US3279210A - Cooler with refrigerant and water separating means - Google Patents

Description

Oct 18, 1966 w. T. OSBORNE 3,279,210

CO LER WITH REFRIGERANT AND WATER SEPARATING MEANS Filed June 25, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. WILLIAM T. OSBORNE.

"MM KM ATTORNEY.

Oct. 18, 1966 w. T. OSBORNE 3,279,210 COOLER WITH REFRIGERANT AND WATER SEPARATI NG MEANS Filed June 23, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L M 8 N @E N m m I E m s f I. p m 0 o o M o 0 OH T f H J mm o o o o n HF r a a o W M W L I III L T A mm 5 o m i/ J O o o n Y M 4 Ow u o o 0 H B A 0 o o o 0 OH RH mm 0 o a To 0 0 .mn p wm mm al -m 1 F 6 mm w n m Nw QmUIIJ J f k .i mm h x mm J\ F: I I PM 0 lfi) I- F 8T 6 3 I m u 4 i U u u om L I mm n? J f. 8 A I 2 M3 ow -m om mm .mm m m mm F HIl :E s m 0E ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,279,210 COULER WllTH REFRTGERANT AND WATER SEPARATHNG MEANS William T. Osborne, yracuse, N.Y., assignor to Carrier Corporation, Syracuse, N.Y., a corporation of Delaare Filed .lune 23, 1964, Ser. No. 377,317 12 Claims. (Cl. 62-474) This invention relates generally to a heating and cooling system and, more particularly, to a cooler in such a system wherein a power fluid drives a refrigerant compressor and portions of the refrigerant and power fluids are mixed and then separated in the cooler and reused in the system.

Various types of refrigeration systems, such as absorp' tion systems and refrigerant compressor systems, are well known in the art. The construction, components and relative association of the components, as well as the operating characteristics of such systems are also well known. However, each system has certain disadvantages as well as particular advantages, but attempts to provide a system combining the advantages of the accepted system while avoiding their disadvantages has resulted in systems which were impractical.

In a copending patent application of Louis H. Leonard for a Heating and Cooling System, Serial No. 377,258, and filed on the same date as the present application, a refrigeration system is disclosed wherein refrigerant fluid and power fluid are immiscible with each other and upon being mixed may be separated. Control of the capacity of apparatus employing the system is achieved by mixing refrigerant fluid and steam power fluid.

A problem in many refrigeration systems employing fluid motors, particularly systems employing a steam driven turbocompressor, is that of preventing leakage of refrigerant into the steam side of the system and leakage of steam into the refrigerant side of the system. However, prior expedients for handling and separating such mixed fluids were found to be inadequate, particularly in providing a compact and reliable refrigeration system.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a new and improved cooler for a refrigeration system. A related object is to provide such a cooler having provision for separating fluids in a refrigeration system. Another related object is provision of such a cooler having improved fluid handling and efliciency characteristics.

A still further object is provision in a new and improved cooler for effectively introducing and distributing refrigerant, and for handling the refrigerant to effectively prevent liquid refrigerant from being withdrawn from the cooler into the suction line.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a flow diagram of a heating and cooling system incorporating a preferred embodiment of the improved cooler forming the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a broken plan view of the cooler taken generally along the line 11-11 in FIGURE 3 with the upper portion of the cooler shell removed for clearer illustration;

FIGURE 3 is a broken sectional side view of the cooler taken generally along the line III-III in FIGURE 2, with the cooler shell broken away for clearer illustration; and

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view taken generally along the line lV-IV in FIGURE 3.

The illustrated heating and cooling system may provide cooling, heating, or simultaneous heating and cooling. The system is preferably hermetic so that fluids in the Patented Oct. 18, 1966 tCC system cannot escape and ambient air cannot enter the system, and the system may be considered as having a power side including a circuit for the circulation of a power fluid, a refrigerant side including a circuit for the flow of a refrigerant fluid under the influence of drive means driven by the power fluid, with the operation of the system regulated by a control system.

The invention will be described with reference to a preferred power fluid, which is water, and a preferred refrigerant, which is octafluorocyclobu-tane, commonly referred to as C318 and having a chemical formula C F These fluids are particularly preferred because of their relative immiscibility and because they are inherently highly stable and do not tend to decompose or chemically react with each other or other materials in the system, or cause or promote corrosion or undesirable by-products. Also, this refrigerant is a relatively noncontlensible vapor at the temperatures and pressures at which the power fluid (water) condenses, as well as at the usual ambient atmospheric conditions of temperature and pressure. However, other power fluids and refrigerants having these desired chemical and physical properties may be utilized within the scope of this invention.

