WO2001088454A1 - Automotive condenser arrangement and automotive heat exchanger system - Google Patents

Automotive condenser arrangement and automotive heat exchanger system Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2001088454A1
WO2001088454A1 PCT/GB2001/002235 GB0102235W WO0188454A1 WO 2001088454 A1 WO2001088454 A1 WO 2001088454A1 GB 0102235 W GB0102235 W GB 0102235W WO 0188454 A1 WO0188454 A1 WO 0188454A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
condenser
refrigerant
flowpath
elements
heat exchanger
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB2001/002235
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Kevin White
Original Assignee
Llanelli Radiators Limited
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Llanelli Radiators Limited filed Critical Llanelli Radiators Limited
Priority to AU56550/01A priority Critical patent/AU5655001A/en
Priority to EP01929870A priority patent/EP1196729A1/en
Publication of WO2001088454A1 publication Critical patent/WO2001088454A1/en

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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
    • F28F3/00—Plate-like or laminated elements; Assemblies of plate-like or laminated elements
    • F28F3/02—Elements or assemblies thereof with means for increasing heat-transfer area, e.g. with fins, with recesses, with corrugations
    • F28F3/04—Elements or assemblies thereof with means for increasing heat-transfer area, e.g. with fins, with recesses, with corrugations the means being integral with the element
    • F28F3/042—Elements or assemblies thereof with means for increasing heat-transfer area, e.g. with fins, with recesses, with corrugations the means being integral with the element in the form of local deformations of the element
    • F28F3/044—Elements or assemblies thereof with means for increasing heat-transfer area, e.g. with fins, with recesses, with corrugations the means being integral with the element in the form of local deformations of the element the deformations being pontual, e.g. dimples
    • 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
    • B60H1/32—Cooling devices
    • B60H1/3204—Cooling devices using compression
    • B60H1/3227—Cooling devices using compression characterised by the arrangement or the type of heat exchanger, e.g. condenser, evaporator
    • 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
    • F28D9/00—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary plate-like or laminated conduit assemblies for both heat-exchange media, the media being in contact with different sides of a conduit wall
    • F28D9/0031—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary plate-like or laminated conduit assemblies for both heat-exchange media, the media being in contact with different sides of a conduit wall the conduits for one heat-exchange medium being formed by paired plates touching each other
    • F28D9/0043—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary plate-like or laminated conduit assemblies for both heat-exchange media, the media being in contact with different sides of a conduit wall the conduits for one heat-exchange medium being formed by paired plates touching each other the plates having openings therein for circulation of at least one heat-exchange medium from one conduit to another
    • F28D9/005—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary plate-like or laminated conduit assemblies for both heat-exchange media, the media being in contact with different sides of a conduit wall the conduits for one heat-exchange medium being formed by paired plates touching each other the plates having openings therein for circulation of at least one heat-exchange medium from one conduit to another the plates having openings therein for both heat-exchange media
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
    • F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
    • F28F13/00—Arrangements for modifying heat-transfer, e.g. increasing, decreasing
    • F28F13/06—Arrangements for modifying heat-transfer, e.g. increasing, decreasing by affecting the pattern of flow of the heat-exchange media
    • F28F13/12—Arrangements for modifying heat-transfer, e.g. increasing, decreasing by affecting the pattern of flow of the heat-exchange media by creating turbulence, e.g. by stirring, by increasing the force of circulation
    • 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
    • F28D21/00—Heat-exchange apparatus not covered by any of the groups F28D1/00 - F28D20/00
    • F28D2021/0019—Other heat exchangers for particular applications; Heat exchange systems not otherwise provided for
    • F28D2021/008—Other heat exchangers for particular applications; Heat exchange systems not otherwise provided for for vehicles
    • F28D2021/0084—Condensers

