Patent ID: 6155075
Filing Date: 2000-12-05
Classification: F25B,F28D,F28F

Abstract:
In combination:an evaporator for evaporating a phase change refrigerant by transferring heat to the refrigerant from an external fluid, said evaporator having inlet means for introducing the refrigerant into said evaporator, outlet means for discharging the refrigerant from said evaporator, and plural conduits extending between said inlet means and said outlet means and defining a plurality of hydraulic flow paths to accommodate refrigerant flow therethrough;a separator operable to substantially separate liquid refrigerant from vapor refrigerant before the refrigerant is introduced into said evaporator, such that substantially only the liquid refrigerant is introduced into at least a portion of said evaporator, said separator having an inlet port and first and second outlet ports;a first refrigerant line communicating with said inlet port for introducing the refrigerant into said separator;a second refrigerant line communicating between said first outlet port and said inlet means for introducing the liquid refrigerant separated from the vapor refrigerant in said separator into said evaporator; anda bypass line communicating with said second outlet port for substantially bypassing said evaporator with the vapor refrigerant separated from the liquid refrigerant in said separator, at least a portion of said bypass line being in heat exchange relationship with at least a portion of said first refrigerant line, whereby the vapor refrigerant which bypasses said evaporator is superheated by the refrigerant in said first refrigerant line.