THERMAL ENERGY EXCHANGER FOR A HEATING, VENTILATING, AND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM

• US 20090211732A1
• Filed: 02/21/2008
• Published: 08/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hanon Systems (Hahn & Co. Auto Holdings Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hanon Systems (Hahn & Co. Auto Holdings Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Goenka, Lakhi Nandlal
• Application Number:
  US12/034,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20090211732A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/104.170
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00328 of the liquid-air type
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00492 comprising regenerative heating or cooling means, e.g. heat accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 20/02 using latent heat
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/0085 Evaporators
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/0096 for space heating for air-conditioning in vehicles B60H1/00321
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 7/16 the conduits being arranged in parallel spaced relation F28D7/0008 - F28D7/0058 take precedence; F28D7/02 - F28D7/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/14 Thermal energy storage

Abstract

A thermal energy exchanger for a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system is disclosed, the thermal energy exchanger includes a phase change material disposed therein, whereby the phase change material is at least one of encapsulated by a thermally conductive material and impregnated with a thermally conductive material.

Claims

1. A thermal energy exchanger for a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system comprising:

a main housing having a hollow interior;

a plurality of tubes disposed in the hollow interior of the housing; and

a phase change material disposed in the tubes, wherein the phase change material is at least one of encapsulated with a thermally conductive material and impregnated with a thermally conductive material.

2. The thermal energy exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the tubes include a plurality of internal fins.

3. The thermal energy exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the tubes include at least one screen adapted to militate against a flow of the phase change material therefrom.

4. The thermal energy exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the tubes are in fluid communication with a source of cooled fluid.

5. The thermal energy exchanger according to claim 4, wherein the phase change material is cooled and solidified by at least one of a fluid from the source of cooled fluid and a flow of air therethrough.

6. A thermal energy exchanger for a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system comprising:

a hollow main housing including a first inlet and a first outlet, wherein the first inlet and the first outlet are in fluid communication with a source of cooled fluid, the housing further including a second inlet and a second outlet, wherein the second inlet and the second outlet are in fluid communication with a heat exchanger disposed in a control module of a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system, and wherein each of the inlets and the outlets perform as a diffuser;

a plurality of tubes disposed in the housing forming open areas therebetween, wherein at least one of the tubes is adapted to receive one of a fluid from the source of cooled fluid and a fluid from the heat exchanger therethrough; and

a phase change material disposed in the open areas of the housing.

7. The thermal energy exchanger according to claim 6, wherein the phase change material is at least one of encapsulated with a thermally conductive material and impregnated with a thermally conductive material.

8. The thermal energy exchanger according to claim 6, wherein the phase change material is cooled and solidified by a fluid from the source of cooled fluid.

9. The thermal energy exchanger according to claim 6, wherein the phase change material is disposed in one of the fluid from the source of cooled fluid and the fluid from the heat exchanger.

10. The thermal energy exchanger according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the inlets and the outlets includes a screen to militate against a flow of the phase change material therefrom.

11. The thermal energy exchanger according to claim 6, wherein the tubes include radially outwardly extending fins formed thereon.

12. The thermal energy exchanger according to claim 6, wherein the tubes include radially inwardly extending fins formed thereon.

13. The thermal energy exchanger according to claim 6, wherein one of the tubes fluidly connects the first inlet and the first outlet.

14. The thermal energy exchanger according to claim 6, wherein one of the tubes fluidly connects the first inlet and the first outlet.

15. The thermal energy exchanger according to claim 6, wherein one of the tubes fluidly connects the second inlet and the second outlet.

16. The thermal energy exchanger according to claim 6, wherein the tubes are interleaved.

17. A thermal energy exchanger for a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system comprising:

a main housing having a hollow interior;

a fluid disposed in the housing, the fluid adapted to circulate through a conduit to a heat exchanger disposed in an HVAC module of a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system; and

a phase change material disposed in the fluid, wherein the phase change material is at least one of encapsulated with a thermally conductive material and impregnated with a thermally conductive material.

18. The thermal energy exchanger according to claim 17, wherein the conduit includes an inlet end and an outlet end disposed in the housing.

19. The thermal energy exchanger according to claim 17, wherein each of the inlet end and the outlet end of the conduit includes a screen disposed therein to militate against a flow of the phase change material from the housing.

20. The thermal energy exchanger according to claim 17, wherein the phase change material is cooled and solidified by at least one of the fluid and a flow of air through the heat exchanger.