Heat exchanger with partitioned inlet header for enhanced flow distribution and refrigeration system using the heat exchanger

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10161685-B2
Application number	US-201614992636-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 11, 2016
Priority date	Jan 9, 2015
Publication date	Dec 25, 2018
Grant date	Dec 25, 2018

Abstract

Embodiments of a heat exchanger, e.g. a micro-channel heat exchanger are disclosed. The heat exchanger may include a plurality of rows of micro-channel tubes, each of which can be configured to direct a working fluid in a specific direction. The heat exchanger may include one or more distributors in a distribution header of the heat exchanger, each of which can be connected to a different application circuit (e.g. a refrigeration circuit) so that a capacity of the heat exchanger may be regulated. The heat exchanger as disclosed herein can be used as an evaporator and/or a condenser in a refrigeration system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A heat exchanger, comprising:
a first header, the first header including a first chamber, a second chamber and a partition separating the first chamber and the second chamber, the first chamber having an inlet compartment;
a second header;
a plurality of first heat exchange tubes connecting the first chamber and the second header;
a plurality of second heat exchange tubes connecting the second chamber and the second header,
the plurality of first heat exchange tubes and the plurality of second heat exchange tubes are microchannel heat exchange tubes;
a first inlet;
a second inlet; and
an outlet in fluid communication with the second chamber;
wherein the first inlet is in fluid communication with a continuous internal volume within the inlet compartment of the first chamber via a plurality of first metering orifices, and the second inlet is in fluid communication with the same continuous internal volume within the inlet compartment of the first chamber via a plurality of second metering orifices.

2. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein a working fluid flow path is formed from the first chamber to the plurality of first heat exchange tubes, then to the second header, then to the plurality of second heat exchange tubes, and then through the outlet.

3. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the first chamber is configured to receive a working fluid, and the second chamber is configured to direct the working fluid out of the first header.

4. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the first chamber is partitioned into at least two compartments each in fluid communication with the inlet compartment of the first chamber, wherein each of the at least two compartments is configured to receive a working fluid, where the first inlet is in fluid communication with a first one of the compartments and the second inlet is in fluid communication with a second one of the compartments.

5. The heat exchanger of claim 4 , wherein the first header is formed by a first part and a second part.

6. The heat exchanger of claim 4 , further comprising a working fluid line, the working fluid line is externally connected to one of the first and second inlets of the first header and in fluid communication with the first chamber.

7. The heat exchanger of claim 6 , wherein the working fluid line is in fluid communication with the one of the first and second inlets of the first header and is configured to receive a working fluid.

8. The heat exchanger of claim 4 , wherein one or more of the tubes of the plurality of first heat exchange tubes and one or more of the tubes of the plurality of second heat exchange tubes are configured as a combined tube construction to direct a working fluid in a first direction and to direct the working fluid in a second direction.

9. The heat exchanger of claim 8 , wherein in the combined tube construction a fluid drainage channel is included at an end thereof, or therebetween, or both at an end thereof and therebetween.

10. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first metering orifices is distributed longitudinally over the entire length of the inlet compartment and the plurality of second metering orifices is distributed longitudinally over the entire length of the inlet compartment.

11. A refrigeration system, comprising:
a) a compressor;
b) a first heat exchanger in fluid communication with the compressor, the first heat exchanger including
a first header, the first header including a first chamber, a second chamber and a partition separating the first chamber and the second chamber, the first chamber having an inlet compartment,
a second header,
a plurality of first heat exchange tubes connecting the first chamber and the second header,
a plurality of second heat exchange tubes connecting the second chamber and the second header,
the plurality of first heat exchange tubes and the plurality of second heat exchange tubes are microchannel heat exchange tubes,
a first inlet in fluid communication with the first chamber,
a second inlet in fluid communication with the first chamber,
the first inlet is configured to direct a first working fluid into a continuous internal volume within the inlet compartment of the first chamber of the first header through a plurality of first metering orifices, and the second inlet is configured to direct a second working fluid into the same continuous internal volume within the inlet compartment of the first chamber through a plurality of second metering orifices,
an outlet in fluid communication with the second chamber; and

c) a second heat exchanger in fluid communication with the compressor, and the second heat exchanger in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger.

12. The refrigeration system of claim 11 , wherein the first inlet of the first heat exchanger comprises a flow control valve.

13. The refrigeration system of claim 11 , wherein the first heat exchanger is an evaporator of the refrigeration system.

14. The refrigeration system of claim 11 , wherein the second heat exchanger includes a first inlet, a second inlet, and a header, wherein the first inlet and the second inlet of the second heat exchanger are configured to direct the first and second working fluids into the header of the second heat exchanger, and the first inlet of the second heat exchanger comprises a flow control valve.

15. The refrigeration system of claim 11 , wherein the second heat exchanger is a condenser of the refrigeration system.

16. The refrigeration system of claim 11 , further comprising a flow reversing device in fluid communication with the compressor.

17. The refrigeration system of claim 11 , wherein the refrigeration system is a heat pump.

18. The refrigeration system of claim 11 , wherein the first inlet of the first heat exchanger is in fluid communication with a first refrigeration circuit, and the second inlet of the first heat exchanger is in fluid communication with a second refrigeration circuit.

19. The refrigeration system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of first metering orifices is distributed longitudinally over the entire length of the inlet compartment and the plurality of second metering orifices is distributed longitudinally over the entire length of the inlet compartment.

Assignees

• Trane Int Inc

Inventors

• Voorhis Jr Roger J
• Wang Jun
• Westfall Brian
• Smith Sean A
• Zhou Tao
• Fox William B
• Quintero Felix
• Groen Michael W
• Winters Justin S
• Schult Robert F

Classifications

• F28D1/05316 Primary

  Assemblies of conduits connected to common headers, e.g. core type radiators (F28D1/05366 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F28D1/05391

  with multiple rows of conduits or with multi-channel conduits combined with a particular flow pattern, e.g. multi-row multi-stage radiators · CPC title

• F28F9/0273

  with multiple holes · CPC title

• F28F9/0214 Primary

  having only longitudinal partitions · CPC title

• F28F2260/02

  having microchannels · CPC title