Integral suction line accumulator/filter-drier

Abstract

An integral low-pressure accumulator/filter-drier for use in air conditioning and refrigeration systems between the evaporator and the compressor is described. This device is installed in upright position and includes a filter-drier and an accumulator which are separated by a bottom filter-drier retaining member which positions, in cooperation with a top filter-drier retaining member, an annular filter-drier assembly comprising a pair of thin cylindrical filter cartridges which straddle an annular dessicant bed which is itself straddled, at top and bottom, by a pair of annular filter pads. A pickup tube within the accumulator is sealably attached to an opening within the bottom retainer plate and extends coaxially within the inner filter cartridge, being biased against the top retainer plate by a spring assembly so that it is securely held and resistant to vibrations and rotation thereof. While the in-flowing mixture of refrigerant and oil is passing through the dessicant bed, the liquid separates from the vapor and flows downwardly into the plenum chamber of the accumulator. Porosity relationships within the filter-drier assembly direct a minor portion, such as 15%, of the vapor into the accumulator for picking up the liquid through a bottom orifice in the pickup tube.