Heat exchanger module

Abstract

A heat exchanger module (1) has a stack of shells or frames (4) arranged between a first end plate (2) and a second end plate (3), and baffles (5) arranged between the frames (4) to form media-carrying media passages for the passage of two different media, wherein the first end plate (2) has an inlet (21) and an outlet (22) for supplying and discharging a first coolant (13) and an inlet (23) for supplying a refrigerant (14), wherein the second end plate (3) has an inlet (31) and an outlet (32) for supplying and discharging a second coolant (15), wherein an outlet (24) for discharging the refrigerant (14) is arranged at the first end plate (2) or at the second end plate (3), wherein a first group of shells or frames (4) and baffles (5) form a condenser (10).wherein a second group of shells or frames (4) and partition plates (5) form an evaporator (11), wherein a third group of shells or frames (4) and partition plates (5) form an IWT (12), wherein the group forming the IWT (12) is arranged between the first group forming the condenser (10) and the second group forming the evaporator (11), wherein the IWT (12) is exclusively permeable to the refrigerant (14).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a heat exchanger module according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] Generic heat exchanger modules are used in particular in cooling-refrigeration circuit systems in which a refrigerant and a coolant are fluidically separated from each other and passed through the cooling-refrigeration circuit.

[0003] After passing through a compressor, the refrigerant used is fed in a gaseous state under high pressure and high temperatures into a condenser, where the refrigerant releases heat to a coolant and condenses.

[0004] The refrigerant is then further led to an evaporator after expansion, through which a second coolant flows, the remaining condensed refrigerant, which has not yet returned to the gas phase during the expansion process, is evaporated by the addition of heat from the coolant, from where it is fed back to the compressor to increase the pressure of the refrigerant.

[0005] It is also known to insert a so-called internal heat exchanger, hereinafter referred to as “IWT”, into such a cooling-refrigeration circuit in order to increase the cooling capacity.

[0006] With the help of such an IWT, further heat is extracted from the refrigerant, which is largely liquefied in the condenser, so that after the refrigerant passes through the IWT, the refrigerant is further subcooled.

[0007] The disadvantage of the known heat exchanger modules is the relatively large structure of such a heat exchanger module.

[0008] The object of the present invention is to provide a heat exchanger module with a compact design.

[0009] The stated object is achieved by a heat exchanger module having the features of claim 1.

[0010] The heat exchanger module according to the invention comprises a stack of shells or frames arranged between a first end plate and a second end plate and separating plates arranged between the frames for forming media-carrying medium passages for the passage of two different media.

[0011] The first end plate has an inlet and an outlet for supplying and discharging a first coolant as well as an inlet and an outlet for supplying a refrigerant.

[0012] The second end plate has an inlet and an outlet for supplying and discharging a second coolant.

[0013] An outlet for discharging the refrigerant is provided on the first or second end plate.

[0014] A first group of shells or frames and separating plates form a capacitor.

[0015] A second group of trays or frames and separating plates form an evaporator.

[0016] A third group of shells or frames and separating plates form an IWT.

[0017] The group forming the IWT is arranged between the first group forming the condenser and the second group forming the evaporator.

[0018] The IWT is only able to be flowed through by the refrigerant.

[0019] With such a designed heat exchanger module, an extremely compact design of a heat exchanger module is possible, with an IWT designed in a shell or frame construction, which is integrated together with a condenser and an evaporator as a compact stack in the heat exchanger module.

[0020] Further advantages of such a compact heat exchanger module include the reduced number of required supply and discharge lines, especially for the refrigerant.

[0021] The reduced number of lines also allows for a reduced refrigerant charge in the heat exchanger module. Furthermore, the reduced number of lines also minimizes leaks, particularly because fewer connection points are required.

[0022] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the subclaims.

[0023] According to an advantageous embodiment, an intermediate frame is positioned between the IWT and the evaporator.

[0024] The integration of such an intermediate frame also enables a space-optimized heat exchanger module.

[0025] According to an advantageous further development, the intermediate frame has an expansion valve.

