METHODS AND SYSTEMS OF STREAMING REFRIGERANT IN A HEAT EXCHANGER

摘要

Embodiments are disclosed to help create longitudinal refrigerant streams, for example, in a shell and tube type evaporator, so as to manage refrigerant and/or lubricant in the evaporator. In some embodiments, the shell side of the evaporator may include a plurality of longitudinally extended pans stacked in a vertical direction. In some embodiments, refrigerant can be directed onto a top pan. The refrigerant can form a longitudinal refrigerant stream along the pan and flow down to the next pan in the vertical direction and form another longitudinal refrigerant stream. Each of the pans may form a refrigerant pool to help exchange heat with a process fluid carried in heat exchanger tubes. By forming longitudinal refrigerant streams in the pans, heat exchange efficiency may be improved and a lubricant content in refrigerant streams may be concentrated toward a bottom of the evaporator.

主权项

1. A method of managing refrigerant in an evaporator, comprising:
directing liquid refrigerant into a shell side of the evaporator; collecting the liquid refrigerant and directing the liquid refrigerant toward a longitudinal direction of the evaporator to form a first longitudinal refrigerant stream; and forming a refrigerant pool to exchange heat with a heat exchanger tube of the evaporator.