Flooded heat exchanger and refrigerating unit including same

Abstract

A flooded heat exchanger (210), comprising: a housing (201), which has a first medium inlet (1011), a first medium outlet (1012), a second medium inlet (1013) and a second medium outlet (1014), the housing (201) defining a first accommodating cavity (325) and a second accommodating cavity (326), which are in fluid communication with the second medium inlet (1013) and the second medium outlet (1014), the first accommodating cavity (325) being used for accommodating a second medium, the first accommodating cavity (325) being located below a liquid surface (327) of the second medium, and the second accommodating cavity (326) being located above the liquid surface (327) of the second medium; a plurality of heat exchange tubes (311), which are arranged in the housing (201) in the length direction of the housing (201), the heat exchange tubes (311) being arranged in the first accommodating cavity (325), and two ends of each heat exchange tube (311) being respectively in fluid communication with the first medium inlet (1011) and the first medium outlet (1012); and a plurality of flow guide units (342), which are arranged in the housing (201) and are arranged in the length direction of the housing (201), wherein each flow guide unit (342) comprises a wave blocking structure having several enclosure plates (328); the heat exchange pipe (311) pass through some of the several enclosure plates (328); and the enclosure plates (328) are configured to limit the second medium, which is accommodated in the first accommodating cavity (325), between the housing (201) and the enclosure plates (328) of the flow guide units (342).

Description

Flooded heat exchanger and refrigeration unit including the same Technical Field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to a flooded heat exchanger and a refrigeration unit including the same. Background Art

[0002] Conventional flooded heat exchangers are equipped with heat exchange tubes, each containing a first medium and a second medium. These tubes must be submerged below the liquid level of the second medium to allow the first medium in the tubes to exchange heat with the second medium through the tube walls. However, when flooded heat exchangers are used in oscillating environments, such as marine environments, these oscillations can cause the liquid level of the second medium to fluctuate, making it difficult to ensure the heat exchange tubes are fully submerged, thus affecting the heat exchanger's heat transfer efficiency. In some applications, when flooded heat exchangers are used in marine refrigeration units, the ship's turbulence and rocking during navigation can cause uneven flow of the second medium along the length and width of the flooded heat exchanger, as well as oscillations in its height. This flow and oscillation can lead to uneven distribution of the second medium within the flooded heat exchanger, causing portions of the heat exchange tubes to protrude above the second medium's liquid level, thereby reducing heat transfer efficiency.

[0003] Summary of the Invention

[0004] In a first aspect, the present application provides a flooded heat exchanger, comprising: a shell having a first medium inlet, a first medium outlet, a second medium inlet, and a second medium outlet, the shell defining a first cavity and a second cavity, the first cavity and the second cavity being in fluid communication with the second medium inlet and the second medium outlet, wherein the first cavity is used to accommodate the second medium, the first cavity is configured to be located below a liquid level formed by the second medium, and the second cavity is configured to be located above a liquid level formed by the second medium; a plurality of heat exchange tubes, the heat exchange tubes being arranged in the shell along a length direction of the shell, the heat exchange tubes being arranged in the first cavity, wherein The two ends of the heat exchange tube are respectively connected to the first medium inlet and the first medium outlet fluid, so that the heat exchange tube is used to accommodate the first medium; a plurality of flow guide units are arranged in the shell along the length direction of the shell; each of the flow guide units includes: a wave-blocking structure, the wave-blocking structure includes at least one enclosure, the heat exchange tube passes through at least a portion of the at least one enclosure, and the at least one enclosure is configured to limit the second medium accommodated in the first cavity between the shell and the enclosure of each flow guide unit, so as to at least partially limit the flow of the second medium in the length direction and width direction of the full liquid heat exchanger.

[0005] According to one aspect of the aforementioned flooded heat exchanger, each of the flow guide units further includes: a pressure wave structure, which is arranged on the top side of at least a portion of the at least one enclosure, and the pressure wave structure is arranged to at least partially restrict the flow of the second medium in the height direction of the flooded heat exchanger.

[0006] According to one aspect of the aforementioned flooded heat exchanger, the at least one enclosure includes a top plate, a pair of wing plates and a pair of side plates, the pair of side plates being connected to opposite sides of the top plate, and the pair of wing plates being connected between the outer sides of the side plates and the side walls of the shell, so that a defined area for accommodating the second medium can be formed between the enclosures of adjacent wave-breaking structures or between the shell and the enclosures of the wave-breaking structure; a plurality of holes are provided on the top plate and the wing plates for the heat exchange tubes to pass through.

[0007] According to one aspect of the aforementioned flooded heat exchanger, the plurality of guide units are arranged in multiple layers at the height of the shell, wherein the guide units in the odd-numbered layers are staggered with the guide units in the even-numbered layers.

[0008] According to one aspect of the aforementioned full-liquid heat exchanger, the wave-blocking structure of each of the guide units includes a front connecting portion and a rear connecting portion, the front connecting portion being located on the side panel near the connection between the side panel and the top panel, and the rear connecting portion being located on the side panel near the connection between the side panel and the wing panel; wherein the front connecting portion of each guide unit is combined with the rear connecting portion of an adjacent guide unit in an adjacent layer or is suspended, and its rear connecting portion is combined with the front connecting portion of an adjacent guide unit in an adjacent layer or is suspended, and this is repeated to form a staggered layer structure.

