Patent Application
20250052504
The present invention relates to a heat exchanger, and more particularly, to a heat exchanger capable of ensuring sufficient cooling performance and drainage performance even in a narrow width and being conveniently assembled.
A heat exchange system includes a heat exchanger configured to absorb heat from the surroundings, a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant or heat medium, a condenser configured to dissipate heat to the surroundings, and an expansion valve configured to expand the refrigerant or heat medium. In a cooling system of the heat exchange system, a gaseous refrigerant, which is introduced into the compressor from the heat exchanger, is compressed to a high temperature and a high pressure in the compressor, liquefaction heat is dissipated to the surroundings during a process in which the compressed gaseous refrigerant is liquefied while passing through a condenser, the liquefied refrigerant is converted into low-temperature, low-pressure wet saturated vapor while passing through the expansion valve again, and then the refrigerant is introduced into the heat exchanger again and then vaporized, such that a cycle is implemented, and a substantial cooling operation is performed by the heat exchanger in which a liquid refrigerant is vaporized by absorbing the amount of heat, which corresponds to vaporization heat, from the surroundings.
Recently, in vehicle industries, the efficiency of components and parts, which includes fuel economy, has been continuously improved. In addition, external appearances of vehicles also tend to be diversified to meet the needs of various consumers. In response to this trend, research and development have been steadily conducted to lighten, miniaturize, and highly functionalize the components of the vehicles. In particular, even in the case of cooling devices for vehicles, there have been continuous efforts to develop a heat exchange system capable of ensuring a sufficient space in an engine room, having a small size to reduce a necessary volume, and having high efficiency.
An object of the present invention is to improve efficiency by changing a structure of a heat exchanger and reduce costs.
Another object of the present invention is to propose a structure of a heat exchanger capable of ensuring sufficient cooling performance and drainage performance even though the heat exchanger is manufactured to have a narrow width.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a structure of a heat exchanger having a shape that is stable and conveniently assembled.
Technical problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned technical problems, and other technical problems, which are not mentioned above, may be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following descriptions.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned objects, an embodiment of the present invention provides a heat exchanger including: first and second header tanks into and from which a cooling fluid is introduced and discharged, the first and second header tanks being spaced apart from each other at a predetermined distance; and a core part disposed between the first and second header tanks, having a plurality of tubes and fins, and configured to perform a movement of the cooling fluid and heat exchange of the cooling fluid, in which the first or second header tank includes: an outer header plate configured to define an outer periphery of the tank; and an inner header plate coupled to the plurality of tubes and the outer header plate and configured to define a closed cross-section, in which a center of the outer header plate includes a first bent portion recessed toward the core part, and in which a drain hole is formed in the first bent portion.
According to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to reduce manufacturing costs for the heat exchanger in comparison with the related art.
In addition, it is possible to ensure sufficient heat exchange performance and drainage performance even in a narrow width.
In addition, it is possible to maintain a uniform distribution of the heat exchanger refrigerant and implement the effective condensate water discharge structure.
In addition, it is possible to stably and conveniently assemble the components such as the communication hole and the baffle.
The various, beneficial advantages and effects of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned contents and may be more easily understood during the process of describing the specific embodiments of the present invention.
An embodiment of the present invention provides a heat exchanger including: first and second header tanks into and from which a thermally cooling fluid is introduced and discharged, the first and second header tanks being spaced apart from each other at a predetermined distance; and a core part disposed between the first and second header tanks, having a plurality of tubes and fins, and configured to perform a movement of the cooling fluid and heat exchange of the cooling fluid, in which the first or second header tank includes: an outer header plate configured to define an outer periphery of the tank; and an inner header plate coupled to the plurality of tubes and the outer header plate and configured to define a closed cross-section, in which a center of the outer header plate includes a first bent portion recessed toward the core part, and in which a drain hole is formed in the first bent portion.
In addition, a predetermined region of the outer header plate may be penetrated, and a main communication hole and an auxiliary communication hole may be formed to allow flow paths, which are divided into a plurality of tank zones, to communicate with one another.
