Heat exchanger
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat exchangers exhibit varying performance in cooling and heating modes due to the number of paths, with four-path heat exchangers performing well as condensers but poorly as evaporators, and two-path heat exchangers vice versa.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchanger design that includes a variable path system with bypass valves to adjust the number of paths based on mode, using temperature-sensitive mechanisms to optimize performance in both cooling and heating modes without additional electrical signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If the number of paths is increased, then pressure drop is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a single heat exchanger unit that can serve multiple functions - operating as either a four-path condenser or a two-path evaporator depending on the bypass valve state. This multi-functionality allows the system to achieve low pressure drop in cooling mode while maintaining simplicity in heating mode, without requiring separate dedicated heat exchangers for each mode
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 allows the heat exchanger to maintain excellent performance in both cooling and heating modes by dynamically adjusting refrigerant paths, improving efficiency and reducing power consumption.
Implementation Method 1
using temperature-sensitive mechanisms to optimize performance in both cooling and heating modes without additional electrical signals
Implementation Method 2
The heat exchange medium in the heat exchanger exchanges heat with outside air present outside the heat exchanger
Implementation Method 3
The cooling operation is performed by blowing air around the evaporator into the interior
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a heat exchanger provided in consideration of cooling/heating performance. An object of the present invention provides a heat exchanger that adopts a variable path in consideration of cooling/heating performance to solve a problem in which cooling performance and heating performance vary depending on the number of paths. More specifically, another object of the present invention is to provide a heat exchanger that is designed to change the number of paths in consideration of cooling/heating performance so as to be optimized for performance in a cooling mode and performance in a heating mode.