US20200166295A1

US20200166295A1 - Tube And Chamber Heat Exchanger With An Enhanced Modular Medium Directing Assembly

Info

Publication number: US20200166295A1
Application number: US16/199,093
Authority: US
Inventors: Takeyoshi Nitta
Original assignee: MiKuTAY Corp
Current assignee: MiKuTAY Corp
Priority date: 2018-11-23
Filing date: 2018-11-23
Publication date: 2020-05-28

Abstract

A heat exchanger, having a main chamber coupled with a first and a second sub-chamber, having cavities within, on a respective first and a second longitudinal ends of the main chamber. Provided in the main chamber is a medium directing assembly, a first end engaging the first sub-chamber cavity and a second end engaging the second sub-chamber cavity, extending longitudinally out of the main chamber, enlarging the pathway provided within the medium directing assembly, reducing pressure drop effect to the medium flow within. The medium directing assembly comprising of an upper and a lower assembly, providing configuration flexibility, while provided with a medium directing panel coupled within, permitting means to facilitate flow directional changes to the medium. The medium directing assembly comprising of two vertical and two lateral sides, longitudinally provided with an inlet and an outlet and vertically provided with a distribution outlet and a collecting inlet.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Heat exchangers are well known in the art. Heat exchangers are generally used when it is desired to transfer heat from a first heat exchange medium to a second heat exchange medium. The first heat exchange medium generally flows within the heat exchanger, while the second heat exchange medium flows outside of the heat exchanger. A tube and chamber type heat exchanger is a variant of a heat exchanger, typically characterized by having a medium directing insert disposed within a chamber of the heat exchanger, wherein the medium directing insert extracts as much performance out of any given heat transfer surface area by inducing mixing and agitating effect to the heat exchange medium flowing inside the heat exchanger, a mechanism known in the art to enhance heat transfer performance of the heat exchange medium by minimizing formation of boundary layers detrimental to effective heat transfer. The tube and chamber type heat exchangers are further characterized by enhancing the heat transfer performance without reverting to using surface enhancements, generally eliminating the need of having secondary surface extensions, such as fins, to realize enhanced heat transfer performance. Generally, a heat exchanger of this kind performs at a very high efficiency level, indicated by a higher overall heat transfer coefficient throughout its available surface area, lending to a smaller heat exchanger package compared to a conventional heat exchanger design known in the art. A smaller heat exchanger package lends itself to further benefits, such as lighter weight, less material usage, and lower overall assembly cost. Reduced parts count as a result further lends itself to an easier manufacturing process. A typical tube and chamber heat exchanger is characterized by having a distinct inlet and outlet sections, a chamber section, and a medium directing insert disposed within the chamber section.
The present invention is an improved tube and chamber heat exchanger utilizing an enhanced modular medium directing insert design, providing means to obtain desired performance characteristics while having a flexible modular medium directing assembly design allowing for means to minimize tooling costs. The enhanced modular medium directing assembly features a parallelepiped body, longitudinally disposed within a chamber section of the heat exchanger, extending longitudinally outwardly out of an inlet side frontal plane established by the chamber section, as well as extending longitudinally outwardly out of an outlet side backward plane established by the chamber section, whereby the longitudinal length of the medium directing insert assembly is distinctly longer than the longitudinal boundary established by the chamber section. A first end of the longitudinally extended medium directing assembly is coupled to a first sub-chamber section provided on the inlet side chamber section extending outwardly from the frontal plane established by the chamber section, while a second end of the longitudinally extended medium directing assembly is coupled to a second sub-chamber section provided on an outlet side of the chamber section, extending outwardly from the backward plane established by the chamber section.
In a tube and chamber heat exchanger design, the narrowest pathway typically found within the heat exchanger for the first heat exchange medium, and therefore the main cause for heat exchange medium flow pressure drop, may be generally found within the flow path provided within the medium directing insert. It may be desirable to minimize pressure drop effect to the heat exchange medium flow, as such effect may have detrimental effect to the heat exchanger performance. In order to minimize pressure drop effect to the heat exchange medium, the entire chamber section may be expanded volumetrically to expand the flow path available within the medium directing insert. However, doing so may detrimentally affect the performance of the heat exchanger. As the overall flow path within the chamber section is expanded, it may have an adverse effect of slowing the velocity of the heat exchange medium, which may negatively affect the performance of the heat exchanger.
The present invention provides for means to enlarging the narrowest pathway generally found within a tube and chamber heat exchanger, without expanding the entire flow space provided within the chamber section, therefore providing means to significantly reduce the pressure drop effect to the heat exchange medium while maintaining the highest performance yield available out of a tube and chamber type heat exchanger, by maintaining high heat exchange medium velocity within the chamber section of the heat exchanger. The desirable effect is achieved by extending the longitudinal axial length of the medium directing assembly over the longitudinal axial length of the chamber section, thereby expanding the flow path available within the medium directing assembly longitudinally, coupling a first end of the medium directing assembly within the first sub-chamber provided externally of the chamber section while coupling a second end of the medium directing assembly within the second sub-chamber, which is also provided externally of the chamber section. Furthermore, with the present invention, means to finely tune the velocity of the heat exchange medium flowing within the heat exchanger chamber section is provided, wherein desired velocity of the heat exchange medium may be achieved by varying the spatial separation between the two lateral sides of the medium directing assembly and the lateral wall of the chamber section. To further reduce the effect of the pressure drop to the heat exchange medium flowing within the heat exchanger, a sub-chamber anterior wall of the first sub-chamber and a sub-chamber posterior wall of the second sub-chamber may be omitted of planar material, providing for means to expand and maximize an inlet flow path for the heat exchange medium as well as expand and maximize the outlet flow path for the first heat exchange medium, greatly reducing the pressure drop effect to the heat exchange medium flowing within the heat exchanger.
In the present invention, the first sub-chamber may feature at least one planar panel member engagingly coupled to at least one exterior plane of the generally rectangular parallelepiped medium directing assembly. In a similar fashion, the second sub-chamber may feature at least one planar panel member engagingly coupled to at least one exterior plane of the generally rectangular parallelepiped medium directing assembly. It may be a desirable feature to have at least one planar panel member either on the first sub-chamber, the second sub-chamber, or on both the first sub-chamber and the second sub-chamber engagingly couple at least one exterior plane of the parallelepiped medium directing assembly, as such feature may prevent any rotational movement from taking place, wherein the medium directing assembly unintentionally rotates within the chamber section of the heat exchanger during assembly or during use. It is not desirable to have any rotational movement from taking place, as such movement may have detrimental effect to the heat exchanger performance, by diverting away from function as was designed and intended. Furthermore, movement of the medium directing assembly within the chamber assembly may lead to a premature failure of the heat exchanger, as friction between the respective components may lead to excessive wear of the components, potentially leading to a formation of a hole on the heat exchanger assembly body, leading to a catastrophic failure rendering the heat exchanger useless. Mechanical means to position and couple the medium directing assembly within the chamber allows for cost savings as bonding the components by separate means may be omitted, if desired. In the event some adhesive or bonding means are utilized to couple the two parts together, having the mechanical coupling means in addition to bonding or adhesive means provides added structural rigidity, especially desirable in high pressure heat exchanger applications, such as in applications requiring heat exchange medium with high operational pressure, such as with refrigerant gas or steam, for example.
The first sub-chamber section and the second sub-chamber section having a generally parallelepiped body with at least one generally planar panel, allows for means to positively engage the similarly shaped generally rectangular parallelepiped medium directing assembly in a specific manner. It may be desirable to have means to engage the medium directing assembly in a specific orientation, as it may allow easier means to orient the medium directing assembly as intended, assuring desired design to be obtained, and by extension, obtain desired performance characteristics.
The first sub-chamber section, the second sub-chamber section, combined with longitudinally extended medium directing insert assembly further provides for means to maximize the inlet flow path and the outlet flow path of the heat exchange medium, by longitudinally extending the medium directing assembly out from the longitudinal boundary established by the chamber section, thereby by extension, expanding the narrowest flow path for the first heat exchange medium within the heat exchanger. The expanded flow path contributes to less restrictive flow of the first heat exchange medium within the heat exchanger, minimizing pressure drop effect to the heat exchange medium, which is generally a desirable feature in a heat exchanger, by reducing the energy needed to pump the heat exchange medium within the heat exchanger. As the flow path permitted within the medium directing assembly is generally the most restrictive aspect to the flow of the heat exchange medium within the tube and chamber type heat exchanger, it is a desirable feature to expand the flow path of the heat exchange medium available within the medium directing assembly, minimizing pressure drop effect to the heat exchange medium flow. Similarly, having means to enlarge the heat exchange medium flow path within the medium directing assembly without enlarging the overall chamber section flow path may be desirable, as enlarging the overall chamber section to provide added flow area for the heat exchange medium may reduce the heat exchange medium velocity, which may be undesirable as reduced velocity generally reduces the heat transfer performance. The present invention provides means to enlarging the narrowest flow path of the heat exchange medium within the heat exchanger, generally found within the medium directing assembly, without enlarging the overall flow path found within the chamber section of the heat exchanger, assuring desired high heat transfer performance to be achieved.
The present invention features a modular medium directing assembly design wherein the medium directing assembly is generally divided into at least two components comprising of a first top half body and a second bottom half body, providing for means to minimize tooling costs. For cost effective manufacturing of a components generally comprising of planar materials, stamping process is generally utilized to maximize production efficiency and to lower component costs. As tooling costs generally increase incrementally as stamping stations are increased, tooling that can produce the medium directing insert in a single tooling may lead to a prohibitively expensive tooling, also resulting in manufacturing complications. Furthermore, a single tooling with high number of stamping stations generally require production machines to run at a lower production speed, generally increasing the production cost of a heat exchanger. Single tooling design further leads to less flexibility to accommodate more than one medium directing insert design. By dividing the medium directing insert into at least two halves, tooling complexity may be minimized by requiring reduced stamping stages, thereby drastically reducing the tooling costs. Reduced stamping stages permit higher production speed to be utilized, lending itself to cost efficiency and lower production costs. Tooling with less stages and complexity are generally very economical to procure, requiring less technical complexity or tooling specialization know-how, lending to an expanded pool of potential tooling suppliers, whereby with more competition lends to lower tooling costs. Having lower initial capital investment in tooling may allow for means to cater to a plurality of specific heat exchanger application use without incurring significant tooling investment expenditure, which may be a desirable feature to maximize profit margin or have means to cost effectively cater to a plurality of customer needs with a variety of product design catered to specific application use. By reducing the medium directing insert into two components, just one half of the medium directing insert may be changed over for another design, while leaving the second half as same, permitting means to cater to a variety of customer needs while reducing the investment required in tooling effectively in half Minimizing tooling costs further results in lower components cost, thereby resulting in cost competitive heat exchanger assembly by extension.
