Compact HVACR system

Abstract

A heating, ventilation, air conditioning and cooling (HVACamp; an R, R) system includes a heat exchanger assembly including an outer shell, where the outer shell defines a first interior volume and a second interior volume. The heat exchanger assembly also includes a compressor directly coupled to the housing of the heat exchanger assembly, the compressor including a rotor wheel, and the rotor wheel is at least partially disposed within the housing of the heat exchanger assembly. Further, the compressor is configured to receive a flow of working fluid from the first interior volume and discharge the flow of working fluid into the second interior volume.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference of related applications This application claims priority and benefit to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 454,885, filed March 27, 2023, entitled “COMPACT HVAC&R SYSTEM,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes. Background Technology

[0002] This section aims to introduce the reader to various technical aspects that may be related to the various aspects of this disclosure, which are described below. It is believed that this discussion helps to provide the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of this disclosure. Therefore, it should be understood that these statements should be read in light of this and not as an endorsement of prior art.

[0003] Heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) systems or vapor compression systems utilize a working fluid (e.g., a refrigerant) that changes phase between vapor, liquid, and combinations thereof in response to varying temperatures and pressures within components exposed to the HVAC&R system. HVAC&R systems can enable heat exchange between the working fluid and a conditioning fluid (e.g., water) and can deliver the conditioning fluid to conditioned equipment and / or the conditioned environment served by the HVAC&R system. For example, an HVAC&R system may include a heat exchanger configured to receive both the working fluid and the conditioning fluid to enable heat exchange between them. The conditioning fluid can be directed from the heat exchanger to other equipment, such as air handling units, terminal units, etc., to condition other fluids, such as air in a building. The working fluid can be directed from the heat exchanger through other components of the HVAC&R system, such as a compressor and / or another heat exchanger, which is configured to process (e.g., pressurize, cool) the working fluid to provide further conditioning of the conditioning fluid.

[0004] Unfortunately, many existing HVAC&R systems can have a large footprint and / or require a significant amount of space. Furthermore, in some applications, the space available to house an HVAC&R system can be limited. Therefore, smaller HVAC&R systems with reduced operational capability and / or efficiency can be used in applications with limited available space, but these smaller systems may not be sufficient to meet the load requirements of such applications. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The following provides an overview of some embodiments disclosed herein. It should be understood that these aspects are presented merely to provide the reader with a brief overview of these certain embodiments, and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. In fact, this disclosure may cover many aspects that may not be set forth below.

[0006] In one embodiment, a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and cooling (HVAC&R) system includes a heat exchanger assembly comprising a housing defining a first internal volume and a second internal volume. The heat exchanger assembly further includes a compressor directly coupled to the housing of the heat exchanger assembly, the compressor including a moving impeller at least partially disposed within the housing of the heat exchanger assembly. Furthermore, the compressor is configured to receive a flow of working fluid from the first internal volume and discharge the working fluid flow into the second internal volume.

[0007] In another embodiment, a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and cooling (HVAC&R) system includes a working fluid circuit and a heat exchanger assembly disposed along the working fluid circuit. The heat exchanger assembly includes a housing defining an internal volume and an internal guide disposed within the housing, wherein the internal guide separates the internal volume into a first internal volume and a second internal volume within the housing. The HVAC&R system further includes a compressor having: a compressor housing mounted to the housing of the heat exchanger assembly; a moving impeller disposed at least partially within the housing of the heat exchanger assembly; and an engine disposed within the compressor housing, wherein the engine is configured to drive the moving impeller to rotate at least partially within the housing of the heat exchanger assembly.

[0008] In another embodiment, a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and cooling (HVAC&R) system includes a heat exchanger assembly having: a housing defining an internal volume; an internal guide disposed within the housing, wherein the internal guide separates the internal volume into a first internal volume and a second internal volume within the housing; a plurality of first heat exchanger tubes disposed within the first internal volume, wherein the plurality of first heat exchanger tubes are configured to guide a first fluid through; and a plurality of second heat exchanger tubes disposed within the second internal volume, wherein the plurality of second heat exchanger tubes are configured to guide a second fluid through. The HVAC&R system further includes a compressor directly coupled to the housing of the heat exchanger assembly, wherein the compressor includes a moving impeller and an engine configured to drive rotation of the moving impeller, the moving impeller being at least partially disposed within the housing of the heat exchanger assembly, and the compressor being configured to draw a working fluid flow directly from the first internal volume into the moving impeller and discharge the working fluid flow directly into the second internal volume. Attached Figure Description

[0009] A better understanding of the various aspects of this disclosure can be achieved by reading the following detailed description and referring to the figures, in which: Figure 1 A perspective view of a building utilizing a heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC&R) system in a commercial environment according to aspects of this disclosure; Figure 2 A perspective view of an embodiment of a vapor compression system according to aspects of this disclosure; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of a vapor compression system according to aspects of this disclosure; Figure 4 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of a vapor compression system according to aspects of this disclosure; Figure 5 A cross-sectional axial view of an embodiment of an HVAC&R system according to aspects of this disclosure; Figure 6 This is a side view schematic diagram of an embodiment of an HVAC&R system according to aspects of this disclosure; and Figure 7 A perspective view of a portion of an embodiment of a heat exchanger assembly for an HVAC&R system according to aspects of this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0010] One or more specific embodiments will be described below. For the purpose of providing a brief description of these embodiments, not all features of the actual implementation are described in the specification. It should be understood that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, a number of implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developer's specific objectives, such as complying with system-related and business-related constraints that may vary from implementation to implementation. Furthermore, it should be understood that this development effort may be complex and time-consuming, but remains a routine task of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains.

[0011] When describing elements of various embodiments of this disclosure, the articles “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to indicate the presence of one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and indicate that additional elements may be present in addition to those listed. Furthermore, it should be understood that references to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” in this disclosure are not intended to be construed as excluding the existence of additional embodiments incorporating the described features.

[0012] As used herein, and as those skilled in the art will understand, the terms “approximately,” “generally,” and “substantially” are intended to convey that the described attribute value is within a relatively small range. For example, when an attribute value is described as “approximately” equal to (or, for example, “substantially similar to”) a given value, it is intended to indicate that the attribute value is within + / -5%, + / -4%, + / -3%, + / -2%, + / -1%, or even closer to the given value. Similarly, when a given feature is described as “substantially parallel” to another feature, “substantially perpendicular” to another feature, etc., it is intended to indicate that the given feature is within + / -5%, + / -4%, + / -3%, + / -2%, + / -1%, or even closer to having the described property, such as being parallel to another feature, perpendicular to another feature, etc. Furthermore, it should be understood that mathematical terms such as “planar,” “slope,” “perpendicular,” and “parallel” are intended to encompass the characteristics of a surface or element as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, and should not be interpreted as strictly as in the art of mathematics. For example, a “planar” surface is intended to encompass a surface that is machined, molded, or otherwise formed to be substantially flat or smooth (within relevant tolerances) using techniques and tools available to one of ordinary skill in the art. Similarly, a “slope” surface is intended to encompass a surface that is machined, molded, or otherwise formed to be oriented at an angle (e.g., inclined) relative to a reference point using techniques and tools available to one of ordinary skill in the art.

