Composite heat exchanger

Abstract

To provide a composite heat exchanger capable of performing heating, cooling and dehumidification with maximum efficiency using a single heat exchanger. [Solution] In a composite heat exchanger that is provided in a secondary loop linked to a primary loop in which a refrigerant circulates, and that performs heating or cooling by heating or cooling the cooling water circulating inside it with the refrigerant, two heat exchanger cores are arranged in parallel and a path adjustment manifold is provided that appropriately selects and connects the inlet and outlet of each heat exchanger so that the cooling water flows through the two heat exchangers in sequence or independently of each other. In cooling mode or heating mode, the cooling water flows through the two heat exchangers in sequence, connecting them in series to maximize heat exchange efficiency, and in dehumidification mode, low-temperature / high-temperature cooling water flows independently of each other through the two heat exchangers, facilitating dehumidification.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a composite heat exchanger, and more particularly to a composite heat exchanger that can realize various air conditioning modes by controlling the flow of coolant in a refrigerant-coolant secondary loop system. [Background technology]

[0002] Typically, various heat exchangers, such as a radiator, intercooler, evaporator, condenser, etc., are installed in the engine compartment of a vehicle to cool not only driving components such as the engine but also various components within the vehicle or to regulate the air temperature within the vehicle cabin. These heat exchangers generally have a heat exchange medium flowing therethrough, and cooling or heat dissipation is performed by exchanging heat between the heat exchange medium inside the heat exchanger and the air outside the heat exchanger. The heat exchange medium flowing through such heat exchangers can be various, such as coolant for cooling components within the vehicle or refrigerant for regulating the air temperature.

[0003] An air conditioning system for adjusting the air temperature inside a vehicle cabin is basically configured with a compressor, condenser, expansion valve, and evaporator connected in a single loop to circulate a refrigerant, and the air cooled by the evaporator is then blown into the vehicle cabin to cool it. This type of system is called a direct cooling system because it cools the air directly, and is also called a primary loop.

[0004] Meanwhile, the refrigerant circulating in such a primary loop contains considerable thermal energy, and can be used to exchange heat with another heat exchange medium (e.g., cooling water) to link with other cooling systems. Such a system linked to the primary loop is called a secondary loop. Figure 1 shows an example of an air conditioning system with primary and secondary loops. Refrigerant circulates in the primary loop on the left, which consists of a compressor, condenser, expansion valve, and chiller, while cooling water circulates in the secondary loop on the right, which consists of a pump, chiller, and cooler.

[0005] In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the refrigerant exchanges heat with the coolant in the chiller to cool the coolant, and the cooled coolant cools the surrounding air as it passes through the cooler, thereby cooling the interior of the vehicle. Such a system is described in Patent Document 1 ("Heat Exchange System for Vehicles," published November 6, 2019).

[0006] The embodiment of FIG. 1 is merely a very simple example, and only cooling is performed using a secondary loop. However, in reality, systems using such primary and secondary loops have a more complex configuration, and various air conditioning modes such as cooling, heating, and dehumidification can be realized by using the flow of refrigerant and cooling water.

[0007] FIG. 2 is another example of an air conditioning system having a primary and secondary loop, where the dark lines form the primary loop as the path through which the refrigerant passes, and the light lines form the secondary loop as the path through which the cooling water passes.

[0008] Figures 3A to 3C show the paths of the refrigerant and coolant when cooling, heating, and dehumidifying in the air conditioning system of Figure 2. The heat exchangers used for air conditioning are the first and second heat exchangers indicated by (1) and (2) in Figures 3A to 3C. In the cooling mode, as shown in Figure 3A, the coolant, which has been cooled by heat exchange with the water-cooled evaporator, passes through the first and second heat exchangers ((1)) and (2)), thereby blowing low-temperature air into the vehicle cabin for cooling.

[0009] In the heating mode, as shown in Fig. 3B, the coolant, which has been heated by heat exchange with the water-cooled condenser and has reached a high temperature, passes through the first and second heat exchangers ((1)) and ((2)), thereby blowing high-temperature air into the vehicle cabin for heating. In the dehumidification mode, as shown in Fig. 3C, the coolant, which has been cooled by heat exchange with the water-cooled evaporator and has reached a low temperature, passes through the first heat exchange unit ((1)) to condense the moisture in the air and dehumidify it. In addition, the coolant, which has been heated by heat exchange with the water-cooled condenser and has reached a high temperature, passes through the second heat exchange unit ((2)) to appropriately heat the dehumidified and cooled air to a medium temperature, thereby blowing dehumidified medium-temperature air into the vehicle cabin for dehumidification.

