DE20208337U1 - Air conditioning system for large vehicles has an inner cooling circuit and a modular flat finned tube exterior condenser with two or more modules in parallel - Google Patents

Abstract

The cooling circuit comprises a compressor (8), an evaporator (6) and expansion valve (4) passing refrigerant through a condenser system (10) mounted outside the vehicle passenger space which may comprise two or more air cooled sections (18) connected in parallel.

Description

YOUNG

Patent attorneys, European Patent and Trademark Attorneys

28 May 2002

o.Z.: Z 038 Ma (Dr.S/bi)

Thermo King Germany GmbH
Talhausstrasse 16
68766 Hockenheim

Arrangement for air conditioning a vehicle

The invention relates to an arrangement for air conditioning a vehicle with the features of the preamble of claim 1.

Such an arrangement is known, for example, from DE 44 32 272 C2 for a supercritical mode of operation. DE 44 32 272 C2 develops EP 0 424 474 B1 for the conditions of air conditioning in a vehicle. In the latter EP 0 424 472 B1, the conditions of a subcritical mode of operation are compared with those of a supercritical mode of operation, whereby it emerges that the features of the preamble of claim 1 also apply to an arrangement for air conditioning a vehicle in a subcritical mode of operation.

The arrangement according to the invention is particularly geared to the needs of rail-bound and non-rail-bound commercial vehicles, with a particular focus on the air conditioning of buses. However, the invention also has general significance for other vehicles, including passenger cars.

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In passenger cars, there is very little space available for an air conditioning system from the outset, even if the design is planned in advance. This also applies in a similar way to commercial vehicles such as buses, where an air conditioning unit is installed in a roof structure (see e.g. US-A-4 201 064). In the latter case, it is already known to arrange two identical heat exchangers spatially with adjacent axles and in parallel operation. For different types of buses, however, the heat exchangers used must be manufactured individually to suit the type. This means considerable manufacturing effort and makes it difficult to keep stocks for production and spare parts. This is particularly critical for commercial vehicles, where only a relatively small number of a particular type are manufactured. But mass production of passenger cars also presents similar problems with the strict cost calculations that are now common.

Recently, air conditioning systems for passenger cars have started to use flat-tube heat exchangers for the high-pressure side heat exchanger because of their particularly favorable specific power-to-weight ratio (see, for example, EP-A2-0 219 974). Flat-tube heat exchangers of this type are now usually made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy and brazed together. In larger commercial vehicles, especially buses, the manufacture of a high-pressure side heat exchanger in the air conditioning circuit in flat-tube construction has so far practically not found its way. This also applies when an air conditioning unit is housed in a roof structure. The reason for this is that the manufacture of high-performance heat exchangers, such as those required in buses, in flat-tube construction presents difficulties which are also related to the brazing process of relatively large heat exchangers, so that the manufacturing difficulties associated with these

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The relatively high production costs are not worthwhile given the relatively small quantities.

The general object of the invention is to further rationalize an arrangement for air conditioning a vehicle with the features of the preamble of claim 1, with particular attention being paid to the high-pressure side heat exchanger device. In subcritical operation, this is a condenser device and in supercritical operation, it is a gas cooler (cf. claims 7 and 5).

This object is solved by the features of claim 1.

The invention embodies the combination of two principles, each of which is not obvious from the prior art mentioned.

On the one hand, the dimensioning of the high-pressure side heat exchangers is no longer based on the vehicle type. Instead, the main argument is to simplify the manufacture, storage and provision of such heat exchangers.

Ideally, only a single type of heat exchanger module is used, which is standardized to one design at least in terms of nominal power and pressure loss and preferably also in terms of the structure and dimensioning of all components. If higher nominal power is required, a modular assembly of such uniformly standardized modules is then used depending on the requirements. The inventive concept is geometrically particularly clear when at least two such modules are connected to one another. But even if only a single such module is used, the inventive concept is already fulfilled if this model comes from the modular kit mentioned, which also

for the construction of heat exchangers with, for example, double the nominal output by connecting two modules. This should not be confused with the well-known construction method of using only a single heat exchanger if necessary, but then re-dimensioning and designing it for each type of vehicle as required.