As illustrated in the drawing, the power side includes a suitable steam generator 18 which supplies steam at a substantially constant pressure p.s.i.g., for example) as controlled by a constant pressure regulating valve 19 in a steam supply line 20 to drive means in the form of a turbocornpressor 21, and more particularly a turbine 22 which discharges steam through a discharge line 23 to a steam condenser 24. A steam condensate pump 25 returns the steam condensate through a return line 26 from the steam condenser 24 to the steam generator 18 for recirculation through the power side of the system. The turbocompressor 21 includes a refrigerant compressor 27 and has flow restricting means in the form of labyrinth-type seals, as 28, for retarding leakage of steam and refrigerant from the turbine 22 and the compressor 27, respectively, and water lubricated bearings, as 29. The steam condensate pump 25 pumps steam condensate through a lubricant water line 30 including a lubricant cooling heat exchanger 31 for lubricating the bearings 29. Leakage from the turbine and compressor, and water from the bearings 29, passes into a chamber 32 and through a drain line 32' to the condensate chamber 64 of the steam condenser 24.

The refrigerant side of the system includes the refrigerant compressor 27 of the turbocompressor 21. The compressor 27 is drivingly connected with the turbine 22 for passing compressed refrigerant vapor to a refrigerant condenser 33. Condensed refrigerant passes from the refrigerant condenser 33 to a refrigerant subcooler 34 and through a suitable refrigerant flow restricting means 35 into an evaporator or cooler 36, from which the refrigerant vapor is withdrawn by the refrigerant compressor through an outlet to a suction line 37, thus comp1eting the refrigerant circuit of the system. The cooler includes a water supply sump 38 and provides means for separating water and refrigerant. From the cooler the separated fluids are returned for reuse in the system. A chilled water line 39 has leaving and returning branches which open into headers 39' (FIGURES 2 and 3) for communication with a tube bundle 40 in the cooler 36,

for carrying a heat exchange medium here in the form of chilled water, which is cooled by the refrigerant and circulated by a chilled water pump 41 to an area having a cooling requirement. The cooling capacity of the system varies in proportion to the compressor output and in general speed.

A cooling tower or condensing water pump 42 circulates tower water through an inlet line 43 to the refrigerant subcooler 34 and into the refrigerant condenser 33 and then the steam condenser 24 and back to the tower through an outlet line 44. A branch line 45 in the condensing water inlet line 43 provides water to the lubricant water heat exchanger 31 for cooling the lubricant water, and this branch terminates in the return line 44 to the tower. In general, control of condensing water temperature and flow rate is unncessary, thus effectively minimizing scaling of condensing surfaces in the condenser.

The control system regulates the cooling and simultaneous cooling and heating capacities of the refrigeration system by varying the steam condenser pressure which is related to the condensing rate of steam discharged into the steam condenser 24, to vary the turbine speed and therefore the refrigerant delivery rate of the compressor. The condensing rate of the steam condenser is regulated by controlled blanketing of a first condensing portion or tube bundle 46 with a noneondensible vapor, herein refrigerant vapor, introduced through a refrigerant line 47 from the cooler 36.

The quantity of noncondensible vapor effectively blanketing the first condensing portion 46 of the steam con denser is regulated by a modulating refrigerant fiow regulating valve 48 in the line 47. The valve 48 is actuated responsive to leaving chilled water temperature by means of a temperature sensor 49 on a leaving branch of the chilled water line 39. For example, as the cooling load drops, more refrigerant is introduced into the steam condenser 24, thus reducing the steam condensing rate to increase the steam condenser pressure and therefore the turbine back pressure to reduce the turbocompressor speed and refrigerant discharge rate of the compressor.

A purge system withdraws refrigerant from the steam condenser 24, preferably at a constant rate. Herein a constant speed water supply pump 50 in a water line 51 recirculates impeller water from the cooler sump 38 for operating a jet pump 52 in the sump to withdraw noncondensible vapor from the steam condenser 24 through a purge line 53 opening into the throat of the jet pump 52. The water supply pump 50 further provides make-up water for the steam generator 18 through a make-up water line 54 to the steam condenser 24.

