HEAT EXCHANGER ASSEMBLY AND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM HAVING THE HEAT EXCHANGER ASSEMBLY

A heat exchanger assembly and an air conditioning system having the heat exchanger assembly. The heat exchanger assembly includes: a first heat exchanger portion and a second heat exchanger portion; and a control valve, the control valve having an open position and a closed position, at the open position, the first heat exchanger portion being in fluid communication with the second heat exchanger portion by means of the control valve, and at the closed position, the first heat exchanger portion being in fluid isolation with the second heat exchanger portion by means of the control valve. By using the heat exchanger assembly of the present disclosure, performance of the air conditioning system can be improved.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a heat exchanger assembly and an air conditioning system having the heat exchanger assembly.

BACKGROUND ART

An air conditioning system with a reheater can operate in a refrigeration mode and a reheating mode. In the refrigeration mode, the refrigerant flows through the condenser but not through the reheater. In the reheating mode, the refrigerant needs to flow through the condenser and the reheater.

SUMMARY

An objective of the embodiments of the present invention is to provide a heat exchanger assembly and an air conditioning system with the heat exchanger, thereby, for example, improving the performance of the air conditioning system.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a heat exchanger assembly comprising: a first heat exchanger portion and a second heat exchanger portion; and a control valve, the control valve having an open position and a closed position, at the open position, the first heat exchanger portion being in fluid communication with the second heat exchanger portion by means of the control valve, and at the closed position, the first heat exchanger portion being in fluid isolation with the second heat exchanger portion by means of the control valve.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first heat exchanger portion and the second heat exchanger portion are respectively a first heat exchanger portion and a second heat exchanger portion of a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger comprising a plurality of heat exchange tubes and two header tubes connected to the two ends of each heat exchange tube and in fluid communication with each other, wherein each of the two header tubes comprises a first header tube portion and a second header tube portion that are in fluid isolation from each other, so that the heat exchanger is separated into a first heat exchanger portion and a second heat exchanger portion that are in fluid isolation from each other, and the control valve connects the first header tube portion and the second header tube portion of one of the two header tubes to connect the first heat exchanger portion and the second heat exchanger portion in series.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the heat exchanger further comprises a partition arranged in each of the two header tubes, the partition separating each header tube into the first header tube portion and the second header tube portion that are in fluid isolation from each other.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the heat exchanger further comprises a partition arranged in one of the two header tubes, the partition separating the first header tube into the first header tube portion and the second header tube portion that are in fluid isolation from each other, and the first header tube portion and the second header tube portion of the other of the two header tubes are two subheader tubes that are in fluid isolation from each other.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first header tube portion and the second header tube portion of the header tube in two header tubes are two subheader tubes that are in fluid isolation from each other, and the heat exchanger further comprises a partition arranged in the other of the two header tubes, the partition separating the other header tube into the first header tube portion and the second header tube portion that are in fluid isolation from each other.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the control valve is arranged inside the header tube and installed on the partition inside the header tube.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the control valve is arranged outside the header tube and connected to a first header tube portion and a second header tube portion of the header tube through a connecting tube.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the heat exchanger assembly further comprises: a first storage container, the first storage container being in fluid communication with a second header tube portion of the first header tube and connected between the control valve and a second header tube portion of the first header tube.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the heat exchanger assembly further comprises a second storage container, the second storage container being in fluid communication with a second header tube portion of the other of the two header tubes, and the outlet of the heat exchanger is arranged on the second storage container.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the number of heat exchange tubes connected to the second header tube portion is greater than the number of heat exchange tubes connected to the first header tube portion, and the inlet and the outlet of the heat exchanger are respectively connected to and in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger portion and second heat exchanger portion.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first heat exchanger portion and the second heat exchanger portion are two heat exchangers, and the control valve is connected between the two heat exchangers to connect them in series.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the two heat exchangers is a microchannel heat exchanger or a finned tube heat exchanger.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the control valve is a one-way valve, the one-way valve allowing only a refrigerant in the first heat exchanger portion to flow into the second heat exchanger portion by means of the one-way valve.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the control valve is a two-position two-way valve.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, at the open position, the first heat exchanger portion is connected in series to the second heat exchanger portion.

An embodiment of the present invention further provides a heat exchanger assembly comprising a heat exchanger having an inlet and an outlet; and a control valve connected to the inlet of the heat exchanger and having an open position and a closed position, wherein, at the open position, the control valve allows a refrigerant to enter the heat exchanger by means of the control valve and the inlet of the heat exchanger, and at the closed position, the control valve closes the inlet of the heat exchanger.

