US20140102682A1

US20140102682A1 - Condenser for vehicle

Info

Publication number: US20140102682A1
Application number: US13/717,414
Authority: US
Inventors: Jae Yeon Kim; Wan Je Cho; Soon-Jong Lee; Yoon Sung Kim
Original assignee: Hyundai Motor Co; Doowon Climate Control Co Ltd
Current assignee: Hyundai Motor Co; Doowon Climate Control Co Ltd
Priority date: 2012-10-16
Filing date: 2012-12-17
Publication date: 2014-04-17
Also published as: CN103727709B; CN103727709A; JP2014080174A; KR20140048709A; KR101461872B1; JP6165437B2; DE102012113120A1

Abstract

A condenser for vehicles may include a main heat-discharging unit formed with a plurality of first and second flow paths alternately, an overcooling heat-discharging unit disposed on a lower portion of the main heat-discharging unit, and formed with third and fourth flow paths, a receiver drier unit mounted on an upper portion of the overcooling heat-discharging unit to separate the refrigerant that flows through the main heat-discharging unit and the overcooling heat-discharging unit, to filter moisture and foreign materials therefrom and then to supply a filtered refrigerant to the overcooling heat-discharging unit

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2012-0114980 filed on Oct. 16, 2012, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a condenser for a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to a condenser for a vehicle to which a water cooling type is applied, in which a refrigerant is condensed through heat exchange with cooling fluid is applied.
2. Description of Related Art
An air conditioning system includes a compressor to compress a refrigerant, a condenser to condense and liquefy the refrigerant compressed by the compressor, an expansion valve to quickly expand the condensed and liquefied refrigerant by the condenser, and an evaporator to evaporate the refrigerant expanded by the expansion valve.
The condenser is connected to a receiver drier through a pipe provided for removing moisture in the refrigerant.
In recent years, the condenser is applied to vehicles to which the water cooling type is applied using a coolant as the coolant fluid.
In the condenser to which the water cooling type is applied, condensing efficiency can be increased by increasing the size of a radiator or the capacity of a cooling fan. Accordingly, cost and weight are increased and a connection pipe is required in addition to a receiver drier.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Various aspects of the present invention are directed to providing a condenser for a vehicle which is configured such that a receiver drier unit is integrally configured, the condensed coolant is overcooled through a low temperature and low-voltage gaseous refrigerant, a layout of a connection pipe and the constituent element is simplified, and a heat dissipation area is increased through reduction of a free-volume.
In an aspect of the present invention, a condenser for vehicles may include a main heat-discharging unit formed with a plurality of first and second flow paths alternately, such that an inflowing coolant and a supplying refrigerant are heat-exchanged with each other while each flowing therein, an overcooling heat-discharging unit disposed on a lower portion of the main heat-discharging unit, and formed with third and fourth flow paths alternately to overcool the refrigerant that may have passed the main heat-discharging unit through a low-pressure gaseous refrigerant that is supplied separately, a receiver drier unit disposed to be spaced from the main heat-discharging unit, and mounted on an upper portion of the overcooling heat-discharging unit to separate the refrigerant that flows through the main heat-discharging unit and the overcooling heat-discharging unit, to filter moisture and foreign materials therefrom and then to supply a filtered refrigerant to the overcooling heat-discharging unit, an upper cover that interconnects the main heat-discharging unit and an upper portion of the receiver drier unit to form a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet, respectively, by which the coolant is flowed in and discharged to one side and another side corresponding to the main heat-discharging unit, and a refrigerant inlet, and a lower cover having a refrigerant outlet connected to the overcooling heat-discharging unit and having a gaseous refrigerant inlet formed at a location spaced from the refrigerant outlet and a gaseous refrigerant outlet, formed with a mounting hole corresponding to the receiver drier unit, and mounted on a lower portion of the overcooling heat-discharging unit.
The receiver drier unit may include a refrigerant storage unit having a plurality of stacked plates and formed with a refrigerant storage space therein, an insertion member inserted into the mounting hole from a lower portion of the lower cover and having an upper end corresponding to the refrigerant storage space, a fixed cap inserted into the insertion member, and integrally formed with a filter unit to remove the foreign materials therein, wherein a lower portion of the fixed cap is screwed to an inner circumferential surface of the insertion member, and a drying agent provided in the refrigerant storage space from an upper portion of the fixed cap in the insertion member.
