Condenser for vehicle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle air conditioning condensers face challenges with increased size and complexity due to the use of air-cooled systems, and water-cooled systems have lower condensing temperatures and efficiency, leading to higher costs and weights.
Innovation Solution
A stacked-plate type condenser with an integrally formed receiver-drier and water-cooling system that reduces dead volume and increases heat-radiating area, allowing for improved cooling efficiency and reduced component count by overcooling refrigerant through heat-exchange with low-temperature/pressure gaseous refrigerant.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If air-cooled condenser with pin-tube structures is used to improve cooling performance, then cooling efficiency is improved, but condenser size increases making it hard to install in small engine compartment
Solution Approach 1:
The condenser is divided into multiple heat radiating portions (first, second, third heat radiating portions) with different functions. The first heat radiating portion handles primary condensation, the second heat radiating portion handles overcooling, and the third heat radiating portion provides additional heat radiation. This segmentation allows optimized heat exchange in each section, improving overall cooling efficiency while maintaining a compact form factor suitable for small engine compartments.
2Volume of stationary object
If water-cooled condenser is used to reduce condenser size, then condenser size is reduced, but condensing temperature is lower by 5-15°C and condensing efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The receiver-drier and the second heat radiating portion are integrated into a single component. The receiver-drier not only performs gas-liquid separation and moisture removal but also functions as a heat radiating portion that overcools the condensed refrigerant by exchanging heat with low-temperature/pressure gaseous refrigerant from the evaporator. This merging eliminates the need for separate overcooling devices, maintaining compact size while improving condensing efficiency through effective heat exchange.
3Productivity
If additional devices for overcooling are added to improve cooling efficiency, then cooling efficiency is improved, but number of components increases and connections become complex
Solution Approach 1:
The receiver-drier is designed to perform multiple functions: gas-liquid separation, moisture removal, and overcooling of condensed refrigerant. By making the receiver-drier a multi-functional component that also serves as the second heat radiating portion, the system achieves effective overcooling without adding separate devices. This reduces the number of components and simplifies connections while maintaining improved cooling efficiency.
4Reliability
If receiver-drier is connected through pipe to condenser, then gas-liquid separation and moisture removal are achieved, but dead volume increases and heat-radiating area is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The receiver-drier is integrated directly with the second heat radiating portion, eliminating the need for separate pipe connections. This merging eliminates dead volume that would exist in pipe connections and maximizes the heat-radiating area by making the receiver-drier itself a heat radiating component. The integration maintains effective gas-liquid separation and moisture removal functionality.
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
This design enhances cooling efficiency, reduces the number of components and connections, and minimizes weight and cost by integrating the receiver-drier and using a stacked-plate structure for improved heat exchange.
Implementation Method 1
circulating the refrigerant supplied from the compressor so as to condense the refrigerant through the heat-exchange with the coolant and the refrigerant
Implementation Method 2
overcooling the condensed refrigerant through heat-exchange with gaseous refrigerant of low temperature/pressure supplied from an evaporator
Implementation Method 3
performing gas-liquid separation and moisture removal of the refrigerant
Implementation Method 4
a desiccant for removing moisture remaining in the refrigerant
Data Source
AI summary
A condenser for a vehicle includes an integrally formed receiver-drier and a plurality of stacked plates. The condenser may be used in an air conditioning having an expansion valve expanding liquid refrigerant, an evaporator evaporating the refrigerant expanded at the expansion valve through heat-exchange with air, and a compressor receiving from the evaporator and compressing gaseous refrigerant, may be provided between the compressor and the expansion valve, and may circulate coolant supplied from a radiator so as to condense the refrigerant supplied from the compressor through heat-exchange with the coolant and the refrigerant.