On the other hand, the invention uses a new type of connection of such modules in the case where the high-pressure side heat exchanger device is composed of at least two such modules. To define this new type of connection, it is assumed that, in accordance with the aforementioned EP-A2-0 219 974, a conventional heat exchanger in flat tube construction can be assigned a longitudinal extension direction which is determined by at least one collecting pipe on one end of the flat tubes, all of which communicate with this collecting pipe. In the parallel case mentioned, two collecting pipes or collectors in general are arranged at both ends of the flat tubes.

According to the second basic principle of the invention, if a power requirement exceeds the power already provided by one module, at least two modules are arranged geometrically one behind the other in the longitudinal direction determined by the collectors, but each of these modules is acted upon in parallel by the internal heat exchange fluid in this geometrical arrangement in the circuit. When several modules are used, the power is multiplied without the pressure drop across the heat exchanger device composed of several modules being significantly changed and without the power requirement for the individual module being changed. This principle according to the invention is in no way comparable with the arrangement of US-A-4 201 064, where the two similar heat exchangers are not arranged geometrically one behind the other, but geometrically next to each other. In this known arrangement,

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In this case, the consistent application of the invention would mean breaking down both heat exchangers into modules arranged geometrically one behind the other, but each of which would continue to be acted upon in parallel by the internal heat exchange fluid. These modules would remain small in terms of space and relatively easy to manufacture.

It is known per se (DE 38 43 305 A1) to combine several heat exchanger coils in a flat tube design in a condenser for a coolant in a vehicle air conditioning system, in which the coolant is the internal heat exchange fluid, in a structural unit in which the ribbing is common to all coils. Apart from the fact that the structural standardization of the arrangement according to the invention independent of the vehicle type is not provided for, it is not, as in the invention, a geometric sequential arrangement of individual modules which, due to the standardization concept, each have separate ribbing associated only with the relevant module.

The further development according to claim 2 specializes the geometrical sequential arrangement of at least two modules to one in which this sequential arrangement is even provided with axial alignment of the collector devices.

Preferably, the direction of the geometric arrangement is also more or less common to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

On the other hand, an angle can also be provided between the longitudinal extension directions of the at least two modules. This applies in particular if the geometric longitudinal extension direction within the heat exchanger device is aligned transversely to the vehicle.

As mentioned, in supercritical design of the circuit, the

Heat exchanger device is usually a gas cooler; then a collector device is expediently included in the low-pressure side of the circuit, which is known per se from DE 44 32 272 C2, which was already used to form the preamble of claim 1 (cf. in particular Fig. 3 thereof with description).

If, in the case of a subcritical design of the circuit, the heat exchanger device is a condenser device in the manner already mentioned, it is preferably provided that a collector device is included in the high-pressure side and/or the low-pressure side of the circuit.

Ideally, the invention is embodied when all possible high-pressure side heat exchanger devices can be constructed from the same modular design, either by using only one module or by combining several modules as described.

However, it cannot be ruled out that other types of module design may also be used.

A special case of this is that at least one additional module for a special function is designed differently from the other modules. This applies, for example, if a countercurrent heat exchange device is provided in an additional path of the circuit between the high-pressure side and the low-pressure side internal heat exchange fluid, which is known per se (again DE 44 32 272 C2, Fig. 3 with description). Since in such a case both heat exchange surfaces of the collector are exposed to the internal heat exchange fluid, external ribbing is unnecessary in such a heat exchanger module.

However, it is not excluded that modules with external ribbing can also be used in an additional circuit or an additional

chen way and are thereby included in the standardized design according to the invention (cf. claim 30).

Furthermore, it is not excluded that the heat exchanger device has at least two sets of any number of modules, each of which has the same nominal output and pressure loss, with at least the nominal output being different in different sets. It can be left to the expert to decide whether the design of such modules is derived solely from numerical aspects such as halving or doubling the output or whether it is based on more specific requirements of the types of vehicles to be served.