The overcooling heat-discharging unit is formed with a connection space that interconnects the mounting hole and the refrigerant storage space.
The insertion member is formed with a discharging hole by which a liquid refrigerant that may have passed the filter unit of the fixed cap is discharged to the overcooling heat-discharging unit.
The insertion member is formed into a cylindrical shape which is opened at both ends thereof.
A sealing is interposed between an outer circumferential surface of the fixed cap and an inner circumferential surface of the insertion member.
The refrigerant supplied form a compressor flows in each of the first flow paths, and the coolant supplied from a radiator is circulated.
The overcooling heat-discharging unit is formed with a partition wall by which each of first and second flow paths and the each of third and fourth flow paths are partitioned, on an upper portion thereof closer to the main heat-discharging unit, and the upper portion from the partition wall is formed with a first connection flow path to be connected to the receiver drier unit.
The main heat-discharging unit is configured to condense a flowed refrigerant by heat-exchanging with the coolant, and discharge the refrigerant condensed by the receiver drier unit, through the first connection flow path.
The overcooling heat-discharging unit is configured such that a second connection flow path in which the liquid refrigerant that may have passed the receiver drier unit flows is formed on a lower portion from the partition wall
The overcooling heat-discharging unit is configured such that the refrigerant that may have passed through the main heat-discharging unit and the receiver drier unit flows in each of the third flow paths, and the refrigerant is overcooled by the low-pressure gaseous refrigerant, which is supplied from an evaporator and flows through the fourth flow paths.
The overcooling heat-discharging unit is interconnected with the main heat-discharging unit and the receiver drier unit through a connection plate mounted on an upper portion thereof.
The connection plate is configured such that the main heat-discharging unit and the receiver drier unit are spaced apart and fixed by a fixed protrusion, which is formed in a width direction of the connection plate between the main heat-discharging unit and the receiver drier unit.
The overcooling heat-discharging unit may be heat-exchanged by counter-flowing flows of the coolant and the refrigerant.
The radiator may be made for a low-temperature and connected to a reserver tank, and a rear of the radiator is provided with a cooling fan.
The condenser may be made of a heat exchanger stacked with a plurality of plates.
As described above, in the condenser for vehicles according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, it is configured such that a receiver drier unit is integrally configured, the condensed coolant is overcooled through a low temperature and low-voltage gaseous refrigerant supplied through a compressor, there is an effect in that a layout of a connection pipe and the constituent element is simplified.
In addition, since the refrigerant condensed through the main heat-discharging unit can be again overcooled through low temperature and low pressure gaseous refrigerant of the overcooling heat-discharging unit, a separate device or pipe for additional overcooling the condensed refrigerant can be removed.
In addition, the receiver drier unit is disposed to be spaced from the main heat-discharging unit to prevent mixing of the coolant, and a free-volume of the inner portion of the condenser is reduced to increase a heat dissipation area, thereby capable of improving condensing efficiency and cooling efficiency.
In addition, the main heat-discharging unit, the overcooling heat-discharging unit, and the receiver drier unit are manufactured in a separate stacked type, respectively, and integrally configured through the upper and lower covers and the connection plate, such as poor welding and assembly quality deviation can be prevented.
The methods and apparatuses of the present invention have other features and advantages which will be apparent from or are set forth in more detail in the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and the following Detailed Description, which together serve to explain certain principles of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an air conditioning system to which a condenser for a vehicle is applied, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a condenser for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view illustrating a condenser for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a condenser for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an operation state diagram representing a flow of a coolant, as a cross-sectional view taken along a line A-A of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is an operation state diagram representing flows of a coolant and a gaseous refrigerant, as a cross-sectional view taken along a line B-B of FIG. 3.

