The present invention relates to a heat exchanger, as well as an air conditioning device equipped with the heat exchanger and an air property converter. More specifically the invention pertains to a heat exchanger for heat exchange between the air and a heat exchange medium, as well as an air conditioning device equipped with such a heat exchanger and an air property converter that changes the property of the inflow air and flows out the air of the changed property.
Various f in structures have been proposed for a fin tube heat exchanger having multiple parallel fins and multiple heat transfer tubes arranged to pass through the multiple fins. One proposed structure is slit fins with long slits (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Another proposed structure is corrugated fins having concaves and convexes arranged perpendicular to an air flow direction (see, for example, Patent Document 2). These proposed fin structures aim to promote the heat transfer performance in the fin tube heat exchanger.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-161588
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-193389
In the conventional fin tube heat exchanger, these proposed fin structures improve the heat transfer coefficient but may undesirably increase the ventilation resistance by separation of the air flow or a local speed increase of the air flow due to the projections or the cutting. In application of the conventional heat exchanger to an evaporator in a refrigeration cycle, the water vapor included in the air forms dew condensation water or frost and adheres to the heat exchanger. The condensed water or the frost may clog the slits and interfere with the smooth air flow.
In a heat exchanger and an air conditioning device equipped with the heat exchanger, there would thus be a demand for preventing separation of the air flow and a local speed increase of the air flow. In the heat exchanger and the air conditioning device equipped with the heat exchanger, there would also be a demand for producing effective secondary flows of the air to improve the heat exchange efficiency. Another demand would be size reduction of the heat exchanger and the air conditioning device equipped with the heat exchanger. In an air property converter, there would be a demand for preventing separation of the air flow and a local speed increase of the air flow, while attaining efficient change of the property of the air and enabling size reduction.
The present invention accomplishes at least part of the demands mentioned above by the following configurations applied to the heat exchanger, the air conditioning device equipped with the heat exchanger, and the air property converter.
One aspect of the invention pertains to a heat exchanger for heat exchange between the air and a heat exchange medium, the heat exchanger includes: multiple heat transfer tubes arranged in parallel to each other as flow paths of the heat exchange medium; and multiple corrugated fin members configured to have wave forms and provide an air inlet for inflow of the air, an air outlet for outflow of the air, and an air flow path connecting the air inlet with the air outlet and making heat exchange with the multiple heat transfer tubes, the multiple fin members being arranged to have a preset acute angle formed by each wave form and an air flow line in at least a predetermined range in a direction from the air inlet to the air outlet.
In the heat exchanger according to this aspect of the invention, the multiple fin members are arranged to have the preset acute angle formed by each wave form and the air flow line in the predetermined range in the direction from the air inlet to the air outlet. This arrangement ensures production of secondary flow components effective for promotion of heat transfer without causing separation of the air flow. The presence of such secondary flows effectively prevents a local speed increase of the air flow and improves the overall heat exchange efficiency, thus enabling size reduction of the heat exchanger. Each of the multiple heat transfer tubes may have either a substantially circular cross section or a substantially rectangular cross section. The multiple fin members may be corrugated members laminated in parallel to one another.
In one preferable embodiment of the heat exchanger according to the above aspect of the invention, the multiple fin members are arranged to make each wave form symmetrical about a center of each adjacent set of the multiple heat transfer tubes. The air flow is thus symmetrical about the center of the adjacent set of the multiple heat transfer tubes.
In another preferable embodiment of the heat exchanger according to the above aspect of the invention, the multiple fin members are arranged to have the wave forms such that the air flows in a cavity region behind each of the multiple heat transfer tubes in an air flow direction. This makes the air flow in the cavity region behind each of the multiple heat transfer tubes in the air flow direction, thus further improving the overall heat exchange efficiency.
In still another preferable embodiment of the heat exchanger according to the above aspect of the invention, the multiple fin members are arranged to have the wave forms such that a top-connecting line of connecting tops of each wave form is bent multiple times. In the heat exchanger of this embodiment, the multiple fin members may be arranged to have the wave forms such that a curve of interconnecting bent points of the top-connecting lines of adjacent wave forms is consistent with the air flow line in the predetermined range.
