Plate-type heat pump air conditioner heat exchanger for a unitary heat pump air conditioner

摘要

A plate-type heat exchanger having a first heat exchanger portion configured to receive a refrigerant flow and a hot side coolant flow having a lower temperature than the refrigerant flow, a second heat exchanger portion configured to receive the refrigerant flow exiting from the first heat exchanger portion and a cold side coolant flow having a higher temperature than the refrigerant flow exiting from the first heat exchanger portion, and an internal heat exchanger portion sandwiched between the first heat exchanger portion and the second heat exchanger portion. The refrigerant flow through the plate type heat exchanger is in non-contact thermal communication with the hot side coolant flow and the cold side coolant flow. The cold side coolant flow transfers heat energy to the refrigerant, which in turn transfer that heat energy to the hot side coolant flow.

主权项

1. A unitary heat pump air conditioner (Unitary HPAC), comprising:
a plate-type HPAC heat exchanger having a plurality of plates stacked and hermetically sealed between an upstream end plate and a downstream end plate, defining: a first heat exchanger portion configured to receive a refrigerant flow and a hot side coolant flow having a lower temperature than the refrigerant flow, wherein said refrigerant flow is in non-contact thermal communication with the hot side coolant flow, whereby heat energy is transferred from the refrigerant flow to the hot side coolant flow; and
a second heat exchanger portion is configured to receive a refrigerant flow exiting from said first heat exchanger portion and a cold side coolant flow having a higher temperature than the refrigerant flow exiting from said first heat exchanger portion, wherein the cold side coolant flow is in non-contact thermal communication with the refrigerant flow, whereby heat energy is transferred from the cold side coolant flow to the refrigerant flow; wherein said first heat exchanger portion comprises: a hot side coolant inlet, a hot side coolant outlet, and a high pressure refrigerant inlet disposed on said upstream end plate, a hot side coolant passageway in fluid communication with said hot side coolant inlet and hot side coolant outlet; a first boundary plate spaced from said upstream end plate defining a high pressure refrigerant port; and a high pressure refrigerant passageway in fluid communication with said refrigerant inlet of said upstream plate and said high pressure refrigerant port of first boundary plate; wherein said hot side coolant passageway and said high pressure refrigerant passageway are in non-contact thermal communication; wherein said second heat exchanger portion comprises: a cold side coolant inlet, a cold side coolant outlet, and a low pressure refrigerant outlet disposed on said downstream end plate, a cold side coolant passageway in fluid communication with said cold side coolant inlet and cold side coolant outlet; an elongated refrigerant expansion chamber extending in a direction toward said downstream end plate; and a low pressure refrigerant passageway in fluid communication with said refrigerant expansion chamber and said low pressure refrigerant outlet; wherein said cold side coolant passageway and said low pressure refrigerant passageway are in non-contact thermal communication; and wherein said second heat exchanger portion further comprises a second boundary plate defining a low pressure refrigerant port spaced from said downstream end plate, wherein said low pressure refrigerant passageway extends from said refrigerant expansion chamber in a first direction toward said downstream end plate and then meanders in a second direction opposite that of said first direction toward said second boundary plate, and then returns in said first direction through a refrigerant exit header in hydraulic communication with said low pressure refrigerant outlet.