COMPACT EVAPORATOR FOR CHILLERS

• US 20110017432A1
• Filed: 07/20/2010
• Published: 01/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Buckley, Michael Lee, KULANKARA, Satheesh, Yanik, Mustafa Kemal
• Granted Patent: US 8,944,152 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/115
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2339/0242 having tubular elements
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2500/28 Means for preventing liquid refrigerant entering into the compressor
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 39/02 Evaporators
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/0071 Evaporators for vehicles F28D2021/0085, for compression systems F25B39/02
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 21/0017 Flooded core heat exchangers in large body of fluid F28D1/0206
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 3/02 with tubular conduits
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 7/16 the conduits being arranged in parallel spaced relation F28D7/0008 - F28D7/0058 take precedence; F28D7/02 - F28D7/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2009/222 Particular guide plates, baffles or deflectors, e.g. having particular orientation relative to an elongated casing or conduit
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 9/005 Other auxiliary members within casings, e.g. internal filling means or sealing means
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 9/22 Arrangements for directing heat-exchange media into successive compartments, e.g. arrangements of guide plates

Abstract

A compact evaporator including a suction baffle system is provided for use in a refrigeration system. The suction baffle system includes a suction baffle and a passageway. The suction baffle includes a plurality of walls and is adjacent to the interior wall of shell. The passageway extends below one of the walls of the suction baffle toward the lower portion of the shell and is adjacent to the interior wall of the shell. A suction tube having an inlet is attached to the evaporator shell and the inlet is adjacent to the passageway and located partially below the suction baffle. The passageway minimizes the possibility of liquid carry-over in the suction tube that feeds into the compressor.

Claims

1. ) An evaporator comprising:

a shell having a lower portion and an interior wall;

a tube bundle, the tube bundle having a plurality of tubes extending substantially horizontally in the shell;

a suction baffle system positioned in the shell and above the tube bundle, the suction baffle system having a suction baffle and a passageway, the suction baffle having a plurality of walls extending toward the interior wall of shell, the passageway extending below at least one of the walls of the suction baffle toward the lower portion of shell and adjacent to the interior wall; and

a suction tube attached to the evaporator shell, wherein an inlet of the suction tube is adjacent to the passageway.

2. ) The evaporator of claim 1, wherein the evaporator is a flooded evaporator, a falling film evaporator, or a hybrid falling film evaporator.

3. ) The evaporator of claim 1, wherein the evaporator is included in a refrigeration system, the refrigeration system having a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device and an evaporator connected in a closed refrigerant loop.

4. ) The evaporator of claim 1, wherein the inlet of the suction tube is located partially below the suction baffle in the droplet drop-out region.

5. ) The evaporator of claim 1, wherein the passageway is integrally formed with the suction baffle.

6. ) The evaporator of claim 1, wherein the passageway further includes a plurality of sidewalls extending downward from the suction baffle abutting a bottom surface, wherein the bottom surface and plurality of sidewalls are adapted to receive a portion of the inlet of the suction tube.

7. ) A falling film evaporator for use in a refrigerant system comprising:

a shell having an upper portion and a lower portion;

a tube bundle, the tube bundle having a plurality of tubes extending substantially horizontally in the shell;

a hood disposed over the tube bundle;

a refrigerant distributor disposed below the hood and above the tube bundle, the refrigerant distributor being configured to deposit liquid refrigerant or liquid and vapor refrigerant onto the tube bundle from an evaporator inlet;

a suction tube having an inlet, wherein the inlet of the suction tube is attached to the shell; and

a suction baffle system positioned in the shell above the tube bundle adjacent to the hood, the suction baffle system having a suction baffle and a passageway, the suction baffle having a plurality of walls extending toward the interior wall of shell, the passageway extending below at least one of the walls of the suction baffle toward the lower portion of shell and adjacent to interior wall, the passageway extending into a droplet drop-out region, wherein the passageway is adapted to receive a portion of the inlet of the suction tube.

8. ) The falling film evaporator of claim 7, wherein the hood and suction baffle system are constructed from a single substrate.

9. ) The falling film evaporator of claim 7, wherein the passageway is welded to the suction baffle.

10. ) The falling film evaporator of claim 7, wherein inlet of the suction tube is attached tangentially or horizontally to the shell of the evaporator.

11. ) The falling film evaporator of claim 7, wherein the inlet of the suction tube is located partially below the suction baffle in the droplet drop-out region.

12. ) The falling film evaporator of claim 7, wherein the passageway further includes a plurality of sidewalls extending downward from the suction baffle abutting a bottom surface, wherein the bottom surface and plurality of sidewalls are adapted to receive a portion of the inlet of the suction tube.

13. ) The falling film evaporator of claim 12, wherein the passageway further includes a connector wall, the connector wall extending downward from the hood abutting a bottom surface and adjacent to the plurality of sidewalls, wherein the connector wall, the bottom surface, and the plurality of sidewalls are adapted to receive a portion of the inlet of the suction tube.

14. ) A hybrid falling film evaporator for use in a refrigerant system comprising:

a shell having an upper portion, a lower portion, and an interior wall;

a lower tube bundle in fluid communication with an upper tube bundle, the lower and upper tube bundles each having a plurality of tubes extending substantially horizontally in the shell, the lower tube bundle being at least partially submerged by refrigerant in the lower portion of the shell;

a hood disposed over the upper tube bundle, the hood having a closed end and an open end opposite the closed end, the closed end being adjacent the upper portion of the shell above the upper tube bundle, the hood further having opposed walls extending from the closed end toward the open end adjacent the lower portion of the shell;

a refrigerant distributor, the refrigerant distributor being disposed above the upper tube bundle, the refrigerant distributor depositing refrigerant onto the upper tube bundle, and wherein the opposed walls of the hood substantially prevent cross flow of refrigerant between the plurality of tubes of the upper tube bundle;

a suction tube having an inlet, wherein the inlet is attached to the shell; and

a suction baffle system positioned in the shell above the tube bundle and adjacent to the hood, the suction baffle system having a suction baffle and a passageway, the suction baffle having a plurality of walls extending toward the interior wall of shell and including a plurality of slots formed in the plurality of walls, the passageway extending below at least one of the walls of suction baffle toward the lower portion of shell and adjacent to the interior wall of shell;

wherein the passageway is adapted to receive a portion of the inlet of the suction tube.

15. ) The hybrid falling film evaporator of claim 14, wherein the hood and suction baffle system are constructed from a single substrate.

16. ) The hybrid falling film evaporator of claim 14, wherein the passageway is welded to the suction baffle.

17. ) The hybrid falling film evaporator of claim 14, wherein the passageway is integrally formed with the suction baffle.

18. ) The falling film evaporator of claim 14, wherein inlet of the suction tube is attached tangentially or horizontally to the shell of the evaporator.

19. ) The falling film evaporator of claim 14, wherein the inlet of the suction tube is located partially below the suction baffle system in a droplet drop-out region.

20. ) The hybrid falling film evaporator of claim 14, wherein the passageway further includes a plurality of sidewalls extending downward from the suction baffle abutting a bottom surface, wherein the bottom surface and plurality of sidewalls are adapted to receive a portion of the inlet of the suction tube.