An embodiment of the present invention further provides an air conditioning system comprising a reheater, which is the above-described heat exchanger assembly.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the air conditioning system further comprises a compressor; a first heat exchanger functioning as one of a condenser and an evaporator; and a second heat exchanger functioning as the other of a condenser and an evaporator; the compressor, the first heat exchanger, and the second heat exchanger are connected in sequence from the compressor through the first heat exchanger to the second heat exchanger, and the reheater is connected in parallel to the first heat exchanger.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, in the refrigeration mode, the first heat exchanger functions as a condenser and the second heat exchanger functions as an evaporator, the reheater does not operate and the control valve of the reheater is closed, so that a portion of the refrigerant flowing from the first heat exchanger to the second heat exchanger flows into the second heat exchanger portion of the reheater and is stored in the second heat exchanger portion.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, in the reheating mode, the first heat exchanger functions as a condenser and the second heat exchanger functions as an evaporator, the reheater operates and the control valve of the reheater opens, so that the refrigerant flows into the first heat exchanger portion of the reheater and from the first heat exchanger portion to the second heat exchanger portion by means of the control valve.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first heat exchanger portion is arranged above the second heat exchanger portion.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first heat exchanger portion and the second heat exchanger portion are two heat exchangers, and the heat exchanger functioning as the first heat exchanger portion is arranged above the heat exchanger functioning as the second heat exchanger portion.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first heat exchanger portion and the second heat exchanger portion are two heat exchangers arranged side by side in a horizontal direction.

An embodiment of the present invention further provides an air conditioning system comprising a reheater, which is the above-described heat exchanger assembly.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the air conditioning system further comprises a compressor; a first heat exchanger functioning as one of a condenser and an evaporator; and a second heat exchanger functioning as the other of a condenser and an evaporator; the compressor, the first heat exchanger, and the second heat exchanger are connected in sequence from the compressor through the first heat exchanger to the second heat exchanger, and the reheater is connected in parallel to the first heat exchanger.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, in the refrigeration mode, the first heat exchanger functions as a condenser and the second heat exchanger functions as an evaporator, the reheater does not operate and the control valve of the reheater is closed, so that a portion of the refrigerant flowing from the first heat exchanger to the second heat exchanger is diverted into the reheater and stored in the reheater.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, in the reheating mode, the first heat exchanger functions as a condenser, and the second heat exchanger functions as an evaporator, the reheater operates and the control valve of the reheater opens, so that the refrigerant flows into the reheater by means of the control valve.

An embodiment of the present invention further provides an air conditioning system comprising a compressor; a first heat exchanger functioning as one of a condenser and an evaporator; a second heat exchanger functioning as the other of a condenser and an evaporator; and a reheater connected in parallel to the first heat exchanger; the compressor, the first heat exchanger, and the second heat exchanger are connected in sequence from the compressor through the first heat exchanger to the second heat exchanger, and in the refrigeration mode, the first heat exchanger functions as a condenser and the second heat exchanger functions as an evaporator, the reheater does not operate, and a portion of the refrigerant flowing from the first heat exchanger to the second heat exchanger flows into the reheater and is stored in at least a portion of the reheater.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the reheater is a heat exchanger assembly as described above.

By using a heat exchanger assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention and an air conditioning system having the heat exchanger assembly, performance of the air conditioning system may be improved, for example.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention will be described below in further detail in conjunction with the drawings and specific embodiments.

A heat exchanger assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described first.

Referring toFIG.1toFIG.8, a heat exchanger assembly100according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a first heat exchanger portion11and a second heat exchanger portion12; and a control valve20, the control valve20having an open position and a closed position, at the open position, the first heat exchanger portion11being in fluid communication with the second heat exchanger portion12by means of the control valve20, and at the closed position, the first heat exchanger portion11being in fluid isolation with the second heat exchanger portion12by means of the control valve20. At the open position, the first heat exchanger portion11is connected in series to the second heat exchanger portion12. The control valve may be a one-way valve as shown in the drawings, the one-way valve allowing only a refrigerant in the first heat exchanger portion11to flow into the second heat exchanger portion12by means of the one-way valve, while the refrigerant in the second heat exchanger portion12cannot flow into the first heat exchanger portion11by means of the one-way valve. A one-way valve may be in a common form in the prior art, for example, being openable one way only under a certain pressure difference to achieve a one-way sealing function. The control valve20connects the first heat exchanger portion11and the second heat exchanger portion12, so that the refrigerant in the first heat exchanger portion11can flow into the second heat exchanger portion12, while the refrigerant in the second heat exchanger portion12cannot flow into the first heat exchanger portion11. The control valve may also be a two-position two-way valve, etc.

