US1966096A - Refrigerating coil - Google Patents

Description

E, R. HOPKINS REFRIGERATING COIL Filed June 13, 1932 INVENTOR,

July 10, 1934.

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Patented July lill, i934 incense RElFRllGlElti-THNG ClllL Ernest R. Hopkins, Kansas City, Mo., assigner oi 8 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigeration, and icularly cooling apparatus in the form oi a rigerating coil which may be used wherever it is desired and altered with respect to its cad pacity as the conditions require, and one of the ortant and primary objects of the invention to provide a reirigerating coil constructed in a manner which will permit of quickly adding a cooling unit for the purpose mentioned, as well to facilitate and expedite installation and to irl-ore positively control the temperatures within a reirigerating compartment.

2l still further and important aim of the ininvention is the contemplation of a new novel reirigerating coil that is made up of a plurality of jmtaposed units, wherein is incorporated a length ci conduit o flattened, tubular, cross-section; a perforated baille member within conduit in contact with the inside thereof at spaced apart staggered points; and a plurality spaced, corrugated fins in heat exchanging Contact with said conduit at points substantially opposite the points of contact or" said baille meh P,.all :For the purpose of conducting a refrigerant vand producing a heat exchange that is exceptionally ecient for the amount ci refrigerant and is highly eective in maintaining a preosternined cooling temperature. n el yet further object of the invention is to provide a reirigerating co'il having a number or" inter-related units, said units being adjustably me'ntained in assembled relation, whereby they l Wy be moved to and from each other to suit cony ditions, said adjustment being arranged to permit terconnecting conduits or? the refrigerant conduits or the units to permit the passage oi. a reirigerant through all units from a single source of supply.

The ina-ny minor objects oi this invention are extremely important, the relation oi parts, their forni and association, all being exceptionally novel to the extent that their combination creates a refrigeratlng coil found to be relatively cheap manufacture, low in maintenance cost, and desirable irom the standpoint of results obtained and cost ci? operation.

With the above broad concepts oi the invention in mind, the invention will now be described by reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a broken perspective View of a refrigeratlng coil built to incorporate thepresent invention.

@5 Fig..2 is a fragmentary, longitudinal, central section through a portion of one unit ofthe coil shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a vertical, cross-section through one unit taken between two of the spaced apart ilns, and,

Fig. l is an enlarged, fragmentary, detailed, sectional view through a portion of the refrigerant conduit forming one of the units.

As indicated in Fig. 1, refrigerating coil embodying this invention may include any number of units placed in parallel relation, one above the other, or side by side. These units are adjustably interconnected as hereinafter set down, and since each unit is substantially identical, the following description of one of the same will render clear the exact structural features thereof.

Each unit comprises a conduit 6 of any predetermined length, Which is made of heat conducting metal and formed to present a flattened, tubular, cross-section having parallel sides 8.

and arcuate edges 10, as illustrated in Fig. 3. In

forming the conduit in this fashion, the same is caused to present an attenuated passage for the refrigerant which presents a relatively large area or" contacting surface to the volume of refrigerant passing therethrough.

The use of a conduit of this form has been found to be highly eihcient and to further amplify its efciency, there has been associated therewith a baille member 12, having periorations lll formed therethrough and created of heat conducting metal for the saine reasons as those set down for conduit 6. This baille member is preferably formed of resilient metal and extends longitudinally through conduit 6 in a zig-Zag path whereby it contacts the opposite sides of conduit 6 in staggered points 16 therealong.

In forming baille member l2, the zig-zag path oi the same should be somewhat wider than it is when member l2 is in place. Thus, when positioning member l2, the contact set up at points 16 is a frictional one and of sullicient intensity to positively assure conductivity of heat from member l2 to sides 8 of conduit 6. By such construction it is possible to raise the temperature of the refrigerant to an exceptionally high degree after a single passage through the coil. Pressure and speed of the refrigerant is likewise elciently altered and the heat unit absorbing power throughout the entire length of travel lof the refrigerant is amplified by baflling the flowing stream thereof and associating therewith the parts here set forth. y

The circulating air within the refrigerator or other compartment is brought into contact with a series of spaced apart fins 18, each of which is corrugated transversely of the normal flow -of air within the refrigerator to create a serpentine path therebetween which precludes establishing an air column, and which contacts the moving air to a greater extent than is the case with the ordinary planar fins. Fins 18 are in heat conducting and exchanging relation with the length of conduit 6, and while soldering the same has been found to be most advantageous, the association might be set up through any of the well known mechanical means which permits proper heat exchange.

As illustrated in Fig. 3, each n 18 is a separate element and the distance between opposite, vertical edges 20 and the adjoining sides 8 of conduit 6 is substantially the same as the distance between either upper or lower edge 22 of n 18 and edge 10 of conduit 6. The size of fin 18 is determined by the size of conduit 6, and the action of the particular refrigerant used. The reason' for establishing a relation between fin and conduit 18 and 6 respectively as just mentioned is to utilize every square inch of nn surface. The parts shown in Fig.- 3 are full sized and when such are used, there is never a part of fin 18 from which the refrigerant is not actually drawing, by conduction, the heat units absorbed by the 1in.

