# US 2009/0260792 A1 · Tube with fins having wings

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- Number: US 2009/0260792 A1
- Document ID: US20090260792A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 12/103,826
- Filed: 2008-04-16
- Published: 2009-10-22
- Earliest claimed: 2008-04-16
- Assignees: Wolverine Tube, Inc.
- Inventors: Qiu Yalin; Wu Yongquing; Cao Jianying; Luo Zhong
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20090260792A1

## CPC

- B21C 37/207: {with helical guides}
- F28F 1/36: the means being helically wound fins or wire spirals
- F28F 1/422: {with outside means integral with the tubular element and inside means integral with the tubular element (F28F1/424 takes precedence)}
- F28F 13/187: {especially adapted for evaporator surfaces or condenser surfaces, e.g. with nucleation sites}
- Y10T 29/49378: Finned tube
- B21C: MANUFACTURE OF METAL SHEETS, WIRE, RODS, TUBES, PROFILES OR LIKE SEMI-MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS OTHERWISE THAN BY ROLLING; AUXILIARY OPERATIONS USED IN CONNECTION WITH METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL
- F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16)
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## 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.

## Claims

### Claim 1

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.

### Claim 2

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.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The finned tube of claim 2 wherein the wing is a plurality of wings defining a gap between adjacent wings extending from the same fin side wall.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The finned tube of claim 2 further comprising a channel mark defined in the tube body outer surface.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The finned tube of claim 4 wherein the channel mark is continuous.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The finned tube of claim 4 wherein the channel mark is intermittent, such that there are a plurality of channel marks.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

The finned tube of claim 2 wherein the fin top further comprises a plurality of peaks and a plurality of depressions defined between adjacent peaks.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The finned tube of claim 7 further comprising a plurality of platforms extending from the fin top at the depressions.

### Claim 9 (depends on 2)

The finned tube of claim 2 wherein the tube body includes an inner surface, the finned tube further comprising a ridge defined on the tube body inner surface.

### Claim 10 (depends on 2)

The finned tube of claim 2 wherein the wing includes a plurality of wings, and wherein the fin side wall includes a first side wall and a second side wall opposite the first side wall, and wherein the wings extend from both the first and second side walls.

### Claim 11 (depends on 2)

The finned tube of claim 2 wherein the fin side wall includes a first side wall and a second side wall opposite the first side wall, and wherein the wing extends from only one of the first and second side walls.

### Claim 12 (depends on 2)

The finned tube of claim 2 wherein the fin side wall further comprises a first side wall and a second side wall opposite the first side wall, wherein the wing further comprises a plurality of wings extending from the first and second side walls, wherein each wing has a height, and wherein the wings extending from the first side wall have a different height than the wings extending from the second side wall.

### Claim 13

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.

### Claim 14

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.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The finned tube of claim 14 wherein the wing is a plurality of wings defining a gap between adjacent wings extending from the same fin side wall.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The finned tube of claim 15 further comprising a plurality of shelf walls, wherein the wings include wing side surfaces and the shelf walls connect the fin side walls with the wing side surface.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The finned tube of claim 16 where the shelf walls extend toward the fin top from the wing side surface.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The finned tube of claim 14 further comprising a channel mark defined in the tube body outer surface.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The finned tube of claim 14 wherein the fin top further comprises a plurality of depressions and a plurality of peaks defined between adjacent depressions.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The finned tube of claim 19 further comprising a plurality of platforms extending from the fin top at the depressions.

### Claim 21 (depends on 14)

The finned tube of claim 14 wherein the tube body includes an inner surface, the finned tube further comprising a ridge defined on the tube body inner surface.

### Claim 22

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.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22 further comprising creating depressions in the fin top.

### Claim 24 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22 further comprising forming channel marks in a channel defined between adjacent fins.

### Claim 25 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22 further comprising forming a helical ridge on a tube inner surface.