AIR CONDITIONER

Abstract

An air conditioning unit includes one or more evaporators and the one or more heat exchangers consisting of flat tubes made of light metal. At least one of the heat exchangers, at least one of the evaporators, at least two of the condensed water tanks and at least one of the fans for the one or more evaporators and/or heat exchangers together form one module and are surrounded by a housing. The condensed water tanks are arranged in transverse alignment relative to one another in the module, in order to collect condensed water and can be adapted to various mounting positions of the module. The compressor and/or the expansion valve, respectively, are interchangeable to adapt to various performance requirements of the evaporators. The performance of the fans is changeable to adapt to performance requirements of the evaporators, or the fans are interchangeable.

Claims

1. An air conditioning unit, comprising: at least one evaporator; at least one heat exchanger; a plurality of fans for the at least one evaporator and the at least one heat exchanger; at least one compressor; at least one expansion valve; at least one condensed water tank; at least one housing for accommodating said fans, said at least one evaporator, said at least one heat exchanger, said at least one compressor, said at least one expansion valves, and/or said at least one condensed water tanks; wherein the one or more evaporators (16) and the one or more heat exchangers (18) comprise flat tubes (34) made of a lightweight metal, and wherein at least one of the at least one heat exchangers (18), at least one of the at least one evaporator (16), at least two of the at least one condensed water tank (7, 8) and at least one of the fans (20) for the one or more evaporators (16) and/or heat exchangers (18) together form a module (2) and are surrounded by one of the at least one housing, wherein said at least two condensed water tanks (7, 8) are arranged in transverse alignment to one another in the module in order to collect condensed water in adaptation to various mounting positions of the module (2), wherein the compressor and/or the expansion valve or the compressors and/or expansion valves, respectively, are interchangeable to adapt to selected performance requirements of the at least one evaporator (16), and wherein performance of the at least one fan (20) is adaptable to the selected performance requirements of the at least one evaporator (16) or the at least one fan (20) is interchangeable with other fans(20).

2. The air conditioning unit according to claim 1, wherein the lightweight metal is aluminum.

3. The air conditioning unit according to claim 1, wherein the flat tubes (34) are fabricated using extrusion technology.

4. The air conditioning unit according to claim 1, wherein the mounting positions of the module are selectively positionable horizontally and vertically.

5. The air conditioning unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one heat exchangers (18) and/or evaporators (16) comprise plate fins (32) and at least one radiator tank (30), wherein the interconnections between the flat tubes (34) and the plate fins (32), between the flat tubes (34) and the one or more radiator tanks (30) are soldered using one-shot brazing technology, wherein all or many interconnections of a device are soldered simultaneously in one soldering cycle.

6. The air conditioning unit according to claim 1, wherein the one or more heat exchangers (18) comprise plate fins (32) and at least one radiator tank (30), wherein the plate fins (32) are disposed between the flat tubes (34) and are connected therewith in a heat-conducting manner, and wherein the one or more radiator tanks (30) are disposed relative to the flat tubes (34) and/or the plate fins (32) in a vertically upright manner.

7. The air conditioning unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one heat exchanger (18) and the at least one evaporator (16) are arranged within the housing of the module (2), wherein air intake sides (75) of the at least one heat exchanger (18) and the at least one evaporators (16) extend parallel to one another, wherein a height (40) of the at least one heat exchanger (18) and a height of the at least one evaporator (16) are approximately equal and approximately 20% larger than a height (42) of the fan for the at least one evaporator and/or at least one heat exchanger.

8. The air conditioning unit according to claim 1, further comprising at least one rotatable flap (21) that is driven by a motor (23), wherein said at least one rotatable flap (21) is disposed on the module (2), wherein said at least one rotatable flap is configured to switch an air flow between fresh air and recirculating air.

9. The air conditioning unit according to claim 8, wherein at least one rotatable flap (21) has approximately the same length as the at least one heat exchanger (18) or the at least one evaporator (16).

10. The air conditioning unit according to claim 8, wherein a longitudinal side of the at least one flap (21) in case of the fresh air or recirculating air forms an angle (6) with the air intake side (75) of the at least one heat exchanger (18) or the at least one evaporators (16).

11. The air conditioning unit according to claim 10, wherein the angle is between 30 and 60.

12. The air conditioning unit according to claim 8, wherein at least one ridge (25) extends along a longitudinal axis of a longitudinal side of the at least one rotatable flap (21) approximately perpendicular to the at least one flap (21) and is connected therewith, wherein the ridge (25) is approximately as long as and half as wide as the at least one flap (21).

13. The air conditioning unit according to claim 1, wherein within the module (2), at least one of the condensed water tanks (7) is arranged at a front face and/or a closed side (73) of the at least one evaporator (16), wherein the area of the at least one condensed water tank (7) is larger than an area of the front face and/or the closed side (73) of the at least one evaporator (16).