[0009] According to one aspect of the aforementioned flooded heat exchanger, the pressure wave structure and the wave-blocking structure are formed integrally or welded together with the wave-blocking structure.

[0010] According to one aspect of the aforementioned flooded heat exchanger, the pressure wave structure includes a pressure plate, the lower surface of which is connected to the top of the enclosure and extends to the inner and outer sides of the corresponding enclosure to block the flow of the second medium in the defined area in the height direction.

[0011] According to one aspect of the aforementioned flooded heat exchanger, the pressure wave structure includes a pressure plate, the side surfaces of which are connected to both sides of the top of the enclosure and extend from one side to the other side of the corresponding enclosure to block the flow of the second medium in the defined area in the height direction.

[0012] According to one aspect of the aforementioned flooded heat exchanger, the pressure plate is a planar structure, an arc structure, a wavy structure, or a broken line structure.

[0013] According to one aspect of the aforementioned flooded heat exchanger, the flow guide unit of the lowest layer among the multiple layers is provided with a flow groove at its bottom for allowing the second medium to flow.

[0014] In a second aspect, the present application further provides a refrigeration unit, comprising: a flooded heat exchanger as described in any one of the first aspects.

[0015] According to the above refrigeration unit, the refrigeration unit includes an evaporator, an absorber, a condenser, a heat exchanger, a solution circulation pump and a generator, wherein the generator includes the flooded heat exchanger. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] FIG1 is a system diagram of a refrigeration unit including a flooded heat exchanger according to the present invention.

[0017] FIG2A is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the flooded heat exchanger in FIG1 viewed from one angle.

[0018] FIG2B is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the flooded heat exchanger in FIG1 viewed from another angle.

[0019] FIG. 3A is a top view of the flooded heat exchanger shown in FIG. 2A .

[0020] FIG3B is a cross-sectional view of the flooded heat exchanger shown in FIG2A taken along the cutting line AA in FIG3A .

[0021] FIG3C is a cross-sectional view of the flooded heat exchanger shown in FIG2A taken along the cutting line BB in FIG3A .

[0022] FIG3D is a cross-sectional view of the flooded heat exchanger shown in FIG2A taken along the cutting line CC in FIG3A .

[0023] FIG4 is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the flow guide unit and heat exchange tubes in the flooded heat exchanger in FIG2A .

[0024] FIG. 5A is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a plurality of air guide units in FIG. 4 .

[0025] FIG. 5B is a side view of the plurality of air guide units in FIG. 4 .

[0026] FIG. 6 is a three-dimensional structural diagram of an embodiment of a single air guide unit in FIG. 5A .

[0027] FIG. 7 is a three-dimensional structural diagram of another embodiment of the single air guide unit in FIG. 5A .

[0028] FIG8 is a three-dimensional structural diagram of another embodiment of the single air guide unit in FIG5A. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] Various embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification. It should be understood that while various directional terms, such as "front," "rear," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "top," and "bottom," are used herein to describe various exemplary structural portions and components of the present invention, these terms are used for convenience of description only and are based on the exemplary orientations shown in the accompanying drawings. Because embodiments of the present invention can be arranged in various orientations, these directional terms are used for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be limiting.

[0030] FIG1 is a system diagram of a refrigeration unit 100 including a flooded heat exchanger 210 of the present invention. As shown in FIG1 , the refrigeration unit 100 includes an evaporator 102, an absorber 103, a condenser 104, and a generator 101. In the refrigeration unit 100 of the present application, water is used as a refrigerant and lithium bromide is used as an absorbent. The concentration change of the lithium bromide aqueous solution and the phase change of water are utilized to provide external refrigeration. Specifically, the lithium bromide concentrated solution is converted into a dilute lithium bromide solution after absorbing the refrigerant water vapor in the absorber 103, and releases heat to the cooling water from the cooling water inlet 1042. The dilute lithium bromide solution then enters the heat exchanger 105 through the solution circulation pump 106, and after absorbing heat in the heat exchanger 105, enters the generator 101. The dilute lithium bromide solution absorbs the heat of the first medium from the first medium inlet 1011 in the generator 101, so that the water in the dilute lithium bromide solution is evaporated to obtain a concentrated lithium bromide solution. The lithium bromide concentrated solution is then discharged from the generator 101 to the heat exchanger 105, and returns to the absorber 103 after releasing heat in the heat exchanger 105, thereby completing the circulation of the lithium bromide solution.

[0031] In generator 101, a dilute lithium bromide solution is heated by the driving heat source water, evaporating to produce water vapor. The evaporated water vapor first enters condenser 104, where it releases heat to the refrigerant from absorber 103 and condenses into liquid water. Because the internal pressure of condenser 104 is higher than that of evaporator 102, the liquid water discharged from condenser 104 flashes and enters the bottom of evaporator 102. It is then transported to the top of evaporator 102 by refrigerant pump 107. After being distributed by drip box 1021, it absorbs heat from chilled water from chilled water inlet 1043. The liquid refrigerant water evaporates into refrigerant water vapor and enters absorber 103. The refrigerant water vapor is absorbed by the concentrated lithium bromide solution distributed by spray box 1031 in absorber 103, producing a dilute lithium bromide solution. As described above, the dilute lithium bromide solution enters generator 101 and evaporates to produce water vapor, thus completing the refrigerant water cycle.

