Heat exchanger capillary tube routing
AssigneeCarrier Corporation
InventorsEugene F. Gucwa, Jr., Jackie D. Francis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heat exchanger assembly and subassembly having a combination of liquid line header and a series of spaced helically wound capillary tubes. The liquid line header is mounted such that capillary tubes may be connected therefrom to the appropriate feeder tubes or other connections of the heat exchanger. Capillary tubes are helically wound about the liquid line header such that a compact, neat capillary tube arrangement is provided with a short distance between the two ends of the capillary. A dummy header may be utilized such that the capillary tube extends through the dummy header to a feeder tube to feed the appropriate refrigerant circuit.
Claims11
A heat exchanger assembly for use with a refrigeration circuit which comprises:
- a heat exchanger core having a plurality of circuits through which refrigerant may flow;
- a gas header connected to at least one of the circuits of the heat exchanger core for circulating gaseous refrigerant in conjunction therewith;
- a liquid supply means for supplying liquid refrigerant, said liquid supply means having a plurality of openings spaced along at least a portion thereof;
- and
- a series of capillary tubes, each tube having a tightly wound helical portion attached at one end to an opening in the liquid header and connected to a circuit of the heat exchanger core, the helical portion being spaced from the helical portion of other capillaries as well as other components of the heat exchanger assembly and the liquid supply means being located within the center of the helical portion.
A heat exchange assembly including a heat exchange core for use with a reversible refrigeration circuit such that the heat exchange core of the assembly acts to transfer heat energy either as a condenser or as an evaporator which comprises:
- a plurality of distinct refrigerant circuits forming the heat exchanger core;
- a gas header connected to at least one of the circuits;
- a dummy header;
- feeder tubes for connecting the dummy header to at least one of the circuits of the heat exchange core, each feeder tube connecting the dummy header to a separate circuit;
- a liquid supply means having at least one connection point for each circuit of the heat exchange core;
- and
- at least one capillary tube heaving a helically wound portion, said capillary tube connecting the liquid supply means to the feeder tube for a circuit by extending through the dummy header to direct refrigerant into a specific feeder tube for the corresponding circuit.
A subassembly for supplying liquid refrigerant to a heat exchanger having a plurality of circuits which comprises:
- a liquid header having a plurality of spaced openings along the length thereof;
- means for connecting a supply of liquid refrigerant to the liquid header;
- and
- a series of capillary tubes, one joined to each spaced opening along the length of the liquid header, each capillary tube having a helical portion formed in a generally cylindrical configuration, an inward portion extending inwardly from the helical portion to the liquid header located inside the generally cylindrical helical portion and an outward portion extending outwardly from the helical portion whereby the outward portion may be connected to supply refrigerant received by the liquid header to a circuit of the heat exchanger.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.