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

• US 20130087316A1
• Filed: 10/06/2011
• Published: 04/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hanon Systems (Hahn & Co. Auto Holdings Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Inventors: Goenka, Lakhi Nandlal
• Granted Patent: US 9,109,841 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/173
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00328 of the liquid-air type
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/005 Regenerative cooling means, e.g. cold accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 5/0021 using phase change material [PCM] for storage
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 1/05383 with multiple rows of conduits or with multi-channel conduits F28D1/05391 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 1/05391 with multiple rows of conduits or with multi-channel conduits combined with a particular flow pattern, e.g. multi-row multi-stage radiators
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 20/02 using latent heat
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 20/026 with different heat storage materials not coming into direct contact
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2020/0008 the heat storage material being enclosed in plate-like or laminated elements, e.g. in plates having internal compartments
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2020/0013 the heat storage material being enclosed in elements attached to or integral with heat exchange conduits
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/14 Thermal energy storage

Abstract

A thermal energy exchanger for a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system of the present invention includes a plurality of first tubes, a plurality of second tubes disposed downstream of the first tubes, and a plurality of third tubes disposed downstream of the second tubes. At least a portion of at least one of the second tubes includes a phase change material disposed therein and at least a portion of at least one of the third tubes includes a phase change material disposed therein.

Claims

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

a plurality of first tubes, wherein at least one of the first tubes receives a fluid therein; and

a plurality of second tubes disposed downstream of the first tubes, wherein at least one of the second tubes receives the fluid therein and at least one of the tubes includes a phase change material disposed therein, and wherein the at least one of the second tubes receiving the fluid therein and the at least one of the second tubes including the phase change material disposed therein are alternatingly arranged.

2. The thermal energy exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the at least one of the second tubes including the phase change material disposed therein includes at least one of an internal fin and an hourglass-shaped web formed therein.

3. The thermal energy exchanger according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of third tubes, wherein at least one of the third tubes includes a phase change material disposed therein.

4. The thermal energy exchanger according to claim 3, further comprising a phase change material manifold disposed around at least a portion of an outer periphery of at least one of the first tubes, the second tubes, and the third tubes.

5. The thermal energy exchanger according to claim 3, wherein the at least one of the third tubes including the phase change material disposed therein includes at least one of an internal fin and an hourglass-shaped web formed therein.

6. The thermal energy exchanger according to claim 3, wherein the at least one of the third tubes including the phase change material disposed therein is laterally offset with respect to the at least one of the second tubes including the phase change material disposed therein.

7. The thermal energy exchanger according to claim 3, wherein the phase change material disposed in the at least one of the third tubes is substantially identical to the phase change material disposed in the at least one of the second tubes.

8. The thermal energy exchanger according to claim 3, wherein a melting point of the phase change material disposed in the at least one of the second tubes is higher than a melting point of the phase change material disposed in the at least one of the third tubes.

9. The thermal energy exchanger according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the third tubes receives the fluid therein, and wherein the at least one of the third tubes receiving the fluid therein and the at least one of the third tubes including the phase change material disposed therein are alternatingly arranged.

10. The thermal energy exchanger according to claim 3, wherein the at least one of the second tubes including the phase change material disposed therein and the at least one of the third tubes including the phase change material disposed therein is in fluid communication with at least one phase change material manifold.

11. The thermal energy exchanger according to claim 9, further comprising at least one fluid manifold in fluid communication with at least one of the first tubes receiving the fluid therein, the second tubes receiving the fluid therein, and the third tubes receiving the fluid therein.

12. The thermal energy exchanger according to claim 11, further comprising a secondary phase change material manifold disposed in the at least one fluid manifold.

13. The thermal energy exchanger according to claim 11, further comprising a secondary phase change material manifold disposed adjacent an outer surface of the at least one fluid manifold.

14. The thermal energy exchanger according to claim 4, further comprising a secondary phase change material manifold disposed around at least a portion of an outer periphery of the thermal energy exchanger.

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

a plurality of first tubes, wherein the first tubes receive a fluid therein;

a plurality of second tubes disposed downstream of the first tubes, wherein at least one of the second tubes receives the fluid therein and at least one of the second tubes includes a phase change material disposed therein; and

a plurality of third tubes disposed downstream of the second tubes, wherein at least one of the third tubes receives the fluid therein and at least one of the third tubes includes a phase change material disposed therein, the at least one of the third tubes having the phase change material disposed therein is laterally offset in respect of the at least one of the second tubes having the phase change material disposed therein.

16. The thermal energy exchanger according to claim 15, wherein the at least one of the third tubes receiving the fluid therein and the at least one of the third tubes including the phase change material disposed therein are alternatingly arranged.

17. The thermal energy exchanger according to claim 15, wherein the at least one of the third tubes receiving the fluid therein and the at least one of the third tubes including the phase change material disposed therein are alternatingly arranged.

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

a plurality of first tubes, wherein at least a portion of the first tubes receives a fluid therein; and

a plurality of second tubes disposed downstream of the first tubes, wherein a first portion of at least one of the second tubes receives the fluid therein and a second portion of the at least one of the second tubes includes a phase change material disposed therein.

19. The thermal energy exchanger according to claim 18, further comprising a plurality of third tubes disposed downstream of the second tubes, wherein a first portion of at least one of the third tubes receives the fluid therein and a second portion of the at least one of the third tubes includes a phase change material disposed therein.

20. The thermal energy exchanger according to claim 19, wherein at least one of the portion of the at least one of the second tubes receiving the fluid therein and the at least one of the third tubes receiving the fluid therein forms at least one of a pair of parallel flow paths, a substantially U-shaped flow path, and a substantially serpentine-like shaped flow path.