Trane International Inc.

Justin Slade Winters

Jun Wang

Robert Fredrick Schult

Roger Joseph Voorhis

Sean Andrews Smith

William Burgess Fox

Michael William Groen

Doyle R Goodman

Brian Westfall

Felix Quintero

Brandy L Harper

Tao Zhou

Methods, systems and apparatuses are directed to a capacity modulating assembly configured to distribute two-phase refrigerant mixture to an evaporator of a HVAC system, such as a micro-channel heat exchanger (MCHEX) evaporator. The capacity modulating assembly may include a plurality of expansion devices. During capacity modulation, at least one of the plurality of expansion devices can be closed so that a refrigerant flow rate through the remaining expansion devices can be maintained. The capacity modulating assembly can include a refrigerant outflow port, which may help direct refrigerant out of the heat exchanger. The capacity modulating assembly can be connected with the MCHEX. The plurality of expansion devices can be configured to extend inside a header of the MCHEX to help distribute refrigerant to the micro-channel tubes of the MCHEX.

Capacity modulating an expansion device of a HVAC system

Apparatuses, systems and methods implementing a multi-coil heat exchanger are directed to providing good heat transfer performance, capacity, and efficiency, and while reducing pressure drop through multi-coil microchannel evaporators. The multi-coil heat exchanger in some examples is a multi-coil microchannel evaporator. The multi-coil microchannel evaporator can be implemented in a refrigerant system that is a single circuit, where the multi-coil microchannel evaporator is an air to refrigerant type heat exchanger. The multi-coil microchannel evaporator includes a distribution to the multiple coils of the multi-coil microchannel evaporator, where the distribution includes one or more separations to transmit refrigerant to each of the coils of the multi-coil microchannel evaporator and one or more junctions to transmit refrigerant from the coils.

Multi-coil microchannel evaporator

Embodiments of a heat exchanger, e.g. a micro-channel heat exchanger are disclosed. The heat exchanger may include a plurality of rows of micro-channel tubes, each of which can be configured to direct a working fluid in a specific direction. The heat exchanger may include one or more distributors in a distribution header of the heat exchanger, each of which can be connected to a different application circuit (e.g. a refrigeration circuit) so that a capacity of the heat exchanger may be regulated. The heat exchanger as disclosed herein can be used as an evaporator and/or a condenser in a refrigeration system.

Heat exchanger with partitioned inlet header for enhanced flow distribution and refrigeration system using the heat exchanger

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Adams, TN, United States of America

Justin Slade Winters