Chiller or heat pump with a falling film evaporator and horizontal oil separator

Abstract

A refrigerant circuit using a vapor compression cycle, the circuit usable for air conditioning, refrigeration or heat pump purposes. The circuit includes a lubricated compressor connected to an oil separator vessel separate from the compressor, a falling film or hybrid falling film evaporator and a condenser. The oil separator vessel extends substantially horizontally. The oil separator vessel is separated into a primary space and a secondary space by a filter pad configured to substantially remove entrained oil droplets of about 5 μm and larger from the refrigerant entering the oil separator vessel. The primary space is in fluid connection with a discharge of the compressor. The secondary space is in fluid connection with an inlet of the condenser. The circuit has an oil entrainment flow discharge of lubricant from the compressor of at least about two percent by mass relative to refrigerant flow.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerant circuit using a vapor compression cycle, the circuit usable for air conditioning, refrigeration or heat pump purposes, comprising a lubricated compressor connected to an oil separator vessel separate from the compressor, a falling film or hybrid falling film evaporator and a condenser, wherein the oil separator vessel extends substantially horizontally, the oil separator vessel separated into a primary space and a secondary space by a filter pad configured to substantially remove entrained oil droplets of about 5 μm and larger from the refrigerant entering the oil separator vessel, the primary space being in fluid connection with a discharge of the compressor; the secondary space being in fluid connection with an inlet of the condenser, the circuit having an oil entrainment flow discharge of lubricant from the compressor of at least about two percent by mass relative to refrigerant flow. 
     
     
         2 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 1 , wherein a bottom of the oil separator vessel is used as an oil sump, and the oil sump is in fluid connection with oil supply orifices of the compressor. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the compressor has a discharge directed substantially downwards and suction from above or sideways from the compressor, and wherein a compressor driveline is positioned at least partially above the oil separator, and the evaporator is positioned at least partially above the condenser. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the compressor has a downwardly directed suction and a discharge from a side of the compressor, and wherein the compressor is positioned at least partially above the evaporator, and the oil separator positioned at least partially above the condenser. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 1 , wherein an inlet of the oil separator vessel is bifurcated, the oil separator vessel separated into three spaces by two filter pads. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 5 , wherein refrigerant flow is bifurcated. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 5 , wherein the three spaces include two secondary spaces that are not adjacent to each other. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the filter pad is located perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the oil separator vessel. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 8 , wherein the filter pad is located at about mid-length of the longitudinal axis of the oil separator vessel and including a second filter pad at one end of the oil separator vessel. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the filter pad is positioned non-perpendicular of the longitudinal axis of the oil separator vessel. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 10 , wherein the filter pad is composed of two or more portions arranged at an angle to each other. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 11 , wherein the two or more portions are of unequal length. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the filter pad permits between about 50 to about 100 PPM of oil entrained in refrigerant flowing from the oil separator vessel. 
     
     
         14 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 1 , used as a heat pump, and using a halogenated fluid as the refrigerant. 
     
     
         15 . The refrigeration circuit of  claim 14 , wherein the halogenated fluid is an HFC or an HFO as the refrigerant. 
     
     
         16 . The refrigeration circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant is a hydrocarbon.