IP Library Granted Patent US 7,111,472
Granted Patent B1
US 7,111,472 · App. 08/983,332 · Granted Sep 26, 2006

Circuit apparatus and configurations for refrigeration systems

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,111,472
App. No.
08/983,332
Granted
Sep 26, 2006
Kind
B1
Abstract

The proposed design describes a refrigeration system with an evaporator, which allows inherent absorption of heat from the ambient, a condenser returning refrigerant to a liquid state, a compressor delivering refrigerant within the system but with refrigerant flowing through a heat exchanger from the compressor to the receiver and flowing through such a heat exchanger parallel to the flow of low pressure gas leaving the evaporator in a vertical configuration which precludes the flow of liquid from the evaporator to the compressor but maintains the constant pressures and constant flow of refrigerant within the heat exchanger to maximize the efficiency of the system.

Claims (14)

1. A refrigeration system, comprising:

a compressor;

a condenser for transferring heat from high pressure refrigerant flowing therethrough to the surrounding ambient, said condenser having an inlet being in fluid communication with an outlet of said compressor through a first conduit;

a heat exchanger for transferring heat from low pressure refrigerant flowing therethrough to high pressure refrigerant flowing therethrough, said heat exchanger having a high pressure inlet being in fluid communication with an outlet of said condenser through a second conduit;

a receiver, said receiver having an inlet being in fluid communication with a high pressure outlet of said heat exchanger through a third conduit;

an expansion valve having an inlet being in fluid communication with an outlet of said receiver through a fourth conduit;

an evaporator for transferring heat from a refrigerated space to low pressure refrigerant flowing through said evaporator, said evaporator having an inlet being in fluid communication with an outlet of said expansion valve through a fifth conduit;

an accumulator having an inlet being in fluid communication with an outlet of said evaporator through a sixth conduit;

said heat exchanger having a low pressure inlet being in fluid communication with an outlet of said accumulator through a seventh conduit, said compressor having an inlet being in fluid communication with a low pressure outlet of said heat exchanger through an eighth conduit; wherein,

high pressure refrigerant flowing through said heat exchanger from said high pressure inlet thereof to said low pressure outlet thereof is in ascending parallel flow relation to low pressure refrigerant flowing through said heat exchanger from said low pressure inlet thereof to said low pressure outlet thereof.

2. The refrigeration system of claim 1 , wherein said fourth conduit passes through said accumulator to permit transfer of heat from low pressure gaseous refrigerant in said accumulator to high pressure refrigerant flowing through said fourth conduit.

3. The refrigeration system of claim 1 , further comprising a by-pass having an inlet being in fluid communication with said sixth conduit and an outlet being in fluid communication with said seventh conduit, wherein said by-pass is moveable between a closed position and a flow-through position, and wherein low pressure refrigerant flows through said by-pass when said by-pass is in said flow-through position.

4. The refrigeration system of claim 1 , further comprising a secondary conduit for drawing high pressure refrigerant from said receiver around said evaporator to permit harvesting of ice thereon.

5. The refrigeration system of claim 1 , wherein said high pressure inlet of said heat exchanger is vertically below said high pressure outlet of said heat exchanger, and wherein said low pressure inlet of said heat exchanger is vertically below said low pressure outlet of said heat exchanger.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 6, 2004
From: TUBE ICE, LLC
To: VI ACQUISITIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 015215/0588 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 18, 2004
From: ICE ONE, INC.
To: TUBE ICE, LLC
Reel/Frame 014444/0113 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 5, 2004
From: ICE ONE, INC.
To: TUBE ICE, LLC
Reel/Frame 014957/0860 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 6, 2003
From: TUBE ICE, LLC
To: ICE ONE, INC.
Reel/Frame 014374/0163 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 17, 1998
From: CLOUD, RICHARD L.
To: ICE ONE, INC.
Reel/Frame 009340/0295 →