U.S. patent application number 12/808349 was filed with the patent office on 2010-10-14 for heat exchange system.
This patent application is currently assigned to A-HEAT ALLIED HEAT EXCHANGE TECHNOLOGY AG. Invention is credited to Holger Koenig, Franz Summerer.
Application Number | 20100258275 12/808349 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40326836 |
Filed Date | 2010-10-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100258275 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Koenig; Holger ; et
al. |
October 14, 2010 |
Heat Exchange System
Abstract
The invention relates to a heat exchange system with a heat
exchanger (1, 101, 102) including an inflow area (2) and an outflow
area (3), wherein for the exchange of heat between a transport
fluid (4) and a heat transfer agent (5) flowing through the heat
exchanger (1, 101, 102) in the operational state, the transport
fluid (4) can be conducted via an arriving flow area (200) of the
heat exchange system and via the inflow area (2) to the heat
exchanger (1, 101, 102), can be brought into flow contact with the
heat exchanger (1, 101, 102) and can be led away again from the
heat exchanger (1, 101, 102) via the outflow area (3). In
accordance with the invention the heat exchange system (100)
includes an automatic cleaning system (7) for the removal of
contaminants (6).
Inventors: |
Koenig; Holger; (Kressbronn,
DE) ; Summerer; Franz; (Kottgeisering, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
TOWNSEND AND TOWNSEND AND CREW, LLP
TWO EMBARCADERO CENTER, EIGHTH FLOOR
SAN FRANCISCO
CA
94111-3834
US
|
Assignee: |
A-HEAT ALLIED HEAT EXCHANGE
TECHNOLOGY AG
Muenchen
DE
|
Family ID: |
40326836 |
Appl. No.: |
12/808349 |
Filed: |
October 16, 2008 |
PCT Filed: |
October 16, 2008 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP08/63994 |
371 Date: |
June 15, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
165/95 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F28F 1/24 20130101; F28F
27/02 20130101; F28B 1/06 20130101; F28F 1/022 20130101; F28F 19/02
20130101; F28G 15/00 20130101; F28F 21/08 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
165/95 |
International
Class: |
F28G 13/00 20060101
F28G013/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 18, 2007 |
EP |
07123497.5 |
Dec 18, 2007 |
EP |
07123498.3 |
Jan 16, 2008 |
EP |
08100544.9 |
Claims
1. A heat exchange system with a heat exchanger (1, 101, 102)
including an inflow area (2) and an outflow area (3), wherein for
the exchange of heat between a transport fluid (4) and a heat
transfer agent (5) flowing through the heat exchanger (1, 101, 102)
in the operational state of the heat exchanger, the transport fluid
(4) can be conducted via an arriving flow area (200) of the heat
exchange system and via the inflow area (2) of the heat exchanger
(1, 101, 102) and can be brought into flowing contact with the heat
exchanger (1, 101, 102) and can be led away again from the heat
exchanger (1, 101, 102) via the outflow area (3), characterized in
that the heat exchange system includes an automatic cleaning system
(7) for the removal of contaminants (6).
2. A heat exchange system in accordance with claim 1, wherein for
the automatic cleaning of the heat exchange system a contamination
wiper (7, 71) and/or a washer (7, 71) is provided.
3. A heat exchange system in accordance with claim 1, wherein a
contamination filter (8) is provided at the inflow area (2) and/or
at the arriving flow area (200) and/or at the outflow area (3).
4. A heat exchange system in accordance with claim 1, wherein a
deflection device (72), in particular a deflection roller (72,
721), is provided, and the contamination filter (8) envelops the
inflow area (2) and the outflow area (3) of the heat exchanger (1,
101, 102) such that a suction side (21) of the contamination filter
(8) can be guided from the inflow area (2) via the deflection
device (72) in front of the outflow area (3).
5. A heat exchange system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the
heat exchanger (1) is formed by a plurality of microchannels (9) as
a microchannel heat exchanger (1, 101) and/or wherein the heat
exchanger is formed as a finned heat exchanger (1, 102) with
cooling fins (10).
6. A heat exchange system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the
heat exchange system is of modular design formed from at least one
heat exchanger module (1000).
