Patent ID: 9032753
Filing Date: 2015-05-19
Classification: F25B

Abstract:
1. A refrigeration system comprising: a compressor having a suction port and a discharge port, the compressor configured to receive refrigerant from the suction port, compress the refrigerant, and discharge the compressed refrigerant through the discharge port; a condenser connected to the discharge port and configured to receive the compressed refrigerant from the compressor and condense the compressed refrigerant; an expansion device connected to the condenser and configured to receive the condensed refrigerant from the condenser; a shell-and-tube style evaporator having an inlet port, a first outlet port, and a second outlet port, wherein the evaporator is configured to receive refrigerant from the expansion device through the inlet port, evaporate a portion of the refrigerant, and discharge the evaporated portion of the refrigerant through the first outlet port to the suction port, the second outlet being in fluid flow communication with a location in the shell-and-tube style evaporator to which lubricant migrates during operation of the refrigeration system, the migrated lubricant mixing with liquid refrigerant in the shell-and-tube style evaporator to form a lubricant-liquid refrigerant mixture; a heat sink; and a lubricant return line connecting the second outlet port to the suction port, wherein the lubricant return line is in heat exchange relationship with the heat sink such that heat is rejected from the heat sink to the lubricant-liquid refrigerant mixture to cool the heat sink and to evaporate the liquid refrigerant in the lubricant-liquid refrigerant mixture to induce flow of the evaporated refrigerant and the lubricant in the lubricant-liquid refrigerant mixture to the compressor.