Patent ID: 8899062
Filing Date: 2014-12-02
Classification: B60H,F25B,F28D,F28F

Abstract:
1. A unitary heat pump air conditioner (Unitary HPAC), comprising: a plate-type HPAC heat exchanger having a plurality of plates stacked and hermetically sealed between an upstream end plate and a downstream end plate, defining: a first heat exchanger portion configured to receive a refrigerant flow and a hot side coolant flow having a lower temperature than the refrigerant flow, wherein said refrigerant flow is in non-contact thermal communication with the hot side coolant flow, whereby heat energy is transferred from the refrigerant flow to the hot side coolant flow; and wherein said first heat exchanger portion comprises: a hot side coolant inlet, a hot side coolant outlet, and a high pressure refrigerant inlet disposed on said upstream end plate, a hot side coolant passageway in fluid communication with said hot side coolant inlet and hot side coolant outlet; a first boundary plate spaced from said upstream end plate defining a high pressure refrigerant port; and a high pressure refrigerant passageway in fluid communication with said refrigerant inlet of said upstream plate and said high pressure refrigerant port of first boundary plate; wherein said hot side coolant passageway and said high pressure refrigerant passageway are in non-contact thermal communication; wherein said second heat exchanger portion comprises: a cold side coolant inlet, a cold side coolant outlet, and a low pressure refrigerant outlet disposed on said downstream end plate, a cold side coolant passageway in fluid communication with said cold side coolant inlet and cold side coolant outlet; an elongated refrigerant expansion chamber extending in a direction toward said downstream end plate; and a low pressure refrigerant passageway in fluid communication with said refrigerant expansion chamber and said low pressure refrigerant outlet; wherein said cold side coolant passageway and said low pressure refrigerant passageway are in non-contact thermal communication; and wherein said second heat exchanger portion further comprises a second boundary plate defining a low pressure refrigerant port spaced from said downstream end plate, wherein said low pressure refrigerant passageway extends from said refrigerant expansion chamber in a first direction toward said downstream end plate and then meanders in a second direction opposite that of said first direction toward said second boundary plate, and then returns in said first direction through a refrigerant exit header in hydraulic communication with said low pressure refrigerant outlet.