Heat exchanger comprising a liquid-refrigerant distribution device

Abstract

This heat exchanger can include parallel plates which define liquid-refrigerant passages following a longitudinal direction, and—fins extending in each passage in a lateral direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, each fin having orifices for the flow of the liquid refrigerant. At least one lower portion of at least one fin defines, with the plate secured to this lower portion, a distribution channel for channeling the liquid refrigerant in the lateral direction. The orifices in said at least one fin are formed by overflow openings in the upper portion. The liquid refrigerant flows through the overflow openings when the or each distribution channel is full of liquid refrigerant.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A heat exchanger configured for transferring heat from at least one calorigenic fluid to at least one frigorigenic fluid, the heat exchanger comprising:
 plates arranged parallel to each other so as to define a first series of passages configured for conducting liquid refrigerant globally in a longitudinal direction extending in the vertical direction during operation, each passage being defined between two successive plates, and a second series of passages configured for conducting a calorigenic fluid globally in the longitudinal direction, each passage being defined between two successive plates, the passages of the second series being interposed between two passages of the first series;   at least one inlet for liquid refrigerant configured to pour the liquid refrigerant only into the passages of the first series; and   distribution means situated in the upper end of the exchanger in passages of the first series only, comprising fins extending in one or each passage of the first series globally in a lateral direction which is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction and parallel to the plates, each passage of the first series housing several fins succeeding each other in the longitudinal direction,   wherein each fin comprises orifices configured to allow the flow of the liquid refrigerant;   wherein at least one fin having an upper portion and a lower portion, the height of the upper portion being greater than the height of the lower portion when the distribution device is in operation and the longitudinal direction extends in the vertical direction,   wherein said at least one lower portion and the plate secured to said at least one lower portion defining at least one distribution channel configured for conducting liquid refrigerant in the lateral direction,   wherein the orifices of said at least one fin being formed by overflow openings situated in said at least one upper portion, the overflow openings being configured such that the liquid refrigerant flows via the overflow openings when said at least one distribution channel is full of liquid refrigerant.   
     
     
         16 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the volume of a respective distribution channel is less than 15% of the total volume delimited by:
 i) a fin with overflow openings,   ii) the plate secured to the lower portion of said fin with overflow openings, and   iii) the fin situated immediately upstream of said fin with overflow openings.   
     
     
         17 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the overflow openings are distributed over a fin uniformly in the lateral direction. 
     
     
         18 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein an opening ratio having:
 as numerator, the total area of the overflow openings situated in a fin with overflow openings, and   as denominator, the total area of a face of said fin with overflow openings,   
       is between 10% and 50%. 
     
     
         19 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein each overflow opening has an area between 1.5 mm 2  and 10.0 mm 2 . 
     
     
         20 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein an interval measured in the lateral direction between two successive overflow openings is between 1 mm and 6 mm. 
     
     
         21 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein a minimal distance between i) an overflow opening, and ii) the plate secured to said at least one lower portion, lies between 1 mm and 4 mm. 
     
     
         22 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the minimal distance is the same for the majority or totality of overflow openings of a respective fin. 
     
     
         23 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein several fins have respective upper portions with overflow openings. 
     
     
         24 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein the overflow openings present in a fin are positioned offset in the lateral direction relative to the overflow openings present in the adjacent fin. 
     
     
         25 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein said offset between the overflow openings present in two adjacent fins represents between 40% and 60% of the length of said interval. 
     
     
         26 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein at least one fin has a flat shape and extends up to said two successive plates and obliquely to each of said two successive plates so as to form, in cross-section in a plane perpendicular to the plates and to the lateral direction, an acute oblique angle. 
     
     
         27 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the oblique angle is between 30° and 60°. 
     
     
         28 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein each fin has, parallel to the longitudinal direction, a length between 4 mm and 10 mm, and wherein each fin has, parallel to the lateral direction, a width between 4 mm and 10 mm, each fin being able for example to have equal length and width. 
     
     
         29 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 15 , comprising at least one fin having orifices and placed upstream of the fin(s) with overflow openings, the orifices being distributed in the lateral direction, the number of overflow openings per fin being greater than 3 times the number of orifices per fin. 
     
     
         30 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the total area of the openings or of the overflow openings for a given fin increases in the longitudinal direction by increasing the number and/or area of the openings.