Thermosiphon blocks and thermosiphon systems for heat transfer

Abstract

The present invention relates to transfer of heat by thermosiphon blocks, thermosiphons or thermosiphon systems configured to be used or assembled to transfer heat. Thermosiphon block configured for a refrigerant to circulate between a first header and a second header interconnected with a fluid communicator arrangement comprising multiple MPE-tubes with fins in-between. The first header may have a receiving volume adapted to receive liquid refrigerant and to distribute the liquid refrigerant to the second header via a liquid communicator. The bock may be sealed. The invention also relates to a thermosiphon system comprising at least a first thermosiphon block. The first thermosiphon block may be configured as an evaporator with the receiving volume in the first header connected to a condenser. The thermodynamic system may have a piping between the first thermosiphon block and the condenser. The first thermosiphon block may be configured to be placed inside of a building, housing or a cabinet.

1 . A thermosiphon block ( 1 ) configured for a refrigerant ( 12 ) to circulate between a first header ( 3 I) and a second header ( 3 II) interconnected with a fluid communicator arrangement ( 4 ) comprising multiple MPE-tubes ( 14 ) with fins ( 16 ) in-between and where the first header ( 3 I) has a receiving volume adapted to receive liquid refrigerant ( 12 ) and to distribute the liquid refrigerant to the second header ( 3 II) via a liquid communicator ( 5 ). 
     
     
         2 . The thermosiphon block ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , further comprising a valve ( 50 ) in the receiving volume ( 40 ) and configured to control the flow of refrigerant ( 12 ) to or from the first header ( 3 I) through a separator( 62 ), which valve ( 50 ) has a close ( 52 ) at a closing set-point ( 53 ) and an open ( 54 ) at an opening set point ( 55 ) as a function of a pressure in the receiving volume ( 40 ). 
     
     
         3 . The thermositton block ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the receiving volume ( 40 ) is formed as a bellow housing ( 65 ) and with a first header tube part ( 66 ) formed as a bellow washer. 
     
     
         4 . The thermosiphonThermosiphon block ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein a bellow ( 60 ) is affixed to the first header part ( 66 ) and is expandable towards the separator ( 62 ) as a function of the pressure in the receiving volume ( 40 ). 
     
     
         5 . The thermosiphon block ( 1 ) according to  claim 2 , wherein the valve ( 50 ) is integrated in the receiving volume ( 40 ). 
     
     
         6 . The thermosiphon block ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , further comprising a partition plate ( 8 ) to install the thermosiphon block ( 1 ) as a vertical thermosiphon ( 10 A) with the first header ( 31 ) as a liquid header ( 34 ) and the second header ( 3 II) as a vapour header ( 24 ), which partition plate ( 8 ) partitions the vertical thermosiphon ( 10 ) in an evaporator ( 30 ) and a condenser ( 20 ). 
     
     
         7 . The thermosiphon block ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , further comprising a partition plate ( 8 ) to install the thermosiphon block ( 1 ) as a horizontal thermosiphon ( 10 B) with the first header ( 3 I) as a liquid header ( 34 ) and the second header ( 3 II) as a vapour header ( 24 ), which partition plate ( 8 ) partitions the horizontal thermosiphon ( 10 ) in
 an evaporator ( 30 ) with the first header ( 3 I) having a evaporation section ( 80 ) and the second header ( 3 II) having an evaporation section ( 84 ) and   a condenser ( 20 ) with the first header ( 3 I) having a condenser section ( 82 ) and the second header ( 3 II) having a condenser section ( 86 ).   
     
     
         8 . The thermosiphon block ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein at least some fins ( 16 ) has a width that is substantially half the width of the width of the MPE-tubes ( 14 ). 
     
     
         9 . The thermosiphon block ( 1 ) according to  claim 8 , wherein the half-width fins ( 16 ) can be freely installed or adjustable in-between MPE-tubes ( 14 ) at different depths along the width of the MPE-Tubes ( 13 ) according to the section of the MPE-tubes ( 14 ) being an evaporator ( 20 ) or a condenser ( 30 ). 
     
     
         10 . The thermosiphon block ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid communicator ( 5 ) is demountable and the receiving volume ( 40 ) re-sealable. 
     
     
         11 . The thermosiphon ( 10 ) comprising at least a first thermosiphon block ( 11 ) according to  claims 1 , wherein the first thermosiphon block ( 1 ) is configured as an evaporator ( 30 ) with the receiving volume ( 40 ) in the first header ( 3 I) connected to a condenser ( 20 ). 
     
