Evaporator for refrigeration systems, and associated system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigeration systems face challenges in easy installation, repair, and replacement of evaporators, particularly due to the need for specialized technicians to handle refrigerant gases and the requirement for heavy interventions in the compartment.
Innovation Solution
The evaporator comprises at least three tubular bodies arranged coaxially, allowing for a compact and versatile design that can be easily installed in any compartment without requiring significant modifications or specialized personnel. This configuration enables efficient heat exchange and refrigeration performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the evaporator is designed with a compact structure to reduce installation complexity, then the ease of installation is improved, but the heat exchange efficiency may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The evaporator employs a nested tubular structure where multiple tubes are arranged concentrically with inner tubes positioned within outer tubes. This nesting arrangement maximizes the heat exchange surface area within a compact volume, allowing efficient thermal transfer while maintaining a small overall footprint that simplifies installation in confined spaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a two-dimensional planar heat exchange surface to a three-dimensional volumetric heat exchange structure. By arranging tubes in concentric cylinders extending along the longitudinal axis, the heat exchange occurs throughout the volume rather than just at the surface, significantly increasing the effective heat transfer area within a compact envelope.
2Ease of manufacture
If the evaporator uses a standardized shape to simplify manufacturing, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the adaptability to different compartments deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The evaporator incorporates adjustable and reconfigurable elements, such as movable tubes or sections that can be repositioned along the longitudinal axis. This dynamic capability allows the same standardized evaporator unit to be adapted to different compartment sizes and shapes by adjusting the tube positions or selecting different active sections, thereby achieving versatility without sacrificing manufacturing simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The standardized tubular evaporator design serves multiple functions and can be applied to various compartment configurations. The same basic structure can be used in different refrigeration applications by adjusting operational parameters or minor configuration elements, making it a universal solution that maintains ease of manufacture while achieving broad adaptability.
3Device complexity
If the evaporator requires through-hole installation in compartment walls, then the connection to the refrigeration system is simplified, but the thermal insulation performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The evaporator is divided into separate functional sections: the heat exchange tubes that can be inserted through minimal openings in the compartment wall, and the main body that remains outside. This segmentation allows only small access holes to be created in the insulation, minimizing thermal bridge effects while still enabling connection to the refrigeration system.
Solution Approach 2:
The evaporator structure acts as an intermediary element that bridges the interior and exterior of the compartment through minimal wall penetrations. The tubular design allows the refrigerant circulation system to access the compartment interior through small holes while the majority of the evaporator mass remains outside, reducing the insulation compromise compared to traditional through-wall installations.
4Ease of operation
If the evaporator is filled with refrigerant during factory assembly, then the ease of operation is improved, but the safety risk during handling and installation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The evaporator is pre-filled with refrigerant during factory assembly and hermetically sealed before installation. This preliminary action eliminates the need for technicians to handle refrigerant during field installation, thereby maintaining ease of operation (plug-and-play installation) while actually reducing safety risks by removing the hazardous refrigerant handling step from the installation process. The sealed unit can be transported and installed without special precautions, and refrigerant safety concerns are addressed during controlled factory conditions rather than during installation.
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 solution provides a high-efficiency refrigeration system that is easy to install, repair, and replace, without the need for specialized technicians, while maintaining compact dimensions and ensuring reliable operation and safety.
Implementation Method 1
In particular, in the evaporator the fluid (at low pressure) changes from the liquid state to the gaseous state and removes heat from the surrounding environment (the compartment to be refrigerated)
Implementation Method 2
in the condenser the fluid (at high pressure) changes from the gaseous state to the liquid state, releasing heat to the outside of the compartment
Implementation Method 3
The evaporator comprises at least three tubular bodies (5a, 5b, 5c) arranged inside each other... The channels (6a, 6b, 6c) of each tubular body (5a, 5b, 5c) are connected to one another in series... allowing for efficient heat exchange
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
An evaporator (1) for refrigeration systems (100), comprising an inlet (2) and an outlet (3) which are connectable to a first branch (101) and a second branch (102), respectively, of a refrigeration circuit of the system (100), which can be crossed by a refrigerant, and leading respectively to a compressor (103) and to a condenser (104). The evaporator comprises at least three tubular bodies (5a, 5b, 5c) which form respective channels (6a, 6b, 6c) and are arranged inside each other; each channel (6a, 6b, 6c) is connected to the channel (6a, 6b, 6c) of each of the adjacent tubular bodies (5a, 5b, 5c) at respective contiguous ends, in order to form a continuous path for the refrigerant fluid, which comprises in series all the channels (6a, 6b, 6c) and is connectable to the branches (101, 102) respectively with the outermost tubular body (Sa) having the maximum transverse cross-section and with the innermost tubular body having the minimum transverse cross-section or vice versa.