EP1566600A1 - Cartouche déshydratante - Google Patents

Cartouche déshydratante Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1566600A1
EP1566600A1 EP04100691A EP04100691A EP1566600A1 EP 1566600 A1 EP1566600 A1 EP 1566600A1 EP 04100691 A EP04100691 A EP 04100691A EP 04100691 A EP04100691 A EP 04100691A EP 1566600 A1 EP1566600 A1 EP 1566600A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
desiccant
housing
unit according
desiccant unit
spiral
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP04100691A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Hervé Charlot
Claude Houver
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Delphi Technologies Inc
Original Assignee
Delphi Technologies Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Delphi Technologies Inc filed Critical Delphi Technologies Inc
Priority to EP04100691A priority Critical patent/EP1566600A1/fr
Publication of EP1566600A1 publication Critical patent/EP1566600A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25B—REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
    • F25B43/00—Arrangements for separating or purifying gases or liquids; Arrangements for vaporising the residuum of liquid refrigerant, e.g. by heat
    • F25B43/003—Filters
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25B—REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
    • F25B2339/00—Details of evaporators; Details of condensers
    • F25B2339/04—Details of condensers
    • F25B2339/044—Condensers with an integrated receiver
    • F25B2339/0441—Condensers with an integrated receiver containing a drier or a filter

