CN114251878A

CN114251878A - Condenser arrangement for HVAC systems

Info

Publication number: CN114251878A
Application number: CN202011007530.0A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 鲁佩什·巴蒂亚; 高兴顺; 马小魁; 孙新颖; 杨耀
Original assignee: Johnson Controls Building Efficiency Technology Wuxi Co Ltd; Johnson Controls Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Wuxi Co Ltd; Johnson Controls Technology Co
Current assignee: Johnson Controls Building Efficiency Technology Wuxi Co Ltd; Johnson Controls Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Wuxi Co Ltd; Johnson Controls Technology Co
Priority date: 2020-09-23
Filing date: 2020-09-23
Publication date: 2022-03-29
Also published as: US20230375273A1; EP4217661A1; WO2022066925A1

Abstract

A condenser module of an heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a first plate having a first plurality of tubes configured to receive refrigerant from a compressor of the HVAC system. The first plurality of tubes is arranged along a first dimension of the first plate. The condenser module further includes a second plate having a second plurality of tubes configured to receive the refrigerant from the compressor. The second plurality of tubes is aligned along a second dimension of the second plate, the second plate is oriented at an acute angle relative to the first plate, and the second dimension is greater than the first dimension.

Description

Condenser arrangement for HVAC systems

Background

This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art, which may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which are described in detail below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.

A chiller system or vapor compression system utilizes a working fluid (e.g., a refrigerant) that changes phase between vapor, liquid, and combinations thereof in response to exposure to different temperatures and pressures within components of the chiller system. The chiller system may place the working fluid in a heat exchange relationship with a conditioning fluid (e.g., water) and may deliver the conditioning fluid to a conditioning plant and/or a conditioned environment serviced by the chiller system. In such applications, the conditioning fluid may be passed through downstream equipment (e.g., air handlers) to condition other fluids (e.g., air in a building). In some chiller systems, ambient air may additionally or alternatively be used to cool the working fluid. For example, the chiller system may include a condenser having a coil through which the working fluid may flow. Ambient air may be routed across the coils to cool the working fluid, thereby enabling the working air to absorb heat from the conditioning fluid to cool the conditioning fluid. Unfortunately, the arrangement of the coils may affect the distribution of air flowing across different sections of the coils, thereby affecting the heat transfer and cooling of the working fluid at different sections of the coils.

Disclosure of Invention

The following sets forth a summary of certain embodiments disclosed herein. It should be understood that these aspects are presented merely to provide the reader with a brief summary of these particular embodiments and that these aspects are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Indeed, the present disclosure may encompass a variety of aspects that may not be set forth below.

In an embodiment, a condenser module of an heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a first plate having a first plurality of tubes configured to receive refrigerant from a compressor of the HVAC system. The first plurality of tubes is arranged along a first dimension of the first plate. The condenser module further includes a second plate having a second plurality of tubes configured to receive the refrigerant from the compressor. The second plurality of tubes is aligned along a second dimension of the second plate, the second plate is oriented at an acute angle relative to the first plate, and the second dimension is greater than the first dimension.

In an embodiment, a condenser of a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a first heat exchanger plate and a second heat exchanger plate. The first heat exchanger plate includes a first plurality of tubes configured to receive a first portion of a first refrigerant flow, the first plurality of tubes being aligned along a first dimension of the first heat exchanger plate, the second heat exchanger plate includes a second plurality of tubes configured to receive a second portion of the first refrigerant flow, the second heat exchanger plate being oriented at an acute angle relative to the first heat exchanger plate, and the second plurality of tubes being aligned along a second dimension of the second heat exchanger plate, the second dimension of the second heat exchanger plate being greater than the first dimension of the first heat exchanger plate. The condenser further includes a third heat exchanger plate and a fourth heat exchanger plate. The third heat exchanger plate includes a third plurality of tubes configured to receive a third portion of the second refrigerant flow, the third plurality of tubes being aligned along a third dimension of the third heat exchanger plate, the fourth heat exchanger plate includes a fourth plurality of tubes configured to receive a fourth portion of the second refrigerant flow, the fourth heat exchanger plate being oriented at an acute angle with respect to the third heat exchanger plate, and the fourth plurality of tubes being aligned along a fourth dimension of the fourth heat exchanger plate, the fourth dimension of the fourth heat exchanger plate being greater than the third dimension of the third heat exchanger plate.

In an embodiment, a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a condenser having a first plate and a second plate. The first plate includes a first plurality of tubes extending along a first length of the first plate, the first plurality of tubes configured to receive refrigerant from a compressor of the HVAC system, the first plate includes a first height transverse to the first length, the second plate includes a second plurality of tubes extending along a second length of the second plate, the second plurality of tubes configured to receive the refrigerant from the compressor, the second plate is oriented at an acute angle relative to the first plate, and the second plate includes a second height transverse to the second length and greater than the first height of the first plate.

Drawings

Various aspects of this disclosure may be better understood upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a building that may utilize an embodiment of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system in a commercial environment, according to an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a vapor compression system according to an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an HVAC system having a condenser with heat exchanger plates oriented at an angle relative to one another in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a front view of an embodiment of a condenser including heat exchanger plates oriented at an angle relative to each other in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure; and

fig. 5 is a perspective view of an embodiment of condenser plates oriented at an angle relative to each other in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

One or more specific embodiments will be described below. In an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, not all features of an actual implementation are described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure.

When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present disclosure, the articles "a," "an," and "said" are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms "comprising," "including," and "having" are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. In addition, it should be understood that references to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features.

