Heat Pipe Anchor Tubes for High-Side Heat Exchanger Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional cooling systems rely on anchor tubes to support the weight of high-side heat exchanger components, which do not enhance heat removal capabilities and can lead to refrigerant tube stress and leakage if anchor tubes are absent.
Innovation Solution
Replacing anchor tubes with heat pipes that provide structural support and enhanced heat removal by bearing the weight of high-side heat exchanger components and transferring heat efficiently through the refrigerant tubes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If anchor tubes are used to support the weight of high-side heat exchanger components, then the refrigerant tubes are protected from stress and leakage, but the heat removal capability is not enhanced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies multi-functionality by designing heat pipes that simultaneously perform two functions: (1) support the weight of high-side heat exchanger components like the condenser coil, and (2) remove heat from the refrigerant. This replaces the traditional single-function anchor tube that only provided structural support, thereby resolving the contradiction between reliability and heat removal capability.
2Productivity
If anchor tubes are replaced by heat pipes, then heat rejection capability is enhanced, but the structural support function must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The heat pipe is designed to fulfill both structural support and heat transfer functions. The heat pipe's physical structure provides the necessary mechanical strength to bear the weight of heat exchanger components, while its thermal properties enable efficient heat removal from the refrigerant, thus maintaining structural support capacity while enhancing heat rejection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase change parameters of the refrigerant within the heat pipe. The refrigerant undergoes phase transitions (evaporation and condensation) inside the heat pipe, which enables efficient heat absorption and transfer. This parameter change allows the heat pipe to excel at heat rejection while maintaining its structural integrity for support functions.
3Productivity
If the volume occupied by anchor tubes is utilized for heat pipes, then additional heat removal capacity is added, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the previously separate functions of anchor tubes and heat removal components into a single integrated heat pipe structure. Instead of having distinct anchor tubes for support and separate refrigerant pathways for heat removal, the heat pipe combines both roles, thereby adding heat removal capacity using the same volume without significantly increasing device complexity.
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 solution increases the heat rejection capability and efficiency of high-side heat exchangers, allowing for improved cooling performance while maintaining the same physical space and reducing the risk of refrigerant tube leakage.
Implementation Method 1
one or more heat pipes contacting the frame that, collectively, bear at least 25% of the weight of the one or more refrigerant tubes, are coupled directly to the frame, and are configured to remove heat from the flowing refrigerant
Implementation Method 2
heat pipes... are configured to remove heat from the flowing refrigerant
Data Source
AI summary
In a particular embodiment, a cooling system contains a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant, a high side heat exchanger configured to remove heat from the refrigerant, and a load configured to cool a space using the refrigerant. The high side heat exchanger has a frame and one or more refrigerant tubes extending through the frame, wherein each refrigerant tube has at least one cavity configured to allow the refrigerant to flow through the refrigerant tube. The high side heat exchanger is configured to remove heat from the refrigerant as the refrigerant flows through the one or more refrigerant tubes. The high side heat exchanger also has one or more heat pipes contacting the frame that, collectively, bear at least 25% of the weight of the one or more refrigerant tubes, are coupled directly to the frame, and are configured to remove heat from the flowing refrigerant.