Supercooling condenser with liquid storage built-in plate heat exchange structure

Abstract

The utility model relates to a supercooling condenser of a liquid storage built-in plate type heat exchange structure. The supercooling condenser comprises a front end plate, a front side plate, at least one plate exchange set, at least one flat square high-pressure liquid storage tank, a rear end plate and a rear side plate. The front side plate is arranged on the inner side of the front end plate, the rear side plate is arranged on the inner side of the rear end plate, the plate exchange sets and the high-pressure liquid storage tank are clamped between the front side plate and the rear side plate, and the high-pressure liquid storage tank is arranged between the plate exchange sets or on the rear side of the last plate exchange set close to the rear side plate. A gaseous refrigerant inlet, a liquid refrigerant outlet, a cooling water inlet and a cooling water outlet are respectively formed in the two side end plates or one side end plate; a refrigerant inlet is formed in the upper portion, close to the corner or the lower portion, close to one side corner, of the high-pressure liquid storage tank, a refrigerant outlet is formed in the lower portion, close to the other side corner, of the high-pressure liquid storage tank, the refrigerant inlet of the high-pressure liquid storage tank is communicated with the refrigerant outlet of the plate exchange set on the front side, and the refrigerant outlet of the high-pressure liquid storage tank is communicated with the refrigerant inlet or the liquid refrigerant outlet of the plate exchange set on the rear side. The weight is reduced, and the reliability is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of automotive air conditioning technology, and in particular relates to a subcooled condenser with a liquid storage built-in plate heat exchange structure. Background Technology

[0002] Against the backdrop of environmental protection, indirect heat pump systems using R290 refrigerant have begun to be used in the automotive industry. R290 refrigerant is a natural working fluid, so there is no risk of it being banned due to environmental regulations; the thermophysical properties of R290 are very similar to those of R22, which facilitates low-cost replacement; R290 has good miscibility with most lubricating oils, which is beneficial to the safe operation of the system.

[0003] The only drawback of R290 refrigerant is its flammability and explosiveness. In the refrigeration industry, indirect heat pumps are an important solution for reducing refrigerant charge, improving safety, and constructing comprehensive vehicle thermal management. The main components of an R290 indirect heat pump system are a compressor, expansion valve, water-cooled (plate heat exchanger) condenser, and water-cooled (plate heat exchanger) evaporator. The compressor discharges superheated refrigerant gas, which enters the water-cooled (plate heat exchanger) condenser to exchange heat with cooling water (antifreeze or oil can be used as the heat transfer medium). The superheated refrigerant gas first cools into a two-phase state, then the liquid phase gradually increases until all the gaseous refrigerant becomes liquid, at which point the refrigerant cools further (subcooling). The degree of subcooling varies depending on the operating conditions and system design. Appropriately increasing the degree of subcooling is beneficial for improving system performance. However, it is difficult for a simple plate heat exchanger to stably maintain subcooling.

[0004] To optimize system performance, many indirect systems incorporate high-pressure receiver tanks. These tanks serve two main functions: first, they store a portion of the refrigerant, enhancing the system's adaptability; second, they provide gas-liquid separation, ensuring proper subcooling of the refrigerant.

[0005] The subcooled zone of the condenser is located after the high-pressure liquid storage tank. The existing high-pressure liquid storage pipe is independently set in the heat pump system and needs to be connected to the condenser through pipelines. As a result, the structure of the subcooled condenser is relatively complex, requiring pipelines to enter and exit the high-pressure liquid storage tank at specific locations, which leads to problems such as high cost, large space occupation, and messy piping.

[0006] Figure 5 It is the first generation of products with externally mounted high-pressure liquid storage tanks. It has a messy appearance, with pipelines inside and outside. At the same time, the liquid storage tank also needs to be fixed to the heat exchanger with fasteners or plastic clips. It is heavy, costly, difficult to produce, and has a relatively high quality risk at each stage.

[0007] Figure 6This is a second-generation product with an externally mounted high-pressure liquid storage tank, representing an improvement with a much cleaner appearance. The storage tank is welded, significantly reducing quality risks. However, it still has internal and external piping, which is relatively fragile and prone to deformation, damage, and corrosion, resulting in poor reliability and manufacturability, requiring further improvement. Utility Model Content

[0008] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this utility model proposes a subcooled condenser with a built-in liquid storage plate heat exchange structure that can reduce weight, save space, and lower costs.

