Removable fin heat exchanger systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11035578-B2
Application number	US-201916290293-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 1, 2019
Priority date	Feb 21, 2019
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a fin heat exchanger, including a header, a set of tubes fluidly coupled to the header, and a mount configured to engage with and disengage from the set of tubes. The mount includes a fin section configured to extend between adjacent tubes of the set of tubes in an engaged mount configuration, and configured to be separated from the set of tubes in an unengaged mount configuration.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fin heat exchanger, comprising:
a header;
a plurality of tubes fluidly coupled to the header; and
a mount configured to engage with and disengage from the plurality of tubes, wherein the mount includes a fin section configured to extend between adjacent tubes of the plurality of tubes in an engaged mount configuration, and configured to be separated from the plurality of tubes in an unengaged mount configuration.

2. The fin heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the mount includes a first plate configured to engage with a first tube of the adjacent tubes in the engaged mount configuration, a second plate configured to engage with a second tube of the adjacent tubes in the engaged mount configuration, and a fin of the fin section is coupled to the first plate and to the second plate.

3. The fin heat exchanger of claim 2 , wherein the first plate includes a C-shape corresponding in shape to an outer surface of the first tube, and the second plate includes a second C-shape corresponding in shape to an outer surface of the second tube.

4. The fin heat exchanger of claim 3 , wherein the mount includes a third plate that is a substantially flat piece of sheet metal, wherein the fin section is a first fin section, and wherein the mount includes a second fin section configured to extend between the second plate and the third plate.

5. The fin heat exchanger of claim 2 , wherein the first plate includes a first coupling component, wherein a tube of the plurality of tubes includes a second coupling component, and wherein the first coupling component is configured to engage with the second coupling component in the engaged mount configuration.

6. The fin heat exchanger of claim 5 , wherein the first coupling component of the first plate is one of either a concavity or convexity, and wherein the second coupling component of the tube is a different one of either the concavity or convexity.

7. The fin heat exchanger of claim 2 , wherein the first plate includes a layer having a thermal interface compound disposed on an internal surface of the first plate, and wherein the layer is configured to be disposed between the internal surface of the plate and the tube in the engaged mount configuration.

8. The fin heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the mount includes a plurality of fin sections and at least one bracket coupled to each fin section of the plurality of fin sections.

9. The fin heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of tubes includes a plurality of microchannel tubes.

10. The fin heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the mount includes a plurality of plates having a mesh structure, and wherein the fin section extends between adjacent plates of the plurality of plates.

11. The fin heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the mount includes a plurality of plates, wherein the fin section extends between adjacent plates of the plurality of plates, and wherein the mount includes a rod coupled to each plate of the plurality of plates.

12. A heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
a heat exchanger having a plurality of tubes configured to flow a refrigerant in a first operating mode; and
a mount of the heat exchanger having fins configured to extend between adjacent tubes of the plurality of tubes in an engaged mount configuration during the first operating mode, and configured to be separated from the plurality of tubes in an unengaged mount configuration during a second operating mode different than the first operating mode.

13. The HVAC system of claim 12 , wherein the mount includes a plurality of plates configured to couple to the tubes in the engaged mount configuration, and wherein the fins are coupled to and extend between adjacent plates of the plurality of plates.

14. The HVAC system of claim 13 , wherein a first contour of an inner surface of a plate of the plurality of plates substantially corresponds to a second contour of an outer surface of a tube of the plurality of tubes.

15. The HVAC system of claim 12 , including a mounting location disposed on a housing element of the HVAC system and separate from the plurality of tubes, wherein the mounting location is configured to receive the mount in the unengaged mount configuration.

16. The HVAC system of claim 15 , including a transfer mechanism configured to transfer the mount from the plurality of tubes in the engaged mount configuration to the mounting location in the unengaged mount configuration.

17. The HVAC system of claim 16 , wherein the transfer mechanism is configured to receive a transfer signal from a controller and configured to transfer the mount from the plurality of tubes to the mounting location based on receipt of the transfer signal.

18. The HVAC system of claim 12 , wherein each tube of the plurality of tubes includes a plurality of microchannels configured to flow the refrigerant.

19. The HVAC system of claim 12 , where a plate of the plurality of plates includes a C-shaped structure.

20. The HVAC system of claim 19 , wherein the C-shaped structure includes a first side portion, a second side portion, and a connecting portion, and wherein the first side portion and the second side portion extend substantially parallel to each other from edges of the connecting portion.

21. The HVAC system of claim 20 , wherein the connecting portion includes a plurality of apertures disposed along a length of the connecting portion.

22. A heat exchanger, comprising:
a header;
a plurality of microchannel tubes fluidly connected to and extending from the header;
a mount having a plurality of plates configured to engage with the plurality of microchannel tubes in an engaged mount configuration, and configured to be separated from the plurality of microchannel tubes in a disengaged mount configuration; and
a fin section coupled to and disposed between adjacent plates of the plurality of plates, wherein the fin section is configured to be disposed between adjacent microchannel tubes of the plurality of microchannel tubes in the engaged mount configuration and is configured to be separate from the plurality of microchannel tubes in the disengaged mount configuration.

23. The heat exchanger of claim 22 , wherein an outer surface of a microchannel tube of the plurality of microchannel tubes includes a top surface and a bottom surface that extend substantially parallel to each other.

24. The heat exchanger of claim 23 , wherein a plate of the plurality of plates includes a C-shape configuration having a first side portion and a second side portion that extend substantially parallel to each other, and wherein the first side portion and the second side portion of the plate are configured to contact the top surface and the bottom surface, respectively, of the microchannel tube.

25. The heat exchanger of claim 22 , wherein the mount is configured to be toollessly transitioned between the engaged mount configuration and the disengaged mount configuration.

Assignees

• Johnson Controls Tech Co

Inventors

• Huang Zhiwei

Classifications

• F28F2215/14

  in the form of movable or loose fins · CPC title

• F25B39/02 Primary

  Evaporators · CPC title

• F24F1/0067 Primary

  by the shape of the heat exchangers or of parts thereof, e.g. of their fins · CPC title

• F28F1/126

  consisting of zig-zag shaped fins (F28F1/105 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F24F1/0063

  by the mounting or arrangement of the heat exchangers · CPC title