7. A heat exchange system in accordance with claim 1 wherein, for
the increase of a heat transfer rate between the heat transfer
agent (5) and the transport fluid (4), a cooling device (11) for
the cooling of the heat exchanger (1, 101, 102), in particular a
fan (11) for the generation of a gas flow (40) is provided.
8. A heat exchange system in accordance with claim 1, wherein a
partition (12), in particular an air sealing (12) is provided for
the regulation of a flow rate of the transport fluid (4).
9. A heat exchange system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the
heat exchange system is formed as a combination heat exchange
system of the finned heat exchanger (1, 102) and the microchannel
heat exchanger (1, 101).
10. A heat exchange system in accordance with claim 1 wherein, for
the control and/or regulation of the heat exchange system, a
control unit, in particular a control unit having a data processing
unit is provided for the control of a cooling machine and/or of the
cooling device (11) and/or of the cleaning system (7) and/or of the
partition (12) and/or of an operation parameter status parameter of
the heat transfer agent (5) and/or a different operation parameter
of the heat exchange system.
11. A heat exchange system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the
heat exchanger module (1000) and/or the heat exchanger (1, 101,
102) and/or the complete heat exchange system is manufactured from
a metal and/or a metal alloy, in particular from a single metal or
a single metal alloy, in particular from stainless steel,
especially from aluminum or an aluminium alloy, wherein a
sacrificial metal is provided as a corrosion protector, and/or
wherein the heat exchange system is at least partially provided
with a protective coating, in particular a corrosion protective
coating.
12. A heat exchange system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the
heat exchange system is a radiator, in particular a radiator for a
vehicle, more specifically for a land vehicle, for an aircraft or
for a water vehicle, or is a radiator, or a condenser or a
vaporizer for a mobile heating device or for a stationary heating
device, or is a cooling device or is an air conditioning unit in
particular a cooling apparatus for a machine, or for a data
processing unit or for a building.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a heat exchange system in
accordance with the preamble of the independent claim 1.
[0002] The use of heat exchange systems is known in a number of
applications from the prior art which can practically not be
overseen. Heat exchangers are used in refrigeration systems such as
in common domestic refrigerators, in air-conditioning systems for
buildings or in vehicles of all kinds, in particular in motor
vehicles, aircraft and ships, as water radiators or as oil
radiators in combustion engines, as condensers or evaporators in
refrigerant circuits and in further innumerable different
applications which are all well-known to the person of ordinary
skill in the art.
[0003] In this respect, there are different possibilities of
sensibly classifying the heat exchangers from very different
applications. One attempt is to carry out a distinguishing by the
structure or by the manufacture of the different types of heat
exchangers.
[0004] A division can thus be made in accordance with so-called
"finned heat exchangers", on the one hand, and "minichannel" or
"microchannel" heat exchangers, on the other hand.
[0005] The finned heat exchangers which have been well-known for a
very long time serve, like all types of heat exchangers, for the
transfer of heat between two media, e.g., but not only, for the
transfer from a cooling medium to air or vice versa, such as is
known, for example, from a classical domestic refrigerator in which
heat is emitted to ambient air via the heat exchanger for the
production of a cooling capacity in the interior of the
refrigerator.
[0006] The ambient medium outside the heat exchanger, that is e.g.
water, oil or frequently simply the ambient air, which takes up the
heat, for example, or from which heat is transferred to the heat
exchanger, is either cooled or heated accordingly in this process.
The second medium can e.g. be a liquid cold carrier or heat carrier
or an evaporating or condensing refrigerant. In any case, the
ambient medium, that is e.g. the air, has a substantially lower
heat transfer coefficient than the second medium, that is e.g. the
refrigerant, which circulates in the heat exchange system. This is
balanced by highly different heat transfer surfaces for the two
media. The medium with the high heat transfer coefficient flows in
the pipe which has a very enlarged surface at the outer side at
which the heat transfer e.g. to the air takes place by thin metal
sheets (ribs, fins).
[0007] FIG. 4 shows a simple example of an element of such a finned
heat exchanger which is known per se. In practice, the heat
exchanger is formed in this respect by a plurality of such elements
in accordance with FIG. 4.
