Refrigerant Evaporator Throttle Passage for Uniform Flow Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerant evaporators suffer from undesirable bias and temperature distribution issues due to the flow characteristics of liquid-phase refrigerant, leading to inefficient heat exchange and cooling performance, particularly when using exchanging units that cause refrigerant to flow in complex paths and separate gas and liquid phases.
Innovation Solution
The refrigerant evaporator design incorporates multiple core portions, collecting and distributing portions, and an intermediate tank unit with specific passage configurations to manage refrigerant flow, including throttle and enlarged passages, which decelerate and redirect refrigerant to improve distribution and reduce concentration near exit areas, enhancing heat exchange efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If refrigerant flows through exchanging units that separate gas and liquid phases, then heat exchange efficiency is improved, but liquid-phase refrigerant concentrates near exit areas causing undesirable bias and temperature distribution
Solution Approach 1:
A liquid-phase refrigerant discharge passage is introduced as an intermediary structure between the heat exchange core and the collecting portion. This passage includes a throttle section with reduced cross-sectional area that acts as a flow regulator, preventing liquid-phase refrigerant from concentrating near the exit area of the heat exchange core while maintaining efficient heat exchange performance.
2Productivity
If refrigerant flow path is extended through series evaporator arrangement, then cooling performance is enhanced, but liquid backflow phenomenon increases
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid-phase refrigerant discharge passage serves as a mediator between the second evaporator and the collecting portion. The throttle section within this passage regulates refrigerant flow, preventing liquid backflow while maintaining the extended flow path necessary for enhanced cooling performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The cross-sectional area of the liquid-phase refrigerant discharge passage is changed along its length, with a throttle section having reduced area. This parameter change creates a flow restriction that prevents liquid backflow while allowing efficient refrigerant circulation through the series evaporator arrangement.
3Device complexity
If communicating portions are positioned at end portions of tank units, then device complexity is reduced, but refrigerant distribution uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid-phase refrigerant discharge passage is positioned at a specific local area (one end portion) of the second tank unit rather than distributing communicating portions throughout. This localized quality approach maintains simple device configuration while the internal throttle structure ensures uniform refrigerant distribution to the heat exchange core.
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 configuration improves refrigerant distribution within the evaporator, reducing liquid backflow and enhancing cooling performance by ensuring even heat absorption and distribution across the core units, thereby maintaining effective cooling of the subject-to-cooling fluid.
Implementation Method 1
a refrigerant evaporator that cools a subject-to-cooling fluid by absorbing heat from the subject-to-cooling fluid and causes refrigerant to evaporate
Implementation Method 2
evaporate the refrigerant (liquid-phase refrigerant) flowing inside
Implementation Method 3
absorbing heat from the subject-to-cooling fluid flowing outside to evaporate the refrigerant
Implementation Method 4
The end passage has a cross-sectional area larger than that of the throttle passage with respect to a refrigerant flow in the throttle passage
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerant evaporator includes four core portions. A part of the refrigerant passes through a first core portion and a fourth core portion. The other part of the refrigerant passes through a second core portion and a third core portion. An exchanging unit exchanges the positions where the refrigerant flows. A passage through which the second core portion communicates with the third core portion includes a throttle passage in the intermediate tank unit. The throttle passage and the end portion of the intermediate tank unit reverse the refrigerant flow toward a partitioning member. Since the distribution of a liquid-phase refrigerant is adjusted by the throttle passage, a concentration of the liquid-phase refrigerant on a position in the vicinity of an outlet of the third core portion is suppressed. Accordingly, the concentration of the liquid-phase refrigerant in the core portions located downstream of the refrigerant flow is suppressed.