Definitions

  • the present invention relaters to an automotive condenser arrangement and an automotive heat exchanger system.
  • the present invention provides an automotive condenser arrangement (particularly for an automotive air conditioning or refrigerant system) comprising:
  • the condenser is preferably the primary condenser used in an automotive air conditioning or refrigerant circuit to dissipate- heat from the refrigerant. This enables a conventional, larger, "air flow” condenser to be replaced. For corresponding performance, a comparable "air flow” condenser would need to be considerably larger than a liquid coolant condenser according to the invention.
  • the refrigerant and liquid coolant flowpaths preferably comprise portions of respective sealed fluid circuit systems .
  • the refrigerant flowpath beneficially comprises a first gallery system, and the liquid coolant flowpath comprises a second gallery system, the first and second gallery systems being substantially sealed from one another.
  • the gallery systems are preferably defined by a plurality of stacked elements the elements preferably having correspondingly tapering peripheral walls facilitating nesting.
  • the peripheral walls of the nesting elements beneficially define the outer wall of the heat exchanger.
  • galleries in respective gallery systems are of differing depths.
  • the stacked elements defining the gallery systems desirably comprise nested shell and/or plate elements spaced to define the respective gallery systems.
  • the nested elements may comprise nested dimpled shell elements, each including a plurality of spaced dimples formed in and projecting away from the major face of the respective shell element.
  • a shell element may be stacked with adjacent shell elements in nested relationship, respective turbulator elements being nested within the respective shell elements.
  • the liquid coolant in the liquid coolant flowpath is preferably water.
  • the invention provides an automotive heat exchanger arrangement having a refrigeration or air conditioning system comprising a refrigerant circuit including:
  • a condenser comprising a refrigerant flowpath and a liquid coolant flowpath in thermal heat transfer contact with the refrigerant flowpath; and, (ii) an evaporator in a refrigerant circuit with the condenser.
  • the refrigerant circuit beneficially further includes one or more of :
  • the liquid coolant flowpath of the condenser is preferably in a circuit with a further heat exchanger arranged to cool the liquid coolant.
  • the further heat exchanger may comprise an air cooled radiator (particularly suited for vehicular applications) .
  • the radiator is arranged to perform heat transfer on vehicle engine coolant.
  • Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of an exemplary automotive condenser arrangement according to the invention
  • Figure 2 is a schematic sectional view of the condenser arrangement of figure 1;
  • Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of a first arrangement of stacked elements comprising an exemplary condenser arrangement; ;
  • Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of a second embodiment of element for comprising an exemplary stacked element condenser arrangement ;
  • Figure 5 is a schematic view of a first embodiment of air conditioning/refrigeration system according to the invention.
  • Figure 6 is a schematic view of an alternative embodiment of air conditioning/refrigeration system according to the invention.
  • the condenser 1 comprises a series of nested stacked metallic shells 2, bonded to form the structure shown in Figure 1.
  • the stacked shells 2, define therebetween first and second sealed gallery systems in alternating layers.
  • a "water side” gallery system communicating between a water inlet 5 communicating through a top plate 6 of the condenser and a water outlet 1 4.
  • the second gallery system also defined by the shells 2 comprises a "refrigerant side” gallery system communicating between a refrigerant inlet 7 and a refrigerant outlet (not shown in Figure 1) communicating via base plate 8.
  • the gallery system is arranged such that the stacked arrangement has “water side (coolant) " galleries alternating with “refrigerant side” galleries.
  • Adjacently arranged shell plates 2 are rotated through 180 degrees with respect to one another such that downwardly projecting rims of apertures 10a, 10b abut upwardly projecting rims of apertures 9a, 9b to define the gallery systems and water and refrigerant cores communicating between respective galleries in each system.
  • a turbulator plate 13 is sandwiched between adjacently stacked shell plates 2.
  • the turbulator plate 13 may comprise a pressed metallic component having a plurality of apertured ridge formations extending generally transversely to the major face of the turbulator plate, the ridges including a multiplicity of apertures permitting fluid
  • the upper surface of the turbulator plate 13 is contiguous with the underside of an overlaid shell 2.
  • the underside of turbulator plate 13 is bonded to the planar surface of an underlaid shell 2.
  • the turbulator plates 13 are nested in respective plain shells 2 during assembly.
  • the side walls 21 of shells 2 are inclined upwardly and outwardly from the major face of the shell element 2.
  • the sidewalls extend upwardly beyond the top surface of turbulator plate 13 permitting the nesting of an overlaying shell 2 within the side wall 21.
  • the shells 2 may be formed to include turbulating projections which also serve to separate the adjacent shell elements.
  • a dimpled shell as shown for example in figure 4 may be used.
  • Dimpled shell 2 includes a spanning; portion 23 terminating in an outwardly and upwardly inclined peripheral wall 21. Spanning portion 23 is provided with an array of dimpled projections 15, projecting upwardly in the corresponding direction to peripheral wall 21. On its obverse side spanning portion 23 is provided with a series of dimpled depressions (resulting from the deformation of plate 13 during the forming of the dimples 15). Apertures 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b in dimpled shell 2 correspond to the apertures in the plain shell element 2 described above.
  • the fluids may flow in the same direction or opposing directions.
  • the fluid paths may be single pass, two pass or multi-pass through the condenser.
  • the inlet and outlet ports may be mounted to the top plate or base plate.
