HEAT EXCHANGERS BASED ON NON-CIRCULAR TUBES WITH TUBE-ENDPLATE INTERFACE FOR JOINING TUBES OF DISPARATE CROSS-SECTIONS

• US 20070246206A1
• Filed: 04/25/2006
• Published: 10/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lennox International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Advanced Heat Transfer, LLC
• Inventors: Gong, Ying, Wayne, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 7,549,465 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/173
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2500/01 Geometry problems, e.g. for reducing size
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 39/00 Evaporators; Condensers
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 1/0476 the conduits having a non-circular cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2001/0266 Particular core assemblies, e.g. having different orientations or having different geometric features
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/007 Condensers for vehicles F28D2021/0084; for compression systems F25B39/04, cold exchangers for separating constituents of gaseous mixtures F25J3/06
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/0071 Evaporators for vehicles F28D2021/0085, for compression systems F25B39/02
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 1/02 Tubular elements of cross-section which is non-circular F28F1/08, F28F1/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 1/325 Fins with openings
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 9/02 Header boxes; End plates
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 9/0246 Arrangements for connecting header boxes with flow lines
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 9/165 by using additional preformed parts, e.g. sleeves, gaskets F28F9/185 takes precedence

Abstract

A heat exchanger (10) having at least one inlet tube (12) that ducts a heat exchange fluid (14). At least some of the inlet tubes (12) are characterized by a first cross-sectional profile (16). A core (18) is in fluid communication with the at least one inlet tube (12). The core (18) has one or more rows of core tubes that also duct the fluid. At least some of the core tubes (20) are characterized by a second cross-sectional profile (22). The first cross-sectional profile (16) is different from the second cross-sectional profile (22). A first endplate assembly (26) is positioned between the at least one inlet tube (12) and the core (18). The first endplate assembly (26) has a first section (28) that defines an inlet orifice (30) that is sized to sealingly engage the first cross-sectional profile (16). A second section (32) defines an outlet orifice (34) that is sized to sealingly engage the second cross-sectional profile (22). The first and second sections (28, 32) cooperate to provide a sealing engagement therebetween.

Claims

1. A heat exchanger having

at least one inlet tube that ducts a heat exchange fluid, at least some of the inlet tubes being characterized by a first cross-sectional profile;

a core in fluid communication with the at least one inlet tube, the core having one or more rows of core tubes that also duct the fluid, at least some of the core tubes being characterized by a second cross-sectional profile,

a first endplate assembly positioned between the at least one inlet tube and the core, the first endplate assembly having

a first section that defines an inlet orifice that is sized to sealingly engage the first cross-sectional profile; and

a second section that defines an outlet orifice that is sized to sealingly engage the second cross-sectional profile, the first and second sections cooperating to provide a sealing engagement therebetween.

2. The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein the one or more rows of core tubes comprise two arrays of core tubes, the two arrays comprising a first array that receives inlet fluid and feeds the fluid to the second array, the heat exchanger also comprising flow rerouting conduits that sealingly communicate between the first and second rows.

3. The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein the first endplate assembly includes a pair of plates that each include two faces, each face having a cladding material thereupon.

4. The heat exchanger of claim 3 wherein one of the two plates defines holes that receive the first cross-sectional profile and the second plate defines holes that receive the second cross-sectional profile.

5. The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein the second cross-sectional profile includes an ellipse.

6. The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein the second cross-sectional profile includes a 4-radius combination.

7. The heat exchanger of claim 2 wherein the vertical spacing between adjacent rows of tubes in the first array is a dimension (T_vs) and the two arrays are spaced horizontally by a tube spacing (T_hs), where (T_vs)=(T_hs).

8. The heat exchanger of claim 7 wherein the heat exchanger is provided with fins through which the arrays of tubes in the core pass, at least some of the fins being provided with louvers that extend therefrom into air that flows through the heat exchanger.

9. The heat exchanger of claim 1 further comprising a second endplate assembly, the second endplate assembly having

a first section that defines an orifice that is sized to sealingly engage the second cross-sectional profile;

and

a second section that defines a fluid redirecting conduit, the first and second sections cooperating to provide a sealing engagement therebetween.

10. The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein at least some of the tubes are formed from a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, copper, clad metals, stainless steel, other metals, alloys thereof, non-metallic materials, and mixtures thereof.

11. The heat exchanger of claim 6 wherein a tube aspect ratio is between 3 and 3.75.

12. The heat exchanger of claim 8 wherein the louvers are spaced apart from a tube by distance (D), where (D) is approximately (T_vs)/4.

13. The heat exchanger of claim 8 wherein at least some of the louvers follow contours of the core tubes.

14. The heat exchanger of claim 13 wherein an average inclination of a louver to a plane of a fin from which the louver extends is about 25°

.

15. The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein the second cross-sectional profile is characterized by a span and the first cross-sectional profile is characterized by a diameter, the span of the second profile approximately equaling the diameter of the first profile.

16. The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein the second cross-sectional profile is characterized by a major axis, the major axis being oriented at an angle of attack in relation to incident air.

17. The heat exchanger of claim 9 wherein the fluid redirecting conduit has a diameter that varies along at least some of the length of the conduit.

18. The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein the first cross-sectional profile is round and the second cross-sectional profile is round, wherein the profiles have different diameters.