Compact Plate Heat Exchanger Integrating Condenser and Refrigerant Collector
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air conditioning systems for vehicles, particularly electric vehicles, face challenges with the integration of components due to complex work sequences during assembly, and the use of water-cooled condensers leads to additional apparatus consumption and costly coolant circulation systems.
Innovation Solution
A compact heat exchanger unit is designed with integrated condenser, high-pressure-refrigerant collector, and excess cooling regions, forming a plate heat exchanger that reduces component complexity, minimizes space requirements, and eliminates the need for additional coolant circulation systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a water-cooled condenser is used to improve heat exchange efficiency and reduce size, then the condenser size is reduced, but additional coolant circulation apparatus and systems are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the condenser and evaporator into a single plate heat exchanger unit that serves both functions. The plate heat exchanger integrates refrigerant circulation channels and coolant circulation channels, eliminating the need for separate water-cooled condenser and air-cooled evaporator systems. This merging approach reduces overall system complexity while maintaining the space-saving benefits of liquid cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The plate heat exchanger performs multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as both a condenser and an evaporator, and also serves as part of the refrigerant circulation system. The integrated design allows the same component to handle both high-pressure refrigerant condensation and low-pressure refrigerant evaporation, reducing the number of separate components needed.
2Device complexity
If air-cooled condenser is used to avoid additional coolant circulation system, then device complexity is reduced, but heat exchange efficiency and compactness are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the advantages of both air-cooled and water-cooled systems by integrating them into a single plate heat exchanger unit. The unit uses coolant circulation for efficient heat exchange (like water-cooled systems) while being part of a compact, integrated design (avoiding the bulk of traditional separate systems). This eliminates the need for large air-cooled condenser structures.
3Adaptability or versatility
If individual air conditioning components are integrated in various places inside the vehicle, then installation flexibility is improved, but assembly complexity and work sequence increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the condenser, evaporator, and associated refrigerant circulation components into a single integrated plate heat exchanger unit. This pre-assembled module can be installed as one unit in the vehicle, significantly reducing the number of separate integration steps and simplifying the assembly work sequence while maintaining installation flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The air conditioning system is segmented into modular components: the integrated plate heat exchanger unit can be manufactured and tested separately, then installed as a module in the vehicle. This segmentation allows for simplified assembly while maintaining the ability to adapt to different vehicle configurations.
4Reliability
If separate condenser and refrigerant collector are used, then functional separation is improved, but component count and assembly complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the condenser and refrigerant collector functions into the same plate heat exchanger unit. The plate structure contains separate channels that simultaneously perform condensation and refrigerant collection, eliminating the need for separate components while maintaining functional separation through internal channel design.
Solution Approach 2:
The plate heat exchanger performs multiple functions within a single component: it condenses refrigerant, collects refrigerant, and facilitates heat exchange. The multi-functional design maintains clear functional separation through dedicated channels while reducing the total component count.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The integrated compact heat exchanger unit simplifies assembly and maintenance, reduces refrigerant charging needs, and enhances space efficiency while minimizing leakage risks and operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
a condenser region for the condensation of the refrigerant is formed as a heat exchanging surface
Implementation Method 2
the condenser region is formed as the plate packet and the heat exchanging surface having the corresponding size
Data Source
AI summary
A compact heat exchanger unit within an air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle, and a condenser region for the condensation of refrigerant is formed as a heat exchanging surface, and a high-pressure-refrigerant collector region as a refrigerant collector is formed in the integrated form as a plate packet of a heat exchanger within a plate heat exchanger.