Heat Exchanger Apparatus

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein include a heat exchanger comprising a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger. The first heat exchanger receives a working fluid in a gaseous state and outputs the working fluid in liquid state. The second heat exchanger further sub cools the working fluid.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat exchanger apparatus comprising:
 a first heat exchanger configured to receive a working fluid at a first temperature in a gaseous state and output the working fluid in a liquid state at a second temperature, wherein the second temperature is less than the first temperature; and   a second heat exchanger configured to receive the working fluid in the liquid state at the second temperature and output the working fluid in the liquid state at a third temperature less than the second temperature,   wherein the first heat exchanger defines a first area and the second heat exchanger defines a second area, wherein the first area is configured in parallel with the second area, and   wherein a first fluid flows into the second heat exchanger across the second area and out of the first heat exchanger across the first area.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the working fluid in the liquid state at the second temperature received by the second heat exchanger is subcooled and wherein the working fluid in the liquid state at the third temperature is further subcooled. 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the third temperature of the working fluid is approximately equal to a fourth temperature of the first fluid flowing into the second heat exchanger. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a first difference between the second temperature of the working fluid and the third temperature of the working fluid is greater than a second difference between the third temperature of the working fluid and a fourth temperature of the first fluid flowing into the second heat exchanger. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a first temperature difference between the first temperature and the second temperature is greater than a second temperature difference between the second temperature and the third temperature. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a temperature of the first fluid increases as the first fluid flows through the first heat exchanger and further increases as the first fluid flows through the second heat exchanger, wherein a temperature increase of the first fluid from the first heat exchanger is greater than a temperature increase of the first fluid from the second heat exchanger. 
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first fluid is air. 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the working fluid is refrigerant. 
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the working fluid in the first heat exchanger is configured in counterflow with the working fluid in the second heat exchanger. 
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first heat exchanger defines a first planar surface and the second heat exchanger defines a second planar surface substantially a same size as the first planar surface, wherein the first planar surface is parallel to and offset from the second planar surface, and wherein the working fluid flows over the first and second planar surfaces, in counterflow, to transfer thermal energy with the first fluid across substantially all of the first and second planar surfaces. 
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first area is approximately a same size as the second area. 
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first area is a first planar surface and the second area is a second planar surface. 
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first heat exchanger comprises:
 a first sub-heat exchanger configured to receive the working fluid at the first temperature in the gaseous state and output the working fluid at an intermediate temperature; and   a second sub-heat exchanger configured to receive the working fluid at the intermediate temperature and output the working fluid in the liquid state at the second temperature.   
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the second sub-heat exchanger receives the working fluid in a gaseous state and outputs the working fluid in a liquid state. 
     
     
         15 . The heat exchanger apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the first fluid flows into the second sub-heat exchanger prior to flowing into the first sub-heat exchanger. 
     
     
         16 . The heat exchanger apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the first sub-heat exchanger defines the first area and the second sub-heat exchanger defines a third area, wherein the first area is configured in parallel with the third area. 
     
     
         17 . The heat exchanger apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the first area is a first planar surface, the second area is a second planar surface, and the third area is a third planar surface substantially a same size as the first and second planar surfaces, wherein the first planar surface is parallel to and offset from the third planar surface, and wherein the working fluid flows over the first and third planar surfaces in counterflow, and wherein the working fluid flows over the second and third planar surfaces in counterflow, and wherein the working fluid transfers thermal energy with the first fluid across substantially all of the first, second, and third planar surfaces. 
     
     
         18 . A method comprising:
 receiving a working fluid in a first heat exchanger at a first temperature in a gaseous state and outputting the working fluid in a liquid state at a second temperature, wherein the second temperature is less than the first temperature; and   receiving the working fluid in a second heat exchanger in the liquid state at the second temperature and outputting the working fluid in the liquid state at a third temperature less than the second temperature,   wherein the first heat exchanger defines a first area and the second heat exchanger defines a second area, wherein the first area is configured in parallel with the second area, and   wherein a first fluid flows into the second heat exchanger across the second area and out of the first heat exchanger across the first area.   
     
     
         19 . A heat exchanger apparatus comprising:
 a first heat exchanger configured to receive a refrigerant at a first temperature and output the refrigerant at a second temperature less than the first temperature; and   a second heat exchanger configured to receive the refrigerant at the second temperature and output the refrigerant at a third temperature less than the second temperature,   wherein a gas flows into the second heat exchanger and out of the first heat exchanger, wherein a first temperature difference between the first temperature and the second temperature is greater than a second temperature difference between the second temperature and the third temperature, and   and wherein a temperature of the gas increases as the gas flows through the first heat exchanger and further increases as the gas flows through the second heat exchanger, wherein a temperature increase of the gas from the first heat exchanger is greater than a temperature increase of the gas from the second heat exchanger.   
     
     
         20 . The heat exchanger apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the gas is air. 
     
     
         21 . The heat exchanger apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the refrigerant is in a gaseous state at the first temperature and the refrigerant is in a liquid state at the second temperature. 
     
     
         22 . The heat exchanger apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the second and third temperatures are greater than a temperature of the gas when the gas enters the second heat exchanger. 
     
     
         23 . The heat exchanger apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are arranged in counterflow with the gas. 
     
     
         24 . The heat exchanger apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the first heat exchanger defines a rectangular space arranged along a first plane;   the second heat exchanger defines a rectangular space arranged along a second plane in parallel with the first plane and separated by a gap; and   the gas flows through the first and second heat exchangers perpendicular to the first and second planes.