Abstract: A heat storage heat pump heater (HSHPH) incorporated into a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system that provides heat to maintain the temperature in a compartment (e.g., a cabin of an electric vehicle) during both a heating cycle and defrosting cycle. This HSHPH contains a heat exchanger having an inlet and an outlet located in one or more manifolds and a core that includes one or more refrigerant tubes through which a refrigerant flows and a plurality of fins that extend between the tubes, the one or more refrigerant tubes being in fluid communication with the inlet and the outlet; and a phase change material (PCM) configured to store heat transferred from the refrigerant during a heating cycle and to transfer heat to the refrigerant during a defrosting cycle. The PCM changes phase at a temperature that is greater than or equal to 24° C.

Abstract: In a method for producing a thermal component (1, 1?) a pipe (2, 2?,2?) having a fluid channel (3, 3?, 3?) with an inner profile (4, 4?) is provided, and a swirler (6, 6?) having an outer profile (5, 5?) corresponding to the inner profile (4, 4?) is inserted into the fluid channel (3, 3?, 3?). A thermal component (1, 1?) manufactured in this manner includes a pipe (2, 2?, 2?) having a fluid channel (3, 3?, 3?), and a swirler. The fluid channel (3, 3?, 3?) of the pipe (2, 2?, 2?) includes an inner profile (4, 4?) corresponding to an outer profile (5, 5?) of the swirler (6, 6?), and the swirler is disposed in the fluid channel (3, 3?, 3?).

Abstract: An evaporator for an air conditioning system includes a plurality of clamshell plates stacked in series along a longitudinal axis and a plurality of core tubes coupled with the stacked clamshell plates. In an upper region of the evaporator, the stacked clamshell plates form an inlet tank and an outlet tank hydraulically communicated with the core tubes for a refrigerant flow. Each of the clamshell plates includes a pooling ridge on a first surface of the clamshell plate for pooling a liquid refrigerant by gravity such that the liquid refrigerant is evenly distributed to inlet core tubes disposed along the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: In a method for producing a thermal component (1, 1?) a pipe (2, 2?,2?) having a fluid channel (3, 3?, 3?) with an inner profile (4, 4?) is provided, and a swirler (6, 6?) having an outer profile (5, 5?) corresponding to the inner profile (4, 4?) is inserted into the fluid channel (3, 3?, 3?). A thermal component (1, 1?) manufactured in this manner includes a pipe (2, 2?, 2?) having a fluid channel (3, 3?, 3?), and a swirler. The fluid channel (3, 3?, 3?) of the pipe (2, 2?, 2?) includes an inner profile (4, 4?) corresponding to an outer profile (5, 5?) of the swirler (6, 6?), and the swirler is disposed in the fluid channel (3, 3?, 3?).

Abstract: An evaporator having a manifold and a plurality of refrigerant tubes extending downward in the direction of gravity from the manifold. The evaporator includes at least one PCM housing engaging the upper portion of the refrigerant tube for storing a phase change material. When operating in a first operating mode, heat is transferred from the phase change material to the refrigerant to freeze and cool the phase change material. When operating in a second operating mode, heat is transferred from the refrigerant to the frozen phase change material to condense the refrigerant. The condensed refrigerant falls downwardly through the tubes and receives heat from a flow of air to cool the air and evaporate the refrigerant. The evaporated refrigerant rises upwardly back to the low pressure of the cold manifold.

Abstract: A refrigerant storage device that arranges two end plates to form a cavity and includes a turbulator plate within the cavity. The turbulator plate is arranged within the cavity to reinforce the cavity by providing a plurality of reinforcement portions between the end plates. The cavity is sized and the turbulator plate is configured so a liquid portion of refrigerant flowing through the cavity collects onto the turbulator plate. The device has a rectangular shape that simplifies vehicle packaging and allows the device to be readily integrated into a plate-type refrigerant-to-liquid coolant heat exchanger. The device is formed by a stacking arrangement of parts that provides for a readily scalable design.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A refrigerant storage device that arranges two end plates to form a cavity and includes a turbulator plate within the cavity. The turbulator plate is arranged within the cavity to reinforce the cavity by providing a plurality of reinforcement portions between the end plates. The cavity is sized and the turbulator plate is configured so a liquid portion of refrigerant flowing through the cavity collects onto the turbulator plate. The device has a rectangular shape that simplifies vehicle packaging and allows the device to be readily integrated into a plate-type refrigerant-to-liquid coolant heat exchanger. The device is formed by a stacking arrangement of parts that provides for a readily scalable design.

