US20140262143A1 - Single exchanger hvac unit and power machines using the same - Google Patents
Single exchanger hvac unit and power machines using the same Download PDFInfo
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- US20140262143A1 US20140262143A1 US14/134,762 US201314134762A US2014262143A1 US 20140262143 A1 US20140262143 A1 US 20140262143A1 US 201314134762 A US201314134762 A US 201314134762A US 2014262143 A1 US2014262143 A1 US 2014262143A1
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- Prior art keywords
- tubes
- heating
- cooling
- exchanger
- row
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- 238000001816 cooling Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 84
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 82
- 239000002131 composite material Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 48
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims description 44
- 238000004378 air conditioning Methods 0.000 claims description 5
- 230000001143 conditioned effect Effects 0.000 claims description 3
- 230000009467 reduction Effects 0.000 abstract description 2
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 4
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 description 4
- 229910052782 aluminium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 3
- XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N aluminium Chemical compound [Al] XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 3
- 230000008878 coupling Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000010168 coupling process Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000005859 coupling reaction Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000004891 communication Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000003750 conditioning effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000002826 coolant Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229910000831 Steel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 230000000903 blocking effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000007664 blowing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000002500 effect on skin Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229910052751 metal Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000003507 refrigerant Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000010959 steel Substances 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
- F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
- F28F1/00—Tubular elements; Assemblies of tubular elements
- F28F1/10—Tubular elements and assemblies thereof with means for increasing heat-transfer area, e.g. with fins, with projections, with recesses
- F28F1/12—Tubular elements and assemblies thereof with means for increasing heat-transfer area, e.g. with fins, with projections, with recesses the means being only outside the tubular element
- F28F1/24—Tubular elements and assemblies thereof with means for increasing heat-transfer area, e.g. with fins, with projections, with recesses the means being only outside the tubular element and extending transversely
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
- F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
- F28F1/00—Tubular elements; Assemblies of tubular elements
- F28F1/10—Tubular elements and assemblies thereof with means for increasing heat-transfer area, e.g. with fins, with projections, with recesses
- F28F1/12—Tubular elements and assemblies thereof with means for increasing heat-transfer area, e.g. with fins, with projections, with recesses the means being only outside the tubular element
- F28F1/24—Tubular elements and assemblies thereof with means for increasing heat-transfer area, e.g. with fins, with projections, with recesses the means being only outside the tubular element and extending transversely
- F28F1/32—Tubular elements and assemblies thereof with means for increasing heat-transfer area, e.g. with fins, with projections, with recesses the means being only outside the tubular element and extending transversely the means having portions engaging further tubular elements
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60H—ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES
- B60H1/00—Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices
- B60H1/00321—Heat exchangers for air-conditioning devices
- B60H1/00328—Heat exchangers for air-conditioning devices of the liquid-air type
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60H—ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES
- B60H1/00—Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices
- B60H1/00321—Heat exchangers for air-conditioning devices
- B60H1/00335—Heat exchangers for air-conditioning devices of the gas-air type
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60H—ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES
- B60H1/00—Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices
- B60H1/00357—Air-conditioning arrangements specially adapted for particular vehicles
- B60H1/00378—Air-conditioning arrangements specially adapted for particular vehicles for tractor or load vehicle cabins
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
- F28D—HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT
- F28D1/00—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary conduit assemblies for one heat-exchange medium only, the media being in contact with different sides of the conduit wall, in which the other heat-exchange medium is a large body of fluid, e.g. domestic or motor car radiators
- F28D1/02—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary conduit assemblies for one heat-exchange medium only, the media being in contact with different sides of the conduit wall, in which the other heat-exchange medium is a large body of fluid, e.g. domestic or motor car radiators with heat-exchange conduits immersed in the body of fluid
- F28D1/04—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary conduit assemblies for one heat-exchange medium only, the media being in contact with different sides of the conduit wall, in which the other heat-exchange medium is a large body of fluid, e.g. domestic or motor car radiators with heat-exchange conduits immersed in the body of fluid with tubular conduits
- F28D1/053—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary conduit assemblies for one heat-exchange medium only, the media being in contact with different sides of the conduit wall, in which the other heat-exchange medium is a large body of fluid, e.g. domestic or motor car radiators with heat-exchange conduits immersed in the body of fluid with tubular conduits the conduits being straight
- F28D1/05316—Assemblies of conduits connected to common headers, e.g. core type radiators
- F28D1/05341—Assemblies of conduits connected to common headers, e.g. core type radiators with multiple rows of conduits or with multi-channel conduits combined with a particular flow pattern, e.g. multi-row multi-stage radiators
Definitions
- HVAC heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems
- Power machines include various work vehicles such as skid steer loaders, tracked loaders, excavators, telehandlers, and utility vehicles.
