Heat exchanger

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017030650-A1
Application number	US-201615223253-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 29, 2016
Priority date	Jul 31, 2015
Publication date	Feb 2, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A microchannel type heat exchanger is provided. The heat exchanger may include a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger, in which a plurality of flat tube may be provided. The heat exchanger may include a first path defined in a first portion of the plurality of flat tubes provided in the first heat exchanger, the first path being configured such that a refrigerant flows in a first direction, a second path defined in a second portion of the plurality of flat tubes provided in the first heat exchanger, the first path being configured such that the refrigerant, supplied from the first path, flows in a second direction opposite to the first direction, a third path defined in a remaining portion of the plurality of flat tubes provided in the first heat exchanger and a portion of the plurality of flat tubes provided in the second heat exchanger, the third path being configured such that the refrigerant, supplied from the second path, flows in a third direction opposite to the second direction, and a fourth path defined in a remaining portion of the plurality of flat tubes provided in the second heat exchanger, the fourth path being configured such that the refrigerant, supplied from the third path, flows in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A microchannel type heat exchanger including a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger, in which a plurality of flat tube is provided, the heat exchanger comprising:
a first path defined in a first portion of the plurality of flat tubes provided in the first heat exchanger, the first path being configured such that a refrigerant flows in a first direction; a second path defined in a second portion of the plurality of flat tubes provided in the first heat exchanger, the first path being configured such that the refrigerant, supplied from the first path, flows in a second direction opposite to the first direction in which the refrigerant flows in the first path; a third path defined in a remaining portion of the plurality of flat tubes provided in the first heat exchanger and a portion of the plurality of flat tubes provided in the second heat exchanger, the third path being configured such that the refrigerant, supplied from the second path, flows in a third direction opposite to the second direction in which the refrigerant flows in the second path; and a fourth path defined in a remaining portion of the plurality of flat tubes provided in the second heat exchanger, the fourth path being configured such that the refrigerant, supplied from the third path, flows in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction in which the refrigerant flows in the third path.

2 . The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein a number of flat tubes provided in the second path is greater than a number of flat tubes provided in the first path, or a capacity of the second path is greater than a capacity of the first path.

3 . The heat exchanger according to claim 2 , wherein a number of flat tubes provided in the third path is greater than the number of flat tubes provided in the second path, or a capacity of the third path is greater than the capacity of the second path.

4 . The heat exchanger according to claim 3 , wherein a number of flat tubes provided in the fourth path is greater than the number of flat tubes provided in the first path, or a capacity of the fourth path is greater than the capacity of the first path.

5 . The heat exchanger according to claim 3 , wherein a number of flat tubes provided in the fourth path is greater than the number of flat tubes provided in the first path, or a capacity of the fourth path is greater than the capacity of the first path, and the number of flat tubes provided in the fourth path is less than the number of flat tubes provided in the second path, or the capacity of the fourth path is less than the capacity of the second path.

6 . The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein
a number of flat tubes provided in the third path is about 30% to 50% of a sum of numbers of flat tubes provided in all the paths, or a capacity of the third path is about 30% to 50% of a sum of capacities of all the paths.

7 . The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the third path includes a 3-1 path defined in the first heat exchanger and a 3-2 path defined in the second heat exchanger, and the refrigerant passing through the 3-1 path and the 3-2 path flows in the third direction opposite to the second direction in which the refrigerant flows in the second path.

8 . The heat exchanger according to claim 7 , wherein a number of flat tubes provided in the 3-2 path is about 50% or more of a number of flat tubes provided in the second heat exchanger, or a capacity of the 3-2 path is about 50% or more of a capacity of the second heat exchanger.

9 . The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the first heat exchanger includes:
the plurality of flat tubes, in which the refrigerant flows; fins connected between the respective flat tubes to conduct heat; a first lower header coupled to a first side of a stack of the plurality of flat tubes so as to communicate with the first side of the stack of the plurality of flat tubes such that the refrigerant flows in the first lower header; a first upper header coupled to a second side of the stack of the plurality of flat tubes so as to communicate with the second side of the stack of the plurality of flat tubes such that the refrigerant flows in the first upper header; a first baffle provided in the first lower header to partition an interior of the first lower header to define the first path and the second path; and a second baffle provided in the first upper header to partition an interior of the first upper header to define the second path and a portion of the third path, and wherein the second heat exchanger includes:
the plurality of flat tubes, in which the refrigerant flows;
fins connected between the respective flat tubes to conduct heat;
a second lower header coupled to a first side of a stack of the plurality of flat tubes so as to communicate with the first side of the stack of the plurality of flat tubes such that the refrigerant flows in the second lower header;
a second upper header coupled to a second side of the stack of the plurality of flat tubes so as to communicate with the second side of the stack of the flat tubes such that the refrigerant flows in the second upper header; and
a third baffle provided in the second lower header to partition an interior of the second lower header to define the remaining portion of the third path and the fourth path.

10 . The heat exchanger according to claim 9 , wherein an introduction pipe, through which the refrigerant is supplied, is connected to the first lower header of the first path, and a discharge pipe, through which the refrigerant is discharged, is connected to the second lower header of the fourth path.

11 . The heat exchanger according to claim 10 , wherein the third path includes a 3-1 path defined in the first heat exchanger and a 3-2 path defined in the second heat exchanger, wherein the 3-1 path is defined in the first heat exchanger by the second baffle, and wherein the 3-2 path is defined in the second heat exchanger by the third baffle.

12 . The heat exchanger according to claim 11 , wherein the first upper header, in which the 3-1 path is defined, is provided with a first upper hole, the second upper header, in which the 3-2 path is defined, is provided with a second upper hole, and a portion of the refrigerant in the third path flows to the second upper header through the first upper hole and the second upper hole.

13 . The heat exchanger according to claim 11 , wherein the first lower header, in which the 3-1 path is defined, is provided with at least one first lower hole, the second lower header, in which the 3-2 path is defined, is provided with at least one second lower hole, and a portion of the refrigerant in the third path flows to the second lower header through the at least one first lower hole and the at least one second lower hole.

14 . The heat exchanger according to claim 11 , wherein the first upper header, in which the 3-1 path is defined, is provided with a first upper hole, the second upper header, in which the 3-2 path is defined, is provided with a second upper hole, and a portion of the refrigerant in the third path flows to the second upper header through the first upper hole and the second upper hole, and wherein the first lower header, in which the 3-1 path is defined, is provided with at least one first lower hole, the second lower header, in which the 3-2 path is defined, is provided with at least one second lower hole, and a remaining portion of the refrigerant in the third path flows to the second lower header through the at least one first lower hole and the at least one second lower hole.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Yoo Sanghoon
• Park Taegyun
• Kim Juhyok

Classifications

• 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

• F28D1/0417

  with particular circuits for the same heat exchange medium, e.g. with the heat exchange medium flowing through sections having different heat exchange capacities or for heating/cooling the heat exchange medium at different temperatures · CPC title

• F28F9/0204

  for elongated header box, e.g. with transversal and longitudinal partitions · CPC title

• F28D2021/0071

  Evaporators · CPC title

• F28F9/0273

  with multiple holes · CPC title