Refrigerant based heat exchange system with compensating heat pipe technology

Abstract

The present invention comprises an improved refrigerant based heat exchange system useful in air conditioning and refrigeration applications. The refrigerant based heat exchange system detects the presence of a passive heat pipe phenomenon in the refrigeration circuit and responds by either temporarily shutting off the flow of refrigerant in the circuit, or by temporarily removing the evaporator coil of the air conditioning portion of the system from the path of a forced air flow.

1 . A refrigerant based heat exchange system, the system comprising: 
 a furnace heat exchanger;    an evaporating heat exchanger connected in a refrigeration circuit in which a compressor circulates refrigerant between a condenser and an evaporator coil;    wherein both the furnace heat exchanger and the evaporator coil include heat exchange surface areas and wherein air flow from a source of forced air is used to provide a heat exchange effect over the heat exchange surface areas; and    means for temporarily removing at least a selected one of the heat exchange surface areas in response to the detection of a passive heat pipe phenomenon in the refrigeration circuit.    
   
   
       2 . The refrigerant based heat exchange system of  claim 1 , wherein the means for temporarily removing at least a selected one of the heat exchange surface areas is a mechanical actuator which temporarily repositions the evaporator coil with respect to the source of forced air.  
   
   
       3 . The refrigerant based heat exchange system of  claim 2 , wherein a pair of evaporator coils are connected by flexible tubing and wherein the mechanical actuator pivots the coils between an open and closed positions relative to the air flow from the source of forced air.  
   
   
       4 . The refrigerant based heat exchange system of  claim 3 , wherein the mechanical actuator is a servo motor.  
   
   
       5 . The refrigerant based heat exchange system of  claim 1 , wherein an evaporator coil and a furnace heat exchanger are located within a common housing and are separated by a partition, and wherein the flow of forced air is controlled by means of a movable damper which selectively directs a flow of air over either the furnace heat exchanger or over the evaporator coil.  
   
   
       6 . A refrigerant based heat exchange system, the system comprising: 
 a condensing heat exchanger;    an evaporating heat exchanger connected in a refrigerant circuit;    a compressor for circulating refrigerant between the condensing heat exchanger and the evaporating heat exchanger in the refrigeration circuit;    wherein both the condensing heat exchanger and the evaporating heat exchanger include heat exchange surface areas and wherein air flow from a source of forced air is used to provide a heat exchange effect over at least a selected one of the heat exchange surface areas; and    means for temporarily blocking the flow of refrigerant in the refrigeration circuit in response to the detection of a passive heat pipe phenomenon in the refrigeration circuit.    
   
   
       7 . The refrigerant based heat exchange system of  claim 5 , wherein the means for temporarily blocking the flow of refrigerant in the refrigeration circuit comprises one or more valves in the refrigeration circuit which are switched between an open position when the compressor is on and a closed position when the compressor is off and there are temperature differentials between portions of the refrigeration circuit.  
   
   
       8 . The refrigerant based heat exchange system of  claim 6 , wherein a pair of solenoid valves are located on either side of the refrigeration circuit between the condensing and evaporating heat exchangers.  
   
   
       9 . The refrigerant based heat exchange system of  claim 6 , wherein a check valve is located on one side of the refrigeration circuit between the condensing and evaporating heat exchangers and a solenoid valve is located on an opposite side of the refrigeration circuit.