[0013] Embodiments of this disclosure relate to a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) system, such as a refrigerator, having a vapor compression system with one or more heat exchangers. The vapor compression system (e.g., a vapor compression loop, a working fluid loop) circulates a working fluid (e.g., a refrigerant) to cool and / or heat a conditioning fluid (e.g., water). The vapor compression system may include a compressor system configured to pressurize the working fluid within the vapor compression system and direct the working fluid to a first heat exchanger (e.g., a condenser) that cools and condenses the working fluid. The condensed working fluid may be directed to an expansion device that reduces the pressure and / or temperature of the working fluid and further cools it. The cooled working fluid may be directed from the expansion device to a second heat exchanger (e.g., an evaporator) that allows the working fluid to exchange heat with the conditioning fluid to cool the conditioning fluid. The compressor system may then receive the working fluid from the evaporator and pressurize it to restart the vapor compression cycle. HVAC&R systems direct conditioning fluid (e.g., from a second heat exchanger) to other equipment to condition spaces and / or components. Unfortunately, existing HVAC&R systems can occupy a large area and / or a significant amount of space (e.g., volume). For example, an existing HVAC&R system may include a first and second heat exchanger separate from each other, a compressor separate from the heat exchangers, and large conduits extending between the components of the HVAC&R system to guide the flow of working fluid. Therefore, existing systems may not be suitable for applications with limited available space. Furthermore, the manufacture, implementation, transportation, operation, and / or maintenance of existing systems can be expensive and / or cumbersome.

[0014] Therefore, it is now recognized that smaller (e.g., smaller footprint) HVAC&R systems (e.g., refrigeration systems) can facilitate improved implementations, manufacture, operation, and / or maintenance of HVAC&R systems. Accordingly, this disclosure relates to an HVAC&R system having a compressor at least partially disposed within the housing of a heat exchanger assembly of the HVAC&R system. For example, at least a portion of the compressor's impeller and / or diffuser may be disposed within the housing of the heat exchanger assembly. In some embodiments, the housing of the heat exchanger assembly may enclose or include two heat exchangers (e.g., evaporator and condenser) of the HVAC&R system. Therefore, an HVAC&R system incorporating the technology disclosed herein may not include certain components typically included in existing HVAC&R systems, such as suction ducts for directing fluid from the heat exchangers to the compressor and / or other ducts conventionally included in existing HVAC&R systems. Thus, the present invention achieves a more compact encapsulation and arrangement of HVAC&R systems, thereby enabling the utilization of HVAC&R systems in environments and / or systems with limited available space. Furthermore, the technology of this invention enables improved maintainability and serviceability of HVAC&R systems. For example, the compressor can be easily coupled to and removed from the housing of the heat exchanger assembly to facilitate more efficient compressor replacement and / or maintenance.

[0015] Now turning diagram, Figure 1 This is a perspective view of an embodiment of a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and cooling (HVAC&R) system 10 in a typical commercial building 12. The HVAC&R system 10 may include a vapor compression system 14 (e.g., a chiller) that supplies chilled liquid for cooling the building 12. The HVAC&R system 10 may also include a boiler 16 for supplying warm liquid to heat the building 12 (e.g., a main location), and an air distribution system for circulating air through the building 12. The air distribution system may also include an air return duct 18, an air supply duct 20, and / or an air handling unit 22. In some embodiments, the air handling unit 22 may include a heat exchanger connected by a conduit 24 to the boiler 16 and the vapor compression system 14. Depending on the operating mode of the HVAC&R system 10, the heat exchanger in the air handling unit 22 may receive heated liquid from the boiler 16 and / or chilled liquid from the vapor compression system 14. HVAC&R system 10 is shown as having independent air handling units on each floor of building 12, but in other embodiments, HVAC&R system 10 may include air handling units 22 and / or other components that can be shared between or among floors.

[0016] Figure 2 and Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a vapor compression system 14 that can be used in an HVAC&R system 10. The vapor compression system 14 circulates working fluid through a loop beginning with a compressor 32. The loop may also include a condenser 34, an expansion valve or device 36, and a liquid chiller or evaporator 38. The vapor compression system 14 may further include a control panel 40 having an analog-to-digital (A / D) converter 42, a microprocessor 44, non-volatile memory 46, and / or an interface board 48.

[0017] Some examples of fluids that can be used as the working fluid (e.g., refrigerant) in the vapor compression system 14 are hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) based working fluids such as R-410A, R-407, R-134a, R-1234ze, R1233zd, hydrofluoroolefins (HFO); “natural” working fluids such as ammonia (NH3), R-717, carbon dioxide (CO2), R-744; or hydrocarbon-based working fluids; water vapor; or any other suitable working fluid. In some embodiments, the vapor compression system 14 may be configured to effectively utilize a working fluid having a normal boiling point of about 19 degrees Celsius (66 Fahrenheit) at one atmosphere, also referred to as a low-pressure working fluid (as opposed to a medium-pressure working fluid, such as R-134a). As used herein, “normal boiling point” may refer to the boiling point temperature measured at one atmosphere.

[0018] In some embodiments, the vapor compression system 14 may use one or more of a variable speed drive (VSD) 52, an engine 50, a compressor 32, a condenser 34, an expansion valve or device 36, and / or an evaporator 38. The engine 50 may drive the compressor 32 and may be powered by the variable speed drive (VSD) 52. The VSD 52 receives AC power with a specific line voltage and frequency from an alternating current (AC) power source and supplies power with a variable voltage and frequency to the engine 50. In other embodiments, the engine 50 may be directly powered by AC or direct current (DC) power. The engine 50 may comprise any type of motor that can be powered by a VSD or directly by AC or DC power, such as a switched reluctance motor, an induction motor, an electronically commutated permanent magnet motor, or another suitable motor.

[0019] Compressor 32 compresses the working fluid vapor and delivers the vapor to condenser 34 through a discharge passage. In some embodiments, compressor 32 may be a centrifugal compressor. The working fluid vapor delivered by compressor 32 to condenser 34 can transfer heat to the cooling fluid (e.g., water or air) in condenser 34. The working fluid vapor can condense into working fluid liquid in condenser 34 due to heat transfer with the cooling fluid. The liquid working fluid from condenser 34 can flow through expansion device 36 to evaporator 38. Figure 3In the illustrated embodiment, the condenser 34 is water-cooled and includes a tube bundle 54 connected to a cooling tower 56, which supplies cooling fluid to the condenser 34.

