Unitary heat pump air conditioner having a heat exchanger with an integral receiver and sub-cooler

摘要

The disclosure relates to a unitary heat pump air conditioner (Unitary HPAC) having a plate type hot-side heat exchanger assembly, a cold-side heat exchanger assembly, and electrically driven compressors and coolant pumps. The plate type hot-side heat exchanger assembly includes a plurality of plates stacked and hermetically sealed between an upstream end plate and a downstream end plate, defining a condenser/chiller portion having a first coolant passageway, a sub-cooler portion having a second coolant passageway, and a refrigerant receiver portion sandwiched between the condenser/chiller portion and the sub-cooler portion. The first coolant passageway and the second coolant passageway are in non-contact thermal communication with the refrigerant passageway.

主权项

1. A unitary heat pump air conditioner, comprising:
a hot-side heat exchanger assembly having a plurality of plates stacked and hermetically sealed between an upstream end plate and a downstream end plate, defining: a condenser/chiller portion adjacent said upstream end plate, wherein said upstream end plate includes a refrigerant inlet and a hot coolant outlet; a sub-cooler portion adjacent said downstream end plate, wherein said downstream end plate includes a refrigerant outlet, a hot coolant inlet, a sub-cooler coolant inlet and a sub-cooler coolant outlet; a refrigerant passageway in hydraulic communication with said refrigerant inlet and said refrigerant outlet, wherein said refrigerant passageway extends through said condenser/chiller portion and said sub-cooler portion; a first coolant passageway in hydraulic communication with said hot coolant inlet and said hot coolant outlet, wherein said first coolant passageway extends through said condenser/chiller portion; and a second coolant passageway in hydraulic communication with said sub-coolant inlet and said sub-coolant outlet, wherein said second coolant passageway extends through said sub-cooler portion; wherein said first coolant passageway and said second coolant passageway are in non-contact thermal communication with said refrigerant passageway, wherein said unitary heat pump air conditioner forms a unitary subassembly having a compact size suited for installation in at least one of the following locations in a passenger vehicle: a vehicle trunk, under a vehicle hood, within a vehicle dashboard, or under vehicle seats.