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US 4,434,846 AGranted
Patterned heat exchanger fin
AssigneeMcQuay Inc.
InventorJames W. B. Lu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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AssigneeMcQuay Inc.
InventorJames W. B. Lu
Estimating the term…
Embossed patterns on fins for the tubes of a shell and tube type heat exchanger for increased efficiency and heat transfer rate, with minimum additional pressure drop. The fins extend transversely across most of the tubes in the tube bundle and have apertures through which the tubes pass. The embossed patterns, which have a "bow tie" configuration are spaced between adjacent tubes and have a generally convex or concave shape with respect to the planar surface of the fin. Each embossed area has a crest and a pair of opposite sides which slope from the crest down to the planar fin surface, and a pair of opposite arcuately shaped sides which slope from the crest to the planar fin surface, and which have arcs that conform to the arcs of the adjacent tubes. An array of such embossed areas are provided on the fin, and a plurality of fins are placed side by side in the heat exchanger to provide a large surface area for fluid contact.
A heat exchanger, comprising:
A patterned fin for the tubes in a tube bundle of a shell and tube type heat exchanger, comprising a fin member having a generally planar surface, having a spaced array of generally circular apertures to receive the tubes of the bundle, and having a spaced array of raised patterns adjacent to and alternating with the tube apertures, said apertures and patterns arrayed in columns and rows offset from one another so that except at edges of the fin each aperture is adjacent four patterns, the patterns each having a raised central portion, a first pair of surfaces on opposite sides of the central portions and sloping downwardly therefrom to the planar surface, and having a second pair of surfaces on opposite sides of the central portion and sloping downwardly therefrom to the planar surface adjacent a pair of tube apertures, said second pair of surfaces having a generally arcuate shape conforming to the curvature of the adjacent tube apertures.
A patterned fin for the tubes in a tube bundle of a shell and tube type heat exchanger, comprising a fin member having a generally planar surface, having a spaced array of generally circular apertures to receive the tubes of the bundle, and having a spaced array of raised patterns adjacent to and alternating with the tube apertures, said apertures and patterns arrayed in columns and rows offset from one another so that pairs of apertures adjacent each other in said rows and columns are separated by said patterns, the patterns each having a raised central portion, a first pair of surfaces on opposite sides of the central portion and sloping downwardly therefrom to the planar surface, and having a second pair of surfaces on opposite sides of the central portion and sloping downwardly therefrom to the planar surface adjacent a pair of tube apertures, said second pair of surfaces having a generally arcuate shape conforming to the curvature of the adjacent tube apertures.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.