A refrigerant distribution device 10 situated in an inlet header 12 of a
multiple tube heat exchanger 14 of a refrigeration system 20. The device
10 includes an inlet passage 32 that is in communication with an
expansion device. Small diameter nozzles 34 are disposed within the inlet
header 12 and are in fluid communication with the inlet passage 32.
Capillary liquid nozzles 36 also lie within the inlet header 12 and are
in fluid communication with the inlet passage 32. A two-phase refrigerant
fluid in the inlet passage 32 has a refrigerant liquid-vapor interface
38. The vapor nozzles 34 have vapor inlet ports 40 that lie above the
refrigerant liquid-vapor interface 38. The capillary liquid nozzles 36
have liquid inlet ports 42 that lie below the refrigerant liquid-vapor
interface 38. Vapor emerging from the vapor nozzles 34 blow onto and
atomize liquid emerging from the liquid nozzle to create a homogeneous
refrigerant that is uniformly delivered to the multiple tubes. The
invention also includes a method for delivering a uniform distribution of
a homogeneous liquid mixture of liquid and vaporous refrigerant through
the heat exchanger tubes.