CN219531268U - Microchannel heat exchanger and refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

The utility model provides a microchannel heat exchanger and a refrigerator. The microchannel heat exchanger includes a heat exchanger body and a plurality of heating modules. The heat exchanger body comprises a multi-layer flat tube and a plurality of heat exchange fins, a ventilation interval is formed between every two adjacent layers of the multi-layer flat tube, and each heat exchange fin is arranged in one ventilation interval. Each heating module is disposed within one of the ventilation spaces. The microchannel heat exchanger provided by the utility model can be used for rapidly defrosting.

Description

Microchannel heat exchanger and refrigerator

Technical Field

The utility model relates to a refrigerating and freezing device, in particular to a micro-channel heat exchanger and a refrigerator.

Background

At present, the domestic refrigerator is increasingly pursued to save energy, lower carbon and larger volume, and the placement space reserved for the fin evaporator is smaller. However, the heat exchange capacity of the evaporator with small volume is correspondingly small, which affects the refrigerating capacity of the refrigerator, so that the refrigerator is frequently started, and the energy consumption is reversely increased.

There is also a new type of microchannel heat exchanger in the prior art. The microchannel heat exchanger includes flat tubes. The flat tube is internally provided with a plurality of fine flow passages, and compared with a copper tube aluminum fin heat exchanger, the flat tube has a plurality of advantages. For example: the porous multichannel heat exchange coefficient is high, the heat dissipation efficiency is high, the size is small, the weight is light, and the space can be saved. In addition, the evaporating pressure of the micro-channel heat exchanger is low, and the flowing resistance of the refrigerant is low, so that the refrigerator is more energy-saving.

However, when the microchannel heat exchanger is used as an evaporator in a refrigerator, the problems of quick frosting and difficult frosting exist.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of the present utility model to overcome at least one of the drawbacks of the prior art by providing a microchannel heat exchanger that achieves rapid defrosting.

A further object of the utility model is to avoid the heating module increasing the volume of the microchannel heat exchanger.

Another object of the present utility model is to provide a refrigerator having the above microchannel heat exchanger.

In one aspect, the present utility model provides a microchannel heat exchanger comprising:

the heat exchanger comprises a heat exchanger body, a heat exchanger and a heat exchange device, wherein the heat exchanger body comprises a multi-layer flat tube and a plurality of heat exchange fins, a ventilation interval is formed between every two adjacent layers of the multi-layer flat tube, and each heat exchange fin is arranged in one ventilation interval; and

a plurality of heating modules, each of said heating modules being disposed within one of said ventilation spaces.

Optionally, in all the ventilation intervals of the heat exchanger body, the heat exchange fins are arranged in part of the ventilation intervals, and the heating modules are arranged in the rest ventilation intervals.

Optionally, at least one heat exchange fin is arranged between any two heating modules.

Optionally, the plurality of heating modules divide all the heat exchange fins into a plurality of groups, and the number of the heat exchange fins in each group is the same.

Optionally, the number of heat exchange fins in each group is 2, 3 or 4.

Optionally, each ventilation interval is flat; each heating module is in a flat block shape.

Optionally, the multi-layer flat tube comprises a plurality of flat plate segments and a plurality of "U" shaped plate segments arranged in a stacked manner, each of the "U" shaped plate segments being connected at an outlet end of an upstream flat plate segment and an inlet end of an adjacent downstream flat plate segment such that the multi-layer flat tube forms a flow channel having an inlet and an outlet.

Optionally, a plurality of heating modules are arranged in parallel to allow each of said heating modules to operate independently.

In another aspect, the utility model also provides a refrigerator comprising a microchannel heat exchanger as described in any one of the preceding claims.

Optionally, the microchannel heat exchanger is disposed at a bottom of a refrigerator body of the refrigerator, and the plurality of ventilation spaces are arranged in a horizontal direction so as to be opened upward and downward;

the micro-channel heat exchanger and the inner bottom wall of the box body are provided with ventilation intervals.