Improvements made to the medium directing insert design lends itself to improved heat transfer characteristics, which in turn offers opportunity to develop smaller heat exchanger assemblies while maintaining the same performance specifications. Smaller assemblies offer opportunities to save costs on raw materials, which directly translates to lower assembly costs and other cost savings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is directed to an improved tube and chamber type heat exchanger, which improves the heat transfer performance by minimizing pressure drop effect to a first heat exchange medium directed into the internal flow path of the heat exchanger. The pressure drop effect to the first heat exchange medium may be minimized by providing means to enlarging the pathway that is typically the narrowest flow path found within a typical tube and chamber type heat exchanger, generally found within the medium directing insert. The invention also provides means to reduce tooling cost as well as improve manufacturability of the heat exchanger, thereby by extension, reducing the overall cost of the heat exchanger.
The heat exchanger generally utilizes two heat exchange mediums with the first heat exchange medium flowing inside the heat exchanger, while a second heat exchange medium generally flowing outside of the heat exchanger. The objective of the heat exchanger is generally to transfer heat from the first heat exchange medium contained inside the heat exchanger to the second heat exchange medium flowing outside of the heat exchanger, or vice versa.
The first and the second heat exchange mediums may by gas, liquid or a combination of gas and liquid. The first heat exchange medium is generally fed into the heat exchanger from a reservoir located outside of the heat exchanger. The reservoir may be part of a cooling loop or a heat source such as an engine, for example. The second heat exchange medium is generally similarly stored outside of the heat exchanger and directed to the heat exchanger as desired. The source of the second heat exchange medium is generally separate and independent from the first heat exchange medium. However, in some embodiments of the present invention, the first heat exchange medium and the second heat exchange medium may share a common reservoir as a part of the same cooling loop or the heat source. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the second heat exchange medium may be air or a body of fluid, wherein air is fed to the heat exchanger from atmosphere or the heat exchanger is positioned inside a body of fluid, respectively, for example.
The heat exchanger illustratively comprises of a first chamber assembly and a second chamber assembly coupled together. The first chamber assembly comprises of an inlet, a first sub-chamber, a chamber anterior wall and a first chamber wall. The first chamber wall is generally a cylindrical tubular feature, a first longitudinal end of the first chamber wall terminating at and concentrically coupled to the chamber anterior wall. The first longitudinal end of the first chamber wall may generally be coupled to a second side of the chamber anterior wall, while coupled to a first side of the chamber anterior wall may be the first sub-chamber.
A second end of the first chamber wall terminates longitudinally backwardly away from the first longitudinal end of the first chamber wall at a predetermined distance, forming the longitudinally extended cylindrical wall of the first chamber wall. The first chamber wall is a hollow body, wherein the interior space of the first chamber wall is fluidly connected to the interior space of the first sub-chamber, which is also a hollow body. Provided on the first sub-chamber is the inlet. The inlet is a fluid pathway, permitting means to introduce the first heat exchange medium inside the heat exchanger. The inlet is fluidly connected to the reservoir external to the heat exchanger storing the first heat exchange medium.
The second chamber assembly comprises of an outlet, a second sub-chamber, a chamber posterior wall, and a second chamber wall. The second chamber wall is a cylindrical tubular body, a first longitudinal end of the second chamber wall extending longitudinally forwardly at a predetermined distance away from a second longitudinal end of the second chamber wall. The second longitudinal end of the second chamber wall may be concentrically coupled to a first side of the chamber posterior wall. On a second side of the chamber posterior wall, the second sub-chamber may be coupled. The second chamber wall is a hollow body, wherein the interior space of the second chamber wall is fluidly connected to the interior space of the second sub-chamber, which is also a hollow body. Provided on the second sub-chamber is the outlet. The outlet is a fluid pathway, permitting means to discharge the first heat exchange medium out of the heat exchanger. The outlet is fluidly connected to the reservoir external to the heat exchanger for the first heat exchange medium. In an embodiment of the present invention, the reservoir external to the heat exchanger may be another heat exchanger, a tank, a cooling loop, or a heat source with plumbing means, such as an engine, for example.
The inlet may be provided in a first tube. In a similar fashion, the outlet may be provided in a second tube. Respective tubes may by cylindrical in shape or of any other geometric shape like ovoid or rectangular parallelepiped, for example. In an embodiment of the present invention, the second end of the first chamber wall and the first end of the second chamber wall may be coupled end to end. In other embodiment of the present invention, the second end of the first chamber wall may overlap the exterior surface of the first end of the second chamber wall, or vice versa.
The first sub-chamber generally extends longitudinally outwardly out of the first side of the chamber anterior wall. A first longitudinal end of the first sub-chamber is positioned at a predetermined distance outwardly away from the first side of the chamber anterior wall, while a second longitudinal end of the first sub-chamber is coupled to the first side of the chamber anterior wall. The first sub-chamber may generally be a parallelepiped body, comprising vertically of a first sub-chamber top wall and a first sub-chamber bottom wall, and laterally of a first sub-chamber first side wall and a first sub-chamber second side wall. The first longitudinal end of the first sub-chamber generally terminates with a sub-chamber anterior wall, while the second longitudinal end of the first sub-chamber is generally open to the interior of the first chamber assembly, fluidly connecting the interior of the first sub-chamber to the remaining interior of the first chamber assembly.
The second sub-chamber generally extends longitudinally backwardly out of the second side of the chamber posterior wall. A first longitudinal end of the second sub-chamber is coupled to the second side of the chamber posterior wall, while a second longitudinal end of the second sub-chamber is positioned at a predetermined distance outwardly away from the second side of the chamber posterior wall. The second sub-chamber may generally be a parallelepiped body, comprising vertically of a second sub-chamber top wall and a second sub-chamber bottom wall, and laterally of a second sub-chamber first side wall and a second sub-chamber second side wall. The first longitudinal end of the second sub-chamber is generally open to the interior of the second chamber assembly, fluidly connecting the interior of the second sub-chamber to the remaining interior of the second chamber assembly, while the second longitudinal end generally terminates with a sub-chamber posterior wall.
The first sub-chamber on the second side, on the interior side of the heat exchanger, forms a cavity within the first chamber assembly. The second sub-chamber on the first side, on the interior side of the heat exchanger, forms a cavity within the second chamber assembly. In an embodiment of the present invention, the cavities formed by the first sub-chamber and the second sub-chamber may be shown as a square. However, in other embodiment of the present invention, the cavities may be in other geometric shape, such as a trapezoidal shape, a cylindrical shape, or a rectangle, for example.
The first chamber assembly and the second chamber assembly coupled together form a main chamber within. The main chamber is a hollow space provided within the heat exchanger, permitting flow of the first heat exchange medium inside the heat exchanger. The first longitudinal forward boundary of the main chamber is established by the chamber anterior wall, while the second longitudinal backward boundary of the main chamber is established by the chamber posterior wall. The lateral boundary of the main chamber is established by a cylindrical wall comprising of the first chamber wall and the second chamber wall.
Disposed within the heat exchanger is a medium directing assembly. The medium directing assembly generally has a rectangular parallelepiped body, generally positioned longitudinally within the central axis of the main chamber, with a first longitudinal end of the medium directing assembly extending forward of the anterior boundary established by the main chamber and a second longitudinal end of the medium directing assembly extending backwards out of the posterior boundary established by the main chamber, wherein the first longitudinal end of the medium directing assembly and the second longitudinal end of the medium directing assembly are nestled inside the cavity provided within the first sub-chamber and the second sub-chamber, respectively. By longitudinally extending the medium directing assembly forwardly and backwardly out of the longitudinal boundary established by the main chamber, pathway provided for the flow of the first heat exchange medium may be longitudinally expanded, thereby providing means to minimize pressure drop effect to the first heat exchange medium. The pressure drop effect to a heat exchanger is known in the art to have debilitating effect to the heat transfer performance, thus by facilitating means to reduce the pressure drop effect, improvements to the heat transfer effectiveness of the overall heat exchanger may be achieved.
Provided on the first longitudinal end of the medium directing assembly is a medium directing inlet, a passageway in fluid communication with the inlet. The medium directing inlet provides for means to introduce the first heat exchange medium inside the main chamber through the medium directing assembly. Provided on the second longitudinal end of the medium directing assembly is a medium directing outlet, a passageway in fluid communication with the outlet. The medium directing outlet provides for means to discharge the first heat exchange medium out of the main chamber through the medium directing assembly.
The first lateral side of the medium directing assembly may be formed by a medium directing first side wall, while a second lateral side may be formed by a medium directing second side wall. The medium directing first side wall is generally laterally positioned spaced apart from the main chamber lateral cylindrical wall comprising of the first chamber wall and the second chamber wall, forming a first half of a fluid pathway inside the main chamber for the first heat exchange medium therebetween. The medium directing second side wall is generally laterally positioned spaced apart from the main chamber lateral cylindrical wall comprising of the first chamber wall and the second chamber wall, forming a second half of a fluid pathway inside the main chamber for the first heat exchange medium therebetween. The first half of a fluid pathway inside the main chamber and the second half of a fluid pathway inside the main chamber are longitudinally bound between the chamber anterior wall and the chamber posterior wall, completing the respective pathways within the main chamber therein.
Provided on a top vertical side and a bottom vertical side of the medium directing assembly is a medium directing distribution outlet and a medium directing collecting inlet, respectively. The medium directing distribution outlet is in fluid communication with the medium directing inlet and the main chamber, utilized to direct the first heat exchange medium introduced from the medium directing inlet into the main chamber in desired ways. The medium directing collecting inlet is in fluid communication with the medium directing outlet and the main chamber, utilized to direct the flow of the first heat exchange medium into the medium directing assembly from the main chamber and combine the flow of the first heat exchange medium into a singular flow within the medium directing assembly. The first heat exchange medium collected inside the medium directing assembly is further directed to discharge out of the medium directing assembly through the medium directing outlet. The first heat exchange medium directed to the medium directing outlet is then directed to flow through the outlet, discharging the first heat exchange medium out of the heat exchanger.
The medium directing assembly generally comprises of two main components coupled together, first component being a medium directing upper assembly, generally positioned on top of a second component, a medium directing lower assembly. In an embodiment of the present invention, the upper vertical plane of the medium directing upper assembly may be established by a medium directing upper first lateral support and a medium directing upper second lateral support, forming the top vertical section of the medium directing assembly. The medium directing upper first lateral support and the medium directing upper second lateral support are each generally planar bodies positioned generally on a same plane, while positioned longitudinally spaced apart. In another embodiment of the present invention, the top vertical section of the medium directing assembly may be formed by the top vertical edge respectively of the medium directing first side wall and the medium directing second side wall, along with a singular lateral support comprising of a medium directing upper lateral support, a planar panel feature coupled on the top vertical plane of the medium directing assembly, trailing edge of the medium directing upper lateral support generally abutting the second longitudinal end of the medium directing assembly, while the leading edge of the medium directing upper lateral support extends at a predetermined distance longitudinally forward on the same plane from the trailing edge of the medium directing upper lateral support.