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems (e.g., chiller systems) configured to heat or cool a conditioning fluid (e.g., a liquid). The HVAC system may include a vapor compression system through which refrigerant is directed. For example, a vapor compression system may include a compressor configured to pressurize refrigerant. The compressor may direct the pressurized refrigerant to a condenser configured to cool the refrigerant. The cooled refrigerant may then be placed in heat exchange relationship with a conditioning fluid in an evaporator of the vapor compression system to enable the refrigerant to absorb thermal energy or heat from the conditioning fluid to thereby cool the conditioning fluid.

In certain embodiments, the condenser may be a free-cooling condenser configured to direct ambient air across a heat exchanger coil, such as a microchannel coil, through which refrigerant flows to cool the refrigerant via convection. For example, the condenser may include a fan configured to draw or force air (e.g., ambient air) across the coil. In some embodiments, the condenser may include a plurality of heat exchanger plates, each heat exchanger plate having one coil or a set of coils, and a corresponding flow of refrigerant may be directed through each of the coils. Operation of the fan may direct air across each of the plates to cool the corresponding refrigerant flow. Unfortunately, existing condensers may include flat plates arranged or oriented in a manner that may cause air to flow unevenly across the coil. For example, the flow rate of air across the first plate may be greater than the flow rate of air across the second plate, and thus the fan and/or air may provide more cooling to the refrigerant flowing through the first plate than the refrigerant flowing through the second plate. This uneven cooling of the refrigerant flow may inhibit the performance, such as efficiency, of the condenser.

Accordingly, there is currently a recognized need for improved cooling of the refrigerant flowing through the condenser coil. Accordingly, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an arrangement of heat exchanger plates in a condenser that enables fans and/or air to provide more uniform cooling of corresponding refrigerant flows directed through the plates. As an example, each plate may have a substantially rectangular polygonal geometry with heat exchanger tubes extending across a corresponding length (e.g., a first dimension) of the plate and aligned along a corresponding height (e.g., a second dimension) of the plate. The first plate may be oriented generally upright or generally vertically aligned along a vertical axis (e.g., with respect to the direction of gravity), and the second plate may be oriented at an angle with respect to the first plate. The first and second plates may each have substantially the same length, and the second plate may have a greater height relative to the height of the first plate. As such, the second plate may have a greater surface area exposed to the air flow relative to the surface area of the first plate. For example, the increased height of the second plate may enable the second plate to accommodate a greater number of coils than the first plate. As such, a greater amount (e.g., a greater flow rate) of refrigerant may be directed through the second plate than the amount of refrigerant directed through the first plate. That is, although the amount of air flowing across the second plate is reduced as compared to the amount of air flowing across the first plate, increasing the size (e.g., surface area) of the second plate as compared to the cooling provided for the refrigerant directed through the first plate may provide a similar amount of overall cooling for the refrigerant directed through the second plate. Accordingly, the fan may provide substantially uniform cooling of the respective refrigerant flows directed across the first and second plates, even though the flow rate of air directed across the second plate may be less than the flow rate of air directed across the first plate. Although the present techniques are discussed primarily with reference to chiller systems, the techniques described herein may be implemented in any suitable HVAC system, such as in direct expansion systems, heat pump systems, and the like.

Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment for an application of a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. Generally, such systems may be applied in a range of environments both within the HVAC field and outside of that field. HVAC systems may provide cooling for data centers, electrical equipment, refrigerators, chillers, or other environments by vapor compression refrigeration, absorption refrigeration, or thermoelectric cooling. However, in currently contemplated applications, HVAC systems may be used in residential, commercial, light industrial, and any other application for heating or cooling a volume or enclosed space such as a residence, building, structure, or the like. Additionally, HVAC systems may be used in industrial applications, where appropriate for basic cooling and heating of various fluids.

The illustrated embodiment shows an HVAC system for building environmental management that may utilize a heat exchanger. The building 10 is cooled by a system including a cooler 12 and a boiler 14. As shown, the cooler 12 is disposed on the roof of the building 10, and the boiler 14 is located in the basement; however, the cooler 12 and boiler 14 may be located in other equipment rooms or areas beside the building 10. The chiller 12 may be an air-or water-cooled device that implements a refrigeration cycle to cool water or other conditioned fluid. Chiller 12 is housed within a structure that includes a refrigeration circuit, a free cooling system, and associated equipment such as pumps, valves, and piping. For example, the cooler 12 may be a single encapsulated rooftop unit that incorporates a free cooling system. The boiler 14 is a closed vessel in which water is heated. Water from the cooler 12 and boiler 14 is circulated through the building 10 by a water conduit 16. Water conduits 16 lead to air handlers 18 located on various floors and within portions of building 10.

The air handlers 18 are coupled to a duct system 20 that is adapted to distribute air between the air handlers 18 and may receive air from an external air inlet (not shown). Air handler 18 includes a heat exchanger that circulates cold water from chiller 12 and hot water from boiler 14 to provide heated or cooled air to an air conditioned space within building 10. A fan within air handler 18 draws air through the heat exchanger and directs the conditioned air to an environment within building 10, such as a room, apartment, or office, to maintain the environment at a specified temperature. A control device, here shown as including a thermostat 22, may be used to specify the temperature of the conditioned air. The control device 22 may also be used to control the flow of air through and from the air handler 18. Other devices may be included in the system, such as control valves that regulate water flow and pressure and/or temperature sensors or switches that sense the temperature and pressure of water, air, etc. Further, the control devices may include computer systems that are integrated or separate from other building control or monitoring systems and even systems that are remote from the building 10.

