Patent ID: 6094922
Filing Date: 2000-08-01
Classification: F16L,F25D

Abstract:
A vacuum-insulated refrigerant line, comprising:a non-collapsible flexible outer sheath for maintaining a thermal-insulation vacuum within;a vacuum manifold and end cap that are sealed to opposite ends of a flexible outer sheath, and each providing side-by-side discharge and suction tube connections, and further providing a vacuum-port for a vacuum-pump that generates said thermal-insulation vacuum;a flexible smooth-bore refrigerant discharge tube disposed in the flexible outer sheath and for providing a flow of refrigerant from a refrigerant compressor-evaporator, and connected at each end to said discharge tube connections; anda flexible smooth-bore refrigerant suction tube disposed in said vacuum-insulation and for providing for a flow of refrigerant from said refrigerant compressor-evaporator and connected at each end to said suction tube connections;wherein, no intermediate joints are included and said flexible smooth-bore refrigerant discharge tube and supply tube are allowed to move freely inside the flexible outer sheath; andwherein, the thermal leakage to the outside environment is less than one British Thermal Unit (BTU), per linear foot of said refrigerant line, per hour.