Patent ID: 6941769

Claim:
A flash tank for use in an economizer circuit, the flash tank comprising: a housing having a closed end portion and a substantially cylindrical shape with substantially cylindrical sidewalls, the housing comprising: an upper shell section having a substantially cylindrical sidewall and a closed end portion; a middle shell section disposed adjacent to the upper shell section and having a substantially cylindrical sidewall; and a lower shell section disposed adjacent the middle section and having a substantially cylindrical sidewall and a closed end portion, each shell section having an opening for connection to the adjacent shell section; a refrigerant inlet located in the sidewall of the upper shell section; a substantially cylindrical baffle having a sidewall disposed at least partially in the upper shell section and substantially parallel to the sidewall of the upper section, the baffle sidewall being configured to direct the flow of high-pressure refrigerant introduced into the housing through the refrigerant inlet; a gas outlet disposed in the closed end portion of the upper shell section; a second baffle located on the interior side of the sidewall of the middle section; and a liquid refrigerant outlet disposed in the sidewall of the lower shell section for conveying liquid refrigerant from the housing to another component in a refrigeration system.