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a vapor compression system 30. For example, the vapor compression system 30 may be part of an air-cooled chiller. However, it should be understood that the disclosed technology may be incorporated with a variety of other types of coolers. The vapor compression system 30 includes a refrigerant circuit 34 configured to circulate a working fluid, such as a refrigerant, with a compressor 36 (e.g., a screw compressor) disposed along the refrigerant circuit 34. The refrigerant circuit 34 also includes a flash tank 32, a condenser 38, an expansion valve or device 40, and a liquid cooler or evaporator 42. The components of the refrigerant circuit 34 effect heat transfer between the working fluid and other fluids (e.g., conditioning fluid, air, water) to provide cooling to an environment such as the interior of the building 10.

Some examples of working fluids that may be used as refrigerants in vapor compression system 30 are Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) -based refrigerants such as, for example, R-410A, R-407, R-134a, Hydrofluoroolefins (HFO), "natural" refrigerants such as ammonia (NH3), R-717, carbon dioxide (CO2), R-744, or hydrocarbon-based refrigerants, water vapor, refrigerants having low Global Warming Potentials (GWPs), or any other suitable refrigerant. In some embodiments, the vapor compression system 30 may be configured to efficiently utilize refrigerant having a normal boiling point of about 19 degrees celsius (66 degrees fahrenheit or less) at one atmosphere (relative to medium pressure refrigerant such as R-134a, also referred to as low pressure refrigerant). As used herein, "normal boiling point" may refer to the boiling point temperature measured at one atmosphere of pressure.

The vapor compression system 30 can further include a control panel 44 (e.g., a controller) having an analog-to-digital (a/D) converter 46, a microprocessor 48, a non-volatile memory 50, and/or an interface board 52. In some embodiments, the vapor compression system 30 can use one or more of a Variable Speed Drive (VSD)54 and a motor 56. Motor 56 can drive compressor 36 and can be powered by VSD 54. VSD 54 receives Alternating Current (AC) power having a particular fixed line voltage and fixed line frequency from an AC power source and provides power having a variable voltage and frequency to motor 56. In other embodiments, the motor 56 may be powered directly by an AC or Direct Current (DC) power source. The motors 56 can include any type of electric motor that can be powered by the VSD 54 or directly from an AC or DC power source, such as a switched reluctance motor, an induction motor, an electronically commutated permanent magnet motor, or other suitable motor.

The compressor 36 compresses the refrigerant vapor and may deliver the vapor to an oil separator 58 that separates oil from the refrigerant vapor. The refrigerant vapor is then directed to a condenser 38, and the oil is returned to the compressor 36. The refrigerant vapor delivered to the condenser 38 may transfer heat to the cooling fluid in the condenser 38. For example, the cooling fluid may be ambient air 60 forced across the heat exchanger coils of the condenser 38 by a condenser fan 62. The refrigerant vapor may condense to a refrigerant liquid in the condenser 38 due to heat transfer with a cooling fluid (e.g., ambient air 60).

The liquid refrigerant exits the condenser 38 and then flows through a first expansion device 64 (e.g., expansion device 40, electronic expansion valve). The first expansion device 64 may be a flash tank feed valve configured to control the flow of liquid refrigerant to the flash tank 32. The first expansion device 64 is also configured to reduce the pressure (e.g., expand) of the liquid refrigerant received from the condenser 38. During the expansion process, a portion of the liquid may evaporate, and thus, the flash tank 32 may be used to separate the vapor from the liquid received from the first expansion device 64. Additionally, as the liquid refrigerant experiences a pressure drop as it enters the flash tank 32 (e.g., as a result of a rapid increase in volume as it enters the flash tank 32), the flash tank 32 may further expand the liquid refrigerant.

The vapor in the flash tank 32 may exit and flow to the compressor 36. For example, the vapor may be drawn to an intermediate stage or discharge stage (e.g., a non-suction stage) of the compressor 36. A valve 66 (e.g., an economizer valve, a solenoid valve) may be included in the refrigerant circuit 34 to control the flow of vapor refrigerant from the flash tank 32 to the compressor 36. In some embodiments, when the valve 66 is open (e.g., fully open), additional liquid refrigerant within the flash tank 32 may evaporate and provide additional subcooling for the liquid refrigerant within the flash tank 32. The enthalpy of the liquid refrigerant collected in the flash tank 32 may be lower than the enthalpy of the liquid refrigerant exiting the condenser 38 due to expansion in the first expansion device 64 and/or the flash tank 32. Liquid refrigerant may flow from the flash tank 32 through a second expansion device 68 (e.g., expansion device 40, orifice) and to the evaporator 42. In some embodiments, the refrigerant circuit 34 may also include a valve 70 (e.g., a drain valve) configured to regulate the flow of liquid refrigerant from the flash tank 32 to the evaporator 42. For example, the valve 70 may be controlled (e.g., via the control panel 44) based on the suction superheat of the refrigerant.