[0008] The ratio of the outer surface to the inner surface depends
in this respect on the fin geometry (=pipe diameter, pipe
arrangement and pipe spacing) as well as on the fin spacing. The
fin spacing is selected differently for different applications.
However, it should be as small as possible from a purely
thermodynamic aspect, but not so small that the pressure loss on
the air side is too large. An efficient optimum is at approximately
2 mm, which is a typical value for the condenser and the heat
exchanger.
[0009] The manufacture of these so-called finned heat exchangers
takes place in accordance with a standardized process known for a
long time. The fins are stamped using a press and a special tool
and are placed in packets with one another. Subsequently, the pipes
are pushed in and expanded either mechanically or hydraulically so
that a very good contact, and thus a good heat transfer, arises
between the pipe and the fin. The individual pipes are then
connected to one another, often soldered to one another, by bends
and inlet tanks and outlet tanks.
[0010] The efficiency is in this respect substantively determined
by the fact that the heat which is transferred between the fin
surface and the air has to be transferred to the pipe via heat
conduction through the fins. This heat transfer is the more
effective, the higher the conductivity or the thickness of the fin
is, but also the smaller the spacing between the pipes is. One
speaks of fin efficiency here. Aluminum is therefore primarily used
as the fin material today which has a high heat conductivity
(approx. 220 W/mK) at economic conditions. The pipe spacing should
be as small as possible; however, this results in the problem that
many pipes are needed. Many pipes mean high costs since the pipes
(made from copper as rule) are much more expensive than the thin
aluminum fins. These material costs could be reduced in that the
pipe diameter and the wall thickness are reduced, i.e. a heat
exchanger is made with a number of small pipes instead of with a
few larger pipes. This solution would be ideal thermodynamically:
Very many pipes at small distances with small diameters. A
substantial cost factor is, however, also the labor time for the
widening and soldering of the pipes. It would increase extremely
with such a geometry.
[0011] A new class of heat exchangers, so-called minichannel or
also microchannel heat exchangers, was therefore already developed
some years ago which are manufactured using a completely different
process and almost correspond to the ideal of a finned heat
exchanger: many small pipes at small intervals.
[0012] Instead of small pipes, however, extruded aluminum sections
are used in the minichannel heat exchanger which have very small
channels with a diameter of e.g. approximately 1 mm. Such an
extruded section likewise known per se is shown schematically e.g.
in FIG. 3. In practice in this respect, a heat exchanger can
already manage, depending on the required heat capacity, with one
single extruded section as a central heat exchange element. To be
able to achieve higher heat transfer capacities, a plurality of
extruded sections can naturally also be provided simultaneously in
one single heat exchanger which are connected to one another, e.g.
soldered to one another, in suitable combinations, for example via
inlet feeds and outlet feeds.
[0013] Such sections can e.g. be manufactured in suitable extrusion
processes simply and in a variety of shapes from a plurality of
materials. However, other manufacturing processes are also known
for the manufacture of minichannel heat exchangers such as the
assembly of suitably shaped sectional metal sheets or other
suitable processes.
[0014] These sections cannot, and also do not have to, be widened
and they are also not pushed into stamped fin packets.
[0015] Instead, for example, sheet metal strips, in particular
aluminum strips, are placed between two sections disposed close to
one another (common spacings, for example, <1 cm) so that a heat
exchanger packet arises by alternating placing of sheet metal
strips and sections next to one another. This packet is then
soldered completely in a soldering furnace.
[0016] A heat exchanger having a very high fin efficiency and a
very small filling volume (inner channel side) arises due to the
narrow spacings and the small channel diameters. The further
advantages of this technique are the avoidance of material pairings
(corrosion), the low weight (no copper), the high pressure
stability (approx. 100 bar) as well as the compact construction
shape (typical depth of a heat exchanger e.g. 20 mm).
[0017] Minichannel heat exchangers became established in mobile use
in the course of the 1990s. The low weight, the small block depth
as well as the restricted dimensions required here are the ideal
conditions for this. Automotive radiators as well as condensers and
evaporators for automotive air-conditioning systems are today
realized almost exclusively with minichannel heat exchangers.