  • the fitted turbulator or dimpled shells break up the laminar flow of the fluids to increase efficiency by mixing local hot and cold regions in each fluid.
  • the turbulator 13 and dimples 15 also provide a secondary heat transfer surface, which conduct heat directly out of the refrigerant, and transfer it into the cooling liquid.
  • the form of the turbulator 13 and dimples 15 are tuned to suit the refrigerant and cooling liquid properties, in order to maximise fluid mixing and minimise fluid pressure drop through the condenser.
  • the heat transfer from the refrigerant to the cooling liquid is normally sufficient to produce a change of state in the refrigerant, transforming it from a high pressure high temperature gaseous phase into a high pressure lower temperature liquid phase.
  • the cooling liquid will generally have a considerably higher density (p) and specific heat capacity (Cp) than air. This gives the potential for a much greater heat transfer from the refrigerant in a smaller more compact condenser. For example, if water is used as the cooling medium, the comparison is:
  • the condenser may be mounted closely with the compressor, which itself may not be in a convenient location for a current of cooling air. This allows for shorter high pressure refrigerant hose routings that an air-cooled condenser.
  • the liquid cooled refrigerant condenser permits lengthy high pressure high cost refrigerant hoses and fittings needed for air cooled arrangements to be replace by low pressure low cost cooling liquid hoses and fittings, with a corresponding reduction in system refrigerant volume .
  • the liquid cooled refrigerant condenser of the present invention is particularly suited to replace a conventional air cooled condenser in a refrigeration or air conditioning system where performance requirements are high and spatial considerations important (such as for example for vehicle based systems) .
  • performance requirements are high and spatial considerations important (such as for example for vehicle based systems) .
  • a liquid cooled refrigerant condenser provides a more compact heat exchanger solution than an air cooled condenser of equivalent performance.
  • liquid cooled refrigerant condenser 26 is included in a conventional refrigeration/air conditioning circuit 27, which includes a compressor 28, receiver drier 29, expansion valve 30 and evaporator 31. Cooled air is output from evaporator 31 to be directed to the required space to be cooled (vehicle cabin etc) in a conventional manner.
  • the system includes a liquid cooling circuit 32 for recirculating the liquid coolant.
  • the liquid cooling circuit includes a cooling liquid pump 33, the coolant circuit portion of the liquid cooled refrigerant condenser 26, a radiator (air cooled) 34, and a thermostat/valve 35 and expansion tank 36 associated with the radiator.
  • the liquid cooling circuit 32 could form an auxiliary low temperature cooling system, isolated from the main engine cooling system, using a separate pump, air conditioning radiator, thermostat/valve and expansion tank. Individual placement and arrangement of the cooling circuit components may vary, according to particular packaging requirements.
  • the system starts with the pump 33 that pumps cooling liquid from the liquid cooled refrigerant condenser 26 to the radiator 34, where the liquid cools releasing the heat energy absorbed in the liquid cooled refrigerant condenser 26. Cooling is achieved by the passage of a forced or natural convection current of air over the radiator tubes, and a series of adjoining cooling fins. The cooled liquid then re-enters the liquid cooled refrigerant condenser 26 to extract more heat from the refrigerant .
  • the cooling liquid expands in the circuit due to an overall bulk temperature rise, and the system pressure rises accordingly.
  • the thermostat/valve 35 opens, releasing excess volume coolant into the expansion tank 36.
  • coolant from the expansion bottle is drawn back into the cooling system.
  • the liquid coolant circuit for the air conditioning/refrigerant system is integrated into the main engine cooling circuit of a vehicle, rather than forming an isolated cooling system.
  • the auxiliary air conditioning/refrigerant radiator of the system of Figure 5 is replaced with a sub-cooled section 44 of the main engine-cooling radiator 45.
  • This enables both systems to use the same single coolant pump 43, radiator 45, expansion tank 46 and coolant.
  • Individual placement and arrangement of the cooling circuit components may vary, according to particular packaging and pressure balance requirements.
  • the thermostat/valve 47 upstream of the coolant pump may be positioned at the outlet of the engine, or it may be replaced by a more complex coolant flow control module.
  • flow in the air conditioning/refrigerant cooling circuit is controlled by the second thermostat/valve 48 downstream of the sub-cooled portion of the radiator.
  • the thermostat/valve 48 opens allowing coolant to flow into the liquid cooled refrigerant condenser 26 where heat is transferred to the coolant from the refrigerant.
  • the warm coolant enters the engine coolant pump 43 and flows through the engine 50, where further heat is transferred to it from the combustion process.
  • the hot coolant next passes to the radiator 45 where cooling takes place in the same way as a conventional engine cooling system.
  • a portion of the coolant passes from the radiator to the sub-cooled portion where further cooling by the passage of a current of air takes place. This lower temperature coolant passes through the thermostat/valve, and the air conditioning/refrigerant cooling circuit begins again.
  • the absence of an air-cooled condenser mounted in front of the radiator allows the radiator to work more efficiently.
  • the condenser and system of the present invention permits this.
  • the air-cooled condenser obstructs the passage of air to the radiator, reducing the airflow onto the radiator.
  • the radiator dissipates the heat released by the refrigerant in the condenser, as the warmed air stream passes to the radiator.
  • the radiator must also dissipate the heat released by the refrigerant to the coolant in the liquid cooled refrigerant condenser 26, but it is able to operate in a free airstream. Therefore, there is potential to reduce the size and cost of the radiator accordingly.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Air-Conditioning For Vehicles (AREA)
  • Heat-Exchange Devices With Radiators And Conduit Assemblies (AREA)