     
         12 . The thermosphon ( 10 ) according to  claim 11 , wherein the condenser ( 20 ) is a second thermosiphon block ( 1 ). 
     
     
         13 . The thermosiphon ( 10 ) according to  claim 11 , wherein the condenser ( 20 ) is a second thermosiphon block ( 1 II) with the receiving volume ( 40 ) first block ( 3 I) is connected to the receiving volume ( 40 ) of the second block ( 3 II) via a piping ( 9 ). 
     
     
         14 . The thermosiphon ( 10 ) according to  claim 11 , wherein the first thermosiphon block ( 1 I) is configured to be installed inside a wall, the second thermosiphon block ( 1 II) is configured to be installed outside the wall and the piping ( 9 ) configured to penetrate the wall. 
     
     
         15 . The thermosiphon ( 10 ) according to  claim 11 , comprising a valve ( 50 ) between the first ( 1 I) and second ( 1 II) thermosiphon blocks. 
     
     
         16 . The thermosiphon ( 10 ) wherein the thermosiphon ( 10 ) comprises a condenser ( 20 ) and an evaporator ( 30 ) with a liquid header ( 34 ) and a vapour header ( 24 ) wherein the evaporator ( 30 ) is formed as a first thermosiphon block ( 1 I) according to  claim 1  with the first header ( 3 I) of the first block ( 1 I) forming an evaporator section ( 84 ) of the liquid header ( 34 ) and the second header ( 311 ) forming an evaporator section ( 84 ) of the vapour header ( 24 ). 
     
     
         17 . thermosiphon ( 10 ) according to  claim 16 ,, wherein the condenser ( 20 ) is formed as a second thermosiphon block ( 1 II) with the first header ( 3 I) or second header ( 3 II) of the second block ( 1 II) forming a condenser section ( 82 ) the liquid header ( 34 ) and the other second header ( 3 II) or first header ( 3 I) forming an condenser section ( 86 ) of the vapour header ( 24 ). 
     
     
         18 . The therrnosiphon ( 10 ) according to  claim 17 , comprising a valve ( 50 ) configured to control the flow of the refrigerant ( 12 ) from the condenser ( 20 ) to the evaporator ( 30 ) and to close ( 52 ) at a closing set-point ( 53 ) and to open ( 54 ) at an opening set point ( 55 ) as a function of the pressure in the thermosiphon ( 10 ) wherein the valve ( 55 ) comprises a bellow ( 60 ) configured to act to open ( 54 ) and close ( 52 ) a separator ( 62 ) separating the condenser ( 20 ) and the evaporator ( 30 ) and which bellow ( 60 ) is located in a receiving volume ( 40 ) of the liquid header ( 34 ) and configured to receive the refrigerant ( 12 ) from the condenser ( 20 ). 
     
     
         19 . The thermosiphon ( 10 ) according to  claim 18 , wherein the valve ( 50 ) is integrated in the receiving volume ( 40 ). 
     
     
         20 . A thermosiphon block ( 1 ) configured for a refrigerant ( 12 ) to circulate between a first header ( 3 I) and a second header ( 3 II) interconnected with a fluid communicator arrangement ( 4 ) comprising multiple MPE-tubes ( 14 ) with fins ( 16 ) having substantially the same width as the width of the MPE-tubes ( 14 ) in-between adjacent MPE-tubes ( 14 ) and each MPE-tube ( 14 ) connecting the first header ( 3 I) and the second header ( 3 II), wherein the thermosiphon block ( 1 ) is sealed and contains a refrigerant ( 12 ). 
     
     
         21 . Thermosiphon block ( 1 ) according to  claim 20 , further comprising a partition plate ( 8 ) to install the thermosiphon block ( 1 ) as a vertical thermosiphon ( 10 A) with the first header ( 3 I) as a liquid header ( 34 ) and the second header ( 3 II) as a vapour header ( 24 ), which partition plate ( 8 ) partitions the vertical thermosiphon ( 10 ) in an evaporator ( 30 ) and a condenser ( 20 ). 
     