[0010] As can be seen from Figures 3A to 3C, the system of Figure 2 maintains the flow of refrigerant in the primary loop as is, and appropriately adjusts only the flow of cooling water in the secondary loop using a valve, thereby enabling various air conditioning modes such as heating, cooling, and dehumidification.

[0011] However, the system of FIG. 2 also has the following limitations. First, as shown in detail in FIG. 2, the first and second heat exchangers ((1)) and ((2)) are implemented as separate heat exchangers, which limits the miniaturization of the air conditioning module package. Also, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, when both the first and second heat exchangers ((1)) and ((2)) are used for heating or cooling, the cooling water is supplied to both heat exchangers in parallel, which limits the improvement of heat exchange performance. That is, air is passed through the first and second heat exchangers ((1)) and ((2)) in sequence by the blower, and when the cooling water is supplied to the parallel-arranged first and second heat exchangers ((1)) and ((2)), the first and second heat exchangers ((1)) and ((2)) have approximately the same temperature. In this case, for example, in the cooling mode, the air has already been cooled when it passes through the first heat exchanger ((1)), so the temperature difference between the air and the coolant flowing through the second heat exchanger ((2)) is not very large, and therefore the air cannot exchange heat very actively when it passes through the second heat exchanger ((2)).Similarly, in the heating mode, it becomes difficult to substantially increase the cooling or heating effect in the second heat exchanger ((2)). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0012] [Patent Document 1] Korean Patent Publication No. 2019-0124931 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0013] The present invention has been made to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a composite heat exchanger that is provided in a secondary loop connected to a primary loop in which a refrigerant circulates, and that performs heating or cooling by heating or cooling the cooling water circulating inside with the refrigerant, and that can perform heating, cooling, and dehumidification with maximum efficiency.

[0014] Specifically, two heat exchanger cores are arranged in parallel, and a path-adjusting manifold is provided that appropriately selects and connects the inlet and outlet of each heat exchanger so that the coolant flows through the two heat exchangers in sequence or independently. This maximizes heat exchange efficiency by allowing the coolant to flow through the two heat exchangers in sequence (i.e., creating the effect of connecting them in series) in cooling or heating mode, and smoothly realizes dehumidification by allowing low-temperature / high-temperature coolant to flow independently through the two heat exchangers in dehumidification mode, thereby providing a composite heat exchanger that can perform heating, cooling, and dehumidification with maximum efficiency using a single heat exchanger. [Means for solving the problem]

[0015] The composite heat exchanger (100) according to the present invention is provided in a secondary loop in which coolant circulates, exchanging heat with the refrigerant in cooperation with a primary loop including a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator. The composite heat exchanger (100) performs heat exchange between high-temperature coolant or low-temperature coolant and external air to perform at least one air conditioning mode selected from cooling, heating, and dehumidification. When the external air is blown in from the front and the external air is blown out from the rear, a plurality of flow ports provided in a first heat exchange section (110) and a second heat exchange section (120) disposed behind the first heat exchange section (110) are connected to each other, so that the coolant flows sequentially through the first heat exchange section (110) and the second heat exchange section (120) or flows independently through the first heat exchange section (110) and the second heat exchange section (120) depending on the inflow and discharge positions of the high-temperature coolant and the low-temperature coolant, respectively.

[0016] In this case, the inflow and outflow positions of the high-temperature cooling water and the low-temperature cooling water in the composite heat exchanger 100 may be determined by adjusting external valves.

[0017] The first heat exchanger (110) may include a pair of first tanks (111) arranged side by side at a certain distance from each other, forming a cooling water flow space therein, a plurality of first tubes (112) fixed at both ends to the first tanks (111) and forming a cooling water flow path, a first one-side flow port (113) formed in one of the first tanks (111) and through which the cooling water flows, and a first other-side flow port (114) formed in the other first tank (111) and through which the cooling water flows.

[0018] The second heat exchanger (120) may include a pair of second tanks (121) arranged side by side at a certain distance from each other, forming a cooling water flow space therein, a plurality of second tubes (122) fixed at both ends to the second tanks (121) and forming a cooling water flow path, a second one-side flow port (123) formed in one of the second tanks (121) and through which the cooling water flows, and a second other-side flow port (124) formed in the other of the second tanks (121) and through which the cooling water flows.

