Condenser refrigerant distribution

Abstract

A flow regulator being disposed in at least one of the outlets of a condenser to regulate the fluid flow in the condenser. The condenser has at least two fluid flow paths and an air flow drawn through the condenser by a condenser fan. The flow regulator regulates the fluid flow to substantially equalize the temperature of the fluid flow in the at least two fluid paths and to provide more efficient cooling of the fluid in the fluid flow paths.

1 . An HVAC&R system comprising:
 a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, and an expansion valve connected in a closed refrigerant loop;   the condenser further comprising:
 at least two fluid flow paths being cooled by air flow forced through the condenser by at least one condenser fan, the at least two fluid flow paths each having an inlet and an outlet and a fluid flow between the inlet and the outlet, and the at least two fluid flow paths having an air flow for cooling the fluid in the at least two fluid flow paths, the air flow being variable across the condenser; 
 at least one flow regulator being disposed in at least one outlet to regulate at least one fluid flow in response to the variable air flow and to regulate the fluid flow in the at least two flow paths to achieve a substantially equal fluid temperature. 
   
   
   
       2 . The HVAC&R system of  claim 1  wherein the fluid regulator is an orifice. 
   
   
       3 . The HVAC&R system of  claim 1  wherein the fluid regulator is a valve. 
   
   
       4 . The HVAC&R system of  claim 1  wherein the condenser comprises a multichannel heat exchanger. 
   
   
       5 . The HVAC&R system of  claim 4  wherein the multichannel heat exchanger has six coils. 
   
   
       6 . The HVAC&R system of  claim 5  wherein a flow regulator is disposed in the outlet of two of the six coils. 
   
   
       7 . The HVAC&R system of  claim 1  wherein the flow regulator is a unitary piece of outlet. 
   
   
       8 . The HVAC&R system of  claim 1  wherein the fluid is refrigerant. 
   
   
       9 . A condenser comprising:
 at least two fluid flow paths being cooled by air flow drawn through the condenser by at least one condenser fan, the at least two fluid flow paths having an inlet and an outlet and a fluid flow between the inlet and the outlet, and the at least two fluid flow paths having an air flow for cooling the fluid in the at least two fluid flow paths, the air flow being variable across the condenser;   at least one flow regulator being disposed in at least one outlet to regulate at least one fluid flow in response to the variable air flow and to regulate the fluid flow in the at least two flow paths to achieve a substantially equal fluid temperature.   
   
   
       10 . The condenser of  claim 9  wherein the fluid regulator is an orifice. 
   
   
       11 . The condenser of  claim 9  wherein the fluid regulator is a valve. 
   
   
       12 . The condenser of  claim 9  wherein the condenser comprises a multichannel heat exchanger. 
   
   
       13 . The condenser of  claim 12  wherein the multichannel heat exchanger has six coils. 
   
   
       14 . The condenser of  claim 13  wherein a flow regulator is disposed in the outlet of two of the six coils. 
   
   
       15 . The condenser of  claim 12  wherein the flow regulator is a unitary piece of outlet. 
   
   
       16 . The condenser of  claim 12  wherein the fluid is refrigerant. 
   
   
       17 . A condenser comprising:
 a multichannel heat exchanger;   at least two fluid flow paths in the multichannel heat exchanger being cooled by air flow drawn through the condenser by at least one condenser fan, the at least two fluid flow paths having an inlet and an outlet and a fluid flow between the inlet and the outlet, and the at least two fluid flow paths having an air flow for cooling the fluid in the at least two fluid flow paths, the air flow being variable across the condenser;   at least one flow regulator being disposed in at least one outlet to regulate at least one fluid flow in response to the variable air flow and to regulate the fluid flow in the at least two flow paths to achieve a substantially equal fluid temperature.   
   
   
       18 . The condenser of  claim 17  wherein the fluid regulator is an orifice. 
   
   
       19 . The condenser of  claim 17  wherein the fluid regulator is a valve.