- Various power machines include cabs that protect the operator of the power machine and define, at least in part, an operator compartment in which an operator is positioned while operating the power machine. Enclosed operating compartments provide the option for providing the operator a climate controlled working environment with heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.
- HVAC heating, ventilating, and air conditioning
- HVAC systems that provide both heating and cooling of the power machine cab utilize a heat exchanger and a cooling exchanger each capable of treating air that subsequently enters the operator's environment.
- a warm fluid e.g., typically engine coolant
- an expanded gas e.g., a refrigerant
- the respective fluids transfer their heat potential to their respective exchanger tubes via conduction. In typical HVAC systems, this heat is conducted to air treatment fins. The HVAC system then forces air over the tubes and fins to treat the air via convection.
- HVAC systems provide desirable operating environments in compact construction equipment, the compact nature of such power machines leaves little space for HVAC systems, meaning that smaller HVAC exchanges are preferable.
- One way to reduce the physical size of HVAC packages is to decrease the overall volume of the exchangers while increasing the number of air treatment fins in communication with each exchanger. However, this is typically accomplished by reducing the spacing between the fins and inherently leads to plugging of the fins due to debris in the air stream.
- Another way to reduce the physical size of HVAC packages is to increase the airflow across the heating and cooling exchangers. However, since the air needs sufficient dwell-time crossing the exchangers to become effectively treated, this method has limited effectiveness. In addition, forcing additional air past exchanges can generate noise as well as require more power draw from the blowing fan.
- Disclosed embodiments include HVAC systems, and power machines incorporating the same, which utilize an improved exchanger configuration in which the two separate heating and cooling exchangers of conventional systems are replaced with one composite exchanger.
- the configuration of the tubes can be used to improve conductive efficiency in transferring heat energy to conductive fins, as well as to improve convective efficiency by increasing dwell time of air passing through the exchanger.
- the composite exchanger allows for a reduction in the overall exchanger package size package used in an HVAC unit.
- a composite exchanger has a plurality of cooling tubes configured to be coupled to a source of a cooling material and to selectively allow the cooling material to travel in an interior of each of the plurality of cooling tubes.
- the composite exchanger also has a plurality of heating tubes configured to be coupled to a source of heating material and to selectively allow the heating material to travel in an interior of each of the plurality of heating tubes.
- a plurality of conductive fins are in contact with the plurality of cooling tubes and the plurality of heating tubes to conductively transfer heat energy between the plurality of cooling tubes and the plurality of heating tubes.
- the plurality of cooling tubes and the plurality of heating tubes are positioned in a nested arrangement and staggered within each other.
- an HVAC system in another embodiment, has sources of cooling material and heating material, a fan, and a composite exchanger.
- the composite exchanger has a plurality of tubes including a first group of tubes coupled to the source of cooling material for selectively receiving cooling material therein and a second group of tubes coupled to the source of heating material for selectively receiving heating material therein.
- a plurality of conductive fins are in contact with the plurality of tubes to conductively transfer heat energy between the first group and the second group of tubes.
- the first group of tubes and the second group of tubes are positioned within the composite exchanger in a nested arrangement.
- the fan is configured to force air into the composite exchanger across the fins.
- a power machine in yet another embodiment, has an operator compartment and an HVAC system for providing conditioned air to the operator compartment.
- the HVAC system includes sources of cooling material and heating material, an operable input device for selecting a heating mode and a cooling mode, a fan, and a composite exchanger.
- the composite exchanger has tubes arranged in a plurality of rows with each tube coupled to one of the source of cooling material and the source of the heating material. Conductive fins are in contact with the plurality of tubes to conductively transfer heat energy between the plurality of tubes coupled to the cooling material and the plurality of tubes coupled to the heating material.
- FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of one example embodiment of a power machine having an HVAC system in accordance with disclosed embodiments.
- FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic side sectional view of portions of the power machine shown in FIG. 1 .
- FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of portions of an HVAC system and housing including a composite heating and cooling exchanger in accordance with disclosed embodiments.
- FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic end view illustration of the composite heating and cooling exchanger shown in FIG. 3 .
- FIG. 5 is an illustration of a portion of the exchanger shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and showing the orientation of nested and staggered heating and cooling tubes relative to conductive fins.
- FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic end view illustration similar to FIG. 4 , and illustrating features which increase air tumbling.
- HVAC heating and cooling exchangers for treating or conditioning air.
- the disclosed embodiments discussed below provide for reduced exchanger package size used in an HVAC unit by replacing two separate heating and cooling exchangers with a single composite exchanger.
- the innovative composite exchanger eliminates different manufacturing configurations, as all heating and/or cooling packages can use the same single exchanger.
- the composite exchanger provides space and cost savings.
- FIG. 1 illustrates a power machine 10 , in the form of a skid steer loader as an example of a power machine on which an HVAC system composite exchanger of the present disclosure is advantageously employed.
- the disclosed embodiments are not limited to use in a skid steer loader, but rather, disclosed embodiments include use of the exchanger in the HVAC system of any power machine.
- the disclosed exchanger can be used in power machines such as tracked loaders, excavators, telehandlers, utility vehicles, and other power machines.
- Power machine 10 includes a frame 12 , supported by tractive elements in the form of wheels 14 that are driven through a suitable power train (not shown).
- the power train can include hydraulic motors that are driven in turn by a hydraulic power supply.
- Other power machines can employ other tractive elements such as tracks.
- the loader has pivoting arms 27 that can be raised and lowered under power.
- a bucket implement 29 is supported by the arms 27 although other implements can be attached to the arms 27 .
- the operator compartment 30 is capable of being generally enclosed including by cab 20 , which has a pair of opposing side walls 40 and 42 , a roof 44 , and a rear portion 46 , including a rear window 48 and a back wall 34 (shown in FIG. 2 ).
- the cab 20 On a front side of the power machine, the cab 20 has an aperture (not shown in FIG. 1 , which allows for entry into and exit from the operator compartment 30 , which is generally defined as a space enclosed by the side walls 40 and 42 , roof 44 , rear portion 46 , and back wall 34 .
- the operator compartment 30 may extend beneath the cab 20 and within a portion of the frame 12 of the power machine.
- a door (not shown in FIG. 1 is rotatably attached to the cab so that when rotated into a closed position, the entry and exit aperture is covered or substantially covered.
- the side walls 40 and 42 of the cab 20 are shown as being made of side plates (preferably steel) with a plurality of apertures formed therethrough.
- transparent windows can be attached to the side plates.
- the side walls 40 and 42 may not have the pattern of apertures shown in FIG. 1 , but instead can have a large aperture which is covered by a transparent window.
- An operator seat 89 is positioned in the operator compartment 30 and is shown outlined in dotted lines in FIG. 2 .
- FIG. 2 provides a cut away of cab 20 , showing a portion of operator compartment 30 and an HVAC housing 32 mounted behind the cab 20 .
- HVAC system housing 32 houses an HVAC system 33 which includes the composite exchanger in accordance with disclosed embodiments.
- a primary HVAC system fan 31 is included to force conditioned air through one or more ducts into the operator compartment.
- HVAC system 33 can, in exemplary embodiments, be configured in accordance with the HVAC system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,223,807, issued to Asche et al. on May 1, 2001.
- disclosed embodiments are not limited to the particular HVAC system housing and/or engine compartment configurations illustrated. Instead, these illustrations are provided as a non-limiting example. For instance, it is not necessary that the HVAC system 33 , fan 31 and system housing 32 be located behind cab 20 in all types of power machines or in the particular location shown in FIG. 2 .
