Horizontal Flash Tank Economizer for Density-Based Phase Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional chiller systems face inefficiencies in vapor and liquid refrigerant separation in flash tank economizers, leading to suboptimal heat transfer and increased energy consumption due to residual vapor in liquid refrigerant and droplets in vapor streams.
Innovation Solution
The integration of a horizontally elongate flash tank economizer with perforated plates and a specific configuration of inlet and outlet conduits, vapor and liquid outlets, and a sufficient refrigerant flowpath length to separate vapor and liquid phases effectively, eliminating the need for a spray bar and wire mesh demister, enhancing phase separation and heat transfer efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional flash tank economizers are used with spray bars and wire mesh demisters, then vapor and liquid refrigerant separation can be achieved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the spray bar and wire mesh demister components from the flash tank economizer, extracting only the essential function of phase separation. The simplified design uses a flash tank with inlet and outlet conduits positioned to naturally separate vapor and liquid phases through density differences, eliminating unnecessary components while maintaining separation effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The flash tank economizer uses the natural density difference between vapor and liquid refrigerant phases to achieve separation without additional active components. The vapor rises to the top and exits through the vapor outlet, while liquid settles at the bottom and exits through the liquid outlet, allowing the system to self-regulate phase separation based on physical properties rather than requiring mechanical intervention.
2Loss of energy
If flash tank economizer is integrated into two stage centrifugal chiller, then energy efficiency improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flash tank economizer is integrated into the refrigerant flowpath of the two stage centrifugal chiller, merging the phase separation function directly into the existing system architecture. The economizer receives refrigerant from the condenser, separates phases, and delivers cooled liquid to the evaporator, combining multiple functions (heat rejection, phase separation, refrigerant cooling) into a unified flowpath that reduces energy losses.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes phase transitions of the refrigerant to achieve cooling and energy recovery. Refrigerant condenses in the condenser, then partially evaporates in the flash tank to cool the remaining liquid, and finally evaporates completely in the evaporator to absorb heat from the chilled water, efficiently utilizing latent heat at each stage.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration improves refrigerant phase separation, reduces energy consumption, and enhances the overall efficiency of the chiller system by ensuring pure vapor and liquid streams, thereby optimizing heat absorption and rejection processes.
Implementation Method 1
a flash tank economizer with an inlet conduit, a vapor outlet, and a liquid outlet. The length of the refrigerant flowpath between the first expansion device and the outlet of the inlet conduit is at least 0.5 m
Implementation Method 2
an evaporator having an evaporator water path leg extending from a water inlet to a water outlet... refrigerant is further cooled by expansion in the expansion device and absorbs heat in the evaporator from a second water loop
Implementation Method 3
Refrigerant compressed by the compressor is cooled in the condenser by transferring heat to a first water loop
Implementation Method 4
An exemplary economizer is a flash tank economizer wherein a portion of the refrigerant delivered from the condenser is expanded (flashed) into a vapor portion, leaving a liquid portion
Data Source
AI summary
A system comprises the integrated combination of: a condenser having a condenser water path leg extending from a water inlet to a water outlet; a first expansion device; a flash tank economizer; a second expansion device; an evaporator having an evaporator water path leg extending from a water inlet to a water outlet; and a refrigerant flowpath passing sequentially through the condenser, the first expansion device, the economizer, the second expansion device and the evaporator. The flash tank economizer comprises a horizontally elongate body having a first end and a second end. The economizer has an inlet conduit having an outlet. The economizer has a liquid outlet, a vapor outlet, and a medium between the outlet of the inlet conduit and the liquid outlet. A length of the refrigerant flowpath between the first expansion device and the outlet of the inlet conduit is at least 0.5 m.