US 12,203,687 B2
Cooling system with flooded low side heat exchangers
Shitong Zha, Snellville, GA (US); and Douglas Cole, Columbus, GA (US)
Assigned to Heatcraft Refrigeration Products LLC, Stone Mountain, GA (US)
Filed by Heatcraft Refrigeration Products LLC, Stone Mountain, GA (US)
Filed on Dec. 1, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/527,078.
Application 18/527,078 is a continuation of application No. 16/743,701, filed on Jan. 15, 2020, granted, now 11,879,675.
Prior Publication US 2024/0093921 A1, Mar. 21, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. F25B 5/02 (2006.01); F25B 1/10 (2006.01); F25B 13/00 (2006.01); F25B 41/20 (2021.01); F25B 43/00 (2006.01); F25B 49/02 (2006.01); F25D 11/02 (2006.01)
CPC F25B 41/20 (2021.01) [F25B 1/10 (2013.01); F25B 5/02 (2013.01); F25B 13/00 (2013.01); F25B 43/006 (2013.01); F25B 49/02 (2013.01); F25D 11/022 (2013.01); F25B 2400/0409 (2013.01); F25B 2400/051 (2013.01); F25B 2400/072 (2013.01); F25B 2400/13 (2013.01); F25B 2600/2501 (2013.01); F25B 2700/04 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
a flash tank configured to store refrigerant;
a first low side heat exchanger configured to:
receive a first flow of the refrigerant from the flash tank and use the refrigerant to cool a first space proximate the first low side heat exchanger; and
discharge the first flow of the refrigerant to an accumulator, wherein the refrigerant discharged by the first low side heat exchanger comprises a liquid portion and a gaseous portion;
a second low side heat exchanger configured to:
receive a second flow of the refrigerant from the flash tank and use the refrigerant to cool a second space proximate the second low side heat exchanger; and
discharge the second flow of the refrigerant to the accumulator, wherein the refrigerant discharged by the second low side heat exchanger comprises a liquid portion and a gaseous portion;
the accumulator configured to collect the refrigerant discharged by the first and second low side heat exchangers, wherein the refrigerant in the accumulator includes a liquid portion and a vapor portion;
a first compressor configured to compress the refrigerant from the accumulator, the accumulator configured to transfer heat from the refrigerant discharged by the first compressor to the liquid portion and the vapor portion of the refrigerant collected by the accumulator from the first and second low side heat exchangers, wherein the accumulator comprises:
a first pipe configured to direct the vapor portion of the refrigerant in the accumulator to the first compressor;
a second pipe configured to receive the refrigerant discharged from the first compressor, wherein the second pipe is configured to transfer the refrigerant discharged from the first compressor to a second compressor in the second pipe after transferring heat to the liquid portion and the vapor portion of the refrigerant collected by the accumulator from the first and second low side heat exchangers, wherein the first pipe and the second pipe are disposed within the accumulator; and
a valve disposed between the first compressor and the second compressor and configured to control a flow of the refrigerant discharged by the first compressor, wherein the refrigerant discharged by the first compressor flows through the valve and to the second compressor bypassing the accumulator when the valve is open, and the refrigerant discharged by the first compressor flows through the accumulator and to the second compressor when the valve is closed.