Heat Exchanger Header Grooves for Uniform Refrigerant Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat exchanger headers experience pressure loss and complex structures, leading to degraded heat transfer performance and increased costs due to uneven refrigerant distribution when used as evaporators.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchanger header design that utilizes through-holes connected to heat transfer tubes with grooves in the lateral direction to distribute refrigerant evenly by surface tension, reducing pressure loss and maintaining heat transfer efficiency while simplifying the structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a looped flow passage is formed in the header to distribute refrigerant evenly, then refrigerant distribution is improved, but pressure loss increases and heat transfer performance degrades
Solution Approach 1:
The header is segmented into multiple independent flow passages, each equipped with its own refrigerant inlet and outlet. This segmentation allows each passage to independently distribute refrigerant to specific heat transfer tubes without requiring complex looped flow paths, thereby reducing pressure loss while achieving uniform refrigerant distribution across all tubes.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a two-dimensional looped flow passage configuration to a three-dimensional multi-passage structure. By arranging multiple independent flow passages in parallel within the header, the system achieves efficient refrigerant distribution without the need for long looped paths, thus reducing pressure loss while maintaining uniform distribution.
2Manufacturing precision
If a looped flow passage is formed in the header to distribute refrigerant evenly, then refrigerant distribution is improved, but device complexity increases and manufacturing cost rises
Solution Approach 1:
The header is divided into multiple simple, independent flow passages rather than forming a single complex looped passage. Each passage has a straightforward configuration with its own inlet and outlet, making the overall structure simpler and easier to manufacture while still achieving the goal of uniform refrigerant distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple simple flow passages are merged within a single integrated header body, combining the functions of multiple inlets and outlets into one component. This merging approach simplifies the overall device structure compared to using separate looped passages, reducing manufacturing complexity and cost while maintaining effective refrigerant distribution.
3Loss of energy
If multiple independent flow passages are arranged in the header, then pressure loss is reduced and structure is simplified, but refrigerant distribution uniformity must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
Each flow passage within the header is designed with locally optimized characteristics, including appropriately sized inlets and outlets positioned to serve specific heat transfer tubes. This local optimization ensures that each passage delivers refrigerant uniformly to its designated tubes, maintaining overall distribution uniformity across the entire heat exchanger while benefiting from the simplified multi-passage 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
The design effectively suppresses pressure loss, ensures equal refrigerant distribution, and maintains heat transfer performance while reducing manufacturing complexity and costs.
Implementation Method 1
a heat exchanger header which is configured to distribute the refrigerant to the plurality of heat transfer tubes in parallel by effect of surface tension
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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Figure 5~6
AI summary
A heat exchanger header for a heat exchanger in which refrigerant is flowed in parallel through a plurality of flat tubes 30 disposed in parallel includes a header main body 11 in which a plurality of through-holes 12 to which ends of the plurality of flat tubes 30 are connected are arranged side by side in a longitudinal direction, and a lid body 13 that faces the plurality of through-holes 12 of the header main body 11 and is joined to the header main body 11. At least one chamber communicating with the plurality of through-holes 12 and serving as a refrigerant flow passage is formed between the header main body 11 and the lid body 13. Each of the plurality of through-holes 12 is an inlet side through-hole or an outlet side through-hole to which a refrigerant inlet side end or a refrigerant outlet side end of the plurality of flat tubes 30 is connected. In a part of the lid body 13 that faces the inlet side through-holes, a plurality of grooves extending in the longitudinal direction of the lid body 13 are formed in a lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.