[0032] The chilled water inlet 1043 and the chilled water outlet 1044 are fluidically connected, so that the chilled water can flow through the heat exchange tubes in the evaporator 102, providing heat to the refrigerant water in the evaporator 102, thereby providing cold energy to the outside world, that is, cooling the outside world.

[0033] The first medium inlet 1011 and the first medium outlet 1012 are configured to communicate with the first medium fluid. When the flooded heat exchanger is used as a generator, the first medium typically has a relatively high temperature. The first medium can enter the heat exchange tubes within the generator 101 to provide heat to the lithium bromide solution in the generator 101. In other examples, the first medium can also be hot water, steam, or flue gas.

[0034] The cooling water inlet 1042 and the cooling water outlet 1041 are used to communicate with the cooling water fluid. The cooling water is typically at a relatively low temperature to provide cooling to the lithium bromide solution in the absorber 103 and the refrigerant water in the condenser 104. The cooling water first enters the heat exchange tubes within the absorber 103 through the cooling water inlet 1042. The cooling water absorbs heat released by the concentrated lithium bromide solution when it absorbs the refrigerant water vapor, causing the temperature to rise. The cooling water then enters the heat exchange tubes within the condenser 104, condensing the refrigerant water vapor in the condenser 104. Finally, the cooling water is discharged from the condenser 104 through the cooling water outlet 1041.

[0035] In this embodiment, the generator 101 includes a flooded heat exchanger 210. The flooded heat exchanger 210 includes two working media: a first medium of the flooded heat exchanger 210 is driving heat source water, and a second medium is a lithium bromide solution. Heat exchange tubes are provided within the flooded heat exchanger 210, which are in fluid communication with the first medium inlet 1011 and the first medium outlet 1012 of the flooded heat exchanger 210. The driving heat source water flows through the interior of the heat exchange tubes. Furthermore, the heat exchange tubes are submerged in the dilute lithium bromide solution within the flooded heat exchanger 210. The dilute lithium bromide solution exchanges heat with the driving heat source water within the heat exchange tubes through the tube walls, causing the dilute lithium bromide solution to evaporate into a concentrated lithium bromide solution, while simultaneously generating refrigerant water vapor. The concentrated lithium bromide solution then enters the heat exchanger 105 via the second medium outlet 1014.

[0036] It should be noted that although the flooded heat exchanger 210 is used in a marine lithium bromide refrigeration unit, it should be understood that the flooded heat exchanger 210 is not limited to marine applications and can also be used in refrigeration units in other applications. It is particularly suitable for applications that may experience turbulence or shaking, such as refrigeration applications in high-altitude towers and aircraft. Furthermore, the flooded heat exchanger 210 of the present application is not limited to lithium bromide refrigeration units and can also be used in other suitable units, so long as the flooded heat exchanger is used.

[0037] Figures 2A and 2B illustrate the external structure of a flooded heat exchanger 210 according to the present invention, viewed from two different angles. Figure 2A shows the perspective view of the flooded heat exchanger 210 from the front to the back, while Figure 2B shows the perspective view of the flooded heat exchanger 210 from the back to the front. As shown in Figures 2A and 2B, the flooded heat exchanger 210 includes a housing 201 having a first medium inlet 1011, a first medium outlet 1012, a second medium inlet 1013, a second medium outlet 1014, a steam outlet 251, and an optional second medium exhaust device 252. The housing 201 defines a cavity 320, within which are disposed a plurality of heat exchange tubes 311 (see Figure 3B). The first medium inlet 1011 and the first medium outlet 1012 are in fluid communication with the heat exchange tubes 311 within the housing 201, allowing the first medium to flow through each heat exchange tube 311. The first medium acts as a heat source to provide heat, and it can be a liquid or a gaseous fluid. The second medium inlet 1013 and the second medium outlet 1014 are in fluid communication with the cavity 320 in the housing 201 to allow the second medium to enter / leave the cavity 320. In the present embodiment, the flooded heat exchanger 210 is used as a generator, so that the first medium is the driving heat source water and the second medium is a lithium bromide solution. Specifically, the dilute lithium bromide solution enters the cavity 320 from the second medium inlet 1013 and exchanges heat with the first medium in each heat exchange tube 311 in the cavity 320, so that the water in the dilute lithium bromide solution evaporates into water vapor, and the dilute lithium bromide solution is converted into a concentrated lithium bromide solution. The steam outlet 251 is connected to the condenser 104 shown in Figure 1 to transport the generated water vapor to the condenser 104.

[0038] In the embodiment shown in Figures 2A and 2B, the shell 201 is roughly in the shape of a rectangular box, and a pair of tube sheets 202 and 203 are respectively provided on opposite sides in the length direction. The pair of tube sheets 202 and 203 are respectively provided with tube holes 205 and 206. The two ends of the heat exchange tube 311 respectively pass through the tube holes 205 and 206 on the pair of tube sheets 202 and 203 and are supported by the tube sheets 202 and 203. The first medium can flow into the heat exchange tube 311 from one end and flow out from the other end of the heat exchange tube 311, so that one end of the heat exchange tube 311 constitutes the first medium inlet 1011 and the other end of the heat exchange tube 311 constitutes the first medium outlet 1012.

