Tube-fin thermal storage evaporator

Abstract

A tube and fin arrangement of an evaporator for an air conditioning system for a vehicle having a first row of tubes disposed within a flow of air having at least two refrigerant tubes and at least two thermal storage tubes in thermal communication with the at least two refrigerant tubes, each of the thermal storage tubes containing a phase change material. The tube and fin arrangement further includes a fm in thermal communication with the first row of tubes and configured to receive a flow of air therethrough.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A tube and fin arrangement of an evaporator for an air conditioning system for a vehicle, comprising:
 a first row of tubes disposed within a flow of air having at least two refrigerant tubes and at least two thermal storage tubes in thermal communication with the at least two refrigerant tubes, each of the thermal storage tubes containing a phase change material; and   a fin in thermal communication with the first row of tubes and configured to receive a flow of air therethrough.   
     
     
         2 . The tube and fin arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the refrigerant tubes has a width greater than a width of at least one of the thermal storage tubes. 
     
     
         3 . The tube and fin arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein each of the thermal storage tubes and each of the refrigerant tubes have opposing substantially planar surfaces. 
     
     
         4 . The tube and fin arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the thermal storage tubes and the refrigerant tubes includes a partition formed therein to facilitate heat transfer. 
     
     
         5 . The tube and fin arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant tubes are integrally formed with the thermal storage tubes. 
     
     
         6 . The tube and fin arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the thermal storage tubes and the refrigerant tubes includes protuberances formed on an inner wall thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The tube and fin arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein a first one of the thermal storage tubes contains a first phase change material and a second one of the thermal storage tubes contains a second phase change material, wherein the first phase change material has a melting point greater than a melting point of the second phase change material. 
     
     
         8 . The tube and fin arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein one of the refrigerant tubes is disposed adjacent an air inlet side of the tube and fin arrangement. 
     
     
         9 . The tube and fin arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the thermal storage tubes is disposed intermediate the refrigerant tubes. 
     
     
         10 . The tube and fin arrangement of  claim 1 , further comprising a second row of tubes in thermal communication with the fin, the second row of tubes including at least two refrigerant tubes and at least two thermal storage tubes, each of the thermal storage tubes containing a phase change material, wherein the fin is disposed intermediate the first row of tubes and the second row of tubes. 
     
     
         11 . The tube and fin arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the fin is corrugated and includes louvres formed therein. 
     
     
         12 . A tube and fin arrangement of an evaporator for an air conditioning system for
 a vehicle, comprising:   a plurality of rows of tubes disposed within a flow of air, each of the rows of tubes having at least one thermal storage tube disposed intermediate at least two refrigerant tubes, each of the thermal storage tubes containing a phase change material; and   a plurality of fins interposed between and in thermal communication with the rows of tubes.   
     
     
         13 . The tube and fin arrangement of  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the refrigerant tubes in each of the rows of tubes has a width greater than a width of at least one of the thermal storage tubes in each of the rows of tubes. 
     
     
         14 . The tube and fin arrangement of  claim 12 , wherein each of the rows of tubes includes two refrigerant tubes and two thermal storage tubes. 
     
     
         15 . The tube and fin arrangement of  claim 14 , wherein one of the refrigerant tubes in each of the plurality of tubes is disposed adjacent an air inlet side of the tube and fin arrangement and one of the thermal storage tubes is disposed adjacent an air outlet side of the tube and fin arrangement. 
     
     
         16 . The tube and fin arrangement of  claim 14 , wherein a first one of the thermal storage tubes contains a first phase change material and a second one of the two thermal storage tubes contains a second phase change material, wherein the first phase change material has a melting point greater than a melting point of the second phase change material. 
     
     
         17 . An evaporator for an air conditioning system for a vehicle, comprising
 a plurality of headers containing at least one of a refrigerant and a PCM;   a plurality of substantially parallel rows of tubes extending from and in fluid communication with the headers and disposed within a flow of air, each of the rows of tubes having at least two refrigerant tubes and at least two thermal storage tubes in thermal communication with the at least two refrigerant tubes, each of the thermal storage tubes containing a phase change material; and   a fin assembly having a plurality of parallel fins interposed between and in thermal communication with the rows of tubes and configured for receiving a flow of air therethrough.   
     
     
         18 . The evaporator of  claim 17 , wherein each of the rows of tubes has two refrigerant tubes and two thermal storage tubes, one of the refrigerant tubes disposed adjacent an air inlet side of the evaporator, and one of the thermal storage tubes disposed adjacent an air outlet side of the evaporator. 
     
     
         19 . The evaporator of  claim 18 , wherein at least one of the refrigerant tubes has a width greater than a width of at least one of the thermal storage tubes. 
     
     
         20 . The evaporator of  claim 17 , wherein the headers include at least two refrigerant headers and at least two thermal storage headers, each of the refrigerant headers in fluid communication with at least one of the refrigerant tubes in each of the rows of tubes, and each of the thermal storage headers in fluid communication with at least one of the thermal storage tubes in each of the rows of tubes.