OVER-BENT COIL ARRANGEMENTS FOR CLIMATE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

Abstract

An outdoor unit for a climate management system includes a housing and a coil disposed within the housing. The coil includes a first coil portion of the coil, a second coil portion of the coil, and a bend in the coil between the first coil portion and the second coil portion that forms an acute angle between the first coil portion and the second coil portion. The outdoor unit also includes a variable speed drive disposed between the housing and a housing-facing side of the second coil portion.

Description

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates generally to environmental control systems, and more particularly, to an over-bent coil arrangement for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system.

Environmental control systems are utilized in residential, commercial, and industrial environments to control environmental properties, such as temperature and humidity, for occupants of the respective environments. The environmental control system may control the environmental properties through control of an air flow delivered to the environment. In some cases, an outdoor unit of the environmental control system includes a heat exchanger that is configured to exchange thermal energy, such as heat, between a working fluid flowing through coils or tubes of the heat exchanger and an air flow flowing across the tubes. The outdoor unit may include a rectangular housing disposed around the heat exchanger, and the coils of the heat exchanger may include 90 degree bends to enable the coils to be in close proximity to the rectangular housing along an entire perimeter of the rectangular housing. Additionally, the outdoor unit may not include a variable speed drive package in certain cases, or may include electronic devices and refrigerant control devices that are encircled by the heat exchanger and the rectangular housing of the outdoor unit. Unfortunately, to access the devices, a service technician may remove the coils of the heat exchanger from the housing, which increases a complexity and a cost for servicing the overall environmental control system. Additionally, one coil or multiple coils of the outdoor unit may be shortened in length, thereby reducing performance and efficiency of the environmental control system.

SUMMARY

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, an outdoor unit for a climate management system includes a housing and a coil disposed within the housing. The coil includes a first coil portion of the coil, a second coil portion of the coil, and a bend in the coil between the first coil portion and the second coil portion that forms an acute angle between the first coil portion and the second coil portion. The outdoor unit also includes a variable speed drive disposed between the housing and a housing-facing side of the second coil portion.

In another embodiment of the present disclosure, an outdoor unit for a climate management system includes a housing and a first outdoor coil disposed within the housing. The first outdoor coil includes a first coil portion of the first outdoor coil, a second coil portion of the first outdoor coil, and a first bend in the first outdoor coil between the first coil portion and the second coil portion that forms a first acute angle between the first coil portion and the second coil portion. A first accessible receiving space is defined between the housing and a first housing-facing side of the second coil portion. The outdoor unit also includes a second outdoor coil disposed within the housing. The second outdoor coil includes a third coil portion of the second outdoor coil, a fourth coil portion of the second outdoor coil, and a second bend in the second outdoor coil between the third coil portion and the fourth coil portion that forms a second acute angle between the third coil portion and the fourth coil portion. A second accessible receiving space is defined between the housing and a second housing-facing side of the fourth coil portion.

In a further embodiment of the present disclosure, an outdoor unit for a climate management system includes a housing and an outdoor coil disposed within the housing. The outdoor coil includes a first coil portion, a second coil portion, and a bend between the first coil portion and the second coil portion that forms an acute angle between the first coil portion and the second coil portion. A receiving space is defined between a housing-facing side of the second coil portion and the housing. The outdoor unit also includes a variable speed drive, a refrigerant control device, or both disposed within the receiving space.

Other features and advantages of the present application will be apparent from the following, more detailed description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the application.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a commercial or industrial HVAC system, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a perspective cutaway view of an embodiment of a packaged unit of the HVAC system, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a perspective cutaway view of an embodiment of a split system of the HVAC system, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a refrigeration system of the HVAC system, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an outdoor unit of the HVAC system, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a perspective cutaway view of an embodiment of an over-bent coil arrangement within the outdoor unit of FIG. 5 taken along the 6-6 line, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the over-bent coil arrangement of the outdoor unit, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the over-bent coil arrangement of the outdoor unit, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure is directed to an over-bent coil arrangement for an outdoor unit of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. As discussed herein, the outdoor unit having the over-bent coil arrangement includes a housing and outdoor coils disposed within the housing. Each outdoor coil may include a bend that forms an acute angle, or “over-bend,” between distal portions of the outdoor coil. That is, the outdoor coils may each include a first coil portion, a second coil portion, and a bend having an acute angle between the first coil portion and the second coil portion. As such, the first coil portion may be aligned with a first side of the housing, and the second coil portion may be bent or positioned away from a second, adjacent side of the housing. It is to be understood that the over-bent coil arrangement may be applied to coils that enclose more than two sides of the sides of the outdoor unit, such as those coils which extend around three or four sides of the outdoor unit. In such embodiments, a first bend and/or a last bend sequentially disposed along the coil may form the acute angle.

Accordingly, an accessible receiving space may be defined between a housing-facing side or surface of the second coil portion of the outdoor coil and a coil-facing side of the housing. Components such as a variable speed drive, other electronic components, an accumulator, and/or a compensator may therefore be disposed within the accessible receiving space, thereby improving a packaging of the HVAC system to facilitate development of more complex and efficient HVAC systems. Accordingly, as discussed in more detail below, air flows may be drawn over the components to improve operation of the components and/or the outdoor unit. Additionally, the components may be readily accessed during servicing of the outdoor unit without removal or manipulation of the outdoor coils. As such, an outdoor unit or outdoor packaged unit having a variable speed drive and/or heat pump capabilities may be efficiently assembled, operated, and serviced according to the techniques herein.

Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system for building environmental management that may employ one or more HVAC units. In the illustrated embodiment, a building 10 is air conditioned by a system that includes an HVAC unit 12. The building 10 may be a commercial structure or a residential structure. As shown, the HVAC unit 12 is disposed on the roof of the building 10; however, the HVAC unit 12 may be located in other equipment rooms or areas adjacent the building 10. The HVAC unit 12 may be a single package unit containing other equipment, such as a blower, integrated air handler, and/or auxiliary heating unit. In other embodiments, the HVAC unit 12 may be part of a split HVAC system, such as the system shown in FIG. 3, which includes an outdoor HVAC unit 58 and an indoor HVAC unit 56.

The HVAC unit 12 is an air cooled device that implements a refrigeration cycle to provide conditioned air to the building 10. Specifically, the HVAC unit 12 may include one or more heat exchangers across which an air flow is passed to condition the air flow before the air flow is supplied to the building. In the illustrated embodiment, the HVAC unit 12 is a rooftop unit (RTU) that conditions a supply air stream, such as environmental air and/or a return air flow from the building 10. After the HVAC unit 12 conditions the air, the air is supplied to the building 10 via ductwork 14 extending throughout the building 10 from the HVAC unit 12. For example, the ductwork 14 may extend to various individual floors or other sections of the building 10. In certain embodiments, the HVAC unit 12 may be a heat pump that provides both heating and cooling to the building with one refrigeration circuit configured to operate in different modes. In other embodiments, the HVAC unit 12 may include one or more refrigeration circuits for cooling an air stream and a furnace for heating the air stream.

A control device 16, one type of which may be a thermostat, may be used to designate the temperature of the conditioned air. The control device 16 also may be used to control the flow of air through the ductwork 14. For example, the control device 16 may be used to regulate operation of one or more components of the HVAC unit 12 or other components, such as dampers and fans, within the building 10 that may control flow of air through and/or from the ductwork 14. In some embodiments, other devices may be included in the system, such as pressure and/or temperature transducers or switches that sense the temperatures and pressures of the supply air, return air, and so forth. Moreover, the control device 16 may include computer systems that are integrated with or separate from other building control or monitoring systems, and even systems that are remote from the building 10.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the HVAC unit 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the HVAC unit 12 is a single package unit that may include one or more independent refrigeration circuits and components that are tested, charged, wired, piped, and ready for installation. The HVAC unit 12 may provide a variety of heating and/or cooling functions, such as cooling only, heating only, cooling with electric heat, cooling with dehumidification, cooling with gas heat, or cooling with a heat pump. As described above, the HVAC unit 12 may directly cool and/or heat an air stream provided to the building 10 to condition a space in the building 10.

As shown in the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 2, a cabinet 24 encloses the HVAC unit 12 and provides structural support and protection to the internal components from environmental and other contaminants. In some embodiments, the cabinet 24 may be constructed of galvanized steel and insulated with aluminum foil faced insulation. Rails 26 may be joined to the bottom perimeter of the cabinet 24 and provide a foundation for the HVAC unit 12. In certain embodiments, the rails 26 may provide access for a forklift and/or overhead rigging to facilitate installation and/or removal of the HVAC unit 12. In some embodiments, the rails 26 may fit into “curbs” on the roof to enable the HVAC unit 12 to provide air to the ductwork 14 from the bottom of the HVAC unit 12 while blocking elements such as rain from leaking into the building 10.

The HVAC unit 12 includes heat exchangers 28 and 30 in fluid communication with one or more refrigeration circuits. Tubes within the heat exchangers 28 and 30 may circulate refrigerant through the heat exchangers 28 and 30. For example, the refrigerant may be R-410A. The tubes may be of various types, such as multichannel tubes, conventional copper or aluminum tubing, and so forth. Together, the heat exchangers 28 and 30 may implement a thermal cycle in which the refrigerant undergoes phase changes and/or temperature changes as it flows through the heat exchangers 28 and 30 to produce heated and/or cooled air. For example, the heat exchanger 28 may function as a condenser where heat is released from the refrigerant to ambient air, and the heat exchanger 30 may function as an evaporator where the refrigerant absorbs heat to cool an air stream. In other embodiments, the HVAC unit 12 may operate in a heat pump mode where the roles of the heat exchangers 28 and 30 may be reversed. That is, the heat exchanger 28 may function as an evaporator and the heat exchanger 30 may function as a condenser. In further embodiments, the HVAC unit 12 may include a furnace for heating the air stream that is supplied to the building 10. While the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 2 shows the HVAC unit 12 having two of the heat exchangers 28 and 30, in other embodiments, the HVAC unit 12 may include one heat exchanger or more than two heat exchangers.

The heat exchanger 30 is located within a compartment 31 that separates the heat exchanger 30 from the heat exchanger 28. Fans 32 draw air from the environment through the heat exchanger 28. Air may be heated and/or cooled as the air flows through the heat exchanger 28 before being released back to the environment surrounding the rooftop unit 12. A blower assembly 34, powered by a motor 36, draws air through the heat exchanger 30 to heat or cool the air. The heated or cooled air may be directed to the building 10 by the ductwork 14, which may be connected to the HVAC unit 12. Before flowing through the heat exchanger 30, the conditioned air flows through one or more filters 38 that may remove particulates and contaminants from the air. In certain embodiments, the filters 38 may be disposed on the air intake side of the heat exchanger 30 to prevent contaminants from contacting the heat exchanger 30.

