Modular heat exchange system

Abstract

The invention relates to a modular heat exchange system (1) having a heat exchange module (2, 21, 22) which includes a first heat exchange module (21) with a heat exchanger (3). In this respect, an outer boundary of the heat exchange module (2) is formed by an inflow surface (4) and an outflow surface (5) such that, for the exchange of heat between a transport fluid (6) and a heat agent (7) flowing through the heat exchanger (3) in the operating state, the transport fluid (6) can be supplied to the heat exchange module (2) via the inflow surface (4), can be brought into flow contact with the heat exchanger (3) and can be led away again the heat exchange module (2) via the outflow surface (5). In accordance with the invention, a first boundary surface (81) of the first heat exchange module (2, 21) is inclined at a presettable angle of inclination (α) with respect to a second boundary surface (82) of the first heat exchange module (2, 21).

Description

The invention relates to a heat exchange system in accordance with the preamble of independent claim 1.

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 coolers or as oil coolers 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.

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.

A division can thus be made in accordance with so-called “fin heat exchangers”, on the one hand, and “minichannel” or “microchannel” heat exchangers, on the other hand.

The fin 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.

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 exchanger 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).

FIG. 3 shows a simple example of an element of such a fin 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. 3.

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.

The manufacture of these so-called fin 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.

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.

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 fin heat exchanger: many small pipes at small intervals.

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. 2. 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.

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.

These sections cannot, and also do not have to, be widened and they are also not pushed into stamped fin packets. 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.

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).

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.

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.

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 1×2 m.

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.

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.

In addition to the simple systems in which substantially only one ambient medium, such as air, is available to the heat exchanger for the exchange of heat, so-called hybrid coolers or hybrid dry coolers are known such as are e.g. disclosed in WO90/15299 or in EP 428 647 B1, in which the gaseous or liquid medium of the primary cooling circuit to be cooled flows through a fin heat exchanger and which output the heat to be dissipated via the cooling fins to the air flow partly as sensitive heat and partly as latent heat. One or more fans convey the air flow through the heat exchanger and advantageously have variable speeds. The dissipation of the latent heat takes place by a liquid medium, preferably water, which is matched by its specific values such as conductivity, hardness, carbonate content and is in each case added to the heat transfer surface on the air side as a drop-forming liquid film. The excess water drips into a collection bowl directly beneath the heat exchanger elements. Sprayed heat exchanger concepts are also known where water is sprayed onto the fin heat exchanger and evaporates completely and in this process the evaporation energy is used for the improvement of the heat transfer as in the wetting for energetic optimization. It is also possible to work without a water excess here, but a formation of deposits has to be prevented, for which purposes e.g. VE water is used.

It is understood that other cooling fluids such as oil can also be considered in addition to water in special cases.

The manner of operation in the wetting or spraying of the fins of the heat exchanger results in substantial energy and water savings in comparison with customary methods such as with open cooling towers. However, the restriction in the choice of material of the wetted or sprayed heat exchanger in conjunction with the fin where corrosion may not occur in connection with an electrolyte is disadvantageous.

Hybrid heat transfer is thus understood as the substantial improvement of the heat transfer of fin heat exchangers with pipes by direct wetting or spraying of water. It is above all necessary in this respect to regulate the air speed in the fin packet so that no taking along of water occurs at the fin surface. This is advantageously achieved by a speed regulation of the fans or by other suitable measures.

It is a disadvantage in this respect that the sprayed or wetting water acts as an electrolyte together with dissolved ions, which can result in numerous corrosion problems with the usually used material pairings of copper pipe and aluminum fins of the heat exchanger.

It is known in this respect e.g. to use so-called cataphoretic dip coating as a suitable surface protection for heat exchangers. Furthermore, both the material pairings such as copper pipe and copper fin and aluminum pipe and aluminum fin as well as stainless steel pipe and stainless steel fin are used to master the problems of contact corrosion. It is also known to zinc coat the heat exchangers completely. High demands are made on the quality of the circulation water or spray water in this respect with regard to the pH values, water hardness, chlorine content, conductivity, etc. to prevent deposits from forming, on the one hand, on condensation on the fin due to evaporation and from contents of chemically reactive materials which are too high forming, on the other hand, which can on their part result in corrosion together with the deposits.

To achieve higher heat transfer capacities than are e.g. known with small heat exchangers from automotive engineering or domestic technology, attempts have previously been made to make use of the previously described hybrid technology with larger heat transfer systems.

Another possibility to reach larger heat transfer capacities basically involves trying to achieve greater exchange capacities by interconnection of a plurality of individual heat exchange components, e.g. by the connection of Al-MCHX modules.

