Flat-Tube Heat Exchanger Layout for Refrigerant Subcooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flat-tube heat exchangers used as refrigerant condensers face performance reduction due to adjacent superheating and subcooling areas, leading to inadequate heat exchange and subcooling of refrigerants.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchanger design with separate headers and communication paths for superheating and subcooling areas, arranged to prevent direct heat exchange between them, ensuring proper subcooling by non-adjacent area configuration and counterflow refrigerant directions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If superheating area and subcooling area are arranged adjacent to each other one above another, then the heat exchanger structure is simple and compact, but heat exchange occurs between refrigerants in superheating and subcooling areas leading to insufficient subcooling and performance reduction
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger is divided into multiple independent heat-exchanging units, each containing separate superheating and subcooling areas that are spatially separated. This segmentation prevents harmful heat exchange between superheated and subcooled refrigerants while maintaining functional independence of each unit
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from vertical stacking (one above another) to horizontal arrangement of heat-exchanging units. By changing the spatial dimension from vertical to horizontal configuration, the superheating and subcooling areas are separated in the horizontal direction while maintaining compact overall structure
2Duration of action of moving object
If heat exchange between superheated and subcooled refrigerants occurs, then the heat exchanger operates continuously, but the subcooling degree is insufficient causing performance reduction
Solution Approach 1:
Each heat-exchanging unit is segmented into distinct superheating and subcooling zones with separate refrigerant flow paths. This ensures that subcooling process occurs independently without interference from superheated refrigerant, maintaining high subcooling efficiency during continuous operation
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions within each heat-exchanging unit are assigned specific functions: superheating areas for gas refrigerant heating and subcooling areas for liquid refrigerant cooling. This local functional differentiation ensures optimal performance of each zone without mutual interference
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
Enhances refrigerant subcooling performance by preventing heat exchange between superheating and subcooling areas, improving overall heat exchanger efficiency and reducing temperature unevenness.
Implementation Method 1
a refrigerant and an air flow exchange heat
Implementation Method 2
heat is exchanged via the heat-transfer fins between the refrigerant that passes through the superheating area and the refrigerant that passes through the subcooling area
Data Source
AI summary
A heat exchanger in which a refrigerant and air flow exchange heat includes a first heat-exchanging unit. The first heat-exchanging unit includes: a first header including a first gas refrigerant inlet/outlet; a second header including a first liquid refrigerant inlet/outlet; a plurality of first flat tubes disposed side by side in a longitudinal direction of the first header and the second header; and a first communication path formation portion that is connected to the first header and the second header and that forms a first communication path.