The HVAC unit 12 also may include other equipment for implementing the thermal cycle. Compressors 42 increase the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant before the refrigerant enters the heat exchanger 28. The compressors 42 may be any suitable type of compressors, such as scroll compressors, rotary compressors, screw compressors, or reciprocating compressors. In some embodiments, the compressors 42 may include a pair of hermetic direct drive compressors arranged in a dual stage configuration 44. However, in other embodiments, any number of the compressors 42 may be provided to achieve various stages of heating and/or cooling. As may be appreciated, additional equipment and devices may be included in the HVAC unit 12, such as a solid-core filter drier, a drain pan, a disconnect switch, an economizer, pressure switches, phase monitors, and humidity sensors, among other things.

The HVAC unit 12 may receive power through a terminal block 46. For example, a high voltage power source may be connected to the terminal block 46 to power the equipment. The operation of the HVAC unit 12 may be governed or regulated by a control board 48. The control board 48 may include control circuitry connected to a thermostat, sensors, and alarms. One or more of these components may be referred to herein separately or collectively as the control device 16. The control circuitry may be configured to control operation of the equipment, provide alarms, and monitor safety switches. Wiring 49 may connect the control board 48 and the terminal block 46 to the equipment of the HVAC unit 12.

FIG. 3 illustrates a residential heating and cooling system 50, also in accordance with present techniques. The residential heating and cooling system 50 may provide heated and cooled air to a residential structure, as well as provide outside air for ventilation and provide improved indoor air quality (IAQ) through devices such as ultraviolet lights and air filters. In the illustrated embodiment, the residential heating and cooling system 50 is a split HVAC system. In general, a residence 52 conditioned by a split HVAC system may include refrigerant conduits 54 that operatively couple the indoor unit 56 to the outdoor unit 58. The indoor unit 56 may be positioned in a utility room, an attic, a basement, and so forth. The outdoor unit 58 is typically situated adjacent to a side of residence 52 and is covered by a shroud to protect the system components and to prevent leaves and other debris or contaminants from entering the unit. The refrigerant conduits 54 transfer refrigerant between the indoor unit 56 and the outdoor unit 58, typically transferring primarily liquid refrigerant in one direction and primarily vaporized refrigerant in an opposite direction.

When the system shown in FIG. 3 is operating as an air conditioner, a heat exchanger 60 in the outdoor unit 58 serves as a condenser for re-condensing vaporized refrigerant flowing from the indoor unit 56 to the outdoor unit 58 via one of the refrigerant conduits 54. In these applications, a heat exchanger 62 of the indoor unit functions as an evaporator. Specifically, the heat exchanger 62 receives liquid refrigerant, which may be expanded by an expansion device, and evaporates the refrigerant before returning it to the outdoor unit 58.

The outdoor unit 58 draws environmental air through the heat exchanger 60 using a fan 64 and expels the air above the outdoor unit 58. When operating as an air conditioner, the air is heated by the heat exchanger 60 within the outdoor unit 58 and exits the unit at a temperature higher than it entered. The indoor unit 56 includes a blower or fan 66 that directs air through or across the indoor heat exchanger 62, where the air is cooled when the system is operating in air conditioning mode. Thereafter, the air is passed through ductwork 68 that directs the air to the residence 52. The overall system operates to maintain a desired temperature as set by a system controller. When the temperature sensed inside the residence 52 is higher than the set point on the thermostat, or the set point plus a small amount, the residential heating and cooling system 50 may become operative to refrigerate additional air for circulation through the residence 52. When the temperature reaches the set point, or the set point minus a small amount, the residential heating and cooling system 50 may stop the refrigeration cycle temporarily.

The residential heating and cooling system 50 may also operate as a heat pump. When operating as a heat pump, the roles of heat exchangers 60 and 62 are reversed. That is, the heat exchanger 60 of the outdoor unit 58 will serve as an evaporator to evaporate refrigerant and thereby cool air entering the outdoor unit 58 as the air passes over outdoor the heat exchanger 60. The indoor heat exchanger 62 will receive a stream of air blown over it and will heat the air by condensing the refrigerant.

In some embodiments, the indoor unit 56 may include a furnace system 70. For example, the indoor unit 56 may include the furnace system 70 when the residential heating and cooling system 50 is not configured to operate as a heat pump. The furnace system 70 may include a burner assembly and heat exchanger, among other components, inside the indoor unit 56. Fuel is provided to the burner assembly of the furnace 70 where it is mixed with air and combusted to form combustion products. The combustion products may pass through tubes or piping in a heat exchanger that is separate from heat exchanger 62, such that air directed by the blower 66 passes over the tubes or pipes and extracts heat from the combustion products. The heated air may then be routed from the furnace system 70 to the ductwork 68 for heating the residence 52.

FIG. 4 is an embodiment of a vapor compression system 72 that can be used in any of the systems described above. The vapor compression system 72 may circulate a refrigerant through a circuit starting with a compressor 74. The circuit may also include a condenser 76, an expansion valve(s) or device(s) 78, and an evaporator 80. The vapor compression system 72 may further include a control panel 82 that has an analog to digital (A/D) converter 84, a microprocessor 86, a non-volatile memory 88, and/or an interface board 90. The control panel 82 and its components may function to regulate operation of the vapor compression system 72 based on feedback from an operator, from sensors of the vapor compression system 72 that detect operating conditions, and so forth.

