Flow control device for a plate heat exchanger

Abstract

A heat exchanger for a thermal management system is disclosed. The heat exchanger comprises a plurality of plates in a stacked relationship that form flow channels for a first fluid and a second fluid. The heat exchanger further includes at least one flow control device disposed in at least one inlet manifold of the heat exchanger to regulate a flow of the first fluid and/or the second fluid through the flow channels of the heat exchanger based on an inflow momentum of the respective first fluid and/or the second fluid entering into the heat exchanger.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A flow control device for a heat exchanger, comprising:
 a housing configured to be disposed in an inlet manifold of a heat exchanger; and   a movable member disposed in the housing and configured to control a flow of a fluid through the heat exchanger, wherein the movable member is variably positionable to regulate the flow of the fluid through the heat exchanger based on an inflow momentum of the fluid entering into the heat exchanger.   
     
     
         2 . The flow control device of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is a plate heat exchanger. 
     
     
         3 . The flow control device of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is a chiller. 
     
     
         4 . The flow control device of  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes one or more openings formed therein to permit the flow of the fluid therethrough. 
     
     
         5 . The flow control device of  claim 1 , wherein the movable member is a plunger. 
     
     
         6 . The flow control device of  claim 1 , wherein the movable member is variably positionable to control a number of active flow channels of the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         7 . The flow control device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one flow control device is configured to provide a liquid free, gaseous phase fluid to a compressor. 
     
     
         8 . The flow control device of  claim 1 , wherein the movable member is in a first position when the inflow momentum is relatively low and a second position when the inflow momentum is relatively high. 
     
     
         9 . The flow control device of  claim 8 , wherein the movable member is in an intermediate third position between the first position and the second position when the inflow momentum is relatively moderate between the relatively low inflow momentum and the relatively high inflow momentum. 
     
     
         10 . The flow control device of  claim 1 , wherein the movable member in a first position militates against the flow of the fluid through a portion of the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         11 . The flow control device of  claim 10 , wherein the movable member in a second position permits the flow of the fluid through an entirety of the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         12 . The flow control device of  claim 11 , wherein the movable member in an intermediate third position permits the flow of the fluid through a first portion of the heat exchanger and militates against the flow of the fluid through a remaining second portion of the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         13 . The flow control device of  claim 1 , wherein one or more engagement portions of the movable member sealingly engage the housing in a first position of the movable member to militate against the flow of the fluid through a number of flow channels of the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         14 . The flow control device of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more engagement portions of the movable member are spaced from the housing in a second position of the movable member to permit the flow of the fluid around the movable member and through an entirety of the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         15 . The flow control device of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more engagement portions of the movable member sealingly engage the housing in an intermediate third position to permit the flow of the fluid through a desired number of flow channels of the heat exchanger and militate against the flow of the fluid through a remaining number of flow channels of the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         16 . The flow control device of  claim 1 , further comprising a biasing element configured to provide a biasing force against a force of the flow of the fluid. 
     
     
         17 . The flow control device of  claim 16 , wherein the movable member is in a first position when the force of the flow of the fluid into the heat exchanger is less than the biasing force of the biasing element of the flow control device. 
     
     
         18 . The flow control device of  claim 16 , wherein the movable member is in a second position when the force of the flow of the fluid into the heat exchanger is greater than the biasing force of the biasing element of the flow control device. 
     
     
         19 . A heat exchanger, comprising:
 a plurality of plates in stacked relationship forming a plurality of flow channels, an inlet manifold, and an outlet manifold; and   a flow control device disposed in the inlet manifold, the flow control device including:
 a housing; and 
 a movable member disposed in the housing and configured to control a flow of a fluid through the heat exchanger, wherein the movable member is variably positionable to regulate the flow of the fluid through the flow channels of the heat exchanger based on an inflow momentum of the fluid entering into the heat exchanger. 
   
     
     
         20 . A method for controlling a thermal management system, comprising:
 providing a thermal management system including a heat exchanger fluidly connected to a first circuit for a first fluid and a second circuit for a second fluid, wherein at least one flow control device is disposed in an inlet manifold of the heat exchanger in the first circuit and/or the second circuit; and   variably positioning a movable member of the at least one flow control device to regulate a flow of the first fluid and/or the second fluid through flow channels within the heat exchanger based on an inflow momentum of the first fluid and/or the second fluid entering into the heat exchanger.