Dryer for a refrigeration appliance and a refrigeration appliance including the dryer
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
F25B-047/00
F25B-015/00
F25D-017/06
F25B-043/00
B01D-053/02
F16L-041/00
출원번호
US-0714105
(2010-02-26)
등록번호
US-8689571
(2014-04-08)
발명자
/ 주소
Lafaire, Juan Antonio Contreras
Hall, David L.
Candeo, Marcelo
Hansen, Dennis Carl
출원인 / 주소
Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
대리인 / 주소
Pearne & Gordon LLP
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
8
초록▼
Provided is a dryer for minimizing moisture entrained within a refrigerant used to provide a cooling effect to a temperature-controlled environment, and a refrigeration appliance including such a dryer. The dryer includes a housing defining a drying chamber and a desiccant disposed within the drying
Provided is a dryer for minimizing moisture entrained within a refrigerant used to provide a cooling effect to a temperature-controlled environment, and a refrigeration appliance including such a dryer. The dryer includes a housing defining a drying chamber and a desiccant disposed within the drying chamber for removing at least a portion of the moisture from the refrigerant. A first outlet is formed in the housing adjacent a lower region of the drying chamber when the drying chamber is viewed in an operational orientation. A second outlet is also formed in the housing at an elevation vertically above the first outlet when the dryer is viewed in the operational orientation for discharging at least a portion of the refrigerant introduced into the drying chamber to be delivered to a second heat exchanger with a relatively-low internal pressure. The elevation of the second outlet relative to the first outlet promotes the discharge of the refrigerant through the first outlet instead of through the second outlet.
대표청구항▼
1. A dryer for minimizing moisture entrained within a refrigerant used to provide a cooling effect to a temperature-controlled environment, the dryer comprising: a cylindrical housing defining a drying chamber;a desiccant disposed within the drying chamber for removing at least a portion of the mois
1. A dryer for minimizing moisture entrained within a refrigerant used to provide a cooling effect to a temperature-controlled environment, the dryer comprising: a cylindrical housing defining a drying chamber;a desiccant disposed within the drying chamber for removing at least a portion of the moisture from the refrigerant introduced into the drying chamber;an inlet formed in the housing, said inlet being adapted to cooperate with a feed line supplying the refrigerant in a substantially liquid state to be introduced into the drying chamber;a first outlet formed in the housing adjacent a lower region of the drying chamber when the drying chamber is viewed in an operational orientation, wherein the first outlet is adapted to be coupled to a capillary tube and form a conduit through which at least a portion of the refrigerant introduced into the drying chamber and exposed to the desiccant is discharged from the drying chamber to be delivered to a first heat exchanger for providing a cooling effect; anda second outlet extending radially outward from a wall of the housing at an elevation vertically above a lowermost liquid level of the refrigerant to be achieved within the drying chamber while the refrigerant is being discharged through the first outlet when the dryer is viewed in the operational orientation, the second outlet being adapted to be coupled to another capillary tube to form another conduit through which at least a portion of the refrigerant introduced into the drying chamber and exposed to the desiccant is to be discharged through the another capillary tube and delivered to a second heat exchanger, that is different than the first heat exchanger, for providing another cooling effect, wherein a resistance to delivery of the refrigerant to the first heat exchanger is greater than a resistance to delivery of the refrigerant to the second heat exchanger, and the elevation of the second outlet relative to the first outlet balances a discharge of the refrigerant through the first and second outlets. 2. The dryer according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second outlets is adapted to cooperate with a capillary tube for transporting the refrigerant from the dryer to the first and second heat exchangers. 3. The dryer according to claim 1, wherein the drying chamber comprises a housing formed primarily from a metal or a metal alloy comprising copper. 4. The dryer according to claim 1, wherein the housing comprises an elongated, generally cylindrical shape extending along a longitudinal axis that is substantially vertically oriented when the dryer is in the operational orientation, and further wherein the inlet is formed adjacent to an upper region of the housing, the first outlet is formed adjacent to a lower region of the housing, and the second outlet is formed in the housing at an elevation between the inlet and the first outlet when the dryer is viewed in the operational orientation. 5. The dryer according to claim 1, wherein the elevation of the second outlet is vertically below an uppermost liquid level reached by the refrigerant within the drying chamber while the refrigerant is not being discharged from the first outlet. 