[0018] In the stationary area, larger heat exchangers are usually
needed, on the one hand; on the other hand, the emphasis here is
less on the weight and the compact design and more on the ideal
price-performance ratio. Minichannel heat exchangers were
previously too limited in dimensions to be considered for this
purpose. Many small modules would have had to be connected to one
another in a complex and/or expensive manner. In addition, the use
of aluminum is relatively high in the extruded sections so that a
cost advantage was also practically not to be expected from the
material use aspect.
[0019] Due to the high volumes in the automotive sector, the
manufacturing processes for minichannel heat exchangers have become
standardized and have improved so that this technology can today be
called mature. The soldering furnace size has also increased in the
meantime so that heat exchangers can already be produced in the
size of approximately 1.times.2 m.
[0020] The initial difficulties with the connection system have
been remedied. In the meantime, there are a plurality of patented
processes on how the inlet tanks and outlet tanks can be soldered
in.
[0021] However, above all the price of copper, which has increased
greatly with respect to aluminum, has had the result that this
technology is also becoming very interesting for stationary
use.
[0022] A problem underlying all of the previously known heat
exchange systems is in this respect the contamination of the system
components of the heat exchange system which basically cannot be
prevented in any mode of operation.
[0023] Scavenged heat exchangers, such as for example, condensers
or heat exchangers often work in contaminated surroundings. The
contamination of the air can be natural (pollen, insects etc.) or
of industrial type (swarf, tire wear, flour dust, dust from boxes
etc.). Many of the contaminants are caught on the scavenged heat
exchanger and obstruct it over time.
[0024] The heat exchangers in which, for example, the cooling air
is guided past the heat exchanger with the aid of corresponding
fans, can become contaminated more and more over time by such types
and other types of contaminations contained in the cooling air,
which, for example, can lead to a reduction of the heat transfer
coefficient of the surface of the heat exchanger so that the heat
transfer performance is considerably reduced. This can lead to
increased costs of operation or in extreme cases the heat exchange
system can no longer deliver the required heat exchange performance
which in worst cases can lead to serious damage.
[0025] The consequence of the contaminations is thus very often
that the resistance on the air side is increased and that thereby
the air flow volume is reduced and also that the heat transfer is
reduced. The previously described effects lead to the the energy
consumption of a cooling system being increased with increasing
contamination up to a functional stand-still.
[0026] This can have the effect that a connected machine to be
cooled, such as a data processing unit or a combustion engine or
any other type of machine can overheat and thereby become damaged.
But also damage to goods, such as for example foods, which are
stored in a cooling house can, for example, go off if
insufficiently cooled.
[0027] To prevent such serious damage and to counteract such
contaminations the heat exchanger either has to be cleaned
regularly in a complex and/or expensive process or be provided with
a corresponding filter. However, these filters must also be cleaned
regularly. In particular the associated cooling machines must
generally be switched off for the purpose of cleaning the heat
exchanger, or the heat transfer performance of the heat exchanger
is strongly negatively influenced during the cleaning
procedure.
[0028] In this respect with known systems the cleaning of heat
exchange systems is already awkward and thus complex and expensive
purely for constructional reasons, for example because the heat
exchanger is not easily directly accessible in the built in state.
With many known heat exchange systems it is thus necessary to open
a housing to, for example, clean the heat exchanger itself or other
essential components in the inner part of the housing of the heat
exchange system. In this respect the opening of the housing is not
only complex and/or expensive and awkward. Also in this case the
correspondingly connected heating machines must be switched off as
already mentioned, since otherwise an opening of the housing of the
heat exchange system is not allowed purely for reasons of security
or it is not possible at all for technical reasons in the
operational state.
[0029] It is therefore the object of the invention to provide an
improved heat exchange system which overcomes the known problems
from the prior art and in particular is easy to clean, preferably
can also be cleaned in the operational state, with a heat transfer
performance of the heat exchanger and/or of the total heat exchange
system, essentially also not reducing over a longer operational
time but also guarantees an essentially constant pre-settable heat
transfer performance over a long operational time.
[0030] The subjects satisfying the object of the invention are
characterized by the features of the independent claim 1.
[0031] The dependent claims relate to particularly advantageous
embodiments of the invention.
