Dual duty microchannel heat exchanger

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016290730-A1
Application number	US-201415039087-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 24, 2014
Priority date	Nov 25, 2013
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A heat exchanger includes a first tube bank having at least a first and a second flattened tube segments extending longitudinally in spaced parallel relationship. A second tube bank includes at least a first group of flattened tube segments and a second group of flattened tube segments extending longitudinally in spaced parallel relationship. The second tube bank is disposed behind the first tube bank with a leading edge of the second tube bank spaced from a trailing edge of the first tube bank. The first group of flattened tube segments is configured to receive a first fluid. The second group of flattened tube segments is configured to receive a second fluid. A fan provides an airflow across the first tube bunk and the second tube bank sequentially.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A heat exchanger comprising:
a first tube bank including at least a first and a second flattened tube segments extending longitudinally in a spaced, parallel relationship; a second tube bank including at least a first group of flattened tube segments and a second group of flattened tube segments extending longitudinally in a spaced, parallel relationship, the second tube bank disposed behind the first tube bank with a leading edge of the second tube bank spaced from a trailing edge of the first tube bank, the first group of flattened tube segments is fluidly coupled to the first tube bank and is configured to receive a first fluid and the second group of flattened tube segments is configured to receive a second fluid; and a fan configured to provide an airflow across the first tube bank and the second tube bank sequentially.

2 . The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the first fluid is configured to flow through the first group of flattened tube segments of the second bank and at least a portion of the flattened tube segments of the first tube bank in a cross-counterflow direction relative to the airflow and the second fluid is configured to flow through the second group of flattened tube segments of the second tube bank in a cross-flow direction relative to the airflow.

3 . The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the first fluid is configured to make at least two passes, at least one pass is provided in the first group of flattened tubes of the second tube bank and at least one pass is provided in the first tube bank.

4 . The heat exchanger according to claim 3 , wherein the first fluid is configured to make more than one pass in the first tube bank.

5 . The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the second fluid is configured to make a single pass through the second group of flattened tubes of the second tube bank.

6 . The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the second fluid is configured to make multiple passes through the second group of flattened tubes of the second tube bank.

7 . The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the flattened tube segments of the second tube bank have a different width than the flattened tube segments of the first tube bank.

8 . The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is integrated into a transport refrigeration system.

9 . The heat exchanger according to claim 8 , wherein the first fluid is one of refrigerant and coolant.

10 . The heat exchanger according to claim 9 , wherein the coolant is one of water, ethylene glycol and propylene glycol.

11 . The heat exchanger according to claim 8 , wherein the second fluid is one of refrigerant and coolant.

12 . The heat exchanger according to claim 8 , where the transport refrigeration system includes a first compressor stage and a second compressor stage.

13 . The heat exchanger according to claim 12 , wherein a portion of the flattened tube segments of the first tube bank is configured to receive a third fluid.

14 . The heat exchanger according to claim 12 , wherein the second tube bank further comprises a third group of flattened tube segments extending longitudinally in a spaced parallel relationship.

15 . The heat exchanger according to claim 14 , wherein the third group of flattened tube segments is configured to receive a third fluid, the third fluid being one of refrigerant and coolant.

16 . The heat exchanger according to claim 15 , wherein the refrigerant received in the first portion of flattened tube segments of the second tube bank is refrigerant provided from the second compression stage.

17 . The heat exchanger according to claim 15 , where in the refrigerant received in either the second portion of flattened tube segments of the second tube bank or the third portion of flattened tube segments of the second tube bank is provided from the first compression stage.

18 . The heat exchanger according to claim 17 , wherein the heat exchanger is configured to function as an intercooler for the refrigerant provided from the first compression stage.

Assignees

• Carrier Corp

Inventors

• Taras Michael F

Classifications

• F28F1/126

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

• F25B39/00

  Evaporators; Condensers · CPC title

• F28D2021/0068

  for refrigerant cycles · CPC title

• F28D7/0091 Primary

  the supplementary medium flowing in series through the units · CPC title

• F28D1/0435 Primary

  Combination of units extending one behind the other (F28D1/0452 takes precedence) · CPC title