Carrier Corporation

Marcel Christians

Jack Leon Esformes

Satyam Bendapudi

Sean P Breen

Abbas A Alahyari

Thomas D Radcliff

Bryce Kirk Moore

XingHua Huang

Martin C Bezon

Salim Bahattin Yilmaz

Xinliang Qiu

Thomasd Radcliff

A falling film evaporator includes a plurality of evaporator tubes through which a volume of thermal energy transfer medium is flowed, a separator to separate a flow of liquid refrigerant from a vapor and liquid refrigerant mixture, and a distributor operably connected to the separator to distribute a flow of liquid refrigerant over the plurality of evaporator tubes. The distributor includes a distributor inlet to receive the flow of liquid refrigerant from the separator, a sparge channel connected to the distributor inlet to flow the liquid refrigerant therethrough and exiting the sparge channel via a plurality of sparge openings in an upper surface of the sparge channel, and a distribution sheet disposed below the sparge channel through which the liquid refrigerant flows onto the plurality of evaporator tubes. A flow rate of liquid refrigerant through each sparge opening of the plurality of sparge openings is substantially equal.

Distributor for falling film evaporator

A falling film evaporator includes a housing and a plurality of evaporator tubes located in the housing. A liquid refrigerant distribution system is positioned in the housing and includes a manifold having a plurality of manifold outlet openings and a baffle positioned between the manifold and a distribution vessel and comprising a plurality of baffle openings. The distribution vessel has a plurality of distribution vessel openings for conveying the liquid refrigerant onto evaporator tubes when in use. A method of operating an evaporator includes conveying a two-phase vapor and liquid refrigerant mixture to a manifold and spraying the mixture out of the manifold through a plurality of manifold openings toward a distribution vessel. The mixture in impinged on a baffle located between the manifold and the distribution vessel and the liquid refrigerant is separated from the mixture via the impingement. The liquid refrigerant is collected at the distribution vessel.

Mulitlevel distribution system for evaporator

A heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a condenser () flowing a flow of refrigerant therethrough and to an output pipe () and a falling film evaporator () in flow communication with the condenser and having an evaporator input pipe () located vertically higher than the output pipe. A plurality of riser pipes () connect the output pipe to the evaporator input pipe. The flow of refrigerant flows through selected riser pipes of the plurality of riser pipes as required by a load on the HVAC system.

Refrigerant riser for evaporator

A falling film evaporator includes a plurality of evaporator tubes through which a volume of thermal energy transfer medium is flowed, and a distributor to distribute a flow of liquid refrigerant over the plurality of evaporator tubes. The distributor includes a distributor box and a distribution sheet positioned at a bottom surface of the distributor box having a plurality of peaks and valleys, with sidewalls extending between each peak and each valley. A plurality of ports is located in the sidewalls to distribute the flow of liquid refrigerant downwardly over the plurality of evaporator tubes.

Refrigerant distributor for falling film evaporator

A falling film evaporator includes an evaporator housing and a plurality of evaporator tubes disposed in the evaporator housing and arranged into one or more tube bundles, through which a volume of thermal energy transfer medium is flowed. A plurality of tube sheets support the plurality of evaporator tubes. A first wall member and a second wall member extend vertically at opposite lateral sides of the plurality of evaporator tubes. The first wall member and the second wall member define an inner vapor passage therebetween, define a first outer vapor passage between the first wall member and the evaporator housing, and define a second outer vapor passage between the second wall member and the evaporator housing. A first gap between a first wall member lower edge and the plurality of tube sheets is greater than second gap between a second wall member lower edge and the plurality of tube sheets.

Asymmetric evaporator

A method of lubricant management in a heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes flowing a volume of a compressor lubricant and refrigerant mixture from an evaporator into a lubricant still and stopping the flow of the compressor lubricant and refrigerant mixture into the lubricant still when the mixture fills the lubricant still to a selected level. Compressor lubricant is distilled from the mixture via a thermal energy exchange, and the distillation is stopped when a concentration of compressor lubricant in the lubricant still exceeds a predetermined concentration level. The distillate is urged from the lubricant still.