The liquid refrigerant delivered to the evaporator 42 may absorb heat from a conditioning fluid, which may be the same or different from the cooling fluid used in the condenser 38. The liquid refrigerant in the evaporator 42 may undergo a phase change to become a vapor refrigerant. For example, the evaporator 42 may include a tube bundle fluidly coupled to a supply line 72 and a return line 74 that are connected to a cooling load. A conditioning fluid (e.g., water, oil, calcium chloride brine, sodium chloride brine, or any other suitable fluid) of the evaporator 42 enters the evaporator 42 via a return line 74 and exits the evaporator 42 via a supply line 72. The evaporator 42 may reduce the temperature of the conditioning fluid in the tube bundle via heat transfer with the refrigerant so that the conditioning fluid may be utilized to provide cooling to the conditioned environment. The tube bundle in evaporator 42 may include a plurality of tubes and/or a plurality of tube bundles. In any event, the refrigerant vapor exits the evaporator 42 and returns to the compressor 36 through a suction line to complete the refrigerant cycle.

In some embodiments, the condenser may include a flat plate (e.g., heat exchanger coil) having corresponding coils and/or tubes that direct the refrigerant therethrough. The plates may be arranged or oriented at an angle relative to each other in a manner that may reduce the amount or flow rate of air directed across one of the plates as compared to the other plate. In other words, air may be directed across the first plate at a first flow rate and directed across the second plate at a second flow rate that is less than the first flow rate. For this reason, in accordance with the present technique, the size of the second flat plate may be larger than the size of the first flat plate, and the second flat plate may be oriented at a particular angle to accommodate the size of the second flat plate within the condenser. The increased size of the second plate compared to the size of the first plate may accommodate an increased number or size of coils or tubes. Thus, the amount of refrigerant that can flow through the coils of the second plate is increased as compared to the amount of refrigerant flowing through the coils of the first plate. The increased amount of refrigerant may enable the air flow directed across the second plate to provide an overall increased amount of cooling to the refrigerant flowing through the second plate. Indeed, the second plate may be sized to accommodate a greater number of tubes to enable the fan to provide a more evenly distributed amount of cooling between the respective refrigerant flows directed through the first and second plates, thereby improving the cooling provided by the condenser and improving the overall operation of the condenser. Further, while the following discussion describes the present technique as being implemented with a condenser, it should be understood that the disclosed technique may be implemented with other heat exchangers, such as an evaporator.

With this in mind, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an HVAC system 100 (e.g., a chiller system) having a condenser 38 that includes a plurality of condenser fans 62 configured to direct ambient air across the heat exchanger coils of the condenser 38 to cool refrigerant flowing through the heat exchanger coils. The illustrated condenser 38 includes a first side 102 (e.g., a first lateral side) and a second side 104 (e.g., a second lateral side) that are aligned along a lateral axis 105 of the condenser 38 and through which corresponding refrigerant may be directed. Further, the condenser 38 includes six modules 106 (e.g., condenser modules), although other embodiments may include fewer or more modules 106. As used herein, each module 106 may include an assembly (e.g., a heat exchanger assembly) having a heat exchanger coil through which refrigerant may flow for cooling by the condenser fan 62.

In some embodiments, each module 106 may be part of a separate or individual refrigerant circuit (e.g., a separate vapor compression system 30). Thus, the corresponding compressor may direct a separate pressurized refrigerant through each module 106 for cooling. In additional or alternative embodiments, certain modules 106 (e.g., a subset of modules 106) may be part of the same refrigerant circuit. By way of example and with reference to fig. 3, each of the modules 106 on the first side 102 may be part of a first refrigerant circuit and each of the modules 106 on the second side 104 may be part of a second refrigerant circuit. In this manner, a compressor (e.g., a single compressor) may be configured to direct pressurized refrigerant through multiple modules 106 (e.g., through multiple modules 106 in parallel, through multiple modules 106 in series) for cooling. For example, the first refrigerant circuit and the second refrigerant circuit may have separate compressors. In further embodiments, a single module 106 may be part of multiple refrigerant circuits. For example, the first side 102 and the second side 104 may include separate refrigerant circuits, and one of the modules 106 may extend between the first side 102 and the second side 104, and may thus receive refrigerant from each of the separate refrigerant circuits. In any case, after cooling the refrigerant in one or more of the modules 106, the refrigerant may be directed out of the modules 106 to flow to another component of the HVAC system 100, such as to an evaporator where the refrigerant may condition a conditioning fluid.

Each of the modules 106 may include a first plate 108 (e.g., an outer or outer heat exchanger plate) and a second plate 110 (e.g., an inner or inner heat exchanger plate) oriented at an angle relative to each other. Further, the corresponding first and

second plates

108, 110 of the opposing module 106 (e.g., along the lateral axis 105) are arranged to cooperatively form a "W" or "inverted M" shape or geometry. Each

plate

108, 110 may include one or more coils or tubes through which refrigerant may flow. In some embodiments, within each module 106, refrigerant may flow through the

plates

108, 110 and tubes in a parallel fluid flow arrangement. In other words, the flow of refrigerant entering one of the modules 106 may be split into portions that flow through corresponding coils of the

panels

108, 110 of the module 106, and the condenser fan 62 may direct an air flow across the panels 108, 110 (e.g., coils) to cool each of the portions of the refrigerant flow. The cooled refrigerant portions exiting the coils of the

panels

108, 110 may then be combined and directed to another module 106 or evaporator to condition the cooling fluid.

