Manifold structure for re-directing a fluid stream

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10077952-B2
Application number	US-201514701658-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 1, 2015
Priority date	May 2, 2014
Publication date	Sep 18, 2018
Grant date	Sep 18, 2018

Abstract

A manifold structure for re-directing a fluid stream between first and second ends of a manifold cavity for delivering or discharging a fluid to or from a corresponding fluid transmitting device, such as a heat exchanger is disclosed. In particular, a a flow box enclosing a fluid transmitting device is disclosed wherein an incoming or outgoing fluid is re-directed between first and second directions when being delivered to or discharged from the enclosed fluid transmitting device In one embodiment, the manifold structure includes a first curved surface having a concave curvature for redirecting a fluid stream from a first direction to a second direction. In another embodiment, the manifold structure includes a second curved surface having a convex curvature that is disposed in facing, spaced-apart relationship to the first curved surface, the first and second curved surfaces together inducing swirling movement into the incoming or outgoing fluid stream.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A manifold structure comprising:
a first manifold cavity for receiving a fluid;
a first fluid opening in fluid communication with said first manifold cavity, said first fluid opening having a flow axis oriented in a first direction, said first fluid opening located at a first end of said first manifold cavity for inletting or outletting said fluid to or from said first manifold cavity in said first direction;
a second fluid opening in fluid communication with said first manifold cavity, said second fluid opening having a flow axis oriented in a second direction that is generally perpendicular to said first direction, said second fluid opening arranged at a second end of said first manifold cavity for inletting or outletting said fluid to or from said first manifold cavity in said second direction;
a first curved surface forming a bottom portion of said first manifold cavity generally opposite to said first fluid opening having a concave curvature for redirecting the fluid flow from either said first or second direction to the other of said first or second direction;
wherein said manifold structure forms part of a flow box for housing a fluid transmitting device, the flow box comprising:
a base plate defining a generally central region for receiving said fluid transmitting device:
a cover portion arranged on top of said base plate enclosing said fluid transmitting device, said cover portion having a first end and a second end, the cover portion and said base plate together forming said first manifold cavity at one end of said flow box and defining a second manifold cavity at an opposite end of said flow box, wherein said first fluid opening is formed in an upper surface of said cover portion in fluid communication with said first manifold cavity and said second fluid opening is formed in an end wall of said cover portion in fluid communication with said second manifold cavity:
a flow passage interconnecting said first manifold cavity and said second manifold cavity, said fluid transmitting device being disposed in said flow passage:

wherein said first curved surface forms part of the base plate forming a base end of said first manifold cavity generally opposite to said first fluid opening, said first curved surface having a first portion extending towards said first fluid opening and a second portion extending away from said first fluid opening towards the second end of said first manifold cavity defining said concave curvature therebetween, wherein:
said first portion of said first curved surface is in the form of a protrusion extending towards and arranged centrally with respect to said first fluid opening; and
said second portion of said first curved surface is in the form of a channel region surrounding said first portion, the channel region having upwardly sloped sidewalls extending away from said first portion, the channel region thereby having a concave curvature.

2. The manifold structure as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
a second curved surface formed within said first manifold cavity, wherein said second curved surface is spaced-apart from and generally opposite to said first curved surface, said second curved surface being arranged around said protrusion and having one of a concave curvature or a convex curvature.

3. The manifold structure as claimed in claim 2 , further comprising:
a manifold insert having a first end and a second end, and a central passage extending therebetween, said manifold insert being mounted within said first fluid opening and extending into said first manifold cavity such that said second end of said manifold insert is spaced-apart from said first curved surface; wherein said second end of said manifold insert defines said second curved surface arranged around and spaced-apart from said protrusion and having a convex curvature; and wherein said first and second curved surfaces cooperate for redirecting the fluid flow from said first direction to said second direction or vice versa.

4. The manifold structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said first fluid opening is formed in said flow box and is arranged offset with respect to a central longitudinal axis of said fluid transmitting device.

5. The manifold structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said fluid transmitting device is one of the following alternatives:
a heat exchanger or a humidifier.

6. The manifold structure as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a flow diverting ramp disposed in said second manifold cavity for directing the fluid flow between said second manifold cavity and said second fluid opening.

7. The manifold structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said base plate further comprises a peripheral rim extending upwardly away from the base plate, the peripheral rim extending around the periphery of the base plate inwardly disposed with respect to a peripheral edge bounding said base plate, the peripheral rim providing a sealing surface for forming a fluid tight seal with said cover portion.

8. A heat exchanger apparatus, comprising:
a housing defining a first manifold cavity and a second manifold cavity and a flow passage interconnecting said first manifold cavity and said second manifold cavity
a first fluid opening formed in said housing in fluid communication with said first manifold cavity and having a flow axis oriented in a first direction; a second fluid opening formed in said housing in fluid communication with said second manifold cavity and having a flow axis oriented in a second direction;
a heat exchanger located within the flow passage between the first manifold cavity and the second manifold cavity, the heat exchanger having a plurality of first fluid channels for transmitting a first fluid therethrough in said second direction, and a plurality of second fluid channels for transmitting a second fluid therethrough, the heat exchanger having a first end in fluid communication with said first manifold cavity and a second end in fluid communication with said second manifold cavity;
a first curved surface forming a base end of said first manifold cavity generally opposite to said first fluid opening, said first curved surface having a first portion extending towards said first fluid opening and a second portion extending away from said fluid inlet and defining a concave curvature therebetween;
wherein said first curved surface is a flow diverting surface for redirecting the first fluid flow between one of said first fluid opening or said second fluid opening and the other of said first fluid opening and said second fluid opening from said first or second direction to the other of said first or second direction for transmission to or from said first fluid channels of said heat exchanger; and wherein:
said first portion of said first curved surface is in the form of a protrusion extending towards and arranged centrally with respect to said first fluid opening; and
said second portion of said first curved surface is in the form of a channel region surrounding said first portion, the channel region having an upwardly sloped sidewall extending away from said first portion, the channel region thereby having a concave curvature.

9. The heat exchanger apparatus as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising:
a second curved surface formed in said first manifold cavity, spaced-apart from and generally opposite to said first curved surface and arranged so as to encircle the first portion of said first curved surface and having one of a convex curvature or a concave curvature.

10. The heat exchanger apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , further comprising:
a manifold insert having a first end and a second end, and a central passage extending therebetween, said manif

Assignees

• Dana Canada Corp

Inventors

• Kenney Benjamin A
• Gerges Ihab Edward
• Buckrell Andrew

Classifications

• F28D9/0043

  the plates having openings therein for circulation of at least one heat-exchange medium from one conduit to another · CPC title

• F28F9/001

  Casings in the form of plate-like arrangements; Frames enclosing a heat exchange core · CPC title

• F28F13/12

  by creating turbulence, e.g. by stirring, by increasing the force of circulation (F28F13/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F28F9/02 Primary

  Header boxes; End plates · CPC title

• F28F2009/029

  with increasing or decreasing cross-section, e.g. having conical shape · CPC title