Heat exchanger and associated tube sheet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020292250-A1
Application number	US-202016782385-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 5, 2020
Priority date	Mar 14, 2019
Publication date	Sep 17, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A heat exchanger includes a body portion and a pair of end plates at least partially forming an enclosure with the body portion. A plurality of tubes extend through at least one of the body portion and the pair of end plates. At least one tube sheet includes a plurality of openings with a corresponding one of the plurality of tubes located in one of the plurality of openings. The tube sheet is made of a material which expands in the presence of refrigerant.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A heat exchanger comprising:
a body portion; a pair of end plates at least partially forming an enclosure with the body portion; a plurality of tubes extending through at least one of the body portion and the pair of end plates; and at least one tube sheet including a plurality of openings with a corresponding one of the plurality of tubes located in one of the plurality of openings, wherein the tube sheet is made of a material which expands in the presence of refrigerant.

2 . The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is a non-baffled heat exchanger.

3 . The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the tube sheet is formed of a single unitary piece of material.

4 . The heat exchanger of claim 3 , wherein the at least one tube sheet includes refrigerant expanding material extending uninterrupted between adjacent openings of the plurality of openings.

5 . The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the tube sheet at least partially follows an inner contour of the body portion.

6 . The heat exchanger of claim 5 , wherein the tube sheet extends between 20% and 90% of a diameter of the body portion.

7 . The heat exchanger of claim 5 , wherein the tube sheet at least partially follows an inner contour of the body portion.

8 . The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the body portion includes a first refrigerant port and a second refrigerant port and the at least one tube sheet includes a plurality of tube sheets.

9 . The heat exchanger of claim 1 , further comprising a support structure supporting the tube sheet.

10 . The heat exchanger of claim 9 , wherein the support structure includes a plurality of rods forming a matrix.

11 . The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the at least one tube sheet is formed from a plurality of geometric shaped members and each of the plurality of geometric shaped members includes one of the plurality of openings and each of the plurality of geometric shaped members are made of a single unitary piece of material.

12 . The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of tubes include heat transfer enhancing features on an exterior surface that engage the at least one tube sheet.

13 . A method of operating a heat exchanger comprising the steps of:
supporting a plurality of tubes extending through a corresponding one of a plurality of opening in a tube sheet; and placing the tube sheet in contact with a refrigerant, wherein the tube sheet expands in response to contact with the refrigerant entering the heat exchanger and contacts the plurality of tubes.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of tubes include heat transfer enhancing features on an exterior surface that engage the tube sheet.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of tubes sheets are made of a single unitary piece of refrigerant expanding material.

16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the tube sheet extends between 20% and 90% of a diameter of a body portion of the heat exchanger.

17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the tube sheet includes a plurality of geometric shapes assembled together to form the tube sheet.

18 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising a support structure supporting the tube sheet.

19 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising reducing vibrations and movement of the plurality of tubes with the tube sheet in contact with the refrigerant.

20 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the heat exchanger is a non-baffled heat exchanger.

Assignees

• Carrier Corp

Inventors

• Sienel Tobias H

Classifications

• F28D7/16 Primary

  the conduits being arranged in parallel spaced relation ({F28D7/0008 - F28D7/0058 take precedence}; F28D7/02 - F28D7/10 take precedence) · CPC title

• F28F9/02

  Header boxes; End plates · CPC title

• F28F9/0131

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

• F28F9/22

  Arrangements for directing heat-exchange media into successive compartments, e.g. arrangements of guide plates · CPC title

• F28F9/0135 Primary

  formed by grids having only one tube per closed grid opening (F28F9/0132 and F28F9/0133 take precedence) · CPC title