THERMAL ENERGY EXCHANGER WITH HEAT PIPE

• US 20140208794A1
• Filed: 01/30/2013
• Published: 07/31/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hanon Systems (Hahn & Co. Auto Holdings Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Inventors: Goenka, Lakhi Nandlal
• Application Number:
  US13/754,121
• Publication Number:
  US 20140208794A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/404
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00328 of the liquid-air type
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00335 of the gas-air type B60H1/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00492 comprising regenerative heating or cooling means, e.g. heat accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 1/024 with an air driving element
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 1/0475 the conduits having a single U-bend
• 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 15/0275 Arrangements for coupling heat-pipes together or with other structures, e.g. with base blocks; Heat pipe cores
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/04 with tubes having a capillary structure

Abstract

A control module for a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system includes a housing having an air flow conduit formed therein. An evaporator core is disposed in the air flow conduit, wherein at least a portion of the evaporator is configured to receive a first fluid from a first fluid source therein. An internal thermal energy exchanger is disposed in the air flow conduit downstream of at least a portion of the evaporator core and upstream of a blend door disposed in the air flow conduit. The internal thermal energy exchanger is in thermal energy exchange relationship with a second fluid source through a heat pipe.

Claims

1. A heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:

a control module including housing having an air flow conduit formed therein;

an evaporator core disposed in the air flow conduit, at least a portion of the evaporator core configured to receive a first fluid from a first fluid source therein; and

a thermal energy exchanger disposed in the air flow conduit downstream of the at least a portion the evaporator core, the thermal energy exchanger in thermal energy exchange relationship with a second fluid source through a heat pipe.

2. The HVAC system of claim 1, wherein the thermal energy exchanger is one of another portion of the evaporator core and separate from the evaporator core.

3. The HVAC system of claim 1, further comprising a heater core disposed in the air flow conduit, wherein the heater core is in fluid communication with a third fluid source.

4. The HVAC system of claim 3, wherein the thermal energy exchanger is in fluid communication with the third fluid source.

5. The HVAC system of claim 1, wherein the first fluid source is a refrigeration circuit.

6. The HVAC system of claim 1, wherein the second fluid source is one of an external thermal energy exchanger and a fluid reservoir containing at least one of a phase change material, a coolant, and a phase change material coolant.

7. A heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:

a control module including housing having an air flow conduit formed therein; and

an evaporator core having a plurality of layers disposed in the air flow conduit, wherein at least one of the layers is configured to receive a first fluid from a first fluid source therein and at least another one of the layers is in thermal energy exchange relationship with a second fluid source through a heat pipe, wherein the heat pipe is configured to receive a second fluid from the second fluid source therein.

8. The HVAC system of claim 7, further comprising a heater core disposed in the air flow conduit, wherein the heater core is in fluid communication with a third fluid source.

9. The HVAC system of claim 8, wherein the at least another one of the layers of the evaporator core is in fluid communication with the third fluid source.

10. The HVAC system of claim 7, wherein the first fluid and the second fluid are different fluid types.

11. The HVAC system of claim 7, wherein the first fluid is a refrigerant and the second fluid is at least one of a phase change material, a coolant, and a phase change material coolant.

12. The HVAC system of claim 7, wherein the first fluid source is a refrigeration circuit.

13. The HVAC system of claim 7, wherein the second fluid source is one of an external thermal energy exchanger and a fluid reservoir containing at least one of a phase change material, a coolant, and a phase change material coolant.

14. The HVAC system of claim 7, wherein the at least another one of the layers of the evaporator core is disposed downstream from the at least one layer of the evaporator core configured to receive the first fluid therein.

15. The HVAC system of claim 7, wherein the at least another one of the layers of the evaporator core is disposed between a plurality of the layers of the evaporator core configured to receive the first fluid therein.

16. The HVAC system of claim 7, wherein the least another one of the layers of the evaporator core is disposed downstream of and spaced apart from the at least one layer of the evaporator core configured to receive the first fluid therein.

17. A heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system of a vehicle, comprising:

a control module including a housing having an air flow conduit formed therein;

an evaporator core disposed in the air flow conduit, at least a portion of the evaporator core configured to receive a first fluid from a first fluid source therein;

a thermal energy exchanger disposed in the air flow conduit downstream of the at least a portion the evaporator core, the thermal energy exchanger in fluid communication with a second fluid source through a heat pipe configured to receive a second fluid from the second fluid source therein; and

a heater core disposed in the air flow conduit downstream of the thermal energy exchanger, the heater core in fluid communication with a third fluid source.

18. The HVAC system of claim 17, wherein the thermal energy exchanger is in fluid communication with the third fluid source.

19. The HVAC system of claim 17, wherein the third fluid source is a fuel-powered engine of the vehicle.

20. The HVAC system of claim 17, wherein the first fluid and the second fluid are different fluid types.