[0020] The liquid working fluid delivered to evaporator 38 can absorb heat from a regulating fluid, which may or may not be the same cooling fluid used in condenser 34. The liquid working fluid in evaporator 38 may undergo a phase change from liquid working fluid to working fluid vapor. For example... Figure 3 As illustrated in the depicted embodiment, the evaporator 38 may include a tube bundle 58 having a supply line 60S and a return line 60R connected to the cooling load 62. Cooling fluid (e.g., water, ethylene glycol, calcium chloride brine, sodium chloride brine, or any other suitable fluid) enters the evaporator 38 via the return line 60R and exits the evaporator 38 via the supply line 60S. The evaporator 38 may reduce the temperature of the cooling fluid in the tube bundle 58 through heat transfer with the working fluid. The tube bundle 58 in the evaporator 38 may include multiple tubes and / or multiple tube bundles. In any case, the vapor working fluid exits the evaporator 38 and returns to the compressor 32 via the suction line to complete the cycle.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the vapor compression system 14, in which an intermediate loop 64 is incorporated between the condenser 34 and the expansion device 36. The intermediate loop 64 may have an inlet line 68 directly fluidly connected to the condenser 34. In other embodiments, the inlet line 68 may be indirectly fluidly coupled to the condenser 34. Figure 4 As illustrated in the depicted embodiment, the inlet conduit 68 includes a first expansion device 66 positioned upstream of the intermediate container 70. In some embodiments, the intermediate container 70 may be a flash evaporator (e.g., a flash evaporative intercooler, a heat saver, etc.). In other embodiments, the intermediate container 70 may be configured as a heat exchanger or a "surface heat saver." Figure 4 In the illustrated embodiment, the intermediate container 70 serves as an instantaneous evaporation tank, and the first expansion device 66 is configured to reduce the pressure of the liquid working fluid received from the condenser 34 (e.g., to expand the liquid working fluid). During the expansion process, a portion of the liquid may evaporate, and therefore, the intermediate container 70 can be used to separate the vapor from the liquid received from the first expansion device 66.

[0022] Additionally, the intermediate container 70 allows for further expansion of the liquid working fluid due to a pressure drop upon entering it (e.g., due to a rapid increase in volume upon entry). The compressor 32 can draw vapor from the intermediate container 70 through its suction line 74. In other embodiments, the vapor in the intermediate container may be drawn into an intermediate stage of the compressor 32 (rather than, for example, the suction stage). The enthalpy of the liquid accumulated in the intermediate container 70 may be lower than that of the liquid working fluid leaving the condenser 34 due to expansion in the expansion device 66 and / or the intermediate container 70. The liquid from the intermediate container 70 may then flow in line 72, through the second expansion device 36, to the evaporator 38. It should be understood that any of the HVAC&R systems discussed above can be utilized according to the present invention. For example, the present invention can be incorporated into embodiments having HVAC&R system 10, vapor compression system 14, boiler 16, refrigerator, heat pump, and / or other HVAC&R equipment discussed above.

[0023] As mentioned above, this disclosure relates to HVAC&R systems (e.g., refrigeration systems) having a compressor and / or one or more components of the compressor at least partially disposed within the housing of a heat exchanger assembly (e.g., a combined heat exchanger). For example, the compressor may include a moving impeller and / or a diffuser at least partially disposed within an internal volume of the housing. For this purpose, the compressor may be directly coupled to the housing of the heat exchanger assembly. The internal volume of the housing may include multiple portions separated and / or partitioned from each other within the housing. For example, a first internal volume portion within the housing may be associated with a first heat exchanger (e.g., a condenser) of the HVAC&R system, and a second internal volume portion within the housing may be associated with a second heat exchanger (e.g., an evaporator) of the HVAC&R system. In other words, the housing of the heat exchanger assembly may include a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger within an internal volume of the housing.

[0024] The compressor receives a flow of working fluid from a first internal volume portion of the heat exchanger assembly, compresses the working fluid, and then directs the working fluid toward a second internal volume portion of the heat exchanger assembly. In effect, the working fluid can flow from the first heat exchanger of the heat exchanger assembly to the compressor and from the compressor to the second heat exchanger of the heat exchanger assembly without flowing through additional conduits extending between the compressor and the first and second heat exchangers (e.g., the heat exchanger assembly) and fluidly coupling the compressor and the first and second heat exchangers. In other words, the HVAC&R system can omit certain additional conduits extending between the compressor and the first and second heat exchangers and fluidly coupling the compressor and the first and second heat exchangers. Therefore, the HVAC&R system can have a reduced size (e.g., physical footprint, total volume occupied) compared to conventional HVAC&R systems. Thus, an HVAC&R system incorporating the technology of this invention can be configured to achieve the efficiency of existing HVAC&R systems with reduced size, cost, and / or complexity associated with manufacturing, installation, and / or operation.

[0025] Considering the foregoing, Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional axial view of an embodiment of an HVAC&R system 100 according to the present invention. The HVAC&R system 100 may be a refrigeration system or other suitable HVAC&R system. In the following discussion, the HVAC&R system 100 may also be described as a “compact HVAC&R system.” The HVAC&R system 100 includes a working fluid circuit 101 (e.g., a vapor compression circuit, a vapor compression system 14) configured to guide a working fluid flow 102 through it. For the sake of clarity, the HVAC&R system 100 and its components may be described with reference to a radial axis 104 (e.g., radial direction), a vertical axis 106 (e.g., vertical direction), and a longitudinal axis 108 (e.g., longitudinal direction), the vertical axis being oriented relative to the direction of gravity.

[0026] HVAC&R system 100 may include a heat exchanger assembly 110 (e.g., a combined heat exchanger) comprising a first heat exchanger 112 (e.g., evaporator 38, first heat exchanger portion) and a second heat exchanger 114 (e.g., condenser 34, second heat exchanger portion) disposed within a housing 116 (e.g., a shell, common shell) of the heat exchanger assembly 110. Specifically, the housing 116 of the heat exchanger assembly 110 includes the first heat exchanger 112 and the second heat exchanger 114 disposed within an internal volume 118 of the housing 116. Therefore, the housing 116 isolates the first heat exchanger 112 and the second heat exchanger 114 from the external environment 120 surrounding the housing 116. The internal volume 118 of the housing 116 may be separable into a first internal volume 122 and a second internal volume 124. For this purpose, the heat exchanger assembly 110 includes an internal flow guide 125 (e.g., a partition, a separation plate) disposed within an internal volume 118 of the housing 116. The internal flow guide 125 may be coupled to the housing 116 to separate the internal volume 118 into a first internal volume 122 and a second internal volume 124 within the housing 116. The internal flow guide 125 may include one or more plates, barriers, panels, partitions, and / or other structural components configured to divide the first internal volume 122 and the second internal volume 124 within the housing 116. Thus, the internal flow guide 125 may impede the flow of the working fluid 102 between the first internal volume 122 and the second internal volume 124 within the housing 116.

