US 2013/0219944 A1 · HEAT EXCHANGER

Abstract

A heat exchanger included in an air conditioner includes a first header pipe to have a refrigerant, compressed by a compressor, to flow therein and a first heat exchange unit coupled to the first header pipe to receive the refrigerant flowing in the first header, a second header pipe to have the refrigerant to flow therein and a second heat exchange unit coupled to the second header pipe to receive the refrigerant flowing in the second header pipe in the air cooling operation. A bypass pipe couples the first heat exchange unit with the second header pipe and a bypass valve controls a flow of the refrigerant through the bypass pipe. A controller controls the bypass valve such that the refrigerant is allowed to flow from the first heat exchange unit to the second header pipe in the air cooling operation.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A heat exchanger included in an air conditioner to function as a condenser in an air cooling operation and to function as an evaporator in a heating operation, the heat exchanger comprising:

a first header pipe to have a refrigerant, compressed by a compressor, to flow therein in the air cooling operation;
a first heat exchange unit coupled to the first header pipe to receive the refrigerant flowing in the first header pipe and to thermally exchange the refrigerant with air in the air cooling operation;
a second header pipe to have the refrigerant to flow therein;
a second heat exchange unit coupled to the second header pipe to receive the refrigerant flowing in the second header pipe and to thermally exchange the refrigerant with air in the air cooling operation;
a bypass pipe to couple the first heat exchange unit with the second header pipe;
a bypass valve to control a flow of the refrigerant through the bypass pipe;
and
a controller to control the bypass valve such that the refrigerant is allowed to flow from the first heat exchange unit to the second header pipe in the air cooling operation.

5 more elements

An air conditioning system comprising:

a compressor;
a first heat changer;
a second heat changer to function as a condenser in an air cooling operation and to function as an evaporator in a heating operation, the second heat exchanger including:
a first header pipe to have a refrigerant, compressed by the compressor, to flow therein in the air cooling operation;
a first heat exchange unit coupled to the first header pipe to receive the refrigerant flowing in the first header pipe and to thermally exchange the refrigerant with air in the air cooling operation;
a second header pipe to have the refrigerant to flow therein;
a second heat exchange unit coupled to the second header pipe to receive the refrigerant flowing in the second header pipe and to thermally exchange the refrigerant with air in the air cooling operation;
a bypass pipe to couple the first heat exchange unit with the second header pipe;
a bypass valve to control a flow of the refrigerant through the bypass pipe;
and
a controller to control the bypass valve such that the refrigerant is allowed to flow from the first heat exchange unit to the second header pipe in the air cooling operation.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Heat exchanger

Life of this patent

Heat exchanger

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20