Heat exchanger

Abstract

A heat exchanger is adapted to be used in a vapor compression system, and includes a shell, a distributing part, a tube bundle and a trough part. The shell has a longitudinal center axis extending generally parallel to a horizontal plane. The distributing part is configured and arranged to distribute a refrigerant. The tube bundle includes a plurality of heat transfer tubes disposed below the distributing part so that the refrigerant discharged from the distributor is supplied onto the tube bundle. The heat transfer tubes extend generally parallel to the longitudinal center axis. The trough part extends generally parallel to the longitudinal center axis under at least one of the heat transfer tubes to accumulate the refrigerant therein. The trough part at least partially overlaps with the at least one of the heat transfer tubes when viewed along a horizontal direction perpendicular to the longitudinal center axis.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat exchanger adapted to be used in a vapor compression system, comprising:
 a shell with a longitudinal center axis extending generally parallel to a horizontal plane;   a distributing part disposed inside of the shell, and configured and arranged to distribute a refrigerant;   a tube bundle including a plurality of heat transfer tubes disposed inside of the shell below the distributing part so that the refrigerant discharged from the distributor is supplied onto the tube bundle, the heat transfer tubes extending generally parallel to the longitudinal center axis of the shell; and   a trough part extending generally parallel to the longitudinal center axis of the shell under at least one of the heat transfer tubes to accumulate the refrigerant therein, the trough part at least partially overlapping with the at least one of the heat transfer tubes when viewed along a horizontal direction perpendicular to the longitudinal center axis of the shell.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the tube bundle includes a falling film region and an accumulating region arranged below the falling film region, and the at least one of the heat transfer tubes is disposed in the accumulating region.   
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the heat transfer tubes in the falling film region are arranged in a plurality of columns extending parallel to each other when viewed along the longitudinal center axis of the shell.   
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the heat transfer tubes in the accumulating region are arranged in a plurality of rows extending parallel to each other when viewed along the longitudinal center axis of the shell, and   the trough part includes a plurality of trough sections disposed respectively below the rows of the heat transfer tubes in the accumulating region.   
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the trough part continuously extends under two or more of the heat transfer tubes disposed in the accumulating region.   
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 4 , wherein
 at least one of the trough sections continuously extends under all of the heat transfer tubes in at least one of the rows in the accumulating region.   
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 4 , wherein
 a number of the rows of the heat transfer tubes in the accumulating region is smaller than a number of the heat transfer tubes in each of the columns in the falling film region.   
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 7 , wherein
 a ratio between the number of rows of the heat transfer tubes in the accumulating region and the number of the heat transfer tubes in each of the columns in the falling film region is about 1:9 to about 2:8.   
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 3 , wherein
 an outermost one of the heat transfer tubes in the accumulating region is positioned outwardly of an outermost one of the columns of the heat transfer tubes in the falling film region with respect to a transverse direction when viewed along the longitudinal center axis of the shell.   
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the heat transfer tubes are arranged in a plurality of columns extending parallel to each other when viewed along the longitudinal center axis of the shell with at least one of the heat transfer tubes in each of the columns being disposed in the accumulating region.   
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the trough part includes a plurality of trough sections respectively disposed below the at least one of the heat transfer tubes in each of the columns.   
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 11 , wherein
 a number of the heat transfer tubes disposed in the accumulating region in each of the columns is smaller than a number of the heat transfer tubes disposed in the falling film region in each of the columns.   
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 12 , wherein
 a ratio between the number of the heat transfer tubes disposed in the accumulating region in each of the columns and the number of the heat transfer tubes disposed in the falling film region in each of the columns is about 1:9 to about 2:8.   
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 a supply conduit fluidly connected to the distributing part to supply the refrigerant to the distributing part, and   a recirculation conduit fluidly connected to an opening formed on a bottom surface of the shell to recirculate the refrigerant accumulated in a bottom portion of the shell into the supply conduit.   
     
     
         15 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 14 , further comprising
 a bypass conduit fluidly connected to the trough part to discharge a fluid accumulated in the trough part toward outside of the shell.   
     
     
         16 . A heat exchanger adapted to be used in a vapor compression system, comprising:
 a shell with a longitudinal center axis extending generally parallel to a horizontal plane;   a distributing part disposed inside of the shell, and configured and arranged to distribute a refrigerant;   a tube bundle including a plurality of heat transfer tubes disposed inside of the shell below the distributing part so that the refrigerant discharged from the distributor is supplied onto the tube bundle, the heat transfer tubes extending generally parallel to the longitudinal center axis of the shell; and   a trough part extending generally parallel to the longitudinal center axis of the shell under at least one of the heat transfer tubes to accumulate the refrigerant therein such that at least a part of the at least one of the heat transfer tubes is submerged in the refrigerant accumulated in the trough part when the heat exchanger operates under normal conditions.