Thermal System

Abstract

A thermal system includes an accumulator having a housing defining a housing cavity. The accumulator includes a low pressure inlet line, a first low pressure outlet line, and a second low pressure outlet line.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A thermal cycle system, comprising:
 a high pressure refrigerant inlet line;   a high pressure refrigerant outlet line;   an accumulator including a housing defining a housing cavity configured to store a refrigerant;   a low pressure refrigerant inlet line in communication with the housing cavity;   a first low pressure refrigerant outlet line in communication with the housing cavity;   a second low pressure refrigerant outlet line includes an inlet end positioned in the housing cavity in communication with the refrigerant, the second low pressure refrigerant outlet line is configured to transfer the refrigerant in a liquid phase from the accumulator to an evaporator; and   an internal heat exchanger is positioned in the housing cavity in communication with the high pressure refrigerant inlet line and the high pressure refrigerant outlet line and is configured to expel heat to the housing cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The thermal cycle system of  claim 1 , wherein the accumulator further comprises:
 a separator container positioned in the housing cavity including a bottom portion, a top portion and defining a separator container cavity, the separator container is configured to store and promote separation of the refrigerant in a gaseous phase and the refrigerant in the liquid phase in the separator container cavity, the refrigerant in the gaseous phase is positioned toward the top portion of the separator container above the refrigerant in the liquid phase.   
     
     
         3 . The thermal cycle system of  claim 2 , wherein the low pressure refrigerant inlet line is configured to transfer the refrigerant into the separator container cavity. 
     
     
         4 . The thermal cycle system of  claim 2 , wherein the separator container is configured to further store and promote separation of oil from the refrigerant in the gaseous phase and the refrigerant in the liquid phase, the oil positioned toward the bottom portion of the separator container below the refrigerant in the liquid phase. 
     
     
         5 . The thermal cycle system of  claim 4 , wherein the accumulator further comprises:
 an oil recovery tube positioned in the separator container cavity, the oil recovery tube comprising:
 an inlet end positioned in the separator container cavity in communication with the refrigerant in the gaseous phase; 
 a lower portion positioned in the oil; 
 an outlet end positioned exterior to the separator container in the housing cavity; and 
 an oil recovery orifice positioned at the lower portion of the oil recovery tube and in communication with the oil, the oil recovery tube configured to transfer the refrigerant in the gaseous phase from the separator container and the oil received through the oil recovery orifice to the housing cavity for further transfer through the first low pressure refrigerant outlet line to a compressor. 
   
     
     
         6 . The thermal cycle system of  claim 5 , wherein the high pressure refrigerant inlet line is configured to transfer refrigerant in the liquid phase or refrigerant in the gaseous phase, or combinations thereof, under high pressure and high temperature to the internal heat exchanger, the internal heat exchanger is configured to expel heat into the housing cavity to elevate a temperature of the refrigerant in the gaseous phase, the refrigerant in the liquid phase, or the oil, or combinations thereof, positioned in the housing cavity. 
     
     
         7 . The thermal cycle system of  claim 1 , wherein the high pressure refrigerant inlet line is configured to transfer the refrigerant in the liquid phase, the refrigerant in a gaseous phase, or combinations thereof, under high pressure and high temperature to the internal heat exchanger, the internal heat exchanger is configured to expel heat to the housing cavity. 
     
     
         8 . The thermal cycle system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a vortex breaker positioned in the housing cavity and is configured to prevent entrainment of the refrigerant in a gaseous phase into the second low pressure refrigerant outlet line.   
     
     
         9 . The thermal cycle system of  claim 8 , wherein the vortex breaker further comprises:
 a support connected to the inlet end of the second low pressure refrigerant outlet line; and   a plate connected to the support, the support and the plate defining an opening in communication with the second low pressure refrigerant outlet line configured to allow passage of the refrigerant in the liquid phase into the second low pressure refrigerant outlet line.   
     
     
         10 . The thermal cycle system of  claim 9 , wherein the support further comprises legs each connected to the plate and the second low pressure refrigerant outlet line, the legs and the plate together defining liquid refrigerant openings in communication with the second low pressure refrigerant outlet line configured to allow passage of the refrigerant in the liquid phase into the second low pressure refrigerant outlet line. 
     
     
         11 . The thermal cycle system of  claim 9 , wherein the vortex breaker further comprises:
 a sidewall connected to the support or the plate, or a combination thereof, and positioned in the opening, the sidewall is configured to prevent entrainment of the refrigerant in the gaseous phase into the second low pressure refrigerant outlet line.   
     
     
         12 . The thermal cycle system of  claim 11 , wherein the sidewall is removably connected to the support or the plate, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The thermal cycle system of  claim 1 , wherein the first low pressure refrigerant outlet line is in communication with a compressor and is configured to transfer refrigerant in a gaseous phase from the accumulator to the compressor. 
     
