Patent ID: 7163052

Claim:
A parallel flow heat exchanger and airflow system comprising: an inlet manifold having an inlet opening for conducting the flow of refrigerant into said inlet manifold and a plurality of outlet openings for conducting the flow of refrigerant out of said inlet manifold; a plurality of channels aligned in substantially parallel relationship with and fluidly connected to said plurality outlet openings for conducting the flow of refrigerant from said inlet manifold, wherein said plurality of channels are susceptible to having a non-uniform distribution of two-phase refrigerant to the respective channels; an outlet manifold fluidly connected to said plurality of channels for receiving the flow of refrigerant therefrom; heat transfer means applied to outer surfaces of said plurality of channels so as to provide variable heat transfer rates to the external surfaces of the respective channels when air is circulated thereover, with those heat transfer rate being selected so as to counter-balance the non-uniform distribution of two-phase refrigerant to the respective channels; and wherein said heat transfer means comprises an air-moving device which is so placed and directed with respect to said heat exchanger so as to provide higher airflow over those channels with higher refrigerant flow therethrough and lower airflow over those channels with lower refrigerant flow therethrough.