[0026] According to a further advantageous embodiment variant, a first separating plate with exclusively refrigerant passage openings is arranged between the condenser and the IWT and between the IWT and the evaporator.

[0027] These separating plates ensure the limitation of the refrigerants used in the condenser on the one hand and in the evaporator on the other.

[0028] According to a further preferred embodiment, one of the first partition plates with exclusively refrigerant passage openings is arranged between the IWT and the intermediate frame and between the intermediate frame and the evaporator.

[0029] According to a further preferred embodiment, the components of the heat exchanger module are integrally connected to one another.

[0030] According to a preferred design variant, propane or R1234YF is used as the refrigerant.

[0031] Preferred embodiments are explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0032] They show: Fig. 1 a schematic isometric view of an embodiment of a heat exchanger module according to the invention and Fig. 2 a schematic isometric exploded view of the Fig. 1 shown heat exchanger module.

[0033] In the following description of the figures, terms such as top, bottom, left, right, front, rear, etc., refer exclusively to the exemplary representation and position of the heat exchanger module, end plate, separator plate, condenser, evaporator, IWT, and the like chosen in the respective figures. These terms are not to be understood as limiting; i.e., these references may change due to different operating positions or the mirror-symmetrical design, etc.

[0034] In Fig. 1, the reference numeral 1 designates an embodiment of a heat exchanger module according to the invention.

[0035] The heat exchanger module 1 has, as shown particularly in the exploded view in Fig. 2, a stack of shells or frames 4 arranged between a first end plate 2 and a second end plate 3 and separating plates 5 arranged between the frames 4 for forming media-carrying medium passages for the passage of two different media.

[0036] The Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 upper first end plate 2 has an inlet 21 and an outlet 22 for supplying and discharging a first coolant 13 as well as an inlet 23 and an outlet 24 for supplying and discharging a refrigerant 14.

[0037] Propane (R290) or R1234YF are preferred refrigerants. The advantage of using these refrigerants is their extremely low global warming potential.

[0038] The second end plate 3 (in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 below) has an inlet 31 and an outlet 32 ​​for supplying and discharging a second coolant 15.

[0039] It is also conceivable to arrange the outlet 24 for the refrigerant on the second end plate 3 instead of on the first end plate 2.

[0040] Between these two end plates 2, 3 there are stacks of trays or stacks of frames 4 and separating plates 5 arranged between the frames 4.

[0041] A first group of shells or, as shown here, frames 4 and separating plates 5 form a condenser 10 in which a refrigerant under high pressure and high temperature is cooled down by releasing heat energy to a coolant introduced into the condenser 10 and thereby condenses.

[0042] A second group of shells or frames 4 and separating plates 5 form a so-called evaporator 11. In the evaporator 11, after the refrigerant 14 has flowed through an expansion valve accommodated in an expansion valve seat 61, in which the pressurized refrigerant 14 has been expanded and has partially changed from the condensed liquid state back to the gaseous state, the condensed refrigerant 14 still remaining in the evaporator 11 is converted into the gaseous state by supplying heat via a second coolant 15.

[0043] As particularly in Fig. 2, the heat exchanger module 1 comprises a third group of shells or frames 4 and separating plates 5 which form an IWT 12.

[0044] The group forming the IWT 12 is arranged between the first group forming the condenser 10 and the second group forming the evaporator 11.

[0045] The IWT 12 can only be flowed through by the refrigerant 14.

[0046] The IWT 12 is traversed, on the one hand, by the hot refrigerant 14, still under high pressure after passing through the condenser 10 toward the evaporator 11. At the same time, in a separate medium passage, by the expanded, i.e., lower-pressure refrigerant 14, which, coming from the evaporator 11, is further conducted through passages in the condenser 10 back into the compressor. Alternatively, the refrigerant can also be recirculated to the compressor via the evaporator 11.

