Air/refrigerant heat exchanger assembly
View Patent ↗An air/refrigerant heat exchanger includes a plurality of coiled tubes. A first tube of the plurality of coiled tubes has a phase change material therein. A second tube of the plurality of coiled tubes has a flow of cooled refrigerant flowing therethrough and the first tube is in thermal contact with the second tube. A third tube of the plurality of coiled tubes has a flow of air flowing therethrough and the third tube is in thermal contact with the first tube and the second tube.
1. An air/refrigerant heat exchanger, comprising:
a plurality of coiled tubes;
a first tube of the plurality of coiled tubes, a phase change material being disposed in the first tube;
a second tube of the plurality of coiled tubes, the second tube to convey a flow of cooled refrigerant, the first tube being in thermal contact with the second tube; and
a third tube of the plurality of coiled tubes, the third tube to convey a flow of air, the third tube being in thermal contact with the first tube and with the second tube, wherein the phase change material has a composition selected to preclude water freezing or icing in the air/refrigerant heat exchanger.
2. The air/refrigerant heat exchanger of claim 1 , further comprising a condensate separator.
3. The air/refrigerant heat exchanger of claim 2 , further comprising:
an air inlet configured to receive a flow of air.
4. The air/refrigerant heat exchanger of claim 3 , wherein the third tube conveys the flow of air from the air inlet to the condensate separator.
5. The air/refrigerant heat exchanger of claim 4 , further comprising:
a fourth tube disposed within the third tube, the fourth tube being configured to convey air from the condensed moisture separator.
6. The air/refrigerant heat exchanger of claim 1 , further comprising a probe.
7. The air/refrigerant heat exchanger of claim 6 , wherein the probe is configured to sense a temperature of the phase change material.
8. The air/refrigerant heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the first tube, the second tube and the third tube are made of copper.
9. An air/refrigerant heat exchanger, comprising:
a heat storage tube being filled with a phase change material;
a cooling tube to convey a flow of cooled refrigerant, the heat storage tube being in thermal contact with the cooling tube; and
an air tube to convey a flow of air, the air tube being in thermal contact with the heat storage tube and the cooling tube, wherein the phase change material has a composition selected to preclude water freezing or icing in the air/refrigerant heat exchanger.
10. The air/refrigerant heat exchanger of claim 9 , further comprising a condensate separator.
11. The air/refrigerant heat exchanger of claim 10 , further comprising:
an air inlet configured to receive a flow of air.
12. The air/refrigerant heat exchanger of claim 11 , wherein the air tube conveys the flow of air from the air inlet to the condensate separator.
13. The air/refrigerant heat exchanger of claim 12 , further comprising:
a return air tube disposed within the air tube, the return air tube being configured to convey air from the condensed moisture separator.
14. The air/refrigerant heat exchanger of claim 9 , further comprising a probe.
15. The air/refrigerant heat exchanger of claim 14 , wherein the probe is configured to sense a temperature of the phase change material.
16. The air/refrigerant heat exchanger of claim 9 , wherein the air tube, the heat storage tube and the cooling tube are made of copper.