REFRIGERATION SYSTEM WITH INTEGRATED CORE STRUCTURE

摘要

A refrigeration system includes a core comprising a stack of core plates. The core defines a condenser, an evaporator and a refrigerant reservoir. The condenser has a plurality of refrigerant flow passages and a plurality of first coolant flow passages in alternating arrangement. The evaporator has a plurality of refrigerant flow passages and a plurality of second coolant flow passages in alternating arrangement. The condenser has a refrigerant outlet in flow communication with the refrigerant inlet of the refrigerant reservoir, where the refrigerant side of at least one of said core plates includes a refrigerant communication passage providing flow communication between the refrigerant outlet of the condenser section and the refrigerant inlet of the reservoir section.

主权项

1. A refrigeration system comprising a core, wherein the core comprises a stack of core plates and defines:
(a) a condenser comprising a plurality of refrigerant flow passages and a plurality of first coolant flow passages in alternating arrangement throughout said core, the condenser further comprising a refrigerant inlet, a refrigerant outlet, a first coolant inlet, and a first coolant outlet; (b) an evaporator comprising a plurality of refrigerant flow passages and a plurality of second coolant flow passages in alternating arrangement throughout said core, the evaporator further comprising a refrigerant inlet, a refrigerant outlet, a second coolant inlet, and a second coolant outlet; and (c) a refrigerant reservoir having a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet; wherein the refrigerant outlet of the condenser is in flow communication with the refrigerant inlet of the refrigerant reservoir, and the refrigerant outlet of the refrigerant reservoir is in flow communication with the refrigerant inlet of the evaporator; wherein each of the core plates has a refrigerant side and a coolant side and includes a plurality of partitions on both its refrigerant side and its coolant side, said plurality of partitions dividing the core plate into a condenser section, an evaporator section and a reservoir section; wherein the condenser section of each said core plate comprises a condenser wall separating the refrigerant flow passages of the condenser from the first coolant flow passages, wherein the condenser sections of the core plates are aligned throughout the core; wherein the evaporator section of each said core plate comprises an evaporator wall separating the refrigerant flow passages of the evaporator from the second coolant flow passages, wherein the evaporator sections of the core plates are aligned throughout the core; wherein the refrigerant reservoir section of each said core plate comprises an aperture, wherein said apertures are aligned throughout the core; wherein the refrigerant side of at least one of said core plates includes a refrigerant communication passage providing flow communication between the refrigerant outlet of the condenser section and the refrigerant inlet of the reservoir section.