The micro-channel heat exchanger of the utility model is characterized in that a heating module is arranged in a ventilation interval of a multi-layer flat tube and is clamped between two layers of flat tubes. When the microchannel heat exchanger operates as an evaporator in a refrigeration system, once the surface frosts, the heating module can be started to heat for defrosting. Compared with the prior art, the heating pipe is arranged on the heat exchange fin, the heating module is clamped between the two layers of flat pipes, so that heat generated by the heating module can be absorbed by the frost layer of the flat pipes more fully, and the defrosting speed is higher. Furthermore, this particular mounting position of the heating module does not additionally increase the volume of the microchannel heat exchanger, so that the microchannel heat exchanger does not lose its compact advantage.

Furthermore, in the microchannel heat exchanger, heat exchange fins are arranged in part of ventilation intervals in all ventilation intervals of the heat exchanger body, and heating modules are arranged in the rest ventilation intervals. This separates the heat exchanger fins and the heating modules from each other without interfering with each other, thus enabling the heating modules to be designed larger, e.g. to fill each heating module with an entire ventilation space, to have a larger coverage area, and thus to defrost faster.

Further, in the microchannel heat exchanger, the plurality of heating modules divide all heat exchange fins into a plurality of groups, and the number of the heat exchange fins in each group is the same, so that the frost area which is responsible for heating by each heating module is approximately the same, and the loads of the heating modules are approximately the same, so that the specifications of the heating modules are the same, and the design, the installation and the control of the heating modules are convenient.

The above, as well as additional objectives, advantages, and features of the present utility model will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a specific embodiment of the present utility model when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Drawings

Some specific embodiments of the utility model will be described in detail hereinafter by way of example and not by way of limitation with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts or portions. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a front view of a microchannel heat exchanger according to one embodiment of the utility model;

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of a microchannel heat exchanger according to one embodiment of the utility model;

fig. 3 is a schematic view of a structure of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

fig. 4 is an enlarged view at a of fig. 3.

Detailed Description

A microchannel heat exchanger and a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present utility model are described below with reference to fig. 1 to 4. Where the terms "front", "rear", "upper", "lower", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "transverse", etc., refer to an orientation or positional relationship based on that shown in the drawings, this is merely for convenience in describing the utility model and to simplify the description, and does not indicate or imply that the referenced devices or elements must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limiting the utility model.

The terms "first," "second," and the like are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defining "a first", "a second", etc. may include at least one, i.e. one or more, of the feature, either explicitly or implicitly. In the description of the present utility model, the meaning of "plurality" means at least two, for example, two, three, etc., unless specifically defined otherwise. When a feature "comprises or includes" a feature or some of its coverage, this indicates that other features are not excluded and may further include other features, unless expressly stated otherwise.

Unless specifically stated or limited otherwise, the terms "mounted," "connected," "secured," "coupled," and the like should be construed broadly, as they may be fixed, removable, or integral, for example; can be mechanically or electrically connected; either directly or indirectly, through intermediaries, or both, may be in communication with each other or in interaction with each other, unless expressly defined otherwise. Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand the specific meaning of the terms described above in the present utility model as the case may be.

In one aspect, the present utility model provides a microchannel heat exchanger 20. The microchannel heat exchanger 20 is used in a vapor compression refrigeration cycle and may function as an evaporator or a condenser.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a front view of a microchannel heat exchanger 20 according to one embodiment of the utility model; fig. 2 is a schematic side view of a microchannel heat exchanger 20 according to one embodiment of the utility model.

As shown in fig. 1 and 2, a microchannel heat exchanger 20 of an embodiment of the utility model may generally include a heat exchanger body 21 and a plurality of heating modules 22.

The heat exchanger body 21 includes a multi-layered flat tube 100 and a plurality of heat exchange fins 200. Wherein the layers of the multi-layer flat tube 100 are aligned in the x-direction (see fig. 1). The multi-layer flat tube 100 is provided with a plurality of fine flow channels, for example, the equivalent diameter of each fine flow channel is between 10 and 1000 micrometers. A ventilation space 103 is formed between each adjacent two layers of the multi-layer flat tube 100. It will be appreciated that the number of ventilation spaces 103 is equal to the number of layers of the multi-layer flat tube 100 minus 1. In the embodiment shown in fig. 1, the multi-layer flat tube 100 has 13 layers, and then it has 12 ventilation spaces 103.