[0027] A first heat exchanger 112 may be disposed within a first internal volume 122, and a second heat exchanger 114 may be disposed within a second internal volume 124. By separating the first heat exchanger 112 and the second heat exchanger 114 into the first internal volume 122 and the second internal volume 124 (e.g., via internal flow guide 125), separate flows of the working fluid 102 can be directed separately through the housing 116 and along the working fluid loop 101 as desired, thereby enabling the operation of the HVAC&R system 100. For example, a lower pressure flow of the working fluid 102 may be directed through the first heat exchanger 112 within the housing 116, a lower pressure flow of the working fluid 102 may be directed through the second heat exchanger 114 within the housing 116, and the internal flow guide 125 may prevent the mixing of the higher pressure flow and the lower pressure flow of the working fluid 102 within the housing 116.

[0028] As shown, a heat exchanger assembly 110, including a first heat exchanger 112 and a second heat exchanger 114, is disposed along a working fluid circuit 101. Therefore, when the HVAC&R system 100 guides working fluid 102 along the working fluid circuit 101, the HVAC&R system 100 guides working fluid 102 through the first heat exchanger 112 and the second heat exchanger 114 within the housing 116. The working fluid circuit 101 also includes: an expansion device 126 (e.g., an expansion valve, an electronic expansion valve) configured to expand the working fluid 102; and a compressor 132 configured to drive the flow of working fluid 102 along the working fluid circuit 101 and through the heat exchanger assembly 110 (e.g., the first heat exchanger 112 and the second heat exchanger 114). Details of the compressor 132 are further described below.

[0029] In operation, working fluid 102 can be guided from expansion device 126 along working fluid circuit 101 and into a first internal volume 122 of housing 116 having a first heat exchanger 112. The first heat exchanger 112 can be configured to exchange heat between working fluid 102 and regulating fluid. For example, the first heat exchanger 112 (e.g., heat exchanger assembly 110) can include a plurality of first heat exchanger tubes 128 (e.g., a first tube bundle) located within the first internal volume 122 of housing 116. The plurality of first heat exchanger tubes 128 can be configured to guide regulating fluid (e.g., water, brine) through the first internal volume 122. The working fluid 102 within the first internal volume 122 can contact the first heat exchanger tubes 128, and the first heat exchanger tubes 128 can transfer heat from the regulating fluid being guided through the first heat exchanger tubes 128 to the working fluid 102 being guided across the first heat exchanger tubes 128, thereby cooling the regulating fluid and heating the working fluid 102. The first heat exchanger 112 can cause a portion of the working fluid 102 to vaporize (e.g., evaporate) within the first internal volume 122. The first heat exchanger 112 (e.g., the first internal volume 122) can define a suction section 130 (e.g., outlet, suction outlet, suction column, suction flow path) configured to guide the working fluid 102 (e.g., vapor working fluid) out of the first internal volume 122 and toward the compressor 132 of the HVAC&R system 100. As shown, an internal guide 125 can at least partially define the suction section 130 extending from the first heat exchanger 112 to the compressor 132. That is, the suction section 130 extends from the first internal volume 122 to the compressor 132, as further described below. In some examples, the suction section 130 can be considered as part of the first internal volume 122.

[0030] As shown, compressor 132 is coupled to (e.g., directly coupled to, mounted to) housing 116 of heat exchanger assembly 110. In some embodiments, compressor 132 may be a combined engine and compressor unit (e.g., engine-compressor). In this manner, compressor 132 can be mounted to and removed from housing 116 of heat exchanger assembly 110 as a single unit. Compressor 132 may include housing 133 (e.g., compressor housing, engine housing, combined housing) that includes one or more components of compressor 132, such as engine 135 (e.g., engine 50). Housing 133 may be directly mounted to housing 116 of heat exchanger assembly 110.

[0031] The housing 133 may also include a cooling fluid inlet 134 and a cooling fluid outlet 136. Thus, the housing 133 can receive and discharge a cooling fluid flow 138 that circulates through the housing 133 to cool components of the compressor 132 (e.g., engine 135, stator, rotor, bearings, etc.). In some embodiments, a portion of the conditioning fluid directed through the heat exchanger assembly 110 may be cooling fluid directed into the compressor 132. For example, a portion of the conditioning fluid cooled via the first heat exchanger 112 (e.g., directed through the first heat exchanger tube 128) may be directed into the housing 133 of the compressor 132 via the cooling fluid inlet 134, and the heated conditioning fluid may be directed out of the housing 133 of the compressor 132 via the cooling fluid outlet 136. In another example, a portion of the working fluid 102 discharged through the second heat exchanger 114 may be directed into the housing 133 of the compressor 132 via the cooling fluid inlet 134. Subsequently, the heated working fluid 102 can be guided out of the housing 133 of the compressor 132 via the cooling fluid outlet 136, and then directed toward the first heat exchanger 112. In some embodiments, the heated working fluid 102 guided out of the compressor 132 via the cooling fluid outlet 136 can be directed (e.g., directly) toward the suction section 130 of the first heat exchanger 112 and enter the compressor 132 via the suction section 130.

[0032] The compressor 132 may also include a moving impeller 140 and a diffuser 142 (e.g., a diffuser passage). The motor 135 of the compressor 132 can drive the moving impeller 140 to rotate. Specifically, the moving impeller 140 may be attached (e.g., fixed) to a shaft 143 of the compressor 132 (e.g., the rotor of the motor 135). The motor 135 can drive the rotation of the shaft 143, thereby driving the rotation of the moving impeller 140. Therefore, the compressor 132 can draw working fluid 102 into the compressor 132 (e.g., the moving impeller 140), compress the working fluid 102, and discharge the working fluid 102 from the compressor 132 via the diffuser 142.

