Service plate for a heat exchanger assembly

A heat exchanger assembly includes a first heat exchanger plate and a second heat exchanger plate each include an outer boundary edge. The heat exchanger assembly also includes a service plate configured to be coupled to the outer boundary edge of each of the first and second heat exchanger plates. The service plate includes multiple sections coupled together to form a single plate, wherein each section of the multiple sections is configured to be individually removed to provide access to a space between the first and second exchanger plates.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates generally to heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) systems, and specifically, relates to service plate for a heat exchanger assembly (e.g., evaporator coil assembly).

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 and ventilated from the environment. For example, a HVAC system may use a heat exchanger to place the air flow in thermal communication with a refrigerant directed through the heat exchanger. Sometimes the heat exchanger may include walls coupled to a frame of the heat exchanger that keep the space within the heat exchanger from being readily serviced. In order to service the heat exchanger, the entire heat exchanger and/or other components of the HVAC system (e.g., return duct) may have to be removed, which is both labor intensive and costly.

SUMMARY

In one embodiment, a heat exchanger assembly for an air handling unit is provided. The heat exchanger assembly includes a first heat exchanger plate and a second heat exchanger plate each include an outer boundary edge. The heat exchanger assembly also includes a service plate configured to be coupled to the outer boundary edge of each of the first and second heat exchanger plates. The service plate includes multiple sections coupled together to form a single plate, wherein each section of the multiple sections is configured to be individually removed to provide access to a space between the first and second heat exchanger plates.

In another embodiment, a service plate for a heat exchanger assembly of an air handling unit is provided. The service plate includes multiple sections coupled together to form a single plate, wherein each section of the multiple sections is configured to be individually removed to provide access to a space between a first heat exchanger plate and a second heat exchanger plate. The first exchanger plate and the second heat exchanger plate each include an outer boundary edge. The service plate is configured to be coupled to the outer boundary edge of each of the first and second heat exchanger plates.

In a further embodiment, an air handling unit is provided. The air handling unit includes an A-shaped evaporator coil assembly having a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end. The air handling unit also includes a service plate configured to be coupled to either the first longitudinal end or the second longitudinal end. The service plate includes multiple sections coupled together to form a single plate, wherein each section of the multiple sections is configured to be individually removed to provide access to a space within the A-shaped evaporator coil assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure is directed to a service plate for a heat exchanger assembly (e.g., an evaporator coil such as an A-shaped evaporator coil) for a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system. The heat exchanger assembly may include a couple of heat exchanger plates or slabs that converge toward each other to form an A-shaped assembly. The heat exchanger assembly may be oriented in a vertical orientation or a horizontal orientation (e.g. relative to air flow). A first service plate may be coupled to a first longitudinal end (e.g., front) of the heat exchanger assembly and a second service plate coupled to a second longitudinal end (e.g., rear) opposite the first longitudinal end between the heat exchanger plates. Each service plate may include a plurality of sections coupled together to form a single plate. Removal of one or more of the sections provides access to a space between the heat exchanger plates for servicing of the heat exchanger assembly. The ability to remove one or more sections enables the technician to adjust the amount of accessible space. In certain embodiments, the service plate may include a triangular shape that corresponds to the A-shaped heat exchanger assembly. One or more of the sections of the service plate may overlap with an adjacent section. The adjacent sections may be coupled via a fastener through the overlapped portion. This coupling of the sections may ensure the air flow flows through the heat exchanger plates instead of between the sections of the service plate and outside the heat exchanger assembly. The service plate enables access to the space within the heat exchanger assembly without having to remove the heat exchanger assembly and/or other components (e.g., return duct) of the HVAC system, which simplifies the servicing or maintenance of the HVAC system and minimizes the labor time.

Turning now to the drawings,FIG. 1illustrates an embodiment of a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system for environmental management that may employ one or more HVAC units. As used herein, an HVAC system includes any number of components configured to enable regulation of parameters related to climate characteristics, such as temperature, humidity, air flow, pressure, air quality, and so forth. For example, an “HVAC system” as used herein is defined as conventionally understood and as further described herein. Components or parts of an “HVAC system” may include, but are not limited to, all, some of, or individual parts such as a heat exchanger, a heater, an air flow control device, such as a fan, a sensor configured to detect a climate characteristic or operating parameter, a filter, a control device configured to regulate operation of an HVAC system component, a component configured to enable regulation of climate characteristics, or a combination thereof. An “HVAC system” is a system configured to provide such functions as heating, cooling, ventilation, dehumidification, pressurization, refrigeration, filtration, or any combination thereof. The embodiments described herein may be utilized in a variety of applications to control climate characteristics, such as residential, commercial, industrial, transportation, or other applications where climate control is desired.

