Double-row bent heat exchanger
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional single-row bent heat exchangers face inefficiencies due to large bending radii, which result in wasted space and reduced heat-exchange performance, especially in applications like air conditioning units where space is limited.
Innovation Solution
A double-row bent heat exchanger design is implemented, featuring a first header and a second header with reduced length, where flat tubes are divided into straight and twisted segments, allowing for a first bending axis parallel to the headers' axial directions and a second bending axis orthogonal to them, reducing the overall bending radius and enhancing space utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single-row bent heat exchanger is used to increase heat-exchange capacity, then the width of the flat tube and outer diameter of the header increase, but the bending radius becomes large causing space waste and reduced heat-exchange area
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger is divided into two rows with separate headers (first header and second header), allowing each row to be bent independently with a smaller bending radius. This segmentation enables the flat tubes to be arranged in two parallel rows, increasing the heat-exchange area within the same space without requiring a large bending radius
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a single-row configuration to a double-row configuration, utilizing the spatial dimension more efficiently. By arranging flat tubes in two rows and bending them around two different bending axes, the heat exchanger achieves higher heat-exchange capacity while reducing the bending radius and optimizing space utilization
2Length of stationary object
If a large bending radius is used in a single-row heat exchanger, then the header diameter can be reduced, but the space utilization becomes poor and heat-exchange area is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The single header is segmented into two separate headers (first header and second header), each serving one row of flat tubes. This allows each header to have a smaller diameter while the double-row configuration maintains compact space utilization and maximizes heat-exchange area within the available volume
3Device complexity
If the heat exchanger is bent around a transverse bending axis in a single-row configuration, then the structure is simple, but the bending radius is large wasting space in applications like air conditioners
Solution Approach 1:
The bending structure is segmented into two independent bending operations: first bending the flat tubes around a first bending axis (parallel to header axial direction), then bending the headers around a second bending axis (orthogonal to header axial direction). This segmented approach reduces the bending radius and optimizes space occupation while maintaining structural simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a second bending dimension by bending the headers around a second bending axis that is orthogonal to the first bending axis. This two-dimensional bending approach allows the heat exchanger to achieve a compact configuration with reduced bending radius, optimizing space utilization in three-dimensional space
Data Source
AI summary
A double-row bent heat exchanger is provided. The heat exchanger includes: a first header and a second header; flat tubes each divided into a first straight segment connected to the first header, a second straight segment connected to the second header and a twisted segment connected between the first straight segment and the second straight segment, along a length direction of the flat tube; and fins disposed between adjacent first straight segments and between adjacent second straight segments. The flat tube is bent at the twisted segment around a first bending axis (L) to provide a first bending portion. The first header and the second header are bent around at least one second bending axis (K) to provide at least one second bending portion.