One problem with all previously known heat exchanger systems is, however, that the heat transfer capacity of an existing heat exchange system cannot be adapted at all or only with very large difficulties, that is ultimately only with a great effort and substantial costs. This applies both to an increase and to a decrease of the heat transfer capacity of an existing system.

These known difficulties are due to different reasons.

The known heat transfer systems are as a rule closed units whose heat transfer capacity can at best be regulated within certain narrow limits in that, for example, the throughflow quantity of a refrigerant is regulated by the heat exchanger or the quantity of the cooling medium, e.g. of cooling air, is varied by the regulation of the suction performance of a fan. It is also possible to reduce the quantity of cooling air, for example, in that the heat exchanger has adjustable air sealing flaps so that the throughflow rate of cooling air supplied to the heat exchanger is thereby adjustable.

However, the performance of a heat exchange system can only be varied between zero and a maximum heat exchange rate by all these known measures. An increase of the heat transfer capacity beyond a system-induced maximum value is not possible thereby.

It is also not possible as a rule or is in particular not possible or meaning for economic and/or technical reasons to make the heat transfer capacity of an existing heat exchange system as small as desired or to reduce it to zero. That is the known heat transfer systems always have to be operated at a specific maximum heat transfer capacity, which frequently makes the operation unnecessarily inefficient, but cannot be avoided.

If therefore, for example, the heat transfer capacity of an existing heat exchange system should be reduced efficiently, for example because the size of an associated cold store was substantially reduced, no other possibility has previously been available than to replace the existing heat exchange system with another with correspondingly lower performance.

If, conversely, the heat transfer capacity of an existing heat exchange system should be significantly increased because, for example, an associated cold store has to be made hugely larger, no other economic alternative as a rule often also remains in this case in practice than to replace the existing heat transfer system by a system with a higher heat transfer capacity. The heat transfer capacity of existing systems can therefore not be increased efficiently in a simple manner, that is above all under economic aspects. Purely from a construction aspect, it is not simply possible, for example, to add an additional heat exchanger to a known heat transfer system with a given heat transfer capacity. Additional heat exchangers cannot simply be attached in or to the existing housing constructions and be connected to the existing cooling circuits from a purely geometric aspect.

Even where the this would be realizable in principle under purely geometric aspects with difficulty, such an expansion is often technically so complex and/or expensive that such a change is not worthwhile.

A possibility of increasing the heat transfer capacity of an existing system is naturally generally to install a second additional system. However, new problems also occur in practice here which often do not permit such a solution.

An additional heat exchange system can namely not be integrated without problem into the existing control and regulation electronics. First, corresponding control systems are simply technically not designed to control a further heat exchange system so that additional control electronics have to be installed. If both heat exchange systems, however, for example, they have to be operated simultaneously for the cooling of one and the same enlarged cold store, the coordination of the two independent control systems is at least very difficult. In many cases, above all when, for example, frequent and/or large changes in the cooling capacity to be supplied are required, a reliable coordination of the control system is not possible.

In many cases, however, for example, the installation of an additional heat transfer systems is not possible for space reasons alone.

This can, for example, be due to the fact that it is not possible on site under the given space relationships to install additional control electronics and/or additional cooling circuits with the required refrigeration machines and the further components known per se. However, the additional installation of the known bulky heat exchange modules which include the heat exchangers, for example in the form of finned heat exchangers and/or in the form of microchannel heat exchangers, is also frequently not possible for space reasons alone or is not desirable or is simply too complex from a technical and economic aspect.

This ultimately means that the required power density is not reached in an expanded heat exchange system because the expansion of an existing heat exchange system by additional heat exchange modules cannot take place sufficiently compactly purely for geometrical reasons.

Furthermore, the question of the deficient power density of the known heat exchange systems is a problem in many areas which has generally not yet been solved. Particularly where a large quantity of heat has to be transferred in a very small space in as short a time as possible, for example with large electronic systems such as with very powerful data processing systems or other systems known to the skilled person per se, the power densities of known heat exchange systems are often not sufficient. The only solution is then frequently installing the heat exchange modules with the heat exchangers at a very distant location where there is sufficient space for the heat exchange modules which are not compact enough, with all the known technical and economic disadvantages.

It is therefore the object of the invention to provide an improved heat exchange system which overcomes the problems known from the prior art and with which, in particular due to a compact construction, high cooling performance can be achieved, on the one hand, in a minimal space, that is higher power densities can be achieved in the heat transfer. On the other hand, a heat exchange system should simultaneously be provided whose heat transfer capacity can be changed easily in a very flexible, technically simple and economically efficient manner, that is can be both increased and decreased in very wide limits.

