Heat exchange – Flow passages for two confined fluids – Interdigitated plural first and plural second fluid passages
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-10
2001-04-10
Atkinson, Christopher (Department: 3743)
Heat exchange
Flow passages for two confined fluids
Interdigitated plural first and plural second fluid passages
C165S110000, C165S104120, C062S478000, C062S476000, C159S028600, C159S031000, C202S183000, C202S184000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06213197
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains to a sorption unit in accordance with the preamble of patent claim
1
, to buffer means in accordance with the preamble of patent claim
2
, to a condenser/evaporator unit in accordance with the preamble of patent claims
3
and/or
4
, respectively, and to an air conditioning apparatus composed of these components, in accordance with the preamble of patent claim
6
.
The aim of air conditioning rooms on one hand lies in the continuous air replacement and on the other hand in creating defined temperature and climatic conditions, i.e. regulation of air temperature, moisture and/or filtering of air. Air conditioning in the sense of the present invention in first place is a change in temperature either by an “air conditioning system” for cooling, a heat pump system or another application.
In air-conditioning in terms of temperature presently e.g. methods are used in which the sorption action is initiated by cooling down a sorption part and an working medium is evaporated in an evaporator. The working mediums is exothermally absorbed in a sorption medium and in a subsequent endothermic reaction (regeneration phase) again is resorbed.
The apparatus used for realization of this method is described in DE 42 33 062 and essentially consists of several elongated sorption vessels (cooker absorber part) which over a part of their length are filled with zeolite serving as sorption medium and in this part form an adsorber. The other part of the length forms a condenser/evaporator zone (evaporator). The sorption vessels are rotating in two coaxial housings on an orbit and therein are located with the cooker absorber part in one housing and with the evaporator part in the other housing. The housing enclosing the cooker absorber parts comprises an entry and an outlet for a gaseous heat carrier medium so that the heat carrier medium on its flow path through the housing withdraws heat from the cooker absorber parts as well as supplies heat thereto.
The cooker absorber part comprises elongated flat hollow bodies bent in cross-sectional area, which are produced from high-grade steel sheets of appx. 0.1 mm thickness, the surface of these sheets is smooth. On the bottom sides, sheets bent in wave-like manner are arranged. On the crest lines of the waves the sheets are mutually connected by rotary welding seams or by laser treatment. The sheets of about 600 mm length and 80 mm width are coated with zeolite, the zeolite layer during manufacture being applied in a multiple layer coating process. The bends touch the smooth high-grade steel sheet and thereby are supporting it. By this shape channels are formed through which the water vapor is guided.
It is in particular the costly manufacture which results from the fact that at first the sheet must be shaped and coated with zeolite, wherein such coating may be carried out in one or in several layers. A further disadvantage has to be seen in the fact that the zeolite layer has to be applied in thin layer, because zeolite is not a good thermal conductor and gas permeability of zeolite is not very good.
The major problem, however, results from the fact that the connection between the sheet and the zeolite frequently is not permanent, since the steel sheet during rotation passes hot and cold temperature zones and consequently is subject to continually changing thermal expansion (e.g. in the case when the sheets form the blades of a rotor). For this reason it may occur that during operation zeolite layers become detached—either in some areas or completely—so that the coating is destroyed, the channels are blocked or the thermal transition is carried out ununiformly. In the places where the zeolite layer is destroyed, the function of the sheets and/or the rotor comprising the sheets is worsened.
A further aggravation of the air-conditioning apparatus results from the problems in the evaporator area. The generic evaporator—as well as the temperature insulation area between evaporator and sorption zone (called buffer means)—include the problem that it is not avoided sufficiently that during adsorption of the water in zeolite also larger water drops are entrained by the evaporator to enter the sorption unit so that water drops can enter the zeolite portion directly. This impairs efficiency of the air-conditioning system, since the water drops have not absorbed heat from the room surrounding the evaporator.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, the object of the present invention to further develop the generic air-conditioning apparatus as well as its components in such manner that a simple and cost-saving manufacture will result, wherein the function of the apparatus and its components are to still be guaranteed also after longer operation time.
The invention achieves this aim with respect to the components sorption unit, buffer means and condenser/evaporator unit by the subject matters of claims
1
,
2
,
3
and
4
and with respect to the apparatus—by the subject matter of claim
6
.
Preferred embodiments of the invention can be taken from the subclaims.
The present invention creates a sorption unit for air-conditioning and heat technology apparatus comprising sheets for heat dissipation, past which a working medium is guided, said sheets being in contact with a sorption medium forming string-shaped profiled bodies of such design that the have flat contact with the sheets and that channels for passage of the working medium are formed by means of the string-shaped profiled bodies. As sorption agent e.g. zeolite can be used and as working medium—water which evaporates in an evaporator and is adsorbed in the zeolite. Instead of the matter combination water/zeolite also other combinations known per se, e.g. ammonia/carbon, water/salt can be used.
In an embodiment of the invention the channels for passage of the working medium are formed between neigboring profiled bodies. Preferably, the profiled body at least to a high degree therein have the shape of a double T or an X with closed top and bottom sides in order to create a contact surface being as large as possible. These bodies then are used for filling the space between double sheets. The profiled piece furtheron preferably can be arranged in parallel with one another or can have different lengths.
By the invention, areas of profiled pieces (e.g. zeolite) arranged side-by-side or one behind the other are formed between the double sheets, wherein in the area of constriction of adjacent double T pieces or of the X pieces, respectively, without problem channels are formed for the passing working medium (water) vapor,
The double T or X pieces furthermore are designed such that a large-area contact area with the sheets is created, this resulting in good thermal transition in these positions. Since zeolite has a comparatively poor thermal conductivity, the area located at the inside is heated less, however, this effect is of no importance because of the constriction.
In a further embodiment the channels for passage of the working medium are formed in the profiled bodies and extend in longitudinal direction of said profiled bodies. Therein, the profiled bodies also are constructed such that a great contact area to the sheets is formed. Preferably the profiled bodies have a square cross-sectional shape, wherein the channels preferably are arranged in the bodies with axial symmetry to the longitudinal direction of the profiled bodies and have a circular or square cross-section or a square cross-section with rounded corners. Preferably, in each profiled body respectively one channel is arranged along the longitudinal axis in the center of the cross-section of the body. However, a profiled body can also comprise two, three or several neighboring sections with square cross-sectional shape, wherein in each of these sections respectively one channel along the longitudinal axis of the body, preferably in the center of the cross-section of the section, is located. Like in the before-described embodiment, the profiled bodies preferably can be arranged in parallel
Atkinson Christopher
Electrolux Leisure Appliances AG
Pearne & Gordon LLP
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