Tube-fin thermal storage evaporator

Abstract

A tube and fin arrangement of an evaporator for an air conditioning system for a vehicle having a first row of tubes disposed within a flow of air having at least two refrigerant tubes and at least two thermal storage tubes in thermal communication with the at least two refrigerant tubes, each of the thermal storage tubes containing a phase change material. The tube and fin arrangement further includes a fm in thermal communication with the first row of tubes and configured to receive a flow of air therethrough.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to a thermal storage evaporator for use in vehicle air conditioning circuits, and more particularly to an arrangement of refrigerant tubes and thermal storage tubes in the evaporator.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]As commonly known, an air conditioning system for a vehicle is driven by engine power of the vehicle. In operation, a refrigerant receives heat from warm air to cool the air and sends cooled or dehumidified air to a passenger cabin of the vehicle. For conventional air conditioning systems, a manual compressor of the air conditioning system runs while the engine of the vehicle is operating. To enhance fuel efficiency, stop-start engine systems can be employed with vehicles that include an internal combustion engine. Additionally, the stop-start engine systems are also employed with vehicles including mild hybrid systems. Mild hybrid systems have a combination of the internal combustion engine and an electric motor....

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention improves a thermal storage evaporator for an air conditioning system for a vehicle. The invention includes a tube and fin arrangement with multiple rows of tubes containing refrigerant tubes and thermal storage tubes containing phase change materials. The fins are interposed between the rows of tubes and in thermal communication with them for receiving a flow of air. The technical effects include improved efficiency and better control over the air conditioning system, particularly in hot or cold temperatures, to provide better driving comfort for the vehicle occupants.

Problems solved by technology

Accordingly, stoppage of the engine, which stops the operation of the compressor of the air conditioning system, affects a temperature of the passenger cabin, especially when the ambient temperature is higher, causing thermal discomfort.

However, these evaporators are not optimal for providing rapid recharging times and longer discharging times, where recharging is the state of the evaporator when the engine is operating (i.e. energy is removed from the PCM) and discharging is the state of the evaporator when the engine is in stop or idle mode (i.e. heat is absorbed by PCM).

For example, a residual cooling of the air by existing evaporators with PCM during an engine off-time may only continue for a limited period of time before the evaporator no longer provides a desired discharge temperature.

Subsequently, after the engine begins operating again, the vehicle may approach another stop or idle shortly after a prior stop or idle without allowing sufficient recharge time for the PCM, thus also resulting in a shorter residual cooling time.

Furthermore, the greater the amount of PCM, the longer the residual cooling time.

However, the structure of the evaporator is typically limited in size to particular air conditioning package requirements based on installation space in the vehicle.

Thus, incorporating additional elements with the evaporator may not be feasible.

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