Apparatus for the storage and controlled delivery of fluids

Abstract

A vessel for containing a refrigerant fluid in a vapor compression system. The vessel includes a housing defining a fixed interior volume and an internal structure subdividing the interior volume into a storage chamber and a displacement chamber. The storage chamber is in fluid communication with the vapor compression system and stores both liquid phase and gas phase refrigerant during normal operation of the system. The displacement chamber may be repositionable or have a variable volume wherein varying the volume of the displacement chamber inversely varies the volume of the storage chamber. The volume of the displacement chamber may be controlled by the transfer of thermal energy to a working fluid within the displacement chamber to thereby thermally expand or contract the working fluid. By varying the volume of the storage chamber or the position of the displacement chamber therein, the mass of refrigerant stored therein may be controlled and, thus, the total refrigerant charge actively circulating in the vapor compression system may also be controlled.