flow above the impedance provided by said conduit, and valve means, responsive to a parameter to vary the size of at least one orifice. 11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein said parameter comprises at least one of temperature and pressure. 12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein said valve means comprises structure which displaces as a result of changes in temperature of the structure. 13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said structure comprises an element capable of assuming a curve along its length and wherein the tightness of an assumed curve is varied by temperature such that the tightness of curvature is varied in a plane which extends across said orifice. 14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said element comprises a first element comprising a first material and a second element comprising a second material wherein the first material has a different coefficient of thermal expansion than that of said second material and said elements are positioned side by side in said plane. 15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein said element comprises an elongate strip formed as a spiral. 16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein said element is mounted such that said element overlaps said orifice to vary the size of said orifice. 17. An apparatus for a refrigeration system comprising an accumulator having a chamber for receiving refrigerant, an expander for expanding refrigerant comprising a conduit for carrying fluid therethrough, said conduit having an impedance over at least a portion of its length to produce a pressure drop in fluid therealong, and a controller responsive to a parameter to control the impedance of the expander, wherein said controller comprises valve means for controlling the flow of fluid therethrough. 18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein said conduit is disposed within said chamber. 19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 18, further comprising an enclosure being defined by an enclosure wall and having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, and wherein the expander conduit is disposed in said enclosure. 20. An apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein said expander conduit has an inlet and an outlet, and wherein said valve means is positioned proximate the outlet. 21. An expansion device for a refrigeration system, the expansion device having one or more restrictive orifices, a valve element for varying the size of at least one orifice, wherein the valve element is capable of assuming a curve along its length, the assumed curve having a tightness, and wherein the tightness of the assumed curve of said element is varied by temperature such that the tightness of the assumed curve is varied in a plane which extends across the orifice. 22. An expansion device as claimed in claim 21, comprising a transverse member, said one or more restrictive orifices being formed in said transverse member, and wherein said valve element is positioned against said transverse member. 23. An expansion device as claimed in claim 21, wherein said valve element comprises a first element comprising a first material and a second element comprising a second material, wherein said first material has a different coefficient of expansion than that of the second material, and said elements are positioned side by side in said plane. 24. An expansion device as claimed in claim 23, wherein said valve element comprises an elongate strip formed as a spiral. 25. An expansion device as claimed in claim 22, wherein said one or more restrictive orifices each has a high pressure side and a low pressure side, and said valve element is positioned on the high pressure side. 26. An apparatus for a refrigeration system, comprising an accumulator having a chamber for receiving refrigerant; an enclosure in said chamber, said enclosure being defined by an enclosure wall and having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, said accumulator chamber having upper and lower portions, said enclosure extending between said upper and lower portions of the accumulator chamber, and having a lower portion disposed in the lower portion of said chamber, an aperture being formed in the lower portion of said enclosure for introducing fluid from the interior of said chamber into said enclosure; an expander for expanding refrigerant and disposed in said enclosure, wherein said expander comprises a conduit for carrying refrigerant therethrough, said conduit having an impedance over at least a portion of its length to produce a pressure drop in fluid therealong; wherein said enclosure comprises a first portion defining a downwardly directed flow passage for refrigerant between said upper portion of said accumulator chamber and said lower portion of said enclosure, and a second portion defining an upwardly directed flow passage for said refrigerant from said lower portion of said enclosure towards said upper portion of said accumulator chamber. 27. An apparatus for a refrigeration system, comprising an accumulator having a chamber for receiving refrigerant; an enclosure in said chamber, said enclosure being defined by an enclosure wall and having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, said accumulator chamber having upper and lower portions, said enclosure extending between said upper and lower portions of the accumulator chamber, and having a lower portion disposed in the lower portion of said chamber, an aperture being formed in the lower portion of said enclosure for introducing fluid from the interior of said chamber into said enclosure; an expander for expanding refrigerant and disposed in said enclosure, wherein said expander comprises a conduit for carrying refrigerant therethrough, said conduit having an impedance over at least a portion of its length to produce a pressure drop in fluid therealong; wherein said enclosure comprises a conduit, and said enclosure conduit includes a first arm defining a downwardly directed flow path for refrigerant between said upper portion of said accumulator chamber and said lower portion of said enclosure, and a second arm defining an upwardly directed flow path for said refrigerant from said lower portion of said enclosure towards said upper portion of said accumulator. 28. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said expander conduit comprises a capillary tube. 29. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said expander conduit is non-linear along at least a portion of its length in said enclosure. 30. An apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein said expander conduit defines a spiral or a meander shape along at least a portion of its length in said enclosure.