[0019] The composite heat exchanger (100) includes the first heat exchange section (110), the second heat exchange section (120), a first communication port (131) connected to the first one-side flow port (113), a flow path (1) connected to the first communication port (131), a second communication port (132) connected to the second one-side flow port (123), and a flow path (2) connected to the second communication port (132). a first other-side flow port (114) connected to the first other-side flow port (114), a third communication port (143) connected to the first other-side flow port (114), a flow path (3) connected to the third communication port (143), a fourth communication port (144) connected to the second other-side flow port (124), and a flow path (4) connected to the fourth communication port (144), and an other-side manifold (140) connecting the first other-side flow port (114) and the second other-side flow port (124).

[0020] In this case, the composite heat exchanger (100) may be configured such that, in a cooling mode, low-temperature cooling water passes through the flow path (1) - the first communication port (131) - the first one-side circulation port (113) - the first heat exchange unit (110) - the fourth communication port (144) - the first other-side circulation port (114) - the flow path (4) - the flow path (3) - the third communication port (143) - the second other-side circulation port (124) - the second heat exchange unit (120) - the second one-side circulation port (123) - the second communication port (132) - the flow path (2) in that order, thereby causing the low-temperature cooling water to flow sequentially from the first heat exchange unit (110) to the second heat exchange unit (120).

[0021] In addition, the composite heat exchanger (100) may be configured such that, in a heating mode, high-temperature cooling water passes through the flow path (3) - the third communication port (143) - the second other-side circulation port (124) - the second heat exchange section - the second one-side circulation port (123) - the second communication port (132) - the flow path (2) - the flow path (1) - the flow path (1) - the first communication port (131) - the first one-side circulation port (113) - the first heat exchange section (110) - the fourth communication port (144) - the first other-side circulation port (114) - the flow path (4) in that order, thereby causing high-temperature cooling water to flow sequentially through the second heat exchange section (120) - the first heat exchange section (110).

[0022] The composite heat exchanger (100) may be configured such that, in a heating mode, high-temperature cooling water flows only through the second heat exchange section (120) by passing through the flow path (3), the third communication port (143), the second other-side circulation port (124), the second heat exchange section, the second one-side circulation port (123), the second communication port (132), and the flow path (2) in that order.

[0023] The composite heat exchanger (100) may be configured such that, in a dehumidification mode, low-temperature cooling water passes through the flow path (1), the first communication port (131), the first one-side circulation port (113), the first heat exchange section (110), the fourth communication port (144), the first other-side circulation port (114) and the flow path (4) in that order, and high-temperature cooling water passes through the flow path (3), the third communication port (143), the second other-side circulation port (124), the second heat exchange section, the second one-side circulation port (123), the second communication port (132) and the flow path (2) in that order, so that low-temperature cooling water flows only through the first heat exchange section (110) and high-temperature cooling water flows only through the second heat exchange section (120).

[0024] The composite heat exchanger (100) may also include a support (101) having a front portion disposed at an end of a tube row formed by the plurality of first tubes (112) and a rear portion disposed at an end of a tube row formed by the plurality of first tubes (112), connecting the first tank (111) and the second tank (112) at both ends of the tube row.

[0025] The composite heat exchanger 100 may further include a connector 102 for connecting and integrating the first tank 111 and the second tank 121 arranged side by side. The connector 102 may have a plurality of notches arranged in the direction of the tube rows, or may be formed in the form of a plurality of separated bars arranged in the direction of the tube rows.

[0026] The composite heat exchanger (100) may also include a heat insulating material (103) interposed between the first tank (111) and the second tank (121) arranged side by side. [Effects of the Invention]

[0027] According to the present invention, a composite heat exchanger is provided in a secondary loop connected to a primary loop through which a refrigerant circulates, and performs heating or cooling by heating or cooling the cooling water circulating therein with the refrigerant. In the cooling or heating mode, the cooling water flows sequentially through the two heat exchangers (i.e., creating a series-connected effect), maximizing heat exchange efficiency. In the dehumidification mode, low-temperature and high-temperature cooling water flows independently through the two heat exchangers, respectively, smoothly achieving dehumidification. This allows heating, cooling, and dehumidification to be performed with maximum efficiency using a single heat exchanger. Furthermore, when the heating load is low, a half-heating mode can be implemented, further improving system efficiency.

[0028] In particular, the present invention provides a novel, optimized heat exchanger structure that can perform heating, cooling, and dehumidification functions by arranging two heat exchanger cores in parallel and providing a path-control manifold that appropriately selects and connects the inlets and outlets of the two heat exchangers so that the coolant flows through them sequentially or independently. This heat exchanger structure of the present invention can reduce the volume of the air conditioning module package compared to conventional systems.