The subjects of the invention satisfying these objects are characterized by the features of independent claim 1.

The dependent claims relate to particularly advantageous embodiments of the invention.

The invention thus relates to a modular heat exchange system having a heat exchange module which includes at least one first heat exchange module with a heat exchanger. In this respect, an outer boundary of the heat exchange module is formed by an inflow surface and an outflow surface such that, for the exchange of heat between a transport fluid and a heat agent flowing through the heat exchanger in the operating state, the transport fluid can be supplied to the heat exchange module via the inflow surface, can be brought into flow contact with the heat exchanger and can be led away again from the heat exchange module via the outflow surface. In accordance with the invention, a first boundary surface of the first heat exchange module is inclined at a presettable angle of inclination with respect to a second boundary surface of the first heat exchange modules.

It is important for the invention that with a modular heat exchange system of the present invention a first boundary surface of a first heat exchange module is inclined at a presettable angle of inclination with respect to a second boundary surface of the first heat exchange module.

By a suitable choice of the angle of inclination, which is particularly preferably not equal to 90°, the invention thus provides a heat exchange system of modular design which can be expanded substantially periodically or non-periodically in one, two or three spatial dimensions depending on the embodiment by stringing together preferably identically heat exchange modules, but can also be made smaller in that one or more heat exchange modules are simply removed from an existing system.

The suitable choice of the angle or inclination or the specific choice of the mutually inclined surfaces in this respect decisively determines whether a periodic expansion is possible in one, two or three dimensions or determines the maximum number of heat exchange modules which can be combined to form a modular heat exchange system in accordance with the invention.

If e.g. the outer shape of a triangular prism with an angle of inclination of 60° is selected for the construction shape of the heat exchange module, a maximum of six heat exchange modules of this kind can be combined to form a very compact heat exchange system of hexagonal structure which have a very high power density with respect to the heat transfer.

If the heat exchange performance should be reduced due to new demands in such a hexagonal heat exchange system made up of six heat exchange modules, the required number of heat exchange modules can simply be removed from the hexagonal heat exchange system.

If in another case, for example, the heat exchange modules are therefore made in the form of a parallelepiped having an angle of inclination of 45°, two respective such heat exchange modules can be assembled in a particularly compact manner, e.g. via the inclined surfaces, and can also, if required, be expanded as desired by being strung next to one another.

The heat transfer capacity and/or the power density of the heat transfer can thus be matched in a simple and efficient manner by a modular heat transfer system of the present invention by the regular repetition of preferably identical heat exchange modules or by the removal of identical heat exchange modules.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the first boundary surface of the first heat exchange module is thus inclined at the presettable angle of inclination with respect to the second boundary surface of the first exchange module such that the modular heat exchange system can be expanded by a second heat exchange module, in particular in a compact construction shape, with the second heat exchange module preferably being identical to the first heat exchange module. In this respect, compact construction shape means that two heat exchange modules can be combined with one another in as space saving a manner as possible so that as little free space as possible, preferably practically no free space at all, remains between two combined heat exchange modules.

In a particularly simple, particularly compact and thus cost-effective construction shape, the heat exchanger itself has a supporting function in the formation of the heat exchange module. This can, for example, be realized in that the heat exchanger itself forms a housing wall of the heat exchanger module or in that the housing of the heat exchanger module does not have a boundary wall at all the boundary surfaces of the housing so that the heat exchanger itself satisfies a connecting and stabilizing integral static function as a housing component.

As mentioned, particularly important significance accrues to those embodiments in accordance with the invention in which the heat exchange system is formed from a plurality of heat exchange modules since the heat transfer capacity can be reduced particularly simply in them, for example, by removal of a heat exchange module.

The angle of inclination between the first boundary surface and the second boundary surface of the heat exchange module is advantageously between 0° and 180°, specifically between 20° and 70°, preferably between 40° and 50°, and the angle of inclination particularly preferably amounts to 45°.and/or the angle of inclination is between 90° and 180°, in particular at 120°.

In a specific embodiment in accordance with the invention, the angle of inclination between the first boundary surface and the second boundary surface of the heat exchange module has a value of 360°/n for the formation of a heat exchange system in the form of a heat exchange cluster, where n is a whole number and the heat exchange cluster is preferably formed from a number of n identical heat exchange modules, with the angle of inclination between the first boundary surface and the second boundary surface of the heat exchange module being 60° for the formation of a hexagonal heat exchange cluster, for example, with the hexagonal heat exchange cluster preferably being formed from six identical heat exchange modules for the achieving of a maximum heat exchange performance and/or a maximum power density of the heat exchange.

