The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 01, 2002
Filed:
Oct. 31, 2000
Frank Vetter, Franksville, WI (US);
Modine Manufacturing Company, Racine, WI (US);
Abstract
High pressure drop and evaporator inefficiency due to the presence of lubricant in a refrigerant are avoided in a refrigeration system including a compressor ( ) having an inlet ( ) and an outlet ( ). A gas cooler/condenser ( ) receives compressed, lubricant containing refrigerant from the compressor outlet ( ). Also included is an evaporator ( ) for evaporating refrigerant and cooling another fluid and returning the refrigerant to the compressor inlet ( ). A phase separator ( ) is interposed between the gas cooler/condenser ( ) and the evaporator ( ) for receiving cooled refrigerant from the gas cooler/condenser ( ). The phase separator ( ) includes a chamber ( ) having an inlet ( ) connected to the gas cooler/condenser ( ), an upper vapor outlet ( ) connected to the compressor inlet ( ), a liquid refrigerant outlet ( ) and a lubricant outlet ( ). A lubricant conduit ( ) is connected to the lubricant outlet ( ) and to the compressor inlet ( ) for delivering lubricant separated in the phase separator ( ) to the compressor ( ) for lubrication purposes and a bypass conduit is connected to the vapor outlet and to the compressor inlet ( ) to deliver the vapor stream to the compressor ( ).