[0039] As shown in Figures 2A and 2B , a box-shaped valve body 204 is provided on one side of the housing 201 in the width direction, protruding outward. Box-shaped valve body 204 is located at the right end of the housing 201. A second medium inlet 1013 and a second medium outlet 1014 are provided at the bottom of the box-shaped valve body 204, which are in fluid communication with the chamber 320. The second medium can enter the chamber 320 through the second medium inlet 1013 and can flow out of the chamber 320 through the second medium outlet 1014. The specific structure inside the housing 201 will be described in detail in conjunction with Figures 3A-3D .

[0040] As shown in Figure 2A, the top of the right side of the housing 201 protrudes upward, dividing the housing 201 into a first housing 281 and a second housing 282 along its length. The first housing 281 is located to the left of the second housing 282 and is lower in height than the second housing 282. Several heat exchange tubes 311 are arranged along the same length within the housing 201. The heights of the heat exchange tubes 311 are limited to the height of the first housing 281. A steam outlet 251 is provided at the top of the second housing 282 to discharge steam, for example, to the condenser 104. Given a fixed number of heat exchange tubes 311, the heights of the first and second housings 281 and 282 are adjusted based on the arrangement height of the heat exchange tubes 311. This allows for space within the second housing 282 for steam to flow outside the heat exchange tubes 311 while also allowing for a second medium to be placed within the height of the first housing 281 to submerge the heat exchange tubes 311. Compared to a square housing with the same height as the first housing 281, the housing 201 of this embodiment facilitates steam generation and discharge. Compared to a square shell having the same height as the second shell 282, the shell 201 of this embodiment reduces the amount of second medium used to immerse the heat exchange tubes 311 and facilitates immersion of the heat exchange tubes 311 with the second medium. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the steam outlet 251 can be connected to the condenser 104 via a pipe to discharge the refrigerant vapor generated by the flooded heat exchanger 210 from the steam outlet 251 to the condenser 104.

[0041] In this embodiment, an optional second medium drain device 252 is provided at the bottom of the housing 201. The second medium drain device 252 is a valve that can be opened or closed. During generator operation, the second medium drain device 252 is generally closed. If the second medium in the chamber 320 needs to be drained after the generator stops operating, the second medium drain device 252 can be opened to drain the second medium in the chamber 320.

[0042] It should be noted that although Figures 2A and 2B show the specific configuration and positions of the first medium inlet 1011, the first medium outlet 1012, the second medium inlet 1013, the second medium outlet 1014, the steam outlet 251 and the optionally usable second medium exhaust device 252, these configurations and positions are by no means restrictive. In other embodiments, their configurations and positions may vary accordingly.

[0043] Figures 3A-3D illustrate the internal structure of a flooded heat exchanger. Figure 3A is a top view of the flooded heat exchanger, Figure 3B is a cross-sectional view of the flooded heat exchanger shown in Figure 2A taken along line AA in Figure 3A, Figure 3C is a cross-sectional view of the flooded heat exchanger shown in Figure 2A taken along line BB in Figure 3A, and Figure 3D is a cross-sectional view of the flooded heat exchanger shown in Figure 2A taken along line CC in Figure 3A. Figures 3B and 3C serve to more clearly illustrate the connection between the second medium inlet 1013, the second medium outlet 1014, and the second medium internal piping 353. As shown in Figures 3B and 3C, the second medium inlet 1013 is in fluid communication with the second medium internal piping 353 via a pipe joint 352, and the second medium internal piping 353 is in fluid communication with the chamber 320, thereby establishing fluid communication between the second medium inlet 1013 and the chamber 320. Specifically, the interior of the box-shaped valve body 204 is a hollow structure that is fluidically connected to the chamber 320 in the housing 201. A pipe joint 352 is provided within the box-shaped valve body 204. This pipe joint 352 is generally in the shape of a hollow, right-angle elbow. In the orientation shown in FIG3C , the vertical bottom end of the pipe joint 352 is connected to the second medium inlet 1013, while the horizontal right end of the pipe joint 352 is connected to the second medium internal pipeline 353. The second medium outlet 1014 is directly connected to the bottom end of the box-shaped valve body 204 and is fluidically connected to the interior of the box-shaped valve body 204.

[0044] The second medium internal conduit 353 is a hollow, long tube disposed within the housing 320 of the housing 201. One end of the conduit 353 is connected to the pipe joint 352, and the other end is open toward the housing 320. For example, in the embodiment of FIG3B , the left end of the second medium internal conduit 353 is connected to the pipe joint 352, while the right end of the conduit 353 is open toward the housing 320, thereby establishing fluid communication between the second medium internal conduit 353 and the housing 320. Of course, the configuration of the second medium internal conduit 353 is not limited to this. In the orientation shown in FIG3B , the second medium internal conduit 353 extends substantially horizontally from left to right from the left end of the conduit 352 to the right end of the housing 201. Thus, the second medium can enter the pipe joint 352 from the second medium inlet 1013 and then be discharged into the cavity 320 along the second medium internal pipeline 353. After the second medium accumulates to a certain height, it immerses several heat exchange tubes 311 and exchanges heat with the first medium inside the heat exchange tubes 311. After the heat exchange is completed, the second medium leaves the cavity 320 through the second medium outlet 1014.

