Condenser with external subcooler

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a vapor compression system that includes a refrigerant loop, a compressor disposed along the refrigerant loop and configured to circulate refrigerant through the refrigerant loop, a condenser disposed downstream of the compressor along the refrigerant loop and configured to condense vapor refrigerant to liquid refrigerant, a subcooler coupled to the condenser, where the subcooler is external of a shell of the condenser, and where the subcooler is configured to receive the liquid refrigerant from the condenser and to cool the liquid refrigerant to sub cooled refrigerant, and an evaporator disposed downstream of the subcooler along the refrigerant loop and configured to evaporate the subcooled refrigerant to the vapor refrigerant.

1 . A vapor compression system comprising:
 a refrigerant loop;   a compressor disposed along the refrigerant loop and configured to circulate refrigerant through the refrigerant loop;   a condenser disposed downstream of the compressor along the refrigerant loop and configured to condense vapor refrigerant to liquid refrigerant;   a subcooler coupled to the condenser, wherein the subcooler is external to a shell of the condenser, and wherein the subcooler is configured to receive the liquid refrigerant from the condenser and to cool the liquid refrigerant to subcooled refrigerant; and   an evaporator disposed downstream of the subcooler along the refrigerant loop and configured to evaporate the subcooled refrigerant into the vapor refrigerant.   
     
     
         2 . The vapor compression system of  claim 1 , wherein the subcooler comprises a subcooler shell, and wherein a plurality of tubes configured to flow a cooling fluid are disposed within the subcooler shell. 
     
     
         3 . The vapor compression system of  claim 2 , wherein the condenser comprises a plurality of additional tubes configured to flow the cooling fluid, and wherein the plurality of additional tubes are disposed in the shell of the condenser. 
     
     
         4 . The vapor compression system of  claim 3 , wherein the subcooler shell is welded directly onto the shell of the condenser. 
     
     
         5 . The vapor compression system of  claim 4 , wherein the subcooler shell includes a curved cross section conforming to the shell of the condenser. 
     
     
         6 . The vapor compression system of  claim 3 , wherein the subcooler shell is coupled to an opening in the shell of the condenser by an intermediate conduit. 
     
     
         7 . The vapor compression system of  claim 6 , wherein the intermediate conduit forms a gap between the subcooler shell and the shell of the condenser. 
     
     
         8 . The vapor compression system of  claim 1 , wherein the subcooler comprises a partition plate configured to direct the refrigerant entering the subcooler along a first flow path and a second flow path. 
     
     
         9 . The vapor compression system of  claim 1 , wherein the condenser is a dual pass heat exchanger comprising a partition plate, wherein the condenser comprises a first water tank configured to direct cooling fluid into first pass tubes of the condenser and subcooler tubes of the subcooler and a second water tank configured to direct cooling fluid exiting the first pass tubes and the subcooler tubes of the subcooler into second pass tubes of the condenser. 
     
     
         10 . The vapor compression system of  claim 9 , wherein the first water tank is configured to direct the cooling fluid from the second pass tubes out of the condenser. 
     
     
         11 . A subcooler, comprising:
 a shell;   a plurality of tubes, wherein the plurality of tubes are disposed within the shell; and   an inlet disposed on the shell and configured to direct condensed refrigerant from a condenser into the subcooler; and   wherein the subcooler is configured to be coupled to an outer shell of the condenser.   
     
     
         12 . The subcooler of  claim 11 , comprising the condenser, wherein the shell is welded directly to the outer shell of the condenser. 
     
     
         13 . The subcooler of  claim 11 , comprising the condenser, wherein the inlet is coupled to an outlet disposed in the outer shell of the condenser by an intermediate conduit. 
     
     
         14 . The subcooler of  claim 11 , comprising a partition plate configured to direct refrigerant entering the subcooler along a first flow path and a second flow path. 
     
     
         15 . A vapor compression system, comprising:
 a refrigerant loop;   a compressor disposed along the refrigerant loop and configured to circulate refrigerant through the refrigerant loop;   a condenser disposed downstream of the compressor along the refrigerant loop, wherein the condenser comprises a shell and a first plurality of tubes disposed in the shell, wherein the first plurality of tubes is configured to flow a first cooling fluid, and wherein the first cooling fluid is configured to be in a heat exchange relationship with the refrigerant;   a subcooler coupled directly to an outer surface of the shell of the condenser or coupled indirectly to the outer surface of the shell of the condenser, wherein the subcooler comprises a subcooler shell and a second plurality of tubes configured to flow a second cooling fluid, and wherein the second cooling fluid is configured to be in a heat exchange relationship with the refrigerant; and   an evaporator disposed downstream of the subcooler along the refrigerant loop.   
     
     
         16 . The vapor compression system of  claim 15 , wherein the first cooling fluid and the second cooling fluid both comprise water. 
     
     
         17 . The vapor compression system of  claim 15 , wherein the subcooler comprises a partition plate configured to separate the second plurality of tubes into a third plurality of tubes and a fourth plurality of tubes, and wherein the refrigerant is configured to flow through the subcooler along a first flow path and a second flow path at least partially defined by the partition plate. 
     
     
         18 . The vapor compression system of  claim 15 , wherein subcooler shell is welded directly to the outer surface of the shell of the condenser. 
     
     
         19 . The vapor compression system of  claim 15 , wherein the subcooler shell is welded to an intermediate conduit that is coupled to an outlet of the condenser. 
     
     
         20 . The vapor compression system of  claim 15 , wherein the refrigerant has a normal boiling point of up to 66 degrees Fahrenheit.