US2128794A

US2128794A - Liquid cooler

Info

Publication number: US2128794A
Application number: US133217A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ralph E Billings
Original assignee: General Electric Co
Current assignee: General Electric Co
Priority date: 1937-03-26
Filing date: 1937-03-26
Publication date: 1938-08-30
Anticipated expiration: 1955-08-30

Description

Aug. 30, 1938. R.y E. BILLINGS4 LIQUID oo oLER Filed March 26, 193'?` Mm/lIalMrMAl/m:

Inventor: Rlph E-Blllrwgs,

I-ls Attor`r1e y Panarea Aug. 3o, 193s LIQUID COOLER Ralph E. Billings, Fort Wayne, Ind., assignor to General Electricl Company, a.- corporation of New York Application Marchv 26, 1937, Serial No. 133,217 'tirarme` (ci. s2-141) v My invention relates to mechanically refrigerated liquid coolers Vfor cooling drinking Water or other liquids.

Itis an object of my invention to provide an 5 improved arrangement for controlling the admission of liquid refrigerant into a. refrigerant evaporator of a liquid cooler and-for preventing flood- ,ing of the evaporator with liquid refrigerant and Withdrawal of liquid refrigerant therefrom into a refrigerant liquefying unit associated therewith.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved control arrangement for liquid coolers, which is effective in operation, simple and compact in structure andv economical `in construction.-

Further objects and advantages lof my invention will become apparent as the following dei scription proceeds, and the features of novelty 20 which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

For a better understanding of my invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which the single figure is an elevational View, partly in section, of a liquid cooler em.

bodying my invention, and a diagram of a refrigerantliquefying unit associated with a refrigerant evaporator arranged in the liquid cooler. i y Referring to the drawing, .lA have shown a 'liquid cooler having a vertically disposed cylindrical casing l0 forming a liquid chamber il therein. Preferably, the casing i0 is made of sheet steel and includes"a cylindrical side Wall I2, an inwardly concave top wall i3 and an outwardly convex bottom wall ist, the peripheral edges of the top and bottom walls being flanged .and welded to the adjacent end edges of the cylindrical side Walll i2. This construction of the casing l0 permits liquid under relatively high `pressure to be stored safely in the liquid chamber II. A refrigerant evaporator i5 is disposed within the liquid chamber' Il for cooling the f liquid stored therein and comprises spaced-apart inner and outer helical coils I6 and i1 respectively, which are connected in series at their lower ends. Preferably, the inner and outer coils I6 and I'l are formed from a single length of conduit, and they are wound 'in opposite directions to provide maximum contact with the surrounding liquid in the liquid chamber II. The outer coil il is provided with an inlet end I8 which extends through and is secured in an open- 55 ing I9 in thetop Wall I3 of the casing il), The

outer coil Il extends from the upper portion of the liquid chamber H downwardly to the lower portion thereof where it communicates with the 4inner coil It. The inner coil i6v extends from the lower portion of the liquid chamber Il upwardly to the upper portion thereof and then vdownwardly to the lower portion thereof. The inner coil i6 is provided with an enlarged. outlet end 2U which extends from the lower portion of the liquid chamber il upwardly through the upperportion thereof, and is secured in an opening 2| in the top wall i3 of the casing i0.

The inlet end i8 of the outer coil il is connected to a liquid refrigerant supply conduit 22 through an yautomatic thermostatic expansion valve 23 which controls the admission of liquid refrigerant thereto. The automatic thermostatic expansion valve 23 isv of the conventional type and throttles the flow of liquid refrigerant into the outer coil il and includes a thermostatic element or bulb 2t connected tothe automatic thermostatic expansion valve 23 by a conduit 25. The thermostatic bulb 2d contains a fluid, such as sulphur dioxide. The outlet end 20 of the inner coil it is closed by a fitting 26 which is connected to a refrigerant suction conduit 2l. A conduit 28 extends through an opening in the top wall of the fitting 26 into the interior of the enlarged outlet end 20 of the inner coil i6 and is provided with a closed end forming a well 29 therein disposed adjacent the lower portion' of the liquid chamber ii and arranged in good heat exchange relationship with the vaporized refrigerant in the enlarged outlet end 2li of the inner coil I6. The thermostati'c bulb 2t for controlling the automatic thermostatic expansion valve 23 is positioned inthe well 2e in good heat exchange relationship therewith. l

.The liquid to be cooled, such as drinking water or the like, is supplied to the upper portion of the liquid chamber il under pressure through a supply conduit l secured in an opening 3i in the top wail i3 of the casing lil. The liquid vsuppliedv to the liquid chamber il is stored therein under pressure and withdrawn from the lower portion thereof after it -has been cooled through a Withdrawal conduit 32 secured in an ,opening 33 in the top wall of the casing i0. It will be observed that the inlet end of the liquid Withdrawal conduit 32 is arranged on the opposite side of the liquid chamber ii from the outlet end of the liquid supply conduit 30. Thus, the liquid from the supply conduit 30 ows downwardly and through the helical coils Il and i6 in substantial- 1y a sinuous path to the liquid withdrawal conduit 32, this sinuous path of the liquid flowing through the helical coils I1 and I6being produced by the opposite inclination of these coils due to the fact that they are wound in opposite directions. As the liquid in the liquid chamber II is cooled, it gravitates to the lower portion thereof forming a zone of relatively cool liquid. As the relatively warm liquid is supplied to the upper portion of the liquid chamber II, the relatively cool zone of liquid in the lower portion thereof is intermixed only slightly therewith.

