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US 11,774,179 B2Granted
Heat exchanger tubes and tube assembly configurations
AssigneeRheem Manufacturing Company
InventorsReza Khatami, Qian Zhang, Troy E. Trant, Tanjir Hasan Ratul
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tube for a thermal transfer device can include at least one wall having an inner surface and an outer surface, where the inner surface forms a cavity. The inner surface can be non-cylindrical. The cavity can be configured to receive a fluid that flows continuously along a length of the at least one wall.
Claims14
A tube for a thermal transfer device, wherein the tube comprises:
- at least one wall comprising a length, an inner surface, and an outer surface, wherein the inner surface forms a cavity;
- a first dimple and a second dimple disposed opposite each other at a first location along the length of the at least one wall to form a first pair of opposing dimples, the first dimple having a first planar surface and the second dimple having a second planar surface, the first planar surface and the second planar surface being oriented parallel to the length of the at least one wall and in contact with each other such that the inner surface of the at least one wall between the first pair of opposing dimples contacts itself;
- and
- a third dimple and a fourth dimple disposed opposite each other at a second location along the length of the at least one wall to form a second pair of opposing dimples adjacent the first pair of opposing dimples a first distance from the first pair of opposing dimples, the third dimple having a third planar surface and the fourth dimple having a fourth planar surface, the third planar surface and the fourth planar surface being oriented parallel to the length of the at least one wall and in contact with each other such that the inner surface of the at least one wall between the second pair of opposing dimples contacts itself,
- wherein the first planar surface and the second planar surface of the first pair of opposing dimples forms a first non-zero angle relative to the third planar surface and the fourth planar surface of the second pair of opposing dimples when viewed along a longitudinal axis of the at least one wall,
- wherein the third planar surface and the fourth planar surface of the second pair of opposing dimples forms a second non-zero angle relative to the fifth planar surface and the sixth planar surface of the third pair of opposing dimples when viewed along the longitudinal axis of the at least one wall, the second non-zero angle being different from the first non-zero angle, and
- wherein longitudinal spacing between adjacent pairs of opposing dimples is substantially uniform along the length of the at least one wall.
4 more elements
An array of tubes for a thermal transfer device, wherein the array of tubes comprises:
- a tube sheet comprising a plurality of apertures that traverse therethrough;
- and a first tube disposed within a first aperture of the plurality of apertures of the tube sheet, wherein the first tube comprises:
- at least one first wall having a first length, a first inner surface, and a first outer surface, wherein the first inner surface forms a first cavity;
- and
- a first dimple and a second dimple disposed opposite each other at a first location along the length of the at least one wall to form a first pair of opposing dimples, the first dimple having a first planar surface and the second dimple having a second planar surface, the first planar surface and the second planar surface being oriented parallel to the length of the at least one wall and in contact with each other such that the inner surface of the at least one wall between the first pair of opposing dimples contacts itself;
- a third dimple and a fourth dimple disposed opposite each other at a location along the length of the at least one wall to form a second pair of opposing dimples adjacent the first pair of opposing dimples a first distance from the first pair of opposing dimples, the third dimple having a third planar surface and the fourth dimple having a fourth planar surface, the third planar surface and the fourth planar surface being oriented parallel to the length of the at least one wall and in contact with each other such that the inner surface of the at least one wall between the third pair of opposing dimples contacts itself,
- a fifth dimple and a sixth dimple disposed opposite each other at a third location along the length of the at least one wall to form a third pair of opposing dimples adjacent the second pair of opposing dimples a second distance from the first pair of opposing dimples, the fifth dimple having a fifth planar surface and the sixth dimple having a sixth planar surface, the fifth planar surface and the sixth planar surface being oriented parallel to the length of the at least one wall and in contact with each other such that the inner surface of the at least one wall between the third pair of opposing dimples contacts itself,
- wherein the first planar surface and the second planar surface of the first pair of opposing dimples forms a first non-zero angle relative to the third planar surface and the fourth planar surface of the second pair of opposing dimples when viewed along a longitudinal axis of the at least one first wall,
- wherein the third planar surface and the fourth planar surface of the second pair of opposing dimples forms a second non-zero angle relative to the fifth planar surface and the sixth planar surface of the third pair of opposing dimples when viewed along the longitudinal axis of the at least one first wall, the second non-zero angle being different from the first non-zero angle, and
- wherein longitudinal spacing between adjacent pairs of opposing dimples is substantially uniform along the length of the at least one wall.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.