Indoor heat exchanger
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing indoor heat exchangers face challenges in reducing air flow resistance and efficiently discharging condensed water, particularly when using multiple rows of flat tubes, which can lead to fin deformation and increased resistance, as well as difficulties in handling condensed water due to the longer flow direction of flat tubes compared to cylindrical tubes.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a first and second heat exchange portion with inwardly bent flat tubes and heat transfer fins featuring notches and leeward communication portions, allowing for reduced fin deformation, lower air flow resistance, and improved water drainage by guiding condensed water across the heat exchanger via the communication portions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple rows of flat tubes are provided to increase heat exchange capacity, then heat exchange performance is improved, but air flow resistance increases and fins deform
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger is divided into multiple independent heat exchange portions, each with a single row of flat tubes. These portions are arranged in parallel with airflow passing through them sequentially, achieving the equivalent heat exchange capacity of multiple rows while maintaining lower air flow resistance in each section.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of increasing heat exchange capacity by adding rows in the airflow direction (one-dimensional approach), the invention arranges multiple heat exchange portions in parallel across the airflow cross-section (two-dimensional approach), allowing simultaneous heat exchange in multiple zones without increasing resistance in any single flow path.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If flat tubes are used instead of cylindrical tubes, then air flow resistance is reduced, but condensed water discharge becomes difficult due to longer tube length in flow direction
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger is segmented into multiple portions arranged in parallel, with each portion having a relatively short flat tube in the airflow direction. This segmentation allows condensed water to be discharged from each short tube section independently, avoiding the drainage problems associated with long tubes while maintaining the low air flow resistance benefits of flat tubes.
Solution Approach 2:
The design transitions from a single long tube configuration to multiple short tube sections arranged in parallel across the airflow direction. This dimensional reorganization allows condensed water discharge to occur at multiple locations along the airflow path, eliminating the drainage difficulty caused by long tube lengths while preserving the aerodynamic advantages of flat tubes.
3Productivity
If heat exchanger size is increased to achieve better performance, then heat exchange capacity is improved, but device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger is divided into multiple modular heat exchange portions that can be independently designed and manufactured. Each portion contains a single row of flat tubes with standard dimensions, and the overall heat exchange capacity is achieved by replicating and arranging these modular units in parallel, simplifying the design process and reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple heat exchange portions are designed with identical or standardized configurations, allowing a single design to serve multiple functions and locations. This universality reduces design complexity, facilitates mass production, and allows flexible arrangement to meet different space requirements while achieving the desired heat exchange capacity.
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 air flow resistance, enhances the drainability of condensed water, and prevents deformation-related issues, while maintaining heat exchange capacity and preventing thermal conduction between heat exchange portions, thus improving the overall performance and simplifying the device configuration.
Implementation Method 1
a first heat exchange portion including a plurality of first flat tubes arranged in rows and a plurality of first heat transfer fins that intersect with the plurality of first flat tubes, the first heat transfer portion being configured to exchange heat between indoor air that flows in a width direction of the plurality of first flat tubes and refrigerant that flows through the plurality of first flat tubes
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
To provide an indoor heat exchanger that reduces an increase in air flow resistance and enables easy discharge of condensed water, a first heat transfer fin (31) and a second heat transfer fin (32) each include a windward main portion (33) formed with a notch (35) that receives a first flat tube (21) and a second flat tube (22), respectively, and a leeward communication portion (34) located on a side opposite to an open end of the notch (35). In the first heat exchange portion (11) and the second heat exchange portion (12), the plurality of first flat tubes (21) and the plurality of second flat tubes (22) in the rows are arranged in a width direction, and the first and second heat exchange portions each have a bent shape with an inner peripheral side on a windward side and an outer peripheral side on a leeward side.