Simultaneous heating and cooling, wherein the heating and cooling capacities of the system vary inversely of each other, is provided. A second condensing portion or tube bundle 55 in the steam condenser 24 is maintained effectively free of blanketing by refrigerant vapor to maintain its full condensing capacity and maximum heating of a heating medium, herein water, recirculated through the bundle 55 and to a load to be heated by means of a heating water pump 56 in a heating line 57 to the area having a heating requirement.

The refrigerant injected into the steam condenser to blanket the first condensing portion 46 enters the steam condenser through a refrigerant port 60 at the end of the refrigerant line 47 within one end of the steam condenser 24 between the first condensing tube bundle 46 and the second condensing tube bundle 55 at adjacent ends of the bundles. A baffle 61 extends between upper and lower portions of the steam condenser between the first and second condensing tube bundles 46 and 55, to prevent the flow of fluids therebetween except in a limited area of communication 62 at the refrigerant port 60. The entering steam first flows from the discharge line 23 through a steam condenser inlet port 63 at an end of the condenser 24 opposite the area of limited communication 62, and across the second condensing tube bundle 55, then through the area of limited communication 62 and past the refrigerant inlet port 60, and then past the first condensing bundle 46. The refrigerant vapor entering the steam condenser 24 is drawn across the tubes of the first condensing bundle 46, and in the illustrated embodiment at least some of the tubes are effectively enveloped by refrigerant vapor thereby insulating the tubes of the first condensing bundle from the steam to reduce the steam condensing capacity. A condensate chamber 64 of the steam condenser 24 is in communication with the interior of a body shell 65 of the steam condenser through a port 66 at the bottom of the condenser and at the same end of the condenser as the steam inlet port 63. The drain line 32, the make-up water line 54- and the condensate return line 26 open into the chamber 64. Thus, the turbocompressor chamber 32, the steam discharge passage 23, the drain 32, and the steam condenser 24 are all at substantially the same pressure, that is, the steam condenser pressure which is normally below ambient atmospheric pressure-during normal cooling operation.

The purge line 53 opens into the steam condensate chamber 64 at a level to return the steam condensate from the chamber 64 to the cooler sump 38 should the condensate level in the chamber rise too high. Responsive to a low condensate level in the condensate chamber, a float actuated sensor 67 in the chamber opens a normally closed shutoff valve 68 in the make-up water line 54 from the water supply pump 50, to maintain a minimum level of condensate in the chamber 64.

At high cooling capacity, only a small quantity of refrigerant is in the steam condenser 24 to blanket the first condensing portion 46 so that the steam condenser pressure is low and the temperature of saturated steam entering the condenser is correspondingly low. Therefore, the temperature of the water in the second condensing portion 55 is low and little heat is provided for the load to be heated. Conversely, when the cooling capacity is low the heating capacity is high.

In the illustrated embodiment, a shell 77 of the refrigerant condenser 33 envelopes the steam condenser shell 65 so that refrigerant, which is normally above atmospheric pressure in the refrigerant condenser 33, effectively prevents the entry of ambient air into the steam condenser 24 and insulates the steam condenser during winter heating operation to facilitate maximum heating of the second tube bundle 55. Any refrigerant drawn into the steam condenser from the refrigerant condenser is removed by the purge. A condensing tube bundle 78 in the refrigerant condenser 33 receives tower water from the refrigerant subcooler 34 and passes the Water to the steam condenser first condensing bundle 46, so that these bundles are in series.

Responsive to the turbine 22 driving the compressor 27, refrigerant vapor is compressed and passes through a compressor discharge line 79 and into the refrigerant condenser 33 where it is condensed and cooled. The refrigerant condensate flows through a refrigerant condensate line 80 into the refrigerant subcooler 34 from which it passes through the refrigerant flow restricting means 35, here in the form of a float valve unit, and flows through a cooler refrigerant supply line 81 and into a cooler refrigerant inlet 82 extending through a shell 83 of the cooler 36. A suitable equalizer line 84 connects the fioat valve unit chamber and the refrigerant condenser.