[0045] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that, although this embodiment includes a pipe joint 352 connected to the second medium inlet 1013 and a second medium internal pipeline 353, in other embodiments, the pipe joint 352 may be provided in multiple numbers or have multiple outlets, and the corresponding second medium internal pipeline 353 may also be provided in multiple numbers.

[0046] Figures 3C and 3D illustrate the internal structure of flooded heat exchanger 210 in more detail. As shown in Figures 3C and 3D, housing 201 defines a chamber 320, which includes a first chamber 325 located below and a second chamber 326 located above. In this embodiment of the present application, first chamber 325 and second chamber 326 do not have a fixed interface, but are instead defined by a liquid surface 327 formed by the second medium. First chamber 325 is located below liquid surface 327 of the second medium and is used to accommodate the second medium; second chamber 326 is located above liquid surface 327 of the second medium and is used to accommodate water vapor.

[0047] As further shown in Figures 3B-3D , the heat exchange tube 311 is disposed within the first cavity 325 and passes through a plurality of flow guide units 342. The plurality of flow guide units 342 are spaced apart along the length of the housing 201 and connected to the inner wall of the housing 201. Thus, the plurality of flow guide units 342 can support the heat exchange tube 311 in the length direction and restrict the flow of the second medium in the first cavity 325. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that, in this embodiment, the plurality of flow guide units 342 are each independently connected to the inner wall of the housing 201. In other embodiments, the plurality of flow guide units may also be constructed as a single integral member to be integrally connected to the inner wall of the housing 201.

[0048] In this embodiment, each flow guide unit includes a wave-blocking structure and a pressure-wave structure. The wave-blocking structure is used to at least partially limit the flow of the second medium in the first cavity 325 in the length and width directions of the flooded heat exchanger 210. The pressure-wave structure is used to at least partially limit the flow of the second medium in the first cavity 325 in the height direction of the flooded heat exchanger 210. Thus, even in an oscillating environment such as a ship, the flooded heat exchanger 210 can keep the second medium in the first cavity 325 within the limited area of ​​the shell 201 and the wave-blocking structure and the pressure-wave structure, thereby ensuring that each heat exchange tube 311 can remain immersed in the second medium and avoid uneven distribution of the second medium. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that in some embodiments, if the environmental oscillation is not obvious or the height of the shell is limited, only the wave-blocking structure may be included without the pressure-wave structure, and the flow guide unit may not be completely immersed in the second medium.

[0049] Specifically, the wave-blocking structure includes at least one enclosure 328, and the heat exchange tube 311 passes through at least a portion of the at least one enclosure 328. In this embodiment, the wave-blocking structure includes several enclosures 328, and each enclosure 328 includes a portion extending along the length direction of the shell 201 and a portion extending along the width direction of the shell 201. The heat exchange tube 311 passes through the portion of the several enclosures 328 extending along the width direction of the shell 201. In addition, the outermost edges of the several enclosures 328 in the width direction of the shell 201 are connected to the inner sides of the pair of side walls 322 of the shell 201, so that each air guide unit 342 is fixedly connected to the shell 201. In this embodiment, the outermost edges of the several enclosures 328 in the width direction of the shell 201 are connected to the inner sides of the pair of side walls 322 of the shell 201 by welding. In other embodiments, the flow guide unit may be connected to the housing 201 in other ways; the flow guide unit may also be connected to other parts of the housing 201, such as by connecting the enclosure 328 of the flow guide unit to the bottom wall 323 of the housing 201. Thus, in the length direction of the housing 201, the second medium contained in the first cavity 325 can be confined between the front wall of the housing 201 and the enclosure 328 of each flow guide unit 342, between the rear wall of the housing 201 and the enclosure 328 of each flow guide unit 342, or between the enclosures 328 of adjacent flow guide units 342. In the width direction of the housing 201, the second medium contained in the first cavity 325 can be confined between the pair of side walls 322 of the housing 201. Even if the unit is used in an oscillating environment, causing the flooded heat exchanger 210 to shake in the length or width direction, the second medium contained in the first cavity 325 can be maintained between the shell 201 and the enclosure 328 of each guide unit 342, so as to at least partially limit the flow of the second medium in the length and width directions of the flooded heat exchanger 210.

[0050] As further shown in Figures 3C and 3D , the enclosure 328 of the bottommost flow guide unit is recessed upward relative to the bottom wall 323 of the housing 201 to form a flow channel 324 for the second medium to circulate. The flow channel 324 allows the second medium to flow smoothly at least through the bottom of the first cavity 325. In other words, although the second medium contained in the first cavity 325 is contained within the confined area between the housing 201 and the enclosure 328 of each flow guide unit 342, each confined area is fluidically connected to the others. This helps the second medium to form a liquid level 327 when flowing into the first cavity 325 or to be expelled from the first cavity 325 as quickly as possible.

