Patent Application
20170030662
This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2015-0108929, filed in Korea on Jul. 31, 2015 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
A heat exchanger is disclosed herein.
Generally, a heat exchanger may be used as a condenser or an evaporator in a refrigeration cycle device, which includes a compressor, a condenser, an expander, and an evaporator. The heat exchanger may be installed in, for example, a vehicle or a refrigerator, and perform heat exchange between refrigerant and air.
Heat exchangers may be sorted into a fin-tube-type heat exchanger and a micro-channel-type heat exchanger depending on a structure thereof. The fin-tube-type heat exchanger is fabricated using copper, and the micro-channel-type heat exchanger is fabricated using aluminum.
The micro-channel-type heat exchanger defines micro flow-paths therein, and therefore, has a higher efficiency than the fin-tube-type heat exchanger. Although the fin-tube-type heat exchanger is easily fabricated by welding fins and tubes, the micro-channel-type heat exchanger disadvantageously requires high initial investment costs for fabrication thereof because it is fabricated via brazing after being introduced into a furnace.
The fins 2 are coupled to flat tubes 1 at opposite sides thereof. The fins 2 are arranged in a zigzag arrangement in a longitudinal direction of the flat tubes 1.
The conventional micro-channel-type heat exchanger has considerably higher heat exchange efficiency between refrigerant and air than the fin-tube-type heat exchanger, but has difficulty in discharging condensed water when it is used as an evaporator. The conventional micro-channel-type heat exchanger problematically causes deterioration in heat exchange efficiency because condensed water, which is generated when the heat exchanger is used as an evaporator, may not be discharged and the condensed water may stagnate and freeze between the fins. A related art micro-channel-type heat exchanger having such disadvantages is shown in Korean Patent Registration No. 10-0765557, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the following drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like elements, and wherein:
Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Where possible, like reference numerals have been used to indicate like elements, and repetitive disclosure has been omitted.
A micro-channel-type heat exchanger according to an embodiment will be described with reference to
The micro-channel-type heat exchanger according to this embodiment may include a plurality of flat tubes 10 defining a plurality of flow paths therein, fins 20 arranged between and respectively coupled to the plurality of flat tubes 10 to conduct heat, and a first header (not illustrated) and a second header (not illustrated) assembled to respective ends of the plurality of flat tubes 10 to move refrigerant.
In the micro-channel-type heat exchanger, when refrigerant is supplied to the first header, the refrigerant passes through the plurality of flat tubes 10 and moves to the second header. On the other hand, when refrigerant is supplied to the second header, the refrigerant moves to the first header. The first header and the second header have a structure which is well known to those skilled in the art, and thus, a detailed description thereof has been omitted herein.
The flat tubes 10 have a flat shape and define multiple flow paths therein. The flat tubes 10 may be formed of a metal material. In this embodiment, the flat tubes are formed of aluminum.
In this embodiment, the flat tubes 10 are horizontally arranged, and the fins 20 are also arranged so as to extend horizontally. The micro-channel-type heat exchanger according to this embodiment has a structure for easy discharge of condensed water because the flat tubes 10 and the fins 20 are horizontally arranged. Alternatively, the flat tubes 10 and the fins 20 may be arranged so as to extend vertically.
The fins 20 may be bent in a longitudinal direction of the flat tubes 10. The fins 20 may have an advantage of low manufacturing costs because they may be fabricated by repeatedly performing a fin-rolling method.
The fins 20 may be formed of a metal material. In this embodiment, the fins 20 are formed of aluminum, like the flat tubes 10. The fins 20 may serve to rapidly conduct the heat in the flat tubes 10 so as to increase heat exchange efficiency.
The fins 20 may be arranged between the flat tubes 10. By way of explanation, a fin 20 located at an uppermost position may be defined as a first fin 20-1, a fin 20 located under the first fin 20-1 may be defined as a second fin 20-2, and a fin 20 located under the second fin 20-2 may be defined as a third fin 20-3.
Each fin 20 may include a first fin portion 30 located between two flat tubes 10, a first bent portion 50 bent at the first fin portion 30 so as to come into contact with any one or a first of the two flat tubes 10, a second fin portion 40 bent at the first bent portion 50 so as to be opposite the first fin portion 30 and to be located between the two flat tubes 10, and a second bent portion 60 bent at the second fin portion 40 so as to come into contact with the other or a second one of the two flat tubes 10. For convenience of description, the flat tube 10 which is in contact with the first bent portion 50, may be defined as a first flat tube 11, and the flat tube 10 which is in contact with the second bent portion 60, may be defined as a second flat tube 12.