Referring toFIG.2toFIG.4, in some embodiments of the present invention, the first heat exchanger portion11and the second heat exchanger portion12are respectively the first heat exchanger portion11and the second heat exchanger portion12of the heat exchanger10, the heat exchanger10comprising a plurality of heat exchange tubes13, fins14arranged alternately with a plurality of heat exchange tubes13, and two header tubes15connected to and in fluid communication with the two ends of each heat exchange tube13, wherein each header tube15in the two header tubes15comprises a first header tube portion151and a second header tube portion152that are in fluid isolation from each other, so that the heat exchanger is separated into a first heat exchanger portion11and a second heat exchanger portion12that are in fluid isolation from each other, and the control valve20connects the first header tube portion151and the second header tube portion152of one of the two header tubes15to connect the first heat exchanger portion11and the second heat exchanger portion12in series. The inlet and the outlet of the heat exchanger10are respectively connected to and in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger portion11and the second heat exchanger portion12, wherein, for example, the inlet and the outlet of the heat exchanger10are arranged on the other header tube15and are connected to and in fluid communication with the first header tube portion151and the second header tube portion152, respectively. In the embodiments shown inFIG.2toFIG.4, the heat exchanger is a microchannel heat exchanger.

Referring toFIG.2toFIG.4, in some embodiments of the present invention, the heat exchanger10further comprises a partition16provided in each of the two header tubes15, the partition16separating each header tube15into the first header tube portion151and the second header tube portion152that are in fluid isolation from each other.

Referring toFIGS.2to4, in some other embodiments of the present invention, the heat exchanger10further comprises a partition16provided in one of the two header tubes15, the partition16separating the one header tube15into the first header tube portion151and the second header tube portion152that are in fluid isolation from each other, and the first header tube portion151and the second header tube portion152of the other of the two header tubes15are two subheader tubes that are in fluid isolation from each other.

Referring toFIG.2toFIG.4, in still some other embodiments of the present invention, the first header tube portion151and the second header tube portion152of one of the two header tubes15are two subheader tubes that are in fluid isolation from each other, and the heat exchanger10further comprises a partition16provided in the other of the two header tubes15, the partition16separating the other header tube15into the first header tube portion151and the second header tube portion152that are in fluid isolation from each other.

Referring toFIG.4, in some embodiments of the present invention, the control valve20is provided inside the header tube15and installed on the partition16inside the header tube15. Referring toFIG.2andFIG.3, in some other embodiments of the present invention, the control valve20is arranged on the outside of the header tube15and is connected to the first header tube portion151and the second header tube portion152of the header tube15through a connecting tube21.

In order to increase the volume of the second heat exchanger portion12, as shown inFIG.3, in some embodiments of the present invention, the heat exchanger assembly100may further comprise a first storage container31, the first storage container31being in fluid communication with the second header tube portion152of the header tube15(for example, through a connecting tube30), and connected between the control valve20and the second header tube portion152of the header tube15. The refrigerant in the first heat exchanger portion11can flow into the second heat exchanger portion12by means of the first storage container31and the control valve20. In some other embodiments of the present invention, the heat exchanger assembly100may further comprise a second storage container in fluid communication with the second header tube portion12of the other header tube15of the two header tubes15, and the outlet of the heat exchanger10is arranged on the second storage container. The heat exchanger assembly100may comprise only a first storage container31or a second storage container, or may comprise both a first storage container31and a second storage container. In addition, the number of heat exchange tubes13connected to the second header tube portion152may be greater than the number of heat exchange tubes13connected to the first header tube portion151. Further, the ratio between the second heat exchanger portion12and the first heat exchanger portion11may be increased.

Referring toFIG.5toFIG.8, in some embodiments of the present invention, the first heat exchanger portion11and the second heat exchanger portion12are two heat exchangers, and the control valve20is connected between the two heat exchangers to connect them in series. As shown inFIG.5toFIG.8, the first heat exchanger portion11and the second heat exchanger portion may be arranged in a top-down direction or in a side-to-side direction. It is understandable that the first heat exchanger portion11and the second heat exchanger portion may also be arranged one in front of the other. At least one of the two heat exchangers may be a microchannel heat exchanger or a finned tube heat exchanger. In the embodiments shown inFIG.5andFIG.6, the first heat exchanger portion11and the second heat exchanger portion12are two heat exchangers, wherein the heat exchanger functioning as the first heat exchanger portion11and the heat exchanger functioning as the second heat exchanger portion12are microchannel heat exchangers. In the embodiments shown inFIG.7andFIG.8, the first heat exchanger portion11and the second heat exchanger portion12are two heat exchangers, wherein the heat exchanger functioning as the first heat exchanger portion11and the heat exchanger functioning as the second heat exchanger portion12are finned tube heat exchangers. In the embodiments shown inFIG.2toFIG.6, the heat exchange tubes are straight, and it is understandable that the heat exchange tubes may also be folded in serpentine shapes in top-down directions as shown inFIG.7andFIG.8, with adjacent folded parts being spaced apart by a certain distance, between which fins14may be provided. A serpentine heat exchange tube may be formed by bending a straight heat exchange tube, or by connecting a plurality of heat exchange tubes with a U-shaped connecting tube. The first heat exchanger portion11and the second heat exchanger portion12respectively comprise one or more heat exchange tubes. The header tubes15shown inFIG.2toFIG.6are for illustrative purposes only. A header tube of the present invention refers to a component connected to a heat exchange tube and having a cavity for distributing or receiving a heat exchange medium to or from the heat exchange tube.