Given the different performance requirements for high-pressure side heat exchanger devices for different vehicle types, the advantage achievable by the invention is fully evident when it only has an effect on the manufacture of high-pressure side heat exchangers with different performance. These can then be built up in a modular manner from modules that are at least standardized in terms of performance. From these, if necessary with other parts, a heat exchanger of the desired performance can then be built, in which the modules are then permanently integrated (see claim 10). Other parts can then also be included in this permanent integration, such as a connection branch (see claims 12 to 16). With appropriate structural preparation, however, modules arranged geometrically one behind the other and in parallel circuitry can also be detachably arranged in the high-pressure side heat exchanger device, for example if this is desired from the point of view of easier maintenance or repair. This detachable arrangement does not exclude the possibility of arranging the additional parts mentioned either detachably or permanently integrated into the relevant high-pressure side heat exchanger device.

In flat tube heat exchangers, the ribbed flat tubes conventionally run in a straight line between two parallel collector devices, for example two collector tubes (cf., for example, EP 0 219 974 A2). Within the scope of the invention, the axially parallel arrangement of collector devices is expediently retained, but the course of the flat tubes between the two collector devices is given a curve (cf. claims 17 to 19). This creates at least one free space for the installation of at least one further element, for example an axial fan, if this is provided according to the invention in the arrangement in a roof structure of the vehicle. Such roof structures are common, for example, in buses or larger commercial vehicles, cf. the aforementioned US Pat. No. 4 201 064 or also DE 32 24 895 C2 and DE 34 06 249 C2.

In the case of the last-mentioned known roof attachments, identical evaporators are considered, which are arranged on both sides of the roof attachment and, for example, in a bus, condition the air that is introduced into the passenger compartment at the two side window fronts of the bus. However, within the scope of the arrangement according to the invention, the same high-pressure side heat exchange device can also be used with different evaporators to condition different air conditioning zones of the vehicle (cf. claim 21).

A particularly preferred design within the scope of the invention - for which independent protection is also claimed - consists in assembling at least one evaporator of the evaporator device, analogous to the modules of the high-pressure side heat exchange device, from at least two evaporator modules which are arranged geometrically one behind the other with reference to their collecting device, but are acted upon by the internal heat exchange fluid in parallel with one another.

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In extreme cases, this modular design of the evaporator can be used for the entire evaporator system. However, it also offers clear advantages if only one evaporator is designed in this way for a specific climate zone, which has particularly high performance requirements and for which the performance requirements are very different for different vehicle types. This can be the case, for example, for the air conditioning of a passenger compartment or a larger usable space, while a single type of evaporator can be used for the driver's seat (see claims 22 and 23). In the event that only a single evaporator is required for the air conditioning of the driver's seat, it is preferably provided that this single evaporator is also used from the kit of evaporator modules that are otherwise used to assemble more powerful evaporators.

The evaporator modules, like the modules of the high-pressure side heat exchanger device, are each individually finned for heat exchange with the external heat exchange fluid, generally the ambient air. In practice, however, a design in which the finned tubes are round tubes or at most oval tubes is sufficient, since flat tubes only offer additional advantages for the evaporator in relatively rare individual cases.

An evaporator device is functionally linked to the expansion device of the arrangement according to the invention. Claims 26 to 28 specify various possibilities for implementing this link also in relation to the evaporator modules.

Irrespective of whether the arrangement according to the invention contains modules of the high-pressure side heat exchanger device and/or evaporator modules, the arrangement according to the invention is expediently designed according to claims 29 and 30, respectively.

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According to claim 29, a specific module of the high-pressure side heat exchanger device or also an evaporator module from the modular system of such modules can also be used for a special purpose, namely, for example, within an additional circuit or even just an additional path of the same circuit.

On the other hand, a rationalization of the structure of the entire arrangement in the sense of claim 30 is obtained when air supplied from different sources enters into heat exchange as an external heat exchange fluid with the same high-pressure side heat exchange device.

The invention is explained in more detail below using schematic drawings of several embodiments. They show:

Figure 1 shows a basic circuit of an arrangement for air conditioning a vehicle;

Figure 2 and Figure 3 show two supplemented variants of Figure 1; Figures 4a to 7a show side views and

Figures 4b to 7b are front views of a modular structure of a high-pressure side heat exchanger device, as can be used in Figures 1 to 3;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a modified connection of modules of the high-pressure side heat exchanger device;

Figure 9 and Figure 10 show two further arrangement variants of Figure 1, wherein Figure 10 shows a first possibility of arranging several evaporator modules;

Figure 11 shows a side view of the basic representation of the geometric arrangement and connection of two evaporator modules;

Figure 12 shows another variant of Figure 1 with the inclusion of two evaporator modules and

Figure 13 is a side sectional view of a roof attachment containing the arrangement according to the invention on a vehicle, in particular a bus or large commercial vehicle.

