Evaporator distribution system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016003508-A1
Application number	US-201414768754-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 10, 2014
Priority date	Feb 19, 2013
Publication date	Jan 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A falling film evaporator ( 12 ) for a heating ventilation and cooling (HVAC) system includes a housing ( 52 ) and a plurality of evaporator tubes ( 26 ) positioned at least partially in the housing ( 52 ) through which a volume of thermal energy transfer medium is flowed. A distribution system ( 34 ) is located in the housing to distribute a flow of liquid refrigerant ( 20 ) over the plurality of evaporator tubes ( 26 ). The distribution system ( 34 ) includes a distribution vessel having a plurality of drip openings ( 38 ) to flow the liquid refrigerant onto the plurality of evaporator tubes ( 26 ), a feed pipe ( 42 ) to flow refrigerant into the distribution box ( 36 ), and one or more pressure regulators ( 58 ) in the distribution system, thereby regulating the flow of liquid refrigerant.

First claim

1 . A falling film evaporator for a heating ventilation and cooling (HVAC) system comprising:
a housing: a plurality of evaporator tubes disposed at least partially in the housing through which a volume of thermal energy transfer medium is flowed; and
a distribution system disposed in the housing to distribute a flow of liquid refrigerant over the plurality of evaporator tubes, the distribution system including:
a distribution vessel having a plurality of drip openings to flow the liquid refrigerant onto the plurality of evaporator tubes; a feed pipe to flow refrigerant into the distribution vessel; and one or more pressure regulators in the distribution system, thereby regulating the flow of refrigerant.

2 . The falling film evaporator of claim 1 , wherein a flow of refrigerant into the distribution vessel comprises a mixture of a vapor and liquid refrigerant.

3 . The falling film evaporator of claim 2 , further comprising a vent pipe to vent vapor refrigerant from the distribution system.

4 . The falling film evaporator of claim 3 , wherein the vent pipe includes a metered vent orifice to regulate the flow of vapor refrigerant from the distribution system and thereby regulate the pressure in the distribution system.

5 . The falling film evaporator of claim 4 , wherein the metered orifice comprises a variable orifice.

6 . The falling film evaporator of claim 4 , wherein the metered orifice comprises a valved orifice.

7 . The falling film evaporator of claim 3 , wherein the vent pipe is disposed at the distribution vessel.

8 . The falling film evaporator of claim 1 , further comprising a separator disposed upstream of the distribution system to separate vapor refrigerant from liquid refrigerant, thereby outputting a flow of liquid refrigerant to the distribution system.

9 . The falling film evaporator of claim 8 , wherein a flow of vapor refrigerant is output from the separator via a suction port in the separator.

10 . The falling film evaporator of claim 9 , wherein the pressure regulator in the distribution system comprises:
a flow regulator at the suction port to regulate the flow of vapor refrigerant through the suction port; and a sensor operably connected to the regulator to detect a liquid refrigerant level in the distribution vessel; wherein the refrigerant level exceeding a threshold results in stoppage of flow of vapor refrigerant through the suction port.

11 . The falling film evaporator of claim 10 , wherein the regulator is a damper disposed at the suction port.

12 . The falling film evaporator of claim 10 , wherein the sensor is a float disposed in the distribution vessel.

13 . A heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) 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 through which a volume of thermal energy transfer medium is flowed; and a distribution system disposed in the housing to distribute a flow of liquid refrigerant over the plurality of evaporator tubes, the distribution system including: a distribution vessel having a plurality of drip openings to flow the liquid refrigerant onto the plurality of evaporator tubes; a feed pipe to flow refrigerant into the distribution vessel; and one or more pressure regulators in the distribution system, thereby regulating the flow of refrigerant; and a compressor to receive a flow of vapor refrigerant from the falling film evaporator.

14 . The HVAC system of claim 13 , wherein a flow of refrigerant into the distribution vessel comprises a mixture of a vapor and liquid refrigerant.

15 . The HVAC system of claim 14 , wherein the distribution system further comprises a vent pipe to vent the flow of vapor refrigerant from the distribution system.

16 . The HVAC system of claim 15 , wherein the vent pipe includes a metered vent orifice to regulate the flow of vapor refrigerant from the distribution system and thereby regulate the pressure in the distribution system.

17 . The HVAC system of claim 16 , wherein the metered orifice comprises a variable orifice.

18 . The HVAC system of claim 16 , wherein the metered orifice comprises a valved orifice.

19 . The HVAC system of claim 15 , wherein the vent pipe is disposed at the distribution vessel.

20 . The HVAC system of claim 13 , wherein the evaporator further comprises a separator disposed upstream of the distribution system to separate vapor refrigerant from liquid refrigerant, thereby outputting a flow of liquid refrigerant to the distribution system.

21 . The HVAC system of claim 20 , wherein the flow of vapor refrigerant is output from the separator via a suction port in the separator.

22 . The HVAC system of claim 20 , wherein the pressure regulator in the distribution system comprises:
a flow regulator at the suction port to regulate the flow of vapor refrigerant through the suction port; and a sensor operably connected to the regulator to detect a liquid refrigerant level in the distribution vessel; wherein the liquid refrigerant level exceeding a threshold results in stoppage of flow of vapor refrigerant through the suction port.

23 . The HVAC system of claim 22 , wherein the regulator is a damper disposed at the suction port.

24 . The HVAC system of claim 22 , wherein the sensor is a float disposed in the distribution vessel.

Assignees

• Carrier Corp

Inventors

• Esformes Jack Leon
• Christians Marcel
• Bendapudi Satyam

Classifications

• F28F25/02

  for distributing, circulating, and accumulating liquid (spraying or atomising in general B05B, B05D) · CPC title

• F28D5/02

  in which the evaporating medium flows in a continuous film or trickles freely over the conduits · CPC title

• F25B2500/18

  Optimization, e.g. high integration of refrigeration components · CPC title

• F28F27/02

  for controlling the distribution of heat-exchange media between different channels ({static flow control means in header boxes F28F9/026}; arrangements of guide plates or guide vanes F28F9/22, F28F25/12) · CPC title

• F28D3/04

  Distributing arrangements · CPC title