- FIG. 3 illustrates a diagrammatic cutaway of HVAC housing 32 as shown in FIG. 2 containing HVAC system 33 and fan 31 . Also shown is a composite exchanger 300 of HVAC system 33 in accordance with one exemplary embodiment. As described below in greater detail, the composite exchanger 300 includes both heating tubes and cooling tubes nested together described below and illustrated in FIG. 4 . Because of the design of composite exchanger 300 , the HVAC system and housing 32 can be smaller allowing other systems or components to utilize space, which would otherwise not be available using conventional two exchanger configurations. As shown in FIG. 3 , air flow 302 is drawn in by fan 31 (or other fan), then travels up through composite exchanger 300 where it is treated. The resulting treated air 304 is pulled into the fan assembly 31 and then exits the HVAC system through openings 306 as shown.
- fan 31 or other fan
- FIG. 4 illustrates a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of the nested configuration of heating and cooling tubes in composite exchanger 300 .
- the term nested refers to the arrangement where cooling tubes 402 and heating tubes 406 are intermingled as opposed to being grouped together in two otherwise segregated groups.
- the cooling tubes 402 and the heating tubes 406 are nested in that they are arranged in alternating rows.
- the heating and cooling tubes can be arranged so that they are otherwise intermingled such as by having both heating and cooling tubes in the same row.
- the rows of tubes are staggered with respect to each other, meaning at least some tubes do not align into columns but are laterally offset with respect to tubes in the contiguous rows.
- cooling tubes 402 are represented using cross-hatching, while heating tubes 406 are represented without cross-hatching.
- Cooling material is selectively provided to cooling tubes 402 via source (not shown) in communication with cooling tubes 402 at coupling hose or connection 414 .
- a source of heating fluid such as an engine coolant selectively provides heating fluid to tubes 406 via a coupling hose or connection 418 .
- tubes 402 and 406 are each in contact with conductive metal fins 410 .
- Fins 410 are oriented perpendicularly with respect to tubes 402 and 406 as is illustrated in FIG. 5 .
- Fins 410 are preferably made of a material that is highly thermally conductive such as aluminum or other similar materials.
- Air flow 302 passes by fins 410 and tumbles around tubes 402 and 406 to provide improved convective heat transfer to treat the air for use in conditioning the interior of cab 20 .
- the nested tubes i.e. either the cooling tubes 402 or the heating tubes 406 , supplied with heating or cooling material at any one time.
- the corresponding tubes will then conduct heat energy to the fins 410 as well as the other set of tubes 406 or 402 that are not being supplied with heating or cooling material, which will then tend to reach the same or similar heating or cooling potential as the tubes being supplied with heating or cooling material as the case may be, therein providing additional surface area to treat flowing air 302 that is forced across the exchanger 300 . All of these tubes will then similarly transfer their respective potential to the heating/cooling fins 410 also via conduction. This greatly enhances the conductive transfer of heat energy. Finally, the flowing air 302 across the exchanger 300 becomes treated normally via convection.
- the disclosed staggered configuration of composite exchanger 300 does not lend itself to plugging, nor does it require any additional air flow or fan power to be effective, because the staggered design also increases the degree of air tumbling while passing through the exchanger, thus allowing more “raw” or untreated air to become treated, as well as allows for a much smaller overall package size.
- Many heating or cooling exchangers are inefficient because air can travel through the exchanger core in a relatively straight line without intersecting a cross-tube. This diminishes the amount of air that actually touches the exchanger tubes. Thus, due to skin-effect, the air that touches the fins is also reduced.
- FIG. 6 illustratively shows the advantages of the configuration of exchanger 300 .
- exchanger 300 in which cooling tubes 402 and heating tubes 406 are nested in alternating rows, and staggered along the width of the exchanger, very little if any of air flow 302 can travel in a straight line through the exchanger without a tube blocking the flow path and diverting the air causing it to tumble through the exchanger.
- the additional cross-tubes placed in the air stream to augment the air tumbling also provide a slightly larger dwell-time in the exchanger for the air to become more fully treated.
- the resulting improvements in convective heat energy transfer caused by the increased air tumbling combine with the improvements in conductive heat energy transfer discussed above to allow for less heating or cooling tubes to be used, without sacrificing cooling or heating potential.
- This can allow the size of the composite exchanger to be reduced even more as compared to the combined sizes of separate heat and cooling exchangers. For example, in one exemplary embodiment, it was found that the volume of the composite exchanger 300 package as compared to the combined sizes of separate heat and cooling exchangers could be reduced from 405 cubic inches to 246 cubic inches.