Figure 1 shows a closed circuit of an internal heat exchange fluid for air conditioning a vehicle, in particular a bus or larger commercial vehicle.

There are two typical operating modes for such a circuit, namely subcritical operation and supercritical operation. Subcritical operation is the conventional one, in which CFCs were previously used as the internal heat exchange fluid, but now less environmentally hazardous refrigerants such as R134a are used. In subcritical operation, a phase change takes place on the high-pressure side. Recently, CO ₂ , for example, has been considered as the internal heat exchange fluid, which poses fewer environmental risks. In this case, very high pressures occur on the high-pressure side without a phase change occurring on the high-pressure side.

Regardless of whether it is a subcritical or a supercritical mode of operation, the circuit basically contains the following components: an expansion device 4, an evaporator device 6 following according to the circuit symbol, a compressor device 8 and a subsequent high-pressure side heat exchange device 10 for the internal heat exchange fluid of the circuit, which is in heat exchange between the internal heat exchange fluid and ambient air. This

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high-pressure side heat exchanger device 10 is then returned to the inlet side of the expansion device 4 via a connecting line 12 on the outlet side.

The high-pressure side heat exchange device 10 is a condenser in subcritical operation and a gas cooler in supercritical operation.

In the subcritical operation according to Figure 2, it is conventional to interpose a high-pressure side collector device 14 in the circuit direction between the outlet of the condenser 10 and the inlet of the expansion device 4, i.e. within the connecting line 12.

However, a low-pressure side collector device 16 can also be provided; this is possible both in subcritical and supercritical operating modes.

In the arrangement of Figures 1, 2 and 3, the high-pressure side heat exchange device is formed by several, here without loss of generality three, modules 18, which are connected parallel to one another in the closed circuit of the internal heat exchange fluid according to the three parallel paths 2a, 2b and 2c of the circuit 2. The number of these modules is generally η = 1, 2, 3, etc. The actual effect of the invention of a composition of a high-performance heat exchanger from standardized modules of lower performance is only clearly visible from η = 2 and higher. However, if a single module is also used from the same kit and this is not manufactured separately for the circuit, this is also considered to be within the scope of the invention.

In Figures 4 and 5, the actual construction and composition of the modules 18 is described in more detail for η = 2. Figures 4a and 5a are identical; the difference lies in Figures 4b and 5b.

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Each module 18 has a collector device in the form of two axially parallel collector pipes 20, between which flat tubes 22 extend. The one collector pipe 20, the upper one in the drawing, has an inlet 24 and an outlet 26, which correspond to two of the flow paths 2a, 2a and 2b, 2b, respectively, according to Figures 1 to 4. Alternatively, the outlet could also be arranged on the other collector pipe, the lower one in the drawing. However, this could also be degenerated into a deflection device of any design, depending on the connection method of the upper collector pipe shown, depending on how many flows are applied to the flat tubes 22 arranged between the two collector pipes 20. The distribution of the flows takes place in the manner shown by the partition walls 28 in the collector pipes.

In each module 18, the flat tubes 22, which run parallel to one another and at right angles to the header tubes 20, have a common ribbing 30, for example by means of nested zigzag lamellae. However, the ribbing is only specific to one module 18 and in particular does not extend from one module to the other. Rather, each module is its own structural unit. The dividing line 32 therefore represents an actual material dividing line between adjacent modules 18.

The flat tubes 22, their ribbing 30 as well as the collecting tubes 20 and any adjoining elements described below are suitably made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

In Figure 4b it can be seen that normally the flat tubes 22 run in a straight line between the two collecting tubes 20.

In the variant of Figure 5b, the single flat tube 22 describes instead a curved line corresponding to the circular arc section 34 drawn as a phantom line, the curvature of which

mation runs around the bending axis 36, using which the curvature of the flat tubes 22 together with their ribbing 30 can easily be obtained during manufacture. It can be seen that with this curvature the connection of the flat tubes 22 to the collecting tubes 18 runs at an incline.