The casing I0, the connections between various conduits and the casing I0, and the automatic thermostatic expansion valve 23 are surrounded by a suitable layer of heat insulation. and enclosed in an outer 35 includes a cylindrical side wall 36 and removable ends 31, the ends 31 being removable to facilitate inspection of the liquid cooler and adjustment of the automatic thermostatic expansion valve 23.

During operation of the liquid cooler illustrated, .liquid refrigerant is supplied to the inlet refrigerant suction conduit 21.

end I8 of the outer coil I1 from the liquid refrigerant supply conduit matic thermostatic expansion valve 23. The liquid refrigerant is vaporized in the coils I1 and I6 by the absorption of heat from the surrounding liquid in the liquid chamber II, drawn from the enlarged outlet end 23 of the inner coil I6 through the fitting 26 through the l Liquid refr-ign erant is supplied\to\the/liquid refrigerant supply conduit 22 and vaporized refrigerant is withdrawn from the refrigerant suction .conduit 21 by a. refrigerant liquefying unit including a refrigerant compressor 38 and a refrigerant condenser 39. 'I'he compressor 33. is connected to the refrigerant suction conduit 21 and is driven by an electric motor 40 by a belt 4I arranged between a pulley 42 carried by the shaft of the electric motor 40, and a flywheel 43 carried by the shaft of the compressor 33. The compressor is of the reciprocating type and compresses the vaporized refrigerant and discharges the same into the condenser 39, wherein it is liquefied and delivered to a liquid receiver A4 connected to the liquid refrigerant supply line 22. The 'electric motor 40 isv connected to a suitable source of supply 45 by a pair of leads 46 and 41, an electric switch 43 being arranged in the lead 41 to control the circuit of the electric motor 40. 'I'he electric switch 43 is controlled by an expanslble bellows 49 mounted upon a support 53 and connected by a conduit 5I to a thermostatic element or bulb 52 arranged in good heat eX- change relationship with the liquid stored in the liquid chamber I I. such as sulphur dioxide, and is positioned in a. well 53 formed in the closed end of a conduit 54, the conduit 54 extending 'through and being secured in an opening 55 'in the top wall I3 of the casing I3. When the temperature of the liquid stored in the liquid chamber rises to a predetermined temperature the iiuid in the thermostatic bulb 52 expands sufficiently to actuate the bellows 49 and close the electric switch 43` to start the electric motor'4ll. 'I'he'refrigerating cycle above described is.continuous1y repeated until the liquid stored in the liquid chamber I I is cooled to a `predetermined temperature. 'I'he fluid in the thermostatic bulb 52 then contracts sufficiently to actuate the bellows 43 andvopen the electric switch 43 to stop the electric motor 40.

shell 35. The outer shellA 22 through the auto-- and with- The bulb 52 contains a fluid.

larged uter end 20 of the inner coil I3 and adjacent the lower portionA of the liquid chamber I I and the arrangement 24 therein for controlling the automatic thermostatic expansion valve 23 is very important as a substantial improvement in the operation of the liquid cooler is obtained thereby. The arrangement of the thermostatic bulb 24 in the well 29 formed in the closed end of the conduit 23 and the arrangement of the conduit 23 in the outlet end 23 of the inner coil I6 where it is surrounded by the vaporized refrigerant therein is effective to produce a very accurate control of the automatic thermostatic expansion valve 23 in response to the temperature of the vaporof the thermostatic bulb ized refrigerant inthe outlet end 20 of the inner coil I6, there being a small temperature difference between the vaporized refrigerant and the fluid `contained in the thermostatic bulb 24.

