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Title: Liquid over-feeding refrigeration system and method with integrated accumulator-expander-heat exchanger

Abstract

A refrigeration system is described having a vapor compression cycle utilizing a liquid over-feeding operation with an integrated accumulator-expander-heat exchanger. Hot, high-pressure liquid refrigerant from the condenser passes through one or more lengths of capillary tubing substantially immersed in a pool liquid refrigerant in the accumulator-expander-heat exchanger for simultaneously sub-cooling and expanding the liquid refrigerant while vaporizing liquid refrigerant from the pool for the return thereof to the compressor as saturated vapor. The sub-cooling of the expanded liquid provides for the flow of liquid refrigerant into the evaporator for liquid over-feeding the evaporator and thereby increasing the efficiency of the evaporation cycle. 4 figs.

Inventors:
;
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
504945
Patent Number(s):
5622055
Application Number:
PAN: 8-408,248
Assignee:
Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc., Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
DOE Contract Number:  
AC05-84OR21400
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: 22 Apr 1997
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION; REFRIGERATING MACHINERY; AIR CONDITIONERS; VAPOR COMPRESSION REFRIGERATION CYCLE; REFRIGERANTS; TANKS; HEAT EXCHANGERS; OPERATION; DESIGN; SUBCOOLING; ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Citation Formats

Mei, V C, and Chen, F C. Liquid over-feeding refrigeration system and method with integrated accumulator-expander-heat exchanger. United States: N. p., 1997. Web.
Mei, V C, & Chen, F C. Liquid over-feeding refrigeration system and method with integrated accumulator-expander-heat exchanger. United States.
Mei, V C, and Chen, F C. Tue . "Liquid over-feeding refrigeration system and method with integrated accumulator-expander-heat exchanger". United States.
@article{osti_504945,
title = {Liquid over-feeding refrigeration system and method with integrated accumulator-expander-heat exchanger},
author = {Mei, V C and Chen, F C},
abstractNote = {A refrigeration system is described having a vapor compression cycle utilizing a liquid over-feeding operation with an integrated accumulator-expander-heat exchanger. Hot, high-pressure liquid refrigerant from the condenser passes through one or more lengths of capillary tubing substantially immersed in a pool liquid refrigerant in the accumulator-expander-heat exchanger for simultaneously sub-cooling and expanding the liquid refrigerant while vaporizing liquid refrigerant from the pool for the return thereof to the compressor as saturated vapor. The sub-cooling of the expanded liquid provides for the flow of liquid refrigerant into the evaporator for liquid over-feeding the evaporator and thereby increasing the efficiency of the evaporation cycle. 4 figs.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1997},
month = {4}
}

Patent:
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