Heat exchange – With impeller or conveyor moving exchange material – Mechanical gas pump
Reexamination Certificate
2003-06-06
2004-09-21
McKinnon, Terrell (Department: 3743)
Heat exchange
With impeller or conveyor moving exchange material
Mechanical gas pump
C165S150000, C062S526000, C062S515000, C454S256000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06793010
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to heal exchangers, and more specifically to heat exchangers used in a refrigeration or air conditioning system.
2. Description of the Related Art
A heat exchanger is a device used to transfer heat from a fluid on one side of a barrier to a fluid on the other side without bringing the fluids into direct contact. Heat exchangers are typically used in refrigeration systems and often take the form of a gas cooler, condenser, or evaporator.
A conventional refrigeration system including a coil and fin type heat exchanger is schematically illustrated in FIG.
1
. Also shown in the schematic illustration of
FIG. 1
is a compressor
6
, evaporator assembly
8
and fan
18
. Heat exchanger
10
generally includes fluid conduit
12
having a generally serpentine structure that includes a series of bends
14
interconnecting a series of parallel straight lengths of the conduit. Fluid conduit
12
extends through a plurality of heat exchange elements
16
such as flat, heat transfer fins. Heat exchange elements
16
are substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of folded conduit
12
. Fan
18
of the refrigeration system is positioned to generate an airflow in a direction indicated by arrows
17
that, in turn, induces airflow through the airflow passages defined by adjacent elements
16
as indicated by arrows
19
to thereby remove heat from the heat exchanger.
Oftentimes, the heat exchanger forming the condenser of a refrigeration system will be mounted along the edge of a rectilinear baseplate with a fan mounted thereto and generating an air flow perpendicular to the parallel straight lengths of the conduit and parallel to the airflow passages defined by fins mounted on the straight lengths of the conduits at a perpendicular angle. In the system shown in
FIG. 1
, heat exchanger
10
is mounted at an angle relative to the edges of the base plate and fan
18
generates an airflow in direction
17
that is at an angle to the direction defined by the airflow passages formed between adjacent heat exchange elements
16
that are mounted on the heat exchanger conduit at a perpendicular angle. In the system illustrated in
FIG. 1
, the orientation of heat exchanger
10
and the air flow passages extending therethrough relative to the direction of the airflow
17
generated by fan
18
has a negative impact on the quantity of air passing through heat exchanger
10
and, consequently, the ability of the air to remove heat from the heat exchanger.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a heat exchanger for use in a refrigeration system including a fluid conduit having a plurality of heat transfer elements mounted thereon at a non-perpendicular angle to the longitudinal axis of the conduit. An airblower or fan may also be included in the system and the alignment of the positioning of heat exchange elements is coordinated with the airflow generated by the airblower to enhance the quantity of air passing through the heat exchanger and thereby improving the performance of the heat exchanger.
The invention comprises, in one form thereof, a heat exchanger assembly including a compressor, a heat exchanger and an airblower. The heat exchanger has a fluid conveying conduit in fluid communication with the compressor and a plurality of heat exchange elements thermally coupled with a first heat exchanging segment of the conduit, each of the elements having at least one heat transfer surface. The airblower is mounted in a first position relative to the heat exchanger wherein the airblower generates an airflow in a first direction. The first heat exchanging segment of the conduit substantially extends longitudinally in a second direction with the first direction defining a non-perpendicular first angle with the second direction. The heat transfer surfaces define at least one airflow passage extending through the heat exchanger in a third direction, the third direction defining a non-perpendicular second angle with the second direction, the second angle and the first angle having a difference of no greater than approximately 30 degrees.
The heat exchanger assembly may be configured wherein the first direction defined by the airflow generated by the airblower and the third direction defined by the airflow passage through the heat exchanger are substantially parallel. The first heat exchanging segment of the conduit may have a generally serpentine shape and include a plurality of bends interconnecting a plurality of substantially parallel lengths of the conduit with the lengths extending in the second direction and being vertically spaced and thermally coupled to the heat exchange elements.
The conduit may also include a second heat exchanging segment having a second generally serpentine shape and including a second plurality of bends interconnecting a second plurality of substantially parallel lengths of the conduit extending in a fourth direction. The second lengths are vertically spaced and thermally coupled to a second plurality of heat exchange elements thermally coupled with the second lengths. Each of the second plurality of heat exchange elements have at least one second heat transfer surface wherein the second heat transfer surfaces define at least one second airflow passage extending through the second heat exchanger segment in a fifth direction and the fourth and fifth directions form a non-perpendicular third angle. In an assembly including two heat exchanging segments, the second and fourth directions respectively defined by the first and second heat exchanging segments of the conduit may define an angle and the third and fifth directions defined by the airflow passages extending through the first and second heat exchanging segments may each be substantially parallel to the first direction defined by the airflow generated by the airblower.
The plurality of heat exchange elements may be formed by a plurality of substantially planar fins wherein each of the fins defines first and second heat transfer surfaces disposed on opposite sides of the fin and wherein the fins are disposed substantially parallel to one another.
The invention comprises, in another form thereof, a system having a base plate, compressor, heat exchanger and airblower. The compressor is mounted to the base plate and has a discharge port for discharging compressed fluid. A fluid conveying conduit is in fluid communication with the discharge port of the compressor. The heat exchanger is mounted to the base plate and has a plurality of heat exchange elements thermally coupled with a first heat exchanging segment of the conduit, each of the elements having at least one heat transfer surface. The airblower is mounted to the base plate wherein the airblower generates an airflow in a first direction. The first heat exchanging segment of the conduit substantially extends longitudinally in a second direction with the first direction defining a non-perpendicular first angle with the second direction. The heat transfer surfaces define at least one airflow passage extending through the heat exchanger in a third direction with the third direction defining a non-perpendicular second angle with the second direction, the second angle and the first angle having a difference of no greater than approximately 30 degrees.
The first heat exchanging segment of the system may form a condenser and the fluid compressed by the compressor and discharged into the conduit may be a combustible refrigerant. The base plate may have outer perimetrical edges defining a substantially rectilinear shape wherein the second direction defined by the first heat exchanging segment defines a non-perpendicular angle with the edges and the first heat exchanging segment is positioned proximate the compressor so that airflow generated by the airblower impinges upon both the first heat exchanging segment and the compressor.
Alternatively, the base plate may have a plurality of outer perimetrical edges wherein first and second heat exchanging segments are positioned pr
Baker & Daniels
McKinnon Terrell
Tecumseh Products Company
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