Heat exchange tube

• US 4,190,105 A
• Filed: 09/09/1977
• Issued: 02/26/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gerhard Dankowski
• Original Assignee: Gerhard Dankowski
• Inventors: Dankowski, Gerhard
• Primary Examiner(s): King, Lloyd L.
• Application Number:
  US05/831,735
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 165/179, 138/38
• US Class Current: 165/179
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3227 characterised by the arrangement or the type of heat exchanger, e.g. condenser, evaporator condensed liquid drainage means B60H1/3233
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 39/04 Condensers
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/027 Condenser control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 1/0435 Combination of units extending one behind the other F28D1/0452 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 1/40 the means being only inside the tubular element
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 13/06 by affecting the pattern of flow of the heat-exchange media F28F13/003 takes precedence; static flow control means in header boxes F28F9/026
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 165/536 Noncircular cross-section

Abstract

A heat exchange coil for use in engine radiators or other heat exchange units is provided. The coil includes a heat exchange tube with an insert fitted therein. The insert includes a longitudinal core, with a plurality of fins depending radially from the core. The fins have a tip section formed with a curved contour but with an outer diameter slightly larger than the inside diameter of the tube. The fins are sufficiently thin to permit flexing of the tip sections to take on the contour of the inner surface of the tube when inserted into the tube. In another embodiment of the invention, the insert includes a longitudinal core with a plurality of fins having bifurcated ends. The fins depend radially from the core. The bifurcated ends of the fins are curved in opposite directions and are flexible to permit insertion into the heat exchange tube. The outer diameter defined by the curved ends of the bifurcated fins is slightly larger than the inside diameter of the tube such that upon insertion into the tube, positive heat exchange contact is obtained between the ends of the fins and the inner wall of the tube.

Claims

1. An insert for a heat exchange tube, comprising:

a plurality of fins depending from a common core, said fins each having curved bifurcated ends remote from said core, said bifurcated ends of said fins being tapered and flexible to be curved in opposite directions upon insertion of the insert into the tube such that said ends are in heat exchange contact with the inside surface of the heat exchange tube.

2. The insert according to claim 1 wherein said fins extend radially from said core.

3. A heat exchange tube, comprising:

a plurality of interconnected fins each having a root and a bifurcated tip remote from the root, and

means for joining the bifurcated tips to the tip of an adjacent fin to form a plurality of fluid passageways along the longitudinal length of the tube.

4. The heat exchange tube according to claim 3 wherein said roots of said fins are joined to a common longitudinal core.

5. The heat exchange tube according to claim 4 wherein said fins extend radially from said core.

6. The heat exchange tube according to claim 5 wherein said fins are equal in length one to the other such that said core is coincident with the longitudinal centerline of said tube.