Dual heat exchanger for heat pump system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12135151-B2
Application number	US-202217963526-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 11, 2022
Priority date	Oct 11, 2022
Publication date	Nov 5, 2024
Grant date	Nov 5, 2024

Abstract

A heat exchanger for use in an outdoor environment with a heat pump system is provided. The heat exchanger includes a first set of tubes arranged in a parallel flow manner between a first manifold and a second manifold, wherein central straight portions of adjacent tubes are disposed with a space therebetween along each tube of the first set of tube between the first and second manifolds. A second set of tubes are arranged in a parallel flow manner between a third manifold and a fourth manifold, wherein central straight portions of adjacent tubes within the second set of tubes are at least partially disposed within the space between adjacent tubes of the first set of tubes. A fluid that flows through the first set of tubes additionally flows through the second set of tubes before the fluid returns to again flow through the first set of tubes.

First claim

The invenion claimed is:

1. A heat exchanger comprising:
an assembly comprising a first set of tubes that are arranged in a parallel flow manner between a first manifold and a second manifold, wherein central straight portions of adjacent tubes within the first set of tubes are disposed with a space therebetween along each tube of the first set of tube between the first and second manifolds;
the assembly comprises a second set of tubes that are arranged in a parallel flow manner between a third manifold and a fourth manifold, wherein central straight portions of adjacent tubes within the second set of tubes are at least partially disposed within the space between adjacent tubes of the first set of tubes;
wherein a fluid that flows through the first set of tubes additionally flows through the second set of tubes before the fluid returns to again flow through the first set of tubes,
wherein each of the tubes within the first set of tubes includes the straight portion along its length and a curved portion along its length, wherein the straight portion of each of the tubes within the first set of tubes is fixed to the first manifold and the curved portion of each of the tubes within the first set of tubes is fixed to the second manifold, and
wherein each of the tubes within the second set of tubes includes the straight portion along their length and a curved portion along their length, wherein the curved portion of each of the tubes within the second set of tubes is fixed to the third manifold and the straight portion of each of the tubes within the second set of tubes is fixed to the fourth manifold,
wherein the curved portion of each of the tubes of the second set extend away from the straight portion with vector components in right and left directions that are opposite from a shape of the curved portion that extends from the straight portion in each of the tubes within the first set of tubes, wherein the right and left directions face out from the respective right and left sides of the tube along the straight portion of the respective tubes within the first and second sets of tubes.

2. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the third manifold is offset from the first manifold such that a first line through a centerline of the first manifold and through a centerline of the third manifold is disposed at an acute angle to a second line that extends between the centerline of the first manifold and a centerline of the fourth manifold, and
wherein the second manifold is offset from the fourth manifold such that a third line through a centerline of the second manifold and through a centerline of the fourth manifold is disposed at an acute angle to the second line that extends between the centerline of the first manifold and the centerline of the fourth manifold.

3. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein each of the tubes of the first set of tubes and each of the tubes within the second set of tubes are formed with the same geometry and size.

4. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of fins are disposed between each tube of the first set of tubes and an adjacent tube of the second set of tubes, and wherein each fin is fixed to one or both tubes.

5. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein refrigerant flows through the first set of tubes and then flows through an expansion valve before flowing through the second set of tubes.

6. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein refrigerant flows past the first set of tubes and the second set of tubes in series.

7. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the assembly is configured to be disposed in an outdoor space that is configured for outside air to flow therethrough.

8. The heat exchanger of claim 5 , wherein the assembly is configured to be disposed in an outdoor space that is configured for outside air to flow therethrough, wherein when refrigerant flows through the first set of tubes before flowing through the expansion valve the first set of tubes acts to condense the refrigerant flowing therethrough, and wherein when refrigerant flowing through the second set of tubes after flowing through the expansion valve the second set of tubes acts to evaporate the refrigerant flowing therethrough.

9. A heat exchanger comprising:
an assembly comprising a first set of tubes that are arranged in a parallel flow manner between a first manifold and a second manifold, wherein central straight portions of adjacent tubes within the first set of tubes are disposed with a space therebetween along each tube of the first set of tube between the first and second manifolds;
the assembly comprises a second set of tubes that are arranged in a parallel flow manner between a third manifold and a fourth manifold, wherein central straight portions of adjacent tubes within the second set of tubes are at least partially disposed within the space between adjacent tubes of the first set of tubes;
wherein a fluid that flows through the first set of tubes additionally flows through the second set of tubes before the fluid returns to again flow through the first set of tubes,
wherein each of the tubes within the first set of tubes includes the straight portion along its length and a curved portion along its length, wherein the straight portion of each of the tubes within the first set of tubes is fixed to the first manifold and the curved portion of each of the tubes within the first set of tubes is fixed to the second manifold, and
wherein each of the tubes within the second set of tubes includes the straight portion along their length and a curved portion along their length, wherein the curved portion of each of the tubes within the second set of tubes is fixed to the third manifold and the straight portion of each of the tubes within the second set of tubes is fixed to the fourth manifold
wherein the straight portion of each of the first and second tubes includes top and bottom walls and right and left side walls that all are uniform along the straight portion, wherein the right and left side walls are wider than a width of the top and bottom walls, wherein a line extends through the straight portion and parallel to the right and left side walls, wherein the curved portion extends from an end of the straight portion and is shaped such that different portions of the curved portion extend away from the line in opposite right and left directions from the line.

10. The heat exchanger of claim 9 , wherein the curved portion of the first set of tubes is oriented such that a first portion of the curved portion extends a maximum distance in the right direction from the line, and a second portion of the curved portion extends from the first portion about the same distance from the line in the left direction as the first portion extends in the right direction.

11. The heat exchanger of claim 10 , wherein the straight portions of each of the tubes are disposed within the assembly such that each straight portion is disposed at approximately the same distance from the straight portion of the adjacent tube.

12. The heat exchanger of claim 9 , wherein the third manifold is offset from the first manifold such that a first line through a centerline of the first manifold and through a centerline of the third manifold is disposed at an acute angle to a second line that extends between the centerline of the first manifold and a centerline of the fourth manifold, and
wherein the second manifold is offset from the fourth manifold such that a third line through a centerline of the second manifold and through a centerline of the fourth manifold is disposed at an acute angle to the second line that extends between the centerline of the first manifold and the centerline of the fourth m

Assignees

• Mahle Int Gmbh

Inventors

• Kent Scott
• Runk Robert Louis
• Leitzel Lindsey Lee
• Walczak Szymon

Classifications

• F25B30/02

  of the compression type · CPC title

• F28F1/126

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

• F28F1/025

  with variable shape, e.g. with modified tube ends, with different geometrical features (F28F1/06, F28F1/08, F28F9/16, F28F9/18 take precedence) · CPC title

• F28F1/022

  with multiple channels · 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