Cool-Storage Heat Exchanger with Segmented Refrigerant Tubes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cool-storage type heat exchangers face challenges in efficiently storing and stably radiating cooling energy, with previous designs often resulting in inadequate cooling capabilities and productivity due to limited heat transfer and uneven temperature distribution.
Innovation Solution
A cool-storage type heat exchanger featuring a configuration with first and second header tanks, refrigerant tubes, cooling-storage containers, and air passages, where the cooling-storage containers are thermally connected to the refrigerant tubes and fins, allowing for effective cooling and heat transfer, and the containers are arranged to optimize space usage and heat transfer efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If refrigerant tubes are formed at one side of a cooling-storage device with fins for heat exchanging with air formed at the other side, then the structure is simple, but the cooling-storage device cannot be sufficiently cooled down and stored cooling-energy is quickly carried away when hot air contacts it
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling-storage device is divided into multiple segments with refrigerant tubes arranged at both the left and right sides, rather than having tubes at only one side. This segmentation allows independent cooling of different portions of the cooling-storage material, ensuring sufficient cooling capability while maintaining structural simplicity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the cooling-storage device are provided with local cooling capabilities through refrigerant tubes at both sides. The local quality principle ensures that each portion of the cooling-storage material can be independently cooled, preventing hot spots and ensuring uniform temperature distribution, thereby maintaining reliable cooling performance.
2Reliability
If cooling-storage elements are provided in place of fins for a heat exchanger, then cooling energy storage is improved, but productivity decreases due to arrangement of multiple cooling-storage cells between refrigerant tubes
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling-storage container integrates multiple functions: it serves as both the cooling-storage element and the structural component that replaces traditional fins. By merging the cooling-storage function with the heat exchange structure, the design eliminates the need for separate multiple cooling-storage cells, thereby improving productivity while maintaining effective cooling energy storage capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling-storage container is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: storing cooling energy, facilitating heat exchange with air, and providing structural support. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, simplifying the overall structure and improving manufacturing efficiency without compromising cooling performance.
3Reliability
If a cooling-storage device is provided at a part of a heat exchanger with refrigerant tubes, then cooling energy storage is achieved, but high cooling capability cannot be obtained due to limited heat transfer area
Solution Approach 1:
The refrigerant tubes are arranged in a three-dimensional configuration at both sides of the cooling-storage device, extending in multiple directions. This spatial arrangement significantly increases the heat transfer surface area between the refrigerant tubes and cooling-storage material, enabling both effective cooling energy storage and high cooling capability through enhanced thermal contact in multiple dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigerant tubes are positioned to nest around and in contact with the cooling-storage container from multiple sides, maximizing the thermal interface area. This nested arrangement ensures comprehensive heat transfer between the refrigerant and cooling-storage material, achieving both effective energy storage and high cooling output capability.
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 enables efficient cooling energy storage and stable radiation of stored energy, achieving high productivity and maintaining cooling performance while preventing excessive energy loss, even during temporary engine stops.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of refrigerant tubes (45) arranged in the heat exchanger (40) at distances from one another, between the first and second header tanks (41, 42), so that refrigerant flows through the refrigerant tubes (45) at least from one of the first and second header tanks (41, 42) to the other header tank (43, 44)
Implementation Method 2
a cooling-storage container (47) arranged in an accommodating space formed between neighboring refrigerant tubes (45) and thermally connected to the refrigerant tubes (45)
Implementation Method 3
a heat exchange portion (47b) provided in the cooling-storage container (47) and projecting into the inside of the cooling-storage container (47)
Data Source
AI summary
An object of the invention is to provide an effective cooling-energy storing performance and a stable cooling-energy radiating performance and to realize a high productivity. An evaporator has a plurality of refrigerant tubes arranged at almost equal intervals to form therebetween accommodating spaces. A plurality of cooling-storage containers are arranged in some of the accommodating spaces and fins are arranged in the remaining accommodating spaces. A cooling-storage unit is formed by one cooling-storage container and two refrigerant tubes arranged at both sides of the cooling-storage container. Each of the cooling-storage container has projections extending from one wall portion to the other wall portion to form heat exchange portions. The cooling-storage container is connected to the refrigerant tubes by soldering material.