HEAT EXCHANGER

• US 3,643,733 A
• Filed: 02/05/1970
• Issued: 02/22/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John M. Spicer, Roger W. Hall
• Original Assignee: John M. Spicer, Roger W. Hall
• Inventors: Hall, Roger W., Spicer, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sukalo, Charles
• Application Number:
  US05/008,811
• Time in Patent Office: 747 Days
• Field of Search: 165/143,156,81-83,112,51,141,46 138/32,114 285/41,133
• US Class Current: 165/81
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 7/026 the conduits of only one medium being helically coiled and formed by bent members, e.g. plates, the coils having a cylindrical configuration
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2265/14 for preventing damage by freezing, e.g. for accommodating volume expansion
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2265/26 for allowing differential expansion between elements
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 9/0219 Arrangements for sealing end plates into casing or header box; Header box sub-elements F28F9/0236 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 165/06 Expandable casing for cylindrical heat exchanger

Abstract

A heat exchanger in which fluid is passed through the inside of an inner tube to heat or cool fluid passing between the outside of the inner tube and the inside of an outer tube concentrically disposed about the inner tube accommodates substantial expansion and contraction of both the outer tube and the fluid to be heated or cooled without leakage or damage to the heat exchanger. The outer tube is made of resilient material so as to expand and contract in response to changes in the volume of the fluid to be heated or cooled, and the heat exchanger is provided with circular end bells between the inner and outer tubes at the opposite ends, one of the end bells being movable axially relative to the inner tube to allow for freezing of the fluid to be heated or cooled and to accommodate axial expansion and contraction of the outer tube. Each end bell includes a pair of elastomeric O-rings disposed between the end bell and different ones of the inner and outer tubes, and the axially movable end bell is restrained by a coil spring and included stop washer mounted on the inner tube adjacent the end bell.

Claims

1. A heat exchanger comprising an inner member having a hollow interior defining a first fluid chamber, an outer member having a hollow interior and surrounding the inner member to define a second fluid chamber, and an end member extending between the inner and outer members to close off the second fluid chamber from the outside of the heat exchanger and including means for communicating between the second fluid chamber and the outside of the heat exchanger, said end member being movable relative to the inner member to accommodate expansion and contraction of the outer member and changes in the volume of fluid within the second fluid chamber.

2. A heat exchanger in accordance with claim 1, further including means disposed between the end member and the inner member for normally urging the end member relative to the inner member in a direction toward the second fluid chamber.

3. A heat exchanger comprising a generally cylindrical inner member having a hollow interior defining a first fluid chamber, a generally cylindrical outer member having a hollow interior and substantially concentrically disposed about the outside of the inner member, the space between the inside of the outer member and the outside of the inner member defining a second fluid chamber, a generally circular end member extending between and concentrically disposed relative to the inner and outer members and including means communicating between the second fluid chamber and the outside of the heat exchanger, said end member being movable axially relative to the inner member, and resilient means disposed between a fixed location on the outside of the inner member and the end member for restraining movement of the end member relative to the inner member in a direction away from the second fluid chamber.

4. A heat exchanger in accordance with claim 3, wherein the end member extends over and into contact with an end of the outer member, the outer member is comprised of resilient material, and further including a plurality of fins mounted on the outside of the inner member within the second fluid chamber and extending into contact with the outer member to define a torroidal path for the second fluid chamber.

5. A heat exchanger in accordance with claim 3, wherein the resilient means includes stop means fixedly mounted on the outside of the inner member on the opposite side of the end member from the second fluid chamber and a coil spring slidably concentrically disposed on the outside of the inner member between the stop means and the end member.

6. A heat exchanger in accordance with claim 5, wherein the stop means comprises a hollow, cylindrical member, and further including a circular retainer concentrically disposed on the outside of the inner member between the coil spring and the end member and substantially coextensive with the end member.

7. A heat exchanger in accordance with claim 3, further including sealing means separately disposed between each of the inner and outer members and the end member.

8. A heat exchanger in accordance with claim 7, wherein the sealing means comprises first and second resilient O-rings respectively concentrically disposed between the end member and the inner and outer members.

9. A heat exchanger comprising an inner tube having a hollow interior defining a flow passage for a temperature changing fluid, an outer tube having a hollow interior and an axial length which is less than the length of the inner tube, the outer tube being concentrically disposed on the outside of the inner tube along a portion of the axial length of the inner tube, a plurality of fins mounted on the outside of the inner tube and extending into at least close proximity to the outer tube to define a torroidal passage between the inner and outer tubes for a fluid which is to have its temperature changed, a pair of circular end bells concentrically mounted on the outside of the inner tube and extending into contact with different ones of the opposite ends of the outer tube to enclose the torroidal passage, each of the end bells including a tubular portion for communicating between the outside of the heat exchanger and the torroidal passage and one of the end bells being axially slidable relative to the inner tube, a coil spring concentrically slidably mounted on the outside of the inner tube on the opposite side of the axially slidable end bell from the torroidal passage, and means mounted on the outside of the inner tube adjacent the end of the coil spring opposite the axially slidable end bell for preventing movement of said end of the coil spring relative to the inner tube.