It should be understood that the appended drawings are not necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of various features illustrative of the basic principles of the invention. The specific design features of the present invention as disclosed herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes will be determined in part by the particular intended application and use environment.
In the figures, reference numbers refer to the same or equivalent parts of the present invention throughout the several figures of the drawing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present invention(s), examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. While the invention(s) will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments, it will be understood that the present description is not intended to limit the invention(s) to those exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, the invention(s) is/are intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention will hereinafter be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Prior to the detailed descriptions, while this invention will be described in connection with what is presently considered to be practical exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an air conditioning system to which a condenser for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a condenser for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a top plan view illustrating a condenser for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a condenser for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 1, the condenser 100 for a vehicle may be applied to an air conditioning system that includes an expansion valve 101 to expand a liquid refrigerant, an evaporator 103 to evaporate a refrigerant expanded through the expansion valve 101 by means of a heat exchange with air, and a compressor 105 to compress a gaseous refrigerant supplied from the evaporator 103.
That is, the condenser 100 is provided between the compressor 105 and the expansion valve 101 to condense the refrigerant introduced from the compressor 105 using a coolant supplied from a radiator 107.
The radiator 107 is made for a low-temperature and connected to a reserver tank 108, and a rear of the radiator is provided with a cooling fan 109.
Here, the condenser 100 for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is configured to be integrated with a receiver drier unit 130, and a condensed refrigerant is overcooled through a low-pressure gaseous refrigerant supplied by means of the evaporator 103, such that a layout of a connection pipe and components can be simplified and a heat discharge area can be increased through a free-volume reduction to improve cooling efficiency.
To this end, the condenser 100 for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is configured to include a main heat-discharging unit 110, an overcooling heat-discharging unit 120, a receiver drier unit 130, an upper cover 140, and a lower cover 150, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4.
First, the main heat-discharging unit 110 is configured to have a plurality of stacked plates 111, and a plurality of first and second flow paths 113 and 115 is formed in the inner portion thereof.
In the main heat-discharging unit 110, the refrigerant supplied from the compressor 105 flows through the first flow path 113 and is connected to the radiator 107 such that the coolant flows through the second flow path 115, where the refrigerant is primarily condensed through heat-exchange of the coolant and the refrigerant.
In the present exemplary embodiment, the overcooling heat-discharging unit 120 is disposed on a lower side of the main heat-discharging unit 110, and the coolant and the refrigerant are interacted with the main heat-discharging unit 110.
The overcooling heat-discharging unit 120 is configured to have a plurality of stacked plates 121 such that a plurality of third and fourth flow paths 123 and 125 is formed to be crossed, respectively.
The refrigerant that has passed the receiver drier unit 130 from the main heat-discharging unit 110 flows in each of the third flow paths 123, and the low-pressure gaseous refrigerant supplied from the evaporator 103 flows in each of the fourth flow paths 125, where the liquid refrigerant is overcooled through heat exchange with the low-pressure gaseous refrigerant.
That is, the overcooling heat-discharging unit 120 is configured such that after the refrigerant is cooled through the main heat-discharging unit 110 and the primarily condensed refrigerant is passed through the receiver drier unit 130, if the refrigerant flows, the refrigerant is overcooled through heat exchange with low-pressure gaseous refrigerant, and it can perform a function to secondarily condense the refrigerant.
Here, the overcooling heat-discharging unit 120 may be heat-exchanged by counter-flowing flows of the low-pressure gaseous refrigerant and the refrigerant that flows through the receiver drier unit 130.
Accordingly, since the overcooling heat-discharging unit 120 is configured such that the liquid refrigerant and the gaseous refrigerant flow in the opposite direction to each other in a state in which they is not mixed with each other, through each of third flow path 123 and fourth flow path 125 that do not interact with each other in a state where each plate 121 is stacked, the heat exchange with each other can be efficiently achieved.