[0032] The invention thus relates to a heat exchange system with a
heat exchanger including an inflow area and an outflow area, with
the transport fluid being able to be supplied to the heat exchanger
via an arriving flow area of the heat exchange system and via the
inflow area, being able to be brought into flow contact with the
heat exchanger and being able to be led away from the heat
exchanger again via the outflow area for the exchange of heat
between a transport fluid and a heat transfer agent flowing through
the heat exchanger in the operational state of the heat exchanger.
In accordance with the invention the heat exchange system includes
an automatic cleaning system for the removal of contaminants.
[0033] This means that, the present invention specifically relates
to an automatic cleaning system such that with a preferred
embodiment either a filter (e.g. a fly grid) provided in front of
the heat exchanger or the heat exchanger itself is cleaned
automatically. As will be explained in more detail later with
reference to specific embodiments, this can be achieved, for
example, in that the filter is rolled over a type of wiper or that
respectively the filter or the heat exchanger itself is
automatically cleaned by a type of wiper or, however, that the
filter per se at least partially envelope the heat exchanger and,
for example, permanently revolves about the heat exchanger. It is
thereby achieved that the contamination accommodated on the inlet
side of the heat exchanger is directly carried away again on the
opposite side of the heat exchanger by the air flow whereby the
filter is automatically cleaned.
[0034] In this respect in a specific embodiment, the heat exchanger
can also be situated in a housing the heat exchange system, with
the automatic cleaning system then being provided alternatively or
additionally at an inflow area of the housing of the heat exchange
system.
[0035] It is thus essential for the invention that an automatic
cleaning system is provided which allows the cleaning specifically
of the heat exchanger and/or of a contamination filter at the heat
exchanger or an inflow area of the heat exchange system and/or a
contamination filter at the inflow area of the heat exchange system
also in the operational state, with a heat transform performance of
the heat exchanger essentially also not reducing over a longer
period of operation, but rather an essentially constant presettable
heat transfer performance also being guaranteed over a longer
period of operation.
[0036] In those cases where the cleaning cannot be performed in the
operational state of the heat exchanger or of the heat exchange
system for certain reasons, the invention can also be
advantageously used since for the cleaning with the automatic
cleaning system in accordance with the invention the heat exchange
system does not have to be demounted or taken apart or opened for
the cleaning, whereby the cleaning is significantly simplified and
is therefore more efficient and cheaper than with the previously
known heat exchange systems. In particular, but not only, because
at least less personal has to be provided for the cleaning.
[0037] In a preferred embodiment the cleaning system in accordance
with the invention includes a dust catching grid and/or a
contamination filter, with a contamination wiper and/or a washer
being provided for the automatic cleaning of the heat exchange
system, i.e. especially, for example, for the automatic cleaning of
the dust catching grid or of the contamination filter, said
contamination wiper and/or washer being operated automatically in
accordance with the invention as will be discussed in more detail
further on.
[0038] In a specific embodiment, a contamination filter is provided
at the inflow area of the heat exchanger and/or at the arriving
flow area of the heat exchange system and/or at the outflow area of
the heat exchanger and contaminants of all kind, such as, dust,
soot, insects, etc. can be filtered by said contamination filter
from the transport fluid sucked in, i.e., for example, from the air
which is conducted via the heat exchanger for the heat
exchange.
[0039] In an embodiment particularly important for practice, a
deflection device, in particular a deflection roller, is in this
respect provided with the contamination filter enveloping, the
inflow area and the outflow area of the heat exchanger in such way
that a suction side of the contamination filter can be guided from
the inflow area via the deflection device in front of the outflow
area. In this embodiment in the operational state the contamination
filter can, for example, permanently revolve about the heat
exchanger, whereby it is achieved that the contamination taken up
by the contamination filter on the suction side at the inflow area
is carried away again at the opposite outflow area of the heat
exchanger by the air outflowing through the outflow area and is
conducted away by said air.
[0040] It is naturally also possible that such a revolving
contamination filter is not arranged directly at the heat
exchanger, but that it is arranged in front of the arriving flow
area of the heat exchange system for the taking up of contaminants,
with a contamination filter being brought, with the contamination
filter being able to be suitably brought from the inflow area to
the outflowing air flow by a transport and deflection device, e.g.
in a permanently revolving manner so that the contamination filter
is constantly freed from contaminant by the outflowing air
flow.