In addition, a main communication hole plate may be coupled to a penetration region of the outer header plate having the main communication hole, and an auxiliary communication hole cover may be coupled to a penetration region of the outer header plate having the auxiliary communication hole.
In addition, the main communication hole may be formed to have a larger area than the auxiliary communication hole, and a height of a main communication cover plate may be higher than a height of an auxiliary communication cover plate.
In addition, an area of the auxiliary communication hole may be 6.5% or less of an area of the main communication hole.
In addition, a header plate fastening tab may protrude from a recessed portion of the inner header plate and be coupled to the outer header plate, a header plate fixing groove, into which the header plate fastening tab is inserted, may be formed in a recessed portion of the outer header plate, and condensate water may be discharged through the header plate fixing groove.
In addition, a main through-hole and an auxiliary through-hole, through which the cooling fluid flows, may be formed as a predetermined region of the outer header plate is penetrated, a main communication hole cover may be coupled to a penetration region of the outer header plate having the main communication hole, an auxiliary communication hole plate may be coupled to a penetration region of the outer header plate having the auxiliary communication hole, a main communication fastening tab may protrude from the recessed portion of the inner header plate to couple the main communication hole cover, and an auxiliary communication fastening tab may protrude from the recessed portion of the inner header plate to couple the auxiliary communication hole cover.
In addition, main communication fastening protruding portions may protrude from two opposite sides of the main communication hole cover and be coupled to the main communication fastening tab, or auxiliary communication fastening protruding portions may protrude from two opposite sides of the auxiliary communication hole cover and be coupled to the auxiliary communication fastening tab.
In addition, the outer header plate may include: a first outer partition wall recessed and bent toward the inside of the header tank; an outer coupling portion bent and extending from the first outer partition wall; and a second outer partition wall bent and extending from the outer coupling portion to the outside of the header tank, the inner header plate may include: a first inner partition wall recessed and bent toward the inside of the header tank; an inner coupling portion bent and extending from the first inner partition wall; and a second inner partition wall bent and extending from the inner coupling portion to the outside of the header tank, and the outer coupling portion of the outer header plate and the inner coupling portion of the inner header plate may be in contact with each other to define a closed cross-section.
In addition, a height of the first outer partition wall and the second outer partition wall of the outer header plate may be 60% or more of a height of the header tank.
In addition, the first header tank may further include a baffle configured to divide the flow path in the longitudinal direction or block one end in the longitudinal direction, and the baffle may include: baffle plates configured to block the flow path and formed at two opposite sides of a separation wall; a baffle connection portion configured to connect the baffle plates; baffle outer coupling portions formed at upper sides of the baffle plates and inserted into outer coupling grooves formed in the outer header plate; and baffle inner coupling portions formed at lower sides of the baffle plates and inserted into inner coupling grooves formed in the inner header plate.
In addition, a baffle coupling groove may be formed in the recessed portion of the inner header plate, and the baffle connection portion may be inserted into the baffle coupling groove.
In addition, the first header tank and the second header tank may be divided in accordance with a flow of the fluid, a region in which the fluid is introduced into the first header tank may be a first tank zone, an end region of a first pass through which the fluid descends from the first tank zone to the second header tank may be a second tank zone, one end region of a second pass connected to the second tank zone in the longitudinal direction and configured to allow the fluid to ascend to the first header tank may be a third tank zone, the other end region of the second pass may be a fourth tank zone, a region connected to the fourth tank zone through the main communication hole and the auxiliary communication hole may be a fifth tank zone, an end region of a third pass through which the fluid descends from the fifth tank zone to the second header tank may be a sixth tank zone, one end region of a fourth pass connected to the sixth tank zone in the longitudinal direction and configured to allow the fluid to ascend to the first header tank may be a seventh tank zone, a region, which is the other end region of the fourth pass through which the fluid is discharged to the outside of the heat exchanger, may be an eighth tank zone, a first throttle plate may be disposed in the third tank zone, and a second throttle plate may be disposed in the seventh tank zone.