An air conditioning system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

Referring toFIG.1, an air conditioning system1000according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a reheater100A, the reheater100A being a heat exchanger assembly100as described above. The air conditioning system1000may further comprise a compressor200; a first heat exchanger300functioning as one of a condenser and an evaporator; and a second heat exchanger400functioning as the other of a condenser and an evaporator. The compressor200, the first heat exchanger300, and the second heat exchanger400are connected in sequence from the compressor200through the first heat exchanger300to the second heat exchanger400. The reheater100A is connected in parallel to the first heat exchanger300. The air conditioning system1000may further comprise a throttling device500, for example, an expansion valve. InFIG.1, the arrow indicates the direction of refrigerant flow when the air conditioning system1000operates in the reheating mode.

Referring toFIG.1, in some embodiments of the present invention, in the refrigeration mode, the first heat exchanger300functions as a condenser, the second heat exchanger400functions as an evaporator, the control valve600allows the refrigerant from the compressor200to flow to the first heat exchanger300and forbids the refrigerant from the compressor200from flowing to the reheater100A, the reheater100A does not operate, and the control valve20of the reheater100A is closed, so that a portion of the refrigerant flowing from the first heat exchanger300to the second heat exchanger400flows into the second heat exchanger portion12of the reheater100A. For example, a portion of the refrigerant flowing from the first heat exchanger300to the throttling device500flows into the second heat exchanger portion12of the reheater100A and is stored in the second heat exchanger portion12. In the reheating mode, the first heat exchanger300functions as a condenser, the second heat exchanger400functions as an evaporator, the control valve600allows the refrigerant from the compressor200to flow to the first heat exchanger300and also allows the refrigerant from the compressor200to flow to the reheater100A, the reheater100A operates, and the control valve20of the reheater100A opens, so that the refrigerant flows into the first heat exchanger portion11of the reheater100A and flows from the first heat exchanger portion11into the second heat exchanger portion12by means of the control valve20. Finally, the refrigerant flows out from the second heat exchanger portion12.

Referring toFIG.2toFIG.6, in some embodiments of the present invention, the first heat exchanger portion11is arranged above the second heat exchanger portion12. In the embodiments shown inFIG.5andFIG.6, the first heat exchanger portion11and the second heat exchanger portion12are two heat exchangers, and the heat exchanger functioning as the first heat exchanger portion11is arranged above the heat exchanger functioning as the second heat exchanger portion12. In the embodiments shown inFIG.7andFIG.8, the first heat exchanger portion11and the second heat exchanger portion12are two heat exchangers arranged side by side in a horizontal direction.

An air conditioning system having a reheater can operate in a refrigeration mode and a reheating mode. If the amount of refrigerant in the refrigeration mode is appropriate, then in the reheating mode, a portion of the refrigerant needs to be diverted to the reheater, which results in the refrigerant in the condenser being insufficient, triggering the low-pressure protection of the air conditioning system and causing the air conditioning system to stop operating.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a reheater has the function of storing a refrigerant in the refrigeration mode. In the refrigeration mode, a reheater stores a portion of a refrigerant. In the reheating mode, there is no need to divert the refrigerant of the condenser, which avoids risks of low-pressure protection being caused by a lack of refrigerant and consequently the air conditioning system stopping operation, while ensuring the heat exchange capacity of the condenser.

Referring toFIG.1, with an air conditioning system according to an embodiment of the present invention, in the reheating mode, the reheater100A operates and the control valve20of the reheater100A is open, so that the air conditioning system operates properly, and the first heat exchanger portion11and the second heat exchanger portion12exchange heat properly. In the refrigeration mode, the reheater100A does not operate and the control valve20of the reheater100A is closed, so that a portion of the refrigerant flowing from the first heat exchanger300to the second heat exchanger400flows back to the second heat exchanger portion12of the reheater100A through the outlet of the reheater100A. Since the control valve20is closed, this portion of refrigerant is stored in the second heat exchanger portion12of the reheater100A.

