Abstract
A heat exchanger (1) includes a fluid collector (2) for receiving fluid, a multiphase distributor (3) for distributing fluid, a first flow path (4), and a plurality of multi-duct tubes (6), which each have a duct tube longitudinal axis (7) and which each lead into the multiphase distributor (3) and into the fluid collector (2) by forming an orifice (8, 9). A second flow path (5) leads respectively through the multi-duct tubes (6), the fluid collector (2), and the multiphase distributor (3), wherein the multi-duct tubes (6) extend through the first flow path (4) for the first fluid, so that the first fluid can flow around and the second fluid can flow through the multi-duct tubes (6).
Claims
1. A heat exchanger for coupling a first fluid to a second fluid so as to transfer heat in a fluidically separate manner, the heat exchanger comprising: a fluid collector (2) for collecting fluid, a multiphase distributor (3) for distributing fluid, a first flow path (4) for the first fluid, a plurality of multi-duct tubes (6), which each have a duct tube longitudinal axis (7) and which each lead into the multiphase distributor (3) via a distributor orifice (8) and into the fluid collector (2) via a collector orifice (9), wherein a second flow path (5) for the second fluid extends through the multi-duct tubes (6), the fluid collector (2), and the multiphase distributor (3), wherein the multi-duct tubes (6) extend through the first flow path (4) for the first fluid in a configuration to allow the first fluid to flow around the multi-duct tubes and to allow the second fluid to flow, in a hermetically sealed manner, through the multi-duct tubes (6), respectively; wherein, in the course of a heating operation (22) of the heat exchanger (1), during which heat is transferred from the second fluid to the first fluid, the fluid collector (2) is arranged in the second flow path (5) downstream from the multiphase distributor (3), and the heat exchanger is configured to pass the second fluid first through the multiphase distributor (3), then through the multi-duct tubes (6), and then through the fluid collector (2).
2. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein, in the course of a cooling operation (23) of the heat exchanger (1), during which heat is transferred from the first fluid to the second fluid, the fluid collector (2) is arranged in the second flow path (5) upstream of the multiphase distributor (3), and the heat exchanger is configured to pass the second fluid first through the fluid collector (2), then through the multi-duct tubes (6), and then through the multiphase distributor (3).
3. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the fluid collector (2) has a cylindrical tubular body (10) with a hollow interior for guiding the second fluid, wherein the tubular body (10) has a tubular-body longitudinal axis (11) and at least two opening arrangements (12) forming a plurality of individual openings (13) penetrating the tubular body (10) transversely to the tubular-body longitudinal axis (11) and spaced apart from one another along the tubular-body longitudinal axis (11).
4. The heat exchanger according to claim 3, wherein the tubular body (10) has a tubular-body cross-section, which is constant along the tubular-body longitudinal axis (11) and is c-shaped.
5. The heat exchanger according to claim 3, wherein the tubular body (10) has exactly two opening arrangements (12, 14, 16), which are a first opening arrangement (12, 14) and a second opening arrangement (12, 16), wherein the individual openings (13) of the first opening arrangement (12, 14) are spaced apart from one another along the tubular-body longitudinal axis (11) by a first distance (15) measured from centers of adjacent ones of the individual openings of the first opening arrangement, and wherein the individual openings (13) of the second opening arrangement (12, 16) are spaced apart from one another along the tubular-body longitudinal axis (11), by a second distance (17), measured from centers of adjacent ones of the individual openings of the second opening arrangement, and wherein the first distance (15) of the individual openings (13) of the first opening arrangement (12, 14) is smaller than the second distance (17) of the individual openings (13) of the second opening arrangement (12, 16).
6. The heat exchanger according to claim 5, wherein the first distance (15) is half as long as the second distance (17).
7. The heat exchanger according to claim 3, wherein the tubular body (10) has exactly two opening arrangements (12, 14, 16), which are a first opening arrangement and a second opening arrangement, wherein the individual openings (13) of the first opening arrangement (12, 14) are spaced apart from one another along the tubular-body longitudinal axis (11) by a first distance (15), wherein the individual openings (13) of the second opening arrangement (12, 16) are spaced apart from one another along the tubular-body longitudinal axis (11) by a second distance (17), wherein the first distance (15) of the individual openings (13) of the first opening arrangement (12, 14) is between 49 mm and 59 mm, and wherein the second distance (17) of the individual openings (13) of the second opening arrangement (12, 16) is between 98 mm and 118 mm
8. The heat exchanger according to claim 7, wherein each of the individual openings (13) of the first opening arrangement (12, 14) has a first opening cross-section (32), and wherein each of the individual openings (13) of the second opening arrangement (12, 16) has a second opening cross-section (33), and wherein the first opening cross-section (32) is smaller than the second opening cross-section (33).
