Patent ID: 9671145
Date: 2017-06-06
CPC Classifications: F25B

Claim:
1. A combined accumulator and receiver tank of a refrigeration system comprising: an accumulator portion; a receiver portion positioned below the accumulator portion in a vertical orientation; a pipe having a first end that is connected to the accumulator portion and a second end that is connected to the receiver portion, and wherein the pipe includes a junction between the first end and the second end, and wherein the junction connects the pipe to a heat exchanger via a refrigerant line; and a valve positioned between the first end and the second end of the pipe, wherein the valve has an open state and a closed state, when the valve is in the open state, the valve is configured to allow fluid to flow between the accumulator portion and the receiver portion through the pipe, and when the valve is in the closed state, the valve is configured to prevent fluid from flowing between the accumulator portion and the receiver portion, wherein the valve is configured to remain in the closed state when a refrigeration system including the combined accumulator and receiver tank is operated in a cooling cycle, wherein the junction is positioned between the valve and the second end of the pipe to prevent fluid flow between the accumulator and the heat exchanger when the valve is in a closed state.