Abstract

An automotive condenser (26) system (particularly for an automotive air conditioning or refrigerant system) has a refrigerant flowpath and a liquid coolant flowpath in thermal heat transfer contact with the refrigerant flowpath. The condenser (26) is typically the primary condenser (26) used in an automotive air conditioning or refrigerant circuit (27) to dissipate heat from the refrigerant. This enables a conventional, larger, 'air flow' condenser to be replaced.

Description

Automotive Condenser Arrangement and Automotive Heat Exchanger System
The present invention relaters to an automotive condenser arrangement and an automotive heat exchanger system.
Modern trends in automotive development place a premium on space available internally of the vehicle engine compartment. Consequently the ability to reduce the overall envelope (shape and size) of components mounted internally of the engine compartment, without compromising performance unduly, is at a premium. Improved automotive • apparatus has now been devised.
According to a first aspect, the present invention provides an automotive condenser arrangement (particularly for an automotive air conditioning or refrigerant system) comprising:
(i) a refrigerant flowpath; and,
(ii) a liquid coolant flowpath in thermal heat transfer contact with the refrigerant flowpath.
The condenser is preferably the primary condenser used in an automotive air conditioning or refrigerant circuit to dissipate- heat from the refrigerant. This enables a conventional, larger, "air flow" condenser to be replaced. For corresponding performance, a comparable "air flow" condenser would need to be considerably larger than a liquid coolant condenser according to the invention. The refrigerant and liquid coolant flowpaths preferably comprise portions of respective sealed fluid circuit systems .
The refrigerant flowpath beneficially comprises a first gallery system, and the liquid coolant flowpath comprises a second gallery system, the first and second gallery systems being substantially sealed from one another.
The gallery systems are preferably defined by a plurality of stacked elements the elements preferably having correspondingly tapering peripheral walls facilitating nesting. The peripheral walls of the nesting elements beneficially define the outer wall of the heat exchanger.
It is preferred that galleries in respective gallery systems are of differing depths.
The stacked elements defining the gallery systems desirably comprise nested shell and/or plate elements spaced to define the respective gallery systems.
In one embodiment the nested elements may comprise nested dimpled shell elements, each including a plurality of spaced dimples formed in and projecting away from the major face of the respective shell element.
In an alternative embodiment a shell element may be stacked with adjacent shell elements in nested relationship, respective turbulator elements being nested within the respective shell elements. The liquid coolant in the liquid coolant flowpath is preferably water.
According to a second aspect, the invention provides an automotive heat exchanger arrangement having a refrigeration or air conditioning system comprising a refrigerant circuit including:
(i) a condenser comprising a refrigerant flowpath and a liquid coolant flowpath in thermal heat transfer contact with the refrigerant flowpath; and, (ii) an evaporator in a refrigerant circuit with the condenser.
The refrigerant circuit beneficially further includes one or more of :
(a) a compressor;
(b) an expansion valve;
(c) receiver drier arrangement.
The liquid coolant flowpath of the condenser is preferably in a circuit with a further heat exchanger arranged to cool the liquid coolant. The further heat exchanger may comprise an air cooled radiator (particularly suited for vehicular applications) . The radiator is arranged to perform heat transfer on vehicle engine coolant.
The invention will now be described in specific 'embodiments by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of an exemplary automotive condenser arrangement according to the invention;
Figure 2 is a schematic sectional view of the condenser arrangement of figure 1;
Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of a first arrangement of stacked elements comprising an exemplary condenser arrangement; ;
Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of a second embodiment of element for comprising an exemplary stacked element condenser arrangement ;
Figure 5 is a schematic view of a first embodiment of air conditioning/refrigeration system according to the invention;
Figure 6 is a schematic view of an alternative embodiment of air conditioning/refrigeration system according to the invention.
Referring to the drawings and initially to figures 1 to 4 , the condenser 1 comprises a series of nested stacked metallic shells 2, bonded to form the structure shown in Figure 1. The stacked shells 2, define therebetween first and second sealed gallery systems in alternating layers. A "water side" gallery system communicating between a water inlet 5 communicating through a top plate 6 of the condenser and a water outlet14. The second gallery system also defined by the shells 2 comprises a "refrigerant side" gallery system communicating between a refrigerant inlet 7 and a refrigerant outlet (not shown in Figure 1) communicating via base plate 8.
