Heat exchange – Radiator core type – Side-by-side tubes traversing fin means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-15
2001-11-27
Leo, Leonard (Department: 3743)
Heat exchange
Radiator core type
Side-by-side tubes traversing fin means
C165S182000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06321833
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to heat exchangers and more particularly to fin tube heat exchangers for use in hydrocarbon fueled water heaters.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Numerous heat exchanger apparatus have been proposed in the past. Common objectives are economy of manufacture, efficiency of heat transfer, safety and long service life. Various prior art patents disclose heat exchanger methods and apparatus for accomplishing the foregoing general objectives. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,080,916 to Collins discloses a heat exchanger with a continuous tube threaded back and forth through a plurality of fins. The tube has a plurality of straight sections forming tube rows with spacing between adjacent tube rows. A first row of tubing sections is offset from a second row to permit air to pass through the first row and contact the second row.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,225 to Juang discloses a fin and tube heat exchanger having a 4×4 block of spaced tubes threaded through a multitude of fins. Flow through the tubes is split and merged by a plurality of flow splitting and flow merging manifolds that bridge adjacent tubes at either end of the heat exchanger. As in U.S. Pat. No. 3,080,916, the tubes in adjacent rows are staggered. The fin plates have a plurality of fin arrays to promote air turbulence to enhance heat transfer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,169,502 to Kluck teaches a tube and fin heat exchanger for use as an automobile radiator wherein the tubes are arranged on a sinusoidal, wave or zig zag line. This arrangement, according to the patent, exposes all tubes to the cooling air current. The fins are provided with tear holes which, in conjunction with tube passage collars, space adjacent fins one from another.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,230 to Obusu et al. discloses a fin and tube heat exchanger wherein the leading and trailing edges of the fins have a sinusoidal or trapezoidal wave shape, with the leading and trailing edges described as being contoured to conform with isotherms around the fluid flowing through the tubes. The patent suggests that this form of fin promotes economy of manufacture by avoiding material wastage. Each of the fins has a plurality of louvers aligned on the fin body along the isotherms.
Notwithstanding the existing fin and tube heat exchanger technology, it remains an object in the field to produce heat exchangers which are yet more efficient, safe, durable, economical to produce and such is the object of the present invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The problems and disadvantages associated with the conventional techniques and apparatus used for heat exchange are overcome by the present invention which includes a heat exchanger with a plurality of tubes for conducting a first fluid flowing therethrough. A plurality of fins is disposed generally transverse to the tubes with the tubes extending through apertures in the fins and in contact therewith such that heat can be transferred between the fins and the tubes. The fins are in contact with a second fluid, which at selected times flows around the fins from a leading edge to a trailing edge thereof. The leading edge of at least one of the fins is shaped along an isotherm generated during the flowing of the first fluid and the second fluid. A method for empirically determining fin shape includes trimming fin areas exhibiting excessive temperatures during operation.
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Mills Brady A.
O'Leary Timothy
Schardt David L.
Willis Vance
H-Tech, Inc.
Leo Leonard
Selitto Behr & Kim
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