[0029] Furthermore, according to the present invention, since the cores of the two heat exchangers are arranged in parallel, it is possible to minimize the decrease in heat exchange efficiency when using coolants of different temperature ranges. Furthermore, this separation structure also allows for smooth drainage of condensed water generated in the cooling mode and dehumidification mode. Furthermore, this separation structure eliminates the need to provide baffles or other components in each heat exchanger to complicate the coolant path, thereby significantly improving ease of manufacture. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0030] [Figure 1] 1 is an example of an air conditioning system having a primary and secondary loop. [Figure 2] 1 is another embodiment of an air conditioning system having a primary and secondary loop. [Figure 3A] In the air conditioning system of FIG. 2, the paths of the refrigerant and cooling water are shown when cooling, heating, and dehumidifying are performed. [Figure 3B] In the air conditioning system of FIG. 2, the paths of the refrigerant and cooling water are shown when cooling, heating, and dehumidifying are performed. [Figure 3C] In the air conditioning system of FIG. 2, the paths of the refrigerant and cooling water are shown when cooling, heating, and dehumidifying are performed. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the heat exchanger of the present invention. [Figure 5] 1 is an assembly perspective view and a schematic diagram of a heat exchanger according to the present invention; [Figure 6] 1 shows a first embodiment of external valve control for cooling, heating, and dehumidifying the heat exchanger of the present invention. [Figure 7] 10 shows a second embodiment of external valve control for cooling, heating, and dehumidifying the heat exchanger of the present invention. [Figure 8A] 1 shows various embodiments of the heat exchanger of the present invention; [Figure 8B] 1 shows various embodiments of the heat exchanger of the present invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0031] The composite heat exchanger according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0032] The composite heat exchanger (100) of the present invention is a heat exchanger that is provided in a secondary loop in which cooling water circulates and exchanges heat with the refrigerant in cooperation with a primary loop including a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator in which a refrigerant circulates. Conventionally, two independent heat exchangers are formed to circulate high-temperature cooling water or low-temperature cooling water, respectively. However, the composite heat exchanger (100) of the present invention is formed in such a manner that these two independent heat exchangers are integrated. That is, the composite heat exchanger (100) of the present invention performs at least one air conditioning mode selected from cooling, heating, and dehumidification by exchanging heat between the high-temperature cooling water or low-temperature cooling water and the outside air.

[0033] FIG. 4 shows an exploded perspective view of the heat exchanger of the present invention, and FIG. 5 shows an assembled perspective view and a schematic diagram of the heat exchanger of the present invention.

[0034] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the combined heat exchanger (100) of the present invention has a configuration in which a first heat exchanger unit (110) and a second heat exchanger unit (120) disposed behind the first heat exchanger unit (110) are connected to each other, assuming that the direction from which external air flows is the front and the direction from which external air flows is the rear. Generally, two flow ports, an inlet and an outlet, are provided per heat exchanger, and the number of flow ports is usually four. The combined heat exchanger (100) of the present invention may be configured such that the coolant flows sequentially through the first heat exchanger unit (110) and the second heat exchanger unit (120) depending on the inflow and outflow positions of the high-temperature coolant and the low-temperature coolant, or the coolant flows independently through the first heat exchanger unit (110) and the second heat exchanger unit (120).

[0035] In other words, the composite heat exchanger (100) of the present invention has a first heat exchange section (110) and a second heat exchange section (120) each fulfilling the functions of two conventional heat exchangers. However, in the conventional case, cooling water of the same temperature is supplied in parallel to two independent heat exchangers, which limits the improvement of heat exchange performance. However, in the present invention, by improving the connection structure as described above, cooling water can flow even when the heat exchangers are connected in series, thereby significantly improving heat exchange performance compared to the conventional case.

[0036] Here, the inflow and outflow positions of the high-temperature cooling water and the low-temperature cooling water may be determined by adjusting external valves. For example, the combined heat exchanger (100) of the present invention can replace the first and second heat exchangers (1) and (2) of an air conditioning system having primary and secondary loops as shown in FIGS. 3A through 3C. As shown in detail in FIGS. 3A through 3C, various valves already exist in such an air conditioning system, and adjusting these valves can easily determine where the high-temperature cooling water and the low-temperature cooling water flow. In the combined heat exchanger (100), the flow ports are connected accordingly, since the flow paths through which the cooling water flows at different temperatures in different air conditioning modes are predetermined in such pre-designed air conditioning systems.

[0037] The configuration of the combined heat exchanger 100 will be described in more detail below. As described above, the combined heat exchanger 100 includes first and second heat exchange sections 110, 120 in the form of a conventional heat exchanger, and may also include manifolds 130, 140 on one side and on the other side that appropriately connect the flow ports, as shown in Figures 4 and 5. Each section will be described in more detail.