In addition, the first or second throttle plate may include: a throttle opening through which the fluid passes; a throttle inner coupling portion coupled to the inner header plate; and a throttle outer coupling portion coupled to the outer header plate.
In addition, a cross-sectional area of the throttle opening may be 25 to 30% of a cross-sectional area of the header tank.
In addition, a cross-sectional area of the throttle opening may be 18 to 21% of a tube flow path cross-sectional area.
In addition, the first throttle plate may be disposed to be deflected from a center of the third tank zone to the second tank zone, or the second throttle plate may be disposed to be deflected from a center of the seventh tank zone to the sixth tank zone.
In addition, the first throttle plate may be disposed to be deflected from the center of the third tank zone to the second tank zone by 8 to 9% of a length of the third tank zone, or the second throttle plate may be disposed to be deflected from the center of the seventh tank zone to the sixth tank zone by 11 to 12% of a length of the seventh tank zone.
Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the technical spirit of the present invention is not limited to some embodiments described herein but may be implemented in various different forms. One or more of the constituent elements in the embodiments may be selectively combined and substituted within the scope of the technical spirit of the present invention. The same or corresponding constituent elements are assigned with the same reference numerals regardless of reference numerals, and the repetitive description thereof will be omitted.
In addition, unless otherwise specifically and explicitly defined and stated, the terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in the embodiments of the present invention may be construed as the meaning which may be commonly understood by the person with ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains. The meanings of the commonly used terms such as the terms defined in dictionaries may be interpreted in consideration of the contextual meanings of the related technology.
In the present specification, unless particularly stated otherwise, a singular form may also include a plural form. The expression “at least one (or one or more) of A, B, and C” may include one or more of all combinations that can be made by combining A, B, and C. In addition, the terms first, second, A, B, (a), and (b) may be used to describe constituent elements of the embodiments of the present invention. These terms are used only for the purpose of discriminating one constituent element from another constituent element, and the nature, the sequences, or the orders of the constituent elements are not limited by the terms.
Further, when one constituent element is described as being ‘connected,’ ‘coupled,’ or ‘attached’ to another constituent element, one constituent element can be connected, coupled, or attached directly to another constituent element or connected, coupled, or attached to another constituent element through still another constituent element interposed therebetween. In addition, the explanation “one constituent element is formed or disposed above (on) or below (under) another constituent element” includes not only a case in which the two constituent elements are in direct contact with each other, but also a case in which one or more additional constituent elements are formed or disposed between the two constituent elements. In addition, the expression “above (on) or below (under)” may include a meaning of a downward direction as well as an upward direction based on one constituent element.
First,
In this case, a thickness of the evaporator 5 directly affects cooling performance and a size of the heat exchange system 1. In case that a thickness of the evaporator 5 is large, sufficient cooling performance is easily achieved, but there is a problem in that a thickness of the heat exchange system 1 is also increased. On the contrary, in case that the evaporator is designed to be thin, the size of the heat exchange system 1 may decrease. However, it is difficult to achieve sufficient cooling performance, and there is a limitation in applying a structure for discharging condensate water produced in the evaporator 5, which adversely affects cooling performance, odor, corrosion, and the like. In particular, in case that the thickness of the evaporator is designed to be 40 mm or less to meet a recent demand for a reduction in volume of the heat exchange system for compact designs, it is difficult to implement a smooth condensate water discharge structure while achieving sufficient cooling performance. Therefore, the present invention proposes a structure capable of ensuring sufficient cooling performance and drainage performance even though the evaporator is manufactured to have a narrow width. Because the proposal of the present invention may be applied to a structure of a heat exchanger 1000 in addition to the evaporator 5, the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail by using the term ‘heat exchanger 1000 that is a high-level concept of the evaporator.
First,
In this case, in the first header tank 100, a flow path is divided in the width direction by a bent portion of an outer header plate 110 and/or a bent portion of an inner header plate 120, and the flow path is divided in the longitudinal direction by a baffle 300, such that the plurality of tank zones is distinguished.
