Heat exchanger tube with flattened draining dimple

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11498162-B2
Application number	US-201816146736-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2018
Priority date	Sep 21, 2018
Publication date	Nov 15, 2022
Grant date	Nov 15, 2022

Abstract

A heat exchanger includes a tube having a length and an outside boundary. The tube is configured to convey fluid therethrough to facilitate heat transfer, and the outside boundary of the tube having a bottom wall portion, a top wall portion opposing the bottom wall portion, and two side wall portions between the bottom wall portion and the top wall portion, in which a segment of the length of the tube has a plurality of dimples selectively placed outside of the bottom wall portion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A heat exchanger, comprising:
a tube having a length and an outside boundary, the tube configured to convey fluid therethrough to facilitate heat transfer, and the outside boundary of the tube having a bottom wall portion, a top wall portion opposing the bottom wall portion, and two side wall portions between the bottom wall portion and the top wall portion;
a deformed region of the outside boundary comprising a first cross-sectional profile and a plurality of dimples formed outside of the bottom wall portion in the deformed region, wherein the bottom wall portion in the deformed region is generally flattened in a direction transverse to gravity; and
an un-deformed region of the outside boundary extending from the deformed region, wherein the un-deformed region comprises a second cross-sectional profile, the bottom wall portion in the un-deformed region is un-deformed, the bottom wall portion in the deformed region and the bottom wall portion in the un-deformed region are aligned with one another to facilitate flow of a liquid through the tube, and a first distance between the top wall portion in the deformed region and the bottom wall portion in the deformed region is greater than a second distance between the top wall portion in the un-deformed region and the bottom wall portion in the un-deformed region.

2. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the outside boundary defines an interior through which the fluid is conveyed and an exterior, and each dimple of the plurality of dimples is a deformation of the outside boundary in the deformed region from the exterior toward the interior.

3. The heat exchanger of claim 2 , wherein each dimple of the plurality of dimples has a substantially oval shape and has a length greater than its width, and wherein the length is oriented perpendicular to the length of the tube.

4. The heat exchanger of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of dimples is formed on the side wall portions in the deformed region.

5. The heat exchanger of claim 3 , wherein the top wall portion in the un-deformed region is substantially circumferential.

6. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of dimples is spaced apart along the deformed region.

7. The heat exchanger of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of dimples is spaced apart equidistantly.

8. An HVAC unit comprising the heat exchanger of claim 1 , comprising a burner attached to the tube.

9. A heat exchanger, comprising:
a tube having a length and an outside boundary, the tube configured to convey fluid therethrough to transfer heat, and the outside boundary of the tube having a bottom wall portion, a top wall portion opposing the bottom wall portion, and two side wall portions between the bottom wall portion and the top wall portion, wherein a segment of the length of the tube comprises alternating regions comprising un-deformed outside boundary regions and a deformed outside boundary region, the deformed outside boundary region comprises a plurality of dimples selectively placed outside of the bottom wall portion in the deformed outside boundary region, the bottom wall portion in the deformed outside boundary region is flattened in a direction transverse to gravity, the bottom wall portion in each un-deformed outside boundary region is substantially circumferential, the bottom wall portion in the deformed outside boundary region and the bottom wall portion in each un-deformed outside boundary region are aligned with one another, and a first distance between the side wall portions in each un-deformed outside boundary region is greater than a second distance between the side wall portions in the deformed outside boundary region.

10. The heat exchanger of claim 9 , wherein the un-deformed outside boundary regions do not comprise dimples.

11. The heat exchanger of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of dimples is selectively placed on the side wall portions in the deformed outside boundary region.

12. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the deformed region comprises a flattened geometry.

13. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the first cross-sectional profile comprises an elliptical cross-sectional profile, and the second cross-sectional profile comprises a circular cross-sectional profile.

14. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein each of the bottom wall portion in the deformed region and the bottom wall portion in the un-deformed region is oriented at an angle with respect to a horizontal plane.

15. The heat exchanger of claim 14 , wherein the angle is between 1 and 15 degrees.

16. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the un-deformed region does not comprise dimples.

17. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the tube is a tube segment, the un-deformed region forms an inlet of the tube segment, the heat exchanger comprises an additional un-deformed region of the outside boundary extending from the deformed region and forming an outlet of the tube segment, and the bottom wall portion in the additional un-deformed region is aligned with the bottom wall portion in the deformed region and the bottom wall portion in the un-deformed region.

Assignees

• Johnson Controls Tech Co
• Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP

Inventors

• Harris William M
• Trammell Curtis A
• Rosendale Danielle R
• Rimmer David C

Classifications

• F28F2001/027

  with dimples · CPC title

• F28D1/0476 Primary

  the conduits having a non-circular cross-section · CPC title

• Y02B30/56

  Heat recovery units · CPC title

• B21D53/06

  of metal tubes · CPC title

• F28F2250/00

  Arrangements for modifying the flow of the heat exchange media, e.g. flow guiding means; Particular flow patterns · CPC title