In some embodiments, the vapor compression system 72 may use one or more of a variable speed drive (VSDs) 92, a motor 94, the compressor 74, the condenser 76, the expansion valve or device 78, and/or the evaporator 80. The motor 94 may drive the compressor 74 and may be powered by the variable speed drive (VSD) 92. The VSD 92 receives alternating current (AC) power having a particular fixed line voltage and fixed line frequency from an AC power source, and provides power having a variable voltage and frequency to the motor 94. In other embodiments, the motor 94 may be powered directly from an AC or direct current (DC) power source. The motor 94 may include any type of electric motor that can be powered by a VSD or directly from an AC or DC power source, such as a switched reluctance motor, an induction motor, an electronically commutated permanent magnet motor, or another suitable motor.

The compressor 74 compresses a refrigerant vapor and delivers the vapor to the condenser 76 through a discharge passage. In some embodiments, the compressor 74 may be a centrifugal compressor. The refrigerant vapor delivered by the compressor 74 to the condenser 76 may transfer heat to a fluid passing across the condenser 76, such as ambient or environmental air 96. The refrigerant vapor may condense to a refrigerant liquid in the condenser 76 as a result of thermal heat transfer with the environmental air 96. The liquid refrigerant from the condenser 76 may flow through the expansion device 78 to the evaporator 80.

The liquid refrigerant delivered to the evaporator 80 may absorb heat from another air stream, such as a supply air stream 98 provided to the building 10 or the residence 52. For example, the supply air stream 98 may include ambient or environmental air, return air from a building, or a combination of the two. The liquid refrigerant in the evaporator 80 may undergo a phase change from the liquid refrigerant to a refrigerant vapor. In this manner, the evaporator 80 may reduce the temperature of the supply air stream 98 via thermal heat transfer with the refrigerant. Thereafter, the vapor refrigerant exits the evaporator 80 and returns to the compressor 74 by a suction line to complete the cycle.

In some embodiments, the vapor compression system 72 may further include a reheat coil in addition to the evaporator 80. For example, the reheat coil may be positioned downstream of the evaporator relative to the supply air stream 98 and may reheat the supply air stream 98 when the supply air stream 98 is overcooled to remove humidity from the supply air stream 98 before the supply air stream 98 is directed to the building 10 or the residence 52.

It should be appreciated that any of the features described herein may be incorporated with the HVAC unit 12, the residential heating and cooling system 50, or other HVAC systems. Additionally, while the features disclosed herein are described in the context of embodiments that directly heat and cool a supply air stream provided to a building or other load, embodiments of the present disclosure may be applicable to other HVAC systems as well. For example, the features described herein may be applied to mechanical cooling systems, free cooling systems, chiller systems, or other heat pump or refrigeration applications.

As set forth above, embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to an over-bent coil arrangement for an outdoor unit of a climate management system that enables components, such as the VSD 92 and/or refrigerant control devices, to be more easily accessible from an exterior of the outdoor unit. The over-bent coil arrangement may be employed within any suitable climate management system, such as the HVAC unit 12, the residential heating and cooling system 50, and/or the vapor compression system 72, which are collectively referred to as a climate management system 100 or HVAC system. For instance, FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an outdoor unit 102 of the climate management system 100 having the over-bent coil arrangement. In some embodiments, the outdoor unit 102 may be the outdoor HVAC unit 58 discussed above. However, in the illustrated embodiment, the outdoor unit 102 is a packaged residential unit or an all-in-one unit that may be directly coupled to the ductwork 14 of the building 10 discussed above with reference to FIG. 1.

As illustrated, a housing 110 or casing generally surrounds multiple compartments of the outdoor unit 102, each having multiple components disposed therein. For example, the illustrated outdoor unit 102 includes an outdoor compartment 112 configured to transfer heat to and from an outside air flow, and an indoor compartment 114 configured to transfer heat to and from an indoor air flow that is sent to condition the building 10. Although illustrated with the outdoor compartment 112 disposed vertically above the indoor compartment 114 relative to a z-axis 116, it is to be understood that the compartments 112, 114 may be disposed within the outdoor unit 102 in any suitable arrangement, including side-by-side, with the indoor compartment 114 disposed above the outdoor compartment 112 relative to the z-axis 116, and so forth. Moreover, the outdoor unit 102 includes a unit height 118 defined along the z-axis, a unit length 120 defined along an x-axis 122, and a unit width 124 defined along a y-axis 126. As used herein, directional terms, such as above or below, are intended to reference relative positions of components in an installed position or configuration of the climate management system 100.

To enclose the outdoor compartment 112 and the indoor compartment 114, the housing 110 includes a distal cover 130 and panels 132 or walls that extend along distal surfaces or outermost surfaces of the outdoor unit 102, defined relative to a vertical centerline 134 of the outdoor unit 102. The housing 110 may include a generally square-shaped cross-section formed by four panels 132, which are disposed between L-shaped beams 136 that couple the four panels 132 together. However, in other embodiments, the housing 110 may have any other suitably shaped cross-section, such as a rectangle, a pentagon, a hexagon, and so forth. In the present embodiment, the housing 110 includes panels 132 that enclose the outdoor compartment 112 of the outdoor unit 102 and panels 132 that enclose the indoor compartment 114 of the outdoor unit 102. However, other embodiments may include panels 132 having any other suitable size, such as panels 132 that have a height equal to the unit height 118 of the outdoor unit 102, a height equal to a portion of a compartment height 142 of the outdoor compartment 112, and so forth.

