EP2135016B1

EP2135016B1 - A condenser

Info

Publication number: EP2135016B1
Application number: EP08735681A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Husnu Kerpicci; Sevan Agopyan
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2007-04-02
Filing date: 2008-04-02
Publication date: 2010-06-09
Anticipated expiration: 2028-04-02
Also published as: EP2135016A1; WO2008119816A1; ES2344768T3; ATE470825T1; DE602008001507D1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a condenser (1) used in cooling devices, for example in domestic refrigerators, that condenses the refrigerant fluid delivered from the compressor maintaining the refrigeration cycle, comprising a helically wound flow tube (2) through which the refrigerant fluid flows, more than one cooling plate (3) for transferring the heat of the refrigerant fluid outside by natural or forced heat convection and a body (4) configured by folding a sheet (L) like a quadrangular frame, holding the elements thereon, with the flow tube (2) wound on the outside of the body (4) and the cooling plates (3) arranged in the hollow of the body (4).

Description

The present invention relates to a condenser that is used in cooling devices.
In cooling devices, for example in refrigerators, heat energy is discharged outside by natural or forced heat convection methods from the condenser that is located in the refrigeration cycle. The condensers that function by natural heat convection are generally used in conventional refrigerators and the condensers that function by forced heat convection are used in no-frost type refrigerators. In order to increase the heat transfer surface area in condensers, the flow tubes through which the refrigerant fluid flows, branch out into arms like in manifold or micro-channel type structures and are contacted with wires or cooling fins. In order to maintain rigidity in structures wherein the cooling fins or the wires are intertwined with the flow tubes and in structures wherein there is a high density of tubes and fins, generally a multiple number of weld or solder joints have to be used, however the desired endurance cannot be attained and costs increase by the prolonging of labor hours.
In the United States of America Patent Documents No US5765393 and No US2006144076 and the Japanese Patent Applications No JP2005061807 and No JP2005201492 multi pass and micro channel type condenser structures are explained.
In the United States of America Patent No US5097897 , a heat exchanger is explained that is configured of fluid passages bent about a central axis into a spiral coil. US 6 078 705 discloses a condenser according to the preamble of claim 1.
The aim of the present invention is the realization of a high strength condenser used in cooling devices that can be easily manufactured.
The condenser realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, is comprised of a body, with the flow tube wound around the body and cooling plates disposed in the middle of the body. The body is shaped as a hollow body that is configured by folding a single piece sheet and joining the sides thereof. Since the body supports both the flow tube wound thereon and also the cooling plates disposed in the hollow in the middle, it is manufactured of a high strength material such that deformation does not occur particularly during production. The body also maintains the heat of the refrigerant fluid flowing in the flow tube wound around to be transferred inside to the cooling plates disposed in the hollow in the middle thereof.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the condenser is manufactured by a method comprised of phases wherein the spaced apart cooling plates are arranged in vertical direction to the sheet, before the sheet forming the body is folded thereon, then the sheet is folded over the cooling plates and closed and the opposite sides of the sheets are joined. Manufacturing of the condenser is completed by winding the flow tube around the body after the body is folded over the cooling plates.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a plate shaped cooling plate retainer is used in the production of the condenser providing to dispose the cooling plates in the hollow in the middle of the condenser body, secured to the upper and lower portions of the side-by-side arranged cooling plates for holding together more than one cooling plate in a block.
In another embodiment of the present invention, channels are formed on the inner surface of the condenser body for holding the cooling plates upright and functioning as guides when the cooling plates are inserted from the outside to be fitted into the hollow inside the body.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the body is configured as a quadrangle and the flow tube is wound on the outer surface of the body by folding on the sides of the body.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the flow tube has a rectangular cross-section and is wound on the outside of the body without leaving a space between the helical windings. Thus a maximum contact surface area is attained for an effective heat transfer.
The condenser realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:
Figure 1 - is the schematic view of a condenser.
Figure 2 - is the schematic view of the various manufacturing phases of a condenser in an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 - is the schematic view of a condenser body and the cooling plates held in a block with a cooling plate retainer.
Figure 4 - is the schematic view of the condenser body in Figure 3 with the cooler plates mounted thereon.
Figure 5 - is the schematic view of a condenser body comprising channels at the inner surface thereof.
Figure 6 - is the schematic view of mounting the cooling plates on the condenser body in Figure 5.
The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1. Condenser
2. Flow tube
3. Cooling plate
4. Body
5. Cooling plate retainer
6. Channel

