Modine Manufacturing Company

Leon A Guntly

Gregory G Hughes

Michael J Reinke

C James Rogers

Norman F Costello

Jerome P Henkes

David T Hill

John B Welker

Zalman P Saperstein

Jack C Dudley

An evaporator is made up of a plurality of heat exchange modules each in turn made up of an elongated lower header of non rectangular cross section and having a plurality of tubes mounted by the header along its length and extending therefrom in side by side relation. The tubes in the direction transversely of the header are stacked and assembled together with the lower headers in sealing abutment with each other and defining upwardly opening channels Sets of serpentine fins can extend between adjacent tubes in each module and/or between the plurality of modules.

Evaporator with improved condensate collection

An improved evaporator or evaporator/condenser for use in refrigeration or heat pump systems including first and second spaced, pressure resistant headers (10, 12); a plurality of elongated tubes (20) of flattened cross-section extending in parallel, spaced relation between and in fluid communication with the headers (10, 12) and serpentine fins (34) extending between and bonded to adjacent ones of the tubes (20). The tubes (20) and fins (34), between the headers (10, 12), define a non-planar configuration having an apex (80). A condensate trough (82) is aligned with and opens towards the apex (80) to receive condensate dripping therefrom.

Method of making an evaporator or evaporator/condenser

An improved heat exchanger for exchanging heat between the ambient and a refrigerant that may be in a liquid or vapor phase. The same includes a pair of spaced headers with one of the headers having a refrigerant inlet and the other of the headers having a refrigerant outlet. A heat exchanger tube extends between the headers and is in fluid communication with each of the headers. The tube defines a plurality of hydraulically parallel refrigerant flow paths between the headers and each of the refrigerant flow paths has a hydraulic diameter in the range of about 0.015 to about 0.07 inches.

Heat exchanger for a refrigerant system

An improved evaporator or evaporator/condenser for use in refrigeration or heat pump systems including first and second spaced, pressure resistant headers (10, 12); a plurality of elongated tubes (20) of flattened cross-section extending in parallel, spaced relation between and in fluid communication with the headers (10, 12) and serpentine fins (34) extending between and bonded to adjacent ones of the tubes (20). The tubes (20) and fins (34), between the headers (10, 12), define a non-planar configuration having a laterally directed apex (80). A condensate trough (82) is aligned with and opens towards one of the headers (12) to receive condensate dripping therefrom.

Evaporator or evaporator/condenser

An improved evaporator or evaporator/condenser for use in refrigeration or heat pump systems including first and second spaced, pressure resistant headers (10, 12) ; a plurality of elongated tubes (20) of flattened cross-section extending in parallel, spaced relation between and in fluid communication with the headers (10, 12) and serpentine fins (34) extending between and bonded to adjacent ones of the tubes (20). The tubes (20) and fins (34), between the headers (10, 12), define a nonplanar configuration having an apex (80). A condensate trough (82) is aligned with and opens towards the apex (80) to receive condensate dripping therefrom.

The high cost of fabricating heat exchangers having two fluid flow paths in countercurrent or cross current relation is minimized by utilizing an extrusion (14) wound upon itself with adjacent convolutions (16, 18, 20, 24) spaced at (26) and located within a housing (10). A baffle (56) or a seal (82, 84) are employed within the housing (10) to respectively define cross current or countercurrent heat exchangers. Alternatively, an extrusion such as a unitary extrusion (100) may contain plural flow paths (114, 120, 122) or an extrusion made up of two extrusions (150, 152) bonded together and having flow paths (162, 164) may be employed.

Heat exchanger

An improved condenser for use in air conditioning or refrigeration systems. A pair of spaced headers have a plurality of tubes extending in hydraulic parallel between them and each tube defines a plurality of hydraulically parallel, fluid flow paths between the headers. Each of the fluid flow paths has a hydraulic diameter in the range of about 0.015 to about 0.04 inches. Preferably, each fluid flow path has an elongated crevice extending along its length to accumulate condensate and to assist in minimizing film thickness on heat exchange surfaces through the action of surface tension. Heat exchange surfaces may also be provided with microcracks or channels to enhance heat transfer.

Condenser with small hydraulic diameter flow path

An evaporator is made up of a plurality of heat exchange modules each in turn made up of an elongated lower header 30 of non rectangular cross section and having a plurality of tubes 40 mounted by the header 30 along its length and extending therefrom in side by side relation. The tubes 40, in the direction transversely of the header 30 are stacked and assembled together with the lower headers in sealing abutment with each other and defining upwardly opening channels 56. Sets of serpentine fins 44 can extend between adjacent tubes 40 in each module and/or between the plurality of modules.

Growing community of inventors

Racine, WI, United States of America

Leon A Guntly