Definitions

  • the present invention generally relates to a desiccant unit for use in air conditioning systems, and in particular in automotive air conditioning systems.
  • Desiccants are largely used in refrigeration systems, such as air conditioning systems, to keep refrigerant liquids dry, because water is detrimental both to a correct operation due to ice formation and to the properties of the refrigerant liquid itself due to chemical degradation, such as hydrolysis, eventually leading to corrosion.
  • Desiccants generally used to this purpose are small granules or beads comprising a major part of pure desiccant, such as molecular sieves, and a minor part of a mineral binding component.
  • desiccant granules are more or less subject to attrition, especially in automotive air conditioning systems, a general requirement for these systems is the presence of a filter capable of retaining particulate matter, namely loose particles of desiccant and binding material.
  • the desiccant is usually enclosed in permeable containers, such as bags, pouches or cartridges made of mesh or filter material through which the refrigerant liquid is passed to be separated from moisture and filtrated.
  • the object of the present invention is therefore to provide a desiccant unit with improved moisture adsorption capacity and which is not subject to physical attrition and to the release of loose particles.
  • the present invention provides for a desiccant unit as described in claim 1.
  • the present invention discloses a desiccant unit comprising a housing and a desiccant body arranged inside said housing, said desiccant body including a desiccant agent and a supporting matrix, wherein said supporting matrix comprises a thermoplastic polymer material and a channel agent.
  • the desiccant body has a tubular shaped form with a first protruding spiral. This first spiral is arranged on an inner and/or outer surface of the tubular shaped form, preferably along substantially the whole length of the body.
  • a first role of this spiral is to guide the flow of refrigerant up or down the body while lengthening the path taken by the fluid.
  • a second function of the spiral is to increase the contact or exchange surface of the desiccant body, thereby further enhancing its moisture adsorbing capacity.
  • An auxiliary advantage of this spiral is to raise the dimensional stability of the desiccant body without undue increase in weight.
  • the clearance between the tip of the spiral and the inner wall of the housing is generally chosen to substantially prevent the refrigerant fluid from flowing over this tip and thereby 'shortcutting' the preset flow path.
  • Thermoplastic materials are known and largely used because of their advantageous physical and chemical properties, such as high flexibility, resilience and resistance to physical and thermal shocks, as well as their good chemical inertness. Since the desiccant agent is integrated and strongly held inside such a thermoplastic supporting matrix, desiccant particles are efficiently prevented from being released into the refrigerant, even under heavy attrition conditions, such as in automotive air conditioning systems. Additional filtration devices, such as bags, pouches or cartridges of mesh material are therefore no longer required. Moreover, the risk of bag or filter leaking is advantageously discarded.
  • thermoplastic polymers may be used, especially in combination with a channel agent.
  • thermoplastic polymers rather than thermoset epoxy polymers as described in the above patent.
  • Thermoplastic polymers are made of largely available and less expensive starting materials, they require fewer ingredients and hence less complex preparation and mixing equipment and their use does not involve subsequent curing steps.
  • thermoplastic polymers that may be used in the present invention encompass polymers, copolymers and block copolymers of one or more monomers, especially olefinic monomers.
  • thermoplastic polymers which may advantageously be used in the supporting matrix, comprise one or more polymers or copolymers of ethylene and/or propylene.
  • the channel agent may be any substance forming channels or passages inside the polymer matrix, which, on one hand, increase the effectively exposed contact surface of the desiccant particles to the refrigerant and which, on the other hand, allow the permeation of the dried refrigerant fluid through the desiccant body.
  • Examples of such channel agents are polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, etc.
  • the desiccant incorporated inside the polymer matrix may be any of the conventional desiccant materials, such as molecular sieves, silica gel, etc.
  • the desiccant body further comprises one or more additional spirals on at least part of its length arranged between two consecutive ribs of said first spiral.
  • additional spirals preferably one or two, advantageously further increase the contact surface between refrigerant and desiccant body without substantially raising the pressure drop.
  • the clearance between the tip of the ribs of the first spiral and the inner wall of said housing is smaller than the clearance between the tip of the ribs of said additional spirals and the inner wall.
  • the tip of the first spiral may extend toward and even touch the inner wall, whereas the height of the additional spirals is chosen to leave a sufficient clearance to allow for flow balancing and mixing inside two consecutive ribs of the first spiral.
  • the desiccant body preferably displays a generally tubular shape with one or more spirals on its outer and/or its inner surface.
  • said tubular shaped form is cylindrical, which is especially easy to manufacture.
  • this tubular shaped form preferably is biconical or hourglass shaped, thereby varying the cross sectional area of the flow path between to consecutive ribs of the first spiral.
  • the latter advantageously further comprises an inner support structure.
  • This support structure increases the dimensional stability thereof and thus allows reducing the wall thickness and the weight of the desiccant body.
  • such an inner support structure comprises protrusions radially extending from the inner wall of the desiccant body.
  • the height of these protrusions may only represent part of the inner radius, thereby forming longitudinal ribs inside the body.
  • These protrusions may also connect in the centre of the body dividing the inside of the body into separate channels or ducts around a central longitudinal solid or hollow axis.
  • the desiccant body In order to install and maintain the desiccant body in a correct position inside the housing, it preferably further comprises fixing means on at least one end of said desiccant body to secure it inside said housing.
  • fixing means may be attached to or preferably be part of the desiccant body, for example an extension of the tubular shaped body or an extension of the inner support structure.
  • the invention also encompasses the use of a desiccant unit as described above in an air conditioning system, especially in automotive air conditioning systems.
  • said desiccant unit is part of an integrated receiver-dryer unit, i.e. its housing is produced as one part of or attached to the condenser housing, e.g. by welding, brazing, etc.
  • the desiccant unit may be used optionally or additionally as part of pipes, compressor inlet, condenser inlet, evaporator inlet or outlet. It is of particular advantage to gain an additional dehydration function out of other parts usually made of plastic material, such as trumpet tubes, T-shape tubes, etc., without added weight. Furthermore such additional dehydration will take place all along the flow path of the refrigerant fluid.
  • a typical condenser 10 of the cross flow, headered type has an inlet/outlet header tank 12 on one side, and a return header tank 14 on the other, each of which is divided into upper U and lower L sections by separators 16 and 18, respectively. Heated, compressed refrigerant vapour enters the upper section U of header tank 12, above separator 16, and flows across and through the flow tubes in the main pass section (not illustrated in detail). In the main pass, refrigerant is condensed to liquid form and flows into the upper section U of return tank 14, above the separator 18.
  • liquid refrigerant is forced, by the separator 18, to flow through an upper inlet 20 and into an attached reservoir canister housing 22 comprising a prior art desiccant bag or a desiccant body 30 according to the invention (not illustrated within canister housing 22 in Figure 1, see Figures 2, 3a, 3b and 3c for preferred embodiments).
  • liquid refrigerant can flow down and through a lower outlet 21, into lower section L of return tank 14 and ultimately into a sub cooler section of condenser 10, comprised of those flow tubes located below the two separators 16 and 18.
  • a sub cooler section of condenser 10 comprised of those flow tubes located below the two separators 16 and 18.
  • liquid refrigerant is further cooled, below the temperature necessary to simply condense it, and flows finally back into the lower section L of header tank 12.
  • Fig. 2a and 2b show an embodiment of a desiccant unit comprising a housing 22 with a cylindrical desiccant body 30 arranged inside.
  • a single (first) spiral 32 on the outer side of the desiccant body 30 with a sealing separator 34 between upper U and lower L sections forces the refrigerant entering the housing through inlet 20 (partially hidden) up along the flow path defined by said first spiral 32.
  • the moisture contained in the refrigerant is withdrawn and the liquid permeates through the channels formed by the channel agent to the inner ducts 36 (as shown in Fig. 2b) formed by joining inner radial protrusions 42 of the inner support structure 37.
  • the desiccant body 30 further comprises upper and lower fixing means 38' and 38", such as a plastic foot, to secure the structure inside said housing 22.
  • the bottom of the latter is closed by a cover 40, which may be removable for serviceable devices or welded or brazed for non-serviceable applications.
  • an hourglass shaped desiccant body 30 comprises two additional spirals 33 on its outer side between two consecutive ribs of a first spiral 32.
  • the additional spirals 33 do not extend to the bottom sealing separator 34 to facilitate the passage of the refrigerant entering through upper inlet 20 (not shown).
  • the heights of the tip of the first spiral 32 and of the additional spirals 33 are chosen to get a greater clearance with respect to the inner wall of housing 22 (not shown).
  • Upper and lower fixing means 38' and 38" are provided to lock the desiccant body 30 inside the housing.
  • the six radial protrusions 42 forming an inner supporting structure 37 shown in Fig. 3c do not join in the centre and leave an essentially hollow core representing a single inner duct 36 wherethrough dried liquid flows to a lower outlet 21 (not shown) in the lower section L.
  • a classic desiccant composite is made of 80% pure desiccant and 20 % of natural mineral component. 60 grams of molecular desiccant beads of 2 mm in average with a density of 0.85 kg/litre are enclosed in a bag of mesh material. This amount represents around 3000 beads with an exchange surface of about 60,000 mm 2 .
  • the proportion of native product is 70% desiccant to 30% thermoplastic polymer matrix.
  • 40 grams of pure desiccant are mixed with 20 grams of plastic polypropylene and channel agent to reach a total of 60 grams.
  • the volume of this polypropylene-desiccant mixture is about 53 cm 3 with a density of 0.88 kg/litre.
  • This mixture is then moulded to form a tube with an outer diameter of 20 mm, an inner diameter of 14 mm, a length of 240 mm reinforced with an internal cross of 2 mm thick and 3 spirals on the whole length with a 2 mm gage, 5 mm wide with a pitch of 120 mm.
  • the exchange surface thus obtained is about 70,000 mm 2 .
  • the moisture adsorption results achieved are at least as good as those obtained with classic desiccant beads, without the need of tedious assembly steps and the risk of leaking. Furthermore, the weight can easily be adjusted by decreasing or increasing the wall thickness of the desiccant body.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Drying Of Gases (AREA)
EP04100691A 2004-02-20 2004-02-20 Cartouche déshydratante Withdrawn EP1566600A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP04100691A EP1566600A1 (fr) 2004-02-20 2004-02-20 Cartouche déshydratante

