Microchannel heat exchanger including multiple fluid circuits
AssigneeCarrier Corporation
InventorAllen C. Kirkwood
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A microchannel heat exchanger includes a plurality of microchannel tubes including a first set of microchannel tubes and a second set of microchannel tubes. A first circuit of the microchannel heat exchanger includes the first set of microchannel tubes, and a portion of a first fluid flows through the first set of microchannel tubes and exchanges heat with a second fluid. A second circuit of the microchannel heat exchanger includes the second set of microchannel tubes, and a reminder of the first fluid flows through the second set of microchannel tubes and exchanges heat with the second fluid. The first fluid from the first circuit and the first fluid from the second circuit combine into a common flow.
Claims21
A microchannel heat exchanger comprising:
- a plurality of microchannel tubes including a first set of microchannel tubes and a second set of microchannel tubes;
- a first circuit including the first set of microchannel tubes, wherein a portion of a first fluid flows through the first set of microchannel tubes and exchanges heat with a second fluid;
- and
- a second circuit including the second set of microchannel tubes, wherein a reminder of the first fluid flows through the second set of microchannel tubes and exchanges heat with the second fluid, wherein the first fluid from the first circuit and the first fluid from the second circuit combine into a common flow.
A refrigeration system comprising:
- a compressor for compressing a refrigerant;
- a condenser for cooling the refrigerant;
- an expansion device for expanding the refrigerant;
- and
- an evaporator for heating the refrigerant,
- wherein at least one of the condenser and the evaporator is a microchannel heat exchanger, the microchannel heat exchanger including a plurality of microchannel tubes including a first set of microchannel tubes and a second set of microchannel tubes,
- wherein a first circuit includes the first set of tubes and a second circuit includes the second set of tubes, wherein a portion of the refrigerant flows through the first set of tubes and exchanges heat with air, a reminder of the refrigerant flows through the second set of tubes and exchanges heat with the air, and the refrigerant from the first circuit and the refrigerant from the second circuit combine into a common flow.
(canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.