Intermediate heat exchanger

Abstract

An intermediate heat exchangerincludes a double tubeand a liquid reservoir. The double tubehas an outer tubeand an inner tubedisposed inside the outer tubewith a clearance formed therebetween. The clearance between the outer tubeand the inner tube serves as a high-temperature-side refrigerant passage, through which refrigerant of high pressure flowing out of a condenser flows, and the interior of the inner tubeserves as a low-temperature-side refrigerant passage, through which refrigerant of low pressure flowing out of an evaporator flows. The liquid reservoir, which communicates with the high-temperature-side refrigerant passageof the double tube, stores the refrigerant of high pressure flowing out of the condenser before the pressure of the refrigerant is reduced by a pressure reducer, and separate liquid-phase refrigerant and gas-phase refrigerant. The outer tubeof the double tubehas a refrigerant inletand a refrigerant outletcommunicating with the high-temperature-side refrigerant passage. At an intermediate position between the refrigerant inletand the refrigerant outlet, refrigerant flows from the high-temperature-side refrigerant passageof the double tubeinto the liquid reservoir, and returns from the liquid reservoirto the high-temperature-side refrigerant passage