If the inner header plate 120 is formed to be flat without being bent, the first bent portion 110_1 of the outer header plate 110 may be in contact with the flat portion of the inner header plate 120 to define a closed cross-section without the second bent portion 120_1.
In addition, the second header tank 200 includes a plurality of throttle plates 210 and 220 configured to adjust a flow rate in the longitudinal direction. In this case, a first throttle plate 210 may be disposed in the above-mentioned third tank zone TZ_3, and a second throttle plate 220 may be disposed in the seventh tank zone TZ_7. As described above, the two throttle plates are disposed in the tank zones of the second header tank 200, such that the refrigerant is distributed equally to the tubes, which improves the cooling performance and the temperature distribution.
The main communication hole 130 and the auxiliary communication hole 140 are formed in the outer header plate 110, and the fluid moves from the fourth tank zone TZ_4 to the fifth tank zone TZ_5 through the main communication hole 130 and the auxiliary communication hole 140. In this case, a main communication hole cover 131 is inserted into the main communication hole 130, and an auxiliary communication hole cover 141 is inserted into a position of the auxiliary communication hole 140. As described above, in the present invention, in the structure in which the centers of the header tanks are spaced apart from each other to discharge condensate water, a refrigerant communication structure between first and second rows is implemented as a cover structure, such that the header tanks may be effectively assembled.
Meanwhile, a flow path baffle 310 having a fluid inlet hole is disposed at one end of the first header tank 100 based on the longitudinal direction, and the baffles, which block the flow path, are disposed at the other end and the center of the first header tank 100 based on the longitudinal direction.
Even though the structure of the second header tank 200 positioned opposite to the first header tank 100 is not illustrated in detail in the drawings, the second header tank 200 is identical in configuration to the first header tank 100, except for the components such as the center baffle and the communication hole.
Table 1 below shows a result of comparing and testing performance and a core part temperature difference while changing area ratios to the main communication hole 130 in a case (Base) in which the auxiliary communication hole 140 is not present and a case in which the auxiliary communication hole 140 is present. As shown in Table 1, it can be ascertained that in Case 4 in which the area ratio is 6.5%, the core part temperature difference is uniformized as 45% in comparison with Base, and the performance is also as high as 100.8% and higher than that in Base. It can be ascertained that in case that an area ratio of the auxiliary communication hole 140 is 10% or more in comparison with the main communication hole 130, the amount of refrigerant, which is larger than necessary, flows to the auxiliary communication hole 140, such that the refrigerant distribution is degraded, the performance deteriorates. Further, it can be ascertained that the refrigerant distribution is uniformized as the area ratio decreases, and the temperature distribution is improved.
Therefore, it can be ascertained that the auxiliary communication hole 140 is formed to have a smaller area than the main communication hole 130, and a distribution of the refrigerant is uniformized as the area of the auxiliary communication hole 140 is smaller than the area of the main communication hole 130, such that the temperature distribution may be improved. Particularly, when the area of the auxiliary communication hole 140 is 6.5% or less of the area of the main communication hole 130, the uniform distribution of the refrigerant may be maintained, the drainage performance may be improved, and condensate water may be effectively discharged. In this case, the main communication hole 130 may be formed to be close to the baffle 300 at the center.
In addition, a header plate fastening tab 153 protrudes from the recessed portion of the inner header plate 120 to couple the outer header plate 110, and a header plate fixing groove 115, into which the header plate fastening tab 153 is inserted, is formed in the recessed portion of the outer header plate 110, such that the inner header plate 120 and the outer header plate 110 are coupled. In this case, a height of the main communication fastening tab 151 and the auxiliary communication fastening tab 152 is higher than a height of the header plate fastening tab 153, such that the main communication fastening tab 151 and the auxiliary communication fastening tab 152 may be more stably coupled. According to the embodiment of the present invention, the main communication hole 130 and the auxiliary communication hole 140 is applied as the same basic structure, which may improve assemblability. The auxiliary communication hole cover 141 may be formed to be larger in size than the auxiliary communication hole 140 and lower in height than the main communication hole cover 131, such that the auxiliary communication hole 140 having a small communication area is stably joined to the header tank.