In an embodiment of the present invention, a first longitudinal edge of the medium directing upper first lateral support may be a medium directing upper first lateral support anterior edge, forming a portion of the longitudinal forward leading first edge of the medium directing assembly. A second longitudinal edge of the medium directing upper first lateral support may be a medium directing upper first lateral support posterior edge, forming a forward first edge of the opening for the medium directing distribution outlet A first longitudinal edge of the medium directing upper second lateral support may form a backward second edge of the opening for the medium directing distribution outlet, while a second longitudinal edge of the medium directing upper second lateral support may form a portion of the longitudinal backward trailing second edge of the medium directing assembly.
Coupled on a first lateral side edge respectively of the medium directing upper first lateral support and the medium directing upper second lateral support may be a medium directing first upper side wall. The medium directing first upper side wall is a generally rectangular planar feature, extending longitudinally through the main chamber, while vertically extending downwardly in a generally perpendicular fashion, terminating with an edge with a medium directing first upper side wall bottom terminating edge. A first longitudinal end of the medium directing first upper side wall generally terminates with an edge with a medium directing upper first side wall anterior edge, while a second longitudinal end of the medium directing first upper side wall generally terminates with an edge with a medium directing upper first side wall posterior edge.
Coupled on a second lateral side edge respectively of the medium directing upper first lateral support and the medium directing upper second lateral support may be a medium directing second upper side wall. The medium directing second upper side wall is a generally rectangular planar body, extending longitudinally through the main chamber, while vertically extending downwardly in a generally perpendicular fashion, terminating with an edge with a medium directing second upper side wall bottom terminating edge. A first longitudinal end of the medium directing second upper side wall generally terminates with an edge with a medium directing upper second side wall anterior edge, while a second longitudinal end of the medium directing second upper side wall generally terminates with an edge with a medium directing upper second side wall posterior edge.
Bottom vertical plane of the medium directing lower assembly generally comprises of a medium directing lower first lateral support and a medium directing lower second lateral support. The medium directing lower first lateral support and the medium directing lower second lateral support may each generally be planar bodies, generally positioned on a same plane, while positioned longitudinally spaced apart.
A first longitudinal edge of the medium directing lower first lateral support is a medium directing lower first lateral support anterior edge, forming a portion of the longitudinal forward leading first edge of the medium directing assembly. On a second longitudinal edge of the medium directing lower first lateral support is a medium directing lower first lateral support posterior edge, forming a forward first longitudinal edge of the opening for the medium directing collecting inlet. A first longitudinal edge of the medium directing lower second lateral support, a medium directing lower second lateral support anterior edge, forms a backward second edge of the opening for the medium directing collecting inlet, while a second longitudinal edge of the medium directing lower second lateral support, a medium directing lower second lateral support posterior edge, forms a portion of the longitudinal backward trailing second edge of the medium directing assembly.
Coupled on a respective first lateral side edge of the medium directing lower first lateral support and the medium directing lower second lateral support is a medium directing first lower side wall. The medium directing first lower side wall is a generally rectangular planar body, extending longitudinally through the main chamber, while vertically upwardly terminating with an edge with a medium directing first lower side wall top terminating edge. A first longitudinal end of the medium directing first lower side wall generally terminates with an edge with a medium directing lower first side wall anterior edge, while a second longitudinal end of the medium directing first lower side wall generally terminates with an edge with a medium directing lower first side wall posterior edge.
Coupled on a second lateral side edge respectively of the medium directing lower first lateral support and the medium directing lower second lateral support is a medium directing second lower side wall. The medium directing second lower side wall is a generally rectangular planar body, extending longitudinally through the main chamber, while vertically upwardly terminating with an edge at a medium directing second lower side wall top terminating edge. A first longitudinal end of the medium directing second lower side wall generally terminates with an edge with a medium directing lower second side wall anterior edge, while a second longitudinal end of the medium directing second lower side wall generally terminates with an edge with a medium directing lower second side wall posterior edge.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the medium directing first upper side wall and the medium directing first lower side wall coupled together form the medium directing first side wall. In a similar fashion, the medium directing second upper side wall and the medium directing second lower side wall coupled together form the medium directing second side wall. In an embodiment of the present invention, the medium directing first upper side wall bottom terminating edge generally engages the medium directing first lower side wall top terminating edge, while the medium directing second upper side wall bottom terminating edge generally engages the medium directing second lower side wall top terminating edge.
In another embodiment of the present invention, respective vertical leading edge of the medium directing first upper side wall and the medium directing first lower side wall may not engage end to end. Instead, planar surfaces respectively of the medium directing first upper side wall and the medium directing first lower side wall may engage laterally, with respective planar surfaces engaging each other. In a similar fashion, the medium directing second upper side wall and the medium directing second lower side wall may not engage end to end. Instead, planar surfaces, respectively, of the medium directing second upper side wall and the medium directing second lower side wall may engage laterally, with respective planar surfaces engaging each other.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the first longitudinal edge of the medium directing assembly may be a medium directing assembly anterior edge, comprising of the medium directing upper first lateral support anterior edge, the medium directing upper first side wall anterior edge, the medium directing upper second side wall anterior edge, the medium directing lower first lateral support anterior edge, the medium directing lower first side wall anterior edge, and the medium directing lower second side wall anterior edge. In another embodiment of the present invention, the medium directing assembly anterior edge may comprise of the medium directing upper first side wall anterior edge, the medium directing upper second side wall anterior edge, the medium directing lower first lateral support anterior edge, the medium directing lower first side wall anterior edge, and the medium directing lower second side wall anterior edge.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the medium directing assembly anterior edge may be positionally located and generally engage the second side of the sub-chamber anterior wall. In another embodiment of the present invention, a portion of the medium directing assembly anterior edge may engage the second side of the sub-chamber anterior wall. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the medium directing assembly anterior edge may not engage the second side of the sub-chamber anterior wall. Instead, one or more of the lateral or vertical sides of the first longitudinal end of the medium directing assembly may be positionally located and engage one or more of the lateral or vertical panels comprising the cavity within the first sub-chamber.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the second longitudinal edge of the medium directing assembly may be a medium directing assembly posterior edge, comprising of a medium directing upper second lateral support posterior edge, the medium directing upper first side wall posterior edge, the medium directing upper second side wall posterior edge, the medium directing lower second lateral support posterior edge, the medium directing lower first side wall posterior edge, and the medium directing lower second side wall posterior edge. The medium directing assembly posterior edge may be positionally located and generally engage the first side of the sub-chamber posterior wall.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a portion of the medium directing assembly posterior edge may engage the first side of the sub-chamber posterior wall. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the medium directing assembly posterior edge may not engage the first side of the sub-chamber posterior wall. Instead, one or more of the lateral or vertical sides of the second longitudinal end of the medium directing assembly may be positionally located and engage one or more of the lateral or vertical panels comprising the cavity within the second sub-chamber.
Disposed within the medium directing assembly is a medium directing panel. The medium directing panel is generally a planar body, having a first planar surface facing at an angle towards the medium directing inlet and the medium directing distribution outlet, while having a second planar surface facing at an angle towards the medium directing outlet and the medium collecting inlet. In an embodiment of the present invention, the medium directing panel has a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end, comprising a medium directing panel anterior termination edge and a medium directing panel posterior termination edge, respectively. The medium directing panel anterior termination edge generally engages the medium directing lower first lateral support while the medium directing panel posterior termination edge generally engages the medium directing upper second lateral support. A first lateral edge of the medium directing panel generally engages the medium directing first side wall, while a second lateral edge of the medium directing panel generally engages the medium directing second side wall. The medium directing panel is generally disposed at an angle in relationship to the longitudinal axial characteristics established by the generally rectangular parallelepiped body of the medium directing assembly, generally facing at an angle the medium directing inlet and the medium directing distribution outlet.
In an embodiment of the present invention, as the first heat exchange medium is introduced in to the medium directing assembly through the medium directing inlet, the first heat exchange medium generally initially flows in a first line of flow within the medium directing assembly following the longitudinal axial characteristic of the rectangular parallelepiped body of the medium directing assembly in a pathway comprising vertically of the medium directing upper first lateral support and the medium directing lower first lateral support, and laterally of the medium directing first side wall and the medium directing second side wall. As the first heat exchange medium flow travels through the medium directing assembly, the first heat exchange medium flow characteristics may be regulated to maximize the heat transfer efficiency as the first heat exchange medium is prepared for successive flow pattern prepared within the medium directing assembly. As the first heat exchange medium travels further inward within the medium directing assembly from the medium directing inlet, the first heat exchange medium flowing initially in the first line of flow is directed to collide into the first planar surface of the medium directing panel with maximal impact, improving heat transfer efficiency by minimizing formation of boundary layer to the first heat exchange medium. The action of disrupting formation of boundary layer to the heat exchange medium is known in the art to improve heat transfer efficiency.
As the first heat exchange medium is directed to flow into the first planar surface of the medium directing panel, the first heat exchange medium is disbursed on the first planar surface of the medium directing panel, resulting in a second flow pattern that is divergent from the first line of flow. Furthermore, as the first planar surface of the medium directing panel is coupled within the medium directing assembly at an angle in relation to the longitudinal axial characteristics of the medium directing assembly facing both the medium directing inlet and the medium directing distribution outlet, while laterally bound by the medium directing first side wall and the medium directing second side wall, the first heat exchange medium that was disbursed on the surface of the first planar surface of the medium directing panel in the second flow pattern is further directed to flow out of the medium directing assembly and into the main chamber through the medium directing distribution outlet, in a third line of flow. In the third line of flow, the first heat exchange medium is projected out of the medium directing distribution outlet in a focused stream into the main chamber.
In the third line of flow, the first heat exchange medium generally travels vertically upwardly from the medium directing assembly as the first heat exchange medium exits through the medium directing distribution outlet. As the third line of flow travels through the main chamber, the third line of flow terminates as the first heat exchange medium impacts the lateral wall of the main chamber comprising the first chamber wall and the second chamber wall, within a perimeter of the lateral wall of the main chamber vertically in line with the medium distribution outlet. As the third line of flow impacts the lateral wall of the main chamber, the disruption to the flow of the heat exchange medium further reduces the formation of boundary layer to the heat exchange medium, known in the art to improve heat transfer efficiency.
As the third line of flow contacts the lateral wall of the main chamber, the third line of flow terminates and a pair of fourth line of flow begins within the main chamber. The pair of fourth line of flow within the main chamber for the first heat exchange medium are divergent lateral flows within the main chamber. The first fourth line of flow travels from generally the top vertical area of the main chamber where the third line of flow terminates, traveling in the flow space provided between the lateral wall of the main chamber, comprising the first chamber wall and the second chamber wall, and the medium directing first side wall. The second fourth line of flow travels from the top vertical area of the main chamber where the third line of flow terminates, traveling in the flow space provided between the lateral wall of the main chamber, comprising the first chamber wall and the second chamber wall, and the medium directing second side wall. The pair of fourth line of flow are generally directed to travel to an area vertically generally directly below the medium directing collecting inlet, at which point the pair of fourth line of flow collide in to each other and merge into a singular flow, further causing disruption to the first heat exchange medium flow, minimizing formation of boundary layer to the first heat exchange medium that may negatively impact the heat transfer efficiency.
