Liquid vapor separator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10864993-B2
Application number	US-201816167017-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 22, 2018
Priority date	Oct 22, 2018
Publication date	Dec 15, 2020
Grant date	Dec 15, 2020

Abstract

Disclosed is a separation system including: a chamber comprising: an inlet for receiving a two-phase fluid; a first outlet for draining liquid contained in the two-phase fluid; a second outlet for egress of gas contained in the two-phase fluid; a cylindrical body disposed in the chamber having a plurality of channels through which, during use, the two-phase fluid travels from the inlet to the second outlet, and wherein the liquid within the two-phase fluid coalesces on the walls of the plurality of channels as the two-phase fluid passes through the plurality of channels and the liquid drains through the first outlet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerant system comprising:
a separation system including a cylindrical chamber, the cylindrical chamber comprising:
a chamber inlet for receiving a two-phase fluid;
a first outlet for draining liquid contained in the two-phase fluid;
a second outlet for egress of gas contained in the two-phase fluid, wherein the chamber inlet is gravitationally above the first outlet and gravitationally below the second outlet;
a cylindrical body disposed in the cylindrical chamber having a first plurality of circular channels that are disposed adjacent to each other, through which, during use, the two-phase fluid travels from the chamber inlet to the second outlet, and wherein the liquid within the two-phase fluid coalesces on walls of the first plurality of circular channels as the two-phase fluid passes through the first plurality of circular channels and the liquid is returned to the first outlet, and
wherein:
a top portion of the cylindrical body comprises the first plurality of circular channels, and a bottom portion of the cylindrical body comprises a single channel,
wherein a diameter of the single channel is greater than the diameters for the first plurality of circular channels; and
a bottom surface of the cylindrical body is gravitationally above the chamber inlet;
the cylindrical body has an outer diameter that is smaller than a diameter of an inner wall of the cylindrical chamber, thereby defining an outer channel in the cylindrical chamber therebetween, wherein the outer channel extends a length of the cylindrical body from a top of the first plurality of circular channels to the chamber inlet, and wherein captured liquid flows gravitationally along the outer channel to the first outlet,
wherein,
the second outlet of the cylindrical chamber is cylindrical having a diameter that defines a diameter of the cylindrical chamber, and
an endcap covers a top surface of the cylindrical body to define the second outlet, the end cap comprising a second plurality of circular channels configured to be respectively received within the first plurality of circular channels, wherein a plurality of gap channels is defined between the second plurality circular channels and the first plurality of circular channels for capturing coalescing liquid and guiding the coalescing liquid to the outer channel, so that the coalescing liquid flows gravitationally along the outer channel to the first outlet.

2. The refrigerant system of claim 1 , wherein the top surface of the cylindrical body is gravitationally below the second outlet.

3. The refrigerant system of claim 1 , wherein the top portion and the bottom portion of the cylindrical body have a same length.

4. The refrigerant system of claim 3 , wherein the cylindrical body has a constant outer diameter.

5. The refrigerant system of claim 1 , wherein the first outlet is frusto-conical.

6. The refrigerant system of claim 1 , wherein the chamber inlet is cylindrical having a first diameter that is smaller than a diameter of the cylindrical chamber.

7. The refrigerant system of claim 1 , wherein the two-phase fluid is evaporated refrigerant.

8. A method of separating liquid and vapor in a refrigerant system comprising:
receiving a two-phase fluid at a chamber inlet of a cylindrical chamber,
transporting the two-phase fluid upwardly through a first plurality of circular channels that are disposed adjacent to each other in the cylindrical chamber, whereby fluid coalesces on channel walls scooped through one or more gap channels, and drains through a first outlet gravitationally below the chamber inlet, wherein
the cylindrical chamber further comprises:
a second outlet for egress of gas contained in the two-phase fluid, wherein the chamber inlet is gravitationally above the first outlet and gravitationally below the second outlet;
a cylindrical body disposed in the cylindrical chamber having the first plurality of circular channels that are disposed adjacent to each other, through which, during use, the two-phase fluid travels from the chamber inlet to the second outlet, and wherein the liquid within the two-phase fluid coalesces on walls of the first plurality of circular channels as the two-phase fluid passes through the first plurality of circular channels and the liquid is returned to the first outlet, and
wherein:
a top portion of the cylindrical body comprises the first plurality of circular channels, and a bottom portion of the cylindrical body comprises a single channel, wherein a diameter of the single channel is greater than the diameters for the first plurality of circular channels; and
a bottom surface of the cylindrical body is gravitationally above the chamber inlet;
the cylindrical body has an outer diameter that is smaller than a diameter of an inner wall of the cylindrical chamber, thereby defining an outer channel in the cylindrical chamber therebetween, wherein the outer channel extends a length of the cylindrical body from a top of the first plurality of circular channels to the chamber inlet, and wherein captured liquid flows gravitationally along the outer channel to the first outlet,
wherein;
the second outlet of the cylindrical chamber is cylindrical having a diameter that defines a diameter of the cylindrical chamber, and
an end cap covers a top surface of the cylindrical body to define the second outlet, the end cap comprising a second plurality of circular channels configured to be respectively received within the first plurality of circular channels, wherein a plurality of gap channels is defined between the second plurality circular channels and the first plurality of circular channels for capturing coalescing liquid and guiding the coalescing liquid to the outer channel, so that the coalescing liquid flows gravitationally along the outer channel to the first outlet.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the two phase fluid flows upwardly through the single channel by a same axial distance as through the first plurality of circular channels.

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp
• Hamilton Sunstrand Corp

Inventors

• Alahyari Abbas A

Classifications

• B01D45/02 Primary

  by utilising gravity · CPC title

• B01D1/06

  Evaporators with vertical tubes · CPC title

• B64D13/06 Primary

  the air being conditioned (pressurising B64D13/02) · CPC title

• F25B2500/17

  Size reduction · CPC title

• F25B2339/0242

  having tubular elements · CPC title