US 12,111,123 B2
Heat exchanger
Scott Edward Kent, Albion, NY (US)
Assigned to MAHLE International GmbH, Stuttgart (DE)
Filed by MAHLE International GmbH, Stuttgart (DE)
Filed on Jul. 5, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/857,357.
Application 17/857,357 is a continuation of application No. 16/903,526, filed on Jun. 17, 2020, granted, now 11,408,688.
Prior Publication US 2022/0333876 A1, Oct. 20, 2022
Int. Cl. F28F 9/02 (2006.01)
CPC F28F 9/0275 (2013.01) 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A heat exchanger system for transferring heat between a first fluid and a second fluid during a heating operation and a cooling operation; the heat exchanger system comprising at least a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger each having a top and a bottom;
wherein each of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger includes a fluid collector for collecting fluid, a multiphase distributor for distributing fluid, and a plurality of multi-duct tubes coupled to the fluid collector and the multiphase distributor;
wherein the first fluid flows in a first flow path around the multi-duct tubes and the second fluid flows in a second flow path within the multi-duct tubes, such that the transfer of heat occurs through a fluidically separate coupling of the first fluid and the second fluid;
wherein the first heat exchanger is configured with the fluid collector arranged in the second flow path downstream from the multiphase distributor, such that the first heat exchanger consists of an upward flow design, for use during the heating operation, in which both the first fluid and the second fluid flow opposite to the direction of gravity and virtually parallel to one another through the first heat exchanger from the bottom to the top;
wherein the second heat exchanger is configured with the fluid collector arranged in the second flow path upstream from the multiphase distributor, such that the second heat exchanger consists of a downward flow design, for use during the cooling operation, in which the first fluid flows opposite to the direction of gravity through the second heat exchanger from the bottom to the top and the second fluid flows virtually anti-parallel to the first fluid in the direction of gravity through the second heat exchanger from the top to the bottom.