6. A refrigeration appliance comprising: an insulated compartment for storing food items in a temperature-controlled environment;a first evaporator;a second evaporator in thermal communication with the insulated compartment, wherein the second evaporator provides a cooling effect within the insulated compartment, wherein a resistance to delivery of a refrigerant to the first evaporator is greater than a resistance to delivery of the refrigerant to the second evaporator;a compressor for elevating a pressure of the refrigerant in a substantially-gaseous phase;a condenser for at least partially condensing the refrigerant into a liquid phase;a dryer for at least partially removing moisture entrained within the refrigerant, the dryer comprising: a drying chamber,a desiccant disposed within the drying chamber that removes at least a portion of the moisture from the refrigerant exposed to the desiccant;an inlet through which the refrigerant is introduced in a substantially-liquid phase into the drying chamber,a first outlet formed in the housing adjacent a lower region of the drying chamber extends in a first direction from the drying chamber in fluid communication with a conduit for transporting the refrigerant along a first fluid flow path from the dryer to be delivered to the first evaporator, anda second outlet extending radially outward from a wall of the housing at an elevation vertically above a lowermost liquid level of the refrigerant to be achieved within the drying chamber while the refrigerant is being discharged through the first outlet in fluid communication with a conduit for transporting the refrigerant along another fluid flow path, that is independent from the first fluid flow path, from the dryer to be delivered to the second evaporator, wherein the second outlet is arranged at an elevation vertically above the first outlet with the drying chamber in an operational orientation establishing a preference of the refrigerant to be discharged through the first outlet and delivered to the first evaporator, balancing a discharge of the refrigerant through the first and second outlets; anda valve that is operable to selectively interrupt delivery of the refrigerant to the first evaporator. 7. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 6, wherein the second outlet is disposed at an elevation vertically above an elevation of the first outlet. 8. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 7, wherein the elevation of the second outlet is vertically above a lowermost liquid level reached by the refrigerant within the drying chamber while the refrigerant is being discharged through the first outlet. 9. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 8, wherein the elevation of the second outlet is vertically below an uppermost liquid level reached by the refrigerant within the drying chamber while the refrigerant is not being discharged from the first outlet. 10. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 7, wherein the dryer comprises a housing defining the drying chamber, the housing comprising an elongated, generally cylindrical shape extending along a longitudinal axis that is substantially vertically oriented installed on the refrigeration appliance, and further wherein the inlet is formed adjacent to an upper region of the housing, the first outlet is formed adjacent to a lower region of the housing, and the second outlet is formed in the housing at an elevation between the inlet and the first outlet. 11. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 7, wherein the first evaporator is in thermal communication with an ice maker provided to the refrigeration appliance and the second evaporator is in thermal communication with the insulated compartment for maintaining a temperature within the insulated compartment to 45° F. or less. 12. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 6, wherein operation of the second evaporator maintains the temperature within the insulated compartment to 45° F. or less. 13. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 12, wherein the insulated compartment is a fresh food compartment and an ice maker is disposed within the fresh food compartment. 14. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 6 further comprising a freezer compartment located at an elevation vertically below an elevation of the insulated compartment, wherein the insulated compartment is a fresh food compartment. 15. A method of minimizing moisture entrained within a refrigerant to remove heat from an insulated compartment of a refrigeration appliance comprising at least a first evaporator, providing a first cooling effect, a second evaporator providing a second cooling effect, and a dryer storing a desiccant that at least partially removes the moisture from the refrigerant to be supplied to the first and second evaporators, the method comprising: receiving a request that the refrigerant is to be delivered to the first evaporator;in response to receiving the request, operating a fluid flow restrictor allowing discharging of the refrigerant through a first outlet of the dryer, discharging to the first evaporator, wherein operating the fluid flow restrictor results in a liquid level of the refrigerant within the dryer falling to a level that is vertically beneath a second outlet of the dryer, discharging refrigerant to the second evaporator, wherein said operating the fluid flow restrictor overcomes a preference of the refrigerant to be discharged through the second outlet relative to the first outlet and establishes a balanced discharge of the refrigerant through the first and second outlets; andoperating the fluid flow restrictor to interfere with delivery of the refrigerant to the first evaporator through the first outlet when the cooling effect of the first evaporator is to be interrupted, wherein operating the fluid flow restrictor to interfere with delivery of the refrigerant results in the liquid level of the refrigerant within the dryer to rise to a level that is greater than or equal to an elevation of the second outlet of the dryer. 16. The method according to claim 15, wherein an internal operating pressure within the first evaporator is greater than an internal operating pressure within the second evaporator, and when the liquid level of the refrigerant within the dryer is greater than or equal to the elevation of the second outlet of the dryer and the refrigerant is being delivered to the first evaporator, the refrigerant exhibits a preference to being discharged through the second outlet and delivered to the second evaporator. 17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the first evaporator is operable to provide a cooling effect to an ice maker disposed within a fresh food compartment of the refrigeration appliance and the second evaporator is operable to provide a cooling effect to the insulated compartment of the refrigeration appliance.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (8)
Paardekooper Stephanus (Amsterdam NLX) Pek Johan J. B. (Amsterdam NLX), Apparatus for gas/liquid separation.
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