Manifestly, this type of construction overcomes the objection of bringing into a refrigerating coil a certain amount of air contacting surface which is not under the control of the refrigerant.

The foregoing makes clear the manner of creating the individual unit making up a refrigerating coil constructed in accordance with this invention, and reference to Fig. 1 and the following will fully disclose the manner of associating a number of these units. A hollow terminal mem.- ber 24 is in communication with each conduit 6 at each end respectively thereof, and appropriate fittings 26 adjustably interconnect these members 24 so that a continuous ow of refrigerant from intake pipe 28 to exit pipe 30 may be established. 'Ihese fittings 26 include ordinary couplings which co-operate with tie rods 32 in permitting adjustment on the part of the units toward and from each other. Appropriate set screws 34 complete the adjusting apparatus, and since such adjustment is usually slight, the parts as mentioned are capable of .permitting the movement desired.

The travel of air in the compartment is in a vertical path. Since it is desired to break up the current of air as far as possible, it is important that the vertically aligned units have the fins offset in staggered relation as shown. That is to say, thens of the lowermost unit lie in planes between the fins of the upper unit. The units positioned side by side have the fins thereof disposed in the same vertical plane, but free circulation of air is permitted between the units arranged side by side by spacing apart thefins thereof. This space may be altered in conformity with the volume of air passing between the refrigerating coil fins and practically any condition of refrigeration might be met by adjusting the units, adding units of various lengths, or increasing or decreasing the sizes of the units used.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A refrigerating coil comprising a plurality of juxtaposed units each having a refrigerant conduit and a plurality of ns in heat exchanging relation with a predetermined length of said conduit, said predetermined length of conduit b@- ing flattened-tubular in cross-section to form an attenuated refrigerant passage; and a perforated heat-conducting baffle member within said length of conduit in contact with the inner face of said conduit, said baffle member being of the same general flattened cross section as the said attened conduit.

2. In a refrigerating coil, a refrigerant conduit; a plurality of fins in heat exchanging contact with the outside of said conduit; and a bafe member of heat conducting material within said conduit in heat exchanging contact with the,

ing longitudinally along said conduit in contact with the opposite sides of said conduit at staggered points therealong, said strip being maintained in position by frictional engagement with the inner face of said conduit.

4. A refrigerating coil comprising a plurality of juxtaposed units each having a refrigerant conduit and a plurality of fins in heat exchanging relation with a predetermined length of said conduit, said predetermined length of conduit being attened-tubular in cross-section to form an attenuated refrigerant passage; and a heat conducting baflie member within said length of conduit, said baflie member being slidable to and from assembled relation Within the conduit and frictionally engaging the inner face of the con--v duit when positioned in such relation at spaced points throughout its length, an engaging point being adjacent each point of connection between said ns and conduit, said baille member being of the same general attened cross section as the said flattened conduit.

5. In a refrigerating coil, a refrigerant conduit a plurality of ns in heat exchanging contact with the outside of said conduit and in spaced apart relation therealong; and a baille member L of heat conducting material within said conduit, extending longitudinally along said conduit in a zig-zag path to contact opposite sides of said yconduit at staggered points therealong, said points of contact within the conduit being substantially:

the same distance apart as and in the same transverse plane with the contact points of the said spaced apart fins.

6. A refrigerating coil comprising a plurality of juxtaposed units each having a refrigerant conduit and a plurality of ns in heat exchanging relation with predetermined lengths of said conduit, said lengths being parallel to each other and the fins thereon extending therefrom in a plane perpendicular to theconduit lengths; and adjustable means to move said predetermined lengths of the conduit toward and from each other, the fins of said units moving toward and from each other as such adjustment is made certain of said adjustable means being hollow toI serve as conductors of refrigerant from one unit to another and others being solid tie rods to maintain the units in adjusted position.

'7. A refrigerating coil comprising a plurality of juxtaposed units each having a refrigerant- Leeaoee conduit and a plurality of ns in heat exchanging relation with predetermined lengths of said conduit, said lengths being parallel to each other and the ns thereon extending therefrom in a plane perpendicular to the conduit lengths; and means to adjust said predetermined lengths of the conduit toward and from each other, the ns of said units above and below each other being in staggered offset relation said adjusting means comprising hollow terminal members each having adjustable fittings interposed therein to lengthen and shorten the distance between said terminal members and tie rods slidably joining said units in co-operative relation with said terminal members.

8. A refrigerating coil comprising, in combination, a plurality of juxtaposed units each having a length of refrigerant conduit of flattened-tubular cross-section, a plurality of spaced apart, corrugated :fins4 carried by said length of refrigerant conduit in heatexchanging contact therewith, the distance from the edges of said ns to the conduit being substantially the same, a perforated balile strip of heat conducting material extending in a zig-zag path longitudinally through said iattened-tubular length of conduit, said bafe member contacting the inside of said conduit at staggered points in the same plane as the adjacent ns; means adjustably maintaining said units in predetermined spaced relation with the iins of the horizontally aligned units in the same plane and the lns of the vertically aligned units in staggered oset relation; and means to supply refrigerant to said conduits.

ERNEST R. HOPKINS.

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