Baffles for thermal transfer devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11333398-B2
Application number	US-201916725844-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2019
Priority date	Dec 23, 2019
Publication date	May 17, 2022
Grant date	May 17, 2022

Abstract

A baffle for a fluid collection portion of a thermal transfer device can include a body having an inner perimeter, an outer perimeter, and an asymmetric feature, where the asymmetric feature is configured to create a pressure drop within the fluid collection portion of the thermal transfer device. The inner perimeter can be configured to be at least as large as an inner surface of a first wall that forms the fluid collection portion of the thermal transfer device. The outer perimeter can be configured to be no larger than an outer surface of a second wall that forms the fluid collection portion of the thermal transfer device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A baffle for a fluid collection portion of a thermal transfer device, wherein the baffle comprises:
a body comprising an inner perimeter, an outer perimeter, and one or more asymmetric features, each of the one or more asymmetric features being configured to create a pressure drop within the fluid collection portion of the thermal transfer device,
wherein the inner perimeter is configured to be at least as large as a perimeter of an outer surface of a first wall that forms the fluid collection portion of the thermal transfer device,
wherein the outer perimeter is configured to be no larger than a perimeter of an inner surface of a second wall that forms the fluid collection portion of the thermal transfer device, and
wherein one of the one or more asymmetric features comprises a plurality of apertures disposed at a plurality of locations along the body, at least one of the plurality of apertures having a size that is different from a size of another of the plurality of apertures.

2. The baffle of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more asymmetric features starts at a first side of the body and ends at a second side of the body, wherein the first side and the second side are opposite each other.

3. The baffle of claim 2 , wherein the first side of the body is configured to be located proximate an outlet of the thermal transfer device.

4. The baffle of claim 2 , wherein the second side of the body is configured to be located proximate an outlet of the thermal transfer device.

5. The baffle of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of apertures are located on the body between the inner perimeter and the outer perimeter.

6. The baffle of claim 1 , wherein at least one the plurality of apertures overlaps the inner perimeter.

7. The baffle of claim 1 , wherein at least one the plurality of apertures overlaps the outer perimeter.

8. The baffle of claim 2 , wherein another of the one or more asymmetric features comprises a difference in a distance between the inner perimeter and the outer perimeter.

9. The baffle of claim 1 , wherein the body is planar.

10. The baffle of claim 1 , wherein another of the one or more asymmetric features comprises a curvature to the body.

11. A fluid collection portion of a thermal transfer device, wherein the fluid collection portion comprises:
a first wall having an outer surface;
a second wall having an inner surface;
an outlet; and
a first baffle disposed between the first wall and the second wall, wherein the first baffle comprises a first baffle body having:
a first inner perimeter that is at least as large as a perimeter of the outer surface of the first wall;
a first outer perimeter that is approximately equal in size to the perimeter of the inner surface of the second wall; and
a first asymmetric feature comprising a plurality of apertures disposed at a plurality of locations along the body, at least one of the plurality of apertures having a size that is different from a size of another of the plurality of apertures, wherein the first asymmetric feature is configured to create a pressure drop within the fluid collection portion of the thermal transfer device, wherein the pressure drop forces fluid proximate to the first baffle to traverse toward the outlet.

12. The fluid collection portion of claim 11 , wherein the first baffle is directly coupled to the outer surface of the first wall.

13. The fluid collection portion of claim 11 , wherein the first baffle abuts against the outer surface of the first wall.

14. The fluid collection portion of claim 11 , wherein the first baffle is directly coupled to the inner surface of the second wall.

15. The fluid collection portion of claim 11 , wherein the first baffle abuts against the inner surface of the second wall.

16. The fluid collection portion of claim 11 , wherein the first asymmetric feature comprises at least one gap through which fluid flows.

17. The fluid collection portion of claim 11 , further comprising:
a second baffle disposed between the first wall and the second wall, wherein the second baffle comprises a second baffle body having a second inner perimeter and a second outer perimeter.

18. The fluid collection portion of claim 17 , wherein the second baffle further comprises the first asymmetric feature.

19. The fluid collection portion of claim 17 , wherein the second baffle further comprises a second asymmetric feature that is different from the first asymmetric feature.

Assignees

• Rheem Mfg Co

Inventors

• Monfared Amin
• Hotton Bruce
• Chambers Lee
• Bagheri Babak

Classifications

• F24H1/26

  the water mantle forming an integral body · CPC title

• F28F9/0131

  formed by plates (F28F9/0138 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F28F2009/226

  Transversal partitions · CPC title

• F24H1/287

  with the fire tubes arranged in line with the combustion chamber · CPC title

• F28F2009/222

  Particular guide plates, baffles or deflectors, e.g. having particular orientation relative to an elongated casing or conduit · CPC title