Phobic/philic structures in refrigeration systems and liquid vapor separation in refrigeration systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11137183-B2
Application number	US-201916673138-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 4, 2019
Priority date	Mar 31, 2014
Publication date	Oct 5, 2021
Grant date	Oct 5, 2021

Abstract

Oleophobic and/or philic surface(s) are utilized for oil separation, direction, and/or collection in a refrigeration system. Surfaces of component(s) of a refrigeration system (compressor, oil separator, evaporator, etc.) are produced to be oleophobic or philic. The oleophobic and/or philic surfaces are utilized to direct a flow path of oil within the refrigeration system or to prevent oil connection in an area. Refrigerant phobic and/or lubricant phobic material(s) also may be utilized to help promote separation of refrigerant vapor from refrigerant liquid and/or from oil in refrigeration systems.

First claim

What claimed is:

1. A refrigeration system, comprising:
in a compressor, an inner surface area exposed to the inside of the compressor, when the compressor operates, a lubricant flowing inside the compressor comes into contact with the inner surface area of the compressor, the inner surface area of the compressor configured to be a lubricant phobic or philic surface so as to direct the flow of the lubricant, the inner surface area being an inner surface of a lubricant passage for supplying lubricant to an interface along a moving surface within the compressor.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the compressor is an oil-free compressor and the lubricant phobic or philic surface is a refrigerant phobic or philic surface.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the inner surface of the lubricant passage is one or more of:
a surface of a wall of an oil gallery, and
a surface of a wall of an inlet disposed at one end of the oil gallery, the inlet in fluid communication with the oil gallery.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the inner surface is configured to be an oleophilic surface.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the lubricant passage is configured to supply lubricant to a bearing of the compressor.

Assignees

• Trane Int Inc

Inventors

• Cosby Ii Ronald Maurice
• Kujak Stephen Anthony
• Johnson Jay

Classifications

• F28D1/0213

  for heating or cooling a liquid in a tank · CPC title

• F28F19/02

  by using coatings, e.g. vitreous or enamel coatings · CPC title

• F04C2230/92

  Surface treatment · 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

• F25B43/02 Primary

  for separating lubricants from the refrigerant · CPC title