With particular reference to FIGURES 2, 3, and 4, the refrigerant inlet 82 opens into a receiving chamber 84' in a pan 85 between a bottom wall 86 of the pan and a perforated plate 87 extending from the left end of the pan. The perforations in the plate distributes the incoming refrigerant at a relatively high velocity to agitate the liquid refrigerant in the pan, as is more fully described in a copending patent application of William E. Clark for Refrigeration Apparatus, United States Serial No. 281,- 400, filed May 20, 1963. The area of perforations in the plate 87 is horizontally spaced from the refrigerant vapor outlet to the suction line 37 at one end of the cooler shell 83 to provide a relatively quiet area of liquid below the outlet, so that any spray of liquid refrigerant from the turbulent area resulting from injecting the refrigerant through the perforations in the plate 87 is away from the outlet and is therefore effectively prevented from entering the refrigerant outlet. The pan is above the bottom of the cooler shell 83 which defines the sump 38,

and effectively seals upper and lower portions of the shell 83 from each other except at the left end of the cooler. The chilled water bundle 40 is in the pan 85 so that during normal cooling operation of the system, the bundle is flooded by boiling refrigerant. As the refrigerant vaporizes, it passes into a refrigerant chamber 88 in the upper portion of the cooler shell 83 above the pan 85 and is returned to the compressor 27 through the refrigerant suction line 37 which opens into an upper portion of the refrigerant chamber 83.

During cooling operation of the system, hot vapor passed from the steam condenser 24 through the purge line 53 to the sump 38 causes the water in the sump to be at least F. above the temperature of the refrigerant chamber 88, which is above the boiling point of the refrigerant, so that refrigerant in the sump is a vapor. The fluid ejected from the jet pump 52 may be directed against the bottom of the pan to lower the temperature of the sump water. Refrigerant vapor in the sump, and any water vapor carried with the refrigerant vapor, passes upwardly about a free left end wall 89 of the refrigerant pan 85 and passes over the refrigerant pan so that the water vapor may condense and settle onto the liquid refrigerant in the pan, as the refrigerant vapor is withdrawn through the outlet to the suction line 37.

Water in the refrigerant chamber 8% collects on top of the liquid refrigerant in the pan 85 and passes to the left end of the pan from which it flows through a suitable weir, or upper ports 99 in a generally vertical, diagonal partition 91 between the left end wall 89 and a side wall 92 of the pan, and passes into a compartment 93 separate from a main portion 94 of the pan which contains the chilled water bundle 40. The ports 90 are at slightly different elevations such that water and some refrigerant in the pan main portion 94 will flow therethrough and across the upper edge 96 of the partition 91 and into the compartment 93. A port 97 at the lower end of the partition 91 permits passage of refrigerant from the compartment 93 to the main portion of the pan to provide slight circulation in the compartment. The chilled water tube bundle 40 is outside the compartment 93 and is spaced inwardly from the portion of the left end wall 89 at the compartment, to form a relatively quiet area of liquid refrigerant upon which water in the pan collects in a quiet pool. The portion of the plate 87 which forms the bottom of the compartment 93 is devoid of perforations. A port or weir 98 in the pan end wall 89 opens into the compartment 93 at an elevation for passing water from the compartment into the sump. The density of the refrigerant in the compartment 93 is greater than in the boiling body of refrigerant exposed to the chilled water bundle 40 in the pan main portion 94 so that the refrigerant liquid level is lower in the compartment, and therefore the weir 98 may be slightly lower than the partition upper ports 90. Water in the sump 38 is returned to the power side of the system through the make-up water line 54 as controlled by the float actuated sensor 67. Thus, means is provided for separating water and refrigerant and returning the separated fluids for reuse in the system.

When it is desired to provide only heating, as for winter heating, the condensing water pump 42 is shut off and valve means 99 in the steam supply line to the turbocompressor 21 is adjusted so that the steam bypasses the turbine 22 and is injected through a bypass line 100 into the steam condenser 24 for heating the second condensing portion 55. During winter heating, the heating capacity of the system is preferably controlled by regulating the fuel to the steam generator 18.

During winter heating operation, refrigerant may migrate into the steam condenser 24, as from the refrigerant condenser 33 or through the turbine drain 32', and must be removed from the steam condenser along with any residual refrigerant therein in order to effect maximum heating of the second tube bundle 55 which provides hot water to the load to be heated. The noncondensible refrigerant vapor is withdrawn through the purge line 53, and the water supply pump 50 is therefore in operation to provide impeller water for the jet pump 52.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described and illustrated, it will be understood that the invention is not limited thereto since it may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. For use in a refrigeration system, a cooler having provision for separating water and refrigerant having a boiling point lower than water, said cooler comprising, enclosing means, means dividing said enclosing means into a water sump and a refrigerant chamber in limited communication with each other for the passage of vapor from said sump to said refrigerant chamber and for the passage of water from said refrigerant chamber to said sump, conduit means in said refrigerant chamber for providing cooling to a load, means for the passage of refrigerant and water into said enclosing means, means communicating with said refrigerant chamber for the passage of refrigerant vapor from said enclosing means, and means opening into said sump for the passage of water from said enclosing means, whereby during normal operation of the cooler said refrigerant chamber and said sump are at substantially the same pressure and the temperature range in the cooler is below the boiling point of water and above the boiling point of refrigerant, and water in the refrigerant chamber passes into the sump and refrigerant in the sump passes into the refrigerant chamber, thereby separating the water and refrigerant.