9. The heat exchanger according to claim 8, wherein the first cross-section defines a first opening area and the second cross-section defines a second opening area, the second opening area being twice as large as the first opening area.
10. The heat exchanger according to claim 3, wherein the tubular body (10) has exactly two opening arrangements (12, 14, 16), which are a first opening arrangement and a second opening arrangement, wherein the individual openings (13) of the first opening arrangement (12, 14) are spaced apart from one another along the tubular-body longitudinal axis (11) by a first distance (15), wherein the individual openings (13) of a second opening arrangement (12, 16) are spaced apart from one another along the tubular-body longitudinal axis (11) by a second distance (17), and wherein the individual opening (13) of the first and second opening arrangement (12, 14, 16) each have an opening diameter of 4.76 mm.
11. The heat exchanger according to claim 3, wherein the tubular body (10) has exactly two opening arrangements (12, 14, 16), which are a first opening arrangement and a second opening arrangement, wherein the individual openings (13) of a first opening arrangement (12, 14) are spaced apart from one another along the tubular-body longitudinal axis (11) by a first distance (15), wherein the individual openings (13) of a second opening arrangement (12, 16) are spaced apart from one another along the tubular-body longitudinal axis (11) by a second distance (17), wherein the individual opening (13) of the first opening arrangement (12, 14) each have an opening diameter between 4.26 mm and 5.26 mm, wherein the individual openings (13) of the second opening arrangement (12, 16) have opening diameters alternating between a first diameter of 4.26 mm to 5.26 mm and a second diameter of 5.75 mm to 6.95 mm, which alternate along the tubular-body longitudinal axis (11).
12. The heat exchanger according to claim 3, wherein the duct tube longitudinal axes (7) of the multi-duct tubes (6) are aligned transverse to the tubular-body longitudinal axis (11) of the tubular body (10) of the fluid collector (2).
13. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the multiphase distributor (3) has a cylindrical distributor tubular body (18) with a hollow interior for guiding the second fluid, wherein the distributor tubular body (18) has a distributor tubular-body longitudinal axis (19) and at least one distributor opening arrangement (20) forming a plurality of distributor individual openings (21) penetrating the distributor tubular body (18) transversely to the distributor tubular-body longitudinal axis (19) and spaced apart from one another in the direction of the distributor tubular-body longitudinal axis (19).
14. The heat exchanger according to claim 12, wherein the duct tube longitudinal axes (7) of the multi-duct tubes (6) are aligned transverse to the distributor tubular-body longitudinal axis (19) of the distributor tubular body (18) of the multiphase distributor (3).
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0031] In the drawings,
[0032] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a preferred exemplary embodiment of a heat exchanger system,
[0033] FIG. 2 shows a preferred exemplary embodiment of a heat exchanger arranged in the heat exchanger system according to FIG. 1, in a top view,
[0034] FIG. 3 shows a fluid collector of the heat exchanger from FIG. 2 in a side view, with a support tube, a multiphase distributor, and multi-duct tubes omitted for simplicity,
[0035] FIG. 4 shows the fluid collector of the heat exchanger from FIG. 3 in a top view according to an arrow IV incorporated therein, and
[0036] FIG. 5 shows a multiphase distributor of the heat exchanger from FIG. 2 in a side view, with a support tube, a fluid collector, and multi-duct tubes omitted for simplicity.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0037] As a whole, the figures show a preferred exemplary embodiment of a heat exchanger, which is labeled with reference numeral 1, of which two pieces are integrated in an exemplary manner in a preferred exemplary embodiment of a v-shaped heat exchanger system 25, which is illustrated in FIG. 1. As does the heat exchanger system 25, a heat exchanger 1 serves to transfer thermal energy from the first fluid to the second fluid or vice versa via the heat-transferring, fluidically separate coupling of a first fluid to a second fluid. Depending on whether thermal energy is transferred from the first fluid to the second fluid or from the second fluid to the first fluid, one refers to a cooling operation 23 of the heat exchanger 1 or to a heating operation 22 of the heat exchanger 1. The heat exchanger system 25 can analogously also be operated for heating as part of a heating mode or for cooling as part of a cooling mode. Heat exchangers 1 or heat exchanger systems 25 are usually used in air conditioning systems. As part of the heating mode for heating the heat exchanger system 25, the heat exchangers 1 are switched into the heating operation 22, wherein they are operated in an “upward flow design”. This means that the first fluid and the second fluid basically flow through the respective heat exchanger 1 from the bottom to the top, thus in the opposite direction of or at an angle to the direction of gravity. In any event, thermal energy is transferred from the second fluid to the first fluid as part of the heating operation 22 of the heat exchanger 1, so that a building, for example, can be air-conditioned/heated. As part of the cooling mode for cooling the heat exchanger system 25, the heat exchangers 1 are switched into the cooling operation 23, wherein they are operated in a “downward flow design”. This means that the second fluid basically flows through the heat exchanger 1 from the top to the bottom, thus in the direction of or at an angle to the direction of gravity, thus in reverse to the “upward flow design”.