In some embodiments, the modules 106 may be coupled to each other and/or to a base 112 (e.g., base rail, support base, base frame) of the HVAC system 100. For example, a first support 114 (e.g., a support member, a structural member, a frame member) may be used to couple the

plates

108, 110 of one of the modules 106 to the base 112, and a second support (not shown) may be used to couple the modules 106 (e.g., the opposing module 106 and/or an adjacent module 106 on the same side 102, 104) to one another. First support 114 may be coupled to

plates

108, 110 to elevate each module 106 (e.g., plates 108, 110) from base 112 to form a first space 116 (e.g., a first interior space, a first interior volume) between base 112 and module 106. By way of example, the first space 116 may be an interior or inner volume of the HVAC system 100 in which various devices (e.g., the compressor 36, the evaporator 42, conduits of the refrigerant circuit (s)) may be disposed, such as by being coupled or mounted to the base 112. In some embodiments, a panel, screen, partition, or another suitable covering or barrier may be included to at least partially isolate the first space 116 from elements of the surrounding or external environment. For example, such a covering may extend at least partially between each of the first supports 114 and between the base 112 and one of the modules 106, thereby blocking the first space 116 from external elements such as dust and/or debris.

Each of the illustrated modules 106 also supports two condenser fans 62 to direct air flow across the

respective panels

108, 110 of the respective module 106. For example, each of the condenser fans 62 may draw ambient air to flow across the first plate 108 of the module 106 having the condenser fan 62 in a corresponding first direction 118 and across the second plate 110 having the module in a corresponding second direction 120. As illustrated in fig. 3, the first direction 118 may generally extend along the lateral axis 105 to flow directly across the first plate 108 from the ambient environment. However, the orientation of the first plates 108 relative to the corresponding second plates 110 and the coupling of the modules 106 to the base 112 may block or prevent air from flowing directly across the second plates 110 from the external environment. Instead, air may flow from the external environment below the first plate 108 relative to the vertical axis 122 (e.g., through a shroud extending between the base 112 and the module 106), into the first space 116, and up the vertical axis 122 across the second plate 110. Accordingly, the flow rate (e.g., volumetric flow rate) of air across the second plate 110 in the second direction 120 may be less than the flow rate of air across the first plate 108 in the first direction 118.

For this reason, as discussed further below, each second plate 110 may include a larger surface area exposed to the air flow than a surface area of each first plate 108, such that the reduced air flow directed across the second plate 110 can provide increased cooling to the refrigerant directed through the second plate 110 (e.g., to provide substantially the same amount of refrigerant cooling as the air flow directed across the first plate 108). In other words,

plates

108, 110 may be sized and/or arranged in a manner that achieves more uniform cooling (e.g., substantially uniform cooling) of the corresponding refrigerant flow directed through

plates

108, 110. Thus, overall cooling of the refrigerant within each module 106 and within the condenser 38 may generally be improved. For example, by virtue of the size and arrangement of

plates

108, 110 of each module 106, the temperature difference between the refrigerant flow at the outlet of first plate 108 (e.g., the combination of portions of the refrigerant flow directed through the one or more coils of first plate 108) and the refrigerant flow at the outlet of second plate 110 (e.g., the combination of portions of the refrigerant flow directed through the one or more coils of second plate 110) may be reduced or limited. As such, the size of the second plate 110 (e.g., relative to the size of the first plate 108) may facilitate more uniform cooling of the corresponding refrigerant flows in the first plate 108 and the second plate 110, thereby improving efficient operation of the condenser 38.

Although the illustrated condenser 38 includes six modules 106 arranged such that each

side

102, 104 includes three modules 106, it should be noted that additional or alternative condensers 38 may include any suitable number of modules 106 arranged in any suitable manner. As an example, each

side

102, 104 of the condenser 38 may include one module 106, two modules 106, or more than three modules 106, or the first side 102 of the condenser 38 may include a different number of modules 106 than the second side of the condenser 38. Further, each module 106 may include any suitable number of

tablets

108, 110. By way of example, a single module 106 may include a plurality of flat plates forming a "W" or "inverted M" configuration. Still further, the condenser 38 may support any suitable number of condenser fans 62, such as more than two condenser fans 62 associated with each module 106, one condenser fan 62 associated with each module 106, and so forth.

Fig. 4 is a front view of an embodiment of the condenser 38, illustrating two opposing modules 106 disposed on opposing

sides

102, 104 of the condenser 38. The view shown in fig. 4 is taken along the longitudinal axis of the condenser 38 and is aligned along the transverse axis 105 with respect to the module 106. Each module 106 includes a first plate 108 oriented at an angle relative to a second plate 110. For example, each of the first plates 108 may include a first longitudinal side 140 (e.g., a first surface) along which one or more tubes or coils (e.g., microchannel tubes or coils) of the first plate 108 extend (e.g., along the longitudinal axis 107) and through which the refrigerant is directed. Thus, the condenser fans 62 of each module 106 direct air across the first plate 108 in a first direction 118, which may be transverse or crosswise to the first longitudinal side 140. In addition, each of the second plates 110 may include a second longitudinal side 142 (e.g., a second surface) along which one or more tubes or coils extend and through which refrigerant is directed. In this manner, the condenser fan 62 of each module 106 directs air across the second plate 110 in a second direction 120, which may be transverse or crosswise to the second longitudinal side 142.

The first longitudinal side 140 of the first plate 108 may be oriented at an acute angle relative to the second longitudinal side 142 of the corresponding second plate 110. In the illustrated condenser 38, the first flat plate 108 of each module 106 may be in an upright position such that the first longitudinal side 140 is substantially parallel to the vertical axis 122. The first end 144 of each first plate 108 may engage (e.g., abut, couple) with a corresponding condenser fan housing 146 of the module 106 that supports the condenser fan 62 of the module 106. The second end 148 of each first plate 108 may be engaged (e.g., abutted, coupled) with one of the first supports 114. Further, the third end 150 of each second plate 110 may be engaged (e.g., abutted, coupled) with the same first support 114 that is engaged with the first plate 108 of the corresponding module 106. The fourth end 152 of each second plate 110 may be engaged with (e.g., abutted, coupled to) one or more second supports 154 (e.g., support members, structural members, frame members) arranged along a central axis 155 (e.g., extending along the vertical axis 122) of the condenser 38.

