Tube with fins having wings
AssigneeWolverine Tube, Inc.
InventorsQiu Yalin, Wu Yongquing, Cao Jianying, Luo Zhong
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Fins are formed monolithically from the material of a tube body. The fins extend from the tube body outer surface, and include a fin base and a fin top. Wings extending from a fin side surface between the fin base and fin top can produce upper and lower channels between adjacent fins. Depressions can be formed in the fin top with platforms below the depressions. The tube can also include helical ridges on an inner surface of the tube. The tubes are used for heat transfer, and can be included in shell and tube heat exchangers.
Claims25
A finned tube comprising
- a tube body having an inner surface and an outer surface;
- a helical fin protruding from the tube body outer surface such that adjacent fins define a channel having a channel center, wherein the fin is monolithic with the tube body and the fin includes a side wall, a fin top, and a fin base;
- a plurality of wings protruding from the fin side wall between the fin top and fin base such that the wings extend to approximately the channel center, and wherein the wings include a wing side surface;
- a plurality of shelf walls extending towards the fin top, the shelf walls connected to the fin side wall and the wing side surface;
- a channel mark defined in the channel on the tube body outer surface;
- a plurality of depressions defined in the fin top such that the fin top includes peaks defined between the depressions;
- and
- a helical ridge defined on the tube body inner surface.
A finned tube comprising:
- a tube body having an outer surface;
- a fin extending helically from the tube body outer surface, where the fin is monolithic with the tube body, and the fin includes a fin side wall, a fin top, and a fin base;
- a wing received between the fin top and the fin base, the wing extending from the fin side wall, where the wing includes a wing side surface;
- a shelf wall extending towards the fin top from the wing side surface, the shelf wall connected to the fin side surface.
A finned tube comprising:
- a tube body having an outer surface;
- a fin extending helically from the tube body outer surface, wherein the fin is monolithic with the tube body and the fin includes a fin top, a fin base, and a fin side wall, and the fin side wall further comprises a first side wall and a second side wall opposite the first side wall;
- a plurality of wings extending from the first and second side walls, wherein each wing has a height, and the wings extending from the first side wall have a different height than the wings extending from the second side wall.
A finned tube comprising:
- a tube body having an outer surface a fin extending from the tube body outer surface, wherein the fin is monolithic with the tube body and has a fin top, a fin base and a side wall, wherein the fin includes adjacent fins defining a channel having a channel center between the adjacent fins;
- and
- a wing extending from the fin side wall, wherein the wing is received between the fin top and the fin base, and the wing extends to approximately the channel center.
A method of producing finned tubes comprising:
- (a) providing a tube having an outer surface;
- (b) forming a helical fin on the tube outer surface;
- and
- (c) forming a wing on a fin side surface such that the wing is between a fin base and a fin top, and wherein a shelf wall extends from a wing side surface towards the fin top.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.