Multichannel heat exchanger with dissimilar flow
AssigneeJohnson Controls Technology Company
InventorsMustafa K. Yanik, William L. Kopko, Jose Ruel Yalung de la Cruz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) systems and heat exchangers are provided that include multichannel tube configurations designed to promote flow of refrigerant within the multichannel tubes near the edges of the tubes that are contacted first by an external fluid. The tube configurations include flow paths of varying cross-sections, spacings, and sizes. Flow control mechanisms, such as inserts, blocking plates, sleeves, crimped sections, and crushed sections, may be employed with the flow paths to favor flow near the edges of the tubes that are contacted first by an external fluid.
Claims20
A heat exchanger comprising:
- a first manifold;
- a second manifold;
- a plurality of multichannel tubes in fluid communication with the first and second manifolds, the multichannel tubes being configured to receive an external fluid flowing across the width of each multichannel tube from a leading edge to a trailing edge;
- a plurality of generally parallel flow paths disposed within each multichannel tube extending lengthwise through each multichannel tube;
- and
- a flow control mechanism included within at least one multichannel tube, the flow control mechanism being configured to favor flow of an internal fluid near the leading edge and being disposed near the end of the tube containing the lowest vapor quality.
A heat exchanger comprising:
- a first manifold;
- a second manifold;
- a plurality of multichannel tubes in fluid communication with the first and second manifolds, the multichannel tubes being configured to receive an external fluid flowing across a width dimension extending from a leading edge to a trailing edge;
- a plurality of generally parallel flow paths disposed within each multichannel tube extending lengthwise through each multichannel tube;
- a first flow path of the plurality of generally parallel flow paths disposed near the leading edge;
- a second flow path disposed near the trailing edge;
- and
- an insert disposed in the second flow path, wherein the insert is configured to manage flow by reducing the size of the second flow path such that the second flow path is smaller than the first flow path.
A heat exchanger comprising:
- a first manifold;
- a second manifold;
- a plurality of multichannel tubes in fluid communication with the first and second manifolds, the multichannel tubes being configured to receive an external fluid flowing across a width dimension extending from a leading edge to a trailing edge;
- a plurality of generally parallel flow paths disposed within each multichannel tube extending lengthwise through each multichannel tube;
- a first flow path disposed near the leading edge;
- and
- a second flow path disposed near the trailing edge, the second flow path having an opening that is partially obstructed to reduce a size of the opening such that the second flow path is smaller than the first flow path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.