In cooling devices, for example in domestic refrigerators, the refrigerant fluid delivered from the compressor maintaining the refrigeration cycle is condensed in a condenser (1). The condenser (1) comprises a flow tube (2) wherein the refrigerant fluid flows and more than one cooling plate (3) that transfers the heat of the refrigerant fluid outside by natural or forced heat convection.
The condenser (1) of the present invention comprises a body (4) having a hollow body shape that is configured by folding a single piece sheet (L) and joining the sides, the front and rear surfaces (ceiling and base) being open, and produced such that the opposite inner surfaces hold the cooling plates (3).
The cooling plates (3) are mounted into the hollow (B) inside the body (4) such that they extend between the opposite inner surfaces.
The flow tube (2) is wound around the outer surface of the body (4).
The body (4) is produced of a high strength material so that it is not deformed during disposing of the cooling plates (3) inside the hollow (B) thereof and winding the flow tube (2) on the outer surface after being folded.
The heat transfer between the flow tubes (2) and the cooling plates (3) is maintained through the body (4) since the flow tubes (2) are situated on the outer surface of the body (4) and the cooling plates (3) into the hollow (B) inside the body (4) walls.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the body (4) is constituted by folding the sheet (L) over the cooling plates (3) following the arrangement of the cooling plates (3) on the sheet (L) surface in the upright direction to the sheet (L). Afterwards, the production of the condenser (1) is completed by winding the flow tube (2) on the outer surface of the body (4) (Figure 2).
In an embodiment of the present invention, the condenser (1) comprises at least one cooling plate retainer (5), preferably shaped as a flat plate, that is secured to the upper and lower portions of the side-by-side arranged cooling plates (3) for attaching the cooling plates (3) as a block by inserting into the inner surface of the body (4) (Figures 3, 4).
In this embodiment, after the cooling plates (3) are arranged side by side, the surfaces formed by the upper and lower sides are fixed by closing with the cooling plate retainer (5) and thus the cooling plates (3) are mounted by inserting into the hollow (B) inside the body (4) after being formed into a block. Moreover, chemical materials are used between the inner surface of the body (4) and the cooling plate retainers (5) for enhancing thermal transfer and adhesion of the cooling plate retainer (5) - cooling plate (3) group to the inner surface of the body (4).
In another embodiment of the present invention, the condenser (1) comprises more than one channel (6) for securing the cooling plates (3) to the inner surfaces of the upper, lower or lateral body (4) walls and functioning as guides while the cooling plates (3) are mounted by inserting into the hollow (B) inside the body (4) from outside, configured preferably before the folding process, for example by forming with a press on the surface of the sheet (L) that will remain inside, extending virtually parallel to each other, and transversely to the sheet (L) (Figures 5, 6).
In this embodiment, the cooling plates (3), singly or as a group, are fitted to the channels (6) from the upper and lower sides and mounted into the hollow (B) inside the body (4) walls after the body (4) is formed by folding the sheet (L). Chemical materials are used between the channels (6) and the cooling plates (3) that enhance thermal transfer and maintain a more durable attachment of the cooling plates (3).
In this embodiment, the channels (6) are formed for example on the inner surfaces of all the walls constituting the body (4) and the cooling plates (3) are arranged in groups in the hollow (B) inside the body (4) in both the horizontal and vertical positions and heat transfer is enhanced by increasing the surface area in contact with the air blown by the fan (Figure 6).
In an embodiment of the present invention, the body (4) is shaped as a rectangle and the flow tube (2) is wound all around on the outer surface of the body (4) by bending on the sides of the body (4) (Figure 1).
In another embodiment of the present invention, the flow tube (2) has a rectangular cross-section and is wound on the outer surface of the body (4) helically without gaps between the windings (Figure 1). Thus a maximum contact surface area is attained for an effective heat transfer.
In another embodiment of the present invention, micro-channels having rectangular cross-sections are provided inside the flow tube (2). The refrigerant fluid flowing through the micro-channels with high pressure and temperature condenses by transferring the heat outside and to the cooling plates (3) in the hollow (B) inside the body (4) whereon the flow tube (2) is wound.
In the condenser (1) of the present invention, less weld and solder joints are used for increasing the surface area for heat transfer than in conventional heat exchangers, thus problems that may arise due to breakage of welded joints are eliminated, providing an easy and rapid production. A lesser amount of workmanship is required as compared with condensers manufactured by complex production methods, having a high density of cooling plates and tubes. The condenser (1) of the present invention is particularly suitable for operating in the machine rooms of no-frost type refrigerators and provides an effective heat transfer in a small volume.

Claims

A condenser (1) that comprises a flow tube (2) wherein the refrigerant fluid flows and more than one cooling plate (3) that transfers the heat of the refrigerant fluid outside by natural or forced heat convection and characterized by a body (4) having a hollow body shape, that is configured by folding a single piece sheet (L) and joining the sides, with the front and rear surfaces being open, and produced such that the opposite inner surfaces hold the cooling plates (3), cooling plates (3) mounted into the hollow (B) inside the body (4) such that they extend between the opposite inner surfaces and a flow tube (2) that is wound around the outer surface of the body (4).
A condenser (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the body (4) being configured by folding the sheet (L) over the cooling plates (3) following the arrangement of the cooling plates (3) on the sheet (L) surface in upright direction to the sheet (L).
A condenser (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by at least one cooling plate retainer (5) that is secured to the upper and lower portions of the side-by-side arranged cooling plates (3) for attaching the cooling plates (3) in a block by inserting into the inner surface of the body (4).
A condenser (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by more than one channel (6) for holding the cooling plates (3) into the hollow (B) inside the body (4) in the upright position to the inner surfaces of the upper, lower or lateral body (4) walls and functioning as guides while the cooling plates (3) are mounted by inserting into the hollow (B) inside the body (4) from outside, configured by forming with a press on the surface of the sheet (L) that will remain inside, extending virtually parallel to each other and transversely to the sheet (L).
A condenser (1) as in Claim 4, characterized by the channels (6) formed on the inner surfaces of all the walls constituting the body (4) and the cooling plates (3) arranged in groups into the hollow (B) inside the body (4) in both the horizontal and vertical positions.
A condenser (1) as in any one of the above Claims, characterized by the body (4) manufactured of a high strength material that maintains heat transfer between the flow tubes (2) and the cooling plates (3).
A condenser (1) as in any one of the above Claims, characterized by the body (4) with a quadrangular shape and a flow tube (2) that is wound all around the outer surface of the body (4) by bending on the sides of the body (4).
A condenser (1) as in any one of the above Claims, characterized by the flow tube (2) having a rectangular cross-section that is wound around the outer surface of the body (4) helically and without leaving gaps between the windings.