Heat-exchange fan apparatus
AssigneeMatsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
InventorsKunihito Mori, Masao Torigoe, Toshiyoshi Yamamoto
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for effecting forced circulations of two separate fluids through separate fluids paths provided therein and, simultaneously, heat-exchanging between the fluids in a single unit is disclosed. It includes an impeller having a concentric corrugated zone made of a thin sheet material of good heat-conducting property, supported by a central disk member and an annular peripheral member, along both side of which flows of separate fluids are created, when the impeller is rotated. The heat-exchanging between the fluids each having a temperature difference with respect to the other is performed through the corrugated zone which the fluids are propelled through said paths.
Claims14
A heat-exchange fan apparatus for effecting forced circulations of two separate fluids through separate paths and, at the same time, with heat exchanging relation therebetween, said fan having a centrifugal impeller of thin-disk type, made with heat-conducting material, and having an axis of rotation,
- characterized in that:
- said impeller has a concentric corrugated part made with corrugated thin sheet having a number of corrugations forming grooves and ridges substantially radially extending on both sides thereof and being disposed around said axis, and
- a narrow ring shaped part is provided at the periphery of said impeller and which is on a plane perpendicular to said axis and continuous with the peripheral ends of said corrugated thin sheet,
- at least a part of the end parts of said grooves of said corrugated thin sheet at the outer periphery of said impeller forms open ends facing in a radially outward direction,
- said grooves on one side and on the other side of said impeller forming channels for the two separate fluids flowing in a radial direction in each groove upon the rotation of said impeller,
- with said corrugated thin sheet isolating the two separate fluids and allowing a heat-exchange between said separate fluid thereacross, and
- said open ends at the outer periphery of said grooves forming an outlet for said separate fluids flowing outwards in a substantially radial direction.
A heat-exchange fan apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13 or 14, wherein said impeller is molded with plastics in one integrated body.
A heat-exchange fan apparatus for effecting forced circulations of two separate fluids through separate paths and, at the same time, heat-exchanging therebetween, comprising:
- (a) a housing which defines a space and encloses,
- (b) a fluid impeller of centrifugal thin-disk type, made of heat-conducting material, having an axis of rotation and defining a rotating body which includes at least one plane perpendicular to said axis, and
- (c) a partition wall sharing said plane with said impeller, having an opening which encircles said impeller and, in combination with said impeller, serving to divide the space defined by said housing into two compartments, each of which forms a conduit for each of said separate fluids so that each fluid is fed to the housing in a substantially axial direction from either side of the impeller and expelled therefrom in a substantially radial direction with respect to said impeller, wherein:
- said impeller has a concentric corrugated zone composed of a multiplicity of radially-extended ridges and complementary grooves which are terminated and merged into said plane at their respective ends,
- said outer periphery of said corrugated zone being of donut configuration and being supported by an annular peripheral member and the inner periphery thereof being supported by a central disk member having a center hub which receives a shaft at its axis of rotation, the outer ends of said ridges being sealed with laterally-projected comb-teeth members provided on both sides of said annular peripheral member at its inner circumference in an alternating manner, while the inner ends of said ridges are sealed with laterally projected comb-teeth members provided on the outer periphery of the central disk member in a similar manner.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.