14. The air conditioning unit according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the condensed water tanks (8) is disposed at a distance (71) from an air intake side (74) of the at least one evaporator (16) within the module (2), which the distance (74) is three to five times a width (70) of the at least one evaporator (16), wherein an area of the at least one condensed water tank (8) is substantially larger than an area of air outflow or outtake side (74) of the one ore more evaporators (16).

15. The air conditioning unit according to claim 8, wherein at least one condensed water tank (8) is disposed proximate the at least one rotatable flap (21), wherein the one or more flaps (21) are arranged between the one or more evaporators (16) or the one or more heat exchangers (16) and the one ore more condensed water tanks (8), and wherein an area of the at least one condensed water tanks (8) is substantially larger than an area of the air intake side (75) of the at least one evaporator (16) or the at least one heat exchanger (18).

16. The air conditioning unit according to claim 8, wherein the fans (20) for the one or more evaporators (16) and/or the one ore more heat exchangers (18) is disposed in the direction of air flow between the at least one evaporator (16) or the at least one heat exchanger (18) and the at least one rotatable flap (21), wherein each of said fans include an exhaust channel with an exhaust opening (48), wherein a height (46) of the exhaust opening (48) of the exhaust channel is approximately of the at least one evaporator (16) or the at least one heat exchanger (18), and wherein a cross-sectional area of the exhaust channel (24) of the fans (20) becomes larger in the direction of the exhaust opening (48), and wherein a longitudinal axis (52) of the exhaust channel (24) of the fans (20) and a horizontal coordinate axis (54) which both span a vertical plane form an angle (44) between 0 and 45, and wherein the longitudinal axis (52) of the exhaust channel (24) of the fans (20) is offset on said vertical plane in a direction of a center (4) of the at least one evaporator (16) or the at least one heat exchanger (18).

17. The air conditioning unit according to claim 16, wherein the height (46) of the exhaust opening (48) of the exhaust channel is approximately half a height (4) of the at least one evaporator (16) or the at least one heat exchanger (18).

18. The air conditioning unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one heat exchanger (18) or the at least one evaporator (16) are arranged in the direction of the airflow between the fans (20) for the at least one evaporator (16) and/or the at least one heat exchanger (18) and the at least one rotatable flap (21).

19. The air conditioning unit according to claim 1, wherein the module (2) is connectable to an adapter element (13) with connectors (15) for hoses, flaps and nozzles, wherein the adapter element has approximately the same height and length as the at least one heat exchanger (18) and/or the at least one evaporator (16).

20. The air conditioning unit according to claim 19, wherein the adapter element has a width (3) of 100 mm to 180 mm.

21. The air conditioning unit according to claim 1, wherein a motor (22) for driving the fans (20) for the at least one evaporator (16) and/or the at least one heat exchanger (18) is provided at the fans (20) within the module (2), wherein said fan (20) und said motor (22) are arranged on top of each other, and wherein the mounting of said motor (22) is adjusted to said arrangement.

22. The air conditioning unit according to claim 8, wherein an air intake case is provided at the module (2) und is connected to the module in a sealed manner via a flange, wherein the air intake case comprises at least two sockets or flanges that are each arranged approximately at a center of an area of the air intake case, and wherein said intake system for recirculating air or fresh air is connectable via said sockets or flanges.

23. The air conditioning unit according to claim 22, wherein the at least one rotatable flap (21) is arranged within the air intake case.

24. The air conditioning unit according to claim 1, further comprising at least one tube-shaped connecting element (90) coupled to the fans (20) and to the at least one evaporator (16) and/or the at least one heat exchanger (18) in a sealed manner, such that the fans (20) are separately incorporated therein.

25. The air conditioning unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one evaporator (16) and/or the at least one heat exchanger (18) is exchangeable with a smaller evaporator (16) and/or heat exchanger in the module (2) depending on smaller power requirements, wherein the smaller evaporator (16) and/or heat exchanger (18) has an equal height and width as compared to the exchanged evaporator (16) and/or heat exchanger (18), and further has a shorter length than the exchanged evaporator (16) and/or heat exchanger (18).