Moreover, outdoor coils and other components of the outdoor unit 102 are included within the outdoor compartment 112. The fan 64 or any other suitable air moving device may disposed within the distal cover 130 of the outdoor unit 102 to pull or push an outdoor air flow through the outdoor coil. As such, the panels 132 enclosing the outdoor compartment 112 may be formed of slotted metal sheets, mesh, or be otherwise permeable to air flow to enable the air flow to transfer heat with refrigerant within the outdoor coil.

Additionally, the panels 132 enclosing the outdoor compartment 112 may be attached by removable fasteners 150, such as screws, that enable each panel 132 to be removed to enable a user to access the outdoor coil or other components disposed within the outdoor compartment 112. An access door 152 may be included within one panel 132 or more than one panel 132 to provide access to respective portions of the outdoor compartment 112 behind the access door 152. The access door 152 may be hingedly coupled to a remaining portion 154 of the panel 132 or may be attached to the remaining portion 154 of the panel 132 by removable fasteners, such that the entire access door 152 may be decoupled from the outdoor unit 102 for accessing an interior of the housing 110. By using the presently disclosed over-bent coil arrangement, components disposed within the outdoor compartment 112 may be readily accessible by removing one panel 132 or opening the access door 152, but without removing or manipulating the outdoor coils.

Additionally, the panels 132 enclosing the indoor compartment 114 are omitted in the present embodiment for clarity and to enable visualization of the components within the indoor compartment 114. For example, the components disposed within the indoor compartment 114 may correspond to a portion of the HVAC components discussed above, including the heat exchanger 62 or an indoor coil, the fan 66 or blower, the compressor 74, and the expansion device 78. The components may also include an optional auxiliary heater 156 and electronic components 160, such as a transformer 162, a contactor 164, and a capacitor 166, and so forth.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a cross-section of an embodiment of the over-bent coil arrangement 200 of the outdoor unit 102 of the climate management system 100, viewed upward along line 6-6 of FIG. 5. The over-bent coil arrangement 200 includes two outdoor coils 202 disposed within the outdoor compartment 112 of the housing 110. The outdoor coils 202 may each be coupled within separate refrigeration circuits, or may be coupled within a shared refrigeration circuit. Each outdoor coil 202 includes a first coil portion 204, a second coil portion 206, and a bend 208 or over-bend between the first coil portion 204 and the second coil portion 206. The bend 208 in each outdoor coil 202 of the over-bent coil arrangement 200 forms an acute angle 210, such that the second coil portion 206 of each outdoor coil 202 is bent away from the panel 132 of the housing 110 adjacent to the second coil portion 206. As used herein, the panel 132 that is adjacent to one coil portion 204, 206 is the panel 132 which is closer to the coil portion 204, 206, on average, than the other panels 132. Additionally, although discussed with reference to having two over-bent outdoor coils 202, it is to be understood that only one outdoor coil may be over-bent in some embodiments, as illustrated below with reference to FIG. 8.

Looking more closely at the outdoor coils 202, each outdoor coil 202 has a coil height 212 defined along the z-axis 116. Additionally, the first coil portions 204 of each outdoor coil 202 include a first coil portion length 214 that generally extends parallel to the unit width 124 of the outdoor unit 102 along the y-axis 126. As used herein, generally parallel components extend in a same direction within a suitable predetermined deviance angle, such as 10 degrees, 5 degrees, 1 degree, and so forth. In contrast and due the bends 208 having the acute angle 210, the second coil portions 206 include a second coil portion length 216 that generally extends crosswise to the unit length 120 of the outdoor unit 102 extending along the x-axis 122. As used herein, generally crosswise components each extend in and along different directions, such that any suitable deviance angle from parallel is formed. In some embodiments, the first coil portion length 214 may alternatively extend crosswise to the unit width 124, providing that the second coil portion length 216 is crosswise to the unit length 120 of the outdoor unit 102 by a greater degree. As such, each second coil portion 206 is bent away from the adjacent panel 132 by a complementary angle 218, thereby defining an accessible receiving space 220 or chamber between a housing-facing side 222 of each second coil portion 206 and a coil-facing side 224 of the adjacent panels 132.

It is to be understood that the complementary angle 218 and the acute angle 210 sum to approximately 90 degrees in the present embodiment having a rectangular outdoor unit 102. However, in other embodiments, the outdoor unit 102 may have another suitable shape, and the complementary angles 218 may be adapted accordingly to enable formation of the accessible receiving spaces 220. For example, in certain embodiments having a hexagonal outdoor unit, three outdoor coils may be disposed within a hexagonal housing, such that a first coil portion of each outdoor coil is aligned with an adjacent panel of the housing and at least one second coil portion of at least one outdoor coil is bent away from an adjacent panel of the housing to form at least one accessible receiving space within the hexagonal housing.

Additionally, in some embodiments, a single outdoor coil may be included within the square or rectangular outdoor unit 102 having the over-bent coil arrangement 200. In such embodiments, the single outdoor coil may span any suitable number of sides of the rectangular outdoor unit, such as two, three, or four sides. By way of an example, if the single outdoor coil extends around four sides of the rectangular outdoor unit 102, the single outdoor coil may sequentially include a first coil portion, a first 90 degree angle bend, a second coil portion, a second 90 degree angle bend, a third coil portion, an acute-angled over-bend, and a fourth coil portion, such that the accessible receiving space 220 is formed between the housing-facing side of the fourth coil portion and the housing 110. It is to be understood that a first bend, a last bend, or any other suitable bend within the single outdoor coil may be over-bent to include the acute angle 210.

