Refrigeration evaporators and systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigeration systems face inefficiencies due to high cycle rates, thermal heat transfer inefficiencies, and poor temperature maintenance in portable and mobile refrigeration systems, leading to increased energy consumption and reduced performance, especially in maintaining consistent compartment temperatures.
Innovation Solution
A refrigeration evaporator design featuring a plurality of fluidly connected liquid chambers with overflow inlets and outlets, and a vapour circuit with draw-off vapour channels to prevent slugs of liquid from entering the vapour circuit, allowing for improved thermal transfer and reduced energy consumption by optimizing the flow of refrigerant and vapour.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a high cycle rate is used to maintain compartment temperatures, then the compartment temperature stability is improved, but the energy consumption increases due to frequent compressor startup and inefficient operation during start-up zones
Solution Approach 1:
The evaporator is divided into multiple liquid chambers (first, second, third chambers) that are fluidly connected and fill sequentially. This segmentation allows the evaporator to build up liquid refrigerant in stages, reducing the start-up zone time and enabling the compressor to reach efficient operating conditions faster, thereby reducing energy consumption while maintaining temperature stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid chambers are designed to accumulate liquid refrigerant in advance before it is needed for effective cooling. The sequential filling of chambers ensures that liquid refrigerant is readily available in the evaporator, eliminating the delay during compressor start-up and allowing immediate efficient operation, thus reducing the overall cycle time and energy consumption.
2Productivity
If liquid refrigerant flows rapidly through the evaporator, then the cooling capacity increases, but slugs of liquid refrigerant may enter the vapour circuit and cause harmful effects
Solution Approach 1:
The evaporator design incorporates intermediate liquid chambers that act as buffers between the liquid inlet and the vapour circuit. These chambers sequentially accumulate and release liquid refrigerant, moderating the flow rate and preventing sudden slugs of liquid from entering the vapour circuit, thereby protecting the system while maintaining cooling capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid chambers change the flow parameters of the refrigerant by controlling the rate at which liquid enters the evaporation zone. By regulating the liquid flow through sequential chamber filling, the system maintains optimal flow rates that maximize cooling capacity while preventing liquid carryover into the vapour circuit.
3Device complexity
If the evaporator uses a simple single-chamber design, then the device complexity is reduced, but the thermal transfer efficiency and temperature consistency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The evaporator is segmented into multiple liquid chambers that are fluidly connected, allowing sequential filling and more uniform heat distribution. This segmentation improves thermal transfer efficiency and temperature consistency within the compartment while adding only moderate structural complexity, as the chambers are integrated within a single evaporator assembly.
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 design enhances thermal transfer efficiency, reduces energy consumption, and maintains consistent compartment temperatures, improving the overall performance and reducing the need for frequent cycling, thus addressing the inefficiencies in existing systems.
Implementation Method 1
each of the liquid chambers are interconnected by respective overflow inlets and outlets to allow flow of liquid refrigerant between the plurality of fluidly connected liquid chambers under gravity
Implementation Method 2
a vapour circuit comprising respective draw off vapour channels being provided to receive flow of refrigerant vapour from corresponding liquid chambers, the draw off vapour channels being in fluid communication with peripheral vapour channels disposed along peripheral regions of the evaporator for reducing or preventing slugs of liquid refrigerant flowing into the vapour circuit
Implementation Method 3
Thermal heat transfer relies on thermal transfer from the cooling (evaporator) plate to the air inside the refrigerator storage compartment
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigeration evaporator comprising fluidly connected liquid chambers disposed between first and second layers of material, and an inlet for receiving and introducing liquid refrigerant into one of the liquid chambers. Each of the chambers are interconnected by respective overflow inlets and outlets to allow flow of liquid refrigerant between the connected chambers under gravity such that, during influent flow of the liquid through the inlet, the chambers accumulate the liquid sequentially to impede the flow. The evaporator further comprises vapor circuit including respective draw off vapor channels for receiving flow of refrigerant vapor from corresponding chambers. The vapor channels are in fluid communication with peripheral vapor channels disposed along peripheral regions of the evaporator for reducing or preventing slugs of liquid refrigerant flowing into the circuit. The circuit and the overflow inlets and outlets are disposed between the first and second layers of material.