In a further simple embodiment, a boundary surface of the heat exchange system can be dispensed with at its housing, with the omitted housing wall being formed in the installed state of the heat exchange system by a wall of an installation object, in particular being formed by a wall of a housing.

For the further increase of the power 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 medium, a cooling device can be provided for the cooling of the heat exchanger, in particular a fan for the generation of a gas flow, and/or the heat exchange system can, as known per se and as initially described in detail, be made as a hybrid system, and a sprinkling device can be formed for the sprinkling of the heat exchanger with a cooling fluid, in particular with cooling water. In this respect, a drop separator can also particularly advantageously be provided for the separation of the cooling fluid.

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 fin heat exchanger with cooling fins. Specifically, the heat exchange system can be made as a combination heat exchange system of the fin heat exchanger and the microchannel heat exchanger if specific demands prefer such a construction shape.

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.

A compensation means known per se can very advantageously also be provided for the compensation of thermomechanical strains.

The components of the modular heat exchange system of the present invention, that is, for example, the heat exchangers and/or a supply line and/or a leading away line for the heat transfer agent and/or every other component of a heat exchange system in accordance with the invention, can be connected by a universal connection element to every other component of the heat exchange system so that, for example, a heat exchange module can be added or removed particularly easily. Specifically, the inlet tanks and outlet tanks for the heat transfer agent or also sheet metal parts and other modules and components of the heat exchange system are particularly preferably connected to a universal connection element. In this respect, these universal connection elements are particularly well suited both for the vertical installation and for the horizontal installation of the heat exchange systems or of the heat exchange modules.

In addition, a cleaning system can furthermore be provided, specifically including a dust capturing grid and/or a scraper and/or a washing device, in particular a cleaning opening and/or a cleaning flap, so that the heat exchange system or its components such as the heat exchange module or other components can be cleaned simply and efficiently. In addition to other possible embodiments, in this respect the heat exchanger can, for example, be provided at the cleaning flap and/or the heat exchanger itself can be made as a cleaning flap.

However, 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 will be provided for the control and/or regulation of the heat exchange system in the operating state, as is known to the skilled person per se from the prior art with existing heat exchange systems.

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 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 CO₂, from very strong materials such as stainless steel.

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 cooler, a capacitor or an evaporator for a mobile or stationary heating plant, refrigerating plant or air-conditioning plant, in particular a cooler 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.

The invention will be explained in more detail in the following with reference to the drawing. There are shown in a schematic representation:

FIG. 1 a first embodiment of a heat exchange system in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 a heat exchanger in accordance with FIG. 1 with microchannels;

FIG. 3 an element of a finned heat exchanger;

FIG. 4a an embodiment in accordance with FIG. 1 with air sealing;

FIG. 5a a third embodiment in accordance with FIG. 1 with a cleaning flap;

FIG. 5b the embodiment of FIG. 5a during a cleaning process;

FIG. 6a another embodiment of a heat exchange system in accordance with the invention with a universal connection element;

FIG. 6b a universal connection element of FIG. 6a in detail;

FIG. 7 a heat exchange system with two heat exchange modules.

FIG. 8a a first known heat exchange system for operation with vertical installation;

FIG. 8b a second known heat exchange system for operation in horizontal installation;

FIG. 9 a heat exchange system in accordance with the invention for operation in vertical installation;

FIG. 10 a heat exchange system in accordance with the invention for operation in horizontal installation;

FIG. 11 a further heat exchange system made up of four heat exchange modules;

FIG. 12 a first embodiment of a heat exchange cluster in hexagonal form;

FIG. 13 a second embodiment in accordance with FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 another embodiment of a heat exchange cluster.

FIG. 1 shows in a schematic representation a first simple embodiment of a heat exchange system in accordance with the invention which is provided as a whole with the reference numeral 1 in the following.

The heat exchange system 1 in accordance with the invention of FIG. 1 includes as a major element a heat exchange module 2, 21 having a heat exchanger 2 for the exchange of heat between a heat agent 7, e.g. a cooling liquid 7 or an evaporating agent 7, and a transport fluid 6, e.g. air 6. The heat exchanger 3 in the present case is a microchannel heat exchanger 3 known per se with a plurality of microchannels 10. The microchannels 10 of the heat exchanger 3 are connected via a connection system, which is not shown in FIG. 1 and which is generally known to the skilled person, to a refrigeration machine, likewise not shown, for the exchange of heat transfer agent 7.