In Figure 6, Figure 6b corresponds to the described Figure 5b of Figure 5.

Compared to Figure 5a, Figure 6a is supplemented by the module 18b, which is connected to the two modules 18a in axial extension.

The module 18b can be present in any number from η = 1 (as shown here) to N = 2, 3, 4, etc. However, it belongs to a different series than the modules 18a. With the dimensions of the module 18b shown, the nominal power of the module 18b is about half as high as that of the module 18a, while, at least in the theoretical ideal case, the pressure drop due to the parallel connection remains about the same in all modules. Deviations can occur due to practical operating conditions.

Figures 5 and 6 also show that the modules are only connected in parallel in terms of the circuitry with respect to the internal heat exchange fluid, while geometrically they are arranged one behind the other, with the arrangement in series being defined by the axial direction of the header pipes 20. However, these are not continuous in different modules, but are closed at the ends, including in the area of the dividing line or joint 32.

In a conceivable modification, the modules could also be defined essentially only by the flat tubes 22 and their ribbing and, in a production process that ultimately results in a non-detachable integral structure, continuous

Insert Sanunel pipes 20 and insert the partitions 28 into them in the desired rhythm.

The arrangement of Figure 7 further develops the basic design according to Figure 5 in the following respects:

First of all, the modification assumes that the inlets 24 and the outlets 26 are provided on different collecting pipes 20, as previously mentioned above without graphic representation as a possible modification.

Furthermore, on the input side, i.e. in the area of the inlets 24, there is an input-side connection branch 38 and on the output side, in connection with the outlets 26, there is an output-side connection branch 40, which are each integrated into the circuit 2 on the input side and the output side at their right-hand end face in the drawing. The two connection branches 38 and 40 replace the parallel line paths 2a, 2b and 2c in Figures 1 to 3.

The connecting branches 38 and 40 and, if applicable, also the collecting pipes 20 can each be extruded profiles, again suitably made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

On the output side, a filter device 42 for filtering the internal heat exchange fluid is installed in the output side connection branch 40.

In all embodiments described here, successive modules are arranged geometrically one behind the other in the axial direction of their manifolds. Figure 8 shows that two adjacent modules 18x and 18y, which come from the same series or belong to different series or, in extreme cases, even belong to a special design (see description below), can be arranged at a preferably obtuse angle α relative to each other. This enables

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Just like the curved design of individual modules, it is possible to gain space for other components, such as an axial fan in a roof attachment, as will be described later.

Figures 9 and 10 show two arrangement variants of the basic arrangement according to Figure 1.

In Figure 9, the closed circuit 2 describes an additional path 44 over a certain distance, which in the area of the high-pressure side heat exchange device 10 is guided not only through the modules 18 (n = 3) but also through a countercurrent heat exchanger 46, in which both the inner and the outer heat exchange fluid correspond to the inner heat exchange fluid of the previously described heat exchangers in circuit 2. In the countercurrent heat exchanger 46, heat is exchanged between the high-pressure side and the low-pressure side of the inner heat exchange fluid. For this reason, the countercurrent heat exchanger 46 does not require the ribbing 30, which is otherwise regularly in heat exchange with ambient air.

The counterflow heat exchanger therefore has an independent design that does not necessarily require flat tubes, but can generally manage with curves. Nevertheless, its external design can be designed in such a way that it can be included in the modular assembly of the modules 18.

Figure 10 first shows that the evaporation device 6 can be divided into at least two different evaporators or partial evaporation devices 48, which are assigned to different air conditioning zones in the vehicle and can accordingly also be dimensioned to have different nominal outputs. It can be seen in the drawing in Figure 10 that these two evaporators are included in parallel in the circuit 2 of the internal heat exchange fluid.

Furthermore, in Figure 10, without loss of generality, each of the two evaporators 48a and 48b is assigned its own expansion device 4.

In Figure 10 it can also be seen that the two evaporators 48 are to be dimensioned with different nominal powers.

