← Back to Patent Explorer
US6935129B2 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Heat exchanger and combined cycle system using the same

Assignee: Denso Corp
•
Filing: 2004-04-22
•
Granted: 2005-08-30
•
Expires: 2024-04-22
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A radiator for a vapor-compression refrigerant cycle and a condenser for a Rankine cycle are integrated to construct a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger includes a core portion for performing a heat exchange, and is disposed to have a first function portion used as the radiator and a second function portion used as the condenser. A function ratio changing ratio includes a displacement member such as a plunger disposed in a header tank of the heat exchanger, and changes a ratio between the first function portion and the second function portion. For example, the displacement member partitions an inner space of the header tank into two space parts when both the vapor-compression refrigerant cycle and the Rankine cycle are operated, and does not partition the inner space when only one of the vapor-compression refrigerant cycle and the Rankine cycle is operated.

Inventors

  • 👤 Minoru Sasaki
  • 👤 Atsushi Inaba
  • 👤 Takashi Yamanaka
  • 👤 Eiichi Torigoe

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-03 03:53
CPC Classifications
F; F28; F28D; F28D1/00; F28D1/02; F28D1/04; F28D1/0408; F28D1/0426; F28D1/0443; B; B60; B60H; B60H1/00; B60H1/00321; B60H1/00328; B60H1/00642; B60H1/00814; B60H1/00878; F01; F01K; F01K23/00; F01K23/02; F01K23/06; F01K23/065; F25; F25B; F25B27/00; F25B27/02; F25B39/00; F25B39/04; F28F; F28F27/00; F28F27/02; B60H1/32; B60H2001/3286; B60H2001/3295; F25B2327/00; F25B2327/10; F25B2327/12; F28F9/00; F28F9/02; F28F2009/0285; F28F2009/0287; Y; Y02; Y02A; Y02A30/00; Y02A30/27; Y02A30/274; Y02A40/00; Y02A40/90; Y02A40/963