The refrigeration machine is flow connected in a manner known per se to the connection system, including an inlet channel with an inlet segment of the heat exchanger 3 and an outlet channel with an outlet segment of the heat exchanger 3, such that the heat transfer agent 7 for the exchange of heat with the air 6 can be supplied from the inlet channel via the inlet segment, through the plurality of microchannels 10 of the heat exchanger 3 and finally via the outlet segment to the outlet channel.

An outer boundary of the heat exchange module 2 is in this respect formed by an inflow surface 4 and an outflow surface 5 such that in the operating state for the exchange of heat between the transport fluid 6, whose flow direction is shown symbolically by the arrows 6, and the heat transfer agent 7 flowing through the heat exchanger 3, the transport fluid 6 can be supplied to the heat exchange module 2 via the inflow surface 4, can be brought into flow contact with the heat exchanger 3 and can be led away again from the heat exchange module 2 via the outflow surface 5.

So that the heat can be exchanged better between the air 6 and the heat transfer agent 7, a cooling device 9 is additionally provided, in the present case a fan 9, with which a quantity of air 6 can be controlled which is conveyed through the heat exchange module 2, 21 per time unit.

In this respect, a first boundary surface 81 of the heat exchange module 2, 21 which is formed in the present case by the heat exchanger 3 itself, is inclined with respect to a second boundary surface 82, 83 of the first heat exchange module 2, 21 at a presettable angle of inclination α which amounts to approximately 35° in the present specific example. It is understood that in another embodiment the angle of inclination α can also have a different value, e.g. a value greater or smaller than 35°, e.g., but not only, 25° or 45°. In the simple embodiment in accordance with FIG. 1, in this respect, the second boundary surface 82, 83 is formed by a wall 800 of an installation object which in the present case is a cold store not shown in any more detail.

A heat exchanger 3 in accordance with FIG. 1 with microchannels 10 is shown schematically in section in FIG. 2. Instead of small pipes such as are used in the classical finned heat exchangers 3 in accordance with FIG. 3, as already mentioned, extruded aluminum sections are e.g. used in minichannel heat exchangers 3 which have very many small channels 10 with a diameter of e.g. approximately 1 mm. The heat exchanger 6 of FIG. 2 can e.g. be manufactured simply and in a variety of shapes from a plurality of materials in a suitable extrusion process. In this respect, the heat exchanger 3 in accordance with FIG. 2 can also be manufactured in an embodiment variant not explicitly shown in FIG. 2, such as e.g. by the assembly of suitably shaped sheet metal sections or by other suitable processes.

In contrast to FIG. 2, FIG. 3 shows an element of a finned heat exchanger 3 known per se with cooling fins 300 such as could likewise be used instead of a microchannel heat exchanger 3 in an embodiment of the present invention. The heat transfer agent 7 flows through the tubular element of the finned heat exchanger 3 which, in the operating state, mainly exchanges heat via the cooling fins 300 with the air 6 flowing past. It is understood that in practice the heat exchanger 3 is as a rule made from a plurality of elements in accordance with FIG. 3. In a very special embodiment of the present invention, which is not shown explicitly with reference to a drawing for space reasons, a combination heat exchanger 3 is used as the heat exchanger 3. This means that a heat exchange system 1 of the present invention can simultaneously include, in addition to a heat exchanger 3 with a plurality of microchannels 10, a finned heat exchanger 3 with cooling fins 300 for very special applications.

To cope with any even larger heat transfer capacities, the heat exchange system 1 can also be made as a so-called hybrid system 1 whose functional principle is likewise known to the skilled person per se and therefore does not have to be shown explicitly with reference to a separate drawing. In this case, a sprinkling device is preferably provided for the sprinkling of the heat exchanger 3 with an external cooling fluid, in particular with cooling water or cooling oil. Specifically, a drop separator can additionally be provided e.g. in the form of a pan for the separation and collection of the external cooling fluid in the operating state so that the external cooling fluid can be recycled in an external cooling system which serves for the cooling of the external cooling fluid and can be supplied to the heat exchanger 3 again via the sprinkling system for the repeat cooling of the heat exchanger.

A second simple embodiment in accordance with FIG. 1 is shown schematically with an air sealing 11 in FIG. 4. The air sealing 11 is preferably made in the form of a sun blind or of a Venetian blind, including individual sun blind elements 111 or Venetian blind elements 111, so that the degree of covering of the heat exchanger 3 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 3 by gathering together the individual sun blind elements 111 or Venetian blind elements 111 or in that an angle between the individual Venetian blind elements 111 and the surface of the heat exchanger 3 is changed so that the effective passage area for the air 6 can be varied. A regulation of the heat exchange performance of the heat exchanger 3 is thereby possible in a simple manner without changing the flow dynamics in the cooling system.