Figure 11 shows that at least the evaporator 38b, which has a larger nominal output, can consist of at least two evaporator modules 50 of the same design if this is desired for reasons similar to those in the previous consideration of the modules 18. In a borderline case, the evaporator 48a can even be taken from the same kit of evaporator modules 50.

According to Figure 11, without any limitation of generality, each evaporator module 50 is constructed from two parallel collecting tubes 52, between which generally round or oval tubes 54 with an external ribbing 56 run, which only belongs to each evaporator module 50 individually.

The two evaporator modules 50 are arranged geometrically axially one behind the other, as in the case of the modules 18 according to Figures 4 to 7, whereby the geometric arrangement is determined by the axial direction of the header pipes 52. These header pipes each have an inlet 58 and an outlet 60, via which the evaporator modules 50 are connected in parallel with one another with respect to the internal heat exchange fluid.

Here too, the ribbed tubes and the header tubes can be made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy and the header tubes can be extruded profiles. All further developments that were described with regard to the modules of the high-pressure side heat exchanger device are basically also possible with regard to the evaporator modules 50. This applies in particular to

especially with regard to the ability to assemble modules from different series, the ability to supplement them with special module designs and the various connection types.

Figure 12 further shows that other variants than those described so far are also possible, which fit into the basic concept of the invention.

Analogous to Figure 1, it is again assumed that the high-pressure side heat exchanger device 10 consists of the three modules 18 selected, for example.

Furthermore, two evaporator modules 50 are assumed, which, like the modules 18 in the circuit 2 of the internal heat exchange fluid, are connected in parallel and can be arranged geometrically one behind the other if required, as explained with reference to Figure 11.

The number of modules or evaporator modules can basically be varied from η = 1, 2 to higher to describe the following.

The special feature shown here is that the countercurrent heat exchanger 46 of Figure 9 is not arranged in the high-pressure side branch of circuit 2 as in Figure 9, but on the low-pressure side of circuit 2, namely as a countercurrent heat exchanger 62, which is also arranged on a separate path 64 of circuit 2. Despite the independent design of this countercurrent heat exchanger, its external design can be prepared in a modular manner as a separate structural unit and thus even enable a mixed form of interconnection of modules, here the countercurrent heat exchanger 62 with the evaporator modules 50.

Finally, Figure 13 shows the favorable arrangement possibility of the arrangement according to the invention, in particular in a roof structure.

use of a vehicle, for example a bus or larger commercial vehicle.

As with the known roof attachments discussed at the beginning, a structure symmetrical to the central axis is provided in such a way that a passenger compartment or a corresponding large usable space of the vehicle can be supplied with air conditioning air on the two side walls of the vehicle.

For this purpose, connection spaces are provided on the left and right of the roof attachment, in connection with the roof ducts on the left and right of the vehicle (not shown), in each of which at least one radial fan 66 is arranged to convey the air conditioning air into the vehicle. The following is connected upstream of this in terms of flow, which can be seen in the drawing in Figure 13 from radially outside to radially inside: a heating heat exchanger 68, an evaporator 48 or evaporator module 50, an expansion device 4 and an outside air-recirculation air flap 70 for optional or mixed operation with intake of outside air or circulation of recirculation air. The corresponding connection shafts do not require any further explanation here, as they are conventional and widely used.

Of interest within the scope of the invention is that the high-pressure side heat exchanger device 10 has at least one module 18, preferably a series arrangement of such modules, which according to Figures 5b, 6b and 7b has curved flat tubes 22, which have collecting tubes 20 running parallel to one another in the longitudinal direction of the roof attachment at both ends. Any number of modules 18 from η = 1 upwards is possible, which can be arranged geometrically one behind the other perpendicular to the drawing plane of Figure 13.

The curvature of the flat tubes 22 convexly downwards creates an extended concave bay at the top. This allows the roof attachment to accommodate

an axial fan 72 or a plurality thereof. This enables an unusually compact and, in particular, height-reduced construction of the roof attachment.

If required, as already mentioned, several evaporator modules 50 can be provided on each side of the roof structure, which can be designed, arranged and connected according to Figure 11.

