Integrated heat exchanger for use in a refrigeration system

Abstract

A refrigeration system includes a multiple stage compressor 10 having at least two stages 12,14 for sequentially compressing the refrigerant together with a gas cooler 21 connected to the compressor 10 for receiving compressed refrigerant from the last stage 14 of the compressor to cool the same. An evaporator 18 is connected to the gas cooler 21 via an expansion device to receive cool refrigerant therefrom and cool the fluid stream passing through the evaporator 18 . A return passage connects the evaporator 18 to the first stage 12 of the compressor and an intercooler 26 is connected between the first stage 12 and the last stage 14 of the compressor to cool refrigerant compressed by the first stage 12 and direct the refrigerant cooled thereby to the last stage 14 for further compression. The intercooler 26 and the gas cooler 21 are integrated into a single unit 22 and receive a single cooling heat exchange fluid and the gas cooler 21 has a larger heat transfer surface area than the intercooler 26.

1 . A refrigeration system comprising: 
 a multistage compressor having at least two stages for sequentially compressing a refrigerant;    a gas cooler connected to the compressor for receiving compressed refrigerant from a last stage of the compressor to cool the same;    an evaporator connected to the gas cooler to receive cooled refrigerant therefrom and cool a fluid stream passing through the evaporator;    a return passage connecting the evaporator to a first stage of the compressor to return refrigerant thereto to be compressed therein; and    an intercooler connected between said first stage and said last stage to cool refrigerant compressed by said first stage and direct the refrigerant cooled thereby to said last stage for further compression thereby;    said intercooler and said gas cooler being integrated into a single unit to receive a single cooling heat exchange fluid, said gas cooler having a larger heat transfer area than said intercooler, said heat transfer area being the area of the respective coolers through which heat transfer between said refrigerant and said single cooling heat exchange fluid occurs.    
   
   
       2 . The refrigeration system of  claim 1  wherein said gas cooler is a cross-counter flow heat exchanger having plural tube or passage rows through which the refrigerant serially passes from back to front in relation to the direction of flow of said single cooling heat exchange fluid through said gas cooler.  
   
   
       3 . The refrigeration system of  claim 2  wherein said gas cooler and said intercooler are in side-by-side abutting relation to define a single, split face through which said single cooling heat exchange fluid enters said unit, and include common header assemblies extending between remote sides of said gas cooler and said intercooler, and baffles in said header assemblies isolating refrigerant flow paths in said intercooler from refrigerant flow paths in said gas cooler.  
   
   
       4 . The refrigeration system of  claim 3  wherein said intercooler has plural tube or passage rows through which the refrigerant serially passes, the number of tube or passage rows in said intercooler being less than the number of tube or passage rows in said gas cooler.  
   
   
       5 . The refrigeration system of  claim 4  wherein the number of said rows in said gas cooler is at least twice the number of said rows in said gas cooler.  
   
   
       6 . The refrigeration system of  claim 5  wherein said rows in said gas cooler are defined by aligned runs of serpentine tubes and said rows in said intercooler are defined by U-shaped or serpentine tubes.  
   
   
       7 . The refrigeration system of  claim 2  wherein said gas cooler and said intercooler are interleaved with said tubes or passages of said gas cooler being located between adjacent tubes or passages of said intercooler.  
   
   
       8 . The refrigeration system of  claim 7  wherein there are plural rows of tubes and passages in said intercooler and said rows in said gas cooler are defined by aligned runs of serpentine tubes and said rows in said intercooler are defined by aligned runs of U-shaped or serpentine tubes.  
   
   
       9 . The refrigeration system of  claim 7  wherein said intercooler has plural rows of tubes or passages and there are more tubes or passages in each row of said gas cooler than said intercooler, and the tubes or passages of said intercooler are substantially uniformly distributed between tubers or passages of said gas cooler.  
   
   
       10 . The refrigeration system of  claim 9  wherein said rows in said gas cooler are defined by aligned runs of serpentine tubes and said rows in said intercooler are defined by aligned runs U-shaped or serpentine tubes.  
   
   
       11 . An integrated, interleaved heat exchanger comprising: 
 a first plurality of tubes bent to define a plurality of aligned, parallel runs;    a second plurality of tubes bent to define a plurality of aligned parallel runs;    first header assemblies connected to ends of the tubes of the first plurality and in fluid communication with the interiors thereof;    second header assemblies connected to the ends of the tubes of the first plurality and in fluid communication with the interiors thereof;    the tubes of the first plurality being located between the tubes of the second plurality in a substantially uniform manner, and in spaced relation to one another;    the parallel runs of the tubes in each plurality defining rows; and    fins extending between adjacent tubes in said rows.    
   
   
       12 . The integrated interleaved heat exchanger of  claim 11  wherein the tubes of both of said pluralities have the same number of runs.  
   
   
       13 . The integrated interleaved heat exchanger of  claim 11  wherein the number of runs defined by each tube in said first plurality is greater than the number of runs defined by each tube of said second plurality.  
   
   
       14 . The integrated interleaved heat exchanger of  claim 13  wherein said first and second plurality of tubes and said fins define a generally rectangular heat exchanger core and said header assemblies are all on one side of said core.  
   
   
       15 . The integrated interleaved heat exchanger of  claim 11  wherein the tubes of said first plurality are serpentine tubes and the tubes of said second plurality are U-shaped or serpentine tubes.  
   
   
       16 . The integrated interleaved heat exchanger of  claim 15  wherein the number of runs defined by each tube in said first plurality is greater than the number of runs defined by each tube in said second plurality.  
   
   
       17 . The integrated interleaved heat exchanger of  claim 14  wherein said first and second plurality of tubes and said fins define a generally rectangular heat exchanger core and said header assemblies are all on one side of said core.  
   
   
       18 . The integrated interleaved heat exchanger of  claim 13  wherein the second plurality of tubes have corresponding ends located inwardly of the ends of the tubes of said first plurality and said second header assemblies are located between said first header assemblies.  
   
   
       19 . The integrated interleaved heat exchanger of  claim 13  wherein the second plurality of tubes have corresponding ends located outwardly of the ends of said first plurality and said first header assemblies are located between said second header assemblies.