FIGS. 5a and 5b show a third embodiment in accordance with FIG. 1 with cleaning flap 121, with FIG. 5a showing the heat exchange system 1 briefly before a cleaning process in which the interior, in particular the surface, of the heat exchanger 3 should be freed from dirt which unavoidably collects in the operation of the heat exchange system. FIG. 5b shows the heat exchange system 1 during the cleaning process.

The cleaning flap 121 is designed as an access flap 121 which is made rotatable around the axis of rotation 122 in accordance with the arrow P so that an access is provided by a pivoting of the cleaning flap 121 around the axis of rotation 122, which can be made as a universal connection system 13, for example, said access enabling service and repair and cleaning work simply in the interior without the heat exchange system 1 having to be disassembled.

FIG. 5b shows a situation in which the heat exchanger 3 is just being cleaned with a cleaning liquid 123, for example with water 123. The cleaning flap 121 was pivoted, starting from the situation of FIG. 5a, around the axis of rotation 122 such that it acts, in accordance with FIG. 5b, as a collection pan 121 which reliably collects the contaminated cleaning liquid 123 during the cleaning process so that the contaminated cleaning liquid can be led away and disposed off safely, and optionally automatically, so that damage to the environment is avoidable, for example.

Another embodiment of a heat exchange system in accordance with the invention is shown schematically in FIG. 6a in which the cleaning flap 121 is fastened to a universal connection element 13 in accordance with FIG. 6b. The universal connection element 13 is inter alia suitable for the simple and reliable connection of inlet tanks and outlet tanks known per se and not shown explicitly in FIGS. 6a and 6b which serve for the supply or leading away of the heat transfer agent 7 to or from the heat exchanger 3 respectively.

The universal connection element 13 is preferably designed such that it can be connected to the corresponding parts of the heat exchange system 1 particularly simply via a screw connection, for example, or by soldering.

It can serve for the connection of lines which conduct heat transfer agent 7 or can even itself be suitable as a line for the conveying of heat transfer agent 7. It can furthermore be suitable for the connection of sheet metal parts such as the cleaning flap 12 or other parts. In a given modular heat exchange system 1, the universal connection element 13 is preferably made in detail such that it can provide as many different connections as possible simultaneously in one and the same embodiment so that as few differently made universal connection elements as possible have to be used simultaneously in one and the same modular heat exchange system 1.

In the ideal case, the universal connection element 13 is made such that it can simultaneously take over all connection functions between all parts of the modular heat exchange system so that only one single type of universal connection element has to be used in one and the same heat exchange system 1, which hugely simplifies the structure, the expansion or the reduction of a modular heat exchange system 1 in accordance with the invention and thus guarantees very high flexibility of the system.

FIG. 7 shows a modular heat exchange system 1 in accordance with the present invention which includes two identical heat exchange modules 2, 21, 22. The two modules are of identical construction shape, with the angle of inclination α having a value of 45°. The skilled person will immediately understand that generally as many identical heat exchange modules 2, 21, 22 as desired can be added in both directions of the double arrow DP. This means that only one single type of heat exchange modules 2, 21, 22 has to be provided to change the heat exchange performance of the modular heat exchange system 1 to provide a system 1 with practically any desired presettable heat exchange performance or to expand it or to reduce the heat exchange performance in an existing system by a reduction of the number of the heat exchange modules 2, 21, 22. The individual heat exchange modules 2, 21, 22 are particularly preferably integrated in the heat exchange system 1 by use of the universal connection elements 13, as was already discussed with reference to FIG. 6a and FIG. 6b.

In addition to the huge flexibility which a heat exchange system 1 in accordance with the invention shows with respect to the number and the possibilities of the arrangement of the heat exchange modules 2, 21, 22, a heat exchange system 1 in accordance with the invention is also very flexible with respect to the direction of building up or installation of the heat exchange system 1.

Two heat exchange systems 1′ known from the prior art are shown very schematically in FIG. 8a and FIG. 8b.

For the better distinction of the prior art from the present invention, those features which relate to examples from the prior art are provided with a dash, whereas the reference numerals for features in accordance with the invention do not have a dash.

A major disadvantage of the known heat exchange systems 1′ in accordance with FIG. 8a and FIG. 8b respectively is namely that they can only be used, with respect to the direction of gravity S, either only in the vertical installation direction, as shown in FIG. 8a, or only in the horizontal installation direction in accordance with FIG. 8b. In this respect, vertical means that the outflow direction of the air 6′ from the heat exchange system 1′ takes place substantially perpendicular with respect to the direction of gravity S, whereas a horizontal direction of installation meant that the air 6′ flowing out of the heat exchange system flows out substantially parallel or anti-parallel to the direction of gravity.