The fin 20 may be configured such that the first fin portion 30, the first bent portion 50, the second fin portion 40, and the second bent portion 60 are repeated. The first fin portion 30 may support the first flat tube 11 and the second flat tube 12. The first fin portion 30 may be oriented substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the first flat tube 11 and the second flat tube 12.
Like the first fin portion 30, the second fin portion 40 may also support the first flat tube 11 and the second flat tube 12, and may be oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the first flat tube 11 and the second flat tube 12. The first fin portion 30 and the second fin portion 40 may be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance. A flow space 25 for movement of air may be defined between the first fin portion 30 and the second fin portion 40.
Air for heat exchange may pass through the flow space 25 defined between the first fin portion 30 and the second fin portion 40. The smaller the gap in the flow space 25 defined between the first fin portion 30 and a second fin portion 40, the greater a number of fin portions which may be installed, which may increase heat exchange efficiency.
However, when the gap in the flow space 25 is small, condensed water, generated when the heat exchanger operates as an evaporator, may be attached and fixed to the first fin portion 30 and the second fin portion 40 via surface tension. In this embodiment, the flow space 25 has the gap to prevent condensed water from connecting the first fin portion 30 and the second fin portion 40 to each other via surface tension.
The condensed water generated in the first fin portion 30 and the second fin portion 40 comes into contact with air, which moves along the flow space 25, and thus falls down. At least one of the first fin portion 30 or the second fin portion 40 may be provided with vents 21 and 22, which may communicate with an adjacent flow space 25′. In this embodiment, both the first fin portion 30 and the second fin portion 40 are provided with the vents 21 and 22. Although each of the first fin portion 30 and the second fin portion 40 is provided with the two vents 21 and 22, only one vent may be provided, alternatively.
For convenience of description, the vents 21 and 22 may be referred to as a first vent 21 and a second vent 22. The vents 21 and 22 may take the form of holes or slits. In this embodiment, the vents 21 and 22 are formed by cutting the first fin portion 30 and the second fin portion 40.
The first fin portion 30 may be provided with a first-first louver 31 that forms the first vent 21. Further, the first fin portion 30 may be provided with a first-second louver 32 that forms the second vent 22.
The first-first louver 31 may be formed by bending the cut first fin portion 30. The first vent 21 may be formed in a location in which the first-first louver 31 is cut.
The first-second louver 32 may be formed in a same method as the first-first louver 31. The louvers 31 and 32 may serve to guide some of the air moving along the flow space 25 to the neighboring flow space 25′.
In this embodiment, the first-first louver 31 and the first-second louver 32 are formed so as to guide the air in different directions. For example, when the first-first louver 31 is formed to guide the air from the adjacent flow space 25′ to the flow space 25, the first-second louver 32 is formed to guide the air from the flow space 25 to the adjacent flow space 25′.
The louvers may protrude from the first fin portion 30 or the second fin portion 40 to the flow space 25 or the adjacent flow space 25′. The louver may be formed to extend perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the first flat tube 11 and the second flat tube 12.
Louvers, formed in the second fin portion 40, may have a same structure as the louvers formed in the first fin portion 30, and for convenience of description, may be referred to as a second-first louver 41 and a second-second louver 42. The second fin portion 40 may be provided with the first vent 21 formed by the second-first louver 41 and the second vent 22 formed by the second-second louver 42. Because the first-first louver 31 and the first-second louver 32 are formed in opposite directions, the direction in which the fins 20 are installed need not be considered upon installation of the heat exchanger.
The first bent portion 50 may come into close contact with the first flat tube 11 and conduct heat from the first flat tube 11. The first bent portion 50 may be formed into a plane in this embodiment. Although the first bent portion 50 is located at a top and the second bent portion 60 is located at a bottom in this embodiment, they may be located at opposite positions.
The first bent portion 50 may be provided with a condensed water discharge fin 70, 71 to discharge condensed water from the flow space 25. The condensed water discharge fin 70 may be formed by cutting and bending the first bent portion 50.
As such, the first bent portion 50 may be provided with a condensed water discharge hole 51 at a location at which the condensed water discharge fin 70 is provided. The condensed water discharge hole formed in the first bent portion 50 may be referred to as a first condensed water discharge hole 51.
In this embodiment, two condensed water discharge fins 70 are formed on the first bent portion 50 so as to face each other. Only one condensed water discharge hole 51 is provided. Because the two condensed water discharge fins 70 are formed in a limited area, a length of the condensed water discharge fins 70 may be half or less than a width of the first bent portion 50.
In addition, a connector 52 that connects the first fin portion 30 and the second fin portion 40 to each other may be formed on an edge of the first bent portion 50. The connector 52 may be a portion that remains when the condensed water discharge fins 70 are formed. As such, the connector 52 may be formed so as to be in contact with the condensed water discharge hole 51. The connector 52 may connect the first fin portion 30 and the second fin portion 40 to each other, thus improving a strength of the fin 20.
