Double-Row Outdoor Heat Exchanger for Countercurrent Heat Pump Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat pump systems cannot achieve optimal heat exchange effects in both cooling and heating modes due to differences in air and refrigerant flow directions, leading to suboptimal performance.
Innovation Solution
A heat pump system with a double-rowed heat exchanger configuration where the refrigerant flows through the first heat exchanger in both cooling and heating modes, ensuring countercurrent flow with air, utilizing a four-way valve and switching unit to maintain consistent refrigerant flow direction, enhancing heat exchange efficiency and achieving optimal performance in both modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the refrigerant flow direction is changed between cooling and heating modes in a double-rowed heat exchanger, then the heat pump system can operate in both modes, but the heat exchange effect deteriorates because the air flow direction remains constant, resulting in suboptimal performance in one of the modes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies inversion by reversing the air flow direction in the second row of the heat exchanger when switching between cooling and heating modes. Instead of keeping the air flow direction constant, the system inverts the air flow direction to maintain countercurrent flow configuration in both modes, thereby resolving the heat exchange efficiency problem while maintaining operational versatility
2Area of stationary object
If the heat exchanger is configured with double rows in series to increase heat exchange area, then the heat exchange capacity is improved, but the system cannot achieve optimal heat exchange effects in both cooling and heating modes simultaneously due to flow direction mismatches
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the air flow direction adjustable rather than fixed. The system dynamically changes the air flow direction in the second row based on the operational mode (cooling or heating), allowing the double-rowed heat exchanger to maintain optimal countercurrent flow configuration in both modes while preserving the increased heat exchange area
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 system achieves improved heat exchange capacity and efficiency in both cooling and heating modes, ensuring optimal heat exchange effects and reducing defrosting time by maintaining countercurrent flow, resulting in enhanced system properties.
Implementation Method 1
heat exchange effects of the heat exchanger in the cooling mode and in the heating mode
Implementation Method 2
the flow direction of the air is opposite to the flow direction of the refrigerant (i.e., the air and the refrigerant has a countercurrent flow exchange heat therebetween)
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a heat pimp system (100), comprising a compressor (1), a four-way valve (2), an outdoor heat exchanger (3), a throttling mechanism (4) and an indoor heat exchanger (5), which are sequentially connected to form a refrigerant main circuit, wherein the outdoor heat exchanger comprises at least one double-row heat exchanger (31). The heat pump system (100) has a cooling mode and a heating mode, and further comprises a switching unit, wherein the switching unit is connected on the refrigerant main circuit, so that in either the cooling mode or the heating mode, the refrigerant flows into the outdoor heat exchanger (3) from one of a first heat exchanger (311) and a second heat exchanger (312), and flows out of the outdoor heat exchanger (3) from the other of the first heat exchanger (311) and the second heat exchanger (312).