Heat exchanger
The redistribution device with a switchable distribution plate addresses uneven refrigerant distribution in heat exchangers, enhancing evaporation efficiency and reducing condensation inefficiencies, thus optimizing heat exchanger performance.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- HK42026124072
- Authority / Receiving Office
- HK · HK
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2026-05-28
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-31
AI Technical Summary
Existing heat exchangers face inefficiencies in both evaporation and condensation processes due to uneven distribution of liquid refrigerant, leading to suboptimal performance.
A redistribution device with a distribution plate that can switch positions to evenly distribute liquid refrigerant to all heat exchange tubes, enhancing evaporation efficiency when acting as an evaporator and reducing liquid refrigerant discharge when functioning as a condenser.
Improves evaporation efficiency by ensuring even refrigerant distribution and reduces condensation inefficiencies by timely discharge, thereby optimizing overall heat exchanger performance.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
Abstract The invention discloses a heat exchanger, which comprises a shell, a first heat exchange tube set, a second heat exchange tube set and a redistribution device. The redistribution device includes at least one distribution plate. Each distribution plate is provided with a first position and a second position and is arranged to be switched between the first position and the second position. By arranging the redistribution device comprising the distribution plate with the variable position, when the heat exchanger works as an evaporator, the liquid refrigerant above the distribution plate can be evenly distributed to all the heat exchange pipes of the second heat exchange pipe set, it is guaranteed that the liquid refrigerant is attached to the surfaces of all the heat exchange pipes of the heat exchange pipe bundle, and the evaporation efficiency is improved. And when the heat exchanger works as a condenser, the liquid refrigerant above the distribution plate is discharged in time, so that the liquid refrigerant falling on each heat exchange tube of the second heat exchange tube group is reduced, and the condensation efficiency is improved.
Claims
1. A heat exchanger having a length direction, a width direction, and a height direction, characterized in that... include: Housing, the housing defining a cavity; A first heat exchange tube group and a second heat exchange tube group are located in the cavity. The heat exchange tubes in the first heat exchange tube group and the second heat exchange tube group extend along the length direction. The first heat exchange tube group is located above the second heat exchange tube group in the height direction. as well as A redistribution device, the redistribution device comprising at least one distribution plate, and the redistribution device being disposed between a first heat exchange tube group and a second heat exchange tube group, each of the distribution plates extending along the length direction, wherein each of the distribution plates is provided with a plurality of through holes; Each of the distribution plates has a first position and a second position, and is configured to switch between the first position and the second position. Each of the distribution plates is configured to: When the distribution plate is in the first position, the distribution plate is configured to guide the working fluid flowing through the first heat exchange tube group to flow toward the second heat exchange tube group through the through hole; and When the distribution plate is in the second position, the distribution plate is configured to guide the working fluid flowing through the first heat exchange tube assembly toward the side away from the second heat exchange tube assembly in the width direction.
2. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each of the distribution plates is configured such that, when the distribution plate is in the first position, its upper surface is parallel to the width direction; and When the distribution plate is in the second position, the upper surface of the distribution plate is at least partially inclined to the width direction and forms an angle β with the width direction.
3. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, characterized in that: Each of the dispensing plates is configured to rotate between the first position and the second position, wherein the dispensing plate rotates about an axis extending along its length.
4. The heat exchanger according to claim 3, characterized in that: Each of the dispensing plates includes a first side and a second side disposed opposite to each other in the width direction, wherein the first side is fixed, the second side is movable, and wherein the dispensing plate is rotatable about the first side to switch between a first position and a second position.
5. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, characterized in that: Each of the distribution plates is configured to be locally deformable between the first position and the second position, wherein the distribution plate includes a deformable portion capable of deforming to arch upward, thereby forming an upper surface that is at least partially inclined in the width direction.
6. The heat exchanger according to claim 5, characterized in that: Each of the distribution plates includes a first side and a second side disposed opposite to each other in the width direction, wherein the first side and the second side are fixed, and wherein the distribution plate is capable of local deformation between the first side and the second side to switch between a first position and a second position.
7. The heat exchanger according to claim 3 or 5, characterized in that: The distribution plate is at least partially made of a material that can expand and deform when heated, and the expansion and deformation of the distribution plate can cause the distribution plate to rotate from the first position to the second position; or cause the distribution plate to partially deform from the first position to the second position.
8. The heat exchanger according to claim 7, characterized in that: The distribution plate is made of a thermoplastic material that is inert to refrigerants and lubricants.
9. The heat exchanger according to claim 8, characterized in that: The distribution plate is made of polyvinylidene fluoride.
10. The heat exchanger according to claim 7, characterized in that: The heat exchanger also includes several support plates, which are spaced apart along the length direction and are configured such that each heat exchange tube of the first heat exchange tube group and the second heat exchange tube group passes through each of the support plates. Each support plate includes a window group that houses the redistribution device, wherein the window group includes at least one window, the at least one distribution plate is disposed in the corresponding window, and a corresponding fixed side is connected to the support plate or the housing.
11. The heat exchanger according to claim 10, characterized in that: The included angle β is set based on the height of the window and the height of the distribution plate.
12. The heat exchanger according to claim 10, characterized in that: Each of the windows has a predetermined window width; The width of the distribution plate is set as follows: When the distribution plate is not deformed, the distribution plate has a first distribution plate width total length that matches the predetermined width of the window; and When the distribution plate expands and deforms, the distribution plate has a second distribution plate width total length that is greater than the predetermined width of the window.
13. The heat exchanger according to claim 10, characterized in that: Each of the windows has a bottom wall that is parallel to the width direction; When the distribution plate is in the first position, the distribution plate is supported on the bottom wall of the window; Furthermore, when the distribution plate is in the second position, at least a portion of the distribution plate is away from the bottom wall of the window.
14. The heat exchanger according to claim 10, characterized in that: The redistribution device includes a pair of flanges disposed on the outer side in the width direction, the flanges extending in the height direction to allow the working fluid to form a liquid level of a certain height in the redistribution device.
15. The heat exchanger according to claim 14, characterized in that: The folded edge includes a first folded edge, which is disposed on the first side of the distribution plate; The window assembly includes a first sidewall disposed outside the first fold, wherein the first sidewall extends inward from top to bottom to avoid the first fold when the distribution plate switches positions.
16. The heat exchanger according to claim 15, characterized in that: Each of the windows includes a second sidewall, which is disposed on the side opposite to the first sidewall; The second side of each of the dispensing plates is configured to mate with the shape of the second sidewall so that the second side moves along the second sidewall as the dispensing plate rotates from the first position to the second position.
17. The heat exchanger according to claim 10, characterized in that: The at least one distribution plate includes a first distribution plate and a second distribution plate; the at least one window includes a first window and a second window, the first window and the second window are arranged side by side in the width direction, wherein the first distribution plate and the second distribution plate are respectively disposed in the first window and the second window; The first side portion of the first distribution plate and the first side portion of the second distribution plate are disposed on opposite sides in the width direction.
18. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, characterized in that: The heat exchanger is applied to a heat pump system capable of operating a refrigeration cycle and a heating cycle. In the refrigeration cycle, the heat exchanger acts as an evaporator, and the distribution plate of the redistribution device is located in a first position. In the heating cycle, the heat exchanger acts as a condenser, and the distribution plate of the redistribution device is located in a second position.