Downflow Outdoor Heat Exchanger for Uniform Refrigerant Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Down flow type outdoor heat exchangers in vehicle heat pump systems experience non-uniform refrigerant distribution, leading to frosting issues due to fluid inertia, which concentrates frost formation in specific areas and reduces heating efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The outdoor heat exchanger incorporates a flux distribution means in the lower tank, protruded in the height direction, to redirect refrigerant flow and prevent concentration towards the rear side, ensuring uniform distribution and delaying frosting by blocking specific areas in the lower portion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a down flow type outdoor heat exchanger is used in a vehicle heat pump system, then the refrigerant flow follows a simple path, but the refrigerant distribution becomes non-uniform due to fluid inertia, causing frosting in specific areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a flux distribution means with different structures in different areas of the lower tank. The means includes a first flux distribution means for the first channel and a second flux distribution means for the second channel, with the second means having a greater protrusion height. This local differentiation addresses the non-uniform refrigerant distribution by providing area-specific flow control without changing the overall simple down flow structure.
2Productivity
If the refrigerant flux is concentrated toward the rear side due to fluid inertia, then the flow path is simplified, but frosting occurs in specific areas and heating efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The flux distribution means protrudes into the refrigerant flow path in the lower tank to preemptively counteract the fluid inertia that causes refrigerant concentration toward the rear side. By blocking part of the lower portion area before the refrigerant flows, the means redistributes the flux upward and forward, preventing frosting formation in advance and maintaining heating efficiency.
3Reliability
If a flux distribution means is added to block specific areas, then refrigerant distribution uniformity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flux distribution means acts as an intermediary element installed within the lower tank to mediate the refrigerant flow distribution. Rather than redesigning the entire heat exchanger structure, this intermediate component is added to specifically address the non-uniform distribution issue by blocking part of the lower portion area and redirecting the flux through the tubes.
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 solution maximally delays frosting and improves defrosting efficiency, reducing battery consumption and increasing driving distance in electric vehicles by ensuring uniform refrigerant distribution across the heat exchanger surface.
Implementation Method 1
a flux distribution means protruded in a height direction is further formed in a lower tank in which the channel is changed from an upward direction to a downward direction or from a downward direction to an upward direction to block some area of a lower portion thereof so as to prevent a refrigerant from being non-uniformly distributed while a flux is concentrated toward a rear side thereof due to a fluid inertia
Implementation Method 2
an outdoor heat exchanger of a heat pump system for vehicles having a channel of at least three paths
Implementation Method 3
the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 30 compressing and discharging a refrigerant, a high pressure heat exchanger 32 radiating the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 30
Implementation Method 4
a compressor 30 compressing and discharging a refrigerant
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an outdoor heat exchanger, and more particularly, to a down flow type outdoor heat exchanger having channels of at least three paths in a heat pump system for vehicles, in which a flux distribution means protruded in a height direction is further formed in a lower tank in which the channel is changed from an upward direction to a downward direction or from a downward direction to an upward direction to block some area of a lower portion thereof so as to prevent a refrigerant from being non-uniformly distributed while a flux is concentrated toward a rear side of the channel due to a fluid inertia in an area in which the flow path is changed, thereby delaying frosting upon heating.