Fluid handling – Systems – Multiple inlet with multiple outlet
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-09
2002-04-02
Bennett, Henry (Department: 3753)
Fluid handling
Systems
Multiple inlet with multiple outlet
C165S144000, C165S178000, C285S131100, C137S56100R
Reexamination Certificate
active
06363967
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a flow merging and dividing device which merges a plurality of refrigerant flows and then divides the flow and a heat exchanger using the device.
BACKGROUND ART
As shown in
FIG. 6
, conventional heat exchangers include the one provided with a flow dividing device
101
to which a refrigerant flows in at the time of evaporation and a flow merging device
102
from which the refrigerant flows out at the time of evaporation. In this heat exchanger, at the time of evaporation, a refrigerant which flows in from the flow dividing device
101
is divided into two paths
103
,
105
and the refrigerant is evaporated in each path
103
,
105
. Then, the two refrigerant flows
106
,
107
from the paths
103
,
105
are merged at the flow merging device
102
and are allowed to flow out to a refrigerant pipe
108
. It is noted that the flow dividing device
101
functions as a flow merging device for merging a refrigerant at the time of condensation and that the flow merging device
102
functions as a flow dividing device for dividing the refrigerant at the time of condensation.
FIG. 7
shows another example of heat exchangers. This heat exchanger is provided with a three-way branched pipe
201
to which a refrigerant flows in at the time of evaporation and a flow merging device
102
from which the refrigerant are discharged at the time of evaporation. In this heat exchanger, the refrigerant which flows in from the three-way branched pipe
201
at the time of evaporation is divided into two paths
203
,
205
and the refrigerant is evaporated in each path
203
,
205
. Then, the two refrigerant flows
206
,
207
are merged at the flow merging device
202
and are allowed to flow out to a refrigerant pipe
208
. It is noted that the three-way branched pipe
201
functions as a flow merging device for merging a refrigerant at the time of condensation and that the flow merging device
202
functions as a flow dividing device for dividing the refrigerant at the time of condensation.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
In the above two examples of conventional heat exchangers, heat exchange efficiency is improved by providing a plurality of refrigerant paths (multiple paths) . However, there is a problem that, if a refrigerant is not appropriately distributed into a plurality of paths depending on the thermal load, refrigerant drift is caused and the evaporating ability is degraded, particularly, in a gas-liquid two-phase flow. This refrigerant drift is caused when the refrigerant is not distributed to each path depending on the thermal load on the air side. In other words, the distribution ratio of a liquid refrigerant at the time of evaporation or a gas refrigerant at the time of condensation does not match the thermal load on the air side.
Also, even when the refrigerant is appropriately distributed to each path depending on the thermal load, the refrigerant cannot be appropriately distributed if the refrigerant flow rate before the division of a flow is changed. This is because the change in the flow rate affects the distribution state of the refrigerant.
Thus, it can be suggested that an orifice should be provided to accelerate the flow so that the change of the distribution state is prevented. In this case, however, there is a problem that pressure loss increases and refrigerant collision noises occur.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a flow merging and dividing device capable of distributing a refrigerant to a plurality of refrigerant flow paths appropriately at all times to maximize its heat exchanging ability and a heat exchanger using the device.
In order to achieve the above, object, there is provided a heat exchanger having flow merging and dividing means for merging a refrigerant flowing in a plurality of refrigerant flow paths and then dividing the refrigerant to another plurality of refrigerant flow paths.
This heat exchanger has flow merging and dividing means for merging the refrigerant flows which move in a plurality of refrigerant flow paths and then dividing into another plurality of refrigerant flow paths. Therefore, the refrigerant can be distributed to another plurality of refrigerant flow paths appropriately at all times after refrigerant drift is eliminated by the flow merging and dividing means, and thereby the heat exchanging ability of the heat exchanger can be maximized.
Also, there is provided a flow merging and dividing device comprising: an inlet part having a plurality of inlets; a merging part in which a plurality of refrigerant flows from the plurality of inlets are merged; and an output part having a plurality of outlets to which the refrigerant flows in from the merging part.
In this flow merging and dividing device, a plurality of refrigerant flows move in from a plurality of inlets of the inlet part into the merging part so as to merge. Drift of the plurality of refrigerant flows is eliminated by this merge at the merging part. Then, the refrigerant flows which have been merged at the merging part to eliminate the drift are discharged from a plurality of outlets of the outlet part. That is, according to this flow merging and dividing device, after a plurality of refrigerant flows are merged and the drift is eliminated, the refrigerant can be discharged from a plurality of outlets as a plurality of refrigerant flows again. Therefore, the refrigerant can be distributed to a plurality of paths appropriately at all times to maximize the ability of the heat exchanger by using the flow merging and dividing device of the present invention.
In one embodiment of the present invention, at least an inlet and an outlet are not opposed to each other.
Since at least an inlet and an outlet are not opposed to each other in this flow merging and dividing device, a refrigerant drifted from the inlet is prevented from passing through the merging part and flowing out of the outlet as drift. A plurality of refrigerant flows can be reliably merged at the merging part and the drift of the refrigerant flows can be reliably eliminated.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the flow merging and dividing device further comprises: merging paths for smoothly merging a plurality of refrigerant flows from the plurality of inlets and dividing paths for smoothly dividing the refrigerant from the merging part toward a plurality of outlets.
In this flow merging and dividing device, the merging paths are used to merge a plurality of refrigerant flows from a plurality of inlets smoothly and guide them to the merging part. The dividing paths are used to divide the refrigerant from the merging part smoothly towards a plurality of outlets. Therefore, according to this flow merging and dividing device, the drift of the refrigerant can be prevented without causing any pressure loss. Thus, the ability of the heat exchanger can be further improved.
Also, there is provided a heat exchanger, wherein a plurality of refrigerant flow paths are connected to a plurality of inlets of the flow merging and dividing device and another plurality of refrigerant flow paths are connected to a plurality of outlets of the flow merging and dividing device.
In this heat exchanger, a plurality of refrigerant flows move in from a plurality of refrigerant flow paths into the flow merging and dividing device and the drift is eliminated in this flow merging and dividing device. Therefore, the refrigerant can be distributed from this flow merging and dividing device to another plurality of refrigerant flow paths appropriately at all times, and thereby the heat exchanging ability can be maximized.
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Kitazawa Masaaki
Tanaka Jun-ichirou
Bennett Henry
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Daikin Industries Ltd.
Duong Tho V
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