The merging of the pair of the fourth line of flow terminates the fourth line of flow and initiates a fifth line of flow, wherein the fifth line of flow is generally perpendicular to the plane established by the opening of the medium directing collecting inlet. In the fifth line of flow, the first heat exchange medium is discharged out of the main chamber and introduced back into the medium directing assembly through the medium directing collecting inlet, in a focused stream. As the fifth line of flow travels further into the medium directing assembly, the first heat exchange medium is directed to collide with the second planar surface of the medium directing panel, wherein the first heat exchange medium disburses on the surface of the second planar surface of the medium directing panel, initiating a sixth flow pattern. The action of disbursing the heat exchange medium on a planar surface is known in the art to minimize formation of boundary layer, greatly enhancing the heat transfer efficiency of the heat exchanger.
As the second planar side of the medium directing panel faces at an angle the medium directing collecting inlet and the medium directing outlet, the first heat exchange medium that was disbursed on the surface of the second planar side of the medium directing panel in a sixth flow pattern is further directed to flow in a seventh line of flow following the longitudinal axial characteristics of the medium directing assembly. The seventh line of flow generally travels within the medium directing assembly in a pathway comprising vertically of the medium directing upper second lateral support and the medium directing lower second lateral support, and laterally of the medium directing first side wall and the medium directing second side wall. As the first heat exchange medium flows within the medium directing assembly in a seventh line of flow, the first heat exchange medium is directed to flow towards the medium directing outlet. Once the first heat exchange medium reaches the medium directing outlet, the first heat exchange medium is subsequently discharged out of the heat exchanger through the outlet.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the first sub-chamber may generally be a parallelepiped body, comprising vertically of the first sub-chamber top wall and the first sub-chamber bottom wall, and laterally of the first sub-chamber first side wall and the first sub-chamber second side wall. In other embodiment of the present invention, the first sub-chamber may not be a parallelepiped body, but of other geometric shape, such as a cuboid, a hexagonal prism, or a pentagonal prism, for example. In another embodiment of the present invention, the first chamber assembly may have the first sub-chamber that may be geometrically shaped in a trapezoidal prism configuration. In such an embodiment of the present invention, a top vertical panel of the first sub-chamber may be a first sub-chamber top wall, while a bottom vertical panel of the first sub-chamber may be a first sub-chamber bottom wall, the planes established by the respective vertical panels being generally parallel to each other. While on the lateral side of the first sub-chamber, a first lateral side may be formed by a first sub-chamber first side wall, while a second lateral side may be formed by a first sub-chamber second side wall, wherein the planes established by the respective lateral panels generally may not be parallel to each other. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the first sub-chamber may have a combination of one or more geometric shape characteristics. In some embodiment of the present invention, the sub-chamber of the first chamber assembly may have a bottom side having a cylindrical characteristic while the top side may have a flat planar surface.
In an embodiment of the present invention, in a similar fashion to the first sub-chamber, the second sub-chamber may generally be a parallelepiped body or of any other geometric shapes, for example. In some embodiments of the present invention, the second sub-chamber may be of an irregular shape, comprising of one or more geometric characteristics, similar in fashion to the shape of the first sub-chamber. In other embodiments of the present invention, the second sub-chamber may be of an irregular shape dissimilar to the shape of the first sub-chamber.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the first sub-chamber, the second sub-chamber, or both the first sub-chamber and the second sub-chamber may have an irregular shape. In such an embodiment of the present invention, the medium directing assembly may similarly have a corresponding irregular shape to engagingly couple within the cavity provided within irregularly shaped the first sub-chamber, the second sub-chamber, or both the first sub-chamber and the second sub-chamber. Furthermore, the first sub-chamber, the second sub-chamber, or both the first sub-chamber and the second sub-chamber may be provided with at least one planar surface, wherein a similarly shaped corresponding planar surface may be provided on at least one vertical or lateral side of the medium directing assembly.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the first longitudinal end of the first sub-chamber may be void of planar material, open to the reservoir containing the first heat exchange medium, acting as the inlet. In a similar fashion, the second longitudinal end of the second sub-chamber may be void of planar material, open to the reservoir containing the first heat exchange medium, acting as the outlet. In such an embodiment of the present invention, the inlet and the outlet openings may be maximized, greatly aiding in reducing pressure drop effect to the first heat exchange medium flowing inside the heat exchanger, greatly enhancing the heat transfer efficiency of the heat exchanger.
The heat exchanger may comprise of the first chamber assembly and the second chamber assembly coupled together. In other embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of heat exchangers as described herein may be coupled together in a serial or a parallel fashion to form a larger heat exchanger assembly. As such, the heat exchange medium flow pattern described herein may be repeated several times dependent upon the number of the heat exchangers packaged within an embodiment of a heat exchanger assembly.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the medium directing first side wall may be shown formed from two components, comprising the medium directing first upper side wall and the medium directing first lower side wall. In another embodiment of the present invention, the medium directing first side wall may comprise of a singular piece or a combination of more than two component sections. In a similar fashion, the medium directing second side wall may be shown formed from two components, comprising the medium directing second upper side wall and the medium directing second lower side wall. In another embodiment of the present invention, the medium directing second side wall may comprise of a singular piece or a combination of more than two component sections.
The heat exchange medium flow paths provided internally or externally of the heat exchanger may feature surface enhancements, such as, but not limited to, dimples, fins, louvers, that is known in the art to enhance heat transfer effectiveness in a heat exchanger application.
The heat exchanger may comprise of ferrous or non-ferrous material. The material may be an alloy, plastics, composites, or other material suitable for use as a heat exchanger known in the art. In other embodiments of the present invention, more than one type of material may be combined to construct the heat exchanger, such as with use of an aluminum alloy along with composite material, for example.
The heat exchanger may be manufactured by stamping, forging, machining, casting, 3-D printing, or by other manufacturing methods known in the art. In another embodiment of the present invention, one or more manufacturing methods may be utilized to manufacture the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger may be manufactured as a combination of one or more separately manufactured pieces. The heat exchanger may be coupled together by means of brazing, soldering, welding, mechanical means, or adhesive means known in the art.
The heat exchanger may be utilized as a cooler, a condenser, an evaporator, a radiator, or any other application requiring heat to be transferred from one heat exchange medium to another heat exchange medium. The heat exchange medium may be air, liquid, or gas, known in the art. The heat exchange medium flowing within the heat exchanger may be the same as the heat exchange medium flowing outside of the heat exchanger. In another embodiment of the present invention, the heat exchange medium flowing within the heat exchanger may be different from the heat exchange medium flowing outside of the heat exchanger. In an embodiment of the present invention, the heat exchange medium may be a compound, combining more than one type of heat exchange mediums known in the art. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the heat exchange medium may by combined with more than one type of materials, such as with air and silica solids to obtain additional desired features, for example.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood after reading the subsequent description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of a heat exchanger according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a heat exchanger according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a frontal view of a heat exchanger according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a rear view of a first chamber assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a frontal view of a second chamber assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a rear view of a heat exchanger according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a side section view of a heat exchanger along FIG. 3 sectional line A, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a top section view of a heat exchanger along FIG. 3 sectional line B, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a heat exchanger according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is an exploded side view of a heat exchanger according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is an exploded top view of a heat exchanger according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a top perspective view of a medium directing assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a bottom perspective view of a medium directing assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a top perspective view of a medium directing upper assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a bottom perspective view of a medium directing upper assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a top perspective view of a medium directing lower assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 17 is a bottom perspective view of a medium directing lower assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 18 is a top perspective view of a medium directing assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 19 is a bottom perspective view of a medium directing assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 20 is a top perspective view of a medium directing upper assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 21 is a bottom perspective view of a medium directing upper assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 22 is a bottom perspective view of a medium directing lower assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 23 is a top perspective view of a medium directing lower assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 24 is a frontal view of a medium directing assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 25 is a frontal view of a medium directing assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 26 is a frontal view of a first chamber assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 27 is a frontal view of a first chamber assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 28 is a frontal view of a first chamber assembly according to yet another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 29 is a perspective view of a first chamber assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 30 is a top view of a first chamber assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 31 is a frontal view of a first chamber assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 32 is a side view of another embodiment of a first chamber assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the drawings, and in particular FIG. 1, an embodiment of a heat exchanger 100 is shown. The heat exchanger 100 generally utilizes two heat exchange mediums with a first heat exchange medium flowing inside the heat exchanger 100, while a second heat exchange medium generally flowing outside of the heat exchanger 100. The first heat exchange medium utilized inside the heat exchanger 100 may be of the same variant as the second heat exchange medium utilized outside of the heat exchanger 100. Alternatively, the first heat exchange medium utilized inside the heat exchanger 100 may be of a different variant than the second heat exchange medium utilized outside of the heat exchanger 100. The objective of the heat exchanger 100 is generally to transfer heat from the first heat exchange medium contained inside the heat exchanger 100 to the second heat exchange medium flowing outside of the heat exchanger 100, or vice versa.
The first and the second heat exchange mediums may by gas, liquid or a combination of gas and liquid. The first and the second heat exchange mediums may comprise of one or a plurality of substances. In some embodiments of the present invention, solids may be combined with the heat exchange medium that may be of gaseous or liquid substance, such as pairing a refrigerant medium with silica solids, for example. The first heat exchange medium is generally fed into the heat exchanger 100 from a reservoir (Not shown) located outside of the heat exchanger 100. The reservoir may be part of a cooling loop or a heat source such as an engine, for example. The second heat exchange medium is generally stored outside of the heat exchanger 100 and directed to the heat exchanger 100 as desired. The source of the second heat exchange medium is generally separate and independent from the first heat exchange medium. However, in some embodiments of the present invention, the first heat exchange medium and the second heat exchange medium may share a common reservoir as a part of the same cooling loop or a heat source. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the second heat exchange medium may be air or a body of fluid, wherein air is fed to the heat exchanger 100 from atmosphere or the heat exchanger 100 is positioned inside a body of water, respectively, for example.
Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 9, the heat exchanger 100 illustratively comprises of a first chamber assembly 105 and a second chamber assembly 110 coupled together. The first chamber assembly 105 comprises of an inlet 145, a first sub-chamber 125, a chamber anterior wall 155, and a first chamber wall 115. The first chamber wall 115 is generally a cylindrical tubular feature with the tubular wall having a thickness, a first longitudinal end of the first chamber wall 115 terminating at and coupled to the chamber anterior wall 155. The chamber anterior wall 155 is a generally planar body having a thickness, a first side of the chamber anterior wall 155 engaging the first sub-chamber 125, while on a second side of the chamber anterior wall 155, the first longitudinal end of the first chamber wall 115 concentrically couple the chamber anterior wall 155.