By way of example, the second support 154 may be a plate, such as a rectangular plate, beam, or other structural member, that is coupled to the condenser fan housing 146 at a central axis 155 and extends along the vertical axis 122. The second plate 110 of the opposing module 106 may engage an opposing side of the second support 154. In this manner,

plates

108, 110, first support 114, and second support 154 may form a corresponding second space 156 (e.g., a second interior space, a second interior volume) within each module 106. Operation of the condenser fan 62 may direct (e.g., draw) a first air flow into the second space 156 across the first plate 108 in a first direction 118, and then out of the second space 156 through the condenser fan housing 146 in a third direction 158, which may be a direction extending generally upward along the vertical axis 122. The operation of the condenser fan 62 may also direct (e.g., draw) a second air flow into the first space 116, across the second plate 110 in the second direction 120, into the second space 156, and then out of the second space 156 through the condenser fan housing 146 in a third direction 158. As the air flow passes across the first plate 108 and the second plate 110, heat is transferred from the refrigerant within the first plate 108 and the second plate 110 to the air flow. In this manner, the condenser fan 62 effects heat rejection via the air flow from the refrigerant flowing across the

plates

108, 110.

In some embodiments, the angle 160 between each first plate 108 and the respective second plate 110 (e.g., between the first longitudinal side 140 of the first plate 108 and the second longitudinal side 142 of the second plate 110) may be at least 40 degrees, such as 30 degrees, 35 degrees, 40 degrees, 42 degrees, 45 degrees, 50 degrees, 55 degrees, and/or any other suitable angle. Accordingly, the angle between the second longitudinal side 142 and the transverse axis 105 may be between less than 60 degrees, such as 35 degrees, 40 degrees, 45 degrees, 48 degrees, 50 degrees, 55 degrees, or any other suitable angle. Additionally, a first height or dimension 162 of first plate 108 (e.g., spanning a first distance between first end 144 and second end 148 of first plate 108) may be different than a second height or dimension 164 of second plate 110 (e.g., spanning a second distance between third end 150 and fourth end 152 of second plate 110). As an example, the second height 164 may be substantially greater than the first height 162. As used herein, substantially greater may refer to second height 164 being greater than first height 162 by some percentage value of first height 162, such as at least 5%, at least 10%, at least 15%, or another suitable percentage of first height 162. As another example, substantially greater may mean that second height 164 is greater than first height 162 by a predetermined or selected amount, such as 5 centimeters (2 inches), 10 centimeters (4 inches), 15 centimeters (6 inches), or another suitable length. For example, the first height 162 may be about 122 centimeters (48 inches) and the second height 164 may be about 132 centimeters (52 inches).

Thus, the surface area of the second plate 110 (e.g., the surface area of the second longitudinal side 142) is greater than the surface area of the first plate 108 (e.g., the surface area of the first longitudinal side 140), thereby enabling increased refrigerant flow and cooling of the refrigerant, and thus increased heat rejection of the refrigerant across the second plate 110. The increased surface area of the second plate 110 relative to the first plate 108 may at least partially compensate for the airflow restriction affecting the second plate 110 without affecting the first plate 108 due to the position of the second plate 110 within the condenser 38.

The first height 162 and the second height 164 may be based on a size of the HVAC system 100, such as an overall width 170 of the condenser 38 (e.g., a distance spanned by the opposing modules 106). In any event, to accommodate the second height 164 of the second plate 110 and the orientation of the second plate 110 relative to the first plate 108, the third end 150 of the second plate 110 may be positioned a suitable distance 168 from the second end 148 of the first plate 108 to enable the second plate 110 to span from the first support 114 to the second support 154.

The module 106 shown is substantially symmetrical about a central axis 155. Thus, the first plates 108 may have substantially the same geometry as one another, the second plates 110 may have substantially the same geometry as one another, the first plates 108 may be oriented at about the same angle 160 relative to the respective second plates 110, and so on. In other words, the arrangement of the first plate 108 and the second plate 110 of the opposing module 106 may be symmetrical to each other about the central axis 155. However, in additional or alternative embodiments, the opposing module 106 may be asymmetric about the central axis 155 and the corresponding arrangement of the first plate 108 and the second plate 110 may be different for the opposing module 106.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the first plate 108 and the second plate 110 of one of the modules 106 of the condenser 38. For visualization purposes, other components of the module 106, such as the condenser fan housing 146, are not shown in fig. 5. In the illustrated example, each of the

panels

108, 110 includes a corresponding set of tubes or coils 200 (e.g., microchannel tubes or coils) through which refrigerant is directed, as from the compressor 36. In some embodiments, the tubes 200 of the first plate 108, the tubes 200 of the second plate 110, or both, have a single pass arrangement, and each of the tubes 200 may be in a parallel fluid flow arrangement with respect to one another, and the refrigerant discharged by the compressor 36 may be divided, as by a manifold of the condenser 38, to flow through either of the tubes 200 of one of the

plates

108, 110 in a single pass. That is, the refrigerant may flow once across the length 202 of the

