Heat exchanger having an inlet distributor and outlet collector

Abstract

An improved heat exchanger assembly having an inlet header in hydraulic communication with an outlet header via a plurality of multi-channel flat refrigerant tubes, in which the multi-channel flat refrigerant tubes are substantially perpendicular to the headers. Interconnecting the refrigerant tubes are corrugated fins. The plurality of refrigerant tubes together with the fins defines the core of the heat exchanger assembly. The heat exchanger assembly also includes a distributor tube disposed in the inlet header cavity and a collector tube disposed in the outlet header cavity. The distributor tube and collector tube have cooperating features for archiving uniform refrigerant distribution through the refrigerant tubes.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61 / 320,014 for an IMPROVED HEAT EXCHANGER HAVING AN INLET DISTRIBUTOR AND OUTLET COLLECTOR FOR IMPROVED REFRIGERANT DISTRIBUTION, filed on Apr. 1, 2010, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.TECHNICAL FIELD OF INVENTION[0002]The invention relates to a heat exchanger having a plurality of refrigerant tubes extending from an inlet header to an outlet header for use with a two phase refrigerant; more particularly, to a heat exchanger having an inlet distributor disposed in the inlet header together with an outlet collector disposed in the outlet header for uniform refrigerant distribution through the core of the heat exchanger.BACKGROUND OF INVENTION[0003]Residential and commercial air conditioning and heat pump systems are known to employ modified automotive heat exchangers because of the automotive heat exchangers' high heat transfer effi...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010]The modified automotive style heat exchanger assembly having both a distributor tube and a collector tube together with the cooperating features of the distributor and collector tubes has the advantage of being less sensitive to criteria for archiving uniform refrigerant distribution. A distributor tube and a collector tube designed for one particular application may be used for other applications having different operating parameters without having to redesign or optimize the distributor tube or collector tube.

Problems solved by technology

Momentum and gravity effects due to the large mass differences between the liquid and gas phases can result in separation of the phases within the inlet header and cause poor refrigerant distribution throughout the refrigerant tubes.

Poor refrigerant distribution degrades evaporator performance and can result in uneven temperature distribution over the core.

The increased in scale of the automotive heat exchanger for residential and commercial applications dramatically increases the lengths of the inlet and outlet headers, which may result in increased refrigerant mal-distribution through the core of the heat exchanger.

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