Fluid heat transfer device having plural counter flow circuits with periodic flow direction change therethrough

• US 8,607,854 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2008
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tai-Her Yang
• Original Assignee: Tai-Her Yang
• Inventors: Yang, Tai-Her
• Primary Examiner(s): CIRIC, LJILJANA V
• Application Number:
  US12/292,412
• Publication Number:
  US 20100122804A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,854 Days
• Field of Search: 165/104.11, 165/104.14, 165/104.19, 165/104.21, 165/104.22, 165/104.26, 165/104.33, 165/200, 165/272, 165/273, 165/274
• US Class Current: 165/200
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 21/00 Heat-exchange apparatus not covered by any of the groups F28D1/00 - F28D20/00
• 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: F28F 27/02 for controlling the distribution of heat-exchange media between different channels static flow control means in header boxes F28F9/026; arrangements of guide plates or guide vanes F28F9/22, F28F25/12

Abstract

A fluid heat transfer device includes a multi-pipe arrangement for transporting fluids of temperature difference in counter flow directions on same end sides of a first transfer pipe and second transfer pipe having a parallel arrangement.

Claims

1. A fluid heat transfer device comprising:

a heat exchanger having a first side, wherein the heat exchanger has an inlet manifold having a first and second outlet on opposite ends of the first side and an outlet manifold having a first and second inlet on opposite ends of the first side of the heat exchanger;

at least one first fluid piping coupled to the first outlet of the inlet manifold and to the first inlet of the outlet manifold to form at least one first circuit within the heat exchanger;

at least one second fluid piping coupled to the second outlet of the inlet manifold and to the second inlet of the outlet manifold to form at least one second circuit within the heat exchanger;

at least one bidirectional fluid pumping device coupled to one of the inlet manifold and the outlet manifold to pump a thermal conductive fluid in forward and reverse directions; and

at least one periodic fluid direction-change operative control device that controls the at least one bidirectional fluid pumping device to periodically control a flow direction of the thermal conductive fluid that is originally pumped in a first flow direction to alternately flow in a second direction,

wherein the at least one first and second circuits are configured in a way such that the thermal conductive fluid is flowable in the heat exchanger such that a flow through the at least one first circuit is in one flow direction and a flow in the at least one second direction is in a parallel and opposite flow direction to the one flow direction.

2. The fluid heat transfer device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thermal conductive fluid is a fluid selected from the group consisting of a gas and liquid.

3. The fluid heat transfer device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first outlet of the inlet manifold is configured in a way such that the first outlet is located in a first position adjacent to the second inlet of the outlet manifold and the second outlet of the inlet manifold is configured in a way such that the second outlet is located in a second position adjacent to the first inlet of the outlet manifold.

4. The fluid heat transfer device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the at least one periodic fluid direction-change operative control device is configured so that the flow direction of the thermal conductive fluid is manually controllable or settable based one a direction-change time period to periodically change the control of the flow direction.

5. The fluid heat transfer device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the bidirectional fluid pumping device has

at least one fluid pump configured for bidirectional fluid pumping, wherein the at least one fluid pump is installed between either one of the first or second pipe and either one of the first or second sets of fluid ports.

6. The fluid heat transfer device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the bidirectional fluid pumping device

comprises at least one fluid pump configured to pump bidirectionally and installed at each of the inlet manifold and the outlet manifold.

7. The fluid heat transfer device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the bidirectional fluid pumping device

comprises four unidirectional fluid pumps installed at the first and second outlet of the inlet manifold and the first and second inlet of the outlet manifold, wherein two unidirectional fluid pumps pump in positive flow directions and two unidirectional fluid pumps pump in reverse flow directions, wherein one pump that pumps in positive flow directions is connected in series with one pump that pumps in reverse flow directions.

8. The fluid heat transfer device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the bidirectional fluid pumping device comprises at least one fluid pump operable to pump the thermally conductive fluid bidirectionally, said at least one pump installed at each of the first and second outlets of the inlet manifold to periodically change the thermal conductive fluid flow direction.

9. The fluid heat transfer device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the bidirectional fluid pumping device comprises at least one fluid pump operable to pump the thermally conductive fluid bidirectionally, said at least one pump installed at each of the first and second inlets of the outlet manifold to periodically change the thermal conductive fluid flow direction.

10. The fluid heat transfer device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the bidirectional fluid pumping device comprises two fluid pumps that pump in different flow directions connected in series and are installed at the inlet manifold or the outlet manifold, wherein the pumping flow directions are periodically changed to flow in opposite flow directions.

11. The fluid heat transfer device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the bidirectional fluid pumping device comprises two fluid pumps that pump in different flow directions connected in parallel and are installed at least at the inlet manifold or the outlet manifold, wherein the pumping flow directions are periodically changed to flow in reverse flow directions.

12. The fluid heat transfer device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the bidirectional fluid pumping device comprises four unidirectional fluid pumps, wherein two unidirectional fluid pumps pump in positive flow directions and two unidirectional fluid pumps pump in reverse flow directions, wherein one pump that pumps in positive flow directions is connected in parallel with one pump that pumps in reverse flow directions.

13. The fluid heat transfer device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bidirectional fluid pumping device is configured as a positive displacement pump to push the thermal conductive fluid, or as a negative pressure pump to pull the thermal conductive fluid, or is configured to simultaneously produce a negative pressure at the outlet manifold for pumping the thermal conductive fluid and positive pressure at the inlet manifold for auxiliary pumping the thermal conductive fluid.

14. The fluid heat transfer device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a temperature detecting device installed at one or more places on the heat exchanger, wherein the at least one periodic fluid direction-change operative control device is also configured to change the flow direction of the thermally conductive fluid using a detected temperature value.