[0051] Figure 4 shows a three-dimensional structural diagram of multiple flow guide units 342 and heat exchange tubes 311. As shown in Figure 4, the multiple flow guide units 342 are arranged in layers. In this embodiment, the multiple flow guide units 342 are arranged in three layers. In other embodiments, the multiple flow guide units 342 can also be arranged in one, two, or more layers. A flow groove 324 is provided at the bottom of each flow guide unit 342 in the lowest layer. Arranging the flow guide units 342 in layers helps to keep the second medium within a smaller area. The flow guide units 342 in each layer are arranged approximately parallel to each other in the longitudinal direction, and the flow guide units 342 in adjacent layers are staggered. Each heat exchange tube 311 sequentially passes through each flow guide unit 342 in a layer, so that a portion of the length of each heat exchange tube 311 is located within a defined area of ​​the flow guide unit 342 between the housing 201 and the enclosure 328 of a flow guide unit 342, or in some cases, between several enclosures 328.

[0052] 5A and 5B show the positional relationship of the plurality of guide units 342. FIG. 5A shows a three-dimensional structure of a layered arrangement of the plurality of guide units 342, and FIG. 5B shows a side view of the plurality of guide units 342 shown in FIG. 5A. As shown in FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B, the plurality of guide units 342 are arranged in three layers at the height of the shell 201, wherein the guide units 342 in the odd-numbered layers are staggered with the guide units 342 in the even-numbered layers. Specifically, each guide unit 342 includes a front connecting portion 463 and a rear connecting portion 464 in the length direction. In this embodiment, each guide unit 342 is approximately The guide units 342 have a zigzag structure, with the middle portion in the width direction of the guide unit 342 protruding forward relative to the two sides. The front connecting portion 463 is located on the front side of the middle portion in the width direction of the guide unit 342, and the rear connecting portion 464 is located on the rear side of the middle portion in the width direction of the guide unit 342. The front connecting portion 463 is formed at the front corner, and the rear connecting portion 464 is formed at the rear corner. In the length direction, the guide units 342 of two adjacent layers are not completely staggered, but partially overlap to facilitate the connection between the individual guide units 342. More specifically, the front connecting portion 463 of each guide unit 342 overlaps with the rear connecting portion 464 of the adjacent guide unit 342 in the adjacent layer to combine or be suspended, and its rear connecting portion 464 overlaps with the front connecting portion 463 of the adjacent guide unit 342 in the adjacent layer to combine or be suspended, and this is repeated to form a staggered layer structure. In this embodiment, the front connecting portion 463 and the rear connecting portion 464 are joined by welding. By welding the front connecting portion 463 and the rear connecting portion 464 at the corners, the joining of the guide units 342 can be made more stable when the welding area of ​​each guide unit 342 is limited. The suspended arrangement is due to the aforementioned staggered arrangement, where the front connecting portion 463 or the rear connecting portion 464 of the frontmost and rearmost guide units 342 are suspended. For example, in the embodiment shown in Figures 5A and 5B, among the guide units 342 of the second layer, the front connecting portion 463 of the frontmost guide unit 342 is suspended, while among the guide units 342 of the first and third layers, the rear connecting portion 464 of the rearmost guide unit 342 is suspended.

[0053] FIG6 is a perspective structural diagram of an embodiment of the air guide unit in FIG5A , illustrating the specific structure of the air guide unit 342. As shown in FIG6 , the several panels 328 of the air guide unit 342 include a top panel 3021, a pair of wing panels 3023, and a pair of side panels 646. The top panel 3021 is located at the frontmost side of the air guide unit 342 and extends in the width direction. The pair of side panels 646 are connected in parallel to opposite sides of the top panel 3021 and extend in the length direction. The pair of wing panels 3023 are connected side by side between the outer sides of the corresponding side panels 646 and the sidewalls 322 of the housing 201 and extend in a direction parallel to the top panel 3021. In other words, the pair of side panels 646 extend backward from the two side edges of the top panel 3021 in the length direction, and the pair of wing panels 3023 extend from the rear side edges of the corresponding side panels 646 to both sides in the width direction. Therefore, the corners at the connection between the top plate 3021 and the pair of side plates 646 are roughly right-angled, and the corners at the connection between the side plates 646 and the wing plates 3023 are roughly right-angled. Shape structure.

[0054] In this embodiment, the outer edge of each wing plate 3023 is connected to the side wall 322 of the shell 201 via a welding process. Multiple holes 644 are provided in the top plate 3021 and the wing plates 3023 for the heat exchange tubes 311 to pass through. Of course, the enclosure 328 is not limited to this structure. For example, the air guide unit 342 can also be designed to include only a top plate and a pair of side plates, with the pair of side plates extending obliquely from the top plate to connect to the side walls of the shell, with holes provided in the top plate and side plates for the heat exchange tubes to pass through, while the pair of side plates are connected to the side walls of the shell, etc., depending on the circumstances. In this embodiment, the front connecting portion 463 is located on the top and bottom edges of the side plate 646 near the connection between the side plate 646 and the top plate 3021, and the rear connecting portion 464 is located on the top and bottom edges of the side plate 646 near the connection between the side plate 646 and the wing plates 3023. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the term "close" here means that the front connecting portion 463 and the rear connecting portion 464 are located on one side of the corresponding connecting portion of the side plate 646 and have a certain length so as to have a certain overlap when combined with the adjacent connecting portion. Therefore, the structure of the enclosure 328 of the air guide unit 342 of the present application can facilitate the welding process.

