Patent ID: 8596080
Filing Date: 2013-12-03
Classification: F25B

Abstract:
1. An air conditioning system having a compressor cycling a refrigerant through a thermal expansion device, an evaporator, and a condenser, wherein the air conditioning system further includes an internal heat exchanger comprising: a housing having a first end, a second end opposed to said first end, and an interior surface therebetween defining a cavity for conveying low pressure (P an internal tube disposed within said cavity for conveying high pressure (P a pressure equalization passage between said internal tube and said cavity providing direct hydraulic communication between the evaporator and the condenser, wherein said pressure equalization passage is large enough to allow pressures to equalize between the condenser and evaporator while the air conditioning system is inactive, so as to prevent the pressure differential that would otherwise enable the loss of refrigerant oil from the compressor, and small enough not to affect the operation of the air conditioning system while the air conditioning system is active said pressure equalization passage includes a by-pass valve assembly including a sleeve having a reed portion that is biased toward and hermetically seals said equalization passage when the pressure differential between the high pressure refrigerant and low pressure refrigerant (P