Q: What is the benefit to using a liquid-to-suction heat exchanger?
A liquid-to-suction heat exchanger is beneficial in the following ways:
1. It provides subcooling to the liquid refrigerant prior to it entering the expansion valve. This eliminates the possibility of ‘flash gas’ forming in the liquid line and enables the expansion valve to operate with greater stability.
2. The added subcooling which is provided to the liquid refrigerant increases the efficiency of the system.
3. The heat which is transferred from the liquid to the suction increases the superheat of the suction gas thereby reducing the possibility of liquid ‘floodback’ to the compressor. Liquid floodback isconsidered one of the major causes of compressor failure, so any steps taken to minimize this will
result in improved compressor reliability.