Heat Exchanger with Fluid Expansion in Header

Abstract

A heat exchanger includes a plurality of flat, multi-channel heat exchange tubes extending between spaced headers. Each heat exchange tube has a plurality of flow channels extending longitudinally in parallel relationship from its inlet end to its outlet end. A plurality of connectors are positioned between the inlet header and the heat transfer tubes such that the connector inlet ends are in fluid flow communication with the header through a relatively small cross-sectional flow area openings and the connector outlet ends are adapted to receive the inlet end of a heat exchanger tube. The connector defines a fluid flow pathway from the relatively small cross-sectional flow area opening in the inlet end of the connector to an outlet opening in the outlet end of the connector that opens to the flow channels of the heat exchange tube received in the outlet end of the connector.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] Reference is made to and this application claims priority from and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60 / 649,269, filed Feb. 2, 2005, and entitled MINI-CHANNEL HEAT EXCHANGER WITH EXPANSION CONNECTOR, which application is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates generally to heat exchangers having a plurality of parallel tubes extending between a first header and a second header, also sometimes referred to as manifolds, and, more particularly, to providing fluid expansion within the header of a heat exchanger for improving distribution of two-phase flow through the parallel tubes of the heat exchanger, for example a heat exchanger in a refrigerant compression system. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Refrigerant vapor compression systems are well known in the art. Air conditioners and heat pumps employing refrigerant vapor compression cycles are commonly used...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0012] It is a general object of the invention to reduce maldistribution of fluid flow in a heat exchanger having a plurality of multi-channel tubes extending between a first header and a second header.

[0013] It is an object of one aspect of the invention to reduce maldistribution of refrigerant flow in a refrigerant vapor compression system heat exchanger having a plurality of multi-channel tubes extending between a first header and a second header.

Problems solved by technology

Non-uniform distribution, also referred to as maldistibution, of two-phase refrigerant flow is a common problem in parallel tube heat exchangers which adversely impacts heat exchanger efficiency.

Two-phase maldistribution problems are caused by the difference in density of the vapor phase refrigerant and the liquid phase refrigerant present in the inlet header due to the expansion of the refrigerant as it traversed the upstream expansion device.

Obtaining uniform refrigerant flow distribution amongst the relatively large number of small cross-sectional flow area refrigerant flow paths is even more difficult than it is in conventional round tube heat exchangers and can significantly reduce heat exchanger efficiency.

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