Refrigeration – Processes – Circulating external gas
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-20
2002-09-03
Doerrler, William C (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
Processes
Circulating external gas
C062S093000, C062S003610
Reexamination Certificate
active
06442951
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to a heat exchanger, a heat pump, a dehumidifier, and dehumidifying method, in particular to a heat exchanger for exchanging heat between two fluids through a third fluid, a heat pump and a dehumidifier provided with such a heat exchanger and to a dehumidifying method by exchanging heat through the third fluid.
BACKGROUND ART
In order to exchange heat between large amounts of fluids of a relatively small mutual temperature difference, for instance between air conditioning process air and ambient air for cooling, a rotary type heat exchanger of a large capacity and a cross flow heat exchanger
3
as shown in
FIG. 49
have been used. Such heat exchangers have been used for instance in a desiccant air conditioning system to cool in advance process air A to be introduced into a room using ambient air B before such introduction occurs.
Such conventional heat exchangers have problems in that they are large in volume and take up too large an installation area, and that heat cannot be utilized sufficiently due to poor heat exchange efficiency.
Therefore, the object of the invention is to provide a heat exchanger of a high heat exchange efficiency with a small size relative to its large heat exchanging duty.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
The heat exchanger of the invention comprises a first compartment for flowing a first fluid; a second compartment for flowing a second fluid; a first fluid passage passing through the first compartment for flowing a third fluid for exchanging heat with the first fluid; and a second fluid passage passing through the second compartment for flowing the third fluid for exchanging heat with the second fluid; and is configured such that the first and second flow passages are formed as an integral flow passage, the third fluid flows through from the first flow passage to the second flow passage, the third fluid evaporates on the heat transfer surface located on the flow passage side of the first flow passage at a specific pressure, and condenses on the heat transfer surface located on the flow passage side of the second flow passage at approximately the specific pressure.
With such configuration described above, since the third fluid, or a refrigerant for example, flows from the first to the second fluid passages it can transfer heat from the first to the second compartment. Since the third fluid evaporates at the specific pressure on the heat transfer surface located on the flow path side of the first flow passage, the third fluid can take heat from the first fluid. Since the third fluid
250
condenses at almost the specific pressure on the heat transfer surface located on the flow path side of the second flow path, the third fluid can give heat to the second fluid. Since the above-mentioned heat transfer is evaporating heat transfer or condensing heat transfer, the heat transfer coefficient is much higher in comparison with only heat transfer by conduction or convection. Since the first and second flow passages are made as an integral body, arrangement as a whole is made compact. In the description above, the expression of “at almost the specific condensing pressure” is used because a flow is present from the first to the second flow passages, and there is a flow loss even though it is very small. Substantially, the pressure can be deemed to be the same.
With another configuration in which the second fluid contains moisture, the efficiency of cooling the third fluid by means of the second fluid can be enhanced by utilizing the latent heat of evaporation of water.
With still another configuration in which a third fluid passage for flowing the third fluid for exchanging heat with the second fluid is additionally arranged parallel to the second flow passage and passes through the second compartment, and in which the third fluid substantially bypasses the first compartment and is supplied to the third flow passage and flows through the second compartment, it allows the third fluid to be of a phase different from the phase of the third fluid flowing through the first fluid passage to flow through the third flow passage.
It may also be configured such that the third fluid in liquid phase is introduced to the first flow passage and the third fluid in vapor phase is introduced to the third flow passage. For example, the fluid is separated into vapor phase and liquid phase using a vapor-liquid separator. In this way, it is possible to evaporate the liquid-phase third fluid in the first flow passage, and condense the vapor-phase third liquid in the third flow passage.
Another heat exchanger of the invention is configured such that a plurality of the first passages are disposed with different evaporating pressures in the respective passages. With such a configuration, pressures in the plurality of flow passages are arranged in the high to low or low to high order of the different pressures in the plurality of flow passages according to the temperature changes of the first fluid flowing through the first compartment or of the second fluid flowing through the second compartment. With such a configuration, the plurality of flow passages in which evaporation or condensation occurs at different pressures are arranged for example in the order of high to low pressure. Therefore, for example, in case the first fluid is deprived of sensible heat, temperature of the first fluid lowers during the time it enters and exits the first compartment. If the specific temperatures are arranged in the high to low order according to the temperature drop, heat exchange efficiency can be enhanced. This, in turn, enables effective use of heat. In other words, a plurality of flow passages are arranged such that the first and second fluids flow in normal and reverse directions, respectively. In this way, the first and second fluids flow in a counterflow manner to each other.
The heat pump of the invention comprises a pressure raiser for raising the pressure of a refrigerant; a first heat exchanger for condensing the refrigerant whose pressure has been boosted with the pressure raiser by taking heat from the refrigerant with a high temperature fluid under a first pressure; a first throttle for reducing to a second pressure the refrigerant that has been condensed with the first heat exchanger; a second heat exchanger for evaporating the refrigerant that has been reduced in pressure with the first throttle by the heat from the first fluid under the second pressure, and for condensing the refrigerant, after the evaporation, by taking heat from the refrigerant with a second fluid; a second throttle for reducing the pressure of the refrigerant to a third pressure, after being condensed with the second heat exchanger; and a third heat exchanger for evaporating the refrigerant that has been reduced in pressure with the second throttle, by imparting heat from low temperature fluid under the third pressure. With such a configuration, since the second heat exchanger is provided for performing heat exchange utilizing the evaporation and condensation of the refrigerant, heat can be exchanged between the first and the second fluids with a high heat exchange efficiency. Incidentally, while the word “pressure raiser” in the above description typically refers to the compressor for compressing the refrigerant in vapor phase, it can also refer to a device comprising for example, an absorber that can be installed in an absorption refrigerator, a lean absorption pump for pumping up lean solution which has absorbed refrigerant in the absorber, and a generator for generating the refrigerant from lean solution pumped up with the pump.
A dehumidifier of the invention comprises a moisture adsorber containing a desiccant for adsorbing moisture in the process air; and a process air cooler for cooling the process air from which moisture has been adsorbed with the desiccant. The process air cooler is configured to cool the process air by the evaporation of the refrigerant and to cool and condense the evaporated refrigerant by means of a cooling fluid in the process air cooler.
The evaporat
Fukasaku Yoshiro
Maeda Kensaku
Armstrong Westerman & Hattori, LLP
Doerrler William C
Ebara Corporation
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