FIG. 5is perspective view of an embodiment of a heat exchanger assembly100(e.g., coil assembly) having service plates102. As similarly discussed above, the heat exchanger assembly100may operate as an evaporator when the HVAC system is operating as an air conditioner, and the heat exchanger assembly100may operate as a condenser when the HVAC system is operating as a heat pump. Additionally, the heat exchanger assembly100receives and directs one or multiple flows of a refrigerant, or working fluid, therein. It should be appreciated that the heat exchanger assembly100may be any of the heat exchangers discussed above or any other suitable heat exchanger configured to receive a working fluid flow.

As shown, the heat exchanger assembly100includes multiple coil passes104disposed within a frame106. The frame106is an A-shaped frame, but other suitably shaped frames, such as M-shaped frames, N-shaped frames, among others, may be employed with the techniques disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the frame106includes sheets or fins that retain the multiple coil passes104in an operating position. Additionally, the frame106may include a first frame portion108(e.g., heat exchanger plate or slab) coupled to a second frame portion110(e.g., heat exchanger plate or slab). The first and second frame portions108,110may be angled relative to one another or converge toward each other, such that an air flow112may be drawn through an open space114within the first and second frame portions108,110(and service plates102) and across the multiple coil passes104. The air flow112may be drawn or pushed along one or more corresponding air flow paths through and/or across the coil passes104. In some embodiments, the heat exchanger assembly100may be oriented in another direction, such that down flow or side flow (e.g., horizontal) configurations, instead of the illustrated up flow configuration, are achieved. As depicted, each frame portion108,110includes an edge or end116(e.g., upper edge or end) and an edge or end118(e.g., lower edge or end). The edges116,118are separated by the edges122(e.g., in a front124of the frame106) and edges126(e.g., in a rear128of the frame106). The frame portions108,110converge toward each other in a direction130from the edges118toward the edges116so that the edges116abut each other at an apex120of the frame106.

Looking to more details of the flow of the refrigerant within the heat exchanger assembly100, the coil passes104may be divided between multiple parallel circuits. For example, the heat exchanger assembly100of the present embodiment includes two parallel circuits for each frame portion108,110. That is, a first parallel circuit132may extend along an outer portion of the first frame portion108and a second parallel circuit134may extend along an inner portion of the first frame portion108. Additionally, a third parallel circuit136may extend along an inner portion of the second frame portion110, and a fourth parallel circuit138may extend along an outer portion of the second frame portion110. The inner portions of the frame portions108,110face toward one another, while the outer portions of the frame portions108,110face away from one another. Each parallel circuit132,134,136,138may wind back and forth within the heat exchanger assembly100. For example, the parallel circuits132,134,136,138may include the multiple coil passes104that extend from a first longitudinal end140(e.g., adjacent the front124) of the heat exchanger assembly100to a second longitudinal end142(e.g., adjacent the rear128) of the heat exchanger assembly100and from the upper end116of the heat exchanger assembly100to the lower end118of the heat exchanger assembly100. By winding through a length144defined between the longitudinal ends140,142and a height146or slanted height of the heat exchanger assembly100defined between the ends116,118of the heat exchanger assembly100, the parallel circuits132,134,136,138provide heat transfer surface area to enable the refrigerant to exchange heat with the air flow112traveling across the heat exchanger assembly100. The heat exchanger assembly100may include any suitable number of parallel circuits, such as one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, or more parallel circuits extending therethrough.

