Refrigeration – Refrigeration producer – With refrigerant treater
Utility Patent
1999-10-19
2001-01-02
Doerrler, William (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
Refrigeration producer
With refrigerant treater
C062S503000
Utility Patent
active
06167720
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an accumulator for use in an air-conditioning system, where the accumulator separates a refrigerant into liquid and vapor components. More particularly, the present invention relates to a molded desiccant baffle for drying and directing the refrigerant.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is common practice in today's accumulator technology to use a baffle plate or deflector to help ensure that liquid refrigerant does not enter the inlet end of the outlet tube. Accordingly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,035 to Amin et al. discloses a domed baffle located in an upper region of the accumulator housing adjacent to the accumulator inlet opening. The liquid refrigerant enters the accumulator housing through the inlet opening in the top of the housing and is dispersed over the dome of the baffle toward the sides of the housing. This creates a vertical flow down the sides of the accumulator housing.
Consequently, the vapor component of the refrigerant collects in the upper region of the housing, beneath the baffle, and near the inlet end of an outlet tube. The inlet end of the outlet tube is located directly below the domed baffle plate where it is protected from the liquid component of incoming refrigerant. Next, Amin et al. disclose a bag containing loose desiccant particles located in the bottom portion of the accumulator, below the baffle plate, that is secured to the outlet tube by a strap. The loose desiccant particles absorb any moisture that may be present in the vapor component of the refrigerant as it passes through the accumulator.
Unfortunately, there are disadvantages associated with using a bag for the desiccant as disclosed in Amin et al. For example, the bag is easily damaged during assembly and testing. A tear in the bag allows the loose desiccant particles to escape and potentially enter the air-conditioning system where they can damage the accumulator and other components. Furthermore, there are other disadvantages, including attrition between individual particles that causes powdering and packing, thereby reducing the penetrability and the effectiveness of the desiccant. Loose desiccant also has a tendency to develop channels where the refrigerant can flow freely without passing through desiccant particles, bypassing the drying effects of the desiccant.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,114,584 and 5,384,047, both to Sheckler et al., attempt to overcome the problems associated with loose desiccant particles by disclosing a filter body comprised of a molecular sieve material. Sheckler et al. disclose combining a predetermined amount of molecular sieve material with a predetermined amount of nylon material and compacting the mixture into a disc or puck-shaped body. The compacted body is heated while being subjected to pressure forming a filter body.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,440,898 to Starr discloses a filter-drier core molded from a permeable matrix including desiccant particles, a binder, and reinforcing fibers. The reinforcing fibers are fixed in place by the binder and impart strength and permeability to the filter-drier core.
The filter bodies disclosed in Sheckler et al. and the filter-drier core disclosed in Starr are products that require a flow rate of liquid through the filter. Thus, the refrigerant liquid must pass completely through the filter to gain the advantage of the desiccant's drying properties.
In an accumulator, it is undesirable for liquid refrigerant, or any other moisture, to exit the accumulator. Only the gaseous or vapor component of the refrigerant should pass out of the accumulator, because any moisture in the gaseous component will deter proper functioning of the air-conditioning system. Accordingly, the baffle prevents any liquid refrigerant from accidentally passing into the outlet tube of the accumulator. The refrigerant should be dried by the desiccant so that a minimum amount of moisture is allowed to re-enter the air-conditioning system after collecting underneath the baffle and passing through the rest of the accumulator.
Moreover, it is undesirable from a manufacturing point of view to have multiple components in an accumulator assembly. Thus to improve product cost and quality it is desirable to reduce, or limit, the number of components that are required for efficient accumulator operation. What is needed is an accumulator that has fewer components than prior art accumulators, yet functions at least as efficiently as present day accumulator systems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is an accumulator baffle molded from a desiccant material that functions to separate the liquid and vapor components of incoming refrigerant while preventing liquid refrigerant from entering the outlet tube. The desiccant material dries the vapor component of the refrigerant before it passes out of the accumulator via the outlet tube.
The present invention overcomes many of the disadvantages associated with prior art accumulators and the way that desiccant material is packaged by eliminating the need for a separate bag, or other container, to house loose desiccant particles. The baffle of the present invention is molded from a solid desiccant material thereby eliminating the problems of attrition and channels normally associated with loose desiccant material.
The present invention also reduces the number of components required in the accumulator by combining the baffle and the desiccant, thereby simplifying assembly and lowering manufacturing costs. The efficiencies in assembly and manufacturing are not the only savings. Fewer components result in lower part costs and less potential for failure, such that not only are manufacturing costs greatly reduced, but also part cost is reduced and product quality is increased.
The dual function component of the accumulator allows both a fixed location of the desiccant material near the top of the accumulator housing, and forces all of the refrigerant, liquid and vapor, to pass through the desiccant material. The shape of the baffle can be modified to accommodate a variety of accumulator designs.
It is an object of the present invention to separate a flow of refrigerant into vapor and liquid components and at the same time dry the vapor component of the refrigerant flow.
It is another object of the present invention to reduce the number of components required in an accumulator assembly.
It is yet another object of the present invention to avoid the drawbacks associated with loose desiccant material by using a solid desiccant material.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a baffle for an accumulator assembly molded from a desiccant material to both separate and dry a flow of refrigerant while using fewer components in the accumulator assembly.
These objects, features and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best mode for carrying out the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4447565 (1984-05-01), Lula et al.
patent: 4474035 (1984-10-01), Amin et al.
patent: 4629483 (1986-12-01), Stanton
patent: 4768355 (1988-09-01), Breuhan et al.
patent: 4886240 (1989-12-01), Rich
patent: 5114584 (1992-05-01), Sheckler et al.
patent: 5184480 (1993-02-01), Kolpacke
patent: 5215686 (1993-06-01), Sheckler et al.
patent: 5376273 (1994-12-01), Pacheco et al.
patent: 5377501 (1995-01-01), Muston
patent: 5384047 (1995-01-01), Sheckler et al.
patent: 5385953 (1995-01-01), McClellan
patent: 5423129 (1995-06-01), Castle et al.
patent: 5440898 (1995-08-01), Starr
patent: 5505892 (1996-04-01), Domme
patent: 5966810 (1999-10-01), Chisnell et al.
Automotive Fluid Systems, Inc.
Doerrler William
Jiang Chen-Wen
Vanophem Meehan & Vanophem P.C.
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