26. The air conditioning unit according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the heat exchangers (18) and at least one of the fans (20) for the at least one heat exchanger (18) are surrounded by one of said housings together as one module (2).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0067] Further advantages, details and features arise from the following description of exemplary embodiments of the invention with respect to the drawings, in which:

[0068] FIG. 1 shows a schematically illustrated embodiment of the inventive air conditioning unit comprising an adapter element;

[0069] FIG. 2 shows a side view of the embodiment of the inventive air conditioning unit according to FIG. 1;

[0070] FIG. 3 shows a different schematically illustrated embodiment of the inventive air conditioner comprising a flap unit;

[0071] FIG. 4 shows a side view of the embodiment of the inventive air conditioning unit according to FIG. 3;

[0072] FIG. 5 shows a schematically illustrated evaporator having two condensed water tanks, of an embodiment of the inventive air conditioning unit in the side view;

[0073] FIG. 6 shows a schematically illustrated evaporator comprising a flap and a condensed water tank arranged at the flap, of an embodiment of the inventive air conditioner in the side view;

[0074] FIG. 7A shows a schematic view of the heat exchanger of the embodiment according to FIG. 1;

[0075] FIG. 7B shows a schematic view of an enlarged selected part of the heat exchanger according to FIG. 7A;

[0076] FIG. 7C shows a schematic front view of an enlarged flat tube of the heat exchanger according to FIG. 7A; and

[0077] FIG. 8 shows a schematically illustrated embodiment comprising fans that are separated from the one or more heat exchangers or the one or more evaporators, respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0078] The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 of the inventive air conditioning unit 100 comprises inter alia one compressor, one expansion valve, two evaporators 16, one heat exchanger 18, two fans 20 for the evaporators (16) and/or the heat exchanger 18, one motor 22 for driving those fans 20, two condensed water tanks (not illustrated in FIG. 1) and one housing 10 for the accommodation of all components of the air conditioning unit 100.

[0079] The heat exchanger 18, the evaporators 16, two condensed water tanks and the fans 20 with the motor 22 that inventively form one module 2, are surrounded by one housing (not illustrated in FIG. 1).

[0080] In the illustrated embodiment according to FIG. 1, an adapter element 13 with three connecting pieces for three hoses 15 is coupled to the module 2, through which the air escaping from the heat exchanger 18 and/or the evaporator 16 is distributed. The adapter element 13 is approximately as long and as high as the heat exchanger 18 and/or the evaporators 16 and has a thickness 3 reaching from 100 mm to 180 mm.

[0081] This thickness amounts to approximately four times to approximately six times the thickness/width of the heat exchanger 18 so that the air resistance is not undesirably too large due to hoses 15 too closely arranged or other air distribution elements such as nozzles or flaps. In order to reduce the weight of the inventive air conditioning unit 100, the housing of the module 2 consists of expanded polypropylene (EPP).

[0082] According to FIG. 2, the height 40 of the heat exchanger 18 and the height of the evaporator 16 are approximately the same and about 20% larger than the height 42 of the fans 20. The fans 20 each comprise one exhaust channel 24 having an exhaust opening 48. The height 46 of this exhaust opening 48 according to FIG. 2 is approximately of the height 40 of the evaporators 16 and/or the heat exchanger 18.

[0083] According to FIG. 2, the cross-sectional area of the exhaust channel 24 in the illustrated plane is enlarged in the direction towards the exhaust opening 48 in a manner known per se. However, it is preferred to increase the cross-sectional area of the exhaust channel 24 in all planes in the direction towards the exhaust opening so that the exhausted or discharged air flows through an area as large as possible of the tubes of the evaporators 16 and/or the heat exchanger 18.

[0084] The longitudinal axis 52 of the exhaust channel 24 and the horizontal coordinate axis 54 in the plane illustrated in FIG. 3 form an angle 44 that in particular is between 0 and 45.

[0085] The longitudinal axis 52 of the exhaust channel 24 of the fans 20 on this vertical plane is offset in the direction of the center 4 of the evaporators 16 or the heat exchanger. The distance 50 between the exhaust opening 48 of the fans 20 and the closer evaporator 16 is more than 3 cm, in particular about 5 cm, preferably about 10 cm, in order to achieve a better homogenization of the exhausted or discharged air.

[0086] According to FIG. 3, a flap unit is provided that inter alia comprises a rotatable flap 21, a ridge 25 for stiffening or reinforcing the flap 21, and a motor 23 for operating the flap 21, is coupled to the module 2 of the inventive air conditioning unit in order to switch the air flow between fresh air and circulated air.

[0087] In this embodiment the heat exchanger 18 and the evaporators 16 are arranged in the direction of the airflow between the fans 20 and the flap 21. In this case, the fans 20 suck or draw in the air that flows through the evaporators 16 and/or the heat exchanger 18 and give it off to air distribution elements.

[0088] The flap 21 has about the same length than the heat exchanger 18 or the evaporator 16. The ridge 25 extends along the longitudinal axis of the longitudinal side of the flap 21 approximately perpendicular to the flap 21 and is connected therewith. The ridge 25 has approximately the same length and half the width of the flap 21.

[0089] According to FIG. 4, the longitudinal side of the flap 21 forms an angle 6 with the air intake side of the closer evaporator 16. The angle 6 is between 30 and 60, in particular.