A second end of the first chamber wall 115 terminates longitudinally backwardly away from the first longitudinal end of the first chamber wall 115 at a predetermined distance, forming the longitudinally extended cylindrical wall of the first chamber wall 115. The first chamber wall 115 forms a hollow body therein, wherein the interior space of the first chamber wall 115 is fluidly connected to the interior space of the first sub-chamber 125, which is also a hollow body. The first sub-chamber 125 is fluidly connected to the inlet 145, permitting means to introduce the first heat exchange medium inside the heat exchanger 100. The inlet 145 is a pathway fluidly connected to a source external to the heat exchanger 100 storing the first heat exchange medium.
The second chamber assembly 110 comprises of an outlet 150, a second sub-chamber 130, a chamber posterior wall 160, and a second chamber wall 120. The second chamber wall 120 is a cylindrical tubular body with the tubular section having a material thickness, a first longitudinal end of the second chamber wall 120 extending longitudinally forwardly at a predetermined distance away from a second end of the second chamber wall 120. The second end of the second chamber wall 120 is coupled to a first side of the chamber posterior wall 160. The chamber posterior wall 160 is a generally planar body having a material thickness, having the first side and a second side. In an embodiment of the present invention, the second end of the second chamber wall 120 may be concentrically coupled to the first side of the chamber posterior wall 160. The second chamber wall 120 forms a hollow body therein, wherein the interior space of the second chamber wall 120 is fluidly connected to the interior space of the second sub-chamber 130, which is also a hollow body. The second sub-chamber 130 is fluidly connected to the outlet 150, permitting means to discharge the first heat exchange medium out of the heat exchanger 100. The outlet 150 is a pathway fluidly connected to a reservoir (Not shown) external to the heat exchanger 100 for the first heat exchange medium. In an embodiment of the present invention, the reservoir (Not shown) external to the heat exchanger 100 may be another heat exchanger, a tank, a cooling loop, or a heat source with plumbing means, such as an engine, for example.
Referring to FIG. 2, the inlet 145 may be provided in a first tube 135. An embodiment of the first tube 135 may be shown as cylindrical in shape. However, the first tube 135 may be of any other geometric shape like ovoid or rectangular parallelepiped, for example. Similarly, an embodiment of the first chamber wall 115 may be shown as cylindrical in shape. However, the first chamber wall 115 may be of any other geometric shape like ovoid or rectangular parallelepiped, for example. In a similar fashion, the outlet 150 may be provided in a second tube 140. An embodiment of the second tube 140 may be shown as cylindrical in shape. However, the second tube 140 may be of any other geometric shape like ovoid or rectangular parallelepiped, for example. An embodiment of the second chamber wall 120 may similarly be shown as cylindrical in shape. However, the second chamber wall 120 may be of any other geometric shape like ovoid or rectangular parallelepiped, for example. Referring again to FIG. 2, the first chamber wall 115 and the second chamber wall 120 may be shown as having generally the same longitudinal length. However, in other embodiment of the present invention, the longitudinal length of the first chamber wall 115 may be longer than the longitudinal length of the second chamber wall 120, or vice versa. Furthermore, in an embodiment of the present invention, the second end of the first chamber wall 115 and the first end of the second chamber wall 120 may be shown coupled end to end. In other embodiment of the present invention, the second end of the first chamber wall 115 may overlap the exterior surface of the first end of the second chamber wall 120, or vice versa.
Now referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, a frontal view as well as a perspective view of the heat exchanger 100 is shown, respectively. The first sub-chamber 125 generally extend longitudinally outwardly out of the first side of the chamber anterior wall 155, a first longitudinal end of the first sub-chamber 125 extending outwardly from the first side of the chamber anterior wall 155, while a second longitudinal end of the first sub-chamber 125 is coupled to the first side of the chamber anterior wall 155. The first sub-chamber 125 may generally be a parallelepiped body, comprising vertically of a first sub-chamber top wall 175 and a first sub-chamber bottom wall 185, and laterally of a first sub-chamber first side wall 180 and a first sub-chamber second side wall 190. The first longitudinal end of the first sub-chamber 125 generally terminates with a sub-chamber anterior wall 165, while the second longitudinal end of the first sub-chamber 125 is generally open to the interior of the first chamber assembly 105.
The first sub-chamber top wall 175, the first sub-chamber bottom wall 185, the first sub-chamber first side wall 180, the first sub-chamber second side wall 190, and the sub-chamber anterior wall 165 are generally planar bodies each respectively having a material thickness. The first sub-chamber top wall 175 is set at a predetermined vertical distance away from the first sub-chamber bottom wall 185. The first sub-chamber first side wall 180 is set at a predetermined lateral distance away from the first sub-chamber second side wall 190. A first lateral edge of the first sub-chamber top wall 175 is generally coupled to a top vertical edge of the first sub-chamber first side wall 180, while a second lateral edge of the first sub-chamber top wall 175 is generally coupled to a top vertical edge of the first sub-chamber second side wall 190. In a similar fashion, a first lateral edge of the first sub-chamber bottom wall 185 is generally coupled to a bottom vertical edge of the first sub-chamber first side wall 180, while a second lateral edge of the first sub-chamber bottom wall 185 is generally coupled to a bottom vertical edge of the first sub-chamber second side wall 190.
Now referring to FIG. 4, the back view of the first chamber assembly 105 is shown. In the back view of the first half of a chamber section of the heat exchanger 100, the internal space within the first chamber assembly 105 may be observed. The first sub-chamber 125 comprising the first sub-chamber top wall 175, the first sub-chamber first side wall 180, the first sub-chamber second side wall 190, and the first sub-chamber bottom wall 185, each respectively a planar body, forms a cavity within the first chamber assembly 105, extending outwardly and terminating at a second side of the sub-chamber anterior wall 165. In an embodiment of the present invention, the cavity formed may be shown as a square. However, in other embodiment of the present invention, the cavity may be in other geometric shape, such as a trapezoidal shape, a cylindrical shape, or a rectangle, for example.
Referring now to FIG. 6, the back view of the second chamber assembly 110 is shown. The second sub-chamber 130 generally extend longitudinally backwardly in an outward fashion out of the chamber posterior wall 160. The chamber posterior wall 160 being generally a planar body with a material thickness, has a first side facing forward inside the hollow space provided within the hollow body of the second chamber assembly 110, while a second side faces backwards towards the outside of the heat exchanger 100. A first longitudinal end of the second sub-chamber 130 is coupled to the second side of the chamber posterior wall 160, while a second longitudinal end of the second sub-chamber 130 extends away from the second side of the chamber posterior wall 160. The second sub-chamber 130 generally features a parallelepiped body, comprising vertically of a second sub-chamber top wall 195 and a second sub-chamber bottom wall 205, and laterally of a second sub-chamber first side wall 210 and a second sub-chamber second side wall 200. The first longitudinal end of the second sub-chamber 130 is generally open to the interior space of the second chamber assembly 110, while a second longitudinal end of the second sub-chamber 130 generally terminates with a sub-chamber posterior wall 170.
The second sub-chamber top wall 195, the second sub-chamber bottom wall 205, the second sub-chamber first side wall 210, the second sub-chamber second side wall 200, and the sub-chamber posterior wall 170 are generally planar bodies each respectively having a material thickness. The second sub-chamber top wall 195 is set at a predetermined vertical distance away from the second sub-chamber bottom wall 205. The second sub-chamber first side wall 210 is set at a predetermined lateral distance away from the second sub-chamber second side wall 200. A first lateral edge of the second sub-chamber top wall 195 is generally coupled to a top vertical edge of the second sub-chamber first side wall 210, while a second lateral edge of the second sub-chamber top wall 195 is generally coupled to a top vertical edge of the second sub-chamber second side wall 200. In a similar fashion, a first lateral edge of the second sub-chamber bottom wall 205 is generally coupled to a bottom vertical edge of the second sub-chamber first side wall 210, while a second lateral edge of the second sub-chamber bottom wall 205 is generally coupled to a bottom vertical edge of the second sub-chamber second side wall 200.
Now referring to FIG. 5, the frontal view of the second chamber assembly 110 is shown. In the frontal view of the second half of a chamber section of the heat exchanger 100, the internal space within the hollow body of the second chamber assembly 110 may be observed. The second sub-chamber 130 comprising the second sub-chamber top wall 195, the second sub-chamber first side wall 210, the second sub-chamber second side wall 200, and the second sub-chamber bottom wall 205, each respectively a planar body, forms a cavity within the second chamber assembly 110, extending outwardly out of the second side of the chamber posterior wall 160 and terminating at the sub-chamber posterior wall 170. In an embodiment of the present invention, the cavity formed may be shown as a square. However, in other embodiment of the present invention, the cavity may be in other geometric shape, such as a trapezoidal shape, a cylindrical shape, or a rectangle, for example.
Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the first chamber assembly 105 and the second chamber assembly 110 coupled together form a main chamber 215 within the combined components. The main chamber 215 is a hollow space provided within the heat exchanger 100, permitting flow of the first heat exchange medium inside the heat exchanger 100. The first longitudinal forward boundary of the main chamber 215 is generally established by the chamber anterior wall 155, while the second longitudinal backward boundary of the main chamber 215 is generally established by the chamber posterior wall 160. The lateral boundary of the main chamber 215 is established by a cylindrical wall comprising the first chamber wall 115 and the second chamber wall 120.
Now referring to FIG. 9, disposed within the heat exchanger 100 is a medium directing assembly 220. In an embodiment of the present invention, the medium directing assembly 220 is generally positioned within the central axis of the main chamber 215, with a first longitudinal end of the medium directing assembly 220 extending forward of the anterior boundary established by the main chamber 215 and a second longitudinal end of the medium directing assembly 220 extending backwards out of the posterior boundary established by the main chamber 215. The medium directing assembly 220 may generally be a rectangular parallelepiped body, the first longitudinal end having a medium directing inlet 410 in fluid communication with the inlet 145. The medium directing inlet 410 is a fluid pathway, providing means to introduce the first heat exchange medium inside the main chamber 215 through the medium directing assembly 220. The second longitudinal end of the medium directing assembly 220 features a medium directing outlet 415, which is in fluid connection with the outlet 150. The medium directing outlet 415 is a fluid pathway, providing means to discharge the first heat exchange medium out of the main chamber 215 through the medium directing assembly 220.
