Cooling system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10663196-B2
Application number	US-201816000067-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 5, 2018
Priority date	Jun 5, 2018
Publication date	May 26, 2020
Grant date	May 26, 2020

Abstract

An apparatus includes a flash tank, a load, a first compressor, a coil, a first pipe, and a second compressor. The flash tank stores a refrigerant. The load uses the refrigerant from the flash tank to cool a space proximate the load. The first compressor compresses the refrigerant from the load. The coil within the flash tank receives the refrigerant from the first compressor such that the received refrigerant is within the coil. The refrigerant stored within the flash tank cools the refrigerant within the coil. The first pipe is within the flash tank. The first pipe directs the refrigerant from within the coil out of the flash tank. The second compressor compresses the refrigerant directed out of the flash tank.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a flash tank configured to store a refrigerant;
a load configured to use the refrigerant from the flash tank to cool a space proximate the load;
a first compressor configured to compress the refrigerant from the load;
a coil within the flash tank configured to receive the refrigerant from the first compressor such that the received refrigerant is within the coil, the refrigerant stored within the flash tank cools the refrigerant within the coil;
a first pipe within the flash tank, the first pipe configured to direct the refrigerant from within the coil out of the flash tank;
a second pipe within the flash tank, the second pipe comprising a first end and a second end, the second pipe configured such that a flash gas enters the second pipe through the first end, the second pipe positioned above the coil, the second end of the second pipe coupled to the coil such that the refrigerant within the coil enters the second pipe through the second end, the first pipe coupled to the second pipe, the first pipe further configured to direct the flash gas from within the second pipe out of the flash tank; and
a second compressor configured to compress the refrigerant and the flash gas directed out of the flash tank.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a desuperheater configured to remove heat from the refrigerant from the first compressor and to direct the refrigerant to the coil.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an oil separator configured to separate an oil from the refrigerant from the second compressor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the coil is submerged within a liquid portion of the refrigerant stored in the flash tank.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first pipe and the second pipe are not in contact with a liquid portion of the refrigerant stored in the flash tank.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant is carbon dioxide.

7. A method comprising:
storing, by a flash tank, a refrigerant;
using, by a load, the refrigerant from the flash tank to cool a space proximate the load;
compressing, by a first compressor, the refrigerant from the load;
receiving, by a coil within the flash tank, the refrigerant from the first compressor such that the received refrigerant is within the coil, the refrigerant stored within the flash tank cools the refrigerant within the coil;
directing, by a first pipe within the flash tank, the refrigerant from within the coil out of the flash tank;
receiving, by a second pipe within the flash tank, the refrigerant within the coil, the second pipe comprising a first end and a second end, the second pipe configured such that a flash gas enters the second pipe through the first end, the second pipe positioned above the coil, the second end of the second pipe coupled to the coil such that the refrigerant within the coil enters the second pipe through the second end, the first pipe coupled to the second pipe;
directing, by the first pipe, the flash gas from within the second pipe out of the flash tank; and
compressing, by a second compressor, the refrigerant and the flash gas directed out of the flash tank.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising removing, by a desuperheater, heat from the refrigerant from the first compressor and to direct the refrigerant to the coil.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising separating, by an oil separator, an oil from the refrigerant from the second compressor.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein a portion of the coil is submerged within a liquid portion of the refrigerant stored in the flash tank.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first pipe and the second pipe are not in contact with a liquid portion of the refrigerant stored in the flash tank.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the refrigerant is carbon dioxide.

13. A system comprising:
a high side heat exchanger configured to remove heat from a refrigerant;
a flash tank configured to store the refrigerant;
a load configured to use the refrigerant from the flash tank to cool a space proximate the load;
a first compressor configured to compress the refrigerant from the load;
a coil within the flash tank configured to receive the refrigerant from the first compressor such that the received refrigerant is within the coil, the refrigerant stored within the flash tank cools the refrigerant within the coil;
a first pipe within the flash tank, the first pipe configured to direct the refrigerant from within the coil out of the flash tank;
a second pipe within the flash tank, the second pipe comprising a first end and a second end, the second pipe configured such that a flash gas enters the second pipe through the first end, the second pipe positioned above the coil, the second end of the second pipe coupled to the coil such that the refrigerant within the coil enters the second pipe through the second end, the first pipe coupled to the second pipe, the first pipe further configured to direct the flash gas from within the second pipe out of the flash tank; and
a second compressor configured to compress the refrigerant and the flash gas directed out of the flash tank and to direct the refrigerant to the high side heat exchanger.

14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a desuperheater configured to remove heat from the refrigerant from the first compressor and to direct the refrigerant to the coil.

15. The system of claim 13 , further comprising an oil separator configured to separate an oil from the refrigerant from the second compressor.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein a portion of the coil is submerged within a liquid portion of the refrigerant stored in the flash tank.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the first pipe and the second pipe are not in contact with a liquid portion of the refrigerant stored in the flash tank.

Assignees

• Heatcraft Refrigeration Products Llc

Inventors

• Zha Shitong

Classifications

• F25B9/008

  the refrigerant being carbon dioxide · CPC title

• F25B40/04 Primary

  Desuperheaters · CPC title

• F25B19/005

  the refrigerant being a liquefied gas · CPC title

• F25D13/04

  the compartments being at different temperatures · CPC title

• F25B2400/075

  with parallel compressors · CPC title