[0033] As shown, the impeller 140 and / or diffuser 142 may be at least partially disposed within the housing 116 of the heat exchanger assembly 110. In some embodiments, the length (e.g., dimension) of the diffuser 142 (e.g., in the direction along the radial axis 104) may be associated with the amount of kinetic energy recovered from the working fluid 102 as it is discharged from the compressor 132. A greater length of the diffuser 142 (e.g., in the direction along the radial axis 104) may be associated with a higher flow rate of the working fluid 102 (e.g., discharge flow rate), and a shorter length of the diffuser 142 (e.g., in the direction along the radial axis 104) may be associated with a lower flow rate of the working fluid 102 (e.g., discharge flow rate). In some embodiments, the diffuser 142 may be formed at least partially through the housing 116 of the heat exchanger assembly 110. For example, housing 116 and compressor 132 (e.g., housing 133 of compressor 132) may be manufactured with specific geometries and / or features that, when compressor 132 (e.g., housing 133) is mounted to heat exchanger assembly 110 (e.g., housing 116), these specific geometries and / or features, when assembled together, form diffuser 142. For example, portions of compressor 132 and housing 116 may form diffuser 142 of compressor 132. In some other embodiments, diffuser 142 may be defined by portions of housing 116 of heat exchanger assembly 110, portions of housing 133 of compressor 132, portions of impeller 140, or any combination thereof.

[0034] Compressor 132 may be configured to discharge working fluid 102 into a second internal volume 124 (e.g., a second heat exchanger 114) of heat exchanger assembly 110. The second heat exchanger 114 may be configured to allow the working fluid 102 to exchange heat with a cooling fluid. For example, the second heat exchanger 114 (e.g., heat exchanger assembly 110) may include a plurality of second heat exchanger tubes 144 (e.g., a second tube bundle) located within the second internal volume 124 of housing 116. Working fluid 102 may be directed across the second heat exchanger tubes 144, and the second heat exchanger tubes 144 may transfer heat from the working fluid 102 directed across the second heat exchanger tubes 144 to the cooling fluid directed through the second heat exchanger tubes 144, thereby cooling (e.g., condensing) the working fluid 102 and heating the cooling fluid. The second heat exchanger 114 may cause a portion of the working fluid 102 to condense into a liquid phase.

[0035] A heat exchanger assembly 110 (e.g., a second heat exchanger 114) may include one or more second internal volume outlets 145 (e.g., internal volume outlet, liquid outlet, working fluid outlet, outlet), said one or more second internal volume outlets being configured to discharge working fluid 102 (e.g., liquid working fluid) from the second heat exchanger 114 out of a second internal volume 124 toward different components of an HVAC&R system 100 (e.g., working fluid circuit 101). For example, an internal flow guide 125 may include and / or define the second internal volume outlet 145. The HVAC&R system 100 (e.g., working fluid circuit 101) may include one or more conduits 147 fluidly coupled to the second internal volume outlet 145. The conduits 147 may extend along the working fluid circuit 101 from the outlet 145 to an expansion device 126. Figure 5 As shown, conduit 147 extends from outlet 145 through the first internal volume 122 and through housing 116 to fluidly couple to expansion device 126, which may be disposed outside housing 116. Therefore, conduit 147 can extend from second heat exchanger 114 to expansion device 126 and can guide liquid working fluid 102 through it without mixing it with the working fluid 102 within the first internal volume 122 of housing 116.

[0036] The housing 116 of the heat exchanger assembly 110 may be formed from one or more structural housing assemblies. For example, the housing 116 may be formed from a first housing assembly 150 (e.g., a first shell assembly) and a second housing assembly 152 (e.g., a second shell assembly), the first housing assembly at least partially defining the shape and / or size of a first internal volume 122, and the second housing assembly at least partially defining the shape and / or size of a second internal volume 124. The first housing assembly 150, the second housing assembly 152, or both may be made of metal or other non-permeable materials. The first housing assembly 150 and the second housing assembly 152 may be secured to each other, such as by welding, brazing, mechanical fasteners, and / or other suitable coupling features, to form the housing 116 of the heat exchanger assembly 110.

[0037] The heat exchanger assembly 110 may also include one or more internal structural components, such as internal flow guides 125, which are configured to define a first internal volume 122 and a second internal volume 124 to fluidly separate the first internal volume 122 and the second internal volume 124 and prevent direct flow of the working fluid 102 therebetween. For example, such as Figure 5As shown, the heat exchanger assembly 110 may include an internal guide 125 having one or more structural partitions (e.g., plates, panels, etc.) and an outlet 145 formed therein. As mentioned above, the internal guide 125 and / or its components may extend within the internal volume 118 between a first internal volume 122 and a second internal volume 124 to separate the first internal volume 122 and the second internal volume 124 from each other within the housing 116.

[0038] In some embodiments, the heat exchanger assembly 110 may further include structural partitions, such as guide plates 151 (e.g., vertical guide plates, suction flow guide plates) disposed between subsets of the second heat exchanger tubes 144 to define the suction section 130. Thus, the suction section 130 may extend between a first portion and a second portion of the second internal volume 124. In other words, the first and second portions of the second internal volume 124 may be located on opposite sides of the suction section 130. In some embodiments, the guide plate 151 may be an assembly of the internal flow guide 125. In this way, the working fluid 102 within the first internal volume 122 may not flow directly into the second internal volume 124 without first being guided through the compressor 132. Similarly, the working fluid 102 within the second internal volume 124 may not flow directly into the first internal volume 122 without first being guided along the working fluid loop 101 and through the expansion device 126. In some embodiments, one or more additional structural components may be disposed within the housing 116 (e.g., within the suction section 130 or along a perforated plate of the suction section) to guide the working fluid 102 toward the compressor inlet 154 (e.g., suction port, impeller inlet) and improve the flow of the vapor working fluid 102 from the first internal volume 122 to the compressor 132. In the illustrated embodiment, a guide plate 151 is disposed generally vertically (e.g., along the vertical axis 106) to define the suction section 130 within the housing 116. In practice, the guide plate 151 may be disposed within the housing 116 to define the suction section 130 such that the suction section 130 is generally aligned with the compressor inlet 154 (e.g., aligned along the vertical axis 106).

[0039] Additional structural components within the housing 116 (such as components of the internal flow guide 125) may be configured or arranged to facilitate the flow of working fluid 102 through the housing 116, such as through the first internal volume 122 and / or through the second internal volume 124. For example, the internal flow guide 125 may include one or more curved portions 155 (e.g., curved panels, bow-shaped portions, curved sections, curved sheets) extending within the housing 116 and at least partially separating the first internal volume 122 from the second internal volume 124 within the housing 116. The curved portions 155 may facilitate the desired flow of working fluid 102 through the first internal volume 122, the second internal volume 124, or both. For example, the internal flow guide 125 may include two curved portions 155 positioned on opposite sides of the suction section 130 (e.g., in a direction along the radial axis 104). The convex surface 156 of the curved portion 155 may face the first internal volume 122 and facilitate the flow of the vapor working fluid 102 toward the suction section 130 and the compressor inlet 154. The concave surface 158 of the curved portion 155 may face the second internal volume 124 and may be positioned generally below one or more tubes (e.g., a bundle of tubes) of the second heat exchanger tube 144 (e.g., relative to the vertical axis 106). The concave surface 158 may be configured to guide the liquid working fluid 102 toward an outlet 145 (e.g., condensed via heat exchange with a cooling fluid), the outlet being formed in the concave surface 158.

