Patent ID: 11953245
Assignee: nan
Field: Thermal processes and apparatus (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F | IPC F

Claim 0:
1. A heated suction line accumulator, comprising:
a tank extending in a longitudinal direction from a top surface to a bottom surface, the tank defining a first interior cavity having a first uppermost surface, a first lowermost surface opposite the first uppermost surface, and a first sidewall extending from the first uppermost surface to the first lowermost surface;
a refrigerant input orifice extending through the first sidewall and being configured to receive input refrigerant from outside the tank;
an intermediate tube extending in the longitudinal direction and defining a second interior cavity having a second uppermost surface, a second lowermost surface opposite the second uppermost surface, and a second sidewall extending from the second uppermost surface to the second lowermost surface, the intermediate tube being disposed inside of the first interior cavity and including at least one first aperture extending through the second sidewall adjacent the second uppermost surface and at least one second aperture extending through the second sidewall adjacent the second lowermost surface;
at least one heating line disposed inside of the tank and including a first plurality of coils that are wound around the intermediate tube, the at least one heating line being configured to receive a heated fluid; and
at least one inner tube extending in the longitudinal direction and being disposed inside of the second interior cavity, the at least one inner tube extending from proximate the second lowermost surface, through the second uppermost surface, and through the first uppermost surface,
wherein the at least one heating line increases the temperature of the input refrigerant, and the at least one inner tube is configured to convey the input refrigerant inside of the intermediate tube outside of the tank as vaporized output refrigerant,
wherein the heated suction line accumulator further comprises:
a pump in fluid communication with the at least one heating line;
a first temperature sensor upstream of the heated suction line accumulator;
a second temperature sensor downstream of the heated suction line accumulator;
a controller in communication with the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor, the controller having at least one processor and computer readable memory storing computer executable instructions thereon that when executed are configured to:
(a) acquire a first temperature measurement from the first temperature sensor;
(b) acquire a second temperature measurement from the second temperature sensor;
(c) determine if the second temperature measurement is within a target operating range; and
(d) modulate a speed of the pump if the second temperature measurement is outside the target operating range.