[0009] The above-mentioned objective of this utility model is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0010] A subcooled condenser with a built-in liquid storage plate heat exchanger structure, the subcooled condenser adopts an integral brazed structure, including a front end plate, a front side plate, at least one set of plate heat exchanger groups, at least one set of flat rectangular high-pressure liquid storage tanks, a rear end plate, and a rear side plate; the plate heat exchanger group is composed of multiple heat exchange plates stacked together.

[0011] The front plate is disposed inside the front end plate, the rear plate is disposed inside the rear end plate, the plate heat exchanger assembly and the high-pressure liquid storage tank are clamped and disposed between the front plate and the rear plate, and the high-pressure liquid storage tank is disposed between the plate heat exchanger assemblies or near the rear side of the last plate heat exchanger assembly near the rear plate; a gaseous refrigerant inlet, a liquid refrigerant outlet, a cooling water inlet, and a cooling water outlet are respectively disposed on the two end plates or one end plate;

[0012] A refrigerant inlet is provided at the upper part near a corner or the lower part near one corner of the high-pressure liquid storage tank, and a refrigerant outlet is provided at the lower part near the other corner of the high-pressure liquid storage tank. The refrigerant inlet of the high-pressure liquid storage tank is connected to the refrigerant outlet of the front plate heat exchanger group, and the refrigerant outlet of the high-pressure liquid storage tank is connected to the refrigerant inlet or liquid refrigerant outlet of the rear plate heat exchanger group.

[0013] The refrigerant introduced into the subcooled condenser through the gaseous refrigerant inlet passes through the refrigerant flow chamber and high-pressure liquid storage tank in the plate heat exchanger unit, and is then discharged through the liquid refrigerant outlet. The refrigerant introduced into the subcooled condenser through the cooling water inlet passes through the cooling water flow chamber in the plate heat exchanger unit and is then discharged through the cooling water outlet, thus achieving heat exchange within the plate heat exchanger unit.

[0014] Furthermore, each set of high-pressure liquid storage tanks can adopt a single-layer cavity structure or a multi-layer cavity structure.

[0015] Furthermore, for an indirect heat pump system with a filling capacity of 200g, the cavity volume of the high-pressure storage tank is 50-100mL.

[0016] Furthermore, the heat exchanger assembly comprises three groups: a first heat exchanger group, a second heat exchanger group, and a third heat exchanger group; the high-pressure liquid storage tank is a single-layer cavity structure, consisting of a front tank plate and a rear tank plate connected by interlocking; and a partition plate is added; the gaseous refrigerant inlet is located at the upper left corner of the front plate, the gaseous refrigerant inlet is located at the upper right corner of the rear plate, the cooling water inlet is located at the lower left corner of the rear plate, and the cooling water outlet is located at the upper left corner of the rear plate; the front side of the first heat exchanger group contacts the front plate, the partition plate is located between the first and second heat exchanger groups, and the high-pressure liquid storage tank is located between the second and third heat exchanger groups; the rear side of the third heat exchanger group contacts the rear plate.

[0017] Furthermore, tie rod connection points are evenly distributed between the front tank plate and the rear tank plate.

[0018] The advantages and positive effects of this utility model are as follows:

[0019] This invention adds a snap-fit ​​tank plate between the plate heat exchanger assemblies of a subcooled condenser in a plate heat exchanger structure, forming a flat rectangular high-pressure liquid storage tank inside the heat exchanger. This achieves an internal liquid storage design, breaking through the conventional design approach of having a separate high-pressure liquid storage tank externally connected to the subcooled condenser via pipelines. This integration of structure and function significantly reduces weight, improves the utilization rate of the air conditioning space, and helps reduce the space occupied by the heat pump system. In addition, it eliminates the need for pipelines in and out of the liquid storage tank, simplifying the structure, reducing costs, avoiding leakage problems at pipeline end connections, and improving reliability. It also significantly improves the appearance, making the condenser and heat pump system look simpler. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1a This is a frontal view of the overall appearance of an embodiment of this utility model;

[0021] Figure 1b This is a rear view diagram of the overall appearance of an embodiment of this utility model;

[0022] Figure 1c This is a side view of the overall appearance of an embodiment of this utility model;

[0023] Figure 2 yes Figures 1a-1c 3D exploded view;

[0024] Figure 3a This is a schematic diagram of the refrigerant flow direction according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 3b This is a schematic diagram of the cooling water flow direction according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 4a This is a rear view plan view of an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0027] Figure 4b yes Figure 4a AA section view;

[0028] Figure 4c yes Figure 4a BB section view;

[0029] Figure 5 This is a reference diagram of the first-generation product with an externally mounted high-pressure liquid storage tank.

[0030] Figure 6 This is a reference diagram of the second-generation product with an externally mounted high-pressure liquid storage tank. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The structure of this utility model will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be noted that these embodiments are descriptive and not limiting.

[0032] Please refer to a subcooled condenser with a liquid storage built-in plate heat exchanger structure. Figures 1a-4c The invention features a subcooled condenser with an integral brazed structure, comprising a front plate 5, a front side plate 6, at least one set of plate heat exchangers 7, at least one set of flat rectangular high-pressure liquid storage tanks 9, a rear plate 11, and a rear side plate 10. The plate heat exchangers are composed of multiple stacked heat exchange plates. The heat exchange plates adopt a stamped plate structure, referencing the existing wrench-type heat exchanger structure.

[0033] The front plate is located inside the front end plate, and the rear plate is located inside the rear end plate. The plate heat exchanger assembly and the high-pressure liquid storage tank are clamped between the front and rear plates, with the high-pressure liquid storage tank located between the plate heat exchanger assemblies or near the rear side of the last plate heat exchanger assembly on the rear plate. A gaseous refrigerant inlet 1, a liquid refrigerant outlet 4, a cooling water inlet 3, and a cooling water outlet 2 are respectively provided on both end plates or one end plate, and can be flexibly configured according to specific usage requirements.

[0034] A refrigerant inlet 1 is provided at the upper part near a corner or the lower part near one corner of the high-pressure liquid storage tank, and a refrigerant outlet 4 is provided at the lower part near the other corner of the high-pressure liquid storage tank. The refrigerant inlet of the high-pressure liquid storage tank is connected to the refrigerant outlet of the front plate heat exchanger group, and the refrigerant outlet of the high-pressure liquid storage tank is connected to the refrigerant inlet or liquid refrigerant outlet of the rear plate heat exchanger group.

[0035] The refrigerant introduced into the subcooled condenser through the gaseous refrigerant inlet passes through the refrigerant flow chamber and high-pressure liquid storage tank in the plate heat exchanger unit, and is then discharged through the liquid refrigerant outlet. The refrigerant introduced into the subcooled condenser through the cooling water inlet passes through the cooling water flow chamber in the plate heat exchanger unit and is then discharged through the cooling water outlet, thus achieving heat exchange within the plate heat exchanger unit.

[0036] Depending on the specific application, each of the aforementioned high-pressure liquid storage tanks can adopt a single-layer or multi-layer cavity structure. It consists of two or more tank plates connected together, forming an internal cavity. The single-layer height and structural strength of the cavity should be designed based on technical and economic considerations. Generally, the single-layer height of the cavity should be as high as possible, preferably 4–6 mm. To ensure structural strength, tie rod connection points should be evenly distributed, and the space occupied by the connection points should be minimized. The cross-sectional area of ​​the cavity needs to be compatible with the system circulation rate to ensure that the flow velocity within the cavity allows for the stratification of the refrigerant's gaseous and liquid phases, with the liquid phase at the bottom. The internal volume of the cavity should be adapted to the system's requirements for the refrigerant's charge plateau. For a conventional indirect heat pump system with a charge rate of approximately 200g, a cavity internal volume of approximately 50–100 mL is preferred.

[0037] In this invention, the front end plate, front side plate, rear end plate, and rear side plate constitute the outer shell, which is made of aluminum alloy. The plate heat exchanger assembly, high-pressure liquid storage tank, and partition plate constitute the core. The plate heat exchanger assembly generally adopts a plate-plate or plate-fin type and other commonly used plate heat exchanger structures.

[0038] Example:

[0039] In this embodiment, three plate heat exchanger groups are used: a first plate heat exchanger group 7.1, a second plate heat exchanger group 7.2, and a third plate heat exchanger group 7.3. The high-pressure liquid storage tank is a single-layer cavity structure, consisting of a front tank plate 9.1 and a rear tank plate 9.2 connected by a snap-fit ​​mechanism. A partition 8 is also added. The partition is used to reverse the refrigerant flow. The gaseous refrigerant inlet is located on the upper left side of the front plate near the corner, the gaseous refrigerant inlet is located on the upper right side of the rear plate near the corner, the cooling water inlet is located on the lower left side of the rear plate near the corner, and the cooling water outlet is located on the upper left side of the rear plate near the corner. The front side of the first plate heat exchanger group contacts the front plate. The partition is located between the first and second plate heat exchanger groups. The high-pressure liquid storage tank is located between the second and third plate heat exchanger groups. The rear side of the third plate heat exchanger group contacts the rear plate.