[0038] It is thus important to note that the second fluid can flow through the heat exchanger 1 in different directions along a second flow path 5 as a function of the selected operating state 22, 23 of the heat exchanger 1. To illustrate this, arrows, which are directed from the top to the bottom, and arrows, which are directed from the top to the bottom and from the bottom to the top, respectively labeled with reference numeral 5, are incorporated in FIG. 1. They each specify the flow direction of the second fluid along the flow path 5.
[0039] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the preferred exemplary embodiment of the heat exchanger system 25, illustrating that the heat exchanger system 25 has a wedge-shaped housing 26, in which two heat exchangers 1 are arranged on the housing 26 in a stationary manner and tilted at an angle to one another in a v-shaped manner. The heat exchanger system 25 furthermore has a fan 27, which is arranged at the top end of the housing 26, for driving the first fluid along a first flow path 4, which is indicated by double arrows in FIG. 1 and which extends through the housing 26 in the opposite direction of the direction of gravity in an exemplary manner. The fan 27 may be electrically operated in an exemplary manner, for the purpose of which an electrical plug-in contact 31 is provided in an exemplary manner. The first fluid is, for example, air or ambient air.
[0040] The heat exchanger system 25 furthermore has a fluid pump 28, which is indicated by a dashed box in FIG. 1, for driving the second fluid along the described flow path 5. The fluid pump 28 may be fluidically coupled to the heat exchanger 1 via supply hoses 29 and support tube fluid connections 30, which are indicated by a dot-dash line. As a function of the selected operating mode of the heat exchanger system 25 or as a function of whether the heat exchanger 1 operates in the cooling operation 23 or in the heating operation 22, the second fluid can flow through each heat exchanger 1 via the fluid pump 28 in the direction of the direction of gravity along the flow path 5, basically from the top to the bottom or vice versa, in the opposite direction of the direction of gravity basically from the bottom to the top through the heat exchanger 1. Depending on the present flow direction of the second fluid, the support tube fluid connections 30 can selectively either form a fluid inlet or a fluid outlet. The fluid pump 28 can supply a fluid inlet as well as a fluid outlet in an exemplary manner.
[0041] In a top view, FIG. 2 shows a preferred exemplary embodiment of a heat exchanger 1, which is arranged in the heat exchanger system 25 according to FIG. 1. The heat exchanger 1 has a fluid collector 2, which is arranged completely inside the support tube 24, for collecting the second fluid, and a multiphase distributor 3, which is also arranged completely inside a support tube 24, for distributing the second fluid. The heat exchanger 1 furthermore has a plurality of multi-duct tubes 6, which each have a duct tube longitudinal axis 7 and which are reach inserted through a radial passage of the support tubes 24, and which, by forming a distributor orifice 8 lead into the multiphase distributor 3 on the one hand, and, by forming a collector orifice 9, lead into the fluid collector 2 on the other hand. Only some multi-duct tubes 6 are indicated in FIG. 2, so that the second flow path 5 of the second fluid can be seen, illustrated here by a plurality of dotted lines. The multi-duct tubes 6 may expediently be fixed via a material bond to the support tubes 24 by soldering or welding. The support tubes 24 completely encloses the multiphase distributor 3 and the fluid collector 2 all around, so that each support tube 24 has one of the above-mentioned support tube fluid connections 30, so as to be able to guide second fluid through the heat exchanger 1.
[0042] It can also be seen in FIG. 2 that the duct tube longitudinal axes 7 of the multi-duct tubes 6 are respectively aligned orthogonally with respect to a distributor tubular-body longitudinal axis 19 of the multiphase distributor 3 and orthogonally with respect to a tubular-body longitudinal axis 11 of the fluid collector 2. It is further illustrated in FIG. 2 that the second flow path 5 leads through the multi-duct tubes 6, the fluid collector 2, and the multiphase distributor 3. A first flow path 4 for the first fluid is only illustrated at one point by an arrow, which is designed in a curved manner, but it can nonetheless be seen that the multi-duct tubes 6 basically extend through the first flow path 4 for the first fluid. As a result, the first fluid can thus flow around and the second fluid can flow through the multi-duct tubes 6, respectively.