[0055] As shown in FIG6 , each guide unit 342 further includes a pressure wave structure, which is disposed on the top side of at least one enclosure 328 of each guide unit 342 and extends outward from the top edge of the corresponding enclosure 328 at an angle inclined in the height direction to block the flow of the second medium confined within the defined area in the height direction, thereby at least partially limiting the flow of the second medium in the height direction of the flooded heat exchanger 210. In some embodiments, the pressure wave structure and the wave-blocking structure may be integrally formed, or the pressure wave structure and the wave-blocking structure may be fixedly connected together by welding or other means.

[0056] Specifically, the pressure wave structure includes a plurality of pressure plates 643. These pressure plates 643 are disposed on the tops of all enclosures 328, including the top plate 3021, a pair of side plates 646, and a pair of wing plates 3023. However, in other embodiments, the pressure plates 643 may be disposed only on the tops of one or more of the multiple enclosures 328, as needed. In the embodiment shown in FIG6 , each pressure plate 643 is a planar structure extending horizontally, that is, each pressure plate 643 is perpendicular to the height direction. The lower surface of the pressure plate 643 is connected to the middle of the top surface of the corresponding enclosure 328, leaving a corner portion at the junction of the top plate 3021, the pair of side plates 646, and the pair of wing plates 3023. For example, the front connecting portion 463 and the rear connecting portion 464 are left free on the pair of side plates 646. Furthermore, the pressure plates 643 extend horizontally to a certain width on both the inner and outer sides of the corresponding enclosure 328. The width is set to be able to block the flow of the second medium in the defined area in the height direction, but will not affect the flow of steam.

[0057] In this embodiment, each flow guide unit 342 includes a pressure wave structure. Compared to a single-layer flow guide unit 342, a multi-layered flow guide unit 342 can achieve a better pressure wave effect, resulting in a lower splash height and a smaller amount of splashed second medium. Even if the unit is used in an oscillating environment, causing the flooded heat exchanger 210 to oscillate vertically, the second medium within the defined area can be retained between the shell 201 and the panels 328 of each flow guide unit 342, thereby limiting the flow of the second medium in the vertical direction.

[0058] Figure 7 shows a three-dimensional structural diagram of a second embodiment of a guide unit. As shown in Figure 7, the structure of guide unit 742 is substantially the same as that of guide unit 342 in Figure 6, with the difference being that the pressure wave structure in guide unit 742 differs from that of guide unit 342. Specifically, in this embodiment, the pressure wave structure comprises several pressure plates 743. These pressure plates 743 are located on the tops of all panels 328. Similarly, in other embodiments, the pressure plates 743 may be located only in the middle of the tops of one or more panels 328, freeing up the corners where the panels 328 meet. In the embodiment shown in Figure 7, each pressure plate 743 has a zigzag shape. In this embodiment, the pressure plates 743 no longer extend horizontally, but instead extend slightly inclined to the horizontal plane, forming a zigzag shape. Furthermore, the pressure plates 743 are no longer connected to the top surface of each panel 328, but instead extend from the side surface of the top of each panel 328 toward the opposite side. Thus, the pressure plate 743 can also block the flow of the second medium in the defined area in the height direction.

[0059] Figure 8 shows a three-dimensional structural diagram of a third embodiment of a flow guide unit. As shown in Figure 8 , the structure of flow guide unit 842 is substantially identical to that of flow guide unit 742, differing in that the shape of pressure plates 843 in flow guide unit 842 differs from that of pressure plates 743 in flow guide unit 742. Specifically, in this embodiment, each pressure plate 843 is an arc-shaped structure with a raised center portion to block the flow of the second medium in the defined area in the height direction.

[0060] Those skilled in the art will understand that the shape of the pressure plate is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, as long as it can be conveniently connected to the top of the enclosure 328 and extend roughly to the inner and outer sides from the top of the enclosure 328. For example, the pressure plate can also be a wavy structure.

[0061] In summary, the wave-blocking structure provided in the flooded heat exchanger of the present application can confine the second medium in the flooded heat exchanger to a smaller, defined area enclosed by the flow guide unit and the housing, thereby limiting the flow of the second medium in both the length and width directions of the flooded heat exchanger. Furthermore, the flooded heat exchanger of the present application also includes a pressure wave structure, which can confine the second medium in the flooded heat exchanger to a certain height range, thereby limiting the flow of the second medium in the height direction of the flooded heat exchanger.

[0062] Therefore, even when the unit using the flooded heat exchanger of the present application is used in an oscillating environment such as a ship, the second medium can be kept immersed in each heat exchange tube, thereby preventing uneven distribution of the second medium in the flooded heat exchanger and preventing some heat exchange tubes from being exposed above the second medium liquid level, thereby improving heat exchange efficiency.

[0063] Although the present invention has been disclosed in conjunction with the embodiments described above, various alternatives, modifications, variations, improvements and / or substantially equivalent schemes, whether known or foreseeable now or in the future, will be apparent to those skilled in the art. In addition, the technical effects and / or technical problems described in this specification are exemplary rather than restrictive, so the disclosure of this specification can be used to solve other technical problems and have other technical effects. Therefore, the embodiments of the present invention set forth above are intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is intended to include all known or previously developed alternatives, modifications, variations, improvements and / or substantially equivalent schemes.

