Air flow around blower resistor and at evaporator

Abstract

A climate control system includes a compressor that circulates fluid between a condenser and an evaporator, an electric motor that drives a blower that includes a quantity of fan blades, and a duct fluidly coupling the blower and the evaporator. The blower forces air through the duct to the evaporator. A resistor is in electrical communication with the motor and has a quantity of fins extending into the passage of the duct. The duct may include a contoured wall that bulges outward and away from the resistor fins to enlarge a volume of the duct adjacent or beside the quantity of fins to allow a first portion of the air from the blower to flow around the fins while a second portion of the air cools the fins.

1 . A climate control system comprising:
 a heat exchanger;   a plurality of fan blades of a blower positioned to force air through the heat exchanger;   a motor driving the plurality of fan blades;   a resistor in electrical communication with the motor, the resistor having a plurality of fins; and   a duct defining an airflow path that fluidly couples the heat exchanger and the blower, the plurality of fins extending into the duct and perpendicular to the airflow path, the duct including a first cross-sectional area upstream of the plurality of fins and a second cross-sectional area surrounding the plurality of fins in the direction of the airflow path, the second cross-sectional area being larger than the first cross-sectional area,   wherein a first portion of the air flows through the plurality of fins and a second portion of the air flows around the plurality of fins.   
     
     
         2 . The climate control system of  claim 1 , wherein the duct includes a third cross-sectional area downstream of the resistor that is smaller than the second cross-sectional area. 
     
     
         3 . The climate control system of  claim 2 , wherein a contoured surface interconnects the first and second cross-sectional areas and forms a bulge. 
     
     
         4 . The climate control system of  claim 3 , wherein in cross-section, the contoured surface is not parallel to a duct wall on an opposite side of the fins as the contoured surface. 
     
     
         5 . The climate control system of  claim 4 , wherein the second portion of the air is directed around first and second sides of the plurality of fins. 
     
     
         6 . The climate control system of  claim 5 , wherein airflow between the heat exchanger and the plurality of fins is substantially unidirectional. 
     
     
         7 . The climate control system of  claim 6 , wherein airflow downstream of the plurality of fins is substantially uniform. 
     
     
         8 . The climate control system of  claim 7 , wherein the blower and heat exchanger are in a vehicle. 
     
     
         9 . A climate control system comprising:
 a condenser;   an evaporator in fluid communication with the condenser;   a compressor in fluid communication with the condenser and the evaporator and adapted to circulate a fluid therebetween;   a blower including a plurality of fan blades and a motor;   a duct fluidly coupling the blower and the evaporator, the blower forcing air through the duct to the evaporator; and   a resistor in electrical communication with the motor and having a plurality of fins extending inwardly into the duct;   wherein the duct includes a contoured portion bulging outward and expanding a volume of the duct adjacent the plurality of fins, thereby allowing a first portion of the air to flow around the plurality of fins while a second portion of the air cools the plurality of fins.   
     
     
         10 . The climate control system of  claim 9 , wherein the volume of the duct gradually increases in the direction of the airflow between a first end of the contoured portion and a crown of the contoured portion. 
     
     
         11 . The climate control system of  claim 10 , wherein the volume of the duct gradually decreases in the direction of the airflow between the crown and a second end of the contoured portion, the second end of the contoured portion being on a side of the plurality of fins opposite to the first end of the contoured portion. 
     
     
         12 . The climate control system of  claim 11 , wherein airflow between the evaporator and the resistor is substantially unidirectional. 
     
     
         13 . The climate control system of  claim 12 , wherein in cross-section, a first duct wall on one side of the plurality of fins is not parallel to a second duct wall on an opposite of the plurality of the fins. 
     
     
         14 . The climate control system of  claim 13 , wherein the contoured portion bulges away from the plurality of fins. 
     
     
         15 . A climate control system for a vehicle comprising:
 a heat exchanger;   a duct defining an airflow passage and having a first end and a second end, the second end connecting to the heat exchanger;   a blower coupled to the first end of the duct to force air through the duct and the heat exchanger and into a passenger compartment of the vehicle; and   a resistor in electrical communication with the blower, the resistor having a plurality of cooling members disposed within the airflow passage,   wherein the duct defines an outwardly extending bulge at the resistor, the duct having a first end disposed upstream of the resistor and a second end disposed downstream of the resistor, the bulge allowing a first portion of the air to bypass the resistor and a second portion of the air to flow between the plurality of cooling members such that the airflow between the heat exchanger and the resistor is substantially unidirectional.   
     
     
         16 . The climate control system of  claim 15 , wherein from a same distance from a reference point of the resistor, the duct includes a first cross-sectional area at the first end of the bulge and a second cross-sectional area at a second end of the bulge, the first and second cross-sectional areas being equal. 
     
     
         17 . The climate control system of  claim 16 , wherein the bulge creates a larger duct cross-section for airflow and reduces backpressure at the heat exchanger.