Liquid vapor phase seperation apparatus

Abstract

A phase separation apparatus is provided for separating a two-phase fluid flow into a liquid phase portion and a vapor phase portion. The phase separation apparatus may be applied to the separation of a two-phase refrigerant flow in a refrigerant vapor compression system operating in a transcritical cycle.

1 . A phase separation apparatus for separating a two-phase fluid flow into a liquid phase portion and a vapor phase portion, comprising:
 a shell having an upper end cap and a lower end cap and defining an interior volume having an upper region, a lower region and a central region between the upper region and the lower region;   an auger assembly disposed within the interior volume defined by said shell, the auger assembly having an elongated support tube extending along a central vertical axis of said shell and a helical spiral member extending about said support tube and defining in association with said shell a continuous spiral fluid flow passage within the interior volume;   a vapor outlet penetrating through the upper end cap to open in fluid communication with the upper region of the interior volume; and   a liquid outlet penetrating through the lower end cap from a side face of the lower end cap to open through an upper surface of the lower end cap in fluid communication with the lower region of the interior volume.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The phase separation apparatus as recited in  claim 1  further comprising a fluid inlet tube penetrating the upper end cap and extending into the interior volume to open into a central region of the continuous spiral fluid flow passage within the interior volume. 
     
     
         5 . The phase separation apparatus as recited in  claim 4  wherein the fluid inlet tube is configured within the interior volume so as to discharge received fluid into the continuous spiral fluid flow passage generally tangentially to a circumferentially directed path. 
     
     
         6 .- 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A phase separation apparatus for separating a two-phase fluid flow into a liquid phase portion and a vapor phase portion, comprising:
 a shell having an upper end cap and a lower end cap and defining an interior volume having an upper region, a lower region and a central region between the upper region and the lower region;   an auger assembly disposed within the interior volume defined by said shell, the auger assembly having an elongated support tube extending along a central vertical axis of said shell and a helical spiral member extending about said support tube and defining in association with said shell a continuous spiral fluid flow passage within the interior volume;   a vapor outlet penetrating through the upper end cap to open in fluid communication with the upper region of the interior volume;   a liquid outlet penetrating through the lower end cap to open through an upper surface of the lower end cap in fluid communication with the lower region of the interior volume; and   a fluid inlet tube penetrating the upper end cap and extending into the interior volume to open into a central region of the continuous spiral fluid flow passage within the interior volume.   
     
     
         13 . The phase separation apparatus as recited in  claim 12  wherein the fluid inlet tube is configured within the interior volume so as to discharge received fluid into the continuous spiral fluid flow passage generally tangentially to a circumferentially directed path.