In the present embodiment, the accessible receiving spaces 220 generally have a cross-section corresponding to a right triangle 230, for which the second coil portion 206 forms a hypotenuse 232 of the right triangle 230, the adjacent panel 132 forms a long side 234 of the right triangle 230, and the panel 132 generally parallel to the first coil portion 204 of the other outdoor coil 202 forms a short side 236 of the right triangle 230. It is to be understood that either panel 132, both panels 132, or both panels 132 and the L-shaped beam 136 disposed therebetween may be reversibly decoupled and removed to access the accessible receiving space 220. Similarly, the access door 152 may be positioned to correspond to the long side 234 of the right triangle 230 formed by the accessible receiving space 220 or the short side 236 of the right triangle 230 corresponding to the accessible receiving space 220, or two access doors 152 for accessing each of the long side 234 and the short side 236 of the accessible receiving space 220 may be included within the housing 110.

Additionally, the fan 64 may extend through the distal cover 130 of the outdoor unit 102 to draw outdoor air 240 through the panels 132, through the outdoor coils 202, and through an opening 242 in which the fan 64 is disposed. The second coil portions 206 may be bent relative to the first coil portions 204 such that a fan-facing side 244 of each second coil portion 206 is spaced from an outer circumference 246 of the fan 64 by a separation distance. However, in other embodiments in which the fan 64 and the outdoor coils 202 do not overlap in a plane defined between the x-axis 122 and the y-axis 126, the second coil portions 206 may be bent to overlap the outer circumference 246 of the fan 64 when viewed along the z-axis 116. In general, the second coil portions 206 of the over-bent coil arrangement 200 may be closer to the fan 64 than the first coil portions 204.

In some embodiments, to reduce or close a gap 260 formed between the outdoor coils 202, an additional coil portion may be disposed between a first longitudinal end 262 of one outdoor coil 202 and a second longitudinal end 264 of the other outdoor coil 202. However, it is recognized herein that any bypass air drawn within the outdoor compartment 112 but through the gap 260 instead of the outdoor coils 202 may have a negligible impact on an operating efficiency of the outdoor unit 102. In some embodiments, the components disposed within the accessible receiving spaces 220, as discussed below, may assist in reducing air flow bypass through the gap 260 by blocking air flow paths therethrough.

The over-bent coil arrangement 200 enables formation of the accessible receiving spaces 220 outside of the outdoor coils 202 but within the housing 110 relative to the x-axis 122 and/or the y-axis 126 to enable efficient access to components from an exterior 268 of the outdoor unit 102 along the x-axis 122 and/or the y-axis 126. The accessible receiving spaces 220 may be used to hold or enclose any suitably-sized component of and within the outdoor unit 102. For example, components 270 such as the VSD 92, distributors and/or header manifolds 272, or a refrigerant control device 274, such as an accumulator 276 or a compensator 278, may be disposed within the accessible receiving spaces 220. The accumulator 276 may be any suitable accumulator or device for blocking or restricting liquid refrigerant from entering the compressor, and the compensator 278 may be any suitable compensator or device for storing or adding refrigerant to the refrigeration circuit to maintain a target charge of the refrigerant therein.

The components 270 may be located within one accessible receiving space 220 or may be distributed across both accessible receiving spaces 220. For example, the VSD 92 may be positioned in one accessible receiving space 220, while the accumulator 276 and the compensator 278 are positioned within the other accessible receiving space 220. Additionally, the distributors and/or header manifolds 272 positioned within or adjacent to the accessible receiving spaces 220 may be more efficiently installed and/or inspected for maintenance, thereby improving a serviceability of the outdoor unit 102 having the over-bent coil arrangement 200. Moreover, due to their positioning within the air flow 240, the distributors and/or header manifolds 272 may perform more thermal exchange with the air flow 240 than distributors and/or header manifolds installed with traditional, 90 degree coils, thereby improving operation of the outdoor unit 102.

Moreover, as illustrated, the VSD 92 may include a heat sink 282 disposed thereon, such that the air flow 240 through the outdoor compartment 112 of the outdoor unit 102 dissipates heat generated during operation of the VSD 92. Thus, the VSD 92 may be selectively cooled based on the operating mode of the fan 64, such that at higher operating speeds of the fan 64, when the VSD 92 may also be operating at an increased operating mode, the VSD 92 receives more cooling air across the heat sink 282. It is to be understood that the over-bent coil arrangement 200 may be used to cool any suitable electric component, such as the VSD 92 without a heat sink, a controller, one of the electronic components 160 from the indoor compartment 114, and so forth that is positioned within the accessible receiving space 220 for cooling. In certain embodiments in which the outdoor unit 102 is operating as a heat pump and outdoor coils 202 are operating as an evaporator that functions to accept heat from the exterior 268 of the outdoor unit 102, thermal energy rejected from the VSD 92 or any other electronic or heat generating component within the accessible receiving spaces 220 may be captured and recycled by the air flow 240 over the components and through the outdoor coils 202, improving an operating efficiency of the outdoor unit 102.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the over-bent coil arrangement 200 of the outdoor unit 102. As illustrated, the fan 64 is disposed within the distal cover 130 of the outdoor unit 102, and the housing 110 surrounds the outdoor coils 202, as discussed above with reference to FIG. 6. Moreover, the outdoor coils 202 each include the first coil portion 204, the second coil portion 206, and the bend 208 or over-bend disposed therebetween. As used herein, the over-bend refers to the acute angle 210 between coil portions 204, 206 of a common outdoor coil 202 that is acute or less than 90 degrees, such that the second coil portion 206 is angled away from the panel 132 nearest the second coil portion 206 by the complementary angle 218 that is greater than 0 degrees. In some embodiments, a magnitude of the acute angle 210 is between 89 and 60 degrees, between 89 and 75 degrees, between 89 and 70 degrees, and so forth. As such, the housing-facing side 222 of each second coil portion 206 is separated from the coil-facing side 224 of the housing 110 by the accessible receiving space 220.