In another preferable embodiment of the heat exchanger according to the above aspect of the invention, the multiple fin members are designed to give a Reynolds number of not less than 10, which is defined by an air flow rate ‘u’ and an amplitude ‘h’ of the wave form. At the Reynolds number of not less than 10, the inertial force of the air flow exceeds the viscous force of the air flow, and the dynamic pressure is converted into the static pressure at convex front stagnation points in the wave forms. The pressure difference between the dynamic pressure and the static pressure causes secondary flows effective for promotion of the heat transfer.
In still another preferable embodiment of the heat exchanger according to the above aspect of the invention, the preset acute angle is in a range of 10 degrees to 60 degrees. This angle range effectively prevents separation of the air flow and a local speed increase of the air flow. The preset acute angle is preferably in a range of 15 degrees to 45 degrees and more preferably in a range of 25 degrees to 35 degrees. The most preferable angle is 30 degrees.
In one preferable structure of the heat exchanger according to the above aspect of the invention, the multiple fin members provide the air flow path connecting the air inlet with the air outlet and intersecting with the multiple heat transfer tubes in a heat exchangeable manner. In another preferable structure of the heat exchanger according to the above aspect of the invention, the multiple heat transfer tubes provide, in combination with the multiple fin members, at least one of the air inlet and the air outlet.
Another aspect of the invention pertains to an air conditioning device configured as a refrigeration cycle with application of a heat exchanger to at least one of an evaporator and a condenser. The heat exchanger for heat exchange between the air and a heat exchange medium basically has: multiple heat transfer tubes arranged in parallel to each other as flow paths of the heat exchange medium; and multiple corrugated fin members configured to have wave forms and provide an air inlet for inflow of the air, an air outlet for outflow of the air, and an air flow path connecting the air inlet with the air outlet and making heat exchange with the multiple heat transfer tubes. The multiple fin members are arranged to have a preset acute angle formed by each wave form and an air flow line in at least a predetermined range in a direction from the air inlet to the air outlet.
The air conditioning device according to this aspect of the invention is equipped with the heat exchanger of the invention having any of the above arrangements and accordingly has the similar advantages to those of the heat exchanger described above, that is, producing the secondary flow components effective for promotion of heat transfer without causing separation of the air flow, preventing a local speed increase of the air flow, and improving the heat exchange efficiency. These effects enable size reduction of the air conditioning device.
According to another aspect, the present invention is directed to an air property converter that changes a property of an inflow air and flows out the air of the changed property, the air property converter includes: multiple corrugated fin members configured to have wave forms and provide an air inlet for inflow of the air, an air outlet for outflow of the air, and an air flow path connecting the air inlet with the air outlet, the multiple fin members being arranged to have a preset acute angle formed by each wave form and an air flow line in at least a predetermined range in a direction from the air inlet to the air outlet.
In air property converter according to this aspect of the invention, the multiple fin members are arranged to have the preset acute angle formed by each wave form and the air flow line in the predetermined range in the direction from the air inlet to the air outlet. This arrangement ensures production of secondary flow components effective for promotion of conversion of the air property without causing separation of the air flow. The presence of such secondary flows effectively prevents a local speed increase of the air flow and improves the overall conversion efficiency of the air property, thus enabling size reduction of the air property converter. One typical example of the conversion of the air property is a change from the mist-rich air to the mist-lean air. In this case, the air property converter is a mist separator. The multiple fin members may be corrugated members laminated in parallel to one another.
One mode of carrying out the invention is discussed below as a preferred embodiment.
The multiple heat transfer tubes 22a to 22c are arranged in parallel to one another to make crooked flows or split flows of a heat exchange medium, for example, a cooling liquid such as cooling water or cooling oil or a refrigerant gas used in refrigeration cycles, while being disposed substantially perpendicular to the air flow for cooling.
As shown in
The multiple tops 34 and the multiple bottoms 36 of each fin 30 are arranged to have a preset acute angle γ, for example, 30 degrees, formed by their continuous lines (the broken line and the one-dot chain line) and an air flow direction (a flow line) at the air inlet. The multiple tops 34 and the multiple bottoms 36 of each fin 30 are also arranged to be symmetrical about the air flow line on the center of each adjoining set of the heat transfer tubes 22a to 22c. A curve interconnecting the bents of the tops 34 and the bottoms 36 is accordingly consistent with the air flow line at the air inlet.
The multiple tops 34 and the multiple bottoms 36 of each fin 30 are arranged to make the air flow in a cavity region behind each of the heat transfer tubes 22a to 22c in the air flow direction at the air outlet. This arrangement of making the air flow in the cavity region behind each of the heat transfer tubes 22a to 22c in the air flow direction makes a further contribution to the heat exchange.
In the structure of the embodiment, a wave amplitude ‘h’ of the tops 34 and the bottoms 36 of each fin 30 (see
In the fin tube heat exchanger 20 of the embodiment described above, the tops 34 and the bottoms 36 of each fin 30 are arranged to have the preset acute angle γ (for example, 30 degrees) to the air flow line at the air inlet. This arrangement enables production of effective secondary flows of the air to improve the heat transfer efficiency and accordingly increases the overall heat exchange efficiency. The increased overall heat exchange efficiency desirably enables size reduction of the fin tube heat exchanger 20 of the embodiment. In the fin tube heat exchanger 20 of the embodiment, the respective fins 30 are attached to the heat transfer tubes 22a to 22c, and the tops 34 and the bottoms 36 of each fin 30 are designed to have the Reynolds number of not lower than 10, which is defined by the average air flow rate ‘u’ between the adjacent fins 30 and the amplitude ‘h’ of the wave formed by the tops 34 and the bottoms 36 of the fin 30. This arrangement effectively improves the heat transfer performance.
In the fin tube heat exchanger 20 of the embodiment, the tops 34 and the bottoms 36 of each fin 30 are arranged to make the air flow in the cavity region behind each of the heat transfer tubes 22a to 22c in the air flow direction at the air outlet. This arrangement of making the air flow in the cavity region behind each of the heat transfer tubes 22a to 22c in the air flow direction makes an additional contribution to the heat exchange. Such contribution further improves the overall heat exchange efficiency of the fin tube heat exchanger 20.
In the fin tube heat exchanger 20 of the embodiment, each fin 30 has the corrugated structure of the tops 34 and the bottoms 36. This arrangement neither requires cutting of the fin nor narrows the interval between adjacent fins, thus effectively preventing separation of the air flow and a local speed increase of the air flow. In application of the fin tube heat exchanger 20 to an evaporator, this arrangement effectively prevents the condensed water or frost from clogging and interfering with the smooth air flow.
In the fin tube heat exchanger 20 of the embodiment, the tops 34 and the bottoms 36 formed on each fin 30 are bent three times between each adjacent set of the heat transfer tubes 22a to 22c as shown in
In the fin tube heat exchanger 20 of the embodiment, the tops 34 and the bottoms 36 of each fin 30 are arranged to make the air flow in the cavity region behind each of the heat transfer tubes 22a to 22c in the air flow direction at the air outlet. The tops 34 and the bottoms 36 of each fin 30 may, however, be arranged to make no air flow in the cavity region behind each of the heat transfer tubes 22a to 22c in the air flow direction. In this modified structure, the tops 34 and the bottoms 36 of each fin 30 may be arranged to have a preset acute angle γ (for example, 30 degrees) to the air flow line at the air outlet like the arrangement at the air inlet.
The embodiment regards the fin tube heat exchanger 20 according to one aspect of the invention. Another aspect of the invention pertains to an air property converter with omission of the heat transfer tubes 22a to 22c from the structure of the fin tube heat exchanger 20. One typical example of the air property converter is a mist separator.
The fin tube heat exchanger 20 of the embodiment has the multiple heat transfer tubes 22a to 22c having the substantially circular cross section. The shape of the heat transfer tubes is, however, not restricted to the circular cross section. As shown in a modified structure of
The embodiment discussed above is to be considered in all aspects as illustrative and not restrictive. There may be many modifications, changes, and alterations without departing from the scope or spirit of the main characteristics of the present invention. The scope and spirit of the present invention are indicated by the appended claims, rather than by the foregoing description.
Industrial Applicability
The technique of the present invention is preferably applicable to the manufacturing industries of heat exchangers and air property converters.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2005-220783 | Jul 2005 | JP | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/JP2006/315049 | 7/28/2006 | WO | 00 | 1/29/2008 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2007/013623 | 2/1/2007 | WO | A |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
3515207 | Lu | Jun 1970 | A |
6349761 | Liu et al. | Feb 2002 | B1 |
Number | Date | Country |
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A 1-219497 | Sep 1989 | JP |
A 2000-193389 | Jul 2000 | JP |
A 2003-161588 | Jun 2003 | JP |
A 2003-314973 | Nov 2003 | JP |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20080264098 A1 | Oct 2008 | US |