     
         22 . The thermosiphon block ( 1 ) according to  claim 20 , further comprising a partition plate ( 8 ) to install the thermosiphon block ( 1 ) as a horizontal thermosiphon ( 10 B) with the first header ( 3 I) as a liquid header ( 34 ) and the second header ( 3 II) as a vapour header ( 24 ), which partition plate ( 8 ) partitions the horizontal thermosiphon ( 10 B) in
 an evaporator ( 30 ) with the first header ( 3 I) having a evaporation section ( 80 ) and the second header ( 3 II) having an evaporation section ( 84 ) and   a condenser ( 20 ) with the first header ( 3 I) having a condenser section ( 82 ) and the second header ( 3 II) having a condenser section ( 86 ).   
     
     
         23 . A heat transporter comprising a thermosiphon block ( 1 ) according  claim 21 , installed with a partition plate ( 8 ) mounted in a wall separating a first volume from a second volume. 
     
     
         24 . A thermosiphon ( 10 ) configured for a refrigerant ( 12 ) to interact with a condenser ( 20 ) and an evaporator ( 30 ) that are interconnected with means for guiding a flow of gaseous refrigerant from the evaporator ( 22 ) to the condenser ( 20 ), and at lower gravitational level, means for guiding a flow of liquid refrigerant to the evaporator ( 32 ), such as a liquid header ( 34 ), when the thermosiphon ( 10 ) operates as intended, which thermosiphon ( 10 ) comprises a valve ( 50 ) configured to control the flow of the refrigerant from the condenser ( 20 ) to the evaporator ( 30 ) and to close ( 52 ) at a closing set-point ( 53 ) and to open ( 54 ) at an opening set point ( 55 ) as a function of the pressure in the thermosiphon ( 10 ) wherein the valve ( 55 ) comprises a bellow ( 60 ) configured to act to open ( 54 ) and close ( 52 ) a separator ( 62 ) separating the condenser ( 20 ) and the evaporator ( 30 ) and which bellow ( 60 ) is located in a receiving volume ( 40 ) of the means for guiding a flow of liquid refrigerant ( 32 ), such as the liquid header ( 34 ), configured to receive the refrigerant ( 12 ) from the condenser ( 20 ) and wherein the valve ( 50 ) is integrated in the header ( 34 ) of the evaporator ( 30 ). 
     
     
         25 . The thermosiphon ( 10 ) according to  claim 24 , wherein the means for guiding a flow of liquid refrigerant ( 12 ) is formed as a liquid header ( 34 ) with Micro Channel Heat Exchangers entering the liquid header ( 34 ) as multi-port extrusions (MPEs). 
     
     
         26 . The thermosiphon ( 10 ) according to  claim 24 , wherein the receiving volume ( 40 ) is formed as a bellow housing ( 65 ), a header part ( 66 ) is formed as a bellow washer and the bellow ( 60 ) is affixed to the header part ( 66 ) and is expandable towards the separator ( 62 ) as a function of the pressure in the thermosiphon ( 10 ). 
     
     
         27 . The thermosiphon ( 10 ) according to  claim 24 , wherein the valve parts including at least the bellow ( 60 ), the separator ( 62 ), and the header part ( 66 ) each are affixable to each other, and made as brazable, solderable, weldable, and/or glueable materials. 
     
     
         28 . The thermosiphon ( 10 ) according to  claim 24 , wherein the bellow ( 60 ) comprises a non-condensable gas. 
     
     
         29 . The thermosiphon ( 10 ) according to  claim 24 , wherein the condenser ( 20 ) and the evaporator ( 30 ) are interconnected with a gas pipe ( 70 ) configured to guide a flow of gaseous refrigerant from the evaporator ( 30 ) to the condenser ( 20 ) and a liquid pipe ( 72 ) configured to guide liquid refrigerant from the condenser ( 20 ) to the evaporator ( 30 ) and into the receiving volume ( 40 ). 
     
     
         30 . The thermosiphon ( 10 ) according to  claim 29 , and configured so that, during intended operating, the condenser ( 20 ) is placed at a gravitational level that is higher than that of the evaporator ( 30 ) so that the refrigerant by gravity will be directed from the condenser ( 20 ) towards the evaporator ( 30 ) in the liquid pipe ( 72 ) and onto the bellow ( 60 ). 
     
     
         31 . The thermosiphon ( 10 ) according to  claim 24 , wherein the evaporator and condenser have a common means for guiding a flow of liquid refrigerant ( 32 ) for guiding a flow of liquid refrigerant from the condenser ( 20 ) to the evaporator ( 30 ) or/and a common means for guiding a flow of gaseous refrigerant ( 22 ) for guiding a flow of gaseous refrigerant from the evaporator ( 30 ) to the condenser ( 20 ). 
     