In addition, the coupling position between the outer header plate 110 and the inner header plate 120 is guided by using a stepped portion of a baffle lateral coupling portion 360 protruding from a lateral surface of the baffle, which may improve fastening strength.
Meanwhile, an area of the throttle plate affects heat generation performance and a temperature distribution of the heat exchanger.
The test result in
According to the test result, it can be ascertained that when the opening cross-sectional area of the first throttle plate 210 or the second throttle plate 220 has a range of 25 to 30% of the tank cross-sectional area, the heat generation performance, which is higher than a criterion, and the temperature distribution does not significantly deviate from the criterion. That is, when the first throttle plate 210 or the second throttle plate 220 is within the 25 to 30% of the tank cross-sectional area, the temperature distribution is not significantly degraded, and the high heat generation performance is exhibited.
In addition, the opening cross-sectional area ratio between the throttle plate and the tube flow path cross-section also affects the heat generation performance and the temperature distribution of the heat exchanger.
The horizontal axis in
According to the test result, it can be ascertained that when the opening cross-sectional area of the first throttle plate 210 or the second throttle plate 220 has a range of 18 to 21% of the tube flow path cross-sectional area, the heat generation performance, which is higher than a criterion, and the temperature distribution does not significantly deviate from the criterion. That is, when the first throttle plate 210 or the second throttle plate 220 is within the 18 to 21% of the tank cross-sectional area, the temperature distribution is not significantly degraded, and the high heat generation performance is exhibited.
Meanwhile, the position of the throttle plate is appropriately disposed to be slightly deflected from the center of each of the tank zones.
An effect of the deflection of the throttle plate on the heat generation performance and the temperature distribution of the heat exchanger will be described with reference to Table 2 below and
Table 2 shows deflection ratios of the first throttle plate and the second throttle plate for respective test cases. In this case, ‘+’ and ‘−’ indicate deflection positions, ‘+’ means the deflection toward the center of the entire heat exchanger, and ‘−’ means the deflection toward the side opposite to the center. For example, ‘+’ means a case in which the first throttle plate 210 moves from the center of the third tank zone TZ_3 toward the second tank zone TZ_2, and ‘+’ means a case in which the second throttle plate 220 moves from the center of the seventh tank zone TZ_7 to the sixth tank zone TZ_6. Meanwhile, the amount of deflection is represented by percentage of a deflection length to a length of each of the tank zones.
With reference to
That is, the first throttle plate 210 is appropriately disposed to be deflected from the center of the third tank zone TZ_3 to the second tank zone TZ_2 by 8 to 9% of the length of the third tank zone TZ_3, and the second throttle plate 220 is appropriately disposed to be deflected from the center of the seventh tank zone TZ_7 to the sixth tank zone TZ_6 by 11 to 12% of the length of the seventh tank zone TZ_7.
The embodiment of the present invention has been specifically described above with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The above description is simply given for illustratively describing the technical spirit of the present invention, and those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains will appreciate that various modifications, changes, and substitutions are possible without departing from the essential characteristic of the present invention.
Accordingly, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention and the accompanying drawings are intended not to limit but to describe the technical spirit of the present invention, and the scope of the technical spirit of the present invention is not limited by the embodiments and the accompanying drawings. The protective scope of the present invention should be construed based on the following claims, and all the technical spirit in the equivalent scope thereto should be construed as falling within the scope of the present invention.
The present invention relates to the heat exchanger and is industrially available.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2021-0184531 | Dec 2021 | KR | national |
| 10-2022-0180673 | Dec 2022 | KR | national |
This patent application is a national phase under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Patent Application No. PCT/KR2022/021066 filed Dec. 22, 2022, which claims the benefit of priority from Korean Patent Application Nos. 10-2021-0184531 filed Dec. 22, 2021, and 10-2022-0180673 filed Dec. 21, 2022, each of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/KR2022/021066 | 12/22/2022 | WO |