Claims

1. A flooded heat exchanger (210), comprising: A shell (201) having a first medium inlet (1011), a first medium outlet (1012), a second medium inlet (1013), and a second medium outlet (1014); the shell (201) defines a first cavity (325) and a second cavity (326); the first cavity (325) and the second cavity (326) are in fluid communication with the second medium inlet (1013) and the second medium outlet (1014); the first cavity (325) is used to contain the second medium; the first cavity (325) is arranged to be located below a liquid surface (327) formed by the second medium; and the second cavity (326) is arranged to be located above a liquid surface (327) formed by the second medium. a plurality of heat exchange tubes (311), wherein the heat exchange tubes (311) are arranged in the shell (201) along the length direction of the shell (201), and the heat exchange tubes (311) are arranged in the first cavity (325), wherein two ends of the heat exchange tubes (311) are respectively in fluid communication with the first medium inlet (1011) and the first medium outlet (1012), so that the heat exchange tubes (311) are used to accommodate the first medium; a plurality of flow guiding units (342), the plurality of flow guiding units (342) being arranged in the shell (201), and the plurality of flow guiding units (342) being arranged in an array along a length direction of the shell (201); Each of the guide units (342) comprises: A wave-blocking structure, wherein the wave-blocking structure comprises at least one enclosure (328), wherein the heat exchange tube (311) passes through at least a portion of the at least one enclosure (328), and wherein the at least one enclosure (328) is configured to restrict the second medium contained in the first cavity (325) between the shell (201) and the enclosure (328) of each guide unit (342), so as to at least partially restrict the flow of the second medium in the length direction and the width direction of the full liquid heat exchanger (210).

2. The flooded heat exchanger (210) according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each of the flow guiding units (342) further comprises: A pressure wave structure is provided on the top side of at least a portion of the at least one enclosure (328), and the pressure wave structure is configured to at least partially restrict the flow of the second medium in the height direction of the flooded heat exchanger (210).

3. The flooded heat exchanger (210) according to claim 1, wherein: The at least one enclosure (328) comprises a top plate (3021), a pair of wing plates (3023) and a pair of side plates (646), wherein the pair of side plates (646) are connected to opposite sides of the top plate (3021), and the pair of wing plates (3023) are connected between the outer sides of the side plates (646) and the side walls (322) of the shell (201), so that the adjacent wave-blocking structures A limited area for accommodating the second medium can be formed between the enclosures (328) or between the shell (201) and the enclosure (328) of the wave-blocking structure; The top plate (3021) and the wing plate (3023) are provided with a plurality of holes (644) for the heat exchange tubes (311) to pass through.

4. The flooded heat exchanger (210) according to claim 2, wherein: The plurality of guide units (342) are arranged in a plurality of layers at the height of the shell (201), wherein the guide units (342) in the odd-numbered layers are staggered with the guide units (342) in the even-numbered layers.

5. The flooded heat exchanger (210) according to claim 4, wherein: The wave-blocking structure of each air guide unit (342) comprises a front connecting portion (463) and a rear connecting portion (464), wherein the front connecting portion (463) is located on the side plate (646) near the connection between the side plate (646) and the top plate (3021), and the rear connecting portion (464) is located on the side plate (646) near the connection between the side plate (646) and the wing plate (3023); The front connecting portion (463) of each air guide unit (342) is combined with or suspended from the rear connecting portion (464) of an adjacent air guide unit (342) in an adjacent layer, and the rear connecting portion (464) is combined with or suspended from the front connecting portion (463) of an adjacent air guide unit (342) in an adjacent layer, This process is repeated to form a staggered layer structure.

6. The flooded heat exchanger (210) according to claim 2, wherein: The pressure wave structure is formed integrally with the wave-blocking structure or is welded to the wave-blocking structure.

7. The flooded heat exchanger (210) according to claim 2, wherein: The pressure wave structure includes a pressure plate (643, 743, 843), the lower surface of which is connected to the top of the enclosure (328) and extends to the inner and outer sides of the corresponding enclosure (328) to block the flow of the second medium in the defined area in the height direction.

8. The flooded heat exchanger (210) according to claim 2, wherein: The pressure wave structure includes a pressure plate (643, 743, 843), the side surfaces of which are connected to both sides of the top of the enclosure (328) and extend from one side to the other side of the corresponding enclosure (328) to block the flow of the second medium in the defined area in the height direction.

9. The flooded heat exchanger (210) according to claim 7 or 8, wherein: The pressing plate (643, 743, 843) is a plane structure, an arc structure, a wave structure or a broken line structure.

10. The flooded heat exchanger (210) according to claim 4, wherein: The guide unit (342) of the lowest layer among the multiple layers is provided with a flow groove (324) at its bottom for the second medium to flow.

11. A refrigeration unit, characterized in that include: A liquid-flooded heat exchanger (210) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. The refrigeration unit according to claim 11, characterized in that: The refrigeration unit (100) comprises an evaporator (102), an absorber (103), a condenser (104), a heat exchanger (105), a solution circulation pump (106) and a generator (101); The generator (101) includes the flooded heat exchanger (210).

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