[0041] To increase the heat exchange performance, the heat exchange
system can in particular also be formed from a plurality of heat
exchange modules, in particular by identical heat exchange
modules.
[0042] The heat transfer performance and/or the performance density
of the heat transfer can thereby be adapted simply and in an
efficient way through a modular design of the heat exchange system
of the present invention by the repetition of preferably identical
heat exchange modules, or by removing identical heat exchange
modules from the heat exchange system.
[0043] For a further increase of the performance density of the
heat transfer between the heat transfer agent and the transport
fluid and/or for the increase of a heat transfer rate between the
heat transfer agent and the transport fluid a cooling device can be
provided in the known manner for the cooling of the heat exchanger,
in particular a fan for the production of a gas flow can be
provided.
[0044] In this respect, the heat exchanger itself, as known per se
from the prior art, can be made by a plurality of microchannels as
a microchannel heat exchanger and/or the heat exchanger can also be
made as a finned heat exchanger with cooling fins. Specifically,
the heat exchange system is made as a combination heat exchange
system of the finned heat exchanger and the microchannel heat
exchanger if specific demands prefer such a construction shape.
[0045] To improve the possibilities of regulating the heat transfer
capacity of a heat exchange system in accordance with the
invention, a sealing, in particular an air sealing, can be provided
for the regulation of a flow rate of the transport fluid which can
be controlled and/or regulated either manually or via a control
unit in dependence on a presettable operating parameter.
[0046] The components of the heat exchange system in accordance
with the invention, i.e. for example, the heat exchanger and/or a
supply line for the heat transfer agent and/or a removal line for
the heat transfer agent and/or a possibly provided cleaning flap
for cleaning the interior of the heat exchange system and/or every
other component of a heat exchange system in accordance with the
invention can be connected to every other component of the heat
exchange system by a universal connector element such that, for
example, a heat exchanger module can be particularly easily added
or removed. In particular the cleaning flap and the inlet manifolds
and outlet manifolds and the collection pipes for the heat transfer
agent or also sheet metal parts and other modules and components of
the heat exchange system are preferably connected with a universal
connector element. In this respect the universal connector elements
are particularly suitable not only for a vertical assembly but also
for a horizontal assembly of the heat exchange systems or of the
heat exchanger modules.
[0047] As a rule, but not necessarily, a control unit, in
particular a control unit having a data processing system for the
control of the cooling device and/or of the cleaning system and/or
of the air sealing and/or of an operating or state parameter of the
heat transfer agent and/or of another operating parameter of the
heat exchange system is provided for the control and/or regulation
of the heat exchange system, such as is known to the skilled person
per se from the prior art with existing heat exchange systems.
[0048] The heat exchange system or the heat exchange module and/or
the heat exchanger and/or a boundary surface of the heat exchange
module, specifically the total heat exchange system, is
particularly advantageously produced from a metal and/or a metal
alloy, in particular from a single alloy, and can in particular be
produced from stainless steel, specifically from aluminum or from
an aluminum alloy, with a sacrificial metal preferably being
provided as corrosion protection and/or with the heat exchange
system being at least partly provided with a protective layer, in
particular with a corrosion protective layer. Particularly the
inlet tanks and outlet tanks are preferably produced for high
pressures, for example for operation with CO.sub.2, from very
strong materials such as stainless steel.
[0049] A heat exchange system in accordance with the invention is
specifically a radiator, in particular a radiator for a vehicle,
specifically for a land vehicle, for an aircraft or for a water
vehicle, or a radiator, a capacitor or an evaporator for a mobile
or stationary heating plant, refrigerating plant or
air-conditioning plant, in particular a radiator apparatus for a
machine, a data processing system or for a building or for another
apparatus which can be operated with a heat exchange system.
