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Flat tube single serpentine co2 heat exchanger

Flat tube single serpentine co2 heat exchanger description/claims

This applications claims the benefit of the filing date of earlier filed provisional application Ser. No. 60/663,957 filed Mar. 18, 2005. Further, copending application docket 05-258-WO, entitled HIGH SIDE PRESSURE REGULATION FOR TRANSCRITICAL VAPOR COMPRESSION SYSTEM and filed on even date herewith, and the aforesaid provisional application Ser. No. 60/663,962, disclose prior art and inventive cooler systems. The disclosure of said applications is incorporated by reference herein as if set forth at length.

The invention relates to the design of the tube of a heat exchanger and, more particularly, to the design of a heat exchanger for use in applications where space for the heat exchanger is in short supply, and/or in connection with transcritical vapor compression systems.

Heat exchange efficiency is a concern in connection with heat exchangers, for example heat exchangers used in various refrigeration and other air handling applications. Various types of heat exchangers have been provided, including tubes having fins and the like. The need remains, however, for a heat exchanger configuration which provides excellent heat exchange efficiency while occupying a relatively small space.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a heat exchanger meeting this need.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear herein.

According to the invention, the foregoing objects and advantages have been attained.

According to the invention, a refrigeration system is provided which includes a compressor for driving a refrigerant along a flow path in at least a first mode of system operation; a first heat exchanger along the flow path downstream of the compressor in the first mode; a second heat exchanger along the flow path upstream of the compressor in the first mode; and a pressure regulator or expansion device in the flow path downstream of the first heat exchanger and upstream of the second heat exchanger in the first mode, wherein at least one of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger comprises a flat tube heat exchanger.

The flat tube heat exchanger is preferably a heat exchanger defined by a serpentine bending of a single flat tube heat exchanger. Further, the flat tube heat exchanger itself advantageously comprises a conduit for carrying refrigerant, wherein the conduit has a height or minor dimension, and a width or major dimension, and wherein the heat exchanger is arranged with the short dimension facing into the flow of heat exchange medium such as air.

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a vapor compression system;

FIG. 2 is an illustration of a cassette with a single serpentine flat tube heat exchanger according to the invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of CO2 vapor compression system cassette;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are schematic illustrations a flat tube single serpentine single row heat exchanger according to the invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates a flat tube two row counterflow serpentine heat exchanger according to the invention;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are illustrations of a flat tube single serpentine evaporator according to the invention; and

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

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