2 closed circuit

4 Expansion device

6 Evaporator device

8 Compressor device

10 high-pressure side heat

exchanger device 11

12 Connection cable 13

14 high-pressure side collector

facility 15

16 low-pressure side collector device 17

18 modules 18a modules 18b modules

20 axially parallel manifolds

22 flat tubes

24 Entrance

26 Exit 27 28 Partitions

30 common ribbing

32 Dividing line

34 circular arc

36 Bending axis

38 input-side connection

branch 39

40 output connection

42 Filter device

44 additional way

46 Counterflow heat exchangers

48 Evaporator 48a, 48b

50 evaporator module

52 manifolds

54 round or oval tubes

56 external ribbing

58 Entrance

60 Exit

62 Counterflow heat exchanger

module 63

64 separate route

66 Radial blowers

68 Heating heat exchangers

70 Outside air recirculation flap

72 Axial fan

Claims (31)

1. Arrangement for air conditioning a vehicle, the arrangement comprising a circuit ( 2 ) of an internal heat exchange fluid with an expansion device ( 4 ) arranged between the high-pressure side and the low-pressure side of the circuit, a subsequent evaporator device ( 6 ), a subsequent compressor device ( 8 ) and a subsequent high-pressure-side heat exchanger device ( 10 ) for the internal heat exchange fluid of the circuit, which is in heat exchange between the internal heat exchange fluid and ambient air, and a connecting line ( 12 ) following from the high-pressure-side heat exchanger device ( 10 ) on the output side to the inlet side of the expansion device ( 4 ), characterized in that
that the high-pressure side heat exchanger device ( 10 ) is designed in a ribbed flat tube construction, in which ribbed ( 30 ) flat tubes ( 22 ) communicate with at least one collector device ( 20 ) which describes the geometric longitudinal extension direction within the heat exchanger device ( 10 ), and
that the high-pressure side heat exchanger device ( 10 ) has a modular structure in which any number n (n = 1, 2, 3, etc.) of modules ( 18 ) with the same nominal power and pressure loss can be connected one behind the other in relation to their respective geometric longitudinal extent, but in parallel in terms of circuitry, and each of these modules ( 18 ) is a structurally independent heat exchanger unit with flat tubes ( 22 ), the ribbing ( 30 ) of which only belongs to the respective module ( 18 ). 2. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that in the circuit-parallel connection of at least two modules ( 18 ) their collector devices ( 20 ) are arranged axially aligned. 3. Arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the geometric longitudinal extension direction within the heat exchanger device ( 10 ) is aligned along the vehicle. 4. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that in the circuit-parallel connection of at least two modules ( 18 ) their collector devices ( 20 ) are arranged at an angle to each other. 5. Arrangement according to claim 4, characterized in that the geometric longitudinal extension direction within the heat exchanger device ( 10 ) is aligned transversely to the vehicle. 6. Arrangement according to one of claims 4 to 5, characterized in that in the case of a supercritical design of the circuit ( 2 ) the heat exchanger device ( 10 ) is a gas cooler and that a collector device ( 16 ) is included in the low-pressure side of the circuit ( 2 ). 7. Arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that in the case of a subcritical design of the circuit ( 2 ) the heat exchanger device ( 10 ) is a condenser device and that a collecting device ( 14 ) is included in the high-pressure side and/or the low-pressure side of the circuit ( 2 ). 8. Arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the heat exchanger device ( 10 ) has only the arbitrary number n (n = 1, 2, 3, etc.) of modules ( 18 ) having the same nominal power and pressure loss. 9. Arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the heat exchanger device ( 10 ) has at least two sets of modules ( 18a , 18b ) each having an arbitrary number n1, n2 etc., (n1 or n2 etc. each equal to 1, 2, 3) of the same design in terms of nominal power and pressure loss, however, at least the nominal power is different in different sets. 10. Arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that a plurality of modules ( 18 ) arranged one behind the other with respect to their respective geometric longitudinal extent are permanently integrated in the heat exchanger device ( 10 ). 11. Arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that a plurality of modules ( 18 ) arranged one behind the other with respect to their respective geometric longitudinal extent are detachably installed in the heat exchanger device ( 10 ). 12. Arrangement according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the modules ( 18 ) each have a distributing or collecting connection branch ( 38 , 40 ) on the input side and/or output side. 13. Arrangement according to claims 10 and 11, characterized in that at least one connection branch ( 38 , 40 ) is also integrated into the permanent integration of the modules ( 18 ). 