The condensed water present in the flow space 25 may be discharged from the flow space 25 through the condensed water discharge hole 51. The condensed water discharge fins 70 may guide a flow of condensed water when the condensed water is discharged.
Likewise, the second bent portion 60 may be provided with a condensed water discharge hole 61 and condensed water discharge fins 70, 72, in a same manner as the first bent portion 50. The condensed water discharge hole, formed in the second bent portion 60, may be referred to as a second condensed water discharge hole 61.
Because the flat tubes 10 are stacked one above another and the fins 20 are arranged between the flat tubes 10, condensed water discharge fins 71 formed on the first bent portion 50 and condensed water discharge fins 72 formed on the second bent portion 60 may be vertically arranged. For convenience of description, the condensed water discharge fin provided on the first bent portion 50 may be referred to as a first condensed water discharge fin 71 and the condensed water discharge fin provided on the second bent portion 60 may be referred to as a second condensed water discharge fin 72.
The first condensed water discharge fin 71 and the second condensed water discharge fin 72 may be vertically arranged. The first condensed water discharge fin 71 and the second condensed water discharge fin 72 may be aligned in a line. When the first condensed water discharge fin 71 and the second condensed water discharge fin 72 are aligned in a line, the first condensed water discharge fin 71 and the second condensed water discharge fin 72 may be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance.
The predetermined distance between the first condensed water discharge fin 71 and the second condensed water discharge fin 72 may be a distance by which condensed water may move by surface tension. In this embodiment, the second condensed water discharge fin 72 of the first fin 20-1 and the first condensed water discharge fin 71 of the second fin 20-2 are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance. Alternatively, the second condensed water discharge fin 72 of the first fin 20-1 and the first condensed water discharge fin 71 of the second fin 20-2 may contact with each other.
As such, condensed water, generated in the flow space 25 defined in the upper fin 20, may be discharged to the condensed water discharge hole 61 and may move downward along the second condensed water discharge fin 72. Then, the condensed water may move downward along the second condensed water discharge fin 72 and the first condensed water discharge fin 71 adjacent thereto.
The flat tube 10 may be located so as to come into close contact with the condensed water discharge fin 70. When the heat exchanger is used as an evaporator, the flat tube 10 has a lowest temperature. The condensed water, generated in the flat tube 10, may rapidly move downward through the condensed water discharge fin 70, which is in close contact with the flat tube 10. Through this rapid movement of the condensed water, it may be possible to minimize freezing of condensed water on a surface of the flat tube 10.
In this embodiment, the condensed water discharge fins 70 and the condensed water discharge holes 51 and 61 are formed only on one side of the fin 20. Alternatively, the condensed water discharge fins 70 and the condensed water discharge holes 51 and 61 may be formed on opposite sides of the fin 20.
In addition, although the condensed water discharge fins 70 and the condensed water discharge holes 51 and 61 are formed by cutting the first bent portion 50 and the second bent portion 60 in this embodiment, alternatively, only the condensed water discharge holes 51 and 61 may be formed. In addition, when only the condensed water discharge holes 51 and 61 are formed, a plurality of the holes 51 and 61 may be provided along the first bent portion 50 or the second bent portion 60.
A micro-channel-type heat exchanger according to another embodiment will be described below with reference to
The heat exchanger according to this embodiment has differences in terms of a position and alignment of the condensed water discharge fins compared to the previous embodiment. A fin 120 according to this embodiment may be provided with condensed water discharge fins 170 on opposite edges of the first bent portion 50. The fin 120 may be provided with the condensed water discharge fins 170 on opposite edges of the second bent portion 60. For convenience of description, the condensed water discharge fins provided on the first bent portion 50 may be referred to as first condensed water discharge fins 171, and the condensed water discharge fins provided on the second bent portion 60 may be referred to as second condensed water discharge fins 172.
The first bent portion 50 may be provided on opposite edges thereof with condensed water discharge holes 51. The second bent portion 60 may be provided on opposite edges thereof with condensed water discharge holes 61.
Unlike the previous embodiment, each condensed water discharge hole 51 or 61 is provided with one condensed water discharge fin 170. The first condensed water discharge fin 171 and the second condensed water discharge fin 172, provided on the fin 120, may be offset in the vertical direction. That is, the first condensed water discharge fin 171 and the second condensed water discharge fin 172 may be not aligned in a line, unlike the previous embodiment.
As such, when the fins 120 are stacked one above another, the first condensed water discharge fin 171 and the second condensed water discharge fin 172 may be offset in a lateral direction. In particular, the first condensed water discharge fin 171 and the second condensed water discharge fin 172 may be arranged so as to face each other at offset positions.