plates

108, 110. In additional or alternative embodiments, the tubes 200 of the first plate 108, the tubes 200 of the second plate 110, or both, have a multi-pass arrangement such that refrigerant may flow through one of the

plates

108, 110 in a multi-pass manner. For example, each tube 200 of the first set of tubes 200 of one of the

plates

108, 110 may receive refrigerant from the compressor 36 to cool the refrigerant. After flowing through the tubes 200 of the first set of tubes 200, the refrigerant may then be redirected (e.g., through a header of the condenser 38) to flow through another tube 200 of the second set of tubes 200, where the refrigerant is further cooled. In this manner, refrigerant flows through the plurality of tubes 200 multiple times across the length 202 of the

plates

108, 110. In any event, refrigerant may flow from compressor 36, through one or more tubes 200, and toward evaporator 42 along a length 202 transverse to first and

second elevations

162, 164. Indeed, each of the tubes 200 may extend substantially the same length 202, and thus each of the refrigerant flows may be directed across the

plates

108, 110 at substantially the same distance before flowing to one or more evaporators 42 of the HVAC system 100.

The length 202 of each tube 200 may extend along the longitudinal axis 107, and the tubes 200 may be offset from each other and aligned along the

respective heights

162, 164 of the

plates

108, 110. Air directed across either of the plates 108, 110 (e.g., in a corresponding direction transverse to the longitudinal sides 140, 142) may flow across the tubes 200 to cool the refrigerant flowing through the tubes 200. Thus, during operation of the HVAC system 100, heat may be transferred from the refrigerant to the tubes 200, and to the air directed across the tubes 200, thereby cooling the refrigerant. In certain embodiments, each

flat plate

108, 110 may also include fins extending between adjacent tubes 200 to achieve greater heat transfer between the refrigerant and the air, thereby increasing cooling of the refrigerant. For example, in addition to heat transfer from the refrigerant to the tubes 200, heat may also be transferred from the refrigerant and/or the tubes 200 to the fins, and air may absorb heat from the fins and the tubes 200.

As discussed above, the second height 164 of the second plate 110 is greater (e.g., substantially greater) than the first height 162 of the first plate 108. As such, the second plate 110 may accommodate a greater number of tubes 200 than the first plate 108. In the illustrated embodiment, the second plate 110 includes sixteen tubes 200 and the first plate 108 includes fifteen tubes 200, but the second plate 110 may include any suitable number of tubes 200 greater than the number of tubes 200 of the first plate 108. For this reason, the second plate 110 includes a greater surface area of the tubes 200 exposed to air than the first plate 108, and thus can accommodate a greater refrigerant flow than the first plate 108. The exposed greater surface area may enable more uniform cooling of the corresponding refrigerant flows directed through multiple (e.g., in a single pass arrangement, in a multiple pass arrangement)

plates

108, 110, even though the flow rate of air across second plate 110 may be less than the flow rate of air across first plate 108.

Still further, increasing the number of tubes 200 in the module 106 may reduce or limit the pressure drop of the refrigerant flow directed through the condenser 38. In particular, increasing the number of tubes 200 available for refrigerant flow may decrease the velocity of refrigerant flowing through each of the tubes 200. The reduction in velocity may reduce pressure loss due to friction, and thus may reduce the pressure drop of the refrigerant. Thus, the pressure loss of a module 106 having the described arrangement and the relative sizes of the first and

second plates

108, 110 may be less than that of an existing condenser in which the plates have the same number of tubes and/or are of a common size. As such, the described arrangement and relative sizing of the first and

second plates

108, 110 may improve the performance, e.g., efficiency, of the condenser 38. For example, the reduction in pressure loss may enable certain components (e.g., the compressor 36) to operate at a lower power to achieve a desired flow rate (e.g., volumetric flow rate) of refrigerant through the condenser 38, thereby reducing energy consumption associated with operation of the HVAC system 100. Additionally or alternatively, the same operating power utilized in existing systems may provide an increased flow rate (e.g., volumetric flow rate) of refrigerant through the condenser 38 with the presently disclosed module 106 configuration, thereby increasing the conditioning (e.g., cooling) provided by the refrigerant to the conditioning fluid.

As indicated above, the present disclosure may provide one or more technical effects useful in the operation of HVAC systems. For example, the HVAC system may include a condenser configured to cool a refrigerant flowing through the HVAC system. The condenser may have flat plates, each of which includes coils through which refrigerant may be directed, and the flat plates may be oriented at an angle relative to each other. For example, the outer plate may be oriented in an upright position and the inner plate may be oriented at an acute angle relative to the outer plate. Such an arrangement of plates may be susceptible to a reduction in the flow rate of air directed across the interior plates. For this reason, the inner plate in conjunction with the present techniques may be sized to have a greater surface area relative to the surface area of the outer plate, such as a greater height and/or a greater number of coils through which the refrigerant may flow. Increasing the surface area of the inner plates may allow a more uniformly cooled corresponding refrigerant to flow through the plates, even if the flow rate of air across the inner plates is reduced, thereby improving the operation of the condenser (e.g., cooling provided by the condenser, efficiency of the condenser). In addition, increasing the number of coils through which refrigerant can flow can reduce the pressure drop of the refrigerant flowing through the condenser. Thus, the performance, such as efficiency, of the condenser is improved. The technical effects and technical problems in the present specification are exemplary and not restrictive. It should be noted that the embodiments described in the specification may have other technical effects and may solve other technical problems.

While only certain features of the present embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the disclosure. Further, it should be noted that certain elements of the disclosed embodiments may be combined or interchanged with one another.

