US1915742A

US1915742A - Heat exchange apparatus

Info

Publication number: US1915742A
Application number: US577329A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mautsch Robert
Original assignee: MANUF GENERALE METALLURG SA
Current assignee: MANUF GENERALE METALLURG SA; MANUFACTURE GENERALE METALLURGIQUE SA
Priority date: 1930-11-28
Filing date: 1931-11-25
Publication date: 1933-06-27
Anticipated expiration: 1950-06-27

Description

June 27, 1933. M u sc 1,915,742

HEAT EXCHANGE APPARATUS YLYA'L'A'AYLYL'AVA'A'A' J AYLVLYLVLYAYLYLWL L" Y'W'Y'Y'YY' vmmmnnvmmv J vmmznzgnmn;

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Patented June 27, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROBERT MAUTSCH, or BR SSELS, BELGIUM, AssIGNon .ro MANUFAcrUnE GENEBALE METALLURGIQUE, soorr'i'rn ANONYME, or BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, A COMPANY on BELGIUM HEAT EXCHANGE ArrARArUs Application filed November 25, 1931, Serial No. 577,329, and in Belgium November 28, 1930.

' The present invention relates to apparatuses such as radiators, evaporators or the like, the heat exchange surfaces whereof are constituted by corrugated or puckered fins,

threaded upon substantially parallel tubes to interconnect two or more tubes appertainingto one same unit of the apparatus. When said fins are threaded upon said tubes and are thereafter shrunk thereto by expansion of the tube, it frequently occurs that the stress of said expansion slightly flexes said tubes or otherwise forces them out of parallelism, whereby the appearance -of the apparatus is impaired and difficulties may arise when the members are assembled. Furthermore, when constructing apparatuses whose corrugated fins must contact with each other to constitute a honeycomb pattern, great care is required in order to ensure that the apicesof the corrugations of adjacent fins face each other accurately, since otherwise said fins intermesh instead of remaining spaced apart and the desired object is not attained. Care also should be taken to avoid hindering the freedom of circulation of the fluid ing the tubes.

According to my invention, these difficuh ties are very simply obviated by the interposition of' flat fins between said corrugated fins, and the use of corrugated fins comprising groups of larger corrugations and of smaller corrugations preferably arranged in alternating relation. Said'flat fins constitute rigid stays between the tubular members and hold the latter securely and accurately parallel with each other when said corrugated and fiat pins are shrunk thereon and said corrugated fins, being separated from each other by said flat fins, cannot intermesh even though their apices may notcoincide, a function which-the corrugated fins alone cannot fulfil, since they are easily extended and contracted transversely of their corrugations.

This invention "therefore allows the corrugated fins to be formed with less accuracy than has-been required hitherto and obviates the necessity of scrapping those of-said corrugated fins which are not exactly to gauge, since the fiat fins automatically ensure the surrounduniform spacing of the corrugated fins between which they are interposed. For the same reason it is no longer necessary, in order to form a honeycomb pattern, that the apices of the corrugations of the fins should register accurately with each other, a' novel arrangement becoming possible, on the contrary, if the apices of the corrugations of one fin are placed opposite the hollows in the corrugations of the fin adjacent thereto, the fiat fin interposed therebetween preventing the intermeshing of the apices oiione corrugated fin with the hollows in the other fin.

My invention is applicable to all forms of heat exchange apparatus members having corrugated fins threaded upon tubes, whatever may be the arrangement and shape of the corrugations or creases thereof, or the relative dimensions of said corrugations and of the tubes passing through said fins. It

is likewise immaterial whether the fins are spaced apart from or in contact with each other, orjwhether they all contact with each other or only contact in groups. Furthermore, flat fins may be caused to alternate regularly with corrugated fins, or'be merely interspersed between the latter as desired.

The attached drawing illustrates by way of example some portions of heat exchange members having corrugated fins and flat interposed fins, according to this invention. In

said drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an arrangement wherein the corrugated fins are spaced apart from the flat fins,

Fig. 2 illustrates a similar member where.

of the corrugated fins and the fiat fins are contact, and v Fig. 3 shows a modification to the arrangement of Fig. 2.

Each 'of the heat exchange apparatus members illustrated in the drawing comprises two parallel tubes a wherein. for example, the refrigerating or the heating fluid is caused to flow, and corrugated fins b and flat fins a, threaded upon said tubes to constitute the contact area for the other fluid flowing therebetween. Fins b have groups of large corrugations m alternating'with groups of smaller corrugations n. Due to the considerable extension provided by their corrugations, fins 6 afford a large contact area whilst the flat fins 0, which alternate with said corrugated fins 6, act as rigid. stays for the tubes a, while afi'ording heat exchange areas likewise.

Fins b and c (Fig. 1) may bespaced apart as desired, said spa e being adjusted by insorting between said fins suitable distance pieces, which are withdrawn after the fins have been shrunk upon the tubes.

In Fig. 2, the fins are in contact with each other to form a structure somewhat resembling a honeycomb, the corrugated fins b being so arranged that the apices of the corrugations of adjacent fins faceeach other. Said apices bear against the flat fin c interposed between two adjacent corrugated fins, and the spaces between the latter cannot therefore become irregular, even though their apices should be slightly offset whereas some intermeshing of said offset corrugated fins would be unavoidable if no flat fin were inserted therebetween. The small corru ations n are preferably provided where the us are intersected by the tubes a, in order to leave a free space for the circulation of the surrounding fluid on all sides of the tubes.

An example is illustrated in Fig. 3 wherein such offsetting is intentional and is carried to the point that the apices of one fin 6 face the depressions in the adjacent fin b, whereby a novel honeycomb arrangement is obtained.

I claim:

1. In a heat exchange ap aratus, substantially parallel tubular mem ers, fins having alternating grou s' of large and small corrugations forme therein, and fiat fins, said corrugated fins and fiat fins being threaded and shrunk upon said tubular members substantially at right angles to the same, and said flat fins being interposed between said corrugated fins said small corrugations being spaced away from said flat fins.

2. In a heat exchange apparatus, the combination of substantially parallel tubular members, corrugated fins and flat rigid fins threaded and shrunk upon said tubular members at substantially right angles thereto, said rigid flat fins being in alternate relationship with said corrugated fins and constituting rigid stays between said tubular members said corrugated fins having alternating groups of larger and smaller corrugations, said tubular members extending through said smaller corrugations, the apices of said larger corrugations contacting with said flat fins, and the apices of said smaller corrugations being spaced away from said flat fins.

'3. In a honeycomb heat exchange apparatus, the combination of substantially parallel tubular members, and corrugated fins and rigid flat fins threaded and shrunk upon said tubular members at substantially right angles thereto, said rigid flat fins valternating with said corrugated fins, and said corrugated fins and rigid flat fins bearing against and supportingeach other in a uniform honeycomb formation between said tubes and being spaced apart from each other in proximity to said tubes.

In testimony whereof I have signed my' name to this specification.

ROBERT UTSCH.