Additionally, the fan-facing side 244 of each second coil portion 206 is spaced from the outer circumference 246 of the fan 64 by the separation distance 248, which is less than a first coil portion separation distance 300 defined between the fan-facing side 244 of each first coil portion 204 and the outer circumference 246 of the fan 264. By analyzing the specific operating parameters of each outdoor unit 102, a technician or manufacturer may select a magnitude of the angle formed by the bend 208 between the first coil portion 204 and the second coil portion 206 of each outdoor coil 202 to achieve a desired balance between the size of each accessible receiving space 220 and the air flow pattern within the outdoor unit 102. Indeed, the geometry of the bend 208 may be different for each outdoor coil 202, such that one accessible receiving space 220 is larger than the other accessible receiving space 220, in some embodiments.

FIG. 8 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the over-bent coil arrangement 200 of the outdoor unit 102 having one outdoor coil 202 that has the bend 208 or over-bend discussed above, and another outdoor coil 202 that is includes a right angle bend 330 in a traditional configuration. The right angle bend 330 between the first coil portion 204 and the second coil portion 206 may be have an angle 332 of approximately 90 degrees. As used herein, the angle 332 of approximately 90 degrees may refer to an angle that is between 80 and 100 degrees, 85 and 95 degrees, 87 and 93 degrees, 89 and 91 degrees, and so forth. Indeed, in traditional outdoor units, each outdoor coil may have bends at 90 degrees, such that no accessible receiving spaces are included within the housing surrounding the outdoor coils. As illustrated, the present over-bent coil arrangement 200 advantageously includes the outdoor coil 202 having the bend 208 at the acute angle 210, which defines the accessible receiving space 220 within the housing 110. Indeed, only one outdoor coil 202 may be over-bent to provide one accessible receiving space 220, in which a single component 270 or multiple components 270 may be disposed.

Additionally, in some embodiments, the second coil portion 206 may be manufactured to have the second coil portion length 216 that is longer than the first coil portion length 214 of the first coil portion 204, thus reducing or closing the gap 260 between the outdoor coils 202. In such embodiments, the outdoor coil 202 with the bend 208 may be disposed within the housing 110 before the outdoor coil 202 with the right angle bend 330 to reduce physical interference between the outdoor coils 202 during assembly. It is to be further understood that a radius of curvature for each outdoor coil 202 may be individually designed, selected, and manufactured for each outdoor coil 202, such that either a sharp transition 340 having a small radius of curvature or a smooth transition 342 having a large radius of curvature is formed between the first coil portion 204 and the second coil portion 206 of the outdoor coils 202.

Additionally, the acute angle 210 of the bend 208 of the illustrated outdoor coil 202 may be smaller than the acute angle 210 of the bend 208 of the outdoor coils of FIG. 7, thus defining a modified accessible receiving space 220 having a short side 236 of the right triangle 230 defining the modified accessible receiving space 220 which is longer than a corresponding short side 236 of the right triangle 230 defined by the accessible receiving space 220 of FIG. 7. Thus, by removing either of the panels 132 near the accessible receiving space 220 or by opening the access door 152, a service technician may efficiently access and service the components 270 disposed within the outdoor unit 102 without moving or removing the outdoor coil 202.

Accordingly, the present disclosure is directed to an over-bent coil arrangement for providing an accessible receiving space between an outdoor coil and a housing of an outdoor unit. The over-bent coil arrangement may be formed by an outdoor coil having a first coil portion, a second coil portion, and an acute angled bend disposed between the two coil portions. As such, the first coil portion may be aligned with a panel of the housing, while the second coil portion is angled away from another panel of the housing to define the accessible receiving space between a housing-facing side of the second coil portion and the housing. In some embodiments, the accessible receiving space has a generally triangular cross-section. Additionally, the panels that fluidly communicate with the accessible receiving space may be attached to the housing my removable fasteners, or access doors may be formed within the panels to provide entry to the accessible receiving space. Components such as a VSD and/or refrigerant control devices may be disposed within the accessible receiving space to enable service technicians to readily access the components from the exterior of the outdoor unit without removing or moving the outdoor coils, thus improving an ease of installing and/or servicing the outdoor unit.

While only certain features and embodiments of the present disclosure have been illustrated and described, many modifications and changes may occur to those skilled in the art, such as variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, and so forth, without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter recited in the claims. The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be varied or re-sequenced according to alternative embodiments. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the present disclosure. Furthermore, in an effort to provide a concise description of the exemplary embodiments, all features of an actual implementation may not have been described, such as those unrelated to the presently contemplated best mode of carrying out the present disclosure, or those unrelated to enabling the claimed disclosure. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation specific decisions may be made. Such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure, without undue experimentation.

Claims

1. An outdoor unit for a climate management system, comprising: a housing;a coil disposed within the housing and comprising: a first coil portion of the coil;a second coil portion of the coil; anda bend in the coil between the first coil portion and the second coil portion that forms an acute angle between the first coil portion and the second coil portion; anda variable speed drive disposed between the housing and a housing-facing side of the second coil portion.