The heat exchange system 1′ of FIG. 8a, which was designed for a vertical installation, can thus not be replaced by the heat exchange system of FIG. 8b which is only designed for horizontal installation.

The modular heat exchange system 1 in accordance with the invention is also more flexible here, as is impressively demonstrated with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10.

A heat exchange system 1 including two heat exchange modules 2, 21, 22 in a vertical installation manner is shown in FIG. 9; a heat exchange system 1 in a horizontal installation manner is shown in FIG. 10, with respect to the direction of gravity S in both cases. In this respect, the individual heat exchange modules 2, 21, 22 of the heat exchange systems in accordance with FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 are completely identical. This means only one single type of heat exchange modules 2, 21, 22 have to be provided to manufacture both horizontally and vertically installable heat exchange systems 1. It is specifically even possible that one and the same heat exchange system 1 simultaneously includes vertically oriented and horizontally oriented heat exchange modules 2, 21, 22.

A further heat exchange system 1 of four heat exchange modules 2, 21, 22 having two fans 9 in each case is shown by way of example in FIG. 11, whereby the heat exchange performance of the individual heat exchange modules 2, 21, 22 is substantially increased. The skilled person will understand without problem that the embodiment in accordance with FIG. 11 can advantageously also be used both in the vertical and in the horizontal direction of installation.

A first embodiment of a heat exchange cluster 1 is furthermore shown in hexagonal shape by way of example in FIG. 12. The modular heat exchange system 1 in the form of the heat exchange cluster 1 in accordance with FIG. 12 includes six identical heat exchange modules 2, 21, 22 which all have an angle of inclination of 60°. By the choice of this special geometry, it is possible to combine the six heat exchange modules 2, 21, 22 to form a hexagonal cluster, with the outwardly directed end faces of each heat exchange module 2, 21, 22 being made as heat exchangers 3 or the heat exchangers 3 being integrated into these outwardly directed surfaces. In the operating state, the transport fluid 6, that is the air 6, for example, is then sucked in via outwardly directed surfaces including the heat exchangers 3 by the fans 9 which are provided in the boundary surfaces of the heat exchange modules 2, 21, 22 directed perpendicular to the outwardly directed faces.

This special construction manner as a heat exchange cluster 1 can always be used particularly advantageously when very high heat transfer capacity is required in a very small space.

A second embodiment in accordance with FIG. 12 is shown in FIG. 13. The embodiment of FIG. 13 substantially differs from that in FIG. 12 in that the positioning of the fans 9 and the positioning of the heat exchangers 3 is just swapped over. This means that the fans 9 in the example of FIG. 13 are arranged in the outwardly directed faces, whereas the heat exchangers 3 are arranged in the faces perpendicular thereto in which the angle of inclination α is disposed or the heat exchangers 3 form these surfaces.

Finally, another embodiment of a heat exchange cluster 1 in accordance with FIG. 12 is shown in FIG. 14 in a view from the direction R in accordance with FIG. 12. The embodiment in accordance with FIG. 14 differs from that of FIG. 12 in this respect in that not six identical heat exchange modules 2, 21, 22 with an angle of inclination α of 60° in each case were used, but rather only five identical heat exchange modules 2, 21, 22 with an angle of inclination α of 72° in each case were used. Depending on the demand, generally any desired heat exchange clusters 1 with a number of n identical heat exchange modules 2, 21, 22 can thus be constructed, with each heat exchange module 2, 21, 22 then having an angle of inclination α of 360°/n.

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.

Claims

1. A modular heat exchange system having a heat exchange module (2, 21, 22) including at least one first heat exchange module (21) with a heat exchanger (3), wherein an outer boundary of the heat exchange module (2) is formed by an inflow surface (4) and an outflow surface (5) such that, for the exchange of heat between a transport fluid (6) and a heat transfer agent (7) flowing through the heat exchanger (3) in the operating state, the transport fluid (6) can be supplied to the heat exchange module (2) via the inflow surface (4), can be brought into flow contact with the heat exchanger (3) and can be led away again from the heat exchange module (2) via the outflow surface (5), characterized in that a first boundary surface (81) of the first heat exchange module (2, 21) is inclined at a presettable angle of inclination (α) with respect to a second boundary surface (82) of the first heat exchange module (2, 21).

