# US 2013/0153174 A1 · Microchannel heat exchanger fin > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0153174 A1 - Document ID: US20130153174A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/818,386 - Filed: 2011-08-09 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2010-08-24 - Assignees: Carrier Corporation - Inventors: Michael F. Taras; Arindom Joardar; Jack Leon Esformes; Sunil S. Mehendale - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130153174A1 ## CPC - F28F 1/12: the means being only outside the tubular element - F28F 1/022: {with multiple channels} - F28F 1/128: {Fins with openings, e.g. louvered fins} - F28F 3/027: {with openings, e.g. louvered corrugated fins; Assemblies of corrugated strips} - F28F 17/005: {Means for draining condensates from heat exchangers, e.g. from evaporators (F28B9/08 takes precedence)} - F28F 2260/00: Heat exchangers or heat exchange elements having special size, e.g. microstructures - F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16) ## Abstract A heat exchanger includes a plurality of tubes (12), each tube configured for a flow of fluid therethrough and one or more fins located between adjacent tubes of the plurality of tubes. The one or more fins are spaced by a fin pitch (Fp,18) and are configured to improve thermal energy transfer between the plurality of tubes and ambient air. Each fin includes a fin face extending between the adjacent tubes, a substantially planar fin cap (22) connected to the fin face secured to one or the tubes, and a fin radius (Rc,26) connecting the fin face to the fin cap such that the fin radius is reduced to promote condensate removal from the heat exchanger. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A heat exchanger comprising: a plurality of tubes, each tube configured for a flow of fluid therethrough; one or more fins disposed between adjacent tubes of the plurality of tubes, the one or more fins spaced by a fin pitch (FP) and configured to improve thermal energy transfer between the plurality of tubes and ambient air, each fin including: a fin face extending between the adjacent tubes; a substantially planar fin cap connected to the fin face secured to one or the tubes; and a fin radius (RC) connecting the fin face to the fin cap such RC is reduced to promote condensate flow from the heat exchanger. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger of claim 1 such that a ratio of the fin radius to the fin pitch, RC/FP, is between about 0.1 and about 0.4. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The heat exchanger of claim 2, wherein the ratio of the fin radius to the fin pitch, RC/FP, is between about 0.2 and about 0.3. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein each fin face includes one or more louvers. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The heat exchanger of claim 4, wherein a ratio of a louver height (LH) to a fin height (FH), LH/FH, is between about 0.8 and about 0.95. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The heat exchanger of claim 5, wherein LH/FH, is between about 0.85 and about 0.92. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein each fin includes a fin extension extending beyond a tube width. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The heat exchanger of claim 7, wherein the fin extension extends laterally beyond the tube width and transversely at least partially across a tube thickness. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The heat exchanger of claim 7, wherein the fin extension is configured to direct moisture accumulated in the fin structure away from the tubes. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The heat exchanger of claim 7, wherein a ratio of an extension width (EW) to a fin width (FW), EW/FW is between about 0.02 and about 0.1. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The heat exchanger of claim 10, wherein EW/FW is between about 0.02 and about 0.04. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The heat exchanger of claim 7, wherein a ratio of a transverse component (ET) of the fin extension to a tube thickness (TT), ET/TT, is between about 0.05 and about 0.4. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The heat exchanger of claim 12, wherein ET/TT is between about 0.05 and about 0.15. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) The heat exchanger of claim 7, wherein a ratio of a transverse component (ET) of the fin extension to a fin thickness (FT), ET/FT, is between about 1 and about 3. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The heat exchanger of claim 14, wherein ET/FT, is between about 1.75 and about 2.5. ### Claim 16 (depends on 7) The heat exchanger of claim 7, wherein a ratio of a transverse component (ET) of the fin extension to the fin radius, ET/RC, is between about 0.2 and about 2. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein each fin of the one or more fins spans two or more tubes along a fin width. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The heat exchanger of claim 17, wherein each fin includes a fin notch in the fin face disposed substantially aligned with a tube gap between two tubes of the two or more tubes. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The heat exchanger of claim 18, wherein a ratio of a notch height (NH) to a tube pitch (TP), NH/TP, is between about 0.15 and about 0.3. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The heat exchanger of claim 19, wherein NH/TP, is between about 0.1 and about 0.2. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein each tube of the plurality of tubes, includes a through slot extending along a length of the tube. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The heat exchanger of claim 21, wherein a ratio of a slot width (SW) to a tube width (TW), SW/TW, is between about 0.05 and about 0.2. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The heat exchanger of claim 21, wherein a ratio of slot length (SL) to a tube length (TL), SL/TL, is between about 0.8 and about 0.95. ### Claim 24 A heat exchanger comprising: a plurality of tubes, each tube configured for a flow of fluid therethrough; one or more fins disposed between adjacent tubes of the plurality of tubes, the one or more fins spaced by a fin pitch (Fp) and configured to improve thermal energy transfer between the plurality of tubes and ambient air, each fin including a fin extension extending beyond a tube width. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The heat exchanger of claim 24, wherein the fin extension is configured to direct moisture accumulated in the fin structure away from the tubes. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The heat exchanger of claim 24, wherein a ratio of an extension width (EW) to a fin width (FW), EW/FW is between about 0.02 and about 0.1. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The heat exchanger of claim 26, wherein EW/FW is between about 0.02 and about 0.04. ### Claim 28 (depends on 24) The heat exchanger of claim 24, wherein a ratio of a transverse component (ET) of the fin extension to a tube thickness (TT), ET/TT, is between about 0.05 and about 0.4. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The heat exchanger of claim 28, wherein ET/TT is between about 0.05 and about 0.15. ### Claim 30 (depends on 24) The heat exchanger of claim 24, wherein a ratio of a transverse component (ET) of the fin extension to a fin thickness (FT), ET/FT, is between about 1 and about 3. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The heat exchanger of claim 30, wherein ET/FT, is between about 1.75 and about 2.5. ### Claim 32 (depends on 24) The heat exchanger of claim 24, wherein each fin includes: a fin face extending between the adjacent tubes and; a substantially planar fin cap connected to the fin face secured to one or the tubes; and a fin radius (RC) connecting the fin face to the fin cap such that a ratio of the fin radius to the fin pitch, RC/FP, is between about 0.1 and about 0.4. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The heat exchanger of claim 32, wherein the ratio of the fin radius to the fin pitch, RC/FP, is between about 0.2 and about 0.3. ### Claim 34 (depends on 32) The heat exchanger of claim 32, wherein each fin face includes one or more louvers. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The heat exchanger of claim 34, wherein a ratio of a louver height (LH) to a fin height (FH), LH/FH, is between about 0.8 and about 0.95. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The heat exchanger of claim 35, wherein LH/FH, is between about 0.85 and about 0.92.