Micro-channel evaporator having compartmentalized distribution

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10551099-B2
Application number	US-201615015857-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 4, 2016
Priority date	Feb 4, 2016
Publication date	Feb 4, 2020
Grant date	Feb 4, 2020

Abstract

An evaporator may be provided comprising a manifold, a plurality of micro-channel passageways, a distributor, and a separator. The manifold may comprise a shell defining a cavity. The plurality of micro-channel passageways may extend outwardly from the shell of the manifold, wherein the cavity may be in fluid communication with the plurality of micro-channel passageways. The distributor may comprise an inlet, an elongated body extending into the cavity of the manifold and defining a lumen, and a plurality of openings arranged on an outer surface of the elongated body and spaced along a length of the elongated body, wherein the openings may be configured to allow fluid communication between the lumen and the cavity of the manifold. The separator may be positioned between the plurality of openings within the cavity of the manifold.

First claim

We claim:

1. An evaporator comprising:
a manifold comprising a shell defining a cavity, a first manifold end, and a second end;
a plurality of micro-channel passageways extending outwardly from the shell of the manifold, wherein the cavity is in fluid communication with the plurality of micro-channel passageways terminating in open ends inside the cavity;
a distributor comprising an inlet, an elongated body extending from the inlet through one of the first and second manifold ends into the cavity of the manifold and defining a lumen surrounded by an outer wall forming an outer surface, and a plurality of openings extending through the outer wall of the elongated body and spaced along a length of the elongated body, wherein the openings are configured to allow fluid communication between the lumen and the cavity of the manifold; and
at least one separator positioned between the plurality of openings within the cavity of the manifold and defining compartments within the cavity of the manifold, wherein a plurality of the open ends of the micro-channel passageways are disposed in each compartment, wherein at least one of the at least one separator is placed immediately downstream of one of the openings to counter a momentum of cooling fluid entering the distributor through the inlet and to change a motion of the cooling fluid toward the closest of the plurality of micro-channel passageways.

2. The evaporator of claim 1 , wherein the elongated body of the distributor is substantially centered in the cavity.

3. The evaporator of claim 1 , wherein the elongated body of the distributor is biased away from a center of the cavity in a direction opposite from the plurality of micro-channel passageways.

4. The evaporator of claim 1 , wherein the openings on the outer surface of the elongated body are angled away from the plurality of micro-channel passageways.

5. The evaporator of claim 4 , wherein the openings on the outer surface of the elongated body are angled such that they are opposite from the plurality of micro-channel passageways.

6. The evaporator of claim 1 , wherein the separator is coupled to and extends outwardly from the outer surface of the distributor.

7. The evaporator of claim 1 , wherein the separator is coupled to and extends inwardly from an inner surface of the shell.

8. The evaporator of claim 1 , wherein a cross-sectional portion of the cavity is occluded by the elongated body and the separator.

9. The evaporator of claim 1 , wherein a cross-sectional portion of the cavity is partially occluded by the elongated body and the separator.

10. The evaporator of claim 1 , wherein the separator extends inwardly from an inner surface of the shell on a side of the manifold opposite from the plurality of micro-channel passageways.

11. The evaporator of claim 1 , wherein the separator extends inwardly from an inner surface of the shell on a side of the manifold coupled to the plurality of micro-channel passageways.

12. The evaporator of claim 1 , wherein the separator is circumferentially aligned within the cavity to angularly overlap with at least one of the openings of the distributor.

13. The evaporator of claim 1 , wherein the at least one separator is a plurality of separators.

14. The evaporator of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of separators are evenly spaced in the cavity between a first end and a second end of the manifold.

15. An evaporator comprising: an inlet manifold comprising a shell defining a cavity, a first manifold end, and a second manifold end, a distributor arranged in the inlet manifold the distributor having an inlet and an elongated body extending from the inlet through one of the first and second manifold ends into the cavity of the manifold and defining a lumen surrounded by an outer wall forming an outer surface, and a plurality of openings extending through the outer wall of the elongated body and spaced along a length of the elongated body; at least one separator positioned along a length of the distributor within the cavity of the manifold and defining compartments within the cavity of the manifold, wherein at least one of the at least one separator is placed immediately downstream of one of the openings to counter a momentum of cooling fluid entering the distributor through the inlet and to change a motion of the cooling fluid toward the closest of the plurality of micro-channel passageways; a plurality of micro-channel passageways extending outwardly from the shell of the inlet manifold, each of the plurality of micro-channel passageways comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is in fluid communication with the cavity of the inlet manifold; and an outlet manifold in fluid communication with the second end of the plurality of micro-channel passageways, wherein a plurality of the first ends of the micro-channel passageways are disposed in each compartment;
further comprising a collector having an outlet, a side wall extending into an outlet cavity of the outlet manifold and defining a channel configured to allow fluid communication between the outlet and the outlet cavity of the outlet manifold.

16. An evaporator comprising:
a manifold comprising a shell defining a cavity, a first manifold end, and a second manifold end;
a plurality of passageways extending outwardly from the shell of the manifold, wherein the cavity is in fluid communication with the plurality of micro-channel passageways;
a distributor comprising an inlet, an elongated body extending from the inlet through one of the first and second manifold ends into the cavity of the manifold and defining a lumen surrounded by an outer wall forming an outer surface, and a plurality of openings extending through the outer wall of the elongated body and spaced along a length of the elongated body, wherein the openings are configured to allow fluid communication between the lumen and the cavity of the manifold; and
a plurality of separators positioned within the cavity of the manifold, at least two of the plurality of separators connected by a bracket, at least one separator positioned between the plurality of openings within the cavity of the manifold and defining compartments within the cavity of the manifold, wherein a plurality of the open ends of the micro-channel passages are disposed in each compartment, wherein at least one of the at least one separator is placed immediately downstream of one of the openings to counter a momentum of cooling fluid entering the distributor through the inlet and to change a motion of the cooling fluid toward the closest of the plurality of micro-channel passageways.

17. The evaporator of claim 16 , wherein the bracket is coupled to an inner surface of the shell.

18. The evaporator of claim 16 , wherein at least one of the openings is arranged between the at least two of the plurality of separators connected by a bracket.

Assignees

• Mahle Int Gmbh

Inventors

• Pautler Donald R
• Wintersteen Douglas C
• Walkowski Neil A
• Li Longhu
• Forrest Wayne O
• Joshi Shrikant M

Classifications

• F28F2009/226

  Transversal partitions · CPC title

• F28F1/126

  consisting of zig-zag shaped fins (F28F1/105 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F28F2009/224

  Longitudinal partitions · CPC title

• F28F9/22

  Arrangements for directing heat-exchange media into successive compartments, e.g. arrangements of guide plates · CPC title

• F25B39/00 Primary

  Evaporators; Condensers · CPC title