- the embodiments described above provide important advantages by employing a single exchanger for both the heating and cooling functions. Considerable improvements in exchanger efficiency can be achieved, thereby allowing the size of exchange 300 to be less than the combined sizes of separate heating and cooling exchangers. This efficiency increase is partially due to the large discrepancy in heat transfer effectiveness between conduction and convection.
- the coefficient of heat transfer “k” for aluminum is 117 Btu/ft 2 -° F.
- the same coefficient “k” for air is only 0.014 Btu/ft 2 -° F. This means that aluminum transfers heat about 8,357 times more readily as compared to air (117/0.014).
Abstract
Description
- The present application is based on and claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/793,579, filed Mar. 15, 2013, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
- The present disclosure relates to heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems (HVAC) for power machines, particularly compact construction equipment.
- Power machines include various work vehicles such as skid steer loaders, tracked loaders, excavators, telehandlers, and utility vehicles. Various power machines include cabs that protect the operator of the power machine and define, at least in part, an operator compartment in which an operator is positioned while operating the power machine. Enclosed operating compartments provide the option for providing the operator a climate controlled working environment with heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.
- HVAC systems that provide both heating and cooling of the power machine cab utilize a heat exchanger and a cooling exchanger each capable of treating air that subsequently enters the operator's environment. A warm fluid (e.g., typically engine coolant) travels inside tubes in the heat exchanger when heated air is required to heat the cab, and an expanded gas (e.g., a refrigerant) travels inside tubes of the cooling exchanger when the cab environment is cooled. The respective fluids transfer their heat potential to their respective exchanger tubes via conduction. In typical HVAC systems, this heat is conducted to air treatment fins. The HVAC system then forces air over the tubes and fins to treat the air via convection.
- While HVAC systems provide desirable operating environments in compact construction equipment, the compact nature of such power machines leaves little space for HVAC systems, meaning that smaller HVAC exchanges are preferable. One way to reduce the physical size of HVAC packages is to decrease the overall volume of the exchangers while increasing the number of air treatment fins in communication with each exchanger. However, this is typically accomplished by reducing the spacing between the fins and inherently leads to plugging of the fins due to debris in the air stream. Another way to reduce the physical size of HVAC packages is to increase the airflow across the heating and cooling exchangers. However, since the air needs sufficient dwell-time crossing the exchangers to become effectively treated, this method has limited effectiveness. In addition, forcing additional air past exchanges can generate noise as well as require more power draw from the blowing fan.
- The discussion above is merely provided for general background information and is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
- Disclosed embodiments include HVAC systems, and power machines incorporating the same, which utilize an improved exchanger configuration in which the two separate heating and cooling exchangers of conventional systems are replaced with one composite exchanger. The configuration of the tubes can be used to improve conductive efficiency in transferring heat energy to conductive fins, as well as to improve convective efficiency by increasing dwell time of air passing through the exchanger. The composite exchanger allows for a reduction in the overall exchanger package size package used in an HVAC unit.
- In one embodiment, a composite exchanger has a plurality of cooling tubes configured to be coupled to a source of a cooling material and to selectively allow the cooling material to travel in an interior of each of the plurality of cooling tubes. The composite exchanger also has a plurality of heating tubes configured to be coupled to a source of heating material and to selectively allow the heating material to travel in an interior of each of the plurality of heating tubes. A plurality of conductive fins are in contact with the plurality of cooling tubes and the plurality of heating tubes to conductively transfer heat energy between the plurality of cooling tubes and the plurality of heating tubes. The plurality of cooling tubes and the plurality of heating tubes are positioned in a nested arrangement and staggered within each other.
- In another embodiment, an HVAC system is disclosed. The HVAC system has sources of cooling material and heating material, a fan, and a composite exchanger. The composite exchanger has a plurality of tubes including a first group of tubes coupled to the source of cooling material for selectively receiving cooling material therein and a second group of tubes coupled to the source of heating material for selectively receiving heating material therein. A plurality of conductive fins are in contact with the plurality of tubes to conductively transfer heat energy between the first group and the second group of tubes. The first group of tubes and the second group of tubes are positioned within the composite exchanger in a nested arrangement. The fan is configured to force air into the composite exchanger across the fins.