[0043] It can furthermore be seen in FIG. 2 that, when the heat exchanger 1 is operated in the heating operation 22, the fluid collector 2 is arranged in the second flow path 5 in such a way that it is located downstream from the multiphase distributor 3, and that the second fluid flows through the multiphase distributor 3, then through the multi-duct tubes 6, and then through the fluid collector 2, as indicated by corresponding full arrows of the second flow path 5.
[0044] It is additionally incorporated in FIG. 2 that, when the heat exchanger 1 is operated in the cooling operation 23, the fluid collector 2 may be arranged in the second flow path 5 in such a way that it is located upstream of the multiphase distributor 3 and that the second fluid then initially flows through the fluid collector 2, then through the multi-duct tubes 6, and then through the multiphase distributor 3, which is indicated in FIG. 2 by half-full arrows of the flow path 5.
[0045] In FIG. 3, the fluid collector 2 of the heat exchanger 1 from FIG. 2 can be seen in a side view, but the encasing support tube 24, the multiphase distributor 3, and the multi-duct tubes 6 are hidden in favor of better visibility of the fluid collector 2. It can be seen well that the fluid collector 2 has a cylindrical tubular body 10 for guiding the second fluid. The tubular body 10 defines a tubular-body longitudinal axis 11, which is indicated by dashes in FIG. 3, and at least two opening arrangements 12, which each penetrate the tubular body 10 transversely to the tubular-body longitudinal axis 11. The opening arrangements 12 each have a plurality of individual openings 13, which are arranged spaced apart from one another along the tubular-body longitudinal axis 11 and which each completely penetrate the tubular body 10. The tubular body 10 may expediently have a tubular-body cross-section, which is constant throughout, with respect to the tubular-body longitudinal axis 11. In addition, the second flow path 5 is indicated in a dotted manner in FIG. 3.
[0046] To be able to better see and describe the individual openings 13 of the two opening arrangements 12, FIG. 4 shows a top view of the fluid collector 2 in the viewing direction of an arrow IV, which is incorporated in FIG. 3. It can be seen that the tubular body 10 has exactly two opening arrangements 12, 14, 16. The individual openings 13 of a first opening arrangement 12, 14 are spaced apart from one another along the tubular-body longitudinal axis 11 by a first distance 15, which is measured, for example, in millimeters, between center of the opening and center of the opening. The individual openings 13 of a second opening arrangement 12, 16 are spaced apart from one another along the tubular-body longitudinal axis 11 by a second distance 17, which is measured, for example, in millimeters, between center of the opening and center of the opening. The first distances 15 are thereby smaller than the second distances 17, the first distances 15 are respectively preferably 54 mm (+/−5 mm), and the second distances 17 are respectively 108 mm (+/−10 mm). The opening diameters of the first individual openings 13 of the first opening arrangement 12, 14 may be designed to be smaller than the opening diameters of the second individual openings 13 of the second opening arrangement 12, 16. In an exemplary embodiment, which is not illustrated here, the individual openings 13 of the first opening arrangement 12, 14 may also each have an opening diameter of 4.76 mm (+/−0.5 mm), while the individual openings 13 of the second opening arrangement 12, 16 have opening diameters, which alternate along the tubular-body longitudinal axis 11, namely 4.76 mm (+/−0.5 mm) and 6.35 mm (+/−0.6 mm).
[0047] It can also be seen in FIG. 4 that the individual openings 13 of the first opening arrangement 12, 14 each have a first opening cross-section 32, and that the individual openings 13 of the second opening arrangement 12, 16 each have a second opening cross-section 33. It is provided in an exemplary manner that at least one of the or a plurality of or all first opening cross-sections 32 are smaller than the second opening cross-sections 33 in terms of surface area. It is also conceivable that all first opening cross-sections 32 are designed to be half or a quarter as large as the second opening cross-sections 33 in terms of surface area.
[0048] Lastly, FIG. 5 shows the multiphase distributor 3 of the heat exchanger 1 from FIG. 2 in a side view. The support tube 24, the fluid collector 2, and multi-duct tubes 6 are again hidden in factor of better visibility. It can be seen in FIG. 5 that the multiphase distributor 3 has a cylindrical distributor tubular body 18 for guiding the second fluid. The distributor tubular body 18 has a distributor tubular-body longitudinal axis 19 and at least one distributor opening arrangement 20, which penetrates the distributor tubular body 18 transversely to the distributor tubular-body longitudinal axis 19 and which consists of a plurality of distributor individual openings 21, which are arranged spaced apart from one another in the direction of the distributor tubular-body longitudinal axis 19. The distributor individual openings 21 each have an opening diameter, for example 4.76 mm. In addition, the second flow path 5 is indicated in a dotted manner in FIG. 5.
[0049] While the above description constitutes the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the proper scope and fair meaning of the accompanying claims.
