Heat exchanger
The invention relates to a heat exchanger with first set of at least transversely spaced substantially tubular collectors and a set of tubes having a substantially flat cross-section which extends between the collectors and of which the mutually opposed ends are connected to a respective associated collector so that the interior of the tube communicates with the interior of each collector and a first medium which is supplied to a collector can flow through the interior of this collector.
Such a heat exchanger is generally known, see WO-A-98.51983, and are generally used as condensors in air conditioning apparatus, wherein there is a heat exchanging process between a first fluidum flowing internally and air or any other gas flowing around the tubes.
In a number of applications it is desirable to have a heat exchanging process between two fluids, or one fluid in different conditions of state, which are both flowing in a controllable manner, implying that both fluids are flowing through a tube system. For this purpose frequently co-axial tubes are used, such as disclosed in "Status Bericht des deutschen K e - und klimatechnischen Vereins Nr. 20" of November 1998, (ISBN 3-932715-00-4) page 137, Fig. 5.4-6.
Most co-axial systems are using round or substantially round tubes, which have not an optimal hydraulic diameter.
It is therefor an object of the invention to provide a heat exchanger in which the difficulties mentioned above can be avoided.
This object is achieved in that a second set of at least two transversely spaced substantially tubular collectors and a second set of tubes having a substantially flat cross-section which extends between the second set of collectors and of which the mutually opposed ends are connected to a respective associated collector so that the interior of the tube communicates with the interior of each collector of the second set and a second medium which is supplied to a collector of the second set can flow through the interior of this collector, the interior of the tube of the second set and the interior of the other collector of the second set, and that at least one tube of the first set is in flat heat-exchanging contact with at least one of the tubes of the second set.
By positioning the flat tubes in a fiat heat exchanging contact it became possible to use the high efficiency of flat tubes in a so-called internal heat exchanger in which heat is exchanged between two controlled fluids flows of fluids.
Other advantages and characteristics will become clear from the following description, references being made to the annexed drawings in which
Fig.1 is a cross- section of number of flat tubes positioned in flat heat exchanging contact; Fig. 2 is a side view of a part of Fig. 1
Fig. 3 is a side view of a heat exchanger composed with parts according to Fig. 1;
Fig. 4 is a cross-section according to line IV -IV in Fig. 3
Fig. 5 is a side view partially in cross-section of a modified embodiment of a heat exchanger composed of flat tubes positioned according to the invention, Fig. 6 is a cross-section according to lines V-V of fig. 4.
Flat oval tubes are generally known in the art and comprise a flat tube having parallel refrigerant passages in its interior and flat upper and lower walls and a plurality of reinforcing walls connecting the upper and lower wails thereby forming the parallel passages. Generally such tubes are made out of aluminium and are produced by the extrusion process, resulting in so-called MPE-tubes (Multiple Port Extrusion and Tubes) although other production techniques can be used as well such as e.g. described in EP-A-0 781 610.
In Fig. 1 and 2 there is shown a number of such flat tubes 1 , which are positioned in parallel relationship such that their flat walls are in heat exchanging contact with each other. For that purpose the outer walls of each tube 1 may be cladded with a brazing alloy (e.g. AlSi) and flux (e.g. Nocolok), so that after positioning the tubes the contacting flat walls can be brazed together in order to obtain an adequate heat exchanging contact between the tubes 1. In the figures 1 and 2 there is shown an assembly comprising three tubes, which can be used as internal heat exchanger as disclosed in the above mentioned publication "Status Bericht des deutschen Kalte - und klimatechnischen Vereins".
Such a heat exchanger is shown in Fig. 3. The heat exchanger comprises a first set of manifolds 10,11 positioned in parallel relationship. A number of tubes 12 is extending _from
one manifold 10 to the other manifold 11 and the interior of the tubes 12 is in communication with the interior of the manifolds 10,11. The tubes 12 might be flat tubes of the MPE-type but any other tube can be used, as this part of the heat exchanger is used for heat exchanging between a fluid flowing inside the manifolds 10,11 and the tubes 12 and a fluid, mostly air flowing around the manifolds 10,11 and the tubes 12. In order to improve the heat exchanging power fins 13 can be positioned between the tubes 12. In order to increase the thermodynamic efficiency of the system, part of such a heat exchanger can be provided with so-called internal heat exchanger as shown in the bottom part of Fig. 3. For that purpose a number of flat tubes have been assembled as shown in Fig. 1 and 2, and the central tube 1 of each set is made somewhat longer than the two outer tubes, so that both ends of the central tube extends beyond the ends of the outer tubes.
As shown in Fig. 3 an additional pass of manifolds 15 and 16 has been provided and a number of sets are shown in Fig. 1 and 2 is mounted between the double part of manifolds, in such a way that each central tube 2 is extending through the manifolds 10 and 11 and ends within the manifolds 15 and 16, whereas the outer tubes 1 and 3 ends within the manifolds 10 and 11.
In this way it is obtained that the fluidum flowing through the manifolds 10,11 and the appending tubes 12, 1 and 3 is not only in heat exchanging contact with the surrounding fluidum such as air, but at least in some part this fluidum is also in heat exchanging contact with the fluidum flowing through the manifolds 15, 16 and the tubes 2. In this way the thermodynamic efficiency of the process can be improved by up to 25% depending on the temperatures and fluida used.
In order to exactly position the end portion of the tube 1, 3 and 2 within that respective manifold 10, 11 and 15, 16 it might be an advantage to use manifolds as described in WO-A-97.945878.3. These manifolds are provided with shoulders, providing a stop for the tube ends. Alternatively tubes with shoulders could be used to define the positioning.
As shown in Fig. 4 the width of the tubes 1 , 2, 3 is somewhat smaller than the width of the manifolds 11,16, so that fluid passages A and B are obtained into manifold 11 and additional fluid passages C and D are obtained in manifold 16.
In Fig. 5 and 6 there is shown a modified embodiment of a heat exchanger according to the invention.
s shown Fig. 6 a number of flat tubes 20, 21 such as tubes shown in cross-section in Fig. 1 is placed in flat contact to each other. The stock of tubes so formed is composed of tubes 20 having a shorter length than the tubes 21 and tubes 20 and 21 are staggered in alternating fashion. Near each end of the tubes 20, 21 two manifolds 22, 23 have been provided. In the embodiment shown, these manifolds 22, 23 are made out of one tube 24 provided with a longitudinal separation wall 25 such that two separate tubes are formed. A configuration as shown in figure 4 can also be composed of tubes of the same length which are assembled with an offset in the long axis (staggered configuration). The wall is provided with a number of longitudinal holes perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of tube 24, so as to allow the end portion of the tubes 21 to extend into the manifold 23. Otherwise the outer wail 26 of manifold 22 is provided with a rectangular hole so as to allow the whole pack of tubes to be inserted in it, in such a way that the end portions of the tubes 20 ends in manifold 22.
In fig. 5 there is only shown one manifold, but at the other end of the tubes 20, 21 the same configuration can be made. If needed several packs of tubes can be provided and baffles can be provided in the manifold in order to control the flow of the fluidum.
In order to have a good heat transfer contact it may be advantageous to have a good heat contact between neighbouring tubes. Therefor the stack of flat tubes can be assembled before inserting into the manifolds, and in this stage a brazing connection can be made between the two neighbouring tubes, e.g. in that a brazing flux has been provided on the tube surfaces before assembling.