Heat exchanger for a motor vehicle air conditioning system

Abstract

A heat exchanger for a motor vehicle air conditioning system is provided. The heat exchanger includes at least one inner tube and an outer tube, which at least regionally envelops an inner tube to form a gap through which a heat exchanger medium can flow. The inner tube can include two at least regionally wound and nested tube sections.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat exchanger for a motor vehicle air conditioning system, comprising:
 at least one inner tube having at least two regionally wound and nested tube sections; and   an outer tube that at least regionally envelops the at least one inner tube, forming a gap through which a heat exchanger medium flows.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least two tube sections are helical or spiral. 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least two tube sections are arranged concentrically relative to each other. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least two tube sections lie inside the outer tube, and have a fluid connection between them. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one inner tube branches into the at least two tube sections downstream from an inlet that passes through the outer tube. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 5 , wherein the at least two tube sections of the at least one inner tube empty into a junction upstream from an outlet that passes through the outer tube. 
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 6 , wherein the at least two tube sections each exhibit a changing helical diameter viewed in the axial direction. 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 7 , wherein the helical diameter of one of the at least two tube sections enlarges in the axial direction, and the helical diameter of the other of the at least two tube sections diminishes in the axial direction. 
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 8 , wherein a first tube section of the at least two tube sections passes over via a curved segment into a second tube section of the at least two tube sections. 
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least one inner tube includes a straight tube section, which connects the inlet or outlet with at least one of the first tube section of the at least two tube sections and the second tube section of the at least two tube sections. 
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least one inner tube includes a straight tube section, which connects the outlet with at least one of the first tube section of the at least two tube sections and the second tube section of the at least two tube sections. 
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least one inner tube includes a straight tube section, which connects which connects the first tube section of the at least two tube sections and the second tube section of the at least two tube sections with each other. 
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 10 , wherein the straight tube section runs inside both the first tube section of the at least two tube sections and the second tube section of the at least two tube sections. 
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 10 , wherein the straight tube section runs outside both the first tube section of the at least two tube sections and the second tube section of the at least two tube sections. 
     
     
         15 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein an inlet and an outlet of the at least one inner tube pass through the outer tube on the very same face of the outer tube. 
     
     
         16 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer tube is designed as a low pressure line, and the at least one inner tube is designed as a high pressure line. 
     
     
         17 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein an inlet and an opposing outlet of the outer tube is arranged downstream from an evaporator and upstream from a compressor, and wherein an inlet and an opposing outlet of the at least one inner tube is arranged upstream from an expansion device and downstream from a capacitor in the refrigerant circuit of a motor vehicle air conditioning system. 
     
     
         18 . A motor vehicle air conditioning system, comprising:
 a refrigerant circuit, which couples together at least a compressor, a capacitor, an expansion device as well as an evaporator in terms of flow so as to circulate a heat exchanger medium, and which further includes a heat exchanger including:
 at least one inner tube having at least two regionally wound and nested tube sections; and 
 an outer tube that at least regionally envelops the at least one inner tube to form a gap through which the heat exchanger medium flows. 
   
     
     
         19 . A motor vehicle, comprising:
 an air conditioning system including a refrigerant circuit, which couples together at least a compressor, a capacitor, an expansion device as well as an evaporator in terms of flow so as to circulate a heat exchanger medium, and which further includes a heat exchanger including:
 at least one inner tube having at least two regionally wound and nested tube sections; and 
 an outer tube that at least regionally envelops the at least one inner tube to form a gap through which the heat exchanger medium flows, wherein the tube sections are arranged concentrically relative to each other.