     
         32 . The themosiphon ( 10 ) according to  claim 31 , wherein the valve ( 50 ) is located in a receiving volume ( 40 ) of the common means for guiding a flow of liquid refrigerant ( 32 ) and wherein the separator ( 62 ) separates the common means for guiding a flow of liquid refrigerant ( 32 ) in a evaporator section ( 80 ) and a condenser section ( 82 ). 
     
     
         33 . A method ( 100 ) of producing a thermosiphon ( 10 ) configured for a refrigerant ( 12 ) to interact with a condenser ( 20 ) and an evaporator ( 30 ) that are interconnected with means for guiding a flow of gaseous refrigerant from the evaporator ( 22 ) to the condenser ( 20 ), and at lower gravitational level means for guiding a flow of liquid refrigerant to the evaporator ( 32 ) when the thermosiphon ( 10 ) operates as intended, which thermosiphon ( 10 ) comprises a valve ( 50 ) configured to control the flow of the refrigerant from the condenser ( 20 ) to the evaporator ( 30 ) and to close ( 52 ) at a closing set-point ( 53 ) and to open ( 54 ) at an opening set point ( 55 ) as a function of the pressure in the thermosiphon ( 10 );
 which method ( 100 ) comprises actions of:
 providing ( 110 ) valve parts ( 51 ) comprising a bellow ( 60 ), which valve parts ( 51 ) are configured to be affixed to the means for guiding a liquid refrigerant to the evaporator ( 32 ), such as liquid header ( 34 ); 
 providing ( 120 ) condenser parts ( 21 ) configured to be assembled to be interconnected with an evaporator ( 30 ); 
 providing ( 130 ) evaporator parts ( 31 ) configured to be assembled to be interconnected with the condenser ( 20 ) and to have the valve parts ( 51 ) affixed in a in a receiving volume ( 40 ) of the assembled evaporator ( 20 ); 
 affixing ( 140 ) the valve parts ( 50 ) to at least some evaporator parts ( 31 ) to form an evaporator with an integrated valve ( 50 ) inside the evaporator ( 50 ) when assembled, and 
 assembling ( 150 ) the thermosiphon of the evaporator parts ( 31 ) and condenser parts ( 21 ) interconnected with means for guiding gaseous refrigerant to the condenser ( 22 ), such as a vapour header ( 24 ), and means for guiding a liquid refrigerant to the evaporator ( 32 ), such as a liquid header ( 34 ); 
   to form a thermosiphon ( 10 ) with the bellow ( 60 ) enabled to act to open ( 54 ) and close ( 52 ) the valve ( 50 ) and which bellow ( 60 ) is located in a receiving volume ( 40 ) of a liquid header ( 34 ) configured to receive the refrigerant ( 12 ) when operating the thermosiphon ( 10 ) as intended.   
     
     
         34 . The rnethod according to  claim 33 , wherein the action of affixing ( 140 ) the valve parts ( 51 ) is performed by brazing the valve parts ( 51 ) to the evaporator parts ( 31 ) to form an evaporator ( 30 ) with an integrated valve ( 50 ). 
     
     
         35 . The method ( 100 ) according to  claim 33 , wherein the action of affixing ( 140 ) comprises an act of baking or heating ( 150 ) the evaporator parts ( 31 ) with the valve part parts affixed. 
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein the actions of providing condenser parts ( 120 ) and providing evaporator parts ( 130 ) involves providing parts ( 21 ,  31 ) to form a evaporator and condenser that have a common means for guiding a flow of gaseous refrigerant ( 22 ) for guiding a flow of gaseous refrigerant from the evaporator ( 30 ) to the condenser ( 20 ) and a common means for guiding a flow of liquid refrigerant ( 32 ) for guiding a flow of liquid refrigerant from the condenser ( 20 ) to the evaporator ( 30 ). 
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 36 , wherein the act of affixing ( 140 ) involves actions of affixing the valve parts ( 51 ) in the receiving volume ( 40 ) of the common means for guiding a flow of liquid refrigerant ( 32 ) that separates the common means for guiding a flow of liquid refrigerant ( 32 ) in a evaporator section ( 80 ) and a condenser section ( 82 ).