Header Guide Structure in Heat Exchangers for Lower Refrigerant Pressure Drop
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat exchangers face issues with frictional resistance and noise due to two-phase-state refrigerants, leading to pressure loss and degraded heat exchange efficiency, especially when liquid refrigerant flows through tubes despite being already condensed, and the arrangement of heat exchange tubes affects performance.
Innovation Solution
The heat exchanger design includes a guide system with baffles and movable parts inside the headers to direct liquid refrigerant away from the tubes, allowing only gaseous refrigerant to pass through, reducing frictional resistance and noise, and optimizing the flow path to enhance heat exchange efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If two-phase-state refrigerant flows through flat tubes, then heat exchange area is increased, but frictional resistance and noise occur
Solution Approach 1:
The header internal space is segmented into a liquid refrigerant flow space and a gas refrigerant flow space using a liquid separator and guide structures. This segmentation directs liquid refrigerant away from the flat tubes while allowing gaseous refrigerant to flow through them, reducing frictional resistance and noise while maintaining heat exchange area.
Solution Approach 2:
Liquid refrigerant is extracted from the two-phase mixture using a liquid separator before the refrigerant enters the flat tubes. By removing the liquid phase that causes friction and noise, only gaseous refrigerant flows through the tubes, eliminating the harmful effects while preserving the heat exchange function.
2Productivity
If liquid refrigerant flows through tubes after condensation, then heat exchange continues, but pressure loss occurs
Solution Approach 1:
Liquid refrigerant is extracted from the flow path using a liquid separator positioned in the header. By removing condensed liquid refrigerant before it enters the flat tubes, unnecessary pressure loss is prevented while the heat exchange process continues efficiently with the remaining gaseous refrigerant.
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid separator performs preliminary separation of liquid and gas phases before the refrigerant enters the flat tubes. This preliminary action ensures that only gaseous refrigerant, which requires heat exchange, flows through the tubes, preventing future pressure loss from liquid flow.
3Productivity
If baffles are added to guide refrigerant flow, then heat exchange efficiency improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid separator serves multiple functions: it separates liquid from gas, guides refrigerant flow direction, and acts as a baffle structure. By combining these functions into a single component, heat exchange efficiency improves without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid separator and flow guide structures are merged into an integrated component within the header. This consolidation achieves effective refrigerant guidance and phase separation while minimizing the number of separate parts, thus improving heat exchange efficiency without excessive complexity increase.
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 reduces refrigerant pressure drop by 20% on average, decreases noise, and improves heat exchange efficiency by minimizing unnecessary liquid refrigerant flow through tubes, thereby enhancing the overall refrigeration efficiency of air conditioners.
Implementation Method 1
a guide part provided inside the header to guide flow of the refrigerant
Implementation Method 2
the plurality of fins increase a heat exchange area between the external fluid and the refrigerant flowing in the tube or the flat tubes, thereby improving a heat exchange efficiency of the refrigerant
Implementation Method 3
As heat exchange is performed between a refrigerant flowing in the heat exchanger and an external fluid, the heat exchanger functions to condense or evaporate the refrigerant
Implementation Method 4
the heat exchanger functions to condense or evaporate the refrigerant
Implementation Method 5
the heat exchanger functions to condense or evaporate the refrigerant
Data Source
AI summary
A heat exchanger is provided which can reduce a pressure drop of a refrigerant by replacing a portion or all of baffles of a related art heat exchanger with guides having a specific configuration. The heat exchanger may include a plurality of tubes in which a refrigerant may flow; a plurality of heat dissipation fins into which the plurality of tubes may be inserted, the plurality of heat dissipation fins allowing heat exchange between the refrigerant and a fluid; at least one header coupled to at least one side of the plurality of tubes, the at least one header forming a flow space for the refrigerant; and at least one guide provided inside of the at least one header to partition the flow space and to guide the refrigerant from the at least one header to the plurality of tubes. The at least one guide may include a support provided inside of the at least one header, the support having an opening formed therein, and a movable part movably provided to open and close the opening. The movable part may be movable by a liquid refrigerant in the refrigerant.