As will be described in detail hereafter, the gallery system is arranged such that the stacked arrangement has "water side (coolant) " galleries alternating with "refrigerant side" galleries. Adjacently arranged shell plates 2 are rotated through 180 degrees with respect to one another such that downwardly projecting rims of apertures 10a, 10b abut upwardly projecting rims of apertures 9a, 9b to define the gallery systems and water and refrigerant cores communicating between respective galleries in each system.
A turbulator plate 13 is sandwiched between adjacently stacked shell plates 2. The turbulator plate 13 may comprise a pressed metallic component having a plurality of apertured ridge formations extending generally transversely to the major face of the turbulator plate, the ridges including a multiplicity of apertures permitting fluid
(water coolant or refrigerant) flow throughout the gallery.
The upper surface of the turbulator plate 13 is contiguous with the underside of an overlaid shell 2. The underside of turbulator plate 13 is bonded to the planar surface of an underlaid shell 2. The turbulator plates 13 are nested in respective plain shells 2 during assembly. The side walls 21 of shells 2 are inclined upwardly and outwardly from the major face of the shell element 2. The sidewalls extend upwardly beyond the top surface of turbulator plate 13 permitting the nesting of an overlaying shell 2 within the side wall 21.
As an alternative to using a separate turbulator plate, the shells 2 may be formed to include turbulating projections which also serve to separate the adjacent shell elements. A dimpled shell as shown for example in figure 4 may be used.
Dimpled shell 2 includes a spanning; portion 23 terminating in an outwardly and upwardly inclined peripheral wall 21. Spanning portion 23 is provided with an array of dimpled projections 15, projecting upwardly in the corresponding direction to peripheral wall 21. On its obverse side spanning portion 23 is provided with a series of dimpled depressions (resulting from the deformation of plate 13 during the forming of the dimples 15). Apertures 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b in dimpled shell 2 correspond to the apertures in the plain shell element 2 described above.
The fluids may flow in the same direction or opposing directions. The fluid paths may be single pass, two pass or multi-pass through the condenser. The inlet and outlet ports may be mounted to the top plate or base plate.
Heat is transferred from the higher temperature refrigerant, through the thin walls of the shell elements 2, to the cooling liquid. The fitted turbulator or dimpled shells, break up the laminar flow of the fluids to increase efficiency by mixing local hot and cold regions in each fluid. The turbulator 13 and dimples 15 also provide a secondary heat transfer surface, which conduct heat directly out of the refrigerant, and transfer it into the cooling liquid. The form of the turbulator 13 and dimples 15 are tuned to suit the refrigerant and cooling liquid properties, in order to maximise fluid mixing and minimise fluid pressure drop through the condenser.
The heat transfer from the refrigerant to the cooling liquid is normally sufficient to produce a change of state in the refrigerant, transforming it from a high pressure high temperature gaseous phase into a high pressure lower temperature liquid phase.
The use of a liquid cooled refrigerant condenser according to the invention rather than a conventional air-cooled condenser has the following advantages:
- The cooling liquid will generally have a considerably higher density (p) and specific heat capacity (Cp) than air. This gives the potential for a much greater heat transfer from the refrigerant in a smaller more compact condenser. For example, if water is used as the cooling medium, the comparison is:
Air - p = 1 . 177kgm-3 , Cp = 1 . 0049kJkg-1IC1 @ 27 °C
Water - p = lO O Okgπr3 , Cp = 4 . lδkJkg^K"1 @ 27 °C - The smaller more compact configuration (stacked plate/shell) permits the condenser to be packaged in locations that optimise hose routings, where an adequate current of cooling air is not available to an air-cooled condenser.
- The condenser may be mounted closely with the compressor, which itself may not be in a convenient location for a current of cooling air. This allows for shorter high pressure refrigerant hose routings that an air-cooled condenser.
- The liquid cooled refrigerant condenser permits lengthy high pressure high cost refrigerant hoses and fittings needed for air cooled arrangements to be replace by low pressure low cost cooling liquid hoses and fittings, with a corresponding reduction in system refrigerant volume .
The liquid cooled refrigerant condenser of the present invention is particularly suited to replace a conventional air cooled condenser in a refrigeration or air conditioning system where performance requirements are high and spatial considerations important (such as for example for vehicle based systems) . For a given heat transfer performance requirement, it can be shown that a liquid cooled refrigerant condenser provides a more compact heat exchanger solution than an air cooled condenser of equivalent performance.