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP04100691A EP1566600A1 (fr) 2004-02-20 2004-02-20 Cartouche déshydratante

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1566600A1 true EP1566600A1 (fr) 2005-08-24

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Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2006102862A1 (fr) * 2005-03-31 2006-10-05 Kenmore Thermo Kälte GmbH Ensemble deshydrateur installe dans un circuit de refrigerant
US7927407B2 (en) 2006-05-09 2011-04-19 Flow Dry Technology, Inc. Desiccant bag and filter assembly
WO2012143651A1 (fr) 2011-04-08 2012-10-26 Ceca S.A. Utilisation de zéolithes pour la stabilisation d'huiles
WO2012143652A1 (fr) 2011-04-08 2012-10-26 Ceca S.A. Procédé de réduction de l'acidité totale de compositions frigorigènes
US8506675B2 (en) 2010-03-26 2013-08-13 Joseph Ellsworth Composite desiccant and air-to-water system and method
KR20190100939A (ko) * 2016-12-16 2019-08-29 플로우 드라이 테크놀로지, 인코포레이티드 고체 형태 흡착제
FR3086287A1 (fr) 2018-09-26 2020-03-27 Arkema France Stabilisation du 1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene
US11242304B2 (en) 2018-05-16 2022-02-08 Arkema France Method for producing 1-chloro-3,3,3- trifluoropropene
US11286221B2 (en) 2018-06-27 2022-03-29 Arkema France Method for producing 1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene

Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB632000A (en) * 1947-01-22 1949-11-14 Gen Motors Corp Improvements relating to desiccants
US2714964A (en) * 1953-02-24 1955-08-09 Paul S Radford Liquid filter
US4013566A (en) 1975-04-07 1977-03-22 Adsorbex, Incorporated Flexible desiccant body
JPH02154958A (ja) * 1988-12-05 1990-06-14 Nippondenso Co Ltd 冷媒用除水装置
US5593477A (en) * 1994-09-02 1997-01-14 Edward E. Elson Gas and odor absorber
US5650030A (en) * 1993-05-28 1997-07-22 Kyricos; Christopher J. Method of making a vapor and heat exchange element for air conditioning
FR2836211A1 (fr) * 2002-02-18 2003-08-22 Valeo Climatisation Separateur liquide/vapeur dans une boucle de climatisation
EP1387134A2 (fr) * 2002-07-31 2004-02-04 Behr GmbH & Co. Sécheur pour condenseur à fluide frigorigène

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB632000A (en) * 1947-01-22 1949-11-14 Gen Motors Corp Improvements relating to desiccants
US2714964A (en) * 1953-02-24 1955-08-09 Paul S Radford Liquid filter
US4013566A (en) 1975-04-07 1977-03-22 Adsorbex, Incorporated Flexible desiccant body
JPH02154958A (ja) * 1988-12-05 1990-06-14 Nippondenso Co Ltd 冷媒用除水装置
US5650030A (en) * 1993-05-28 1997-07-22 Kyricos; Christopher J. Method of making a vapor and heat exchange element for air conditioning
US5593477A (en) * 1994-09-02 1997-01-14 Edward E. Elson Gas and odor absorber
FR2836211A1 (fr) * 2002-02-18 2003-08-22 Valeo Climatisation Separateur liquide/vapeur dans une boucle de climatisation
EP1387134A2 (fr) * 2002-07-31 2004-02-04 Behr GmbH & Co. Sécheur pour condenseur à fluide frigorigène

Non-Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
AARON L.BRODY: "Multi-Component Plastics : Smart Polymers for Smart Packaging", INTERNET ARTICLE, January 2004 (2004-01-01), XP002290233, Retrieved from the Internet <URL:http:\\www.ift.org\publications\docshop\ft_shop\01-04\01_04_pdfs\01-04-packaging.pdf> [retrieved on 20040727] *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 014, no. 404 (M - 1018) 31 August 1990 (1990-08-31) *

Cited By (19)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2006102862A1 (fr) * 2005-03-31 2006-10-05 Kenmore Thermo Kälte GmbH Ensemble deshydrateur installe dans un circuit de refrigerant
US7927407B2 (en) 2006-05-09 2011-04-19 Flow Dry Technology, Inc. Desiccant bag and filter assembly
US8506675B2 (en) 2010-03-26 2013-08-13 Joseph Ellsworth Composite desiccant and air-to-water system and method
WO2012143651A1 (fr) 2011-04-08 2012-10-26 Ceca S.A. Utilisation de zéolithes pour la stabilisation d'huiles
WO2012143652A1 (fr) 2011-04-08 2012-10-26 Ceca S.A. Procédé de réduction de l'acidité totale de compositions frigorigènes
US9587202B2 (en) 2011-04-08 2017-03-07 Ceca S.A. Process for reducing the total acidity of refrigerating compositions
US9605230B2 (en) 2011-04-08 2017-03-28 Ceca S.A. Use of zeolites for stabilizing oils
CN110494214A (zh) * 2016-12-16 2019-11-22 福罗德莱(张家港)包装制品有限公司 固体形式吸附剂
KR20190100939A (ko) * 2016-12-16 2019-08-29 플로우 드라이 테크놀로지, 인코포레이티드 고체 형태 흡착제
JP2020515408A (ja) * 2016-12-16 2020-05-28 フロー ドライ テクノロジー インコーポレーテッド 固形吸着剤
EP3554685A4 (fr) * 2016-12-16 2020-07-22 Flow Dry Technology, Inc. Adsorbant de forme solide
US10773239B2 (en) 2016-12-16 2020-09-15 Flow Dry Technology, Inc. Solid form adsorbent
US11203006B2 (en) 2016-12-16 2021-12-21 Flow Dry Technology, Inc. Method of use for a solid form adsorbent
CN110494214B (zh) * 2016-12-16 2022-07-22 福罗德莱(张家港)包装制品有限公司 固体形式吸附剂
US11242304B2 (en) 2018-05-16 2022-02-08 Arkema France Method for producing 1-chloro-3,3,3- trifluoropropene
US11286221B2 (en) 2018-06-27 2022-03-29 Arkema France Method for producing 1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene
FR3086287A1 (fr) 2018-09-26 2020-03-27 Arkema France Stabilisation du 1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene
WO2020065166A1 (fr) 2018-09-26 2020-04-02 Arkema France Stabilisation du 1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene
US11952322B2 (en) 2018-09-26 2024-04-09 Arkema France Stabilization of 1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene

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