The well 23 is arranged in the enlarged outlet end 20 of the innery coil I6 and disposed in the well 29 in the lower portion of the liquidvchamber I I and the thermostatic bulb 24 is positioned therein so4 that the operation of the thermostatic bulb 24 will not be appreciably affected by the temperature of the relatively cool zone of liquid in the lower portion of the liquid chamber II. The thermostatic bulb 24 is not appreciably affected by the temperature of this zone of liquid because 'the temperature of this zone closely parallels the saturation temperature of the vaporized refrigerant in the enlarged outlet end 23 of the inner coil I3. Thus. the thermostatic bulb 24 accurately controls the automatic'thermostatic expansion valve 23 in response to the temperature of the vaporized refrigerant inthe enlarged outlet end 20 ofthe inner 'coil I3. The admission of liquid refrigerant into the evaporator I5 is thus properly controlled in spite of variations in the temperature of the liquid supplied to the liquid'chamber II through the supply conduit 30 and in ambient temperature, and there is no fiooding of the evaporator I5 or withdrawal of liquid refrigerant therefrom through the refrigliquefying unit. I y

While I have shown a particular embodiment H of my invention in connection'with a liquid cooler refrigerated by a refrigerating machine of the compression type, I do not desire my invention to limited tothe particular construction shown and described, and I intend in the appended claims to 'cover all modifications within the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

l. A liquid cooler including a-casing forming a liquid chamber, means including a. refrigerant evaporator for coolingthe liquid therein, means vfor supplying liquid refrigerant to saidevaporator, means including an expansionvalve located at the inlet of said evaporator for controlling the admission of refrigerant thereto, and -means including a thermostatic element disposed within said chamber adjacent the lower portion thereof and arranged in the outlet of said evaporator in good heat exchange lrelationship with the vaporized refrigerant therein for controlling said expansion valve. V

2. A liquid cooler including a casing forming a liquid chamber, means including a refrigerant evaporatorfor coolinglthe liquid therein, means for supplying liquid refrigerant to said evaporator, means including anexpanslon valve loconduit extending into said evaporator and having a well therein disposed adjacentthe lower portion of said chamber, said Well being arranged in good heat exchange relationship with the vaporized refrigerant in the outlet of said evaporator, and means including a thermostatic element positioned in said well for controlling said expansion valve.

3. A liquid cooler including a casing-forming a liquid chamber, means including a refrigerant evaporator for cooling the liquid therein, means including a refrigerant liquefying unit for supplying liquid refrigerant to said evaporator, means including an expansion valve located at the inlet of said evaporator for controlling the admission of refrigerant thereto, means including a thermostatic element disposed within said chamber adjacent the lower portion thereof and arranged in the outlet of said evaporator in good heat exchange relationship with the vaporlzed refrigerant therein for controlling said expansion valve, and means including a second thermostatic element responsive to the temperature ofthe liquid in said chamber for controlling the operation of said refrigerant liquefying unit. i

4. A liquid cooler including a casing rforming a liquid chamber, means including a refrigerant coil for cooling the liquid therein, means for supplying liquid refrigerant to said coil, means including an expansion valve located at the inlet end of said coil for controlling the admission of refrigerant thereto, the outlet end of said coil being enlarged, and means including a thermostatic element disposed within said chamber adjacent the lower portion thereof and arranged in the enlarged outlet end of said coil in good vheat exchange relationship with the vaporized refrigerant therein for controlling said expansion valve.

5. A liquid cooler including a casing forming a liquid chamber, means including a refrigerant coil for Acooling the liquid therein, means for supplying liquid yrefrigerant to said coil, means including an expansion valve located at the inlet end of said coil for controlling the admission of refrigerant thereto, the outlet end of said coil' being enlarged,.a conduit extending into the enlarged outlet end of said/coil and having a well therein disposed adjacent the lower portion` of said chamber, said Well being arranged in good heat exchangev relationship With the vaporized refrigerant in the outlet end of said evaporator,

' and means including Aa thermostatic element positioned in said well for controlling said expansion valve.

6. A liquid cooler including a vertically disposed casing forming a liquid chamber, means for supplying liquid to the uppe/r portion of said chamber, means for withdrawing liquid from the lower portion of said chamber, means including a refrigerant evaporator for cooling the liquid therein, means for supplying liquid refrigerant to said evaporator, means including an expansion valve located at the inlet of said evaporator for controlling the admission of refrigerant thereto, and means including a thermostatic element disposed within said chamber adjacent the lower portion thereof and arranged in good heat exchange relationship with the vaporized refrigerant in the outlet of said evaporator for controlling said expansion valve.

7. A liquid cooler including a vertically disposed casing forming a liquid chamber, means for supplying liquid to the upper portion of said chamber, means for withdrawing liquid from the lower portion of said chamber, means including a refrigerant coil for cooling the liquid therein, means including a refrigerant liquefying unit for supplying liquid refrigerant to said coil, means including an expansion valve located at the inlet end of said coil for controlling the admission of refrigerant thereto, the outlet end of said coil being enlarged, means including a thermostatic element disposed within said chamber adjacent the lower portion thereof and arranged in the enlarged outlet end of said coil in good heat exchange relationship with the `vaporized refrigerant therein for controlling said expansion valve, and means including a second thermostatic element responsive to the temperature of the liquid in said chamber for controlling the operation of said refrigerant liquefying unit.

RALPH E. BILLINGS.