Examples of such improved systems are shown in figures 5 and 6, described in more detail below.
In the refrigeration/air conditioning system 25 of figure 5, liquid cooled refrigerant condenser 26 is included in a conventional refrigeration/air conditioning circuit 27, which includes a compressor 28, receiver drier 29, expansion valve 30 and evaporator 31. Cooled air is output from evaporator 31 to be directed to the required space to be cooled (vehicle cabin etc) in a conventional manner.
The system includes a liquid cooling circuit 32 for recirculating the liquid coolant. The liquid cooling circuit includes a cooling liquid pump 33, the coolant circuit portion of the liquid cooled refrigerant condenser 26, a radiator (air cooled) 34, and a thermostat/valve 35 and expansion tank 36 associated with the radiator.
When the system is used for vehicle applications, the liquid cooling circuit 32 could form an auxiliary low temperature cooling system, isolated from the main engine cooling system, using a separate pump, air conditioning radiator, thermostat/valve and expansion tank. Individual placement and arrangement of the cooling circuit components may vary, according to particular packaging requirements.
The system starts with the pump 33 that pumps cooling liquid from the liquid cooled refrigerant condenser 26 to the radiator 34, where the liquid cools releasing the heat energy absorbed in the liquid cooled refrigerant condenser 26. Cooling is achieved by the passage of a forced or natural convection current of air over the radiator tubes, and a series of adjoining cooling fins. The cooled liquid then re-enters the liquid cooled refrigerant condenser 26 to extract more heat from the refrigerant .
During operation, the cooling liquid expands in the circuit due to an overall bulk temperature rise, and the system pressure rises accordingly. At a predetermined pressure the thermostat/valve 35 opens, releasing excess volume coolant into the expansion tank 36. As the bulk temperature of the coolant falls, coolant from the expansion bottle is drawn back into the cooling system.
Referring now to the system shown in figure 6. In the system shown the liquid coolant" circuit for the air conditioning/refrigerant system is integrated into the main engine cooling circuit of a vehicle, rather than forming an isolated cooling system. Here the auxiliary air conditioning/refrigerant radiator of the system of Figure 5 is replaced with a sub-cooled section 44 of the main engine-cooling radiator 45. This enables both systems to use the same single coolant pump 43, radiator 45, expansion tank 46 and coolant. Individual placement and arrangement of the cooling circuit components may vary, according to particular packaging and pressure balance requirements. For example, the thermostat/valve 47 upstream of the coolant pump may be positioned at the outlet of the engine, or it may be replaced by a more complex coolant flow control module.
In this system arrangement, flow in the air conditioning/refrigerant cooling circuit is controlled by the second thermostat/valve 48 downstream of the sub-cooled portion of the radiator. At a predetermined coolant temperature, refrigerant pressure, or air conditioning/refrigerant system activation, the thermostat/valve 48 opens allowing coolant to flow into the liquid cooled refrigerant condenser 26 where heat is transferred to the coolant from the refrigerant. The warm coolant enters the engine coolant pump 43 and flows through the engine 50, where further heat is transferred to it from the combustion process. The hot coolant next passes to the radiator 45 where cooling takes place in the same way as a conventional engine cooling system.
The bulk of the coolant exits the main portion of the radiator to begin the engine cooling cycle again passing through thermostat valve 47. A portion of the coolant passes from the radiator to the sub-cooled portion where further cooling by the passage of a current of air takes place. This lower temperature coolant passes through the thermostat/valve, and the air conditioning/refrigerant cooling circuit begins again.
Expansion of the coolant in the air conditioning/refrigerant cooling system is absorbed by the main engine cooling circuit. The expansion process of the coolant through the expansion tank 46 then takes place in the same way as a conventional engine cooling circuit.
In vehicle applications, the absence of an air-cooled condenser mounted in front of the radiator allows the radiator to work more efficiently. The condenser and system of the present invention permits this. In conventional vehicle applications, the air-cooled condenser obstructs the passage of air to the radiator, reducing the airflow onto the radiator.
In a conventional system employing an air cooled condenser mounted forward of a radiator, the radiator dissipates the heat released by the refrigerant in the condenser, as the warmed air stream passes to the radiator. In the present system, the radiator must also dissipate the heat released by the refrigerant to the coolant in the liquid cooled refrigerant condenser 26, but it is able to operate in a free airstream. Therefore, there is potential to reduce the size and cost of the radiator accordingly.