Oil management for heating ventilation and air conditioning system

A heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a condenser () flowing a flow of refrigerant therethrough, and a falling film evaporator () in flow communication with the condenser. The falling film evaporator includes a plurality of evaporator tubes () through which a volume of thermal energy transfer medium is flowed and a distributor () to distribute a flow of liquid refrigerant over the plurality of evaporator tubes. The distributor includes a distributor box () and a distribution sheet () positioned at a bottom surface of the distributor box having a plurality of ports () therein to distribute the flow of liquid refrigerant downwardly over the plurality of evaporator tubes. A plurality of baffles () is positioned at the distribution sheet to divide the distributor box into a plurality of compartments to ensure a homogeneous flow of the liquid refrigerant is delivered through the plurality of ports.

A falling film evaporator () for a heating ventilation and cooling (HVAC) system includes a housing () and a plurality of evaporator tubes () positioned at least partially in the housing () through which a volume of thermal energy transfer medium is flowed. A distribution system () is located in the housing to distribute a flow of liquid refrigerant () over the plurality of evaporator tubes (). The distribution system () includes a distribution vessel having a plurality of drip openings () to flow the liquid refrigerant onto the plurality of evaporator tubes (), a feed pipe () to flow refrigerant into the distribution box (), and one or more pressure regulators () in the distribution system, thereby regulating the flow of liquid refrigerant.

Evaporator distribution system and method

A heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) a falling film evaporator in flow communication with a condenser. The falling film evaporator includes a separator to separate vapor from liquid refrigerant and a plurality of evaporator tubes through which a volume of thermal energy transfer medium is flowed. A distribution system is operably connected to the separator to distribute a flow of liquid refrigerant over the plurality of evaporator tubes. A primary feed conduit delivers a flow of refrigerant to the separator, and at least one secondary feed conduit is in flow communication with the primary feed conduit. At least one auxiliary valve is located at the secondary feed conduit to regulate flow into the separator from the primary feed conduit. At least one sensor senses a level of a refrigerant pool in the evaporator. The sensor is operably connected to the at least one auxiliary valve to control operation thereof.

Level control in an evaporator

A falling film evaporator for a heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes an evaporator housing and a plurality of evaporator tubes located in the evaporator housing and arranged into one or more tube bundles. A volume of thermal energy transfer medium is flowed through the plurality of evaporator tubes. One or more support sheets located along a length of the plurality of evaporator tubes to position and support the plurality of evaporator tubes in the housing, the one or more support sheets including one or more vapor flow passages to allow flow of vapor refrigerant along a length of the evaporator.

Support sheet arrangement for falling film evaporator

A heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a condenser to condense a flow of refrigerant into a liquid state. The system further includes an economizer assembly having at least one separator chamber to separate liquid refrigerant from vapor refrigerant. The economizer assembly shares an upper common wall with at least a portion of the condenser and the flow of refrigerant from the condenser into the economizer assembly proceeds through a flow opening in the upper common wall. A falling film evaporator exchanges thermal energy between the liquid refrigerant and a medium flowed through a plurality of evaporator tubes in the evaporator.

Low pressure chiller

A shell and tube heat exchanger having a shell having an inner surface that defines a heat exchange zone, a refrigerant pool zone is arranged in the heat exchange zone, and a plurality of tube bundles are arranged in the heat exchange zone above the refrigerant pool zone. The tube bundles have first and second wall members that define a tube channel, and a plurality of tubes arranged in the tube channel. Each of the first and second wall members have a first end that extends to a second end that is spaced from the refrigerant pool zone. The plurality of tube bundles is spaced one from another so as to define one or more vapor passages. A refrigerant distributor is positioned above the tube channel. The refrigerant distributor delivers a refrigerant onto the plurality or tubes toward the refrigerant pool zone.

Shell and tube heat exchanger with a vapor port

A liquid distributor delivers a falling flow of the liquid to be distributed substantially uniformly along a longitudinal extent of the liquid distributor. The liquid distributor has a bottom wall including a longitudinally extending distribution plate having a plurality of laterally spaced and longitudinally extending channels. A shell and tube evaporator for chilling a working fluid incorporates the liquid distributor as a distributor of liquid onto the heat exchange tubes of a tube bundle disposed within an interior volume of the shell. Each channel is aligned with a respective column of the plurality of vertical columns of heat exchange tubes and is configured to deliver a falling flow of liquid refrigerant onto the respective tube column substantially uniformly along the longitudinal extent of the respective tube column.

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Skaneateles, NY, United States of America

Marcel Christians