HVAC system with cooled dehydrator
View Patent ↗An air conditioning system for a vehicle includes an accumulator/dehydrator (A/D) disposed in the suction fluid line for accumulating refrigerant and a heat transfer jacket surrounds the A/D for exchanging heat with the A/D and the refrigerant therein. The heat transfer jacket may define a space between an inner wall of the A/D and an outer wall spaced therefrom with a heat transfer media disposed in the space for cooling by extracting heat from the refrigerant in the A/D. Alternatively, the jacket is defined by a double walled sleeve surrounding the A/D and defining the space for the heat transfer media. Yet another alternative is for the heat transfer jacket to comprise a thermoelectric device.
1. An air conditioning system for a vehicle comprising:
a compressor for compressing a refrigerant,
a condenser for condensing the refrigerant,
an evaporator for evaporating the refrigerant,
a discharge fluid line interconnecting the compressor and said condenser,
a liquid fluid line interconnecting said condenser and said evaporator,
a suction fluid line interconnecting said evaporator and said compressor,
an accumulator/dehydrator (A/D) disposed in said suction fluid line for accumulating refrigerant, and
a heat transfer jacket surrounding said A/D and including a heat transfer media independent of the refrigerant in the system for exchanging heat with said A/D and the refrigerant in the system.
2. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said heat transfer jacket defines a space surrounding said A/D and said heat transfer media is disposed in said space for cooling by extracting heat from the refrigerant in said A/D.
3. A system as set forth in claim 2 wherein said space is defined by an inner wall of said A/D and outer wall spaced therefrom.
4. A system as set forth in claim 2 wherein said jacket is defined by a double walled sleeve surrounding said A/D and defining said space between said walls thereof.
5. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said heat transfer media comprises a thermoelectric device.
6. A method of operating an air conditioning system of the type including a compressor for compressing a refrigerant, a condenser for condensing the refrigerant, an evaporator for evaporating the refrigerant, a discharge fluid line interconnecting the compressor and the condenser, a liquid fluid line interconnecting the condenser and the evaporator, a suction fluid line interconnecting the evaporator and the compressor, and an accumulator/dehydrator A/D disposed in the suction fluid line for accumulating refrigerant, said method comprising the steps of surrounding the A/D with a heat transfer jacket and exchanging heat with the A/D and the refrigerant therein independently of the refrigerant in the system.
7. A method as set forth in claim 6 further defined as surrounding the A/D with a space and disposing a heat transfer media in the space for cooling by extracting heat from the refrigerant in the A/D.
8. A method as set forth in claim 7 further defined as disposing an outer wall about an inner wall of the A/D to provide the space.
9. A method as set forth in claim 7 further defined as disposing a double walled sleeve about the A/D to define the space between the walls thereof.
10. A method as set forth in claim 6 further defined as disposing a thermoelectric device about the A/D to define the jacket.