2. For use in a refrigeration system, a cooler having provision for separating water and refrigerant fluid having a higher boiling temperature than water, said cooler comprising, a cooler shell, divider means dividing said shell into a water sump in the lower portion of the shell and thereabove a refrigerant chamber, said divider means being positioned for collecting water in said refrigerant chamber, conduit means in said refrigerant chamber for providing cooling to a load, means for the passage of refrigerant into said refrigerant chamber, means for the passage of water and refrigerant into said sump, vapor passage means for the passage of refrigerant vapor from said sump into said refrigerant chamber, other means for the passage of water from said divider means into said sump, whereby during normal operation of the cooler said refrigerant chamber and said sump are at substantially the same pressure and the temperature range in the cooler is below the boiling temperature of water and above the boiling temperature of refrigerant and water in the refrigerant chamber collects on said divider means and passes into said sum-p, and refrigerant in said sump vaporizes and passes into said refrigerant chamber, thereby separating the refrigerant and water.

3. The system of claim 2 and means opening into said refrigerant chamber for the passage of refrigerant vapor from said shell, and means opening into said sump for the passage of water from said shell.

4. The cooler of claim 2 wherein the refrigerant liquid is heavier than water, said divider means including a pan for holding liquid refrigerant and collecting said water in said refrigerant chamber, said chilled conduit means being positioned in said pan to :be flooded by boiling refrigerant and being spaced from an end of said pan for forming a relatively quiet pool of water floating on refrigerant at the pan end, and said other means being at said pan end for the passage of water from the pool to said sump.

5. The cooler of claim 4, and said vapor passage means comprising an end of said pan spaced from. said shell to provide communication between said sump and said refrigerant chamber for said passage of the refrigerant vapor from said sump into said refrigerant chamber.

6. The cooler of claim 5, and said vapor passage means including means defining a compartment at said end of said pan for collecting said relatively quiet pool of Water,

7 said chilled conduit means being in a main portion of said pan outside said compartment, and means for the passage of refrigerant liquid and water between said main portion and said compartment, whereby the water floats on the refrigerant in said compartment.

7. The cooler of claim 6, and said compartment being separated from the main portion of said pan by a partition, means for the passage of water at an upper portion thereof from the main portion of the pan into the compartment, and for the passage of refrigerant at a lower portion thereof between the compartment and the main portion of the pan.

8. For use in a refrigeration system, a cooler having provision for separating refrigerant and water lighter than and having a higher boiling temperature than the refrigerant, comprising, a cooler shell, a generally horizontal pan in substantially sealed engagement with said shell from an end of said shell to an end wall of the pan spaced from an adjacent end of said shell to provide a passage for refrigerant vapor between the end Wall and the shell, said pan being spaced above a bottom portion of said shell to provide a sunrp in the bottom portion of the shell for water and a refrigerant chamber in an upper portion of said shell for refrigerant vapor, a chilled water tube bundle in said pan and spaced inwardly from said end wall, for circulating chilled Water to cool a load, means forming a refrigerant inlet opening into said pan for flooding said bundle with liquid refrigerant which vaporizes and passes into said refrigerant chamber upon cooling the bundle during cooling operation of the system, means forming a refrigerant outlet opening into said refrigerant chamber for passing the refrigerant vapor to a suction line, means forming a second inlet opening into said sump for passing into the sump water and refrigerant, means forming a water outlet opening into said sump for withdrawing water from the sump, whereby during normal operation of the cooler said refrigerant chamber and said sump are at substantially the same pressure and the temperature range in the cooler is below the boiling temperature of water and above the boiling temperature of refrigerant, and water collects on liquid refrigerant in said pan and passes to a quiet pool at said end wall, and refrigerant vapor passes from said sump through said passage and into said refrigerant chamber, and means at said end wall for the passage of water from atop said liquid refrigerant through said passage and into said sump, thereby separating the refrigerant and the Water.

9. The cooler of claim 8, and a partition between said bundle and said end Wall to delimit said quiet pool, means at an upper portion of said partition for the passage of water into the quiet pool, and means at a lower portion of said partition for the passage of liquid refrigerant into the quiet pool.