[0047] The heat exchange between the refrigerants 14 conducted through the IWT in adjacent medium passages ensures, on the one hand, a further subcooling of the high-pressure refrigerant 14 and, on the other hand, an increase in the temperature of the low-pressure evaporated refrigerant 14, which overall ensures an increase in the cooling capacity of the heat exchanger module 1, preferably by about 5 to 10%.

[0048] How to continue in the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, an intermediate frame 6 is positioned between the IWT 12 and the evaporator 11.

[0049] In the preferred embodiment shown here, the intermediate frame 6 is equipped with an expansion valve seat 61 integrated into the intermediate frame 6 with an expansion valve accommodated therein.

[0050] To separate the condenser 10 from the IWT 12, a first separating plate 7 with exclusively refrigerant passage openings 71 is arranged between the two stacks, which ensures that the coolant 13 flowing through the condenser 10 does not enter the IWT 12.

[0051] The same applies to the demarcation between the IWT 12 and the evaporator 11. Here, too, such a first separating plate 7 with exclusively refrigerant passage openings 71 is arranged.

[0052] How to continue in Fig. 2, such a first separating plate 7 with exclusively refrigerant passage openings 71 is arranged between the IWT 12 and the intermediate frame 6 and between the intermediate frame 6 and the evaporator 11.

[0053] The entire stack of frames 4 and separating plates 5 arranged between the frames 4 is preferably connected to one another in a materially bonded manner.

[0054] It is also conceivable to use so-called stacking trays instead of the frames 4 and the separating plates 5 arranged between the frames 4, in which the distribution openings 42 and flow chambers 43 are delimited by a tray bottom instead of a separating plate 5. List of reference symbols 1 heat exchanger module 2 first end plate 21 Entrance 22 Outlet 23 Entrance 24 Outlet 3 second end plate 31 Entrance 32 Outlet 4 frames 41 Passage 42 Distribution opening 43 Flow chamber 5 Partition plate 51 Passage 6 intermediate frames 61 Expansion valve seat 62 cavity 63 first passage 64 second passage 7 Separator plate 71 Refrigerant passage opening 10 Capacitor 11 evaporators 12 IWT 13 Coolant 14 Refrigerants 15 Coolant

Claims

[1] Heat exchanger module (1), comprising - a stack of trays or frames (4) arranged between a first end plate (2) and a second end plate (3) and separating plates (5) arranged between the frames (4) for forming media-carrying passages for the passage of two different media, - wherein the first end plate (2) has an inlet (21) and an outlet (22) for supplying and discharging a first coolant (13) and an inlet (23) for supplying a refrigerant (14), - wherein the second end plate (3) has an inlet (31) and an outlet (32) for supplying and discharging a second coolant (15), - wherein an outlet (24) for discharging the refrigerant (14) is arranged on the first end plate (2) or on the second end plate (3), - wherein a first group of shells or frames (4) and separating plates (5) form a capacitor (10), - wherein a second group of trays or frames (4) and separating plates (5) form an evaporator (11), characterized by , that - a third group of shells or frames (4) and separating plates (5) form an IWT (12), - wherein the group forming the IWT (12) is arranged between the first group forming the condenser (10) and the second group forming the evaporator (11), - wherein the IWT (12) can only be flowed through by the refrigerant (14). [2] Heat exchanger module (1) according to claim 1, characterized by that an intermediate frame (6) is positioned between the IWT (12) and the evaporator (11). [3] Heat exchanger module (1) according to claim 2, characterized by that the intermediate frame (6) has an expansion valve seat (61). [4] Heat exchanger module (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat a first separating plate (7) with exclusively refrigerant passage openings (71) is arranged between the condenser (10) and the IWT (12) and between the IWT (12) and the evaporator (11). [5] Heat exchanger module (1) according to claim 4, characterized by that between the IWT (12) and the intermediate frame (6) and between the intermediate frame (6) and the evaporator (11) one of the first partition plates (7) with exclusively refrigerant passage openings (71) is arranged. [6] Heat exchanger module (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the components of the heat exchanger module (1) are integrally connected to one another. [7] Heat exchanger module (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that propane or R1234YF is used as refrigerant (14).

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