Abstract: An evaporator having a manifold and a plurality of refrigerant tubes extending downward in the direction of gravity from the manifold. The evaporator includes at least one PCM housing engaging the upper portion of the refrigerant tube for storing a phase change material. When operating in a first operating mode, heat is transferred from the phase change material to the refrigerant to freeze and cool the phase change material. When operating in a second operating mode, heat is transferred from the refrigerant to the frozen phase change material to condense the refrigerant. The condensed refrigerant falls downwardly through the tubes and receives heat from a flow of air to cool the air and evaporate the refrigerant. The evaporated refrigerant rises upwardly back to the low pressure of the cold manifold.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A heat exchanger assembly including a first manifold extending along an axis between first manifold ends and including an inner wall presenting an interior. A fluid distribution device is disposed in the interior of the first manifold and includes an inlet tube extending along the axis from an inlet end to a distribution end. The inlet tube presents a plurality of apertures spaced circumferentially from one another and spaced axially from the distribution end for dispensing the refrigerant in a radial direction out of the inlet tube. The fluid distribution device further includes a collar surrounding and spaced radially from the inlet tube and extending axially in both directions axially from the apertures of the inlet tube for redirecting into an axial direction the refrigerant flowing in the radial direction out of the apertures to evenly distribute the refrigerant across the interior of the first manifold.

Abstract: The invention provides a heat exchanger having a plurality of plates stacked in alternating mirrored relation with one another. Each of the plurality of plates has a plate length extending along a plate longitudinal axis between first and second ends. Each of the plurality of plates also has a plate width extending transverse to the plate longitudinal axis. The plurality of plates cooperate to define a fluid receiving cavity extending along a receiving axis substantially perpendicular to the plate longitudinal axis. The plurality of plates also cooperate to define a fluid exiting cavity extending along an exiting axis substantially perpendicular to the plate longitudinal axis and spaced from the receiving axis. A plurality of plate cavities are defined between alternating pairs of adjacent plates and extend along the plate length. The plurality of plate cavities fluidly communicate with both of the receiving and exiting cavities.

Abstract: A heat exchanger assembly including a plurality of pairs of plates disposed in series for fluid flow from a pass through one pair of plates to a pass through the next pair of plates. Each pair of plates includes a central rib to define a U-shaped passage having a fluid entering leg and a fluid exiting leg interconnected by an open bottom interconnecting the legs below the lower end of the engaging central ribs. A plurality of dimples project into the passage to interact with fluid flow through the passage and each of the dimples has a hemispherical shape and a divider rib is disposed in the passage to co-act with the hemispherical dimples to reduce whistling noise.

Abstract: An evaporator (10) with opposed pairs of generally vertically oriented flow tube surfaces (14) has corrugated air fins in which the tube surface spacing c, the interior radius r of a crest (20) joining adjacent pairs of fin walls (18), the fin pitch p separating adjacent crests (20), and the length l of louvers (22) cut out of the fin walls (18) bear the following relationship: 0≦r/c≦0.057, 0.89≦l/c≦1.01, and 0.29≦p/c≦0.43. This has been found to substantially improve condensate drainage, while not significantly penalizing heat transfer or air side pressure drop.

Abstract: An evaporator (10) with opposed pairs of generally vertically oriented flow tube surfaces (14) has corrugated air fins in which the tube surface spacing c, the interior radius r of a crest (20) joining adjacent pairs of fin walls (18), the fin pitch p separating adjacent crests (20), and the length l of louvers (22) cut out of the fin walls (18) bear the following relationship: 0≦r/c≦0.057, 0.89≦l/c≦1.01, and 0.29≦p/c≦0.43. This has been found to substantially improve condensate drainage, while not significantly penalizing heat transfer or air side pressure drop.