[0040] The refrigerant flow path and cooling water flow in this embodiment are as follows:

[0041] Refrigerant flow channel:

[0042] The superheated refrigerant enters the first plate heat exchanger unit through the gaseous refrigerant inlet and flows downward (as shown in Figure 3). The baffle 4 acts as a direction changer. After passing through the baffle 4, the refrigerant flows upward in the opposite direction through the second plate heat exchanger unit. After entering the liquid storage tank through the upper inlet, the two phases of refrigerant flow downward and then enter the third plate heat exchanger unit structure to flow upward, and finally flow out from the refrigerant outlet.

[0043] Coolant flow path:

[0044] Coolant enters the heat exchanger through the inlet, circulates internally, and finally flows out from the coolant outlet.

[0045] Although embodiments and drawings of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will understand that various substitutions, variations and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and the appended claims. Therefore, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the contents disclosed in the embodiments and drawings.

Claims

1. A subcooled condenser with a liquid storage built-in plate heat exchange structure, characterized in that: The subcooled condenser adopts an integral brazed structure, including a front end plate, a front side plate, at least one set of plate heat exchanger assemblies, at least one set of flat rectangular high-pressure liquid storage tanks, a rear end plate, and a rear side plate; the plate heat exchanger assembly is composed of multiple heat exchange plates stacked together. The front plate is disposed inside the front end plate, the rear plate is disposed inside the rear end plate, the plate heat exchanger assembly and the high-pressure liquid storage tank are clamped and disposed between the front plate and the rear plate, and the high-pressure liquid storage tank is disposed between the plate heat exchanger assemblies or near the rear side of the last plate heat exchanger assembly near the rear plate; a gaseous refrigerant inlet, a liquid refrigerant outlet, a cooling water inlet, and a cooling water outlet are respectively disposed on the two end plates or one end plate; A refrigerant inlet is provided at the upper part near a corner or the lower part near one corner of the high-pressure liquid storage tank, and a refrigerant outlet is provided at the lower part near the other corner of the high-pressure liquid storage tank. The refrigerant inlet of the high-pressure liquid storage tank is connected to the refrigerant outlet of the front plate heat exchanger group, and the refrigerant outlet of the high-pressure liquid storage tank is connected to the refrigerant inlet or liquid refrigerant outlet of the rear plate heat exchanger group. The refrigerant introduced into the subcooled condenser through the gaseous refrigerant inlet passes through the refrigerant flow chamber and high-pressure liquid storage tank in the plate heat exchanger unit, and is then discharged through the liquid refrigerant outlet. The refrigerant introduced into the subcooled condenser through the cooling water inlet passes through the cooling water flow chamber in the plate heat exchanger unit and is then discharged through the cooling water outlet, thus achieving heat exchange within the plate heat exchanger unit.

2. The subcooled condenser with a built-in liquid storage plate heat exchange structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each high-pressure liquid storage tank can adopt a single-cavity structure or a multi-cavity structure.

3. The subcooled condenser with a built-in liquid storage plate heat exchanger structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: For an indirect heat pump system with a filling capacity of 200g, the cavity volume of the high-pressure storage tank is 50-100mL.

4. The subcooled condenser with a built-in liquid storage plate heat exchange structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The heat exchanger assembly comprises three groups: a first heat exchanger group, a second heat exchanger group, and a third heat exchanger group. The high-pressure liquid storage tank is a single-layer cavity structure, consisting of a front tank plate and a rear tank plate connected by interlocking. An additional partition is provided. The gaseous refrigerant inlet is located on the upper left side of the front panel near a corner, the gaseous refrigerant inlet is located on the upper right side of the rear panel near a corner, the cooling water inlet is located on the lower left side of the rear panel near a corner, and the cooling water outlet is located on the upper left side of the rear panel near a corner. The front side of the first heat exchanger group contacts the front panel. The partition is located between the first and second heat exchanger groups. The high-pressure liquid storage tank is located between the second and third heat exchanger groups. The rear side of the third heat exchanger group contacts the rear panel.

5. The subcooled condenser with a built-in liquid storage plate heat exchange structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: Evenly spaced bracing connection points are provided between the front tank plate and the rear tank plate.

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