[0038] The first heat exchange unit (110), like a typical heat exchanger, includes a pair of first tanks (111) spaced apart from each other to form a cooling water flow space therein, a plurality of first tubes (112) fixed at both ends to the first tanks (111) to form cooling water flow paths, a first one-side flow port (113) formed in one of the first tanks (111) to allow the cooling water to flow, and a first other-side flow port (114) formed in the other first tank (111) to allow the cooling water to flow. Although not shown in the drawings, heat dissipation fins may be interposed between the first tubes (112) to improve heat exchange performance.

[0039] The second heat exchange unit (120), like a typical heat exchanger, includes a pair of second tanks (121) spaced apart from each other to form a cooling water flow space therein, a plurality of second tubes (122) fixed at both ends to the second tanks (121) to form a cooling water flow path, a second one-side flow port (123) formed in one of the second tanks (121) to allow the cooling water to flow, and a second other-side flow port (124) formed in the other second tank (121) to allow the cooling water to flow. Similarly, although not shown in the drawings, heat dissipation fins may be interposed between the second tubes (122) to improve heat exchange performance.

[0040] The one-side manifold (130) is connected to the first one-side flow port (113) and the second one-side flow port (123) formed on one side thereof, thereby connecting the first and second heat exchange units (110) and (120) at one side. That is, the other side of the one-side manifold (130) facing one side of the first and second heat exchange units (110) and (120) is formed with a first communication port (131) connected to the first one-side flow port (113) and a second communication port (132) connected to the second one-side flow port (123). In addition, the one-side manifold (130) is formed with a flow path (1) communicating with the first communication port (113) and a flow path (2) communicating with the second communication port (132) so that cooling water can be circulated to the outside. In the drawings, the flow path 1 and the flow path 2 are shown to be formed in front of the one-side manifold 130, but the arrangement positions may be appropriately changed depending on the flow path configuration of the surrounding system.

[0041] The other-side manifold (140) is connected to the first other-side flow port (114) and the second other-side flow port (124) formed on the other side, and thus serves to connect the first and second heat exchange units (110) and (120) on the other side, similar to the one-side manifold (130). That is, a third communication port (143) connected to the first other-side flow port (114) and a fourth communication port (144) connected to the second other-side flow port (124) are formed on one surface of the other-side manifold (140) facing the other sides of the first and second heat exchange units (110) and (120). Similarly, a flow path (3) communicating with the third communication port (143) and a flow path (4) communicating with the fourth communication port (144) are formed in the other-side manifold (130) so as to allow the cooling water to circulate with the outside. As with the one-side manifold (130), the drawing shows that flow paths (3) and (4) are all formed in front of the other-side manifold (140), but the placement position may be appropriately changed depending on the flow path configuration of the surrounding system.

[0042] Hereinafter, how the air conditioning modes are implemented depending on the inflow and outflow positions of the high-temperature coolant and the low-temperature coolant will be described in detail.

[0043] Figure 6 shows a first embodiment of external valve control for cooling, heating, and dehumidifying the heat exchanger of the present invention. The left side of Figure 6 shows the flow of coolant and the connection of the flow paths in cooling mode, the middle side in heating mode, and the right side in dehumidifying mode. In the left, middle, and right sides of Figure 6, the thick arrows in the upper drawing and the thick solid lines in the middle drawing indicate high-temperature coolant, and the thin arrows and thin solid lines indicate low-temperature coolant.

[0044] In the cooling mode, the low-temperature cooling water inlet (Cold IN) is connected to flow path 1, the low-temperature cooling water outlet (Cold OUT) is connected to flow path 2, and flow paths 3 and 4 are connected to each other outside the heat exchanger. Meanwhile, the high-temperature cooling water inlet (Hot IN) and the high-temperature cooling water outlet (Hot OUT) are connected to each other outside the heat exchanger, so that high-temperature cooling water does not flow through the composite heat exchanger 100 of the present invention. By forming the cooling system in this manner, the low-temperature cooling water passes through the flow path (1) - the first communication port (131) - the first one-side flow port (113) - the first heat exchange section (110) - the fourth communication port (144) - the first other-side flow port (114) - the flow path (4) - the flow path (3) - the third communication port (143) - the second other-side flow port (124) - the second heat exchange section (120) - the second one-side flow port (123) - the second communication port (132) - the flow path (2) in that order.

