Refrigerant Evaporator Flow Layout for Lower Pressure Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing refrigerant evaporators with intersecting communicating portions in intermediate tanks or tank units suffer from increased pressure loss and reduced cooling performance due to restricted refrigerant flow paths, leading to inefficient cooling of the target fluid.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerant evaporator design that switches refrigerant flows in the width direction of the core portion without the need for an intersecting communicating portion, using a refrigerant flow changing portion within the tank units to guide the flow, thereby reducing pressure loss and maintaining refrigerant sealing capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If an intersecting communicating portion is provided in an intermediate tank to switch refrigerant flows, then refrigerant flow switching is achieved, but the internal capacity increases and refrigerant sealing amount increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the refrigerant flow switching function into the existing tank units by forming communicating portions directly within the tank unit structures. This integration eliminates the need for separate intermediate tanks, achieving flow switching while avoiding additional refrigerant sealing requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the flow switching function from the intermediate tank concept and relocates it to the tank units themselves. By forming communicating portions within the tank units, the invention removes the need for separate intermediate tanks and their associated refrigerant sealing.
2Ease of operation
If an intersecting communicating portion is provided in a tank unit to switch refrigerant flows, then refrigerant flow switching is achieved, but the cross-section of refrigerant passage becomes small and pressure loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by forming communicating portions at specific locations within the tank units where space is充足. This allows the refrigerant passages to maintain adequate cross-sectional areas for low pressure loss while still achieving flow switching functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the three-dimensional space within tank units to form communicating portions, allowing refrigerant flow switching without constraining the passage cross-section. By exploiting spatial arrangement in multiple dimensions, the invention maintains low pressure loss while achieving flow direction control.
3Ease of operation
If an intermediate tank is added to provide intersecting communicating portions, then refrigerant flow switching is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions (refrigerant storage, distribution, and flow switching) into the existing tank units. By forming communicating portions within these tanks, the invention eliminates separate intermediate tanks and reduces overall system complexity while maintaining flow switching capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The tank units are designed to serve multiple functions: storing refrigerant, distributing it to core portions, and switching flow directions through internally formed communicating portions. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components and simplifies the overall device structure.
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 the cooling capacity of the refrigerant evaporator by ensuring efficient refrigerant distribution across the core portions, preventing unbalanced temperature distributions and maintaining refrigerant sealing without increasing pressure loss.
Implementation Method 1
a refrigerant evaporator that cools a cooling target fluid by absorbing heat from the cooling target fluid and causes refrigerant to evaporate
Implementation Method 2
heat exchange is performed between a cooling target fluid flowing outside and a refrigerant
Data Source
AI summary
Provided in an interior of a leeward tank unit of a leeward evaporation portion is a refrigerant flow changing portion that guides a refrigerant from a first refrigerant collecting portion to a second refrigerant distributing portion and guides a refrigerant from a second refrigerant collecting portion to a first refrigerant distributing portion. The refrigerant flow changing portion is configured such that a refrigerant flow guided from the first refrigerant collecting portion to the second refrigerant distributing portion and a refrigerant flow guided from the second refrigerant collecting portion to the first refrigerant distributing portion are in a non-crossed state when viewed from a longitudinal direction of tubes.