10. For use in a refrigeration system, a cooler having lPl'OViSiOl'l for separating water and refrigerant heavier than and having a lower boiling temperature than water, comprising, a cooler shell, a generally horizontal pan above a bottom portion of said shell and extending in substantially sealed relationship with said shell at one pan end and to another pan end to define a water sump in a lower portion of said shell and a refrigerant chamber in an upper portion of said shell, the other pan end being spaced from said shell for the passage of refrigerant vapor and water vapor carried thereby from said sump into said refrigerant chamber, means for the passage of water and refrigerant into said sump, means for the passage of water out of said sump, a chilled Water tube bundle in said pan for circulating chilled water to cool a load and spaced horizontally from a portion of said pan at said other pan end to define a first quiet area for liquid, a refrigerant vapor outlet opening into an upper portion of said refrigerant chamber at said one pan end and above said pan for the passage of refrigerant vapor to a suction line and for condensing water vapor as it passes over the pan from said other pan end to said refrigerant vapor outlet to retard the passage of the water vapor into said refrigerant vapor outlet, means defining a receiving chamber for refrigerant in said pan and including a generally horizontal plate above the bottom of said pan, said plate having a perforated area horizontally spaced from said refrigerant vapor outlet and said first quiet area for distributing liquid refrigerant to said bundle and providing a relatively turbulent area of liquid refrigerant at said perforated area, and a second relatively quiet area of liquid refrigerant at said one pan end below said refrigerant vapor outlet, thereby effectively preventing droplets of refrigerant liquid from said turbulent area from entering said outlet, a refrigerant inlet opening into said receiving chamber for the passage of refrigerant through said perforations, whereby water in said refrigerant chamber collects on liquid refrigerant in said pan, and means for the passage of water from said first area into said sump, thereby separating the refrigerant and the water for reuse in the system.

11. For use in a refrigeration system, a cooler comprising a cooler shell, said shell having a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet, and means within said shell for separating refrigerant and water, said means including a divider dividing said shell into a water sump in a lower portion of the shell and a refrigerant chamber in an upper portion of the shell, said divider comprising a pan for liquid refrigerant, means for the passage of refrigerant liquid into said pan, a chilled water bundle in said pan whereby the bundle is flooded with boiling refrigerant fluid during normal cooling operation of the system, said bundle being spaced from an adjacent wall of said pan to provide an area at said wall for collecting a relatively quiet pool of water and refrigerant in the refrigerant chamber, and means for the passage of water from said pool to said sump and refrigerant vapor from said sump to said refrigerant chamber.

12. The cooler of claim 11, and means for continuously withdrawing water from said sump during normal operation of the system.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,964,926 12/1960 Ware 62-471 2,971,352 2/1961 Parker 62475 3,013,404 12/1961 Endress et al. 62475 X 3,111,819 11/1963 Williams 62471 ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner.

W. E. WAYNER, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

11. FOR USE IN A REFRIGERATION SYSTEM, A COOLER COMPRISING A COOLER SHELL, SAID SHELL HAVING A REFRIGERANT INLET AND A REFRIGERANT OUTLET, AND MEANS WITHIN SAID SHELL FOR SEPARATING REFRIGERANT AND WATER, SAID MEANS INCLUDING A DIVIDER DIVINDING SAID SHELL INTO A WATER SUMP IN A LOWER PORTION OF THE SHELL AND A REFRIGERANT CHAMBER IN AN UPPER PORTION OF THE SHELL, SAID DIVIDER COMPRISING A PAN FOR LIQUID REFRIGERANT, MEANS FOR THE PASSAGE OF REFRIGERANT LIQUID INTO SAID PAN, A CHILLED WATER BUNDLE IN SAID PAN WHEREBY THE BUNDLE IS FLOODED WITH BOILING REFRIGERANT FLUID DURING NORMAL COOLING OPERATION OF THE SYSTEM, SAID BUNDLE BEING SPACED FROM AN ADJACENT WALL OF SAID PAN TO PROVIDE AN AREA AT SAID WALL FOR COLLECTING A RELATIVELY QUIET POOL OF WATER AND REFRIGERANT IN THE REFRIGERANT CHAMBER, AND MEANS FOR THE PASSGE OF WATER FROM SAID POOL TO SAID SUMP AND REFRIGERANT VAPOR FROM SAID SUMP TO SAID REFRIGERANT CHAMBER.

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