Meanwhile, in this exemplary embodiment, even if the low-pressure gaseous refrigerant from the overcooling heat-discharging unit 120 and the refrigerant from the receiver drier unit 130 is described that flow in the opposite direction to each other as an exemplary embodiment, it is not limited to the disclosed embodiment and they can flow in the same direction to each other. In the present exemplary embodiment, the overcooling heat-discharging unit 120 may be interconnected with the main heat-discharging unit 110 and the receiver drier unit 130 through a connection plate 160 mounted on the upper portion thereof.
The main heat-discharging unit 110 and the receiver drier unit 130 are spaced apart and fixed by means of a fixed protrusion 161, which is formed in a width direction of the connection plate 160 between the main heat-discharging unit 110 and the receiver drier unit 130. In the present exemplary embodiment, the receiver drier unit 130 is disposed on one side of the main heat-discharging unit 110 and mounted on the upper portion of the overcooling heat-discharging unit 120 through the connection plate 160.
The receiver drier unit 130 is configured such that gas components are separated from the refrigerant that flows through the main heat-discharging unit 110 and the overcooling heat-discharging unit 120, and moisture and foreign materials is filtered, thereby capable supplying only liquid refrigerant to the overcooling heat-discharging unit 120.
In the present exemplary embodiment, the upper cover 140 interconnects with the main heat-discharging unit 110 and the receiver drier unit 120.
The upper cover 140 is configured such that a coolant inlet 141 and a coolant outlet 143 by which the coolant flows and is discharged are formed on one side and anther side corresponding to the main heat-discharging unit 110 respectively, and formed on the side of the coolant inlet 141 at a location at which the refrigerant inlet 145 is spaced apart.
Here, the refrigerant inlet 145 is interconnected with each of first flow paths 113 in the inner portion of the main heat-discharging unit 110 to be supplied with the refrigerant supplied from the compressor 105.
The coolant inlet 141 is connected to the radiator 107 to be supplied with the coolant by the second flow path 115, and the coolant outlet 143 again discharges the coolant that has passed through each of the second flow paths 115 to the radiator 107.
In addition, the refrigerant outlet 151 connected with overcooling heat-discharging unit 120 at one side corresponding to the refrigerant inlet 145 is formed on the lower cover 150 and it is connected with the expansion valve 101.
In addition, the lower cover 150 is configured such that the gaseous refrigerant inlet 153 is formed with a gaseous refrigerant inlet 153 spaced from the refrigerant outlet 151 and connected an evaporator 103, and at the opposite side thereof, a gaseous refrigerant outlet 155 is formed and connected to the evaporator 103.
The lower cover 150 is formed with a mounting hole 157 by corresponding to the receiver drier unit 130 and mounted on a lower portion of the overcooling heat-discharging unit 120.
Accordingly, the refrigerant supplied from the compressor 105 is primarily cooled and condensed through heat exchange with the coolant while passing through the main heat-discharging unit 110, and then a gaseous refrigerant, moisture and foreign materials are removed while passing through the receiver drier unit 130.
Then, the refrigerant flows in the overcooling heat-discharging unit 120. At this time, the refrigerant is overcooled through heat exchange with a low-pressure gaseous refrigerant, such that cooling efficiency can be improved and condensing rate of the refrigerant can be increased.
Meanwhile, in the present exemplary embodiment, a partition wall 127 by which the each of first and second flow paths 113 and 115 and the each of third and fourth flow paths 123 and 125 are partitioned, may be formed between the overcooling heat-discharging unit 120 and the main heat-discharging unit 110, and a first connection flow path 128 to be connected to the receiver drier unit 130 may be formed on the upper portion from the partition wall 127.
Accordingly, the main heat-discharging unit 110 may be configured such that the flowed refrigerant is condensed through heat exchange with the coolant, and the condensed refrigerant is discharged to the receiver drier unit 130 through the first connection flow path 128.
In addition, the overcooling heat-discharging unit 120 may be configured such that the second connection flow path 129 in which the liquid refrigerant that has passed through the receiver drier unit 130 flows is formed on the lower portion from the partition wall 127.
That is, the refrigerant supplied through the main heat-discharging unit 110 and the receiver drier unit 130 flows through the second connection flow path 129 in the overcooling heat-discharging unit 120, and flows through the third flow path 123.
Accordingly, the liquid refrigerant that passing through each of the third flow paths 123 is overcooled through heat exchange with the gaseous refrigerant, which supplied from the evaporator 103.
Here, the first connection flow path 128 and the second connection flow path 129 are partitioned by each partition wall 127, such that mixing of the refrigerant that passing through the main heat-discharging unit 110 and the refrigerant that flows in overcooling heat-discharging unit 120 can be prevented.
Meanwhile, detailed configuration of receiver drier unit 130 according to the present exemplary embodiment as described above will be described in more detail below.
In the present exemplary embodiment, the receiver drier unit 130 is configured to have a refrigerant storage unit 131, an insertion member 133, a fixed cap 135, and a drying agent 137.
First, the refrigerant storage unit 131 is configured such that a plurality of plates 131 a have to a stacked configuration and a refrigerant storage space 131 b is formed on the inner portion thereof.