Claims

CLAIMS :
1. An automotive condenser arrangement comprising:
(i) a refrigerant flowpath; and, (ii) a liquid coolant flowpath in thermal heat transfer contact with the refrigerant flowpath.
2. A condenser arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerant flowpath comprises a first gallery system, and the liquid coolant flowpath comprises a second gallery system, the first and second gallery systems being substantially sealed from one another.
3. A condenser according to claim 2, wherein the gallery systems are defined by a plurality of stacked elements .
4. A condenser according to claim 3 , wherein the stacked elements defining the gallery systems comprise nested shell and/or plate elements spaced to define the respective gallery systems.
5. A condenser according to claim 4, wherein the nested elements comprise:
(i) nested dimpled shell elements, each including a plurality of spaced dimples formed in and projecting away from 'the major face of the respective shell element; and/or,
(ii) shell elements stacked with adjacent shell elements in nested relationship, respective turbulator elements being nested within the respective shell elements.
>
6. A condenser according to any of claims 2 to 5, wherein galleries in respective gallery systems are of differing depths.
7. A condenser according to claim 5, wherein the dimpled shell element includes a peripheral wall, the plain shell element nesting within the peripheral wall of the dimpled shell element.
8. A condenser according to claim any preceding claim in which the gallery systems are defined by a plurality of stacked elements the elements having correspondingly tapering peripheral walls facilitating nesting.
9. A condenser according to claim 8, wherein the peripheral walls of the nesting elements define the outer wall of the heat exchanger.
10. A condenser according to any preceding claim, wherein the liquid coolant in the liquid coolant flowpath is water.
11. A condenser according to any preceding claim comprising a condenser of an automotive heat exchange system.
12. An automotive heat exchanger arrangement having a refrigeration or air conditioning system comprising a refrigerant circuit including:
(i) a condenser comprising a refrigerant flowpath and a liquid coolant flowpath in thermal heat transfer contact with the refrigerant flowpath; and,
(ii) an evaporator in a refrigerant circuit with the condenser.
13. An arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the liquid coolant flowpath condenser comprises the primary (or only) condenser in the refrigerant circuit .
14. An arrangement according to claim 12 or claim 13 , wherein the refrigerant circuit includes a compressor.
15. An arrangement according to any of claims 12 to 14, wherein the refrigeration circuit includes an expansion valve.
16. An arrangement according to any of claims 12 to 15, further including a receiver drier arrangement .
17. A heat exchanger arrangement according to any of claims 12 to 16, wherein the liquid coolant flowpath of the condenser is in a circuit with a further heat exchanger arranged to cool the liquid coolant.
18. A heat exchanger arrangement according to claim 17, wherein the further heat exchanger comprises a radiator arranged to cool engine coolant.
19. A heat exchanger arrangement according to claim 18, wherein the refrigerant coolant and engine coolant are i provided in respective circuits having a common flowpath portion.
20. A heat exchanger arrangement according to claim 18 or claim 19, wherein the radiator includes a sub cooled radiator portion having a takeoff for the refrigerant coolant.
PCT/GB2001/002235 2000-05-19 2001-05-21 Automotive condenser arrangement and automotive heat exchanger system WO2001088454A1 (en)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU56550/01A AU5655001A (en) 2000-05-19 2001-05-21 Automotive condenser arrangement and automotive heat exchanger system
EP01929870A EP1196729A1 (en) 2000-05-19 2001-05-21 Automotive condenser arrangement and automotive heat exchanger system

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB0012033.7A GB0012033D0 (en) 2000-05-19 2000-05-19 Condenser arrangement and heat exchanger system
GB0012033.7 2000-05-19

Publications (1)

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WO2001088454A1 true WO2001088454A1 (en) 2001-11-22

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AU (1) AU5655001A (en)
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WO2003054468A1 (en) * 2001-12-10 2003-07-03 Robert Bosch Gmbh Heat transfer device
EP1354735A1 (en) * 2002-04-16 2003-10-22 Calsonic Kansei UK Limited Vehicle air conditioning system
FR2846734A1 (en) * 2002-10-31 2004-05-07 Valeo Thermique Moteur Sa Motor vehicle heat exchanger module has stacked plates defining fluid flow paths and with partition to separate heat exchange regions
FR2846733A1 (en) * 2002-10-31 2004-05-07 Valeo Thermique Moteur Sa Condenser for motor vehicle air conditioning has stacked plates defining flow passages for refrigerant and engine coolant
EP1571407A2 (en) 2004-03-05 2005-09-07 Modine Manufacturing Company Plate heat exchanger
US7007493B2 (en) 2003-07-21 2006-03-07 Delphi Technologies, Inc. Front-end integral air-conditioning unit
WO2011012380A1 (en) * 2009-07-30 2011-02-03 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Vehicle with a cooling system and an air-conditioning system
DE102011007784A1 (en) 2011-04-20 2012-10-25 Behr Gmbh & Co. Kg capacitor
US9851154B2 (en) 2010-12-03 2017-12-26 Hyundai Motor Company Condenser for vehicle
IT201800004061A1 (en) * 2018-03-29 2019-09-29 Denso Thermal Systems Spa Air conditioning system for buses.
IT201900016244A1 (en) * 2019-09-13 2021-03-13 Denso Thermal Systems Spa Plate heat exchanger equipped with refrigerant inlet manifold with calibrated orifice

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DE4341756A1 (en) * 1993-12-08 1995-06-14 Behr Gmbh & Co Air conditioning unit for motor vehicle
EP0742418A2 (en) * 1995-05-10 1996-11-13 Modine Längerer & Reich GmbH Plate heat exchanger
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Cited By (24)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2003054468A1 (en) * 2001-12-10 2003-07-03 Robert Bosch Gmbh Heat transfer device
EP1354735A1 (en) * 2002-04-16 2003-10-22 Calsonic Kansei UK Limited Vehicle air conditioning system
WO2004042309A3 (en) * 2002-10-31 2005-08-11 Valeo Thermique Moteur Sa Heat-exchanger module, in particular for a motor vehicle
FR2846733A1 (en) * 2002-10-31 2004-05-07 Valeo Thermique Moteur Sa Condenser for motor vehicle air conditioning has stacked plates defining flow passages for refrigerant and engine coolant
WO2004042293A1 (en) 2002-10-31 2004-05-21 Valeo Thermique Moteur Condenser, in particular for a motor vehicle air conditioning circuit, and circuit comprising same
WO2004042309A2 (en) * 2002-10-31 2004-05-21 Valeo Thermique Moteur Heat-exchanger module, in particular for a motor vehicle
EP1992891B1 (en) 2002-10-31 2017-06-21 Valeo Systemes Thermiques Condenser, in particular for an automobile air-conditioning circuit, and circuit comprising such a condenser
EP1992891A1 (en) 2002-10-31 2008-11-19 Valeo Systemes Thermiques Condenser, in particular for an automobile air-conditioning circuit, and circuit comprising such a condenser
US7469554B2 (en) 2002-10-31 2008-12-30 Valeo Systeme Thermiques Condenser, in particular for a motor vehicle air conditioning circuit, and circuit comprising same
FR2846734A1 (en) * 2002-10-31 2004-05-07 Valeo Thermique Moteur Sa Motor vehicle heat exchanger module has stacked plates defining fluid flow paths and with partition to separate heat exchange regions
US8122736B2 (en) 2002-10-31 2012-02-28 Valeo Systemes Thermiques Condenser for a motor vehicle air conditioning circuit, and circuit comprising same
US7007493B2 (en) 2003-07-21 2006-03-07 Delphi Technologies, Inc. Front-end integral air-conditioning unit
EP1571407A2 (en) 2004-03-05 2005-09-07 Modine Manufacturing Company Plate heat exchanger
EP1571407A3 (en) * 2004-03-05 2010-09-29 Modine Manufacturing Company Plate heat exchanger
WO2011012380A1 (en) * 2009-07-30 2011-02-03 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Vehicle with a cooling system and an air-conditioning system
US9851154B2 (en) 2010-12-03 2017-12-26 Hyundai Motor Company Condenser for vehicle
US10753686B2 (en) 2010-12-03 2020-08-25 Hyundai Motor Company Condenser for vehicle
WO2012143451A1 (en) 2011-04-20 2012-10-26 Behr Gmbh & Co. Kg Condenser
DE102011007784A1 (en) 2011-04-20 2012-10-25 Behr Gmbh & Co. Kg capacitor
US10107566B2 (en) 2011-04-20 2018-10-23 Mahle International Gmbh Condenser
IT201800004061A1 (en) * 2018-03-29 2019-09-29 Denso Thermal Systems Spa Air conditioning system for buses.
EP3546257A1 (en) * 2018-03-29 2019-10-02 DENSO THERMAL SYSTEMS S.p.A. Air conditioning system for buses
IT201900016244A1 (en) * 2019-09-13 2021-03-13 Denso Thermal Systems Spa Plate heat exchanger equipped with refrigerant inlet manifold with calibrated orifice
EP3792582A1 (en) * 2019-09-13 2021-03-17 DENSO THERMAL SYSTEMS S.p.A. A method for homogenizing a refrigerant fluid flow within a plate heat exchanger provided with a refrigerant inlet collector with a calibrated orifice

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GB0012033D0 (en) 2000-07-05
AU5655001A (en) 2001-11-26
EP1196729A1 (en) 2002-04-17

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