As depicted, the service plate102is coupled to the edges122(e.g., outer boundary edges) of the frame portions108,110(e.g., at the front124or first longitudinal end140). Similarly (not shown), another service plate102is coupled to edges126(e.g., outer boundary edges) of the frame portions108,110(e.g., at the rear128or the second longitudinal end142). Each service plate102includes a plurality of sections148that are coupled together to form a single, solid plate. The service plates102may be made of metal, plastic, a composite, or a combination thereof. The service plates102ensure the air flow112flows through the space114into the frame portion104,106instead of outside the heat exchanger assembly100(e.g., at the front124or rear128). As depicted, each service plate102includes three sections150,152,154. The number of sections148may vary (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or more sections148). Each section148is configured to be individually removed to provide access to the space114between the frame portions108,110for servicing of the interior of the heat exchanger assembly100. As a result, an amount of the space114that is accessible for servicing is adjustable depending on the number of sections148of the service plate102removed. In certain embodiments, tubing may be disposed in front of an outer surface of the service plate102that would make it difficult to remove a service plate made of a single piece from the heat exchanger assembly100, while the service plate102may be removed in sections148. As depicted, a width156(or longitudinal length) of the sections148decreases in the direction130and the service plate102has a triangular shape. In addition, the sections148are disposed horizontally (e.g., perpendicular to the direction130). In certain embodiments, the sections148may be disposed vertically (e.g., parallel to the direction130). In certain embodiments, the service plates102may vary in shape depending on the shape of the frame106. In certain embodiments, the number of service plates102on a respective longitudinal end140,142may vary depending on the shape of the frame106. For example, with an N-shaped frame, each longitudinal end140,142may include two service plates orientated in opposite direction from each other between the respective frame portions. With an M-shaped frame, each longitudinal end140,142may include three services plates within the middle service plate orientated in an opposite direction from the two outer service plates.

FIG. 6illustrates how the sections148of each service plate102are coupled together. Each section148includes an end158(e.g., upper end) and an end160(e.g., lower end) opposite the end158. Each lower end160includes a lip162(except the bottom section154of the service plate102) that has an inner surface164that overlaps an outer surface166of an upper end158of the adjacent section148to form an overlapped portion168. A fastener170(e.g., a screw) is disposed through respective openings172,174of the lip162and the upper end158that are aligned with each other. Multiple fasteners170may be disposed through the sections148in each overlapped region168. The fasteners170couple the adjacent sections148together to form the single service plate102. Although gaps are depicted inFIG. 6, the ends158,160and the surfaces164,166of the sections148may abut or contact each other to form a solid plate when fastened together (via the fasteners170) so that none of the air flow112escapes through the service plate102. Each section148has a length176in the direction130from the lower end160to the upper end158. In some embodiments, the length176of one or more sections148may vary from each other. In other embodiments, the length176of each section148may be the same.

As mentioned above, the shape of the service plates102may vary depending on the shape of the frame106of the heat exchanger assembly100. For example,FIG. 7illustrates a truncated triangular-shaped service plate102, where the upper end158of the section154is flat.FIG. 8illustrates a square-shaped service plate102, where each section148is rectilinear (e.g., rectangular). In certain embodiments, the service plate102may include a rectilinear shape such as a rectangle. The illustrated shapes of the service plate102are a few of the possible examples.

Besides a different shape, the sections148of the service plates102may be orientated differently. In contrast toFIG. 5,FIG. 9illustrates the sections148being orientated in a vertical direction as opposed to a horizontal direction. The sections148are coupled in similar manner to that described above except the adjacent regions148overlap in a horizontal direction178as opposed to a vertical direction (e.g., direction130).

The service plate of the present disclosure may provide one or more technical effects useful in the servicing of a heat exchanger assembly of a HVAC system. For example, each service plate may be disposed between adjacent frame portions (e.g., heat exchangers slabs or plates) at longitudinal ends of the frame of the heat exchanger assembly. Each service plate may include a plurality of sections coupled together to form a single plate. Removal of one or more of the sections provides access to a space between the frame portions for servicing of the heat exchanger assembly. The ability to remove one or more sections enables the technician to adjust the amount of accessible space. One or more of the sections of the service plate may overlap with an adjacent section. The adjacent sections may be coupled via a fastener through the overlapped portion. This coupling of the sections may ensure the air flow flows through the frame portions instead of between the sections of the service plate and outside the heat exchanger assembly. The service plate enables access to the space within the heat exchanger assembly without having to remove the heat exchanger assembly and/or other components (e.g., return duct) of the HVAC system, which simplifies the servicing or maintenance of the HVAC system and minimizes the labor time. The technical effects and technical problems in the specification are examples and are not limiting. It should be noted that the embodiments described in the specification may have other technical effects and can solve other technical problems.