Laminated sheet manifold for microchannel heat exchanger
AssigneeLiebert Corporation
InventorsTimothy J. Schrader, Ian G. Spearing
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A heat exchanger can have a manifold which includes a plurality of laminated sheets that allow a customization of the heat exchanger. The design can allow for a more optimal flow of coolant to areas of high load, thereby making the temperature distribution across the heat exchanger more uniform, or intentionally non-uniform. Furthermore, the laminated sheets can allow multiple circuits to be employed in the heat exchanger such that different coolants can be utilized therein and maintained separate from one another. The tubes can be microchannel tubes. A single set of manifolds can be used with multiple heat exchanger cores to provide a more compact heat exchanger. Mounting features can be integral with a group of the sheets.
Claims26
A heat exchanger comprising:
- a plurality of tubes having opposite first and second ends with at least one flow path extending therebetween, said tubes arranged adjacent one another;
- a plurality of fins in heat-transferring relation with said tubes;
- and
- a first manifold in fluid communication with said first ends of said tubes, said first manifold comprising
- a plurality of sections each having a different flow configuration, the plurality of sections including at least
- a first section configured to connect to the tubes,
- a third section adapted to form an end of the manifold and configured to fluidicly couple with at least one of a supply line and a return line, and
- a second section disposed between the first and third sections;
- wherein at least the second section comprises a plurality of sheets each having a same arrangement of one or more similarly sized and shaped openings therethrough,
- said sheets being laminated together with said openings in each of said sheets aligned with openings in other ones of said sheets to form flow passageways through said second section,
- said flow passageways constituting at least a portion of a fluid flow path through said third section and at least a first group of said tubes.
A heat exchanger system comprising:
- at least one heat exchanger core including a plurality of microchannel tubes with opposite first and second ends and a plurality of microchannels extending therebetween and a plurality of fins in heat-conducting contact with said tubes;
- a first fluid flowing through said microchannels in said tubes;
- an air-flow flowing across an exterior of said at least one core in heat-transferring relation with said first fluid through said at least one core;
- and
- first and second manifolds attached to said first and second ends, respectively, and in fluid communication with said microchannels, each one of said manifolds comprising a plurality of sections each having a different flow configuration, the plurality of sections including at least
- a first section configured to connect to the tubes,
- a third section adapted to form an end of the manifold and configured to fluidicly couple with at least one of a supply line and a return line, and
- a second section disposed between the first and third sections;
- wherein at least the second section comprises a plurality of sheets each having a same arrangement of one or more openings therethrough,
- said sheets being laminated together with said openings in each of said sheets aligned with openings in other ones of said sheets to form flow passageways through said second section,
- said flow passageways constituting at least a portion of a fluid flow path allowing said first fluid to flow from said first manifold, through at least a first group of said tubes in said at least one core and into said second manifold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.