- In yet another embodiment, a power machine is disclosed. The power machine has an operator compartment and an HVAC system for providing conditioned air to the operator compartment. The HVAC system includes sources of cooling material and heating material, an operable input device for selecting a heating mode and a cooling mode, a fan, and a composite exchanger. The composite exchanger has tubes arranged in a plurality of rows with each tube coupled to one of the source of cooling material and the source of the heating material. Conductive fins are in contact with the plurality of tubes to conductively transfer heat energy between the plurality of tubes coupled to the cooling material and the plurality of tubes coupled to the heating material.
- This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
-
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of one example embodiment of a power machine having an HVAC system in accordance with disclosed embodiments. -
FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic side sectional view of portions of the power machine shown inFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of portions of an HVAC system and housing including a composite heating and cooling exchanger in accordance with disclosed embodiments. -
FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic end view illustration of the composite heating and cooling exchanger shown inFIG. 3 . -
FIG. 5 is an illustration of a portion of the exchanger shown inFIGS. 3 and 4 and showing the orientation of nested and staggered heating and cooling tubes relative to conductive fins. -
FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic end view illustration similar toFIG. 4 , and illustrating features which increase air tumbling. - The concepts disclosed herein are not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. Rather, the disclosed concepts are capable of being practiced or carried out in various embodiments other than the exemplary embodiments discussed below. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Unless specified or limited otherwise, the terms “mounted,” “connected,” “supported,” and “coupled” and variations thereof are used broadly and encompass both direct and indirect mountings, connections, supports, and couplings.
- In power machines, especially compact construction equipment, space is limited for placement of HVAC heating and cooling exchangers for treating or conditioning air. The disclosed embodiments discussed below provide for reduced exchanger package size used in an HVAC unit by replacing two separate heating and cooling exchangers with a single composite exchanger. The innovative composite exchanger eliminates different manufacturing configurations, as all heating and/or cooling packages can use the same single exchanger. The composite exchanger provides space and cost savings.
-
FIG. 1 illustrates apower machine 10, in the form of a skid steer loader as an example of a power machine on which an HVAC system composite exchanger of the present disclosure is advantageously employed. However, the disclosed embodiments are not limited to use in a skid steer loader, but rather, disclosed embodiments include use of the exchanger in the HVAC system of any power machine. For example, the disclosed exchanger can be used in power machines such as tracked loaders, excavators, telehandlers, utility vehicles, and other power machines. -
Power machine 10 includes aframe 12, supported by tractive elements in the form ofwheels 14 that are driven through a suitable power train (not shown). The power train can include hydraulic motors that are driven in turn by a hydraulic power supply. Other power machines can employ other tractive elements such as tracks. A power supply in the form of an engine mounted in an engine compartment 18 (the location of which is generally shown in FIG. 1) that is located within theframe 12 and is generally rearward of a cab oroperator enclosure 20, which is supported on theframe 12 that defines, at least part, of anoperator compartment 30. The loader has pivotingarms 27 that can be raised and lowered under power. A bucket implement 29 is supported by thearms 27 although other implements can be attached to thearms 27. - The
operator compartment 30 is capable of being generally enclosed including bycab 20, which has a pair of opposingside walls roof 44, and arear portion 46, including arear window 48 and a back wall 34 (shown inFIG. 2 ). On a front side of the power machine, thecab 20 has an aperture (not shown inFIG. 1 , which allows for entry into and exit from theoperator compartment 30, which is generally defined as a space enclosed by theside walls roof 44,rear portion 46, andback wall 34. In addition, theoperator compartment 30 may extend beneath thecab 20 and within a portion of theframe 12 of the power machine. In some embodiments, a door (not shown inFIG. 1 is rotatably attached to the cab so that when rotated into a closed position, the entry and exit aperture is covered or substantially covered. - The
