Retro-fit energy exchange system for transparent incorporation into a plurality of existing energy transfer systems

Abstract

A condenser with subcooling is provided. The condenser comprises apparatus for collecting liquid refrigerant and increasing a velocity of the liquid refrigerant as the liquid refrigerant interfaces with at least one wall of a first pass liquid medium compartment, thereby removing heat from the liquid refrigerant, subcooling the liquid refrigerant and heating a liquid medium.

1 . A condenser with subcooling, comprising:
 a first portion comprising a refrigerant compartment and a liquid medium compartment and at least one interface there between, said refrigerant compartment enabled for receiving refrigerant in a vapour state, said refrigerant condensing to a liquid state via latent heat from said refrigerant flowing into said liquid medium compartment via said interface, thereby heating a liquid medium flowing there through; and   a second portion located below said first portion for collecting liquid refrigerant, said second portion comprising:
 a first pass liquid medium compartment enabled to receive said liquid medium on a first pass through said condenser, said first pass liquid medium compartment in communication with said liquid medium compartment; and 
 apparatus for collecting said liquid refrigerant and increasing a velocity of said liquid refrigerant as said liquid refrigerant interfaces with at least one wall of said first pass liquid medium compartment, thereby removing heat from said liquid refrigerant, subcooling said liquid refrigerant and heating said liquid medium. 
   
     
     
         2 . A shell and tube condenser with integral subcooling comprising:
 a divider located above a first pass tube carrying a liquid medium, said divider for collecting liquid refrigerant condensing from a vapour state on further pass tubes, said divider enabled to direct said liquid refrigerant towards a header of said condenser and onto one end of said first pass tube said liquid refrigerant falling to a bottom of said condenser; and   a plurality of baffle plates between said bottom of said condenser and said divider for reducing the cross sectional area of the flow of said liquid refrigerant around said first pass tube, thereby increasing the velocity, removing heat from said liquid refrigerant, subcooling said liquid refrigerant and heating said liquid medium.   
     
     
         3 . The shell and tube condenser of  claim 2 , further comprising a window in a shell of said condenser, said window level with a portion of said divider, said window for checking a level of said liquid refrigerant in said bottom of said condenser. 
     
     
         4 . The shell and tube condenser of  claim 2 , wherein said plurality of baffle plates alternate between extending from first and second opposing sides of a shell of said condenser, perpendicular to said divider. 
     
     
         5 . The shell and tube condenser of  claim 2 , wherein said plurality of baffle plates alternate between extending from said divider towards said bottom and extending up from said bottom towards said divider. 
     
     
         6 . The shell and tube condenser of  claim 2 , wherein said plurality of baffle plates are further enabled to lengthen a path of said liquid refrigerant along said bottom of said condenser. 
     
     
         7 . The shell and tube condenser of  claim 2 , wherein said first pass tube and said further pass tubes comprise double walled tubes and said liquid medium comprises domestic civic water. 
     
     
         8 . A condenser system for subcooling liquid refrigerant, comprising:
 a condenser for transferring latent heat from a refrigerant in a vapour state to a liquid medium via at least one partition between refrigerant compartments and liquid medium compartments thereby causing said refrigerant to condense to said liquid refrigerant; and   a heat exchanger located below said condenser, said heat exchanger comprising:
 first pass compartments for said liquid medium to flow there through to said liquid medium compartments of said condenser; 
 liquid refrigerant compartments enabled to collect said liquid refrigerant from said refrigerant compartments; and 
 at least one interface between said first pass compartments and said liquid refrigerant compartments for heat to flow from said liquid refrigerant to said liquid medium thereby subcooling said liquid refrigerant and heating said liquid medium; said liquid refrigerant compartments comprising a cross-section refrigerant flow area smaller than a cross-section refrigerant flow area of said refrigerant compartments thereby increasing the velocity and a heat transfer coefficient of said liquid refrigerant. 
   
     
     
         9 . The condenser system of  claim 8 , further comprising piping connecting said refrigerant compartments and said liquid refrigerant compartments and further piping connecting said first pass compartments with said liquid medium compartments. 
     
     
         10 . The condenser system of  claim 9 , wherein said piping and said further piping is removablely attached to each of said condenser and said heat exchanger such that that said heat exchanger can be retrofitted to said condenser. 
     
     
         11 . The condenser system of  claim 8 , further comprising a window for checking a level of said liquid refrigerant. 
     
     
         12 . The condenser system of  claim 11 , wherein said window is in piping connecting said refrigerant compartments and said liquid refrigerant compartments. 
     
     
         13 . The condenser system of  claim 8 , wherein an area of plates forming said first pass compartments and said liquid refrigerant compartments is smaller than an area of plates forming said liquid medium compartments and said first pass compartments. 
     
     
         14 . The condenser system of  claim 8 , wherein each of said condenser and said heat exchanger comprises a plate heat exchanger. 
     
     
         15 . The condenser system of  claim 8 , wherein each of said condenser and said heat exchanger comprises a double wall heat exchanger for heating potable water. 
     
     
         16 . A kit for retrofitting a condenser for subcooling, comprising:
 a heat exchanger for connection below a condenser, said heat exchanger comprising:
 first pass compartments for a liquid medium to flow there through to liquid medium compartments of said condenser; 
 liquid refrigerant compartments enabled to collect liquid refrigerant from refrigerant compartments of said condenser; and 
 at least one interface between said first pass compartments and said liquid refrigerant compartments for heat to flow from said liquid refrigerant to said liquid medium thereby subcooling said liquid refrigerant and heating said liquid medium; said liquid refrigerant compartments comprising a cross-section refrigerant flow area smaller than a cross-section refrigerant flow area of said refrigerant compartments thereby increasing the velocity and a heat transfer coefficient of said liquid refrigerant; 
   piping for connecting said liquid refrigerant compartments of said heat exchanger with said refrigerant compartments of said condenser; and   further piping for connecting said first pass compartments with said liquid medium compartments of said condenser.   
     
     
         17 . The kit of  claim 16 , further comprising a window for checking a level of said liquid refrigerant in said piping for connecting said liquid refrigerant compartments and said refrigerant compartments.