REFRIGERANT ACCUMULATOR WITH LIQUID SEPARATOR
A refrigerant accumulator for refrigerant circuits having a container with an inlet for a two-phase mixture and an outlet for the refrigerant vapor. The accumulator includes a baffle provided as a separator in the upper part of the refrigerant accumulator. The baffle includes means for the collection of liquid refrigerant, by which the liquid refrigerant is leadable into the lower region of the refrigerant accumulator.
1 . A refrigerant accumulator with a liquid separator for refrigerant circuits comprising:
a container defining a hollow interior and having an inlet for a two-phase mixture and an outlet for refrigerant vapor;
a baffle provided in an upper part of the hollow interior, the baffle having a collector configured to receive and direct the liquid refrigerant into a lower region of the refrigerant accumulator.
2 . The refrigerant accumulator of claim 1 wherein the collector is located at a lower peripheral border of the baffle.
3 . The refrigerant accumulator of claim 1 wherein the collector is configured as an eaves gutter.
4 . The refrigerant accumulator of claim 1 wherein the collector slopes downward towards a collection region.
5 . The refrigerant accumulator of claim 4 further comprising an exhaust pipe for the refrigerant vapor, the exhaust pipe being supported by the container so as to be spaced apart from a side wall thereof.
6 . The refrigerant accumulator of claim 5 wherein the collection region of the baffle is connected to the exhaust pipe.
7 . The refrigerant accumulator of claim 1 wherein the collector slopes downward towards one side of the container.
8 . The refrigerant accumulator of claim 1 further comprising an exhaust pipe for the refrigerant vapor, the exhaust pipe being supported by the container so as to be space apart from a side wall so as to have no direct thermal contact therewith.
9 . The refrigerant accumulator of claim 8 wherein the exhaust pipe has a J-shape, whereby a lower opening of the exhaust pipe is provided as exhaust inlet opening arranged below the baffle.
10 . The refrigerant accumulator of claim 9 wherein the exhaust inlet opening is located underneath the baffle.
11 . The refrigerant accumulator of claim 9 wherein the exhaust inlet opening is located within a concavity formed by the baffle.
12 . The refrigerant accumulator of claim 1 wherein the baffle is hemi-spherical.
13 . The refrigerant accumulator of claim 1 wherein the baffle is cone-shaped.
14 . The refrigerant accumulator of claim 1 wherein the baffle is parabolic.
15 . The refrigerant accumulator of claim 1 wherein the container includes a cylindrical side wall.