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 conduits 34 are disposed 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 conduits 34 have inlet ports 40 that lie
below the refrigerant liquid-vapor interface 38. Vapor emerging from the
nozzles 34 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.