[0045] That is, in the present invention, in cooling mode, low-temperature cooling water flows sequentially through the first heat exchanger 110 and the second heat exchanger 120. Conventionally, cooling water of the same temperature is supplied in parallel to the front and rear heat exchangers, resulting in a problem of significantly reduced heat exchange performance due to little temperature difference when air already cooled through the front heat exchanger passes through the rear heat exchanger. However, in the present invention, the cooling water flows sequentially through the first heat exchanger 110 and the second heat exchanger 120, so that the temperature ranges of the cooling water flowing through the first heat exchanger 110 and the second heat exchanger 120 are different from each other, thereby further improving heat exchange performance.

[0046] In the heating mode, the high-temperature cooling water inlet (Hot IN) is connected to the flow path 3, the high-temperature cooling water outlet (Hot OUT) is connected to the flow path 4, and the flow paths 1 and 2 are connected to each other outside the heat exchanger. Meanwhile, the low-temperature cooling water inlet (Cold IN) and the low-temperature cooling water outlet (Cold OUT) are connected to each other outside the heat exchanger, so that low-temperature cooling water does not flow through the composite heat exchanger 100 of the present invention. By forming the cooling system in this manner, the high-temperature cooling water passes through the flow path (3) - the third communication port (143) - the second other-side flow port (124) - the second heat exchange section - the second one-side flow port (123) - the second communication port (132) - the flow path (2) - the flow path (1) - the flow path (1) - the first communication port (131) - the first one-side flow port (113) - the first heat exchange section (110) - the fourth communication port (144) - the first other-side flow port (114) - the flow path (4) in that order.

[0047] That is, in the present invention, in the heating mode, high-temperature coolant is configured to flow sequentially through the second heat exchange unit 120 and the first heat exchange unit 110. As in the cooling mode, the temperature ranges of the coolant flowing through the first heat exchange unit 110 and the second heat exchange unit 120 are configured to be different from each other, thereby further improving the heat exchange performance compared to the conventional system.

[0048] In the dehumidification mode, the low-temperature cooling water inlet (Cold IN) is connected to flow path (1), the low-temperature cooling water outlet (Cold OUT) is connected to flow path (4), the high-temperature cooling water inlet (Hot IN) is connected to flow path (3), and the high-temperature cooling water outlet (Hot OUT) is connected to flow path (2). With this configuration, the low-temperature cooling water passes through flow path (1), the first communication port (131), the first one-side flow port (113), the first heat exchanger (110), the fourth communication port (144), the first other-side flow port (114), and flow path (4) in that order, and the high-temperature cooling water passes through flow path (3), the third communication port (143), the second other-side flow port (124), the second heat exchanger, the second one-side flow port (123), the second communication port (132), and flow path (2) in that order.

[0049] That is, in the present invention, in the dehumidification mode, low-temperature cooling water flows only through the first heat exchanger (110), and high-temperature cooling water flows only through the second heat exchanger (120). Therefore, air is cooled when passing through the front first heat exchanger (110), so that moisture in the air is condensed and removed, and air is heated when passing through the rear second heat exchanger (120), so that the air is adjusted to an appropriate temperature and is blown into the vehicle cabin.

[0050] FIG. 7 shows a second embodiment of the external valve control for cooling, heating, and dehumidifying the heat exchanger of the present invention. The cooling and dehumidifying modes are the same as those of the first embodiment, but there is a difference in the heating mode.

[0051] In the second embodiment, in the heating mode, the high-temperature cooling water inlet (Hot IN) is connected to flow path 3, and the high-temperature cooling water outlet (Hot OUT) is connected to flow path 2. Meanwhile, the low-temperature cooling water inlet (Cold IN) and the low-temperature cooling water outlet (Cold OUT) are connected to each other outside the heat exchanger, so that low-temperature cooling water does not flow through the combined heat exchanger 100 of the present invention. With this configuration, the high-temperature cooling water passes through flow path 3, the third communication port 143, the second other-side flow port 124, the second heat exchange section, the second one-side flow port 123, the second communication port 132, and flow path 2 in that order.

[0052] That is, in the second embodiment, in the heating mode, the high-temperature coolant flows only through the second heat exchanger (120). In the first embodiment, in the heating mode, the high-temperature coolant flows sequentially through the second heat exchanger (120) and then the first heat exchanger (110), so that the air is heated twice as it passes through the two heat exchangers. However, if the heating load is not too high, i.e., if excessive heating of the air is not necessary, the air may be heated once by passing through only one heat exchanger instead of passing through two heat exchangers. The heating mode of the second embodiment is suitable for such cases, and is sometimes referred to as a half heating mode because heating is performed using only half of the heat exchanger. When using this half heating mode, unnecessary excessive air heating is avoided, thereby improving overall system efficiency.

[0053] 8A and 8B show various embodiments of the heat exchanger of the present invention and are intended to illustrate various additional configurations.