The insertion member 133 is inserted into the refrigerant storage space 131 b through the mounting hole 157 from the lower portion of the lower cover 150.
Meanwhile the overcooling heat-discharging unit 120 may be configured such that a connection space 126 connected with the mounting hole 157 is formed from one side of the inner portion corresponding to the receiver drier unit 130 and interconnected with the refrigerant storage space 131 b.
The insertion member 133 is formed into a cylindrical pipe shape which is opened at both ends thereof, and press-fitted to a mounting hole corresponding to the connection space 126, such that the refrigerant does not leak the outside of the overcooling heat-discharging unit 120 and the upper end of thereof is corresponded to the refrigerant storage space 131 b.
In the present exemplary embodiment, the fixed cap 135 is inserted into the upper portion from the lower portion of the insertion member 133, and integrally formed with a filter unit 135 a to filter the liquid refrigerant on the upper portion, where the lower portion is screwed to an inner circumferential surface of the insertion member 133.
Here, a discharging hole 133 a by which a liquid refrigerant that has passed the filter unit 135 a is discharged to the overcooling heat-discharging unit 120, on one side of the upper portion may be formed on the insertion member 133 by corresponding to the filter unit 135 a of the fixed cap 135 and the overcooling heat-discharging unit 120.
The discharging hole 133 a is configured such that the second connection flow path 120 and the filter unit 135 a is interconnected to each other, in order that the filtered liquid refrigerant is connected to a third flow path 125 of the overcooling heat-discharging unit 120 through the second connection flow path 129.
Meanwhile, a sealing 139 is interposed to be sealed between the outer circumferential surface of the fixed cap 135 and the inner circumferential surface of the insertion member 133.
In the present exemplary embodiment, the sealing 139 may be configured as a pair, and have a function that prevents the liquid refrigerant from being leaked to the overcooling heat-discharging unit 120.
In addition, the drying agent 137 is provided on the refrigerant storage space 131 b from the upper portion of the fixed cap 135, and a remaining gaseous refrigerant on the condensed refrigerant that flows from the main heat-discharging unit 110 is separated.
That is, after the remaining gaseous refrigerant in the inner portion thereof is separated through the drying agent 137, the foreign materials are filtered while passing through the filter unit 135 a.
Then, the refrigerant is secondarily condensed through the second connection flow path 129 while passing through the overcooling heat-discharging unit 120, and then discharged from the overcooling heat-discharging unit 120 through the refrigerant outlet 151, and flowed into the expansion valve 101.
Accordingly, the foreign materials can be prevented from flowing into the expansion valve 101, along with the refrigerant.
In addition, when the lifetime of the drying agent 137 ends, maintenance performance and maintenance time can be shortened by separating and replacing the fixed cap 135 screwed.
The condenser 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may be configured such that the main heat-discharging unit 110, the overcooling heat-discharging unit 120, and the receiver drier unit 130 are stacked with a plurality of plates 111, 121 and 131 a, respectively, such that they may be integrally configured through the upper and lower cover 140 and 150 and the connection plate 160.
Hereinafter, a condenser 100 for vehicles according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, which is configured as described above, will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.
FIG. 5 is an operation state diagram representing a flow of a coolant, as a cross-sectional view taken along a line A-A of FIG. 3, and FIG. 6 is an operation state diagram representing flows of a coolant and a gaseous refrigerant, as a cross-sectional view taken along a line B-B of FIG. 3.
First, as shown in FIG. 5, a gaseous refrigerant of high-temperature and high-pressure supplied from the compressor 105 is flowed into the main heat-discharging unit 110 through the refrigerant inlet 141 of the upper cover 140, and moved to the receiver drier unit 130 along the first flow path 113 formed between the second flow paths 115, respectively.
At this time, as shown in FIG. 6, a low-temperature coolant cooled through the radiator 107 is flowed into the main heat-discharging unit 110 through a coolant inlet 141 of the upper cover 140 and moved along each of the second flow paths 115, and then, discharged through the coolant outlet 143 and again flowed into the radiator 107, and cooled through a heat exchange with outer air.
In addition, the low-pressure gaseous refrigerant supplied from the evaporator 103 is flowed through a gaseous refrigerant inlet 153 mounted on the lower portion of the overcooling heat-discharging unit 120.
Here, the refrigerant flowed into the main heat-discharging unit 110 is flowed into the inner portion of the main heat-discharging unit 110 through the refrigerant inlet 145, and the heat exchange with the coolant is made while moving along each of the first flow paths 113 formed between the coolants flowed along each of second flow paths 115.
That is, after the main heat-discharging unit 110 is configured such that after the refrigerant that flowed into the inner portion of thereof and passes through each of the first flow paths 113 is primarily condensed through heat exchange with the coolant that passes through each of the second flow paths 115, the condensed refrigerant is flowed into the receiver drier unit 130 through the first connection flow path 128 formed on the upper portion of the overcooling heat-discharging unit 120.
