Heat exchanger and heat pump device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat exchangers in refrigerant cycle devices, such as air conditioners, face inefficiencies in refrigerant flow management due to the design of headers and heat transfer tubes, leading to suboptimal heat exchange and refrigerant distribution.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchanger design featuring a header system composed of stacked plate-shaped members with specific opening configurations and orientations, allowing for efficient refrigerant flow paths and improved heat transfer by optimizing the connection between refrigerant pipes and heat transfer tubes, with the header's longitudinal direction tilted at ±45 degrees relative to the horizontal plane.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a conventional header design with simple openings is used, then the device complexity is low, but the refrigerant flow distribution becomes biased and heat exchange efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The header is divided into multiple plate-shaped members stacked together, with each plate containing specific openings. This segmentation allows independent optimization of refrigerant flow paths at different levels, enabling better flow distribution to heat transfer tubes while maintaining manageable structural complexity through modular assembly
Solution Approach 2:
The header transitions from a conventional single-plane structure to a multi-layer stacked structure with openings distributed across different planes. The plate-shaped members are arranged in the stacking direction with longitudinal directions tilted at ±45 degrees, creating three-dimensional flow paths that improve refrigerant distribution without excessive complexity
2Ease of operation
If the header longitudinal direction is aligned horizontally, then the manufacturing and installation are simplified, but the refrigerant mixing between liquid and gas phases is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The plate-shaped members are configured with asymmetric orientations where the longitudinal directions of adjacent plates are tilted at ±45 degrees relative to the horizontal direction. This asymmetric arrangement creates varied flow paths that enhance refrigerant mixing between liquid and gas phases while maintaining reasonable installation procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The header structure creates dynamic flow patterns through the tilted plate arrangements, causing refrigerant to follow varied paths as it moves through the stacked layers. This dynamic flow behavior improves phase mixing effectiveness compared to static horizontal alignment
3Productivity
If the openings in stacked plates are aligned at the same position, then the manufacturing precision requirement is lower, but the refrigerant flow path efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Different plates in the stack have openings positioned at different locations rather than all aligned at the same position. Each plate's openings are strategically positioned to create efficient local flow paths, with the understanding that manufacturing precision can be maintained within reasonable tolerances for each individual plate
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
Enhances refrigerant flow distribution and heat exchange efficiency, reducing biases in refrigerant distribution and allowing for effective mixing of liquid and gas refrigerants, thereby improving the overall performance of the refrigerant cycle device.
Implementation Method 1
The header forms a refrigerant flow path between the refrigerant pipe and the heat transfer tubes
Implementation Method 2
a heat exchanger to which a refrigerant pipe is connected and that includes a plurality of heat transfer tubes
Data Source
AI summary
A heat exchanger connected to a refrigerant pipe includes: heat transfer tubes; and a header that connects the refrigerant pipe and the heat transfer tubes, and that forms a refrigerant flow path between the refrigerant pipe and the heat transfer tubes. The header includes a first member that includes a first plate-shaped portion, and a second member that includes a second plate-shaped portion that is stacked on a heat transfer tubes side of the first plate-shaped portion. The first plate-shaped portion has a first opening that forms the refrigerant flow path. The second plate-shaped portion has a second opening that forms the refrigerant flow path. When viewed in a stacking direction of the first plate-shaped portion and the second plate-shaped portion, the second opening and the first opening overlap each other at a first region and at a second region that is different from the first region.