side walls cab 20 are shown as being made of side plates (preferably steel) with a plurality of apertures formed therethrough. In addition, transparent windows can be attached to the side plates. Alternatively still, theside walls FIG. 1 , but instead can have a large aperture which is covered by a transparent window. When thecab 20 is equipped with a door and windows are attached to theside walls operator seat 89 is positioned in theoperator compartment 30 and is shown outlined in dotted lines inFIG. 2 . -
FIG. 2 provides a cut away ofcab 20, showing a portion ofoperator compartment 30 and anHVAC housing 32 mounted behind thecab 20.HVAC system housing 32 houses anHVAC system 33 which includes the composite exchanger in accordance with disclosed embodiments. A primaryHVAC system fan 31 is included to force conditioned air through one or more ducts into the operator compartment. With the exception of the use of the disclosed composite exchanger,HVAC system 33 can, in exemplary embodiments, be configured in accordance with the HVAC system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,223,807, issued to Asche et al. on May 1, 2001. However, disclosed embodiments are not limited to the particular HVAC system housing and/or engine compartment configurations illustrated. Instead, these illustrations are provided as a non-limiting example. For instance, it is not necessary that theHVAC system 33,fan 31 andsystem housing 32 be located behindcab 20 in all types of power machines or in the particular location shown inFIG. 2 . -
FIG. 3 illustrates a diagrammatic cutaway ofHVAC housing 32 as shown inFIG. 2 containingHVAC system 33 andfan 31. Also shown is acomposite exchanger 300 ofHVAC system 33 in accordance with one exemplary embodiment. As described below in greater detail, thecomposite exchanger 300 includes both heating tubes and cooling tubes nested together described below and illustrated inFIG. 4 . Because of the design ofcomposite exchanger 300, the HVAC system andhousing 32 can be smaller allowing other systems or components to utilize space, which would otherwise not be available using conventional two exchanger configurations. As shown inFIG. 3 ,air flow 302 is drawn in by fan 31 (or other fan), then travels up throughcomposite exchanger 300 where it is treated. The resulting treatedair 304 is pulled into thefan assembly 31 and then exits the HVAC system throughopenings 306 as shown. -
FIG. 4 illustrates a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of the nested configuration of heating and cooling tubes incomposite exchanger 300. The term nested refers to the arrangement where coolingtubes 402 andheating tubes 406 are intermingled as opposed to being grouped together in two otherwise segregated groups. As shown inFIG. 4 , the coolingtubes 402 and theheating tubes 406 are nested in that they are arranged in alternating rows. In alternate embodiments, the heating and cooling tubes can be arranged so that they are otherwise intermingled such as by having both heating and cooling tubes in the same row. The rows of tubes are staggered with respect to each other, meaning at least some tubes do not align into columns but are laterally offset with respect to tubes in the contiguous rows. In some embodiments, some or all of the tubes are not aligned in rows contrary to the arrangement shown inFIG. 5 . Various embodiments can have some or all of the rows staggered with respect to any of the other rows in the composite exchanger. Showing one exemplary embodiment, for illustrativepurposes cooling tubes 402 are represented using cross-hatching, whileheating tubes 406 are represented without cross-hatching. Cooling material is selectively provided tocooling tubes 402 via source (not shown) in communication withcooling tubes 402 at coupling hose orconnection 414. A source of heating fluid, such as an engine coolant selectively provides heating fluid totubes 406 via a coupling hose orconnection 418. With the heating and cooling exchangers combined intocomposite exchanger 300 having theheating 406 and cooling 402 tubes in a staggered arrangement, rows of tubes can be positioned closer together, resulting in a smaller standard exchanger that can be provided for all HVAC configurations of a particular model of power machine. In addition,tubes conductive metal fins 410.Fins 410 are oriented perpendicularly with respect totubes FIG. 5 .Fins 410 are preferably made of a material that is highly thermally conductive such as aluminum or other similar materials. Air flow 302 passes byfins 410 and tumbles aroundtubes cab 20. - In exemplary embodiments, at most only one set of the nested tubes, i.e. either the
cooling tubes 402 or theheating tubes 406, supplied with heating or cooling material at any one time. The corresponding tubes will then conduct heat energy to thefins 410 as well as the other set oftubes air 302 that is forced across theexchanger 300. All of these tubes will then similarly transfer their respective potential to the heating/cooling fins 410 also via conduction. This greatly enhances the conductive transfer of heat energy. Finally, the flowingair 302 across theexchanger 300 becomes treated normally via convection. - The disclosed staggered configuration of