2. A heat exchange system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first boundary surface (81) of the first heat exchange module (2, 21) is inclined at the presettable angle of inclination (α) with respect to the second boundary surface (82) of the first heat exchange module (2, 21) such that the modular heat exchange system can be expanded by a second heat exchange module (22), in particular in compact construction shape, with the second heat exchange module (22) preferably being identical to the first heat exchange module (21).

3. A heat exchange system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger (3) has a supporting function in the forming of the heat exchange module (2, 21, 22).

4. A heat exchange system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the heat exchange system is formed from a plurality of heat exchange modules (2, 21, 22).

5. The heat exchange system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the angle of inclination (α) between the first boundary surface (81) and the second boundary surface (82) of the heat exchange module (2, 21, 22) is between 0° and 180°, specifically between 20° and 70°, preferably between 40° and 50°, and particularly preferably amounts to 45° and/or the angle of inclination (α) is between 90° and 180°, in particular at 120°.

6. A heat exchange system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the angle of inclination (α) between the first boundary surface (81) and the second boundary surface (82) of the heat exchange module (2, 21, 22) has a value of 360°/n for the formation of a heat exchange cluster (1) and the heat exchange cluster (1) is preferably formed from a number of n identical heat exchange modules (2, 21, 22), with the angle of inclination (α) between the first boundary surface (81) and the second boundary surface (82) of the heat exchange module (2, 21, 22) preferably being 60° for the formation of a hexagonal heat exchange cluster (1) and with the hexagonal heat exchange cluster (1) preferably being formed from six identical heat exchange modules (2, 21, 22).

7. A heat exchange system in accordance with claim 1, wherein a boundary surface (83) of the heat exchange system is formed by a wall (800) of an installation object, in particular by a wall (800) of a building.

8. A heat exchange system in accordance with claim 1, wherein a cooling device (9) is provided for the cooling of the heat exchanger (3), in particular a fan (9) for the generation of a gas flow (61), to increase a heat transfer rate between the heat transfer agent (7) and the transport fluid (6); and/or wherein the heat exchange system is made as a hybrid system (1) and a sprinkling device is provided for the sprinkling of the heat exchanger (3) with a cooling fluid, in particular with cooling water, and/or a drop separator is provided for the separation of the cooling fluid.

9. A heat exchange system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger (3) is formed by a plurality of microchannels (10) as a microchannel heat exchanger (3); and/or wherein the heat exchanger (3) is made as a fin heat exchanger (3) with cooling fins and/or the heat exchange system is made as a combination heat exchange system (1) of the finned heat exchanger (3) and the microchannel heat exchanger (3).

10. A heat exchange system in accordance with claim 1, wherein a sealing is provided, in particular an air sealing (11), for the regulation of a flowthrough rate of the transport medium (6).

11. A heat exchange system in accordance with any one of the preceding claims claim 1, wherein a compensation means is provided for the compensation of thermomechanical strains; and/or wherein a universal connection element (13) is provided for the connection of a component of the heat exchange system.

12. A heat exchange system in accordance with claim 1, wherein a cleaning system (12, 121, 122) is provided specifically including a dust capturing grid (121) and/or a scraper (121) and/or a washing device (121), in particular a cleaning opening (121) and/or a cleaning flap (121); and/or wherein the heat exchanger (3) is provided at the cleaning flap (121); and/or the heat exchanger (3) is made as a cleaning flap (121).

13. A heat exchange system in accordance with claim 1, wherein a control unit, in particular a control unit with a data processing system for the control of the cooling device (9) and/or of the cleaning system and/or of the air sealing (11) and/or of an operating or state parameter of the heat transfer agent (6) and/or of another operating parameter of the heat exchange system is/are provided for the control and/or regulation of the heat exchange system in the operating state.

14. A heat exchange system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the heat exchange module (2, 21, 22) and/or the heat exchanger (3) and/or a boundary surface (2, 21, 22) of the heat exchange module (2, 21, 22), specifically the whole heat exchange system (2, 21, 22), is/are made of a metal and/or of a metal alloy, in particular of a single metal or of a single metal alloy, in particular of stainless steel, specifically of aluminum or of an aluminum alloy with a sacrificial metal preferably being provided as corrosion protection and/or with the heat exchange system (2, 22, 22) being provided at least partly with a protection layer, in particular with a corrosion protection layer.

15. A heat exchange system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the heat exchange system is a radiator, in particular a radiator for a vehicle, specifically for a land vehicle, for an aircraft or for a water vehicle, or is a cooler, a capacitor or an evaporator for a mobile or stationary heating system, a cooling system or an air-conditioning system, in particular a cooler apparatus for a machine, for a data processing system or for a building.