The technology presented and claimed herein makes reference to and applies to specific examples that significantly improve the substance and practical nature of the technical field and are therefore not abstract, intangible or purely theoretical. Further, if any claim appended to the end of this specification contains one or more elements designated as "means for [ performing ] [ function ] or" step for [ performing ] [ function ], it is intended that such elements be construed in accordance with 35u.s.c.112 (f). However, for any claim that contains elements specified in any other way, it is intended that such elements not be construed in accordance with 35u.s.c.112 (f).

Claims

1. A condenser module of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the condenser module comprising:

a first plate comprising a first plurality of tubes configured to receive refrigerant from a compressor of the HVAC system, wherein the first plurality of tubes are aligned along a first dimension of the first plate; and

a second plate comprising a second plurality of tubes configured to receive the refrigerant from the compressor, wherein the second plurality of tubes are aligned along a second dimension of the second plate, the second plate is oriented at an acute angle relative to the first plate, and the second dimension is greater than the first dimension.

2. The condenser module of claim 1, wherein the second dimension is greater than the first dimension by at least 5%, at least 10%, or at least 15% of the first dimension.

3. The condenser module according to claim 1, wherein the first plurality of tubes includes a first number of tubes, the second plurality of tubes includes a second number of tubes, and the second number of tubes is greater than the first number of tubes.

4. The condenser module as recited in claim 1, comprising a condenser fan housing, wherein the first plate is coupled to the condenser fan housing.

5. The condenser module of claim 4, comprising a condenser fan supported by the condenser fan housing, wherein the condenser fan is configured to direct a first air flow across the first plate and a second air flow across the second plate during operation of the condenser fan.

6. The condenser module according to claim 1, wherein the first plurality of tubes, the second plurality of tubes, or both, comprise microchannel tubes.

7. The condenser module of claim 1, wherein the first plate and the second plate are arranged in a parallel fluid flow arrangement.

8. The condenser module as recited in claim 1, wherein the first plate is an exterior plate of the condenser module and the second plate is an interior plate of the condenser module.

9. The condenser module as recited in claim 1, wherein the first plate is oriented substantially vertically.

10. A condenser for a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the condenser comprising:

a first heat exchanger plate and a second heat exchanger plate, wherein the first heat exchanger plate comprises a first plurality of tubes configured to receive a first portion of a first refrigerant flow, the first plurality of tubes arranged along a first dimension of the first heat exchanger plate, the second heat exchanger plate comprises a second plurality of tubes configured to receive a second portion of the first refrigerant flow, the second heat exchanger plate is oriented at an acute angle with respect to the first heat exchanger plate, and the second plurality of tubes are arranged along a second dimension of the second heat exchanger plate, the second dimension of the second heat exchanger plate being greater than the first dimension of the first heat exchanger plate; and

a third heat exchanger plate comprising a third plurality of tubes configured to receive a third portion of the second refrigerant flow, the third plurality of tubes arranged along a third dimension of the third heat exchanger plate, and a fourth heat exchanger plate comprising a fourth plurality of tubes configured to receive a fourth portion of the second refrigerant flow, the fourth heat exchanger plate oriented at an acute angle with respect to the third heat exchanger plate, and the fourth plurality of tubes arranged along a fourth dimension of the fourth heat exchanger plate, the fourth dimension of the fourth heat exchanger plate being greater than the third dimension of the third heat exchanger plate.

11. The condenser of claim 10, wherein said first, second, third and fourth heat exchanger plates are arranged to form an inverted M-shaped configuration.

12. The condenser of claim 10, wherein the first arrangement of the first and second heat exchanger plates and the second arrangement of the third and fourth heat exchanger plates are symmetrical to each other about a central axis of the condenser.

13. The condenser of claim 10, comprising a plurality of condenser modules, wherein a first condenser module of said plurality of condenser modules comprises said first heat exchanger plate and said second heat exchanger plate, and a second condenser module of said plurality of condenser modules comprises said third heat exchanger plate and said fourth heat exchanger plate.

14. The condenser of claim 13, wherein said plurality of condenser modules includes six condenser modules.

15. The condenser of claim 13, wherein each of said plurality of condenser modules includes two condenser fans.

16. A heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system comprising:

a condenser comprising a first plate and a second plate, wherein the first plate comprises a first plurality of tubes extending along a first length of the first plate, the first plurality of tubes configured to receive refrigerant from a compressor of the HVAC system, the first plate comprises a first height transverse to the first length, the second plate comprises a second plurality of tubes extending along a second length of the second plate, the second plurality of tubes configured to receive the refrigerant from the compressor, the second plate is oriented at an acute angle with respect to the first plate, and the second plate comprises a second height transverse to the second length and greater than the first height of the first plate.

17. The HVAC system of claim 16, comprising a condenser fan housing, a first support member, and a second support member, wherein the second support member is coupled to the condenser fan housing, a first end of the first plate is coupled to the condenser fan housing, a second end of the first plate is coupled to the first support member, a third end of the second plate is coupled to the first support member, and a fourth end of the second plate is coupled to the second support member.

18. The HVAC system of claim 17, comprising a base, wherein the first support member is coupled to the base such that the first plate and the second plate are elevated from the base to form an interior space within the HVAC system.

19. The HVAC system of claim 16, wherein the acute angle is at least 35 degrees.

20. The HVAC system of claim 16, wherein the first plurality of tubes, the second plurality of tubes, or both, have a multi-pass flow arrangement.