Referring now to FIGS. 10 and 11, on the first lateral side of the rectangular parallelepiped body of the medium directing assembly 220 is a medium directing first side wall 240, while on the second lateral side is a medium directing second side wall 235. The medium directing first side wall 240 and the medium directing second side wall 235 are generally planar bodies each comprising of materials with a thickness. The medium directing first side wall 240 is positioned laterally spaced apart from the main chamber 215 (See FIG. 8) lateral wall comprising of the first chamber wall 115 and the second chamber wall 120, forming a first half of a fluid pathway within the main chamber 215 for the first heat exchange medium therebetween. The medium directing second side wall 235 is positioned laterally spaced apart from the main chamber 215 lateral wall comprising of the first chamber wall 115 and the second chamber wall 120, forming a second half of a fluid pathway within the main chamber 215 for the first heat exchange medium therebetween. The first half of a fluid pathway inside the main chamber 215 and the second half of a fluid pathway inside the main chamber 215 are longitudinally bound between the chamber anterior wall 155 and the chamber posterior wall 170, completing the respective pathways within the main chamber 215.
Provided on a top vertical side and a bottom vertical side of the rectangular parallelepiped body of the medium directing assembly 220 is a medium directing distribution outlet 420 and a medium directing collecting inlet 425, respectively (See FIGS. 12 and 13). The medium directing distribution outlet 420 is in fluid communication with the medium directing inlet 410 and the main chamber 215, utilized to direct the first heat exchange medium introduced from the medium directing inlet 410 into the main chamber 215 in desired ways. The medium directing collecting inlet 425 is in fluid communication with the medium directing outlet 415 and the main chamber 215, utilized to direct the flow of the first heat exchange medium into the medium directing assembly 220 from the main chamber 215.
The medium directing assembly 220 is further utilized to combine the flow of the first heat exchange medium into a singular flow within the medium directing assembly 220, once the first heat exchange medium is collected from the main chamber 215 in to the medium directing assembly 220. Furthermore, the medium directing assembly 220 is provided with the medium directing outlet 415 to discharge the first heat exchange medium out of the medium directing assembly 220. From thereon, the first heat exchange medium is generally directed to the outlet 150, discharging the first heat exchange medium out of the heat exchanger 100.
In an embodiment of the present invention, referring to FIGS. 12 and 13, the medium directing assembly 220 may generally be a rectangular parallelepiped body comprising of a medium directing upper assembly 225 and a medium directing lower assembly 230. The medium directing upper assembly 225 generally provides the upper body of the medium directing assembly 220, while the medium directing lower assembly generally provides the lower body of the medium directing assembly 220. The medium directing upper assembly 225 and the medium directing lower assembly 230 are generally coupled together to form the medium directing assembly 220. Referring now to FIGS. 14 and 15, in an embodiment of the present invention the upper vertical plane of the medium directing upper assembly 225 may comprise of a medium directing upper first lateral support 245 and a medium directing upper second lateral support 265, forming the top vertical section of the medium directing assembly 220. The medium directing upper first lateral support 245 and the medium directing upper second lateral support 265 are generally planar bodies each comprising of materials having a thickness. The medium directing upper first lateral support 245 and the medium directing upper second lateral support 265 are generally positioned on a same plane, while positioned longitudinally spaced apart.
A first longitudinal edge of the medium directing upper first lateral support 245 is a medium directing upper first lateral support anterior edge 325, forming a portion of the longitudinal forward leading first edge of the medium directing assembly 220. A second longitudinal edge of the medium directing upper first lateral support 245 is a medium directing upper first lateral support posterior edge 380, forming a forward first edge of the opening for the medium directing distribution outlet 420. A first longitudinal edge of the medium directing upper second lateral support 265 forms a backward second edge of the opening for the medium directing distribution outlet 420, while a second longitudinal edge of the medium directing upper second lateral support 265 forms a portion of the longitudinal backward trailing second edge of the medium directing assembly 220.
Coupled on a first lateral side edge respectively of the medium directing upper first lateral support 245 and the medium directing upper second lateral support 265 is a medium directing first upper side wall 280. The medium directing first upper side wall 280 is a generally rectangular planar body having a material thickness, extending longitudinally through the main chamber 215, while vertically extending downwardly in a generally perpendicular fashion from the medium directing upper first lateral support 245 and the medium directing upper second lateral support 265, terminating with an edge with a medium directing first upper side wall bottom terminating edge 310. A first longitudinal end of the medium directing first upper side wall 280 generally terminates with an edge with a medium directing upper first side wall anterior edge 300, while a second longitudinal end of the medium directing first upper side wall 280 generally terminates with an edge with a medium directing upper first side wall posterior edge 305.
Coupled on a second lateral side edge respectively of the medium directing upper first lateral support 245 and the medium directing upper second lateral support 265 is a medium directing second upper side wall 285. The medium directing second upper side wall 285 is a generally rectangular planar body having a material thickness, extending longitudinally through the main chamber 215, while vertically extending downwardly in a generally perpendicular fashion from the medium directing upper first lateral support 245 and the medium directing upper second lateral support 265, terminating with an edge with a medium directing second upper side wall bottom terminating edge 315. A first longitudinal end of the medium directing second upper side wall 285 generally terminates with an edge with a medium directing upper second side wall anterior edge 301, while a second longitudinal end of the medium directing second upper side wall 285 generally terminates with an edge with a medium directing upper second side wall posterior edge 306.
Referring now to FIGS. 16 and 17, in an embodiment of the present invention the lower plane of the medium directing lower assembly 230 may comprise of a medium directing lower first lateral support 250 and a medium directing lower second lateral support 295. The medium directing lower first lateral support 250 and the medium directing lower second lateral support 295 are generally planar bodies each comprising of materials having a thickness. The medium directing lower first lateral support 250 and the medium directing lower second lateral support 295 are generally positioned on a same plane, while positioned longitudinally spaced apart.
A first longitudinal edge of the medium directing lower first lateral support 250 is a medium directing lower first lateral support anterior edge 330, forming a portion of the longitudinal forward leading first edge of the medium directing assembly 220. On a second longitudinal edge of the medium directing lower first lateral support 250 is a medium directing lower first lateral support posterior edge 400, forming a forward first longitudinal edge of the opening for the medium directing collecting inlet 425. A first longitudinal edge of the medium directing lower second lateral support 295, a medium directing lower second lateral support anterior edge 385, forms a trailing second edge of the opening for the medium directing collecting inlet 425, while a second longitudinal edge of the medium directing lower second lateral support, a medium directing lower second lateral support posterior edge 390, forms a portion of the longitudinal trailing second edge of the medium directing assembly 220.
Coupled on a respective first lateral side edge of the medium directing lower first lateral support 250 and the medium directing lower second lateral support 295 is a medium directing first lower side wall 335. The medium directing first lower side wall 335 is a generally rectangular planar body having a material thickness, extending longitudinally through the main chamber 215, while vertically upwardly terminating with an edge with a medium directing first lower side wall top terminating edge 345. The medium directing first lower side wall 335 generally extend vertically upwardly in a perpendicular fashion from the first lateral side edge respectively of the medium directing lower first lateral support 250 and the medium directing lower second lateral support 295. A first longitudinal end of the medium directing first lower side wall 335 generally terminates with an edge with a medium directing lower first side wall anterior edge 355. A second longitudinal end of the medium directing first lower side wall 335 generally terminates with an edge with a medium directing lower first side wall posterior edge 365.
Coupled on a second lateral side edge respectively of the medium directing lower first lateral support 250 and the medium directing lower second lateral support 295 is a medium directing second lower side wall 340. The medium directing second lower side wall 340 is a generally rectangular planar body having a material thickness, extending longitudinally through the main chamber 215, while vertically upwardly terminating with an edge at a medium directing second lower side wall top terminating edge 350. The medium directing second lower side wall 340 generally extend vertically upwardly in a perpendicular fashion from the second lateral side edge respectively of the medium directing lower first lateral support 250 and the medium directing lower second lateral support 295. A first longitudinal end of the medium directing second lower side wall 340 generally terminates with an edge with a medium directing lower second side wall anterior edge 360. A second longitudinal end of the medium directing second lower side wall 340 generally terminates with an edge with a medium directing lower second side wall posterior edge 370.
Referring to FIG. 25, in an embodiment of the present invention, the medium directing first upper side wall 280 and the medium directing first lower side wall 335 coupled together form the medium directing first side wall 240. In a similar fashion, in an embodiment of the present invention, the medium directing second upper side wall 285 and the medium directing second lower side wall 340 coupled together form the medium directing second side wall 235. In an embodiment of the present invention, the medium directing first upper side wall bottom terminating edge 310 generally engages the medium directing first lower side wall top terminating edge 345, while the medium directing second upper side wall bottom terminating edge 315 generally engages the medium directing second lower side wall top terminating edge 350.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the first longitudinal edge of the medium directing assembly 220 may be a medium directing assembly anterior edge 270, comprising of the medium directing upper first lateral support anterior edge 325, the medium directing upper first side wall anterior edge 300, the medium directing upper second side wall anterior edge 301, the medium directing lower first lateral support anterior edge 330, the medium directing lower first side wall anterior edge 355, and the medium directing lower second side wall anterior edge 360. The medium directing assembly anterior edge 270 may generally engage the second side of the sub-chamber anterior wall 165.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a portion of the medium directing assembly anterior edge 270 may engage the second side of the sub-chamber anterior wall 165. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the medium directing assembly anterior edge 270 may not engage the second side of the sub-chamber anterior wall 165. Instead, one or more of the lateral or vertical sides of the first longitudinal end of the medium directing assembly 220 may matingly engage one or more of the lateral or vertical panels forming the cavity within the first sub-chamber 125.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the second longitudinal edge of the medium directing assembly 220 may be a medium directing assembly posterior edge 275, comprising of a medium directing upper second lateral support posterior edge 320, the medium directing upper first side wall posterior edge 305, the medium directing upper second side wall posterior edge 306, the medium directing lower second lateral support posterior edge 390, the medium directing lower first side wall posterior edge 365, and the medium directing lower second side wall posterior edge 370. The medium directing assembly posterior edge 275 may generally engage the first side of the sub-chamber posterior wall 170.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a portion of the medium directing assembly posterior edge 275 may engage the first side of the sub-chamber posterior wall 170. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the medium directing assembly posterior edge 275 may not engage the first side of the sub-chamber posterior wall 170. Instead, one or more of the lateral or vertical sides of the second longitudinal end of the medium directing assembly 220 may matingly engage one or more of the lateral or vertical panels forming the cavity within the second sub-chamber 130.
Referring now to FIG. 24, in another embodiment of the present invention, respective vertical leading edge of the medium directing first upper side wall 280 and the medium directing first lower side wall 335 may not engage end to end. Instead, a planar surface of a medium directing first upper side wall 280B and the medium directing first lower side wall 335 may engage laterally, with respective planar surfaces engaging each other. In a similar fashion, a medium directing second upper side wall 285B and the medium directing second lower side wall 340 may not engage end to end. Instead, the planar surfaces, respectively, of the medium directing second upper side wall 285B and the medium directing second lower side wall 340 may engage laterally, with respective planar surfaces engaging each other.
