Accumulator for an air conditioning system

Abstract

An accumulator for the air conditioning system of a motor vehicle. The accumulator includes a housing defining an accumulator chamber for receiving a fluid and permitting the fluid to separate into a gas state portion and a liquid state portion. A conduit, which defines a passageway for carrying fluid along a flowpath, extends through the housing and across the accumulator chamber such as to permit heat transfer between the accumulator chamber and the passageway. When utilized in the air conditioning system, the accumulator is preferably located upstream of the evaporator.

1 . An accumulator for a motor vehicle air conditioning system, the accumulator comprising: 
 a housing defining an accumulator chamber;    an inlet extending through the housing and being in fluid communication with the accumulator chamber to deliver fluid thereto;    an outlet extending through the housing and being in fluid communication with the accumulator chamber to facilitate removal of the fluid therefrom; and    a conduit extending through the housing, the conduit extending across the accumulator chamber and defining a passageway therein between first and second ports, the conduit configured to permit heat transfer between the accumulator chamber and the passageway defined by the conduit.    
     
     
         2 . An accumulator as in  claim 1 , wherein the conduit defines a vapor bleed hole fluidly connecting the conduit and the accumulator chamber with each other.  
     
     
         3 . An accumulator as in  claim 2 , wherein the accumulator chamber includes a gas phase portion and a liquid phase portion.  
     
     
         4 . An accumulator as in  claim 3 , wherein the vapor bleed hole is located in the gas phase portion.  
     
     
         5 . An accumulator as in  claim 1 , wherein the conduit extends through the accumulator chamber along a non-linear path.  
     
     
         6 . An accumulator as in  claim 5 , wherein the non-linear path is a generally serpentine path.  
     
     
         7 . An accumulator as in  claim 1 , wherein the inlet is positioned adjacent to a top portion of the housing and the outlet is positioned adjacent to a bottom portion of the housing.  
     
     
         8 . An air conditioning system for a motor vehicle, the air conditioning system comprising: 
 a compressor located along a flow path;    a condenser located along the flow path downstream from the compressor, the condenser including a plurality of heat exchange tubes in fluid connection with the flow path;    an expansion device located along the flow path downstream from the condenser, the expansion device including an orifice configured to regulate a fluid flow along the flow path;    an accumulator located along the flow path downstream from the expansion device, the accumulator including an accumulator housing defining an accumulator chamber;    
     
     
         9 . an evaporator located along the flow path downstream from the conduit, the evaporator including a second plurality of heat exchange tubes in fluid connection with the flow path; and 
 a conduit located along the flow path and extending between the evaporator and the compressor.    
     
     
         9 . An air conditioning system as in  claim 8 , the conduit extending through the accumulator housing and defining a passageway therein between first and second ports, the conduit configured to permit heat transfer between the accumulator chamber and the passageway defined by the conduit.  
     
     
         10 . An air conditioning system as in  claim 9 , wherein the conduit extends along a non-linear path through the accumulator.  
     
     
         11 . An air conditioning system as in  claim 10 , wherein the non-linear path is a generally serpentine path.  
     
     
         12 . An air conditioning system as in  claim 9 , wherein the conduit permits heat transfer between a fluid in the accumulator chamber and a fluid within the conduit.  
     
     
         13 . An air conditioning system as in  claim 12 , wherein the conduit and the accumulator chamber are generally fluidly separated from each other.  
     
     
         14 . An air conditioning system as in  claim 13 , wherein the conduit defines a vapor bleed hole positioned within the accumulator chamber such that the conduit and the accumulator chamber are not completely fluidly separated from each other.  
     
     
         15 . An air conditioning system for a motor vehicle, the air conditioning system comprising: 
 a compressor for generating a pressure increase in a flow of a fluid;    a condenser configured to receive the fluid from the compressor and to permit the fluid to undergo heat exchange;    an expansion device configured to receive the fluid from the condenser and to regulate a flow rate of the fluid flowing the expansion device;    an accumulator having a housing defining an accumulator chamber, wherein the accumulator is configured to receive the fluid from the expansion device, the fluid in the accumulator chamber including a liquid phase portion and a gas phase portion;    an evaporator configured to receive the liquid phase of the fluid from the accumulator chamber and to permit the liquid phase of the fluid to undergo heat exchange; and    a conduit configured to deliver the fluid from the evaporator to the compressor, the conduit extending across the accumulator chamber and defining a passageway therein between first and second ports, the conduit configured to permit heat transfer between accumulator chamber and the passageway defined by the. conduit.    
     
     
         16 . An air conditioning system as in  claim 15 , wherein the conduit defines a vapor bleed hole fluidly connecting the conduit and the accumulator chamber with each other.  
     
     
         17 . An air conditioning system as in  claim 15 , wherein the housing defines an inlet configured to deliver the fluid from the expansion device to the accumulator chamber and an outlet configured to deliver the liquid phase of the fluid from the accumulator chamber to the evaporator.  
     
     
         18 . An air conditioning system as in  claim 17 , wherein the inlet is positioned adjacent to a top portion of the housing and the outlet is positioned adjacent to a bottom portion of the housing.  
     
     
         19 . An air conditioning system as in  claim 15 , wherein the fluid in the conduit has a pressure that is less than that of the fluid in the accumulator chamber.  
     
     
         20 . An air conditioning system as in  claim 19 , wherein the fluid in the conduit is superheated by the heat transfer with the fluid in the accumulator chamber.