Patent ID: 7690219

Claim:
A vapor compression refrigerating system comprising: a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant; a radiator in fluid communication with the compressor, wherein the radiator is configured to receive the refrigerant from the compressor and to reduce a temperature of the refrigerant; a module in fluid communication with each of the radiator and the compressor, wherein the module is configured to receive the refrigerant from the radiator; a first pressure-reducing mechanism in fluid communication with the module, wherein the first pressure-reducing mechanism is configured to receive the refrigerant from the module and to reduce a pressure of the refrigerant; and an evaporator in fluid communication with each of the first pressure-reducing mechanism and the module, wherein the evaporator is configured to receive the refrigerant from the first pressure-reducing mechanism and to evaporate the refrigerant, and the module is further configured to receive the refrigerant from the evaporator, wherein the module comprises: a gas-liquid separator which is configured to receive the refrigerant from the evaporator, to separate the refrigerant into a gas portion of the refrigerant and a liquid portion of the refrigerant, and to transmit the gas portion of the refrigerant to the compressor; and a heat exchanger which is configured to receive the refrigerant from the radiator and to exchange heat between the refrigerant received from the radiator and at least one of the gas portion of the refrigerant and the liquid portion of the refrigerant, wherein the heat exchanger is disposed within the gas-liquid separator, wherein a portion of a refrigerant passage extending between the radiator and the first pressure-reducing mechanism passes through an inside of the module.