[0050] The invention will be explained in more detail in the
following with reference to the drawing. There are shown in a
schematic representation:
[0051] FIG. 1 a first embodiment of a heat exchange system in
accordance with the invention with a contamination wiper;
[0052] FIG. 2 a second embodiment with a contamination filter and a
deflection device for the contamination filter;
[0053] FIG. 3 a heat exchanger with microchannels;
[0054] FIG. 4 an element of a finned heat exchanger;
[0055] FIG. 5 a further embodiment in accordance with FIG. 2 with
an air sealing;
[0056] FIG. 6 a heat exchange system with a cleaning system at the
arriving flow area.
[0057] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a first embodiment
of a heat exchange system in accordance with the invention with a
contamination wiper which in the following will be provided as a
whole with the reference numeral 100. In this respect the heat
exchange system 100 in FIG. 1 is shown during a cleaning procedure
in the operation state of the heat exchange system 100.
[0058] The heat exchange system 100 in accordance with the
invention of FIG. 1 is a modular heat exchange system 100 and
includes as an essential element a heat exchange module 1000 with a
heat exchanger 1 for the exchange of heat between a heat transfer
agent 5, for example a cooling liquid 5 or a vaporizing medium 5
and a transport fluid 4, for example air 4. In the present case the
heat exchanger 1 is a microchannel heat exchanger 101 known per se
with a plurality of microchannels 9. The micro-channels 9 of the
heat exchanger 101 are connected via a connection system, not shown
in FIG. 1, which is known in principle to the person of ordinary
skill in the art, for the exchange of heat transfer agent 5 to a
cooling machine, also not shown.
[0059] In a manner known per se the cooling machine is flow
connected to the connection system including an inlet channel with
an inlet segment of the heat exchanger 101 and an outlet channel
with an outlet segment of the heat exchanger 101 such that the heat
transfer agent 5 for the exchange of heat with the air 4 can be
conducted from the inlet channel via the inlet segment by the
plurality of microchannels 9 of the heat exchanger 1 and finally to
the outlet channel via the outlet segment.
[0060] An outer boundary of the heat exchanger module 1000 and/or
of the heat exchange system 100 is in this respect formed by an
inflow area 2 of the heat exchanger 1 and an outflow area 300 of
the heat exchange system 1 such that in the operational state for
the exchange of heat between the transport fluid 4, whose flow
direction is illustrated symbolically by the arrows 40, and the
heat transfer agent 5 flowing through the heat exchanger 1, the
transport fluid 4 can be supplied to the heat exchange module 1000
via the inflow area can be brought into flow contact with the heat
exchanger 1 and can be led away from the heat exchange module 1000
or from the heat exchange system 1 again via the outflow area
300.
[0061] So that the heat can be exchanged better between the air 4
and the heat transfer agent 5, a cooling device 11 is additionally
provided, in the present case a fan 11, with which a quantity of
air 4 can be controlled which is conveyed through the heat exchange
module 1000 per time unit.
[0062] In accordance with the present invention a cleaning system
7, 71 in the form of a contamination wiper 71 is furthermore
provided as a central element. The contamination wiper 71 is
automatically, preferably permanently, moved to and frow over the
contamination filter 8 in a respectively alternating direction of
the double arrow P on operation of the heat exchange system 100
such that contaminants 6 which are deposited on the contamination
filter 8 by the suction of air 4 through it in the operational
state are permanently removed, whereby the heat exchanger 1 also
produces an essentially constant heat transfer performance over a
long operational time because no contaminants can accumulate
permanently on the heat exchanger 1 and/or on the contamination
filter 8.
[0063] FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of a heat exchange system
100 in accordance with the invention with a contamination filter 8
and a deflection device 72 for the contamination filter 8.
[0064] The heat exchange system of FIG. 2 thus differs from that in
FIG. 1 in that not a contamination wiper 71 is provided as a
cleaning system 7 but that a deflection device 72 is provided in
the form of a deflection roller 721, with the contamination filter
8 enveloping the inflow area 2 and the outflow area 3 of the heat
exchanger 1, 101, 102, such that a suction side 21 of the
contamination filter 8 can be conducted from the inflow area 2 via
the deflection device 72 to in front of the outflow area 3.