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim 142 words
A heat exchanger for a combined cycle system that includes: a vapor-compression refrigerant cycle having a compressor for compressing refrigerant, a radiator for cooling high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor and an evaporator for evaporating low-pressure refrigerant after being decompressed; and a Rankine cycle which recovers energy by expanding a super-heat vapor fluid and has a condenser for cooling and condensing the vapor fluid after being expanded, the heat exchanger comprising a core portion in which at least one of the refrigerant and the fluid flows to perform heat exchange, the core portion being provided to have at least one of a first function portion used as the radiator and a second function portion used as the condenser; and a function ratio changing unit which changes a ratio between the first function portion and the second function portion in the core portion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 142 words
A heat exchanger for a combined cycle system that includes: a vapor-compression refrigerant cycle having a compressor for compressing refrigerant, a radiator for cooling high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor and an evaporator for evaporating low-pressure refrigerant after being decompressed; and a Rankine cycle which recovers energy by expanding a super-heat vapor fluid and has a condenser for cooling and condensing the vapor fluid after being expanded, the heat exchanger comprising a core portion in which at least one of the refrigerant and the fluid flows to perform heat exchange, the core portion being provided to have at least one of a first function portion used as the radiator and a second function portion used as the condenser; and a function ratio changing unit which changes a ratio between the first function portion and the second function portion in the core portion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 18 words
The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid is the same material as the refrigerant.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 114 words
The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the core portion includes a plurality of tubes through which at least one of the refrigerant and the fluid flows, the heat exchanger further comprising first and second header tanks disposed at two end sides of each tube in a tube longitudinal direction, respectively, wherein: each of the first and second header tanks extends in a tank longitudinal direction perpendicular to the tube longitudinal direction to communicate with the tubes; and the function ratio changing unit is disposed in each of the first and second header tanks to change the ratio between the first function portion and the second function portion in the core portion.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 108 words
The heat exchanger according to claim 3 , wherein: the function ratio changing unit includes a displacement member that is displaced in a direction perpendicular to the tank longitudinal direction to switch between a first case where an inner space of each header tank is separated into plural space parts and a second case where the inner space of each header tank is a single communication space without a partition due to the displacement member; and the function ratio changing unit changes the ratio between the first function portion and the second function portion in the core portion by switching between the first case and the second case.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 119 words
The heat exchanger according to claim 3 , wherein: the function ratio changing unit includes a valve body having a through hole, disposed in each of the first and second header tanks; the valve body is disposed in each of the first and second header tanks to switch between a first case where an inner space of each header tank is separated into plural space parts and a second case where the inner space of each header tank is a single communication space without a partition; and the function ratio changing unit changes the ratio between the first function portion and the second function portion in the core portion by switching between the first case and the second case.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 116 words
The heat exchanger according to claim 3 , wherein: the function ratio changing unit includes a butterfly valve body disposed in each of the first and second header tanks; the valve body is disposed in each of the first and second header tanks to switch between a first case where an inner space of each header tank is separated into plural space parts and a second case where the inner space of each header tank is a single communication space without a partition; and the function ratio changing unit changes the ratio between the first function portion and the second function portion in the core portion by switching between the first case and the second case.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 99 words
The heat exchanger according to claim 3 , wherein: the function ratio changing unit includes a displacement member that is displaced in the tank longitudinal direction to switch between a first case where an inner space of each header tank is separated into plural space parts and a second case where the inner space of each header tank is a single communication space without a partition; and the function ratio changing unit changes the ratio between the first function portion and the second function portion in the core portion by switching between the first case and the second case.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 98 words
The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the core portion includes a plurality of tubes through which at least one of the refrigerant and the fluid flows, the heat exchanger further comprising a header tank disposed at one end side of each tube in a tube longitudinal direction, to extend in a tank longitudinal direction perpendicular to the tube longitudinal direction to communicate with the tubes, wherein the function ratio changing unit is disposed in the header tank to change the ratio between the first function portion and the second function portion in the core portion.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 28 words
The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the function ratio changing unit continuously changes the ratio between the first function portion and the second function portion.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 156 words
A combined cycle system comprising: a vapor-compression refrigerant cycle including a compressor for compressing a fluid, a radiator for cooling a high-pressure fluid discharged from the compressor, and an evaporator for evaporating a low-pressure fluid after being decompressed; and a Rankine cycle including an expansion device that expands a super-heat fluid for recovering energy, and a condenser for cooling and condensing the fluid flowing from the expansion device, wherein the radiator and the condenser are integrated to form a heat exchanger including a core portion in which the fluid flows to perform heat exchange, the heat exchanger being constructed to have at least one of a first function portion used as the radiator and a second function portion used as the condenser, the combined cycle system further comprising a function ratio changing unit provided in the heat exchanger to change a ratio between the first function portion and the second function portion in the core portion.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 156 words
A combined cycle system comprising: a vapor-compression refrigerant cycle including a compressor for compressing a fluid, a radiator for cooling a high-pressure fluid discharged from the compressor, and an evaporator for evaporating a low-pressure fluid after being decompressed; and a Rankine cycle including an expansion device that expands a super-heat fluid for recovering energy, and a condenser for cooling and condensing the fluid flowing from the expansion device, wherein the radiator and the condenser are integrated to form a heat exchanger including a core portion in which the fluid flows to perform heat exchange, the heat exchanger being constructed to have at least one of a first function portion used as the radiator and a second function portion used as the condenser, the combined cycle system further comprising a function ratio changing unit provided in the heat exchanger to change a ratio between the first function portion and the second function portion in the core portion.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 107 words
The combined cycle system according to claim 10 , wherein: the core portion includes a plurality of tubes through which the fluid flows; the heat exchanger further includes first and second header tanks disposed at two end sides of each tube in a tube longitudinal direction, respectively; each of the first and second header tanks extends in a tank longitudinal direction perpendicular to the tube longitudinal direction to communicate with the tubes; and the function ratio changing unit is disposed in each of the first and second header tanks to change the ratio between the first function portion and the second function portion in the core portion.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 109 words
The combined cycle system according to claim 11 , wherein: the function ratio changing unit includes a displacement member that is displaced in a direction perpendicular to the tank longitudinal direction to switch between a first case where an inner space of each header tank is separated into plural space parts and a second case where the inner space of each header tank is a single communication space without a partition due to the displacement member; and the function ratio changing unit changes the ratio between the first function portion and the second function portion in the core portion by switching between the first case and the second case.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 120 words
The combined cycle system according to claim 11 , wherein: the function ratio changing unit includes a valve body having a through hole, disposed in each of the first and second header tanks; the valve body is disposed in each of the first and second header tanks to switch between a first case where an inner space of each header tank is separated into plural space parts and a second case where the inner space of each header tank is a single communication space without a partition; and the function ratio changing unit changes the ratio between the first function portion and the second function portion in the core portion by switching between the first case and the second case.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 116 words
The heat exchanger according to claim 11 , wherein: the function ratio changing unit includes a butterfly valve body disposed in each of the first and second header tanks; the valve body is disposed in each of the first and second header tanks to switch between a first case where an inner space of each header tank is separated into plural space parts and a second case where the inner space of each header tank is a single communication space without a partition; and the function ratio changing unit changes the ratio between the first function portion and the second function portion in the core portion by switching between the first case and the second case.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 100 words
The combined cycle system according to claim 11 , wherein: the function ratio changing unit includes a displacement member that is displaced in the tank longitudinal direction to switch between a first case where an inner space of each header tank is separated into plural space parts and a second case where the inner space of each header tank is a single communication space without a partition; and the function ratio changing unit changes the ratio between the first function portion and the second function portion in the core portion by switching between the first case and the second case.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 97 words
The combined cycle system according to claim 10 , wherein: when both the vapor-compression refrigerant cycle and the Rankine cycle are operated, the function ratio changing unit is operated to have both the first function portion and the second function portion in the core portion; when only the vapor-compression refrigerant cycle is operated, the function ratio changing unit is operated to have only the first function portion in the core portion; and when only the Rankine cycle is operated, the function ratio changing unit is operated to have only the second function portion in the core portion.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 51 words
The combined cycle system according to claim 10 , wherein the function ratio changing unit continuously changes the ratio between the first function portion and the second function portion in accordance with a heat load of the vapor-compression refrigerant cycle and a power amount to be recovered in the Rankine cycle.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2008-08-29 2009-02-28 2009-08-30 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2012-08-29 2013-02-28 2013-08-30 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2016-08-29 2017-02-28 2017-08-30 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag