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AssigneeHeatcraft Inc.
InventorsYoung L. Bae, Michael E. Heidenreich, Roger A. Loomis, Benjamin W. McElwrath, Jr.
Estimating the term…
An improved heat exchanger (60) includes plural relatively flat conduits (62) adapted to accommodate passage of heat transfer fluid therethrough. Each conduit (62) has inlet and outlet openings, a supply channel (100) communicating with the corresponding inlet opening to direct heat transfer fluid flowing through the corresponding inlet opening into the corresponding conduit (62), a drain channel (102) communicating with the corresponding outlet opening to direct heat transfer fluid out of the corresponding conduit (62) through the corresponding outlet opening, and plural heat transfer channels (92) communicating between the supply and drain channels (100, 102) to direct heat transfer fluid therebetween in a generally transverse direction relative to respective major axes of the supply and drain channels (100, 102). The supply and drain channels (100, 102) each have a substantially greater length and cross-sectional area than the length and cross-sectional area of each heat transfer channel (92). Heat transfer between the fluid inside the conduit (62) and an external fluid, such as air, flowing through the heat exchanger (60) occurs for the most part as heat transfer fluid flows through the heat transfer channels (92) of the conduits (62).
A heat exchanger having at least one conduit of non-circular cross-section adapted to accommodate passage of heat transfer fluid therethrough and support means for supporting said conduit, said conduit having a major dimension and a minor dimension, inlet and outlet openings, a supply channel extending generally along said major dimension and communicating with said inlet opening to direct heat transfer fluid flowing through said inlet opening into said conduit, a drain channel extending generally along said major dimension and communicating with said outlet opening to direct heat transfer fluid out of said conduit through said outlet opening, and plural heat transfer channels, each of which extends generally along said minor dimension between said supply channel and said drain channel, said major dimension being substantially greater than said minor dimension, such that each heat transfer channel has a relatively short length compared to a length of said conduit along said major dimension, at least one of said heat transfer channels having a hydraulic diameter of less than about 0.105 inch.
A heat exchanger having at least one conduit of non-circular cross-section adapted to accommodate passage of heat transfer fluid therethrough and support means for supporting said conduit, said conduit having a major dimension and a minor dimension, opposed ends spaced apart by said major dimension and opposed sides spaced apart by said minor dimension, inlet and outlet openings, and a corrugated member located in said conduit, said corrugated member having plural corrugations arranged in a tightly packed configuration to define teardrop-shaped heat transfer channels extending along said minor dimension, said corrugated member having a length extending along said major dimension between said ends and a width extending only partially between said sides to define a supply channel intermediate said corrugated member and one side and to define a drain channel intermediate said corrugated member and an opposite side, said supply channel extending along said major dimension and communicating with said inlet opening to direct heat transfer fluid flowing through said inlet opening into said conduit, said drain channel extending along said major dimension and communicating with said outlet opening to direct heat transfer fluid out of said conduit through said outlet opening, said heat transfer channels being adapted to direct heat transfer fluid from said supply channel to said drain channel in a transverse direction with respect to said major dimension.
A heat exchanger having at least one conduit of non-circular cross-section adapted to accommodate passage of heat transfer fluid therethrough and support means for supporting said conduit, said conduit having a major dimension and a minor dimension, opposed ends spaced apart by said major dimension and opposed sides spaced apart by said minor dimension, inlet and outlet openings, and a corrugated member located in said conduit, said corrugated member having plural corrugations defining plural heat transfer channels extending along said minor dimension, said corrugated member having a length extending along said major dimension between said ends and a width extending only partially between said sides to define a supply channel intermediate said corrugated member and one side and to define a drain channel intermediate said corrugated member and an opposite side, said supply channel extending along said major dimension and communicating with said inlet opening to direct heat transfer fluid flowing through said inlet opening into said conduit, said drain channel extending along said major dimension and communicating with said outlet opening to direct heat transfer fluid out of said conduit through said outlet opening, said heat transfer channels being adapted to direct heat transfer fluid from said supply channel to said drain channel in a transverse direction with respect to said major dimension, said support means being comprised of inlet and outlet headers, said conduit extending between said inlet and outlet headers along said major dimension, said inlet header being in fluid communication with said inlet opening, whereby heat transfer fluid enters said conduit, said outlet header being in fluid communication with said outlet opening, whereby heat transfer fluid exits said conduit, each of said inlet and outlet headers having a width sufficient to accommodate said minor dimension of said conduit, said inlet header having means for blocking said drain channel at one end of said conduit to inhibit heat transfer fluid from entering said drain channel, said outlet header having means for blocking said supply channel at an opposite end of said conduit to inhibit heat transfer fluid in said supply channel from entering said outlet header.
In a heat exchanger, a conduit of non-circular cross-section adapted to accommodate passage of heat transfer fluid therethrough, said conduit having a major dimension and a minor dimension, inlet and outlet openings, a supply channel extending generally along said major dimension and communicating with said inlet opening to direct heat transfer fluid flowing through said inlet opening into said conduit, a drain channel extending generally along said major dimension and communicating with said outlet opening to direct heat transfer fluid out of said conduit through said outlet opening, and plural heat transfer channels, each of which extends generally along said minor dimension between said supply channel and said drain channel, said major dimension being substantially greater than said minor dimension, such that each heat transfer channel has a relatively short length compared to a length of said conduit along said major dimension, at least one of said heat transfer channels having a hydraulic diameter of less than about 0.105 inch.
In a heat exchanger, a conduit of non-circular cross-section adapted to accommodate passage of heat transfer fluid therethrough, said conduit having a major dimension and a minor dimension, opposed ends spaced apart by said major dimension and opposed sides spaced apart by said minor dimension, inlet and outlet openings, and a corrugated member located in said conduit, said corrugated member having plural corrugations defining plural heat transfer channels extending along said minor dimension, said corrugated member having a length extending along said major dimension between said ends and a width extending only partially between said sides to define a supply channel intermediate said corrugated member and one side and to define a drain channel intermediate said corrugated member and an opposite side, said supply channel extending along said major dimension and communicating with said inlet opening to direct heat transfer fluid flowing through said inlet opening into said conduit, said drain channel extending along said major dimension and communicating with said outlet opening to direct heat transfer fluid out of said conduit through said outlet opening, said heat transfer channels being adapted to direct heat transfer fluid from said supply channel to said drain channel in a transverse direction with respect to said major dimension, said corrugations being arranged in a tightly packed configuration to define teardrop-shaped heat transfer channels.
A heat exchanger having at least one conduit of non-circular cross-section adapted to accommodate passage of heat transfer fluid therethrough and opposed inlet and outlet headers supporting said conduit, said conduit having a major dimension and a minor dimension, inlet and outlet openings, a supply channel extending along said major dimension and communicating with said inlet opening to direct heat transfer fluid from said inlet header into said conduit, a drain channel extending along said major dimension and communicating with said outlet opening to direct heat transfer fluid out of said conduit into said outlet header, and plural heat transfer channels extending along said minor dimension between said supply channel and said drain channel, said conduit extending between said inlet and outlet headers along said major dimension, each of said inlet and outlet headers having a width sufficient to accommodate said minor dimension of said conduit, said inlet header having means for blocking said drain channel at one end of said conduit to inhibit heat transfer fluid from entering said drain channel, said outlet header having means for blocking said supply channel at an opposite end of said conduit to inhibit heat transfer fluid in said supply channel from entering said outlet header.
A heat exchanger having at least one conduit of non-circular cross-section adapted to accommodate passage of heat transfer fluid therethrough and support means for supporting said conduit, said conduit having a major dimension and a minor dimension, inlet and outlet openings, and a corrugated member located in said conduit, said corrugated member having plural corrugations extending generally transversely with respect to said major dimension to define plural heat transfer channels, said conduit having opposed ends spaced apart by said major dimension and opposed sides spaced apart by said minor dimension, said corrugations extending only partially between said sides to define a supply channel intermediate said corrugated member and one side of said conduit and to define a drain channel intermediate said corrugated member and an opposite side of said conduit, said supply channel extending generally along said major dimension and communicating with said inlet opening to direct heat transfer fluid flowing through said inlet opening into said conduit, said drain channel extending generally along said major dimension and communicating with said outlet opening to direct heat transfer fluid out of said conduit through said outlet opening, each of said heat transfer channels extending generally along said minor dimension between said supply channel and said drain channel, said major dimension being substantially greater than said minor dimension, such that each heat transfer channel has a relatively short length compared to a length of said conduit along said major dimension.
A heat exchanger having plural conduits of non-circular cross-section adapted to accommodate passage of heat transfer fluid therethrough and support means for supporting said conduits, each of said conduits having a major dimension and a minor dimension, inlet and outlet openings, a supply channel extending generally along said major dimension and communicating with said inlet opening to direct heat transfer fluid flowing through said inlet opening into said conduit, a drain channel extending generally along said major dimension and communicating with said outlet opening to direct heat transfer fluid out of said conduit through said outlet opening, and plural heat transfer channels, each of said heat transfer channels extending generally along said minor dimension between said supply channel and said drain channel, said major dimension being substantially greater than said minor dimension, such that each heat transfer channel has a relatively short length compared to a length of said conduit along said major dimension, said heat exchanger further including plural serpentine fins extending between and joined to adjacent ones of said conduits.
In a heat exchanger, a conduit of non-circular cross-section adapted to accommodate passage of heat transfer fluid therethrough, said conduit having a major dimension and a minor dimension, inlet and outlet openings, and a corrugated member located in said conduit, said corrugated member having plural corrugations extending generally transversely with respect to said major dimension to defame plural heat transfer channels, said conduit having opposed ends spaced apart by said major dimension and opposed sides spaced apart by said minor dimension, said corrugations extending only partially between said sides to define a supply channel intermediate said corrugated member and one side of said conduit and to define a drain channel intermediate said corrugated member and an opposite side of said conduit, said supply channel extending generally along said major dimension and communicating with said inlet opening to direct heat transfer fluid flowing through said inlet opening into said conduit, said drain channel extending generally along said major dimension and communicating with said outlet opening to direct heat transfer fluid out of said conduit through said outlet opening, each of said heat transfer channels extending generally along said minor dimension between said supply channel and said drain channel, said major dimension being substantially greater than said minor dimension, such that each heat transfer channel has a relatively short length compared to a length of said conduit along said major dimension.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.