     
         14 . An accumulator, comprising:
 a housing defining a housing cavity configured to store a refrigerant;   a low pressure refrigerant inlet line in communication with the housing cavity;   a first low pressure refrigerant outlet line in communication with the housing cavity;   a second low pressure refrigerant outlet line includes an inlet end positioned in the housing cavity in communication with the refrigerant in a liquid phase, the second low pressure refrigerant outlet line is configured to transfer the refrigerant in the liquid phase from the housing to an evaporator; and   a vortex breaker is positioned in the housing cavity and is configured to prevent entrainment of the refrigerant in a gaseous phase into the second low pressure refrigerant outlet line.   
     
     
         15 . The accumulator of  claim 14 , wherein the vortex breaker further comprises:
 a support connected to the inlet end of the second low pressure refrigerant outlet line; and   a plate connected to the support, the support and the plate defining an opening in communication with the second low pressure refrigerant outlet line configured to allow passage of the refrigerant in the liquid phase into the second low pressure refrigerant outlet line.   
     
     
         16 . The accumulator of  claim 15 , wherein the support further comprises legs each connected to the plate and the second low pressure refrigerant outlet line, the legs and the plate together defining liquid refrigerant openings in communication with the second low pressure refrigerant outlet line configured to allow passage of the refrigerant in the liquid phase into the second low pressure refrigerant outlet line. 
     
     
         17 . The accumulator of  claim 15 , wherein the vortex breaker further comprises:
 a sidewall connected to the support or the plate, or a combination thereof, and positioned in the opening, the sidewall configured to prevent entrainment of the refrigerant in the gaseous phase into the second low pressure refrigerant outlet line.   
     
     
         18 . The accumulator of  claim 17 , wherein the sidewall is removably connected to the support or the plate, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The accumulator of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a separator container positioned in the housing cavity including a bottom portion, a top portion and defining a separator container cavity, the separator container is configured to store and promote separation of the refrigerant in the gaseous phase and the refrigerant in the liquid phase in the separation container cavity, the refrigerant in the gaseous phase is positioned toward the top portion of the separator container above the refrigerant in the liquid phase.   
     
     
         20 . The accumulator of  claim 19 , wherein the separator container is configured to further store and promote separation of oil from the refrigerant in the gaseous phase and the refrigerant in the liquid phase, the oil positioned toward the bottom portion of the separator container below the refrigerant in the liquid phase. 
     
     
         21 . The accumulator of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 an oil recovery tube positioned in the separator container cavity, the oil recovery tube comprising:
 an inlet end positioned in the separator container cavity in communication with the refrigerant in the gaseous phase; 
 a lower portion positioned in the oil; 
 an outlet end positioned exterior to the separator container in the housing cavity; and 
 an oil recovery orifice positioned at the lower portion of the oil recovery tube and in communication with the oil, the oil recovery tube configured to transfer the refrigerant in the gaseous phase from the separator container and oil received through the oil recovery orifice to the housing cavity for further transfer through the first low pressure refrigerant outlet line to a compressor. 
   
     
     
         22 . The accumulator of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a high pressure refrigerant inlet line;   a high pressure refrigerant outlet line; and   an internal heat exchanger is positioned in the housing cavity in communication with the high pressure refrigerant inlet line and the high pressure refrigerant outlet line, the internal heat exchanger is configured to expel heat to the housing cavity.   
     
     
         23 . The accumulator of  claim 14 , wherein the first low pressure refrigerant outlet line is in communication with a compressor and is configured to transfer the refrigerant in the gaseous phase from the housing to the compressor. 
     
     
         24 . A thermal cycle system, comprising:
 a compressor configured to transfer a refrigerant under pressure;   a gas cooler in communication with the compressor;   an accumulator in communication with the gas cooler, the accumulator comprising:
 a housing defining a housing cavity configured to store the refrigerant; 
 an internal heat exchanger positioned in the housing cavity in communication with the gas cooler and configured to expel heat from the refrigerant received from the gas cooler to the housing cavity; 
 a first low pressure refrigerant outlet line; and 
 a second low pressure refrigerant outlet line including an inlet end positioned in the housing cavity in communication with the refrigerant in a liquid phase; 
   an ejector in communication with the internal heat exchanger and configured to lower a pressure and a temperature of the refrigerant received from the internal heat exchanger, the ejector including an ejector outlet line in communication with the housing cavity of the accumulator;   an evaporator in communication with the second low pressure refrigerant outlet line and configured to receive the refrigerant in the liquid phase through the second low pressure refrigerant outlet line, the evaporator in communication with the ejector; and   a valve positioned in the second low pressure refrigerant outlet line upstream of the evaporator, the valve configured to meter a flow of the refrigerant in the liquid phase to the evaporator.   
     
     
         25 . The thermal cycle system of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 a vortex breaker positioned in the housing cavity configured to prevent entrainment of the refrigerant in a gaseous phase into the second low pressure refrigerant outlet line.