Referring again to FIG. 12, disposed within the medium directing assembly 220 is a medium directing panel 255. The medium directing panel 255 is generally a planar body having a material thickness, having a first planar surface facing at an angle towards the medium directing inlet 410 and the medium directing distribution outlet 420, while having a second planar surface facing at an angle towards the medium directing outlet 415 and the medium collecting inlet 425. In an embodiment of the present invention, the medium directing panel 255 has a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end, a medium directing panel anterior termination edge 290 and a medium directing panel posterior termination edge 260, respectively. The medium directing panel anterior termination edge 290 generally engages the medium directing lower first lateral support 250 while the medium directing panel posterior termination edge 260 generally engages the medium directing upper second lateral support 265. A first lateral edge of the medium directing panel 255 generally engages the medium directing first side wall 240, while a second lateral edge of the medium directing panel 255 generally engages the medium directing second side wall 235. The medium directing panel 255 is generally disposed at an angle in relationship to the longitudinal axial characteristics established by the rectangular parallelepiped body of the medium directing assembly 220, thereby generally facing at an angle the medium directing inlet 410 and the medium directing distribution outlet 420.
In an embodiment of the present invention, as the first heat exchange medium is introduced in to the medium directing assembly 220 through the medium directing inlet 410, the first heat exchange medium generally initially flows within the medium directing assembly 220 in a first line of flow following the longitudinal axial characteristic of the rectangular parallelepiped body of the medium directing assembly 220 in a pathway comprising vertically of the medium directing upper first lateral support 245 and the medium directing lower first lateral support 250, and laterally of the medium directing first side wall 240 and the medium directing second side wall 235. As the first heat exchange medium travels further inward within the medium directing assembly 220 from the medium directing inlet 410, the first heat exchange medium flowing initially in the first line of flow is directed to collide into the first planar surface of the medium directing panel 255.
As the first heat exchange medium is directed to flow into the first planar surface of the medium directing panel 255, the first heat exchange medium is disbursed on the first planar surface of the medium directing panel 255, resulting in a second flow pattern that is divergent from the first line of flow. Furthermore, as the first planar surface of the medium directing panel 255 is coupled within the medium directing assembly 220 at an angle in relation to the longitudinal axial characteristics of the medium directing assembly 220 facing both the medium directing inlet 410 and the medium directing distribution outlet 420, while laterally bound by the medium directing first side wall 240 and the medium directing second side wall 235, the first heat exchange medium that was disbursed on the surface of the first planar surface of the medium directing panel 255 in the second flow pattern is further directed to flow out of the medium directing assembly 220 and into the main chamber 215 through the medium directing distribution outlet 420, in a third line of flow. The third line of flow is generally perpendicular in relation to the plane established by the opening of the medium distribution outlet 420, as well as generally perpendicular in relation to the longitudinal axial flow characteristics established by the first line of flow.
As the third line of flow is generally perpendicular in relation to the initial line of flow established in the first line of flow, the first heat exchange medium generally travels vertically upwardly from the medium directing assembly 220 as the first heat exchange medium exits the medium directing assembly 220 through the medium distribution outlet 420. The first heat exchange medium is generally projected out of the medium directing assembly 220 in a focused stream through the medium directing distribution outlet 420 in to the main chamber 215. As the third line of flow travels through the main chamber 215, the third line of flow terminates as the third line of flow reaches the lateral wall of the main chamber 215 comprising the first chamber wall 115 and the second chamber wall 120, within a perimeter of the lateral wall of the main chamber 215 vertically in line with the medium distribution outlet 420. As the third line of flow contacts the lateral wall of the main chamber 215, the third line of flow terminates and a pair of fourth line of flow begins within the main chamber 215.
The pair of fourth line of flow within the main chamber 215 for the first heat exchange medium are divergent lateral flows within the main chamber 215. The first fourth line of flow travels from generally the top vertical area of the main chamber 215 where the third line of flow terminates, traveling in the flow space provided between the lateral wall of the main chamber 215, comprising the first chamber wall 115 and the second chamber wall 120, and the medium directing first side wall 240. The second fourth line of flow travels from the top vertical area of the main chamber 215 where the third line of flow terminates, traveling in the flow space provided between the lateral wall of the main chamber 215, comprising the first chamber wall 115 and the second chamber wall 120, and the medium directing second side wall 235. The pair of fourth line of flow are generally directed to travel to an area vertically generally directly below the medium directing collecting inlet 425, following the lateral wall contour of the main chamber 215. Once the pair of fourth line of flow travel to the area vertically generally directly below the medium collecting inlet 425 within the main chamber 215, the pair of fourth line of flow collide in to each other and merge into a singular flow.
The merging of the pair of fourth line of flow terminates the pair of fourth line of flow and initiates a fifth line of flow within the main chamber 215, wherein the fifth line of flow is generally vertically perpendicular to the plane established by the opening of the medium directing collecting inlet 425. In the fifth line of flow, the first heat exchange medium is discharged out of the main chamber 215 and introduced back into the medium directing assembly 220 through the medium directing collecting inlet 425, in a focused stream. As the fifth line of flow travels further into the medium directing assembly 220, the first heat exchange medium is directed to collide with the second planar surface of the medium directing panel 255, wherein the first heat exchange medium disburses on the surface of the second planar surface of the medium directing panel, initiating a sixth flow pattern.
As the second planar side of the medium directing panel 255 faces at an angle the medium directing collecting inlet 425 and the medium directing outlet 415, the first heat exchange medium that was disbursed on the surface of the second planar side of the medium directing panel 255 in a sixth flow pattern is further directed to flow in a seventh line of flow following the longitudinal axial characteristics of the medium directing assembly 220 in a pathway provided within the medium directing assembly 220 comprising vertically of the medium directing upper second lateral support 265 and the medium directing lower second lateral support 295, and laterally of the medium directing first side wall 240 and the medium directing second side wall 235. As the first heat exchange medium flows within the medium directing assembly 220 in a seventh line of flow, the first heat exchange medium is directed to flow towards the medium directing outlet 415. Once the first heat exchange medium reaches the medium directing outlet 415, the first heat exchange medium is further directed to the outlet 150, from which the first heat exchange medium is discharged out of the heat exchanger 100.
Referring now to FIGS. 18 and 19, another embodiment of a medium directing assembly 220A is shown. The medium directing assembly 220A is generally a rectangular parallelepiped body comprising of a medium directing upper assembly 225A and the medium directing lower assembly 230. The medium directing upper assembly 225A generally forms the upper portion of the medium directing assembly 220A, while the medium directing lower assembly 230 generally forms the lower portion of the medium directing assembly 220. The medium directing upper assembly 225A and the medium directing lower assembly 230 are generally coupled together to form the medium directing assembly 220A. Referring now to FIGS. 20 and 21, the upper vertical plane of the medium directing upper assembly 225A is established by a medium directing upper lateral support 265A. The medium directing upper lateral support 265A is generally a planar body comprising of material having a thickness.
Coupled on a first lateral side of the medium directing upper lateral support 265A is a medium directing first upper side wall 280A. The medium directing first upper side wall 280A is a generally rectangular planar body having a material thickness, extending longitudinally through the main chamber 215, while vertically extending downwardly from the medium directing upper lateral support 265A, terminating with an edge at a medium directing first upper side wall bottom terminating edge 310A. The medium directing first upper side wall 280A generally extend vertically downwardly in a perpendicular fashion with respect to the plane established by the medium directing upper lateral support 265A. A first longitudinal end of the medium directing first upper side wall 280A generally terminates with an edge with a medium directing upper first side wall anterior edge 300A. A second longitudinal end of the medium directing first upper side wall 280A generally terminates with an edge with a medium directing upper first side wall posterior edge 305A.
Coupled on a second lateral side edge of the medium directing upper lateral support 265A is a medium directing second upper side wall 285A. The medium directing second upper side wall 285A is a generally rectangular planar body having a material thickness, extending longitudinally through the main chamber 215, while vertically extending downwardly from the medium directing upper lateral support 265A, terminating with an edge at a medium directing second upper side wall bottom terminating edge 315A. The medium directing second upper side wall 285A generally extend vertically downwardly in a perpendicular fashion with respect to the plane established by the medium directing upper lateral support 265A. A first longitudinal end of the medium directing second upper side wall 285A generally terminates with an edge with a medium directing upper second side wall anterior edge 301A. A second longitudinal end of the medium directing second upper side wall 285A generally terminates with an edge with a medium directing upper second side wall posterior edge 306A.
Referring now to FIGS. 22 and 23, in an embodiment of the medium directing assembly 220A the lower plane of the medium directing lower assembly 230 comprises of the medium directing lower first lateral support 250 and the medium directing lower second lateral support 295. The medium directing lower first lateral support 250 and the medium directing lower second lateral support 295 are generally planar bodies each comprising of materials having a thickness. The medium directing lower first lateral support 250 and the medium directing lower second lateral support 295 are generally positioned on a same plane, while positioned longitudinally spaced apart.
The first longitudinal edge of the medium directing lower first lateral support 250 is the medium directing lower first lateral support anterior edge 330, forming a portion of the longitudinal forward leading first edge of the medium directing assembly 220, while the second longitudinal edge of the medium directing lower first lateral support 250 is the medium directing lower first lateral support posterior edge 400, forming the forward first longitudinal edge of the opening for the medium directing collecting inlet 425. The medium directing lower second lateral support anterior edge 385 forms the backward second edge of the opening for the medium directing collecting inlet 425, while the medium directing lower second lateral support posterior edge 390, forms a portion of the longitudinal backward second edge of the medium directing assembly 220.
Coupled on the respective first lateral side edge of the medium directing lower first lateral support 250 and the medium directing lower second lateral support 295 is the medium directing first lower side wall 335. The medium directing first lower side wall 335 is a generally rectangular planar body having a material thickness, extending longitudinally through the main chamber 215, while vertically upwardly terminating with an edge at the medium directing first lower side wall top terminating edge 345. The medium directing first lower side wall 335 generally extend vertically upwardly in a perpendicular fashion from the first lateral side edge respectively of the medium directing lower first lateral support 250 and the medium directing lower second lateral support 295. The first longitudinal end of the medium directing first lower side wall 335 generally terminates with an edge at the medium directing lower first side wall anterior edge 355. A second longitudinal end of the medium directing first lower side wall 335 generally terminates with an edge at the medium directing lower first side wall posterior edge 365.
Coupled on the second lateral side edge respectively of the medium directing lower first lateral support 250 and the medium directing lower second lateral support 295 is the medium directing second lower side wall 340. The medium directing second lower side wall 340 is a generally rectangular planar body having a material thickness, extending longitudinally through the main chamber 215, while vertically upwardly terminating with an edge at the medium directing second lower side wall top terminating edge 350. The medium directing second lower side wall 340 generally extend vertically upwardly in a perpendicular fashion from the second lateral side edge respectively of the medium directing lower first lateral support 250 and the medium directing lower second lateral support 295. The first longitudinal end of the medium directing second lower side wall 340 generally terminates with an edge with the medium directing lower second side wall anterior edge 360. The second longitudinal end of the medium directing second lower side wall 340 generally terminates with an edge with the medium directing lower second side wall posterior edge 370.