Referring toFIG.9, a heat exchanger assembly100according to a variant of an embodiment of the present invention comprises a heat exchanger10having an inlet and an outlet; and a control valve20connected to the inlet of the heat exchanger10and having an open position and a closed position, wherein, at the open position, the control valve20allows a refrigerant to enter the heat exchanger10by means of the control valve20and the inlet of the heat exchanger10, and at the closed position, the control valve20closes the inlet of the heat exchanger10. The control valve20may be a one-way valve or a two-position two-way valve, etc.

Referring toFIG.9, an air conditioning system1000according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a reheater100B, the reheater100B being a heat exchanger assembly100as described above. The air conditioning system1000may further comprise a compressor200; a first heat exchanger300functioning as one of a condenser and an evaporator; and a second heat exchanger400functioning as the other of a condenser and an evaporator. The compressor200, the first heat exchanger300, and the second heat exchanger400are connected in sequence from the compressor200through the first heat exchanger300to the second heat exchanger400. The reheater100A is connected in parallel to the first heat exchanger300. The air conditioning system1000may further comprise a throttling device500, for example, an expansion valve. InFIG.9, the arrow indicates the direction of refrigerant flow when the air conditioning system1000operates in the reheating mode.

Referring toFIG.9, in some embodiments of the present invention, in the refrigeration mode, the first heat exchanger300functions as a condenser, the second heat exchanger400functions as an evaporator, the control valve600allows the refrigerant from the compressor200to flow to the first heat exchanger300and forbids the refrigerant from the compressor200from flowing to the reheater100B, the reheater100B does not operate, and the control valve20of the reheater100B is closed, so that a portion of the refrigerant flowing from the first heat exchanger300to the second heat exchanger400flows into the reheater100B and is stored in the reheater100B. For example, a portion of the refrigerant flowing from the first heat exchanger300to the throttling device500flows into the reheater100B and is stored in the reheater100B. In the reheating mode, the first heat exchanger300functions as a condenser, the second heat exchanger400functions as an evaporator, the control valve600allows the refrigerant from the compressor200to flow to the first heat exchanger300and also allows the refrigerant from the compressor200to flow to the reheater100B, the reheater100B operates, and the control valve20of the reheater100A opens, so that the refrigerant flows into the reheater100B by means of the control valve20.

Referring toFIG.1andFIG.9, an air conditioning system1000according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a compressor200; a first heat exchanger300functioning as one of a condenser and an evaporator; a second heat exchanger400functioning as the other of a condenser and an evaporator; and reheaters100A and100B, which are connected in parallel to the first heat exchanger300. The compressor200, the first heat exchanger300, and the second heat exchanger400are connected in sequence from the compressor200through the first heat exchanger300to the second heat exchanger400, and in the refrigeration mode, the first heat exchanger300functions as a condenser, the second heat exchanger400functions as an evaporator, and neither the reheater100A nor the reheater100B operates, so that a portion of the refrigerant flowing from the first heat exchanger300to the second heat exchanger400flows into the reheaters100A and100B and is stored in at least a portion of the reheaters100A and100B. The reheater100A or100B may be a heat exchanger assembly100as described above.

With an air conditioning system according to an embodiment of the present invention, a reheater has the function of storing a refrigerant when the air conditioning system is in the refrigeration mode, so that the refrigerant may be stored in at least a portion of the reheater, which ensures the amounts of refrigerant required by the air conditioning system in the refrigeration mode and the reheating mode, thereby ensuring heat exchange performance in each mode. In addition, using a heat exchanger assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention does not add any extra components to the air conditioning system.

For the air conditioning system shown inFIG.9, in the refrigeration mode, the entire reheater may be used to store a refrigerant, allowing the air conditioning system to store more refrigerant. This is beneficial when the air conditioning system needs to store a large amount of refrigerant.

For the air conditioning system shown inFIG.1and the heat exchanger assemblies shown inFIG.2toFIG.8, a refrigerant is stored in the second heat exchanger portion of a heat exchanger in the refrigeration mode as long as the need of the air conditioning system is met, which can save refrigerant.

Although the above embodiments have been described, certain features in the above embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments.

Furthermore, although embodiments of the present invention have already been described, the above embodiments are merely examples used for facilitating understanding of the present invention, and are not used for limitation. Those skilled in the art may modify the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.