[0040] In some embodiments, the heat exchanger assembly 110 may include a submerged heat exchanger. For example, the first heat exchanger 112 may be a submerged evaporator. Thus, one or more of the first heat exchanger tubes 128 may be immersed in a liquid working fluid 102 in the first internal volume 122, enabling the working fluid 102 to exchange heat with a regulating fluid guided through the first heat exchanger tubes 128. Once the liquid working fluid 102 in the first internal volume 122 evaporates or vaporizes, the vapor working fluid 102 may be guided into the suction section 130 within the housing 116 and disposed between the second heat exchanger tubes 144 within the second internal volume 124 to flow toward the compressor inlet 154.

[0041] As mentioned above, according to the present invention, compressor 132 can be mounted to housing 116 of heat exchanger assembly 110. Specifically, housing 133 of compressor 132 can enclose one or more components of compressor 132 (e.g., engine 135, shaft 143) and can be mounted (e.g., directly mounted) to housing 116 of heat exchanger assembly 110. Additionally, impeller 140 and diffuser 142 of compressor 132 can be at least partially disposed within internal volume 118 of housing 116 of heat exchanger assembly 110. In this manner, working fluid flow 102 can be drawn directly from housing 116 (e.g., suction section 130) to impeller 140 (e.g., compressor inlet 154) without flowing through an intermediate conduit extending from housing 116 to compressor inlet 154. Similarly, the working fluid 102, pressurized and / or compressed by the compressor 132, can be discharged directly via the diffuser 142 into the internal volume 118 of the housing 116 (e.g., directly into the second internal volume 124). In some applications, the arrangement of the compressor 132 described herein allows the working fluid 102 to be compressed at least partially within the housing 116 of the heat exchanger assembly 110.

[0042] As shown, compressor 132 is mounted to housing 116 of heat exchanger assembly 110 in a generally vertical orientation (e.g., aligned along vertical axis 106). In some embodiments, the axis of rotation 160 of compressor 132 (e.g., shaft 143, impeller 140) may be generally aligned (e.g., coaxial) with suction section 130. In other words, axis of rotation 160 may be generally vertically oriented, such as aligned with vertical axis 106. The axis of rotation 160 may extend generally laterally (e.g., perpendicularly) to longitudinal axis 108 of housing 116 and / or may be generally laterally (e.g., perpendicularly) to said longitudinal axis. Thus, working fluid 102 may be drawn from suction section 130 into impeller 140 along axis of rotation 160 and / or along vertical axis 106, and may be discharged at least partially along radial axis 104 from impeller 140 and diffuser 142 into second internal volume 124, as shown. With the compressor 132 (e.g., the housing 133 of the compressor 132) directly mounted to the housing 116 of the heat exchanger assembly 110 and the impeller 140 at least partially disposed within the internal volume 118 of the housing 116, the working fluid 102 can flow from the housing 116 to the impeller 140 and from the diffuser 142 back to the housing 116 without the need for intervening components such as ducts, casings, fittings, vortex tubes, etc. In this way, the area, volume, and / or space occupied by the HVAC&R system 100 can be reduced. That is, the HVAC&R system 100 can be assembled more compactly, which allows the HVAC&R system 100 to be implemented in a wider range of applications and / or environments. The disclosed technology also makes it possible to reduce the costs associated with the manufacture, assembly, and / or maintenance of the HVAC&R system 100.

[0043] Figure 6This is a cross-sectional side view of an embodiment of the HVAC&R system 100. The illustrated embodiment includes similar elements and element numbers as described above. A first heat exchanger 112 disposed within a first internal volume 122 allows the working fluid 102 to exchange heat with a conditioning fluid (e.g., water) guided through a plurality of first heat exchanger tubes 128, and a second heat exchanger 114 disposed within a second internal volume 124 allows the working fluid 102 to exchange heat with a cooling fluid guided through a plurality of second heat exchanger tubes 144. In some embodiments, the first heat exchanger 112 and the second heat exchanger 114 may comprise heat exchanger tubes arranged in one or more respective tube bundles 180. In practice, the first heat exchanger 112 and the second heat exchanger 114 may comprise different numbers of tube bundles 180 having respective heat exchanger tubes (e.g., tubes 128, 144). For example, the first heat exchanger 112 may contain a greater number of first heat exchanger tubes 128 and / or tube bundles 180 than the number of second heat exchanger tubes 144 and / or tube bundles 180 in the second heat exchanger 114.

[0044] The heat exchanger assembly 110 may include a first end 182 (e.g., a first longitudinal end) and a second end 184 (e.g., a second longitudinal end) of a housing 116. A compressor 132 may be positioned along the housing 116 at a first distance 186 from the first end 182 and at a second distance 188 from the second end 184. In some embodiments, the first distance 186 and the second distance 188 may be similar to each other. For example, the compressor 132 may be mounted to the housing 116 at a central location relative to the first end 182 and the second end 184 (e.g., along the longitudinal axis 108). In some other embodiments, the compressor 132 may be positioned along the housing 116 at another location (e.g., not centered relative to the first end 182 and the second end 184 and / or not centered along the longitudinal axis 108). For example, the compressor 132 may be positioned closer to the first end 182 than to the second end 184, or closer to the second end 184 than to the first end 182.

[0045] The suction section 130 within the housing 116 may be at least partially defined by an internal flow guide 125 disposed within the housing 116. In some embodiments, the internal flow guide 125 may be structurally coupled to a first housing assembly 150, a second housing assembly 152, or both. The internal flow guide 125 may include one or more structural components, such as a first plate 190 and a second plate 192 (e.g., a second longitudinal guide). The first plate 190 (e.g., a first longitudinal guide) and the second plate 192 may be configured to at least partially maintain fluid separation between a first internal volume 122 and a second internal volume 124 within the housing 116.

[0046] The first plate 190 and the second plate 192 may each extend at least partially along the longitudinal axis 108 and at least partially along the vertical axis 106, respectively. Additionally, the first plate 190 and the second plate 192 may be arranged at an angle relative to each other, such that the first plate 190 and the second plate 192 form a flow path of the suction section 130, the flow path having a wedge geometry (e.g., in the direction of flow of the working fluid 102 from the first internal volume 122 toward the compressor inlet 154). For example, the first plate 190 may be positioned lower within the housing 116 at a first end 182 relative to the vertical axis 106 than at the compressor inlet 154. Similarly, the second plate 192 may be positioned lower within the housing 116 at a second end 184 relative to the vertical axis 106 than at the compressor inlet 154. In this manner, the first plate 190 and the second plate 192 can guide the working fluid flow 102 from the first internal volume 122 through the suction section 130 and toward the compressor inlet 154. Additionally, the geometry, configuration, and / or shape of the flow path defined by one or more components of the internal guide 125 can cause the working fluid flow 102 to impinge on the first plate 190, the second plate 192, or both, which can cause droplets in the working fluid 102 to accumulate on the surface of the internal guide 125 and / or be guided back toward the first heat exchanger 112 for further heat transfer and vaporization. The working fluid 102 located near the first end 182 of the housing 116 and within the first internal volume 122, near the second end 184 of the housing 116 and within the first internal volume 122, or at a location between ends 182 and 184, can be guided to the compressor inlet 154 via the first plate 190 and the second plate 192.

