Dual evaporator refrigeration system

Abstract

A dual evaporator refrigerator appliance is disclosed. The appliance includes a first evaporator, a second evaporator, and at least one refrigerant stream combining device. Refrigerant flow control techniques are provided whereby a compressor in the refrigerator appliance that receives a resulting refrigerant stream is required to do less work to raise the pressure of the stream, and thus the refrigerator appliance is more energy efficient.

1 . A dual evaporator refrigerator appliance comprising:
 a first evaporator;   a second evaporator;   a phase separator coupled to an input of the first evaporator and an input of the second evaporator, wherein the phase separator provides a refrigerant stream in a vapor phase part and a liquid phase part to the input of the first evaporator and a refrigerant stream in a liquid phase to the input of the second evaporator;   a refrigerant stream combining device coupled to an output of the first evaporator and an output of the second evaporator, wherein the refrigerant stream combining device receives a first refrigerant stream having a first pressure from the output of the first evaporator and a second refrigerant stream having a second pressure from the output of the second evaporator, and generates an output refrigerant stream having a pressure greater than the second pressure.   
     
     
         2 . The dual evaporator refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure of the output refrigerant stream is also less than the first pressure. 
     
     
         3 . The dual evaporator refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising a first reducer, wherein an output of the first reducer is coupled to an input of the phase separator and one output of the phase separator is coupled to the input of the first evaporator. 
     
     
         4 . The dual evaporator refrigerator appliance of  claim 3 , further comprising a condenser, wherein an output of the condenser is coupled to an input of the first reducer. 
     
     
         5 . The dual evaporator refrigerator appliance of  claim 4 , further comprising a second reducer, wherein an input of the second reducer is coupled to another output of the phase separator and an output of the second reducer is coupled to the input of the second evaporator. 
     
     
         6 . The dual evaporator refrigerator appliance of  claim 5 , further comprising a compressor, wherein an output of the compressor is coupled to an input of the condenser and an input of the compressor is coupled to an output of the refrigerant stream combining device. 
     
     
         7 . The dual evaporator refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the first evaporator is a fresh food evaporator. 
     
     
         8 . The dual evaporator refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the second evaporator is a freezer evaporator. 
     
     
         9 . The dual evaporator refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant stream combining device comprises a Venturi jet pump device. 
     
     
         10 . The dual evaporator refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the phase separator increases an amount of high pressure refrigerant that acts as a motive medium in the refrigerant stream combining device and decreases an amount of suction medium entering the refrigerant stream combining device. 
     
     
         11 . A dual evaporator refrigerator appliance comprising:
 a first evaporator;   a second evaporator; and   a refrigerant stream combining device coupled between an output of the second evaporator and an input of the first evaporator, wherein the refrigerant stream combining device receives a first refrigerant stream having a first pressure and receives a second refrigerant stream having a second pressure from the output of the second evaporator, and generates an output refrigerant stream having a pressure greater than the second pressure, the output refrigerant stream being provided to the input of the first evaporator.   
     
     
         12 . The dual evaporator refrigerator appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the pressure of the output refrigerant stream is less than the first pressure. 
     
     
         13 . The dual evaporator refrigerator appliance of  claim 11 , further comprising a first reducer, wherein an output of the first reducer is coupled to one input of the refrigerant stream combining device such that the refrigerant stream combining device receives the first refrigerant stream having the first pressure from the first reducer. 
     
     
         14 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The dual evaporator refrigerator appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the first evaporator is a fresh food evaporator. 
     
     
         18 . The dual evaporator refrigerator appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the second evaporator is a freezer evaporator. 
     
     
         19 . A dual evaporator refrigerator appliance comprising:
 a first evaporator;   a second evaporator;   a phase separator;   a first refrigerant stream combining device; and   a second refrigerant stream combining device;   wherein one output of the phase separator is coupled to one input of the first refrigerant stream combining device and another output of the phase separator is coupled to one input of the second refrigerant stream combining device, and an output of the second evaporator is coupled to another input of the second refrigerant stream combining device while an output of the second refrigerant stream combining device is coupled to another input of the first refrigerant stream combining device, and an output of the first refrigerant stream combining device is coupled to an input of the first evaporator; and   wherein the phase separator provides a refrigerant stream in one phase and a refrigerant stream in another phase that are respectively used by the first and second refrigerant stream combining devices to generate an output refrigerant stream having a pressure that is greater than a pressure of a refrigerant stream output by the second evaporator, the output refrigerant stream being input to the first evaporator.   
     
     
         20 . The dual evaporator refrigerator appliance of  claim 19 , wherein the one phase of the refrigerant stream input to the first refrigerant stream combining device is a predominantly vapor phase. 
     
     
         21 . The dual evaporator refrigerator appliance of  claim 19 , wherein the other phase of the refrigerant stream input to the second refrigerant stream combining device is a predominantly liquid phase. 
     
     
         22 . The dual evaporator refrigerator appliance of  claim 19 , wherein the first evaporator is a fresh food evaporator. 
     
     
         23 . The dual evaporator refrigerator appliance of  claim 19 , wherein the second evaporator is a freezer evaporator. 
     
     
         24 . (canceled)