14. Arrangement according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the body of the connecting branch ( 38 , 40 ) is an extruded profile. 15. Arrangement according to claim 14, characterized in that the same design of an extruded profile is used for distributing and collecting connection branches ( 38 , 40 ). 16. Arrangement according to one of claims 12 to 15, characterized in that a filter device ( 42 ) for the internal heat exchange fluid is included in a collecting connection branch ( 40 ). 17. Arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the design of the modules ( 18 ) has collector devices ( 20 ) which are axially parallel to one another and between which the flat tubes ( 32 ) are arranged, and that the course of the flat tubes ( 32 ) between the two collector devices ( 20 ) takes place along a curved line ( 34 ). 18. Arrangement according to claim 17, characterized in that the curved lines ( 34 ) describe an at least one-sided bulge of at least one module ( 18 ). 19. Arrangement according to claim 18, characterized in that the curved lines ( 34 ) have a bending axis ( 36 ). 20. Arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that at least the high-pressure side heat exchange device ( 10 ), the evaporator device ( 6 ) and the expansion device ( 4 ) are arranged in a roof attachment ( Fig. 13) of the vehicle. 21. Arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that the evaporator device ( 6 ) has separate evaporators for different air conditioning zones of the vehicle, e.g. for a driver's seat on the one hand and for a passenger or utility arm on the other hand, which supply their respective internal heat exchange fluid to the same high-pressure side heat exchange device ( 10 ). 22. Arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 21, characterized in that the evaporator device ( 6 ) is designed in a construction in which ribbed ( 56 ) tubes ( 54 ) communicate with at least one collector device ( 52 ) which describes the geometric longitudinal extension direction within the evaporator device ( 6 ), and
that the evaporator device has a modular structure in which any number n (n = 1, 2, 3, etc.) of evaporator modules ( 50 ) which are identical in nominal power and pressure loss with respect to their respective geometric longitudinal extent can be connected one behind the other but in parallel in terms of circuitry and each of these evaporator modules ( 50 ) is a structurally independent evaporator unit with tubes ( 54 ) whose ribbing ( 56 ) only belongs to the respective evaporator module ( 50 ). 23. Arrangement according to claims 21 and 22, characterized in that the modular structure of the evaporator device ( 6 ) is provided for at least one air conditioning zone of the vehicle, e.g. for a passenger compartment or utility compartment. 24. Arrangement according to claim 23, characterized in that a single further evaporator module ( 50 ) with the same nominal output and pressure loss for a further climate zone, e.g. for a driver's seat, is included in the modular structure. 25. Arrangement according to one of claims 22 to 24, characterized in that at least one evaporator module ( 50 ) has its own expansion device ( 4 ). 26. Arrangement according to claim 25, characterized in that the evaporator module ( 50 ) is constructed integrally with its own expansion device ( 4 ). 27. Arrangement according to one of claims 22 to 26, characterized in that several evaporator modules ( 50 ) communicate with a common expansion device ( 4 ). 28. Arrangement according to claim 27, characterized in that an air conditioning zone has at least two areas, in a passenger compartment or utility compartment, for example in the vicinity of the two side walls, and that in at least two such areas a plurality of evaporator modules ( 50 ) communicate with a common expansion device ( 4 ). 29. Arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 28, characterized in that of several modules ( 18 ) or evaporator modules ( 50 ) of the same power and the same pressure loss, at least one is supplied with internal heat exchange fluid of an additional circuit or an additional path ( 64 ) of the same circuit ( 2 ). 30. Arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 29, characterized in that used air conditioning air flows supplied from different air conditioning zones in the vehicle, e.g. from a driver's seat on the one hand and from a passenger or utility space on the other hand, alone, in a mixture with supplied ambient air or alternating with supplied ambient air as an external heat exchange fluid enter into heat exchange with the same high-pressure side heat exchange device ( 10 ). 31. Arrangement according to claim 30, characterized in that the module ( 18 ) or evaporator module ( 50 ) connected in the additional path ( 64 ) is a countercurrent heat exchange device ( 62 ) between high-pressure side and low-pressure side internal heat exchange fluid.