composite exchanger 300 does not lend itself to plugging, nor does it require any additional air flow or fan power to be effective, because the staggered design also increases the degree of air tumbling while passing through the exchanger, thus allowing more “raw” or untreated air to become treated, as well as allows for a much smaller overall package size. Many heating or cooling exchangers are inefficient because air can travel through the exchanger core in a relatively straight line without intersecting a cross-tube. This diminishes the amount of air that actually touches the exchanger tubes. Thus, due to skin-effect, the air that touches the fins is also reduced. - In contrast to conventional separate heating or cooling exchangers in which significant portions of the air flow can travel through the exchangers without intersecting a cross-tube,
FIG. 6 illustratively shows the advantages of the configuration ofexchanger 300. Inexchanger 300 in whichcooling tubes 402 andheating tubes 406 are nested in alternating rows, and staggered along the width of the exchanger, very little if any ofair flow 302 can travel in a straight line through the exchanger without a tube blocking the flow path and diverting the air causing it to tumble through the exchanger. The additional cross-tubes placed in the air stream to augment the air tumbling also provide a slightly larger dwell-time in the exchanger for the air to become more fully treated. - In some embodiments, the resulting improvements in convective heat energy transfer caused by the increased air tumbling combine with the improvements in conductive heat energy transfer discussed above to allow for less heating or cooling tubes to be used, without sacrificing cooling or heating potential. This can allow the size of the composite exchanger to be reduced even more as compared to the combined sizes of separate heat and cooling exchangers. For example, in one exemplary embodiment, it was found that the volume of the
composite exchanger 300 package as compared to the combined sizes of separate heat and cooling exchangers could be reduced from 405 cubic inches to 246 cubic inches. - The embodiments described above provide important advantages by employing a single exchanger for both the heating and cooling functions. Considerable improvements in exchanger efficiency can be achieved, thereby allowing the size of
exchange 300 to be less than the combined sizes of separate heating and cooling exchangers. This efficiency increase is partially due to the large discrepancy in heat transfer effectiveness between conduction and convection. For example, the coefficient of heat transfer “k” for aluminum is 117 Btu/ft2-° F. The same coefficient “k” for air is only 0.014 Btu/ft2-° F. This means that aluminum transfers heat about 8,357 times more readily as compared to air (117/0.014). By nesting thetubes exchanger 300, more energy is transferred via conduction between thetubes fins 410, thus improving efficiency. - Although concepts of the present disclosure have been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.
Claims (17)
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US14/134,762 US20140262143A1 (en) | 2013-03-15 | 2013-12-19 | Single exchanger hvac unit and power machines using the same |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US201361793579P | 2013-03-15 | 2013-03-15 | |
US14/134,762 US20140262143A1 (en) | 2013-03-15 | 2013-12-19 | Single exchanger hvac unit and power machines using the same |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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US20140262143A1 true US20140262143A1 (en) | 2014-09-18 |
Family
ID=49950055
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US14/134,762 Abandoned US20140262143A1 (en) | 2013-03-15 | 2013-12-19 | Single exchanger hvac unit and power machines using the same |
Country Status (5)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20140262143A1 (en) |
EP (1) | EP2969612A1 (en) |
CN (1) | CN104520122A (en) |
CA (1) | CA2877880A1 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2014143307A1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20140345467A1 (en) * | 2013-05-24 | 2014-11-27 | Denso Thermal Systems S.P.A. | Cab air filtration system for agricultural machines |
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2013
- 2013-12-19 US US14/134,762 patent/US20140262143A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2013-12-19 EP EP13819140.8A patent/EP2969612A1/en not_active Withdrawn
- 2013-12-19 WO PCT/US2013/076605 patent/WO2014143307A1/en active Application Filing
- 2013-12-19 CA CA2877880A patent/CA2877880A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2013-12-19 CN CN201380035143.XA patent/CN104520122A/en active Pending
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US1894026A (en) * | 1929-09-26 | 1933-01-10 | B F Sturtevant Co | Heat exchange apparatus |
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US9409460B2 (en) * | 2013-05-24 | 2016-08-09 | Denso Thermal Systems S.P.A. | Cab air filtration system for agricultural machines |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP2969612A1 (en) | 2016-01-20 |
CA2877880A1 (en) | 2014-09-18 |
CN104520122A (en) | 2015-04-15 |
WO2014143307A1 (en) | 2014-09-18 |
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