Method of making double wall tubing assembly

Abstract

Improved double wall tubing assembly which is especially useful in heat exchangers of the 'coil-in-can' type for solar applications has a double wall construction which insures that a leak developing from a failure in either of the walls will not result in a mixing of fluid external to the outer tube with the fluid flowing internally of the inner tube. An outwardly projecting helical fin configuration formed on the outer surface of the inner tube provides an effective heat transfer medium between the inner and outer walls of the tube assembly while defining a spiral flow channel through which leakage entering through either wall can flow and be detected. A method of making the double wall tube assembly is disclosed wherein a finned outer tube is assembled over a previously finned inner tube. The assembled tubes are then brought into firm mechanical contact by the step of forming the assembled tubes into a coil and/or by expanding the inner tube. An additional method is also disclosed wherein a plain outer tube is assembled over a previously formed inner tube and then contacted by finning tools which fin its outer surface and bring its inner diameter into intimate contact with the inner tube.