Heat exchanger, heat exchanger tube and methods of making and using same

• US 20090159248A1
• Filed: 12/16/2008
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Turbotec Products, Inc. (Mueller Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Turbotec Products, Inc. (Mueller Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mimitz, Timothy E. SR., Scheideman, Fred C., Raina, Sunil, Lewis, Floyd J. JR.
• Application Number:
  US12/316,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20090159248A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/154
• CPC Class Codes: B21C 37/207 with helical guides
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 7/022 the conduits of two or more media in heat-exchange relationship being helically coiled, the coils having a cylindrical configuration
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 7/106 consisting of two coaxial conduits or modules of two coaxial conduits
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 1/06 crimped or corrugated in cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 1/08 Tubular elements crimped or corrugated in longitudinal section
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 1/36 the means being helically wound fins or wire spirals
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 21/086 from titanium or titanium alloys
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2210/06 having walls comprising obliquely extending corrugations, e.g. in the form of threads
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4935 Heat exchanger or boiler making

Abstract

A heat exchanger tube is disclosed herein comprising a first portion, a twisted portion, and a transition portion between the first portion and the twisted portion. The transition portion includes a reinforcing sleeve. A heat exchanger formed from the tube and a method of forming a heat exchanger tube also are disclosed. The tube is useful in making a heat exchanger configured to operate at high pressures without mechanical failure.

Claims

1. A heat exchanger tube comprising a first portion, a twisted portion, and a transition portion between the first portion and the twisted portion, the transition portion including a reinforcing sleeve.

2. The heat exchanger tube of claim 1, wherein the reinforcing sleeve is positioned over the transition portion.

3. The heat exchanger tube of claim 2, wherein the first portion comprises straight tube material.

4. The heat exchanger tube of claim 1, wherein the first portion, twisted portion and transition portion comprise titanium.

5. The heat exchanger of claim 4, wherein the reinforcing sleeve comprises titanium.

6. A heat exchanger comprising an outer tube and an inner tube defining an annular opening therebetween, the inner tube including a first portion, a twisted portion, and a transition portion between the first portion and the twisted portion including a reinforcing sleeve formed thereon, the inner tube being configured to withstand a hydrostatic test pressure of at least 2600 psig for at least 2 minutes without mechanical failure.

7. The heat exchanger of claim 6, wherein the heat exchanger is configured to receive a first fluid in the inner tube and second fluid in the annular portion, and the reinforcing sleeve enables to heat exchanger to operate with a pressure difference of at least 300 psi between the first and second fluids.

8. The heat exchanger of claim 6, wherein the inner tube is configured to withstand a hydrostatic test pressure of at least 3000 psig for at least 2 minutes without mechanical failure.

9. The heat exchanger of claim 6, wherein the outer tube is coiled.

10. The heat exchanger of claim 6, wherein the heat exchanger contains a refrigerant fluid in the inner tube and a second fluid in the annular space between the inner tube and outer tube.

11. The heat exchanger of claim 10, wherein the refrigerant is at least one of R410A, R-410b, R-417a, R-134a and R-407a.

12. The heat exchanger of claim 10, wherein the second fluid comprises water.

13. The heat exchanger of claim 10, wherein the second fluid comprises chlorinated water.

14. A heat pump comprising the heat exchanger of claim 6.

15. A heat exchanger comprising an outer tube and an inner tube defining an annular opening therebetween, the inner tube including a first portion, a twisted portion, and a transition portion between the first portion and the twisted portion including a reinforcing sleeve formed thereon, the inner tube being configured to pass a fatigue test of 250,000 cycles between 118 psig and 418 psig at a rate of 0.5 cycles/second without mechanical failure.

16. The heat exchanger of claim 15, wherein the heat exchanger is configured to receive a first fluid in the inner tube and second fluid in the annular portion, and the reinforcing sleeve enables to heat exchanger to operate with a pressure difference of at least 300 psi between the first and second fluids.

17. A method of making a heat exchanger tube comprising:

forming a inner tube comprising a first portion, a twisted portion, and a transition portion between the first portion and the twisted portion, and

forming a reinforcing sleeve over the transition portion.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising disposing the inner tube and reinforcing sleeve in an outer tube to form an annular opening between the inner tube and the outer tube.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the inner tube and the reinforcing sleeve comprise titanium.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the first portion, twisted portion and transition portion are formed from a continuous segment of tube material.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein the transition portion includes a section of straight tube material and a section of twisted tube material, and the reinforcing sleeve is configured to protect a portion of the section of twisted tube material from fluid impingement.