Heat exchanger transfer tubes
AssigneeRheem Manufacturing Company
InventorsDarryl Farley, Shawn Reed
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A transfer 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, where the at least one wall further has a first end and a second end. The first end can be configured to couple to a terminus of a heat exchanger of the thermal transfer device. The second end can be configured to couple to a collector box of the thermal transfer device. At least a portion of the at least one wall can be disposed in a vestibule of the thermal transfer device. The cavity can be configured to simultaneously receive a first fluid that flows from the first end to the second end and a second fluid that flows from the second end to the first end.
Claims18
A thermal transfer device comprising:
- a main chamber comprising:
- a plurality of heat exchanger tubes through which a first fluid flows, wherein each heat exchanger tube, of the plurality of heat exchanger tubes, comprises a first end and a second end;
- and
- a blower assembly disposed above the plurality of heat exchanger tubes, wherein the blower assembly directs a second fluid across the plurality of heat exchanger tubes;
- and
- a vestibule disposed adjacent to the main chamber, wherein the vestibule comprises:
- an inducer;
- a burner assembly coupled to the first end of the plurality of heat exchanger tubes;
- a first collector box disposed above the burner assembly and configured to receive the first fluid and accumulate condensate;
- a second collector box disposed below the burner assembly;
- and
- a transfer tube having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the transfer tube is coupled to the first collector box and the second end of the transfer tube is coupled to the second collector box and the second end of the plurality of heat exchanger tubes, wherein the second end of the plurality of heat exchanger tubes is disposed below the first end of the plurality of heat exchanger tubes;
- wherein, during operation of the thermal transfer device, the first fluid flows from the first end of the plurality of heat exchanger tubes to the second end of the plurality of heat exchanger tubes and then via the transfer tube to the first collector box.
A thermal transfer device comprising:
- a heat exchanger tube through which a first fluid flows, wherein the heat exchanger tube comprises a first end and an opposing second end, wherein the second end is disposed below the first end;
- a blower assembly that blows a second fluid across the heat exchanger tube;
- a vestibule disposed adjacent to the blower assembly, wherein the vestibule comprises:
- a burner assembly coupled to the first end of the plurality of heat exchanger tubes;
- a first collector box disposed above the burner assembly and configured to receive the first fluid and accumulate condensate from the first fluid;
- a second collector box disposed below the burner assembly;
- and
- a transfer tube having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the transfer tube is coupled to the second end of the heat exchanger tube and the second end of the transfer tube is coupled to the first collector box;
- wherein, during operation of the thermal transfer device, the first fluid flows from the first end of the heat exchanger tube towards the second end of the heat exchanger tube and then via the transfer tube to the first collector box.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.