[0054] As described above, the composite heat exchanger 100 of the present invention is formed by connecting the flow ports of the first and second heat exchange units 110, 120, which are essentially formed as two independent heat exchangers, with the manifolds 130, 140 on one side and the manifolds 130, 140 on the other side to integrate them. Since the first and second heat exchange units 110, 120 are formed as separate structures, there is no need to provide baffles inside each heat exchanger to adjust the flow of cooling water, which has various advantages, such as improved manufacturability of the heat exchanger and smooth drainage of condensed water generated in the cooling mode and dehumidification mode.

[0055] However, connecting the heat exchange units only through a manifold may reduce structural rigidity. To alleviate this problem, the combined heat exchanger (100) may include a support (101) with a front portion disposed at the end of the tube row formed by the plurality of first tubes (112) and a rear portion disposed at the end of the tube row formed by the plurality of first tubes (112), connecting the first tank (111) and the second tank (112) at both ends of the tube row. Typically, supports are provided at both ends of the tube row of a heat exchanger. These supports have the same outer shape as the tubes and are insertable into the tube insertion holes, but unlike the tubes, they have solid interiors to improve the rigidity of the heat exchanger. In this case, in the present invention, the supports of the first and second heat exchange units (110) and (120) disposed at the front and rear, respectively, are integrated with each other. That is, the provision of the support (101) further reinforces the structural rigidity of the first and second heat exchange units (110) and (120).

[0056] To further enhance the structural rigidity, the composite heat exchanger (100) may further include a connector (102) that connects and integrates the first tank (111) and the second tank (121) arranged side by side, as shown in FIG. 8A. In this case, the connector (102) must prevent unnecessary heat transfer between the tanks. Therefore, the connector (102) connects the first tank (111) and the second tank (121) to each other, but preferably has a plurality of notches arranged in the direction of the tube rows, thereby preventing heat transfer between the tanks through the connector (102). Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 8A, the connector (102) may be formed in the form of a plurality of separated bars arranged in the direction of the tube rows.

[0057] Meanwhile, since unnecessary heat transfer between the first and second heat exchange units 110, 120 naturally reduces the overall heat exchange performance, it is preferable to completely block such heat transfer. To this end, the combined heat exchanger 100 may include a heat insulator 103 interposed between the first tank 111 and the second tank 121, which are arranged side by side, as shown in Figure 8B. By providing the heat insulator 103, unnecessary heat transfer between the first and second tanks 111, 121 is completely blocked, thereby effectively preventing a reduction in heat exchange performance.

[0058] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it goes without saying that the scope of application is diverse, and that anyone with ordinary knowledge in the field to which the present invention pertains can make various modifications without departing from the gist of the present invention as claimed in the claims. [Industrial Applicability]

[0059] The present invention has the great advantage of being able to maximize the efficiency of heating, cooling, and dehumidification using a single heat exchanger. Furthermore, when the heating load is low, a half heating mode can be implemented, further improving system efficiency. Furthermore, the heat exchanger structure of the present invention also reduces the volume of the air conditioning module package compared to conventional systems, significantly improving ease of manufacture. [Explanation of symbols]

[0060] 100 composite heat exchanger 101 Support 102 Connecting material 103 Insulation 110 1st heat exchange section 111 First Tank 112 1st Tube 113 Entrance 1 114 Exit 1 120 Second heat exchange section 121 Second Tank 122 2nd Tube 123 Second Entrance 124 2nd exit 130 First manifold (1) to (4) Flow path 1 to flow path 4 131 First entrance connection 132 1st exit communication port 140 Second manifold 143 Second Entrance Connection 144 2nd exit communication port

