Multi-compressor oil equalization

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11788779-B2
Application number	US-202117447474-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 13, 2021
Priority date	Sep 25, 2020
Publication date	Oct 17, 2023
Grant date	Oct 17, 2023

Abstract

A mixing device and a vapor compression system incorporating a mixing device are provided. The vapor compression system includes a suction line, at least two compressors, and at least one mixing device that is predominantly open (e.g., i.e., include at least a certain percentage, such as seventy percent (70%), of voids/openings). The suction line is used for transferring a working fluid made up of a mixture of a refrigerant and an oil. The suction line includes at least one inlet (e.g., for receiving the working fluid) and at least one outlet (e.g., for distributing the working fluid). The vapor compression system include a first compressor fluidly connected to a first outlet and a second compressor fluidly connected to a second outlet. At least one mixing device is disposed within the suction line (e.g., to increase an internal turbulence of the working fluid).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vapor compression system comprising:
a suction line for transferring a working fluid comprising a mixture of a refrigerant and an oil, the suction line comprising at least one inlet and at least one outlet;
a first compressor and a second compressor in fluid communication with the suction line, the first compressor fluidly connected to a first outlet, the second compressor fluidly connected to a second outlet; and
at least one mixing device disposed within the suction line, the mixing device configured to increase an internal turbulence of the working fluid, the mixing device comprising at least seventy percent (70%) void and wherein the at least one mixing device comprises at least one of: a plate configuration, the plate configuration comprising a honeycomb shaped cross-sectional area; a vane configuration, the vane configuration comprising a plurality of equidistantly spaced, circumferentially-extending vanes; and a swirl configuration, the swirl configuration comprising a plurality of equidistantly spaced, circumferentially-extending members, the plurality of members intersecting at a central axis of the suction line.

2. The vapor compression system of claim 1 , wherein a first mixing device is disposed within a maximum distance upstream of the first outlet.

3. The vapor compression system of claim 1 , further comprising a third compressor in fluid communication with the suction line, the third compressor connected to a third outlet, a second mixing device is disposed within a maximum distance upstream of the second outlet.

4. The vapor compression system of claim 3 , further comprising a fourth compressor in fluid communication with the suction line, the fourth compressor connected to a fourth outlet, a third mixing device is disposed within a maximum distance upstream of the third outlet.

5. The vapor compression system of claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant comprises a predominantly vapor phase, and the oil comprises a predominantly liquid phase.

6. A mixing device for increasing the turbulence of a working fluid comprising a mixture of a refrigerant and an oil in a suction line, the suction line comprising an internal diameter (D SL ), the mixing device comprising:
a plate configuration comprising a honeycomb shaped cross-sectional area, the honeycomb shaped cross-sectional area defined by a plurality of sidewalls and a plurality of voids, the honeycomb shaped cross-sectional area comprising at least seventy percent (70%) void wherein the plate configuration comprises a first side and a second side defining a plate thickness therebetween, the plurality of sidewalls and the plurality of voids extending from the first side to the second side, the plate thickness being less than 0.05(D SL ).

7. The mixing device of claim 6 , wherein each respective void is defined between at least five (5) sidewalls.

8. The mixing device of claim 7 , wherein each respective sidewall comprises a width less than 0.05(D SL ).

9. The mixing device of claim 6 , wherein each respective void comprises an internal diameter between 0.3(D SL ) and 0.08(D SL ).

10. The mixing device of claim 6 , wherein each respective void comprises at least one of: a predominantly uniform internal diameter from the first side to the second side, and a tapered internal diameter from the first side to the second side.

11. A mixing device for increasing the turbulence of a working fluid comprising a mixture of a refrigerant and an oil in a suction line, the suction line comprising an internal diameter (D SL ), the mixing device comprising:
a vane configuration comprising a plurality of equidistantly spaced, circumferentially-extending vanes, each respective vane comprising a vane angle of attack, a vane axial length, a vane height, and a vane thickness, wherein at least one of: the vane angle of attack is between 15° and 45°, the vane axial length is between 0.05(D SL ) and 0.5(D SL ), the vane height is between 0.05(D SL ) and 0.2(D SL ), and the vane thickness is between 0.005(D SL ) and 0.02(D SL ) wherein the vane configuration further comprises a circumferential ring, the plurality of equidistantly spaced circumferentially-extending vanes connected to the circumferential ring.

12. The mixing device of claim 11 , wherein the circumferential ring comprises a ring height and a ring thickness, at least one of the ring height and the ring thickness are between 0.01(D SL ) and 0.1(D SL ).

13. The mixing device of claim 11 , wherein each respective vane comprises at least one of: a rectangular configuration and a tapered configuration, the rectangular configuration comprising a uniform vane height along the vane length, the tapered configuration comprising a non-uniform vane height along the vane length.

14. A mixing device for increasing the turbulence of a working fluid comprising a mixture of a refrigerant and an oil in a suction line, the suction line comprising an internal diameter (D SL ), the mixing device comprising:
a swirl configuration comprising a plurality of equidistantly spaced, circumferentially-extending members, the plurality of members intersecting at a central axis of the suction line, each respective member comprising a straight portion and a flap portion, the straight portion configured approximately parallel to the central axis of the suction line, the flap portion comprising a flap angle of attack, a flap axial length, and a flap thickness, wherein at least one of: the flap angle of attack is between 15° and 45°, the flap axial length is between 0.05(D SL ) and 0.5(D SL ), and the flap thickness is between 0.005(D SL ) and 0.02(D SL ).

15. The mixing device of claim 14 , wherein the swirl configuration further comprises a circumferential ring, the plurality of equidistantly spaced circumferentially-extending members connected to the circumferential ring.

16. The mixing device of claim 14 , wherein the straight portion comprises a straight axial length between 0.05(D SL ) and 0.25(D SL ).

17. The mixing device of claim 14 , wherein the flap portion comprises a split, the split comprising a split depth and a split width, the split depth being between 50% and 100% of the flap axial length, the split width being between 0.1(D SL ) and 0.5(D SL ).

Assignees

• Carrier Corp

Inventors

• Mohanta Lokanath
• Joardar Arindom
• Fonte Nicolas

Classifications

• F25B31/002 Primary

  Lubrication · CPC title

• B01F25/4316

  the baffles being flat pieces of material, e.g. intermeshing, fixed to the wall or fixed on a central rod · CPC title

• F25B1/10 Primary

  with multi-stage compression (with cascade operation F25B7/00) · CPC title

• B01F25/43172

  Profiles, pillars, chevrons, i.e. long elements having a polygonal cross-section · CPC title

• F25B2400/075

  with parallel compressors · CPC title