[0090] The flap 21 is operated by the motor 23 and rotates about the axis 27. By means of the four stops 29 that consist of a material having a good elasticity, the flap 21 is safely kept in the positions for fresh air or circulated air, respectively, and by means of the ridge 25, the flap 21 is reinforced.

[0091] In the embodiment according to FIG. 5, provided two condensed water tanks 7 and 8 are provided for collecting the condensed water from the evaporator 16. The two condensed water tanks 7 and 8 are arranged transversely relative to one another and each collects the condensed water at the respective vertically mounted inventive air conditioning unit (as illustrated in FIG. 5) or the horizontally mounted inventive air conditioning unit.

[0092] According to FIG. 5, the condensed water tank 7 is arranged just below the evaporator 16. The area of the condensed water tank 7 is slightly larger than the area of the closed side 73 of the evaporator 16.

[0093] The condensed water tank 8 is arranged at the air outflow side 74 of the evaporator 14 with a gap 71 thereto. The gap 71 is about three times to about five times the width/thickness 70 of the evaporator so that the air resistance is not undesirably too large due to a condensed water tank 8 that is arranged too close. The area of the condensed water tank is significantly larger than that of the air outflow side 74 of the evaporator 16. This ensures that the entire condensed water may be collected by the larger condensed water tank 8, although with a relatively large gap 71 relative to the condensed water tank 8.

[0094] In another embodiment according to FIG. 6, the inventive air conditioning unit is mounted horizontally. A condensed water tank 8 that has a significantly larger area than the air intake side 75 of the evaporator 16 is arranged beneath the flap 21. This ensures that the entire condensed water can be collected.

[0095] According to FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B the heat exchanger 18 comprises a plurality of flat tubes 34, plate fins 32 and at both ends of the heat exchanger 18 one radiator tank 30 each in the longitudinal direction. Due to the higher performance density of flat tubes, the inventive air conditioning unit 100 may be built lighter and smaller than an air conditioning unit with round tubes while offering the same performance.

[0096] The flat tubes 34 and the plate fins 32 of the heat exchanger 18 consist of light metal, preferably aluminum, instead of copper and thus also reduce the total weight.

[0097] According to the invention, it is provided that the interconnections between the flat tubes 34 and the plate fins 32 and between the flat tubes 32 and the radiator tank 30 are soldered using the one-shot brazing technology. As a result, numerous advantages are achieved, as described above.

[0098] According to the invention it is further provided that the flat tubes 34 are produced using extrusion technology. It is preferred that according to FIG. 7C a plurality of ridges 36 is provided in the flat tube 34 of the heat exchanger 18. Those ridges 36 divide the interior of the flat tube 34 into so-called microchannels.

[0099] The ridges 36, on the one hand, significantly increase the pressure resistance of the flat tubes 34 so that they can bear more than 3.5 bar, preferably about 6 bar. On the other hand, according to the invention, the ridges 36 enlarge the contact surface of the flat tubes 34 with (heating) water so that the heat exchange performance of the heat exchanger 18 is further increased.

[0100] In a preferred embodiment, the thickness or width 33 of the ridges 36 is about one tenth ( 1/10), in particular about one seventh ( 1/7) of the thickness 31 of the flat tube 34 for achieving a better resistance to the tensile strength resulting from the internal pressure in the horizontal plane.

[0101] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the ridges 36 extend at given positions (one of these positions is indicated in FIG. 7C with reference numeral 39) across the entire length of the extruded sections between the upper wall 56 and the lower wall 58 of the flat tubes 34, so that the ridges 36 can also act on the longitudinal sides of the flat tubes 34 in the vertical plane against bending stress.

[0102] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the flat tubes 34 comprise the profiles 38 in parallel to the flat tube height in order to further increase the contact surface of the flat tubes 34 with water.

[0103] FIG. 8 shows a further embodiment of the inventive air conditioning unit, wherein the fans 20 are arranged separately from the evaporators 16 and the heat exchanger 18 with the aid of a tube-shaped connecting element 90. The connecting pieces of the connecting element 90 to the evaporators 16 and the fans 20 are provided in a sealed manner.

[0104] The separate configuration is especially favorable if the dimensions of the inventive air conditioning unit do not fit at a desired mounting position of a machine. Then, the configuration or design of the inventive module 2 can be altered in order to adapt to all cases, in particular by means of the fans 20 that are arranged separately from the heat exchanger 18 and/or the evaporators 16.

[0105] The specification incorporates by reference the disclosure of DE 10 2015 113 544.2, filed Aug. 17, 2015.

[0106] The present invention is, of course, in no way restricted to the specific disclosure of the specification and drawings, but also encompasses any modifications within the scope of the appended claims.