Parallel plate type refrigerant storage device
View Patent ↗A refrigerant storage device that arranges two end plates to form a cavity and includes a turbulator plate within the cavity. The turbulator plate is arranged within the cavity to reinforce the cavity by providing a plurality of reinforcement portions between the end plates. The cavity is sized and the turbulator plate is configured so a liquid portion of refrigerant flowing through the cavity collects onto the turbulator plate. The device has a rectangular shape that simplifies vehicle packaging and allows the device to be readily integrated into a plate-type refrigerant-to-liquid coolant heat exchanger. The device is formed by a stacking arrangement of parts that provides for a readily scalable design.
1. A refrigerant storage device comprising:
a first end plate;
a second end plate spaced apart from the first end plate;
at least three barrier plates interposed between the first end plate and the second end plate,
wherein the first end plate, the second end plate and the at least three barrier plates have a rectangular shape and are arranged in parallel thereby comprising a stacking arrangement;
wherein each of the first end plate, the second end plate, and the at least three barrier plates are spaced apart to define a plurality of cavities and each of the at least three barrier plates nests adjacent barrier plates to form a perimeter seal effective to contain refrigerant within the device, wherein each cavity defines an inlet opening and an outlet opening spaced apart from the inlet opening; wherein refrigerant enters the refrigerant storage device via the inlet opening, said refrigerant is distributed along aligned holes in the at least three barrier plates, and the refrigerant flows in parallel in a downward direction through all the cavities, liquid refrigerant accumulates in a lower region of the storage device, and the cavities are sized relative to the inlet opening such that a cavity velocity of refrigerant in each cavity is substantially less than an inlet velocity of refrigerant in the inlet opening; and
a turbulator plate arranged within at least one cavity of the plurality of cavities reinforcing the at least one cavity by providing a plurality of reinforcement portions between the plates that define the at least one cavity, wherein the turbulator plate is further configured such that a liquid portion of refrigerant flowing through the cavity collects onto the turbulator plate.
2. The device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the inlet opening and the outlet opening are positioned in an upper region of the device wherein the device comprises an accumulator.
3. The device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the inlet opening is positioned in an upper region of the device and the outlet opening is positioned in a lower region of the device wherein the device comprises a receiver.
4. The device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises a plurality of turbulator plates arranged between adjacent barrier plates.
5. The device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises an oil drain means in a lower region of the device.