Each heat exchange fin 200 is disposed within one ventilation space 103. The heat exchange fin 200 has stronger heat exchange capability with surrounding air flow, and can improve the heat exchange capability and heat exchange efficiency of the microchannel heat exchanger 20. The heat exchange fin 200 may be a sheet-like aluminum material. Specifically, as shown in fig. 1, each heat exchange fin 200 may have a wave shape to increase the surface area per unit volume and improve heat exchange performance.

Each heating module 22 is disposed within one ventilation space 103. The heating module 22 is a module that generates heat when energized, and may be, for example, a PTC heater. When the microchannel heat exchanger 20 is operated as an evaporator in a refrigeration system, after a period of time, the surface temperature is too low, causing water vapor in the air to frost on its surface. At this time, the heating module 22 may be activated to heat and defrost. After defrosting is completed, the heating module 22 can be stopped. As shown in fig. 1, each heating module 22 is connected to a power module 30 by a wire 32.

Since the heat exchange fin 200 helps to improve the heat exchange performance of the microchannel heat exchanger 20, which is an important component of the microchannel heat exchanger, it is difficult for those skilled in the art to imagine that the original layout of the heat exchange fin 200 is to be changed for the heating module 22, and thus some defrosting schemes in the prior art directly install the heating tube on the heat exchange fin 200.

The micro-channel heat exchanger 20 of the embodiment of the present utility model is configured such that the heating module 22 is disposed in the ventilation space 103 of the multi-layer flat tube 100, and is sandwiched by two layers of flat tubes. Compared with the prior art that the heating pipe is arranged on the heat exchange fin 200, the embodiment of the utility model enables the heating module 22 to be clamped between the two layers of flat pipes, so that heat generated by the heating module can be absorbed by the frost layers of the flat pipes more fully, and the defrosting speed is higher. For example, two sides of the heating module 22 may be attached to the surface of the flat tube to enhance the heat transfer effect. Also, the mounting position of the heating module 22 is such that it does not additionally increase the volume of the microchannel heat exchanger 20, so that the microchannel heat exchanger 20 does not lose the advantage of compactness.

In some embodiments, as shown in fig. 1, heat exchange fins 200 are disposed within a portion of the ventilation spaces 103 in the entirety of the ventilation spaces 103 of the heat exchanger body 21, and heating modules 22 are disposed within the remaining ventilation spaces 103. Taking fig. 1 as an example, of all 12 ventilation spaces 103, heat exchange fins 200 are provided in 9 ventilation spaces 103, and heating modules 22 are provided in the remaining 3 ventilation spaces 103.

In this embodiment, all of the ventilation spaces 103 are filled and utilized, and the heat exchange fins 200 and the heating module 22 are not present in the same ventilation space 103. In this way, the heat exchange fins 200 and the heating modules 22 are separated from each other and do not interfere with each other, so that the heating modules 22 can be designed to be larger, for example, each heating module 22 fills the entire ventilation space 103, so that the coverage area is larger, and the defrosting speed is higher. Further, any two heating modules 22 may have at least one heat exchange fin 200 therebetween. In other words, the ventilation spaces 103 where any two heating modules 22 are located are not adjacent. If the two heating modules 22 are too close to each other, the heat received by the area between the two heating modules is too much, so that the heat received by other areas is too little, the heat is unevenly distributed, and the defrosting progress of different areas is inconsistent.

In some embodiments, a plurality of heating modules 22 are provided to divide all of the heat exchange fins 200 into a plurality of groups, each group having the same number of heat exchange fins 200. The number of heat exchange fins 200 in each group is 2, 3 or 4. For example, as shown in fig. 1, the number of heat exchange fins 200 in each group is made to be 3.