In addition, the condensed refrigerant flowed into the receiver drier unit 130 is passed through the drying agent 137 provided on the refrigerant storage space 131 b and the filter unit 135 a.
Then, the refrigerant is discharged through a discharging hole 133 a of the insertion member 133 and flowed into the second connection flow path 129 connected with the discharging hole 133 a.
Accordingly, the condensed liquid refrigerant flowed into the overcooling heat-discharging unit 120 through the second connection flow path 129 is moved along each of the third flow paths 123 and discharged into the expansion valve 101 through the refrigerant outlet 151.
Here, the low-pressure gaseous refrigerant supplied from the evaporator 103 is flowed into the inner portion of the overcooling heat-discharging unit 120 through the gaseous refrigerant inlet 153.
In this time, the gaseous refrigerant flowed into the overcooling heat-discharging unit 120 is flowed in the opposite direction of the liquid refrigerant that flowed on each of the third flow paths 123 along each of the fourth flow paths 125.
Accordingly, the gaseous refrigerant is passed through the receiver drier unit 130 and the liquid refrigerant is overcooled in the overcooling heat-discharging unit 120.
That is, the refrigerant flowed into the overcooling heat-discharging unit 120 is discharged through the refrigerant outlet 151 in an overcooled state, and supplied to the expansion valve 101.
Meanwhile, after the gaseous refrigerant flowed through the gaseous refrigerant inlet 153 is heat exchanged with the refrigerant moved along each of third flow paths 123, the refrigerant is discharged through the gaseous refrigerant outlet 155 and supplied to the compressor 105 connected with the gaseous refrigerant outlet 155.
Here, the receiver drier unit 130 is integrally configured in the main and overcooling heat-discharging units 110 and 120 through the upper cover 140 and the lower cover 150 in a state spaced through the connection plate 160 from the one side of the main heat-discharging unit 110.
In addition, the receiver drier unit 130 is connected to the main heat-discharging unit 110 and the overcooling heat-discharging unit 120 through the first and second connection flow paths 128 and 129, thereby capable of removing a separate connection pipe.
In addition, the receiver drier configured in a conventional circular shape is configured to have the same stacked plates 111, 121 and 131 a as that of each of the heat-discharging units 110 and 120 such that a package is reduced and a free-volume is reduced, thereby capable of increasing each of the heat-discharging units 110 and 120, without changing sizes of thereof.
In addition, the refrigerant can be overcooled and condensed by the low-pressure gaseous refrigerant, thereby capable of improving cooling performance and efficiency.
In addition, from a type in which a flow path partitioned through a rib is separated and partitioned in a conventional plate-type heat exchanger, mixing generated by leakage due to poor welding and assembly quality deviation can be prevented, thereby capable of improving condensing efficiency and marketability.
Accordingly, when the condenser 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is applied, as configured above, the receiver drier unit 130 is integrally configured, the water cooling type condensed though heat exchange of the cooling fluid and the refrigerant is applied, and the condensed refrigerant can be overcooled through heat exchange with the low-pressure gaseous refrigerant supplied through the evaporator 103. Therefore, there is an effect of reducing the cost and weight by simplifying the layout of the components and the connection pipe.
In addition, since the refrigerant condensed through the main heat-discharging unit 110 can be again overcooled through the overcooling heat-discharging unit 120, a separate device or pipe for additional overcooling the condensed refrigerant can be removed, thereby preventing the additional costs.
In addition, the receiver drier unit 130 is disposed to be spaced from the main heat-discharging unit 110 to prevent mixing of the coolant, and a free-volume of the inner portion of the condenser 100 is reduced to increase a heat dissipation area and condensing efficiency and cooling efficiency is improved without increasing sizes, thereby improving marketability.
In addition, the main heat-discharging unit 110, the overcooling heat-discharging unit 120, and the receiver drier unit 130 are manufactured in a separate stacked type, respectively, and integrally configured through the upper and lower covers 140 and 150 and the connection plate 160, such as from a type in which a flow path is partitioned through a conventional rib, mixing generated by leakage due to poor welding and assembly quality deviation can be prevented.
For convenience in explanation and accurate definition in the appended claims, the terms “upper”, “lower”, “inner” and “outer” are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the positions of such features as displayed in the figures.
The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain certain principles of the invention and their practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to make and utilize various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as well as various alternatives and modifications thereof. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto and their equivalents.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A condenser for vehicles, comprising;

