CA2455196A1

CA2455196A1 - Heat exchanger element

Info

Publication number: CA2455196A1
Application number: CA 2455196
Authority: CA
Inventors: Dennis S. Gingerich
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-01-28
Filing date: 2004-01-28
Publication date: 2005-07-28

Abstract

The invention provides a novel means for producing helicoid flights from thin section flat aluminum sheet. Using a plurality of said flights forms a heat exchange element. The aluminum sheet is first bent longitudinally 90% to form an "L". A helicoid is formed by forging tapered ribs into the long section of the "L" shape, having no height to the rib at the bent corner and maximum rib height at the edge. Flattening the ribs at a point from the edge equal to the length of the short section of the "L", and bending the aluminum from that point at 90% will form a "U" shape. A plurality of said helicoid flights are then wound around a central insulated axis in an over lapping manner and clamped inside an insulated tube to form the heat exchange element. The counter flowing fluids passing through the pathways formed by the helicoids are collected by manifolds, at their respective ends of the heat exchanger element, and directed away as required.

Description

Specifications #1 Background This invention relates to a design for helicoid flighting used in a fluid heat exchanger.
More particularly this invention relates to a novel way to produce helicoid flighting from .010" thick aluminum plate.
#2 Prior Art Heretofore the principals behind and benefits of helicoid flighted heat exchanger design have been well documented.For example, as described in However, the known arrangements do not make use of a plurality of helicoids (2 or more) made from thin aluminum flat sheet formed into a helicoid.
There is a disadvantage in the prior art as described in Canadian Pat. No. CA.
1280744, that being, the conductive surface area cannot be increased for a given diameter of the outer tube used, therefore reducing the efficiency in a given outer diameter size of heat exchanger, for lack of heat transfer surface.
The prior art wherein thicker materials are used for flighting will also be at an efficiency disadvantage do to a slower rate of heat transfer.
#3 Summery of Invention It is the object of the present invention is to produce heat exchanger helicoid flighting from .010" aluminum sheet in a novel way.
A further object of this invention is to provide heat exchanger helicoid flighting having sides incorporated on said flighting, (both inside and outside diameters,) to allow for the creation of pathways between flights when wound together (individually or in pluralities).
Another object of this invention is to provide heat exchanger helicoid flighting that is easy and inexpensive to manufacture do to its minimal number of parts.

#4 Description The present invention starts with a flat ribbon of aluminum sheet metal 6"
wide .010"
thick. A 90% bend 1 3/4 " high (diagram 1) is folded longnitudally.
A crease is pressed into the short leg (fig 2)'/z" from the first 90% bend.
A further bend of 1/8" is folded at 90% inboard on the outer edge of the short leg (as per fig 3 ).
Tapered ridges are then pressed into the long leg (fig. 4) every .040", starting with 0" rise at the corner to a maximum height of .5", at 1 3/4" in from the outer edge, then maintaining the .5" height to the outside edge of the long leg. This causes the aluminum to form a classic helicoid shape.
A depression is then forged on the ridges at 1 3/0" in from the outer edge, to flatten the rib in this spot (fig.5).
The section from the flattened area of the ridge to the outside of the long leg ( 1 3/4"), is then folded at 90% and parallel to the short leg (fig. 6) 4 helicoid flights are then wound together (fig. 7) and lapped at their inner and outer edges, to form 4 pathways in which fluids may pass in the classic counter flow manner.
Meshing the 90% bent outer most lip with the outside groove will provide proper spacing of the pathways between helicoids, and assist with sealing the pathways.
End capes for the helicoid and tube assembly are designed to manifold the appropriate flow paths together at each end, and direct the fluids away as required.

Claims

1 a helicoid flight manufactured from .010" x 6" x a given length of aluminum flat sheet or ribbon via forging tapered ribs into said aluminum sheet, having a greater height to the rib at the inside diameter and lesser height at the outside diameter of the helicoid.

2 A helicoid flight as in claim 1, having incorporated inner and outer sides bent at 90%.

3 A heat exchanger wherein a plurality of helicoids as in claim 2 are wound together allowing the sides to overlap forming flow paths between helicoids.

4 A heat exchanger wherein the overlapped joint of the helicoid as in claim 3 are then sealed by clamping an insulated split tube around the outside of the helicoids and expanding a split tube on the inside of the helicoids.

A heat exchanger as in claim 3 where in the dimensions of the flow paths are varied one to another as to height, to accommodate different fluids in the same heat exchanger (i.e.
water and air).

6 helicoid flights of claim 2 were in said helicoids are made from aluminum, steel, stainless steel, or plastic.

7 A heat exchanger of claim 3 wherein inlets and outlets at both ends are encompassed respectively in manifolds to direct in flows and out flows of a given media into or away from the heat exchanger.

8 A heat exchanger of claim 3 wherein mounted vertically, the helicoids of claim 4 are equipped with a trough near their lower end in which to collect condensation which will then be conducted to a drain via a hose.

9 A heat exchanger of claim 3 were in the scale of its parts are increased or decreased to accommodate correct capacity, or type of fluids.