2. The outdoor unit of claim 1, wherein a magnitude of the acute angle is between 89 and 60 degrees.

3. The outdoor unit of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises an access door configured to enable access to the variable speed drive, and wherein the variable speed drive is accessible from an exterior of the housing without adjusting a position of the coil in or out of the housing.

4. The outdoor unit of claim 1, comprising a fan disposed within the outdoor unit and configured to draw an air flow through the housing, over the variable speed drive, and through the second coil portion.

5. The outdoor unit of claim 4, wherein the variable speed drive comprises a heat sink, and wherein the heat sink is configured to be cooled by the air flow.

6. The outdoor unit of claim 1, wherein the coil comprises a first outdoor coil, wherein the bend comprises a first bend that forms a first acute angle, and wherein the outdoor unit further comprises: a second outdoor coil disposed within the housing and comprising: a third coil portion of the second outdoor coil;a fourth coil portion of the second outdoor coil;a second bend in the second outdoor coil between the third coil portion and the fourth coil portion that forms a second acute angle between the third coil portion and the fourth coil portion; anda refrigerant control device disposed between the housing and a housing-facing side of the fourth coil portion.

7. The outdoor unit of claim 6, wherein the refrigerant control device comprises an accumulator, a compensator, or both.

8. The outdoor unit of claim 6, wherein a first magnitude of the first acute angle is equal to a second magnitude of the second acute angle.

9. The outdoor unit of claim 1, wherein the coil comprises a first outdoor coil, and wherein the outdoor unit further comprises a second outdoor coil disposed within the housing and comprising: a third coil portion of the second outdoor coil;a fourth coil portion of the second outdoor coil; anda second bend in the second outdoor coil between the third coil portion and the fourth coil portion that forms a substantially right angle between the third coil portion and the fourth coil portion.

10. The outdoor unit of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a plurality of panels that enclose the coil, wherein: a first panel of the plurality of panels extends along a first axis;a second panel of the plurality of panels extends along a second axis;the first coil portion of the coil extends along the first axis; andthe second coil portion of the coil extends away from the second panel.

11. The outdoor unit of claim 1, wherein the climate management system comprises a packaged residential unit, a split system unit, or a roof top unit.

12. An outdoor unit for a climate management system, comprising: a housing;a first outdoor coil disposed within the housing and comprising: a first coil portion of the first outdoor coil;a second coil portion of the first outdoor coil; anda first bend in the first outdoor coil between the first coil portion and the second coil portion that forms a first acute angle between the first coil portion and the second coil portion, wherein a first accessible receiving space is defined between the housing and a first housing-facing side of the second coil portion; anda second outdoor coil disposed within the housing and comprising: a third coil portion of the second outdoor coil;a fourth coil portion of the second outdoor coil; anda second bend in the second outdoor coil between the third coil portion and the fourth coil portion that forms a second acute angle between the third coil portion and the fourth coil portion, wherein a second accessible receiving space is defined between the housing and a second housing-facing side of the fourth coil portion.

13. The outdoor unit of claim 12, comprising a variable speed drive disposed within one of the first accessible receiving space or the second accessible receiving space.

14. The outdoor unit of claim 13, comprising a refrigerant control device disposed within the other of the first accessible receiving space or the second accessible receiving space.

15. The outdoor unit of claim 13, comprising a refrigerant control device disposed within the one of the first accessible receiving space or the second accessible receiving space, adjacent to the variable speed drive.

16. The outdoor unit of claim 12, wherein the housing comprises a door configured to be opened to enable access to the first accessible receiving space or the second accessible receiving space.

17. The outdoor unit of claim 12, wherein the housing comprises a plurality of panels that enclose the first outdoor coil and the second outdoor coil, and wherein one or more panels of the plurality of panels is removable to enable access to the first accessible receiving space or the second accessible receiving space.

18. The outdoor unit of claim 17, wherein the plurality of panels comprises a first panel adjacent to the first coil portion, a second panel adjacent to the second coil portion, a third panel adjacent to the third coil portion, and a fourth panel adjacent to the fourth coil portion, wherein the first panel, the first coil portion, the third panel, and the third coil portion each extend along a common axis.

19. The outdoor unit of claim 18, wherein the common axis comprises a first axis, wherein the second panel and the fourth panel extend along a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis, wherein the second coil portion and the fourth coil portion extend along a third axis, and wherein the second axis is crosswise to the third axis.

20. An outdoor unit for a climate management system, comprising: a housing;an outdoor coil disposed within the housing and comprising: a first coil portion;a second coil portion; anda bend between the first coil portion and the second coil portion that forms an acute angle between the first coil portion and the second coil portion, wherein a receiving space is defined between a housing-facing side of the second coil portion and the housing; anda variable speed drive, a refrigerant control device, or both disposed within the receiving space.

21. The outdoor unit of claim 20, wherein the first coil portion is disposed adjacent to a first panel of the housing, and wherein the first coil portion is generally parallel with the first panel.

22. The outdoor unit of claim 20, wherein the outdoor coil comprises a first outdoor coil, and wherein the outdoor unit comprises a second outdoor coil disposed within the housing and comprising: a third coil portion;a fourth coil portion; anda right angle bend between the third coil portion and the fourth coil portion that forms a right angle between the third coil portion and the fourth coil portion.

23. The outdoor unit of claim 20, wherein the refrigerant control device comprises a compensator or an accumulator, and wherein the climate management system comprises a heat pump.