a main heat-discharging unit formed with a plurality of first and second flow paths alternately, such that an inflowing coolant and a supplying refrigerant are heat-exchanged with each other while each flowing therein;

an overcooling heat-discharging unit disposed on a lower portion of the main heat-discharging unit, and formed with third and fourth flow paths alternately to overcool the refrigerant that has passed the main heat-discharging unit through a low-pressure gaseous refrigerant that is supplied separately;

a receiver drier unit disposed to be spaced from the main heat-discharging unit, and mounted on an upper portion of the overcooling heat-discharging unit to separate the refrigerant that flows through the main heat-discharging unit and the overcooling heat-discharging unit, to filter moisture and foreign materials therefrom and then to supply a filtered refrigerant to the overcooling heat-discharging unit;

an upper cover that interconnects the main heat-discharging unit and an upper portion of the receiver drier unit to form a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet, respectively, by which the coolant is flowed in and discharged to one side and another side corresponding to the main heat-discharging unit, and a refrigerant inlet; and

a lower cover having a refrigerant outlet connected to the overcooling heat-discharging unit and having a gaseous refrigerant inlet formed at a location spaced from the refrigerant outlet and a gaseous refrigerant outlet, formed with a mounting hole corresponding to the receiver drier unit, and mounted on a lower portion of the overcooling heat-discharging unit.

2. The condenser of claim 1, wherein the receiver drier unit includes;

a refrigerant storage unit having a plurality of stacked plates and formed with a refrigerant storage space therein;

an insertion member inserted into the mounting hole from a lower portion of the lower cover and having an upper end corresponding to the refrigerant storage space;

a fixed cap inserted into the insertion member, and integrally formed with a filter unit to remove the foreign materials therein, wherein a lower portion of the fixed cap is screwed to an inner circumferential surface of the insertion member; and

a drying agent provided in the refrigerant storage space from an upper portion of the fixed cap in the insertion member.

3. The condenser of claim 2, wherein the overcooling heat-discharging unit is formed with a connection space that interconnects the mounting hole and the refrigerant storage space.

4. The condenser of claim 2, wherein the insertion member is formed with a discharging hole by which a liquid refrigerant that has passed the filter unit of the fixed cap is discharged to the overcooling heat-discharging unit.

5. The condenser of claim 2, wherein the insertion member is formed into a cylindrical shape which is opened at both ends thereof.

6. The condenser of claim 2, wherein a sealing is interposed between an outer circumferential surface of the fixed cap and an inner circumferential surface of the insertion member.

7. The condenser of claim 1, wherein the refrigerant supplied form a compressor flows in each of the first flow paths, and the coolant supplied from a radiator is circulated.

8. The condenser of claim 1, wherein the overcooling heat-discharging unit is formed with a partition wall by which each of first and second flow paths and the each of third and fourth flow paths are partitioned, on an upper portion thereof closer to the main heat-discharging unit, and the upper portion from the partition wall is formed with a first connection flow path to be connected to the receiver drier unit.

9. The condenser of claim 8, wherein the main heat-discharging unit is configured to condense a flowed refrigerant by heat-exchanging with the coolant, and discharge the refrigerant condensed by the receiver drier unit, through the first connection flow path.

10. The condenser of claim 8, wherein the overcooling heat-discharging unit is configured such that a second connection flow path in which the liquid refrigerant that has passed the receiver drier unit flows is formed on a lower portion from the partition wall

11. The condenser of claim 10, wherein the overcooling heat-discharging unit is configured such that the refrigerant that has passed through the main heat-discharging unit and the receiver drier unit flows in each of the third flow paths, and the refrigerant is overcooled by the low-pressure gaseous refrigerant, which is supplied from an evaporator and flows through the fourth flow paths.

12. The condenser of claim 10, wherein the overcooling heat-discharging unit is interconnected with the main heat-discharging unit and the receiver drier unit through a connection plate mounted on an upper portion thereof.

13. The condenser of claim 12, wherein the connection plate is configured such that the main heat-discharging unit and the receiver drier unit are spaced apart and fixed by a fixed protrusion, which is formed in a width direction of the connection plate between the main heat-discharging unit and the receiver drier unit.