Flooded plate heat exchanger

Abstract

The present invention discloses a heat exchanging apparatus including a plate type heat exchanger auxiliary vessel arrangement whereby the auxiliary vessel contains fluid in more than one phase to enable the corresponding plate type heat exchanger to be flooded with heat exchanger fluid in order to fully employ its heat exchange surfaces in the task of exchanging heat.

1 . An evaporator heat exchanger apparatus comprising:
 a plate heat exchanger,   a secondary vessel disposed at an upper position of said plate heat exchanger, and being in fluid connection therewith,   the secondary vessel having at least one fluid inlet and at least one fluid outlet,   said secondary vessel containing refrigerant in liquid, gas, and/or a two-phase state,   a liquid refrigerant fluid connection connecting the bottom of the secondary vessel and the top of the plate heat exchanger such that substantially all available heat exchanger surface area in said plate heat exchanger is exposed to refrigerant to be evaporated,   wherein said secondary vessel contains multi-phase refrigerant, and releases gas phase refrigerant.   
   
   
       2 . An evaporator heat exchanger apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 said secondary vessel being contiguous with said plate heat exchanger.   
   
   
       3 . An evaporator heat exchanger apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 said secondary vessel being separate from and in fluid connection with said plate heat exchanger.   
   
   
       4 . An evaporator heat exchanger apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 said fluid inlet being in fluid connection with said expansion valve, said fluid outlet being in fluid connection with said compressor.   
   
   
       5 . An evaporator heat exchanger apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 further comprising an automatically actuated expansion valve, an expansion valve controller, and a secondary vessel fluid level sensor, wherein said expansion valve controller responds to a signal from said secondary vessel fluid level sensor, said expansion valve controller actuating said automatically actuated expansion valve to variously open and close to maintain a liquid refrigerant level at a predetermined level in said secondary vessel.   
   
   
       6 . An evaporator heat exchanger apparatus according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein refrigerant in said secondary vessel fluid outlet is substantially entirely in gas phase.