[0047] In some embodiments, the internal flow guide 125 may include one or more reinforcing plates 194 disposed within the housing 116, such as within the intake section 130. For example, the reinforcing plate 194 may extend from and / or between guide plates 151, which at least partially define the intake section 130. In some embodiments, the reinforcing plate 194 may extend within the intake section 130 to at least partially separate the intake section 130 into intake sub-sections 196. Working fluid 102 guided through the intake section 130 may be directed by the one or more reinforcing plates 194 to flow through one or more of the individual intake sub-sections 196. The reinforcing plate 194 may facilitate the separation of vapor working fluid 102 from droplets entrained within the vapor working fluid 102. The reinforcing plate 194 may additionally or alternatively provide structural support for the internal flow guide 125. The reinforcing plate 194 may be formed of metal or other suitable materials.

[0048] As mentioned above, in some embodiments, the expansion device 126 may be located outside the housing 116 and within the external environment 120 of the HVAC&R system 100. The expansion device 126 may be configured to receive working fluid 102 from the second internal volume 124 via a first conduit 198 (e.g., conduit 147) of the working fluid circuit 101, and to guide the expanded working fluid 102 toward the first internal volume 122 via a second conduit 200 of the working fluid circuit 101. As discussed above, the first conduit 198 may be fluidly coupled to an outlet 145 and may extend within and through the housing 116 to be fluidly coupled to the expansion device 126. While the illustrated embodiment depicts the expansion device 126, the first conduit 198, and the second conduit 200 located at a first end 182 of the housing 116, in some other embodiments, the expansion device 126, the first conduit 198, and / or the second conduit 200 may be located within the housing 116 of the heat exchanger assembly 110 and / or at different locations along the housing. In some embodiments, the expansion device 126, the first conduit 198, and the second conduit 200 may be located on a common side of the HVAC&R system 100. In some other embodiments, the expansion device 126, the first conduit 198, and / or the second conduit 200 may be located on different sides or ends of the housing 116. For example, the first conduit 198 may receive working fluid 102 from a second internal volume 124 (e.g., via outlet 145) at a first end 182 of the housing 116, and the second conduit 200 may guide working fluid 102 toward the first internal volume 122 at a second end 184 of the housing 116. In some embodiments, the HVAC&R system 100 may include a plurality of first conduits 198 and / or a plurality of second conduits 200 disposed along different ends and / or portions of the housing 116. In this manner, the expansion device 126 may receive working fluid 102 from the first end 182 of the housing 116, from the second end 184 of the housing 116, or from both the first end and the second end. Similarly, a plurality of second conduits 200 may distribute the expanded working fluid 102 such that the working fluid 102 is guided across the first heat exchanger 112 near the first end 182, near the second end 184, or between the first end 182 and the second end 184.

[0049] Figure 7This is a perspective view of a portion of an embodiment of the heat exchanger assembly 110, illustrating an embodiment of an internal flow guide 125 configured to be disposed within a housing 116. The illustrated embodiment also shows a first housing assembly 150 that at least partially defines the shape and / or size of a first internal volume 122. As previously mentioned, an intake section 130 is disposed between portions or sub-sections of a second internal volume 124 such that the intake section 130 can guide the working fluid 102 from the first internal volume 122 to the compressor inlet 154. Therefore, a second heat exchanger tube 144 of a second heat exchanger 114 may be disposed on both sides (e.g., opposite sides) of the intake section 130. As mentioned above, the internal flow guide 125 may include a first plate 190 and a second plate 192. The internal flow guide 125 may also include a guide plate 151 that extends from the first plate 190 to the second plate 192. In this manner, the internal guide 125 defines a flow path (e.g., suction flow path, suction section 130) from the first internal volume 122 to the compressor inlet 154, which is fluidly separated from the second internal volume 124 within the housing 116. In some embodiments, the internal guide 125 defines a suction section outlet port 250 located at the end 252 of the suction section 130. The suction section outlet port 250 may be formed by the space between the edge 254 of the first plate 190, the edge 256 of the second plate 192, and / or the edge 258 of the guide plate 151. The suction section outlet port 250 may be fluidly coupled to the compressor inlet 154, such that the working fluid 102 guided through the suction section 130 may be received by the compressor 132 (e.g., impeller 140).

[0050] According to the present invention, an HVAC&R system includes a heat exchanger assembly having a housing or enclosure and a compressor directly coupled to the housing or enclosure of the heat exchanger assembly. The housing of the heat exchanger assembly may be divided or separated into a first internal volume and a second internal volume, wherein a first heat exchanger of the HVAC&R system is disposed within the first internal volume, and a second heat exchanger of the HVAC&R system is disposed within the second internal volume. In some embodiments, portions of the compressor (such as the compressor's impeller and / or diffuser) may be at least partially disposed within the housing of the heat exchanger assembly. Therefore, the heat exchanger assembly can directly guide working fluid from the first heat exchanger within the heat exchanger assembly to the compressor, and the compressor can directly guide working fluid to the second heat exchanger within the heat exchanger assembly. Thus, the HVAC&R system may not include certain components typically included in existing HVAC&R systems, such as suction ducts. Therefore, the overall physical size of the HVAC&R system can be reduced, and the HVAC&R system can occupy less space, which makes it possible to install, operate, transport and / or maintain the HVAC&R system more versatilely and reduce the associated costs.

[0051] Although only certain features and embodiments of this disclosure are illustrated and described, many modifications and alterations will occur to those skilled in the art (e.g., variations in the size, dimensions, structure, shape and proportion of various elements, values ​​of parameters (e.g., temperature, pressure, etc.), installation arrangements, material usage, color, orientation, etc.) without substantially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter set forth in the claims. The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be changed or rearranged according to alternative embodiments. Therefore, it should be noted that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and alterations that fall within the true spirit of this disclosure.

[0052] Furthermore, to provide a concise description of exemplary embodiments, not all features of actual implementations (i.e., those features not relevant to the best mode for carrying out this disclosure currently covered, or those features not relevant to implementing the required embodiments) may not have been described. It should be understood that in developing any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, a variety of implementation-specific decisions may be made. This developmental effort may be complex and time-consuming, but remains a routine task of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains.

