Mulitlevel distribution system for evaporator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11073314-B2
Application number	US-201615577118-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 24, 2016
Priority date	May 27, 2015
Publication date	Jul 27, 2021
Grant date	Jul 27, 2021

Abstract

A falling film evaporator includes a housing and a plurality of evaporator tubes located in the housing. A liquid refrigerant distribution system is positioned in the housing and includes a manifold having a plurality of manifold outlet openings and a baffle positioned between the manifold and a distribution vessel and comprising a plurality of baffle openings. The distribution vessel has a plurality of distribution vessel openings for conveying the liquid refrigerant onto evaporator tubes when in use. A method of operating an evaporator includes conveying a two-phase vapor and liquid refrigerant mixture to a manifold and spraying the mixture out of the manifold through a plurality of manifold openings toward a distribution vessel. The mixture in impinged on a baffle located between the manifold and the distribution vessel and the liquid refrigerant is separated from the mixture via the impingement. The liquid refrigerant is collected at the distribution vessel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of operating an evaporator comprising:
conveying a two-phase vapor and liquid refrigerant mixture to a manifold;
spraying the two-phase vapor and liquid refrigerant mixture out of the manifold through a plurality of manifold openings toward a distribution vessel, the plurality of manifold outlet openings disposed below horizontal relative to a center of a cross-section of the manifold;
impinging the two-phase vapor and liquid refrigerant mixture on a baffle located between the plurality of manifold outlet openings and the distribution vessel, the baffle having a first baffle leg and second baffle leg each extending from a vapor sheath toward the distribution vessel, the first baffle leg and the second baffle leg disposed at opposing sides of the manifold, a baffle distance between the first baffle leg and the second baffle leg increasing with increasing distance from the distribution vessel, the first baffle leg intersecting the second baffle leg and the distribution vessel at a common point of the distribution vessel, the first baffle leg and the second baffle leg each positioned perpendicular to a flow of the liquid refrigerant from the plurality of manifold openings;
separating the liquid refrigerant from the vapor and liquid refrigerant mixture via the impingement; and
collecting the liquid refrigerant at the distribution vessel.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising conveying the liquid refrigerant through a plurality of distribution vessel openings onto a plurality of evaporator tubes.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising exchanging thermal energy between the liquid refrigerant and a heat transfer fluid flowing through the plurality of evaporator tubes.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising maintaining an average liquid refrigerant height in the distribution vessel such that a flow rate of the liquid refrigerant through each distribution vessel opening of the plurality of distribution vessel openings is substantially uniform.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising conveying the vapor refrigerant from the vapor and liquid refrigerant mixture from the evaporator via a vapor path defined by the vapor sheath and an evaporator housing.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spraying further comprises directing the two-phase vapor and liquid refrigerant mixture through the plurality of manifold openings disposed at an angle of 15 degrees to 60 degrees below a horizontal centerline of the manifold.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising maintaining an average liquid refrigerant height in the distribution vessel between a first height and a second height, wherein the first height is 50% of the second height.

8. A falling film evaporator comprising:
a housing:
a plurality of evaporator tubes disposed at least partially in the housing; and
a liquid refrigerant distribution system disposed in the housing including:
a manifold having a plurality of manifold outlet openings, the plurality of manifold outlet openings disposed below horizontal relative to a center of a cross-section of the manifold;
a distribution vessel disposed below and spaced apart from the manifold;
a sheath at least partially enclosing the manifold and the distribution vessel; and
a baffle disposed between the plurality of manifold outlet openings and the distribution vessel and comprising a plurality of baffle openings, the baffle having a first baffle leg and second baffle leg each extending from the sheath toward the distribution vessel, the first baffle leg and the second baffle leg disposed at opposing sides of the manifold, a baffle distance between the first baffle leg and the second baffle leg increasing with increasing distance from the distribution vessel, the first baffle leg intersecting the second baffle leg and the distribution vessel at a common point of the distribution vessel;
the distribution vessel having a plurality of distribution vessel openings for conveying the liquid refrigerant onto the plurality of evaporator tubes when in use;

wherein the liquid refrigerant is directed from the plurality of manifold outlet openings toward the baffle and through the plurality of baffle openings and the first baffle leg and the second baffle leg are each positioned perpendicular to a flow of the liquid refrigerant from the plurality of manifold openings.

9. The falling film evaporator of claim 8 , further comprising a refrigerant flowpath defined by the sheath and the distribution vessel to direct the vapor and liquid refrigerant mixture from the distribution vessel.

10. The falling film evaporator of claim 8 , wherein the manifold comprises a cylinder, wherein the axial dimension of the cylinder is the largest dimension.

11. The falling film evaporator of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of manifold outlet openings are disposed at an angle of 15 to 60 degrees below horizontal.

12. The falling film evaporator of claim 8 , wherein the baffle comprises a porous momentum barrier.

13. The falling film evaporator of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of distribution vessel openings are configured to maintain a standing liquid refrigerant level in the distribution vessel when in use under full load conditions.

14. A heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) system comprising:
a condenser flowing a flow of refrigerant therethrough;
a falling film evaporator in flow communication with the condenser including:
a housing:
a plurality of evaporator tubes disposed at least partially in the housing; and

a liquid refrigerant distribution system disposed in the housing including:
a manifold having a plurality of manifold outlet openings, the plurality of manifold outlet openings disposed below horizontal relative to a center of a cross-section of the manifold;
a distribution vessel disposed below and spaced apart from the manifold;
a sheath at least partially enclosing the manifold and the distribution vessel; and
a baffle disposed between the plurality of manifold outlet openings and the distribution vessel and comprising a plurality of baffle openings, the baffle having a first baffle leg and second baffle leg each extending from the sheath toward the distribution vessel, the first baffle leg and the second baffle leg disposed at opposing sides of the manifold, a baffle distance between the first baffle leg and the second baffle leg increasing with increasing distance from the distribution vessel, the first baffle leg intersecting the second baffle leg and the distribution vessel at a common point of the distribution vessel;
the distribution vessel having a plurality of distribution vessel openings for conveying the liquid refrigerant onto the plurality of evaporator tubes when in use; and

a compressor to receive a flow of vapor refrigerant from the falling film evaporator;
wherein the liquid refrigerant is directed from the plurality of manifold outlet openings toward the baffle and through the plurality of baffle openings and the first baffle leg and the second baffle leg are each positioned perpendicular to a flow of the liquid refrigerant from the plurality of manifold openings.

15. The HVAC&R system of claim 14 , further comprising a refrigerant flowpath defined by the sheath and the distribution vessel to direct the vapor and liquid refrigerant mixture from the distribution vessel.

16. The HVAC&R system of claim 14 , wherein the manifold comprises a cylinder, wherein the axial dimension of the cylinder is the largest dimension.

17. The HVAC&R system of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of

Assignees

• Carrier Corp

Inventors

• Christians Marcel
• Moore Bryce Kirk

Classifications

• B01D1/22

  by bringing a thin layer of the liquid into contact with a heated surface {(B01D1/065 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• F28F9/0273

  with multiple holes · CPC title

• F25B2339/0242

  having tubular elements · CPC title

• F28D7/16

  the conduits being arranged in parallel spaced relation ({F28D7/0008 - F28D7/0058 take precedence}; F28D7/02 - F28D7/10 take precedence) · CPC title

• F25B13/00

  Compression machines, plants or systems, with reversible cycle (defrosting cycles F25B47/02) · CPC title