Heat exchanger for refrigerant loop

Abstract

The present invention relates to a heat exchanger ( 1 ) comprising a heat exchange surface ( 3 ) with a plurality of tubes ( 4 ), each of the tubes ( 4 ) being configured to form part of a first refrigerant circuit or a second refrigerant circuit, characterized in that two refrigerant manifolds ( 5 ) are disposed at each of the longitudinal ends of the heat exchange surface ( 3 ) such that two of these refrigerant manifolds ( 5 ) are connected to the first refrigerant circuit and two other ones of these refrigerant manifolds ( 5 ) are connected to the second refrigerant circuit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat exchanger for a refrigerant loop, comprising a heat exchange surface with a plurality of tubes extending from one longitudinal end of the heat exchange surface to another longitudinal end of the heat exchange surface, a first refrigerant circuit and a second refrigerant circuit, wherein each of the tubes of the plurality of tubes being configured to form part of at least the first refrigerant circuit or the second refrigerant circuit through which one and the same refrigerant flows, wherein at least two refrigerant manifolds are disposed at each of the longitudinal ends of the heat exchange surface such that the at least two refrigerant manifolds are connected to the first refrigerant circuit and two other at least two refrigerant manifolds are connected to the second refrigerant circuit. 
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the same number of refrigerant manifolds is disposed at each of the longitudinal ends of the heat exchange surface. 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant manifolds include a refrigerant inlet manifold and a refrigerant outlet manifold, wherein each of the first and second refrigerant circuits includes the refrigerant inlet manifold communicating with at least one tube of the heat exchange surface and the refrigerant outlet manifold communicating with the at least one tube of the heat exchange surface, and wherein the refrigerant inlet manifold of each refrigerant circuit is configured for connection to one and the same refrigerant inflow, and the refrigerant outlet manifolds of each refrigerant circuit are configured for connection to one and the same refrigerant outflow. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein each of the refrigerant inlet manifolds is arranged at a first longitudinal end of the heat exchange surface, each of the refrigerant outlet manifolds being arranged at a second longitudinal end of the heat exchange surface. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein each longitudinal end of the heat exchange surface includes at least one refrigerant inlet manifold and at least one refrigerant outlet manifold. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the refrigerant inlet manifolds have one and the same passage cross section and the refrigerant outlet manifolds have one and the same passage cross section. 
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant manifolds arranged at one and the same longitudinal end are aligned relative to one another along a direction parallel to the main elongation dimension of the plurality of tubes. 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant manifolds arranged at one and the same longitudinal end are aligned relative to one another along a direction perpendicular to the main elongation dimension of the plurality of tubes. 
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant manifolds disposed at one and the same longitudinal end are disposed concentrically with one another. 
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant manifolds have a cylindrical shape, the refrigerant manifolds disposed at one and the same longitudinal end being mutually arranged with a smaller bulk owing to the complementing respective shapes of the refrigerant manifolds. 
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the refrigerant inlet manifolds have one and the same passage cross section or the refrigerant outlet manifolds have one and the same passage cross section.