Abstract: A condensate drainage enhancing device is provided for an evaporator. An integrally molded plastic part snap fits around the conventional lower manifold, with rails maintained in tight engagement with the front and rear edges of the refrigerant flow tubes. These interrupt the meniscus films of columns of retained water that would otherwise form and, which instead drains down ribs that depend from the rails.

Abstract: An evaporator configured to transfer heat between air flowing through the evaporator and refrigerant within the evaporator, and transfer heat between the refrigerant within the evaporator and phase change material (PCM) within the evaporator. The evaporator includes a first plate, a second plate, and a first tube. The second plate is coupled to the first plate to form an assembly that defines a cavity to contain PCM. The assembly also defines a first opening that cooperates with corresponding first openings in other assemblies to define a first manifold to convey refrigerant. The first manifold is defined when the assembly is arranged with the other assemblies to form a stack. The first tube is in fluidic communication with the first manifold. The assembly cooperates with an adjacent assembly of the other assemblies when the stack is formed to define a first slot configured to receive the first tube.

Abstract: An evaporator having a phase change material clam shell housing is provided. The evaporator includes an upper manifold, a plurality of refrigerant tubes extending from the manifold, and a louvered clam shell housing defining a chamber for storing a phase change material. The louvered clam shell housing is disposed between and in thermal communication with the upper portion of two adjacent refrigerant tubes. The louvered clam shell housing is formed of two clam shell plates, each having louvers defined by slats folded into the phase change chamber. The folded slats define louver openings in the clam shell housing enabling the phase change material to make direct contact with the adjacent refrigerant tubes, thereby improving thermal communication between the refrigerant flowing in the tubes and the phase change material in the clam shell housing.

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: An evaporator configured to transfer heat between air flowing through the evaporator and refrigerant within the evaporator, and transfer heat between the refrigerant within the evaporator and phase change material (PCM) within the evaporator. The evaporator includes a first plate, a second plate, and a first tube. The second plate is coupled to the first plate to form an assembly that defines a cavity to contain PCM. The assembly also defines a first opening that cooperates with corresponding first openings in other assemblies to define a first manifold to convey refrigerant. The first manifold is defined when the assembly is arranged with the other assemblies to form a stack. The first tube is in fluidic communication with the first manifold. The assembly cooperates with an adjacent assembly of the other assemblies when the stack is formed to define a first slot configured to receive the first tube.

Abstract: A heat exchanger assembly includes spaced apart tubes and a fin. The fin extends between and in thermal contact with adjacent tubes. The fin defines a planar portion between adjacent tubes. The planar portion defines a louver. The louver defines an axis about which the louver is rotated relative to the planar portion when the louver is formed. A middle portion of the louver is rotated about the axis to a first angle. A top portion of the louver is rotated about the axis to a second angle greater than the first angle such that the louver angle is varied along the axis. The louver may be characterized along the axis by a continuous transition of angle from the first angle to the second angle. A bottom portion of the louver may be rotated about the axis to a third angle greater than the first angle.

Abstract: An evaporator having a phase change material clam shell housing is provided. The evaporator includes an upper manifold, a plurality of refrigerant tubes extending from the manifold, and a louvered clam shell housing defining a chamber for storing a phase change material. The louvered clam shell housing is disposed between and in thermal communication with the upper portion of two adjacent refrigerant tubes. The louvered clam shell housing is formed of two clam shell plates, each having louvers defined by slats folded into the phase change chamber. The folded slats define louver openings in the clam shell housing enabling the phase change material to make direct contact with the adjacent refrigerant tubes, thereby improving thermal communication between the refrigerant flowing in the tubes and the phase change material in the clam shell housing.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a unitary heat pump air conditioner (Unitary HPAC) that includes a refrigerant loop having a condenser, a refrigerant expansion device, and an evaporator hydraulically connected in series. An electrically driven compressor is provided to circulate a two-phase refrigerant through the refrigerant loop to transfer heat from the evaporator to the condenser. The unitary HPAC also includes a cold side chiller configured to hydraulically connect to a cold side coolant loop and is in thermal communication with the evaporator. The unitary HPAC further includes a hot side chiller configured to hydraulically connect to a hot side coolant loop and is in thermal communication with the condenser. The refrigerant loop transfer heat from the cold side chiller to the hot side chiller, thereby cooling the cold side coolant loop and heating the hot side coolant loop. The components of the unitary HPAC are mounted on a common platform.

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 sealing system for sealing a heat exchanger assembly to an HVAC module. A plurality of male connecting members is disposed on one of the outer periphery of the heat exchanger and the interior surface of the channel of the HVAC module. A plurality of female connecting members is disposed on the other of the outer periphery of the heat exchanger and the interior surface of the channel of the HVAC module. The male connecting members engage the female connecting members to support the heat exchanger and to seal the heat exchanger to the HVAC module to restrict the flow of air from circumventing the heat exchanger. The male and female connecting members are tuned to give the heat exchanger a natural frequency in the range of 20 and 100 Hz for dampening vibrations between the heat exchanger and the HVAC module.

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: A laminate-type evaporator includes U-channel plates in combination with various configurations of dual cup and single cup plates, to control refrigerant pressure drop and achieve enhanced temperature spreads within the evaporator. The U-channel plates define one or more of the final refrigerant passes in the evaporator, and the dual cup and single cup plates define refrigerant passes upstream therefrom. Fins are disposed between adjacent plate pairs and extend to selected end edges of the U-channel plates to maximize the surface area available for heat exchange in the final refrigerant passes.