In a state in which the fins 120 are stacked one above another, the second condensed water discharge fin 172 of the upper fin 120 and the first condensed water discharge fin 171 of the lower fin 120 may be arranged so as to face each other. In this embodiment, when viewing the fins 120 from a front side, the first condensed water discharge fin 171 and the second condensed water discharge fin 172 may be arranged in a line.
Alternatively, the first condensed water discharge fin 171 may be offset when viewing the fins 120 from the front side. The second condensed water discharge fin 172 may also be offset when viewing from the front side. The other components may be the same as in the previous embodiment, and thus, a detailed description thereof has been omitted herein.
As is apparent from the above description, a heat exchanger according to embodiments disclosed herein has at least the following advantages.
First, embodiments disclosed herein have the advantage of easily discharging condensed water from a flow space, which is defined between a first fin portion and a second fin portion, through condensed water discharge holes and condensed water discharge fins. Second, embodiments disclosed herein have the advantage of fabricating the heat exchanger using a fin-rolling machine because the condensed water discharge holes and the condensed water discharge fins are formed by cutting and bending the first fin portion and the second fin portion. Third, embodiments disclosed herein have the advantage of reducing fabrication costs through use of the fin-rolling machine.
Fourth, embodiments disclosed herein have the advantage of easily discharging condensed water by arranging the condensed water discharge fins in a line or in a zigzag arrangement. Fifth, embodiments disclosed herein have the advantage of easily discharging condensed water by forming the condensed water discharge fins in a direction of gravity. Sixth, embodiments disclosed herein have the advantage of rapidly discharging condensed water because the condensed water discharge fins are arranged in contact with the condensed water discharge holes, through which condensed water is discharged from the flow space. Seventh, embodiments disclosed herein have the advantage of easily discharging condensed water generated inside fins even when flat tubes and the fins are horizontally installed.
Embodiments disclosed herein have been made in view of problems associated with the prior art, and provide a micro-channel-type heat exchanger, which may easily discharge condensed water. Embodiments disclosed herein provide a micro-channel-type heat exchanger, which may be fabricated via a fin-rolling method. Embodiments disclosed herein provide a micro-channel-type heat exchanger, which may easily move fluid in a longitudinal direction of flat tubes and in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the flat tubes. Embodiments disclosed herein provide a micro-channel-type heat exchanger, which may easily move condensed water, generated in upper fins, to lower fins.
Embodiments disclosed herein provide a heat exchanger that may include a plurality of flat tubes formed in a micro-channel form, and a fin located between the flat tubes to conduct heat. The fin may include a first fin portion located between two flat tubes, a first bent portion bent at the first fin portion so as to come into contact with one of the two flat tubes, a second fin portion bent at the first bent portion, the second fin portion being opposite the first fin portion and being located between the two flat tubes, a flow space defined between the first fin portion and the second fin portion, a second bent portion bent at the second fin portion so as to come into contact with a remaining one of the two flat tubes, and a condensed water discharge hole formed by cutting at least one of the first bent portion or the second bent portion and a condensed water discharge fin bent at one of the first bent portion or the second bent portion.
The condensed water discharge fin may be bent in a same direction as a direction in which the first fin portion or the second fin portion is formed. Each flat tube may be located so as to come into close contact with the condensed water discharge fin. The condensed water discharge fin and the condensed water discharge hole may be located at an edge of the fin.
Two condensed water discharge fins may be formed on opposite sides of the condensed water discharge hole. The two condensed water discharge fins may be arranged so as to face each other.
The condensed water discharge fin may include a first condensed water discharge fin formed on the first bent portion and a second condensed water discharge fin formed on the second bent portion, and the first condensed water discharge fin and the second condensed water discharge fin may be bent in opposite directions. The first condensed water discharge fin and the second condensed water discharge fin may be arranged in a line in a vertical direction. The first condensed water discharge fin and the second condensed water discharge fin may be offset in a vertical direction.
At least one of the first fin portion or the second fin portion may be provided with a vent for communication of the flow space and an adjacent flow space with each other. The fin portion may further be provided with a louver that forms the vent and guides air.
The at least one of the first fin portion or the second fin portion may further be provided with a first vent and a second vent, and provided with a first-first louver that forms the first vent and a first-second louver that forms the second vent. The first-first louver and the first-second louver may be formed in opposite directions.
Although the embodiments have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, embodiments are not limited to the disclosed embodiments and may be fabricated into various forms. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments may be implemented into other specific forms without change in the technical idea or essential features. Hence, it should be understood that the embodiments described above are given by way of example in all terms and are not limitative.
Any reference in this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “example embodiment,” etc., means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. The appearances of such phrases in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with any embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the purview of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other ones of the embodiments.
Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2015-0108929 | Jul 2015 | KR | national |
