Ejector-receiver refrigeration circuit with valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10473370-B2
Application number	US-201715839202-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 12, 2017
Priority date	Dec 12, 2017
Publication date	Nov 12, 2019
Grant date	Nov 12, 2019

Abstract

An automobile vehicle refrigeration system combined ejector-receiver includes a container. An internal heat exchanger (IHX) is positioned entirely within the container. The IHX includes a canister. A receiver and dryer is located entirely within the container and is positioned at least partially within the canister defining a cavity between the receiver and dryer and the canister to receive a refrigerant. An ejector is positioned within the container. An ejector feed line is in communication with the cavity between the receiver and dryer and the canister, the ejector feed line receiving the refrigerant after discharge from the cavity for flow into the ejector. A refrigerant phase separator is positioned within the container. The refrigerant phase separator receives the refrigerant after discharge from the ejector for separation into each of a refrigerant gas and a refrigerant liquid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An automobile vehicle refrigeration system combined ejector-receiver, comprising:
a container;
an internal heat exchanger (IHX) device positioned within the container, the IHX device receiving a low pressure refrigerant;
a receiver and dryer located within the container and positioned at least partially within the IHX device defining a cavity between the receiver and dryer and the IHX;
an ejector having a chamber and an ejector discharge line positioned within the container;
an ejector feed line positioned within the container and extending from the cavity into the ejector;
a bypass line positioned within the container, the bypass line in communication with the ejector feed line and the ejector and bypassing flow around the ejector inlet line to enter the chamber of the ejector.

2. The automobile vehicle refrigeration system combined ejector-receiver of claim 1 , wherein the IHX further includes an inner wall and wherein the receiver and dryer positioned within the container includes an outer wall having the cavity between the inner wall and the outer wall, the cavity receiving the refrigerant as a low pressure refrigerant gas fed from an evaporator positioned external to the ejector-receiver via a gas inlet line extending into the IHX.

3. The automobile vehicle refrigeration system combined ejector-receiver of claim 2 , further including an aspirated feed line of the ejector positioned in the container providing communication for flow of the low pressure refrigerant gas between the IHX and an aspirated inlet post of the ejector.

4. The automobile vehicle refrigeration system combined ejector-receiver of claim 1 , further including a refrigerant phase separator positioned within the container in communication with the ejector via the ejector discharge line within the container and receiving the refrigerant discharged from the ejector for separation into each of a refrigerant gas and a low pressure refrigerant liquid.

5. The automobile vehicle refrigeration system combined ejector-receiver of claim 4 , wherein the refrigerant phase separator includes:
a first connection extending through a wall of the container supporting a gas outlet line in communication with an inlet of a compressor positioned external to the container to transfer the refrigerant gas to the compressor; and
a second connection extending through a wall of the container supporting a liquid discharge line transferring the low pressure refrigerant liquid to an evaporator positioned external to the container, the liquid discharge line having a throttling valve positioned within the container.

6. The automobile vehicle refrigeration system combined ejector-receiver of claim 1 , further including:
a condenser outlet line directing flow of the refrigerant from a phase separation condenser positioned external to the container to flow into the receiver and dryer; and
a receiver-dryer line positioned within the container in communication between the receiver-dryer and an ejector post of the ejector.

7. The automobile vehicle refrigeration system combined ejector-receiver of claim 6 , further including a refrigerant phase separator positioned within the container, the refrigerant phase separator receiving the refrigerant discharged from the ejector.

8. The automobile vehicle refrigeration system combined ejector-receiver of claim 7 , further including:
a discharge line in communication with the ejector directing a discharge from the ejector into a container of the IHX device; and
a low pressure liquid discharge line in communication with the container directing the refrigerant in liquid phase discharged from the heat exchanger canister into an evaporator positioned external to the container, the liquid discharge line having a throttling valve.

9. The automobile vehicle refrigeration system combined ejector-receiver of claim 8 , further including:
a gas outlet line extending from the container directing the refrigerant in a gas phase into an inlet of a compressor positioned external to the container; and
a condenser return line directing flow of the refrigerant from a phase separation condenser positioned external to the container into the receiver and dryer.

10. An automobile vehicle refrigeration system combined ejector-receiver, comprising:
a container;
a heat exchanger device positioned within the container;
a receiver and dryer located entirely within the container and positioned at least partially within the heat exchanger device defining a cavity between the receiver and dryer and the heat exchanger device to receive a refrigerant;
an ejector having a chamber, the ejector positioned within the container in communication with the heat exchanger device, the ejector receiving the refrigerant after discharge from the receiver and dryer; and
a refrigerant phase separator positioned within the container separating the refrigerant into each of a gas and a low pressure liquid;
an ejector feed line positioned within the container in communication with the cavity and extending from the cavity into the ejector;
a bypass line positioned within the container, the bypass line in communication with the ejector feed line and the ejector and bypassing flow around the ejector inlet line to enter the chamber of the ejector; and
a throttling valve positioned in the bypass line operated to induce a swirl flow in the chamber of the ejector.

11. The automobile vehicle refrigeration system combined ejector-receiver of claim 10 , further including a cold gas inlet line connected to the heat exchanger device, wherein the refrigerant as the gas is fed from an evaporator positioned external to the container into the cold gas inlet line.

12. The automobile vehicle refrigeration system combined ejector-receiver of claim 10 , wherein the refrigerant phase separator is in communication with the ejector, the refrigerant phase separator receiving the refrigerant after discharge from the ejector.

13. The automobile vehicle refrigeration system combined ejector-receiver of claim 1 , further including: a throttling valve positioned in the bypass line operated to induce a swirl flow in the chamber of the ejector.

14. The automobile vehicle refrigeration system combined ejector-receiver of claim 10 , further including a discharge line in communication with the ejector directing a discharge of the refrigerant from the ejector into the heat exchanger device for flow into the refrigerant phase separator.

15. An automobile vehicle refrigeration system combined ejector-receiver, comprising:
a container;
an internal heat exchanger (IHX) positioned entirely within the container, the IHX including a canister;
a receiver and dryer located entirely within the container and positioned at least partially within the canister defining a cavity between the receiver and dryer and the canister of the IHX to receive a refrigerant;
an ejector having a chamber, the ejector positioned within the container;
an ejector feed line in communication with the cavity between the receiver and dryer and the canister of the IHX, the ejector feed line receiving the refrigerant after discharge from the receiver and dryer for flow into the ejector; and
a refrigerant phase separator positioned within the container, the refrigerant phase separator receiving the refrigerant after discharge from the ejector for separation into each of a refrigerant gas and a low pressure refrigerant liquid;
a bypass line positioned within the container, the bypass line in communication with the ejector feed line and the ejector and bypassing flow around the ejector inlet line to enter the chambe

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Bozeman Jeffrey A
• Anderson Dana L
• Resutek James

Classifications

• F25B5/02

  arranged in parallel · CPC title

• F25B41/00

  Fluid-circulation arrangements · CPC title

• F25B5/04

  arranged in series · CPC title

• F25B2400/23

  Separators · CPC title

• F25B39/02

  Evaporators · CPC title