[0053] The techniques presented and claimed herein are referenced and applied to material objects and specific examples that explicitly improve the technical field and therefore do not have abstract, intangible, or purely theoretical properties. Furthermore, if any claim appended to this specification includes one or more elements designated as “a component for [performing] [the function]” or “a step for [performing] [the function]”, such elements are intended to be interpreted according to 35 USC 112(f). However, for any claim containing elements designated in any other way, such elements are not intended to be interpreted according to 35 USC 112(f).

Claims

1. A heating, ventilation, air conditioning and cooling (HVAC&R) system, comprising: - A switch assembly including a housing, wherein the housing defines a first internal volume and a second internal volume; as well as - A compressor, directly coupled to the housing of the heat exchanger assembly, wherein the compressor includes a moving impeller, and the moving impeller is at least partially disposed within the housing of the heat exchanger assembly. The compressor is configured to receive a working fluid flow from the first internal volume and discharge the working fluid flow into the second internal volume.

2. The HVAC&R system of claim 1, comprising an internal flow guide disposed within the housing of the heat exchanger assembly, wherein the internal flow guide is configured to separate the first internal volume and the second internal volume within the housing.

3. The HVAC&R system of claim 2, wherein the internal flow guide defines an intake flow path extending from the first internal volume to the impeller inlet of the impeller.

4. The HVAC&R system of claim 3, wherein the suction flow path extends along the rotation axis of the compressor from the first internal volume to the impeller inlet.

5. The HVAC&R system of claim 3, wherein the inhalation flow path extends between a first portion of the second internal volume and a second portion of the second internal volume.

6. The HVAC&R system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the compressor includes a compressor housing, and the compressor housing is directly mounted to the housing of the heat exchanger assembly.

7. The HVAC&R system of claim 6, wherein the compressor includes an engine disposed within the compressor housing, and the rotation axis of the engine is oriented transversely to the longitudinal axis of the housing of the heat exchanger assembly.

8. The HVAC&R system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the heat exchanger assembly includes a plurality of first heat exchanger tubes disposed within the first internal volume and a plurality of second heat exchanger tubes disposed within the second internal volume, wherein the plurality of first heat exchanger tubes are configured to circulate a first fluid and the plurality of second heat exchanger tubes are configured to guide a second fluid through.

9. The HVAC&R system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the compressor includes a diffuser configured to receive the working fluid flow from the moving impeller, and the diffuser is at least partially disposed within the housing of the heat exchanger assembly.

10. A heating, ventilation, air conditioning and cooling (HVAC&R) system, comprising: -Working fluid circuit; - A heat exchanger assembly disposed along the working fluid circuit, wherein the heat exchanger assembly includes a housing defining an internal volume; - An internal flow guide is disposed within the housing of the heat exchanger assembly, wherein the internal flow guide separates the internal volume into a first internal volume and a second internal volume within the housing; as well as - A compressor, which includes: - Compressor housing, which is mounted to the housing of the heat exchanger assembly; - A moving impeller, which is disposed at least partially within the housing of the heat exchanger assembly; and - An engine disposed within the compressor housing, wherein the engine is configured to drive the impeller to rotate at least partially within the housing of the heat exchanger assembly.

11. The HVAC&R system of claim 10, wherein the compressor is configured to draw working fluid directly from the internal volume of the housing into the impeller and to discharge the working fluid directly from the compressor into the internal volume of the housing.

12. The HVAC&R system of claim 11, wherein the compressor is configured to draw the working fluid flow from the first internal volume into the moving impeller and discharge the working fluid flow from the compressor into the second internal volume.

13. The HVAC&R system according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the heat exchanger assembly comprises: - A first heat exchanger disposed within the first internal volume, wherein the first heat exchanger includes a plurality of first heat exchanger tubes disposed within the first internal volume, and the plurality of first heat exchanger tubes are configured to circulate a first fluid so that the first fluid and the working fluid form a first heat exchange relationship; as well as - A second heat exchanger disposed within the second internal volume, wherein the second heat exchanger includes a plurality of second heat exchanger tubes disposed within the second internal volume, and the plurality of second heat exchanger tubes are configured to circulate a second fluid through which a second fluid is exchanged with the working fluid in a second heat exchange relationship.

14. The HVAC&R system according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the working fluid circuit comprises: - An expansion valve is disposed outside the housing of the heat exchanger assembly; - A first conduit extending from the second internal volume within the housing to the expansion valve; as well as - A second conduit extending from the expansion valve into the first internal volume within the housing.

15. The HVAC&R system of any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein the internal flow guide defines an intake flow path within the housing, the internal flow guide being configured to direct working fluid flow from the first internal volume to the inlet of the impeller, and the intake flow path being aligned with the rotation axis of the engine.

16. The HVAC&R system of claim 15, wherein the internal flow guide includes a first plate and a second plate, wherein the first plate and the second plate define a wedge-shaped portion of the suction flow path from the first internal volume to the inlet of the moving impeller.

17. The HVAC&R system of any one of claims 10 to 16, wherein the internal airflow guide includes a curved portion extending between the first internal volume and the second internal volume, wherein a convex surface of the curved portion faces the first internal volume and a concave surface of the curved portion faces the second internal volume.

18. A heating, ventilation, air conditioning and cooling (HVAC&R) system, comprising: - A heat exchanger assembly comprising: - The outer shell, which defines the internal volume; - An internal flow guide is disposed within the housing, wherein the internal flow guide separates the internal volume into a first internal volume and a second internal volume within the housing; - A plurality of first heat exchanger tubes disposed within the first internal volume, wherein the plurality of first heat exchanger tubes are configured to guide a first fluid through; and - A plurality of second heat exchanger tubes disposed within the second internal volume, wherein the plurality of second heat exchanger tubes are configured to guide a second fluid through; and - A compressor directly coupled to the housing of the heat exchanger assembly, wherein the compressor includes a moving impeller and an engine configured to drive the rotation of the moving impeller, the moving impeller being at least partially disposed within the housing of the heat exchanger assembly, and the compressor being configured to draw a working fluid flow directly from the first internal volume into the moving impeller and discharge the working fluid flow directly into the second internal volume.

19. The HVAC&R system of claim 18, wherein the compressor includes a compressor housing directly mounted to the housing of the heat exchanger assembly, and the engine is configured to rotate the impeller about an axis of rotation, and the axis of rotation is vertically oriented relative to the direction of gravity.

20. The HVAC&R system of claim 18 or 19, wherein the plurality of first heat exchanger tubes are configured to transfer heat from the first fluid to the working fluid flow, and the plurality of second heat exchanger tubes are configured to transfer heat from the working fluid flow to the second fluid.

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