Refrigeration-type dryer apparatus and method
View Patent ↗A heat exchanger having an air/air heat exchanger, an air/refrigerant heat exchanger coupled to the air/air heat exchanger by a connecting tube, and a phase change material. The air/refrigerant heat exchanger having a series of stacked plates, such that the phase change material is contained within a first gap between one of the stacked plates and another of the stacked plates.
1. A heat exchanger system, comprising:
an air/air heat exchanger;
an air/refrigerant heat exchanger coupled to said air/air heat exchanger by a connecting tube, said air/refrigerant heat exchanger comprising a series of stacked plates, a first gap disposed between two of said stacked plates; and
an organic paraffin contained within said first gap.
2. The heat exchanger system of claim 1 , further comprising a second gap disposed between another two of said stacked plates, wherein said air/refrigerant heat exchanger includes a refrigerant contained within said second gap.
3. The heat exchanger system of claim 1 , wherein said first gap is between a first of said stacked plates and a second of said stacked plates, and said second gap is between said second of said stacked plates and a third of said stacked plates.
4. The heat exchanger system of claim 1 further comprising a probe for sensing a temperature.
5. The heat exchanger system of claim 4 , wherein said probe is a phase change temperature sensing probe.
6. The heat exchanger system of claim 1 further comprising a mesh condensate separator.
7. The heat exchanger system of claim 6 wherein said mesh condensate separator comprises a non-rust metal.
8. The heat exchanger system of claim 2 , wherein said air/refrigerant heat exchanger includes a third gap between one of said stacked plates and another of said stacked plates.
9. The heat exchanger system of claim 8 , wherein air being dried flows through the third gap.
10. The heat exchanger system of claim 9 , wherein the first gap is between the second gap and the third gap.
11. The heat exchanger system of claim 1 , wherein the organic paraffin freezes at or above 4° C.
12. A heat exchanger system, comprising:
an air/air heat exchanger;
an inlet pipe coupled to the air/air heat exchanger to allow air to flow into the heat exchanger system;
an air/refrigerant heat exchanger immediately adjacent to the air/air heat exchanger, wherein the air/refrigerant heat exchanger comprises and a paraffin wax contained between said brazed plates;
a condensate separator coupled to the heat exchanger system through an outlet port;
piping coupled to the separator and the heat exchanger system to allow air to re-enter the air/air heat exchanger; and
an outlet pipe coupled to the air/air heat exchanger to allow air to exit.
13. The heat exchanger system of claim 12 , further comprising a first gap located between two of said brazed plates, wherein air is dried in said first gap.
14. The heat exchanger system of claim 13 , further comprising a second gap located between another two of said brazed plates, wherein said paraffin wax is contained within said second gap.
15. The heat exchanger system of claim 14 , further comprising a third gap located between yet another two of said brazed plates, wherein refrigerant is contained within said third gap.
16. The heat exchanger system of claim 15 , wherein the second gap is between the first gap and the third gap.
17. The heat exchanger system of claim 12 , wherein the condensate separator comprises a mesh.
18. The heat exchanger system of claim 12 , further comprising a temperature sensing probe.
19. The heat exchanger system of claim 18 , wherein the probe is a phase change temperature sensing probe and is located within the heat exchanger system.