Referring again to FIG. 18, in another embodiment of the present invention, the medium directing first upper side wall 280A and the medium directing first lower side wall 225 coupled together form a medium directing first side wall 240A. In a similar fashion, in another embodiment of the present invention, the medium directing second upper side wall 285A and the medium directing second lower side wall 340 coupled together form a medium directing second side wall 235A. Referencing FIG. 18 and FIG. 21, in another embodiment of the present invention, the medium directing first upper side wall bottom terminating edge 310A generally engages the medium directing first lower side wall top terminating edge 345, while the medium directing second upper side wall bottom terminating edge 315A generally engages the medium directing second lower side wall top terminating edge 350.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the first longitudinal edge of the medium directing assembly 220A may be a medium directing assembly anterior edge 270A comprising the medium directing upper first side wall anterior edge 300A, the medium directing upper second side wall anterior edge 301A, the medium directing lower first lateral support anterior edge 330, the medium directing lower first side wall anterior edge 355, and the medium directing lower second side wall anterior edge 360. The medium directing assembly anterior edge 270A may generally engage the second side of the sub-chamber anterior wall 165. In another embodiment of the present invention, a portion of the medium directing assembly anterior edge 270A may engage the second side of the sub-chamber anterior wall 165.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the medium directing assembly anterior edge 270A may not engage the second side of the sub-chamber anterior wall 165. Instead, one or more of the lateral or vertical sides of the first longitudinal end of the medium directing assembly 220A may matingly engage one or more of the lateral or vertical panels comprising the cavity within the first sub-chamber 125.
Referring to FIG. 19, in another embodiment of the present invention, the second longitudinal edge of the medium directing assembly 220A may be a medium directing assembly posterior edge 275A comprising of a medium directing upper second lateral support posterior edge 320A, the medium directing upper first side wall posterior edge 305A, the medium directing upper second side wall posterior edge 306A, the medium directing lower second lateral support posterior edge 390, the medium directing lower first side wall posterior edge 365, and the medium directing lower second side wall posterior edge 370. The medium directing assembly posterior edge 275A may generally engage the first side of the sub-chamber posterior wall 170.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a portion of the medium directing assembly posterior edge 275A may engage the first side of the sub-chamber posterior wall 170. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the medium directing assembly posterior edge 275A may not engage the first side of the sub-chamber posterior wall 170. Instead, one or more of the lateral or vertical sides of the second longitudinal end of the medium directing assembly 220A may matingly engage one or more of the lateral or vertical panels comprising the cavity within the second sub-chamber 130.
Referring again to FIG. 18, disposed within the medium directing assembly 220A is a medium directing panel 255A. The medium directing panel 255A is generally a planar body having a material thickness, having a first planar surface facing at an angle towards a medium directing inlet 410A and a medium directing distribution outlet 420A, while having a second planar surface facing at an angle towards a medium directing outlet 415A and the medium collecting inlet 425. In an embodiment of the present invention, the medium directing panel 255A has a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end comprising a medium directing panel anterior termination edge 290A and a medium directing panel posterior termination edge 260A, respectively. The medium directing panel anterior termination edge 290A generally engages the medium directing lower first lateral support 250 while the medium directing panel posterior termination edge 260A generally engages the medium directing upper lateral support 265A. A first lateral edge of the medium directing panel 255A engages the medium directing first side wall 240A, while a second lateral edge of the medium directing panel 255A engages the medium directing second side wall 235A. The medium directing panel 255A is generally disposed at an angle in relationship to the longitudinal axial characteristics established by the rectangular parallelepiped body of the medium directing assembly 220A, generally facing at an angle the medium directing inlet 410A and the medium directing distribution outlet 420A.
In another embodiment of the present invention, as the first heat exchange medium is introduced in to the medium directing assembly 220A through the medium directing inlet 410A, the first heat exchange medium generally initially flows in a first line of flow following the longitudinal axial characteristic of the rectangular parallelepiped body of the medium directing assembly 220A, flowing in a pathway formed jointly by the medium directing assembly 220A and the first sub-chamber 125. In an embodiment of the present invention, the first longitudinal end of the medium directing assembly 220A is coupled inside the cavity provided in the first sub-chamber 125. As such, a first and a second lateral walls, as well as a bottom vertical wall of the first heat exchange medium pathway may be formed by the medium directing assembly 220A, while the top vertical wall of the medium pathway may generally be provided by the first sub-chamber top wall 175. As the first heat exchange medium travels further inwards within the pathway provided within the medium directing assembly 220A from the medium directing inlet 410A, the first heat exchange medium flowing initially in the first line of flow is directed to collide into the first planar surface of the medium directing panel 255A.
When the first heat exchange medium is directed to flow into the first planar surface of the medium directing panel 255A, the first heat exchange medium is disbursed on the first planar surface of the medium directing panel 255A, resulting in a second flow pattern that is divergent from the first line of flow. Furthermore, as the medium directing panel 255A is coupled within the medium directing assembly 220A at an angle in relation to the longitudinal axial characteristics of the medium directing assembly 220A, the first planar face of the medium directing panel 255A facing both the medium directing inlet 410A and the medium directing distribution outlet 420A, while laterally bound by the medium directing first side wall 240A and the medium directing second side wall 235A, the first heat exchange medium that was disbursed on the surface of the first planar surface of the medium directing panel 255A in the second flow pattern is further directed to flow out of the medium directing assembly 220A and into the main chamber 215 through the medium directing distribution outlet 420A, in a third line of flow. The third line of flow is generally perpendicular in relation to the plane established by the medium directing distribution outlet 420A.
As the third line of flow is generally perpendicular in relation to the initial line of flow established by the first line of flow, the first heat exchange medium generally travels vertically upwardly away from the medium directing assembly 220A. The first heat exchange medium is generally projected out of the medium directing assembly 220A in to the main chamber 215 through the medium directing distribution outlet 420A in a focused stream. As the third line of flow travels within the main chamber 215, the third line of flow terminates as the third line of flow reaches the lateral wall of the main chamber 215, comprising the first chamber wall 115 and the second chamber wall 120, within a perimeter of the lateral wall of the main chamber 215 vertically in line with the medium distribution outlet 410A. As the third line of flow contacts the lateral wall of the main chamber 215, the third line of flow terminates and generally transitions the flow of the first heat exchange medium into a pair of fourth line of flow within the main chamber 215.
The pair of fourth line of flow within the main chamber 215 for the first heat exchange medium are divergent lateral flows within the main chamber 215. The first fourth line of flow travels from generally the top vertical area of the main chamber 215 where the third line of flow terminates, traveling in the flow space provided between the lateral wall of the main chamber 215, comprising the first chamber wall 115 and the second chamber wall 120, and the medium directing first side wall 240A. The second fourth line of flow travels from generally the top vertical area of the main chamber 215 where the third line of flow terminates, traveling in the flow space provided between the lateral wall of the main chamber 215, comprising the first chamber wall 115 and the second chamber wall 120, and the medium directing second side wall 235A. The pair of fourth line of flow are generally directed to travel to an area vertically generally below the medium directing collecting inlet 425, at which point the pair of fourth line of flow collide in to each other and merge into a singular flow.
The merging of the pair of fourth line of flow terminates the pair of fourth line of flow and transition the heat exchange medium flow into a fifth line of flow, wherein the fifth line of flow is generally vertically perpendicular with respect to the plane generally established by the opening of the medium directing collecting inlet 425. In the fifth line of flow, the first heat exchange medium is discharged out of the main chamber 215 and introduced back into the medium directing assembly 220A through the medium directing collecting inlet 425, in a focused stream. As the fifth line of flow travels further into the medium directing assembly 220A, the first heat exchange medium is directed to collide with the second planar surface of the medium directing panel 255A, wherein the first heat exchange medium disburses on the surface of the second planar side of the medium directing panel 255A, initiating a sixth flow pattern. As the second planar surface of the medium directing panel 255A faces at an angle the medium directing collecting inlet 425 and the medium directing outlet 415A, the first heat exchange medium that was disbursed on the surface of the second side of the medium directing panel 255A in a sixth flow pattern is further directed to flow in a seventh line of flow following the longitudinal axial characteristics of the medium directing assembly 220A. As the first heat exchange medium flows within the medium directing assembly 220A in a seventh line of flow, the first heat exchange medium is directed to flow towards the medium directing outlet 415. Once the first heat exchange medium reaches the medium directing outlet 415, the first heat exchange medium is discharged out of the heat exchanger 100 out of the outlet 150.
Now referencing FIG. 26, in an embodiment of the present invention, the first sub-chamber 125 may generally be a parallelepiped body, comprising vertically of the first sub-chamber top wall 175 and the first sub-chamber bottom wall 185, and laterally of the first sub-chamber first side wall 180 and the first sub-chamber second side wall 190. In another embodiment of the present invention, the first sub-chamber 125 may not be a parallelepiped body, but of other geometric shape, such as a cuboid, a hexagonal prism, or a pentagonal prism, for example. Referring now to FIG. 28, in another embodiment of the present invention, a first chamber assembly 105B may have a first sub-chamber 125A that may be geometrically shaped in a trapezoidal prism configuration. In this embodiment of the present invention, a top vertical panel of the first sub-chamber 125A may be a first sub-chamber top wall 175B, while a bottom vertical panel of the first sub-chamber 125A may be a first sub-chamber bottom wall 185B, the planes established by the respective vertical panels being generally parallel to each other. While on the lateral side of the first sub-chamber 125A, a first lateral side may be formed by a first sub-chamber first side wall 180B, while a second lateral side may be formed by a first sub-chamber second side wall 190B, wherein the planes established by the respective lateral panels generally may not be parallel to each other.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the first sub-chamber 125 may have a combination of one or more geometric shape characteristics. Referring now to FIG. 27, a sub-chamber 125B of a first chamber assembly 105A is shown to have a bottom side having a cylindrical characteristic while the top side is shown having a flat planar surface. In such an embodiment of the present invention, a top vertical panel of the first sub-chamber 125B is shown having a planar surface with a first sub-chamber top wall 175A. Furthermore, in another embodiment of the present invention, the first sub-chamber 125B may not have a distinct bottom vertical panel and two lateral side panels. Instead, the first sub-chamber 125B is shown with a lower cylindrical body, with a first sub-chamber bottom wall 185A, generally combining the two lateral side panels and the bottom vertical panel into a singular panel.
In an embodiment of the present invention, in a similar fashion to the first sub-chamber 125, the second sub-chamber 130 may generally be a parallelepiped body or of any other geometric shapes, for example. