US 12,352,476 B2
Cooling system
Shitong Zha, Snellville, GA (US); and Xi Sun, Snellville, GA (US)
Assigned to Heatcraft Refrigeration Products LLC, Stone Mountain, GA (US)
Filed by Heatcraft Refrigeration Products LLC, Stone Mountain, GA (US)
Filed on Apr. 10, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/631,323.
Application 18/631,323 is a continuation of application No. 17/506,515, filed on Oct. 20, 2021, granted, now 11,988,423.
Application 17/506,515 is a continuation of application No. 16/269,670, filed on Feb. 7, 2019, granted, now 11,209,199, issued on Dec. 28, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0255195 A1, Aug. 1, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. F25B 40/04 (2006.01); F25B 7/00 (2006.01); F25B 41/20 (2021.01); F25B 49/02 (2006.01)
CPC F25B 40/04 (2013.01) [F25B 7/00 (2013.01); F25B 41/20 (2021.01); F25B 49/02 (2013.01); F25B 2400/13 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus comprising:
a high side heat exchanger configured to remove heat from a refrigerant;
a flash tank configured to store the refrigerant from the high side heat exchanger and to discharge a flash gas having a liquid component and a gaseous component;
a first load configured to use the refrigerant to cool a first space proximate the first load;
a first compressor configured to compress the refrigerant from the first load;
a heat exchanger configured to:
transfer heat from the refrigerant to the flash gas before the refrigerant from the first compressor reaches the high side heat exchanger;
direct the flash gas to the first compressor after heat from the refrigerant from the first compressor is transferred to the flash gas; and
direct the refrigerant from the first compressor to the high side heat exchanger after heat from the refrigerant from the first compressor is transferred to the flash gas;
a gas bypass valve disposed downstream of the flash tank operable to direct the liquid component and the gaseous component of the flash gas from the flash tank to a suction side of the first compressor;
a first valve positioned between the gas bypass valve and the first compressor, wherein:
during a first mode of operation, the first valve is closed to prevent flash gas from flowing from the flash tank to the first compressor; and
during a second mode of operation, the first valve is open to direct flash gas from the flash tank to the first compressor such that the flash gas bypasses the heat exchanger.