Claims

1. A composite heat exchanger (100) provided in a secondary loop in which cooling water circulates to exchange heat with the refrigerant in cooperation with a primary loop in which a refrigerant circulates, the primary loop including a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator, The system includes a first heat exchanger (110), a second heat exchanger (120) disposed behind the first heat exchanger (110), a first manifold (130) disposed on one side of the first heat exchanger (110) and the second heat exchanger (120), and a second manifold (140) disposed on the other side of the first heat exchanger (110) and the second heat exchanger (120), The first heat exchange section (110) The cooling water supply system includes a pair of first tanks (111) arranged side by side at a predetermined distance from each other and forming a cooling water flow space therein, a plurality of first tubes (112) fixed at both ends to the first tanks (111) and forming a cooling water flow path, a first one-side flow port (113) formed in one of the first tanks (111) and allowing the cooling water to flow, and a first other-side flow port (114) formed in the other first tank (111) and allowing the cooling water to flow, The second heat exchange section (120) is The cooling water supply system includes a pair of second tanks (121) arranged side by side at a predetermined distance from each other and forming a cooling water flow space therein, a plurality of second tubes (122) fixed at both ends to the second tanks (121) and forming a cooling water flow path, a second one-side flow port (123) formed in one of the second tanks (121) and allowing the cooling water to flow, and a second other-side flow port (124) formed in the other of the second tanks (121) and allowing the cooling water to flow, The one-side manifold includes a first communication port (131) communicating with the first one-side flow port (113), a first flow path (1) communicating with the first communication port, a second communication port (132) communicating with the second one-side flow port (123), and a second flow path (2) communicating with the second communication port (132), and communicates the first one-side flow port (113) and the second one-side flow port (123), the other-side manifold includes a third communication port (143) communicating with the first other-side flow port (114), a third flow path (3) communicating with the third communication port (143), a fourth communication port (144) communicating with the second other-side flow port (124), and a fourth flow path (4) communicating with the fourth communication port (144), and connects the first other-side flow port (114) and the second other-side flow port (124), In the cooling mode, the low-temperature cooling water discharged from the fourth flow path (4) flows directly into the third flow path (3). In a heating mode, the high-temperature cooling water discharged from the second flow path (2) is directly introduced into the first flow path (1).

2. The composite heat exchanger (100) comprises:

2. The composite heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the inlet and outlet positions of the high-temperature cooling water and the low-temperature cooling water are determined by adjusting external valves.

3. The composite heat exchanger (100) comprises: In cooling mode, The low-temperature cooling water passes through the first flow path (1), the first communication port (131), the first one-side flow port (113), the first heat exchange unit (110), the fourth communication port (144), the first other-side flow port (114), the fourth flow path (4), the third flow path (3), the third communication port (143), the second other-side flow port (124), the second heat exchange unit (120), the second one-side flow port (123), the second communication port (132), and the second flow path (2) in this order; 2. The composite heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the low-temperature cooling water flows through the first heat exchange section (110) and then the second heat exchange section (120).

4. The composite heat exchanger (100) comprises: In heating mode, The high-temperature cooling water passes through the third flow path (3) - the third communication port (143) - the second other-side flow port (124) - the second heat exchanger - the second one-side flow port (123) - the second communication port (132) - the second flow path (2) - the first flow path (1) - the first communication port (131) - the first one-side flow port (113) - the first heat exchanger (110) - the fourth communication port (144) - the first other-side flow port (114) - the fourth flow path (4) in this order, 2. The composite heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the high-temperature cooling water flows through the second heat exchange section (120) and then the first heat exchange section (110) in that order.

5. The composite heat exchanger (100) comprises: In heating mode, The high-temperature cooling water passes through the third flow path (3), the third communication port (143), the second other-side flow port (124), the second heat exchanger, the second one-side flow port (123), the second communication port (132), and the second flow path (2) in this order; 2. The composite heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the high-temperature cooling water flows only through the second heat exchange section.

6. The composite heat exchanger (100) comprises: In dehumidification mode, The low-temperature cooling water passes through the first flow path (1), the first communication port (131), the first one-side flow port (113), the first heat exchanger (110), the fourth communication port (144), the first other-side flow port (114), and the fourth flow path (4) in this order; The high-temperature cooling water passes through the third flow path (3), the third communication port (143), the second other-side flow port (124), the second heat exchanger, the second one-side flow port (123), the second communication port (132), and the second flow path (2) in this order; 2. The composite heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein low-temperature cooling water flows only through the first heat exchange section (110) and high-temperature cooling water flows only through the second heat exchange section (120).

7. The composite heat exchanger (100) comprises:

2. The composite heat exchanger according to claim 1, further comprising a support (101) having a front portion disposed at an end of a tube row formed by a plurality of the first tubes (112) and a rear portion disposed at an end of a tube row formed by a plurality of the first tubes (112), the support (101) connecting the first tank (111) and the second tank (121) at both ends of the tube row.

8. The composite heat exchanger (100) comprises:

2. The composite heat exchanger according to claim 1, further comprising a connecting member (102) that connects the first tank (111) and the second tank (121) arranged side by side to each other and integrates them.

9. The connecting material (102) is A plurality of notches are formed in the tube array in the direction of arrangement.

9. The composite heat exchanger according to claim 8, wherein the heat exchanger is formed in the form of a plurality of bars spaced apart from each other and arranged in the direction of arrangement of the tube rows.

10. The composite heat exchanger (100) comprises:

2. The composite heat exchanger according to claim 1, further comprising a heat insulating material (103) interposed between the first tank (111) and the second tank (121) arranged side by side.

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