[0065] In this embodiment which is particularly important in
practice, in the operational state, the contamination filter 8 can,
for example, permanently revolve about the heat exchanger 1,
whereby it is achieved that the contaminant 6 taken up on the
contamination filter 8 on the suction side 21 at the inflow area 2
or at the arriving area 200 can be carried away again at the
opposite outflow area 3 of the heat exchanger 1 by the air 4
flowing out through the outflow area 3 of the heat exchanger 1 and
can be led away to the outside by said air.
[0066] FIG. 3 shows a schematic section of a heat exchanger 1, 101
in accordance with FIG. 1 with microchannels 9. Instead of small
pipes as are used for classic finned heat exchangers 102 in
accordance with FIG. 4, as previously mentioned, with microchannel
heat exchangers 101, which are frequently also referred to as a
minichannel heat exchangers 101, for example aluminium extrusions
are used which have very many small channels 9 with a cross-section
of, e.g. approximately 1 mm. The heat exchanger 1, 101 of FIG. 3
can, for example, be manufactured in a suitable extrusion method
easily and in a plurality of shapes from a plurality of materials.
In this respect the heat exchanger 1 in accordance with FIG. 3 can
in another embodiment not explicitly shown in FIG. 3 also be
produced by other production methods, such as, for example, by the
combination of suitably shaped sectioned sheet metal parts or other
suitable methods.
[0067] In contrast to FIG. 3 FIG. 4 shows an element of a finned
heat exchanger 1, 102 as is known per se, with cooling fins 10
which could be used instead of a microchannel heat exchanger 101 in
an embodiment of the present invention. The heat transfer agent 5
flows through the pipe shaped element of the finned heat exchanger
102 which in the operational state normally exchanges the heat via
the cooling fins 10 with the passing flowing air 4. It is to be
understood that in practice the heat exchanger 1 can generally be
formed from a plurality of elements in accordance with FIG. 4.
[0068] In a very special embodiment of the present invention which
for reasons of space is not explicitly illustrated with reference
to a drawing, the heat exchanger 1 is used as a combination heat
exchanger 1, 101, 102. This means a heat exchange system 100 of the
present invention can for very special applications simultaneously
include besides a heat exchanger 101, with a plurality of
microchannels 9, a finned heat exchanger 102 with cooling fins
10.
[0069] A further embodiment in accordance with FIG. 2 is shown
schematically with an air sealing 12 in FIG. 5. The air sealing 12
is preferably made in the form of a sun blind or of a Venetian
blind, including individual sun blind elements 121 or Venetian
blind elements 121, so that the degree of covering of the heat
exchanger 1 can be changed variably, preferably in electronically
controlled and/or regulated form, in that the air sealing is
removed in a known manner, wholly or partly for example, from the
surface of the heat exchanger 1 by gathering together the
individual sun blind elements 121 or Venetian blind elements 121 or
in that an angle between the individual Venetian blind elements 121
and the surface of the heat exchanger 1 is changed so that the
effective passage area for the air 4 can be varied. A regulation of
the heat exchange performance of the heat exchanger 1 is thereby
possible in a simple manner without changing the flow dynamics in
the cooling system.
[0070] Finally, FIG. 6 shows a schematic illustration of a
different embodiment of a heat exchange system 100 in accordance
with the invention in which the heat exchanger 1 is provided inside
a closed housing G of the heat exchange system 1.
[0071] In contrast to FIG. 1 the contamination filter 8 is not
provided directly at the heat exchanger 1 here, but at a housing
wall of the heat exchange system 100 forming the arriving flow area
200. Correspondingly the cleaning system 7 adapted as a
contamination wiper 71 is not only provided at the housing G but
also at the contamination filter 8 in front of the arriving flow
area 200.
[0072] It is to be understood that in a further embodiment of the
embodiment of FIG. 6 in addition to the contamination wiper 71
provided in front of the arriving flow area 200 another cleaning
system, for example in accordance with FIG. 1, FIG. 2 or FIG. 5 can
also be provided directly at the heat exchanger 1 so that for
specific applications an even better cleaning effect and/or an even
better protection against contamination of the heat exchanger 1 can
be guaranteed.
[0073] It is understood that the embodiments described within the
framework of this application are only to be understood as
examples. This means that the invention is not solely restricted to
the specific embodiments described. All suitable combinations of
the presented embodiments are in particular likewise covered by the
invention.
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