The embodiment of the present utility model divides all the heat exchange fins 200 into a plurality of groups by a plurality of heating modules 22, and the number of the heat exchange fins 200 in each group is the same, so that the frost area of each heating module 22 responsible for heating is about the same, so that the loads thereof are about the same, and thus the specifications of the heating modules 22 are about the same, for example, the shapes thereof are about the same. This facilitates design, installation and control of the heating module 22 without the need for an anti-misplacement design during installation.

In some embodiments, as shown in fig. 1 and 2, each ventilation interval 103 may be flattened. In accordance therewith, each heating module 22 has a flat block shape. For example, each heating module 22 is shaped to fit snugly within the ventilation space 103, thereby making contact with the flat tube surface more intimate and more efficient in heat transfer.

In some embodiments, as shown in fig. 1 and 2, the multi-layer flat tube 100 includes a multi-layer flat plate segment 110 and a plurality of "U" shaped plate segments 120 in a stacked arrangement. Each flat plate segment 110 is generally planar and may have multiple layers of flat plate segments 110 disposed parallel to one another. Each "U" shaped plate segment 120 is connected to the outlet end of one upstream side plate segment 110 and the inlet end of an adjacent downstream side plate segment 110 such that the multi-layer flat tube 100 forms a flow channel having an inlet (see fig. 1 for reference) and an outlet (see fig. 1 for reference). Taking the orientation of fig. 1 as an example, the right end of the uppermost flat plate segment 110 in the drawing is the inlet of the whole flat tube, and the left end is the inlet end. The second (sub-top) flat plate segment 110 has an inlet end at the left end with a "U" shaped plate segment 120 between the ends. The right end of the second flat plate segment 110 is an outlet end, the right end of the third flat plate segment 110 is an inlet end, and a U-shaped plate segment 120 is arranged between the two ends. By the above design, the multi-layered flat tube 100 is formed into a folded flow channel having an inlet and an outlet, or "serpentine" flow channel. As shown in fig. 2, after the micro-channel heat exchanger 20 is connected to the vapor compression refrigeration cycle, an inlet of the multi-layer flat tube 100 is connected to the refrigerant input tube 25, an outlet of the multi-layer flat tube 100 is connected to the refrigerant output tube 26, and other refrigeration components are not shown in the figure.

In some embodiments, the "U" shaped plate section 120 and the flat plate section 110 may be made as separate components that are fabricated separately and assembled by welding or the like. Alternatively, the multi-layer flat tube 100 may be integrally formed as a single piece.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of heating modules 22 may be arranged in parallel to allow each heating module 22 to operate independently. In this way, the controller of the refrigerator can determine the number of the heating modules 22 to be turned on according to the thickness of the frost layer.

Another aspect of the present utility model provides a refrigerator including the microchannel heat exchanger 20 as in any of the above embodiments.

The refrigerator of the embodiment of the utility model adopts a vapor compression refrigeration cycle system for refrigeration, and the vapor compression refrigeration cycle system comprises a compressor (not shown), a condenser (not shown), an evaporator, a throttling device (not shown) and other refrigeration accessories. The evaporator is a microchannel heat exchanger 20 of an embodiment of the present utility model.

The heating module 22 is connected to a controller of the refrigerator to receive control thereof. An alternative control scheme is as follows:

monitoring the air pressure L1 on the air inlet side and the air pressure L2 on the air outlet side of the micro-channel heat exchanger 20 in real time;

if L1 > 2L 2, the heating module 22 is turned on to defrost.

And when the defrosting ending condition is met, ending defrosting. For example, the defrosting end condition may be L1 +.2×l2; or is: the defrosting process continues for a preset time.

Fig. 3 is a schematic view of a structure of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present utility model.

In some embodiments, as shown in fig. 3, the refrigerator may include a cabinet 10, the cabinet 10 defining storage compartments 11, 12. The door bodies 40 and 50 are used to open and close the storage compartments 11 and 12. The refrigerator may be an air-cooled refrigerator. For the air-cooled refrigerator, the evaporator is arranged in an independent space (a small space can be separated in the storage compartment 12 by a partition plate to serve as a cooling chamber, the partition plate is hidden in fig. 3), cold air prepared by the evaporator is transmitted into each storage compartment by an air duct to cool food, and air with increased temperature after heat exchange with the food in the storage compartment is returned into the cooling chamber by a return air duct to be cooled again, so that an air path circulation is formed.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view at a of fig. 3.

In some embodiments, as shown in fig. 3 and 4, the microchannel heat exchanger 20 may be disposed at the bottom of the cabinet of the refrigerator, and the plurality of ventilation spaces 103 may be arranged in a horizontal direction so as to be upwardly and downwardly open. For example, the ventilation spaces 103 are arranged in the front-rear direction, or in the left-right direction, or in an inclined manner. The micro-channel heat exchanger 20 has a ventilation space 103 with the inner bottom wall 121 of the case 10 to allow the air flow to enter therein for heat exchange with the micro-channel heat exchanger 20, thereby improving heat exchange efficiency.

Specifically, as shown in fig. 4, the lateral sides of the inner bottom wall 121 of the case 10 may be provided with stepped portions 126 protruding upward, and the lateral sides of the microchannel heat exchanger 20 may be caught on the stepped portions 126 so as to have the ventilation space 103 with the inner bottom wall 121.

By now it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that while a number of exemplary embodiments of the utility model have been shown and described herein in detail, many other variations or modifications of the utility model consistent with the principles of the utility model may be directly ascertained or inferred from the present disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of the utility model. Accordingly, the scope of the present utility model should be understood and deemed to cover all such other variations or modifications.

Claims (10)

1. A microchannel heat exchanger, comprising:

the heat exchanger comprises a heat exchanger body, a heat exchanger and a heat exchange device, wherein the heat exchanger body comprises a multi-layer flat tube and a plurality of heat exchange fins, a ventilation interval is formed between every two adjacent layers of the multi-layer flat tube, and each heat exchange fin is arranged in one ventilation interval; and

a plurality of heating modules, each of said heating modules being disposed within one of said ventilation spaces.

2. The microchannel heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein the heat exchanger is configured to heat the heat exchange fluid,

in all the ventilation intervals of the heat exchanger body, the heat exchange fins are arranged in part of the ventilation intervals, and the heating modules are arranged in the rest of the ventilation intervals.

3. The microchannel heat exchanger of claim 2 wherein,

at least one heat exchange fin is arranged between any two heating modules.

4. The microchannel heat exchanger of claim 2 wherein,

the plurality of heating modules divide all the heat exchange fins into a plurality of groups, and the number of the heat exchange fins in each group is the same.

5. The microchannel heat exchanger of claim 4 wherein,

the number of heat exchange fins in each group is 2, 3 or 4.

6. The microchannel heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein the heat exchanger is configured to heat the heat exchange fluid,

each ventilation interval is flat;

each heating module is in a flat block shape.

7. The microchannel heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein the heat exchanger is configured to heat the heat exchange fluid,

the multi-layer flat tube comprises a plurality of layers of flat plate sections and a plurality of U-shaped plate sections which are arranged in a stacked manner, wherein each U-shaped plate section is connected with the outlet end of an upstream flat plate section and the inlet end of an adjacent downstream flat plate section, so that the multi-layer flat tube forms a flow channel with an inlet and an outlet.

8. The microchannel heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein the heat exchanger is configured to heat the heat exchange fluid,

a plurality of heating modules are arranged in parallel to allow each of the heating modules to operate independently.

9. A refrigerator characterized by comprising a microchannel heat exchanger as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The refrigerator of claim 9, wherein,

the microchannel heat exchanger is arranged at the bottom of the refrigerator body of the refrigerator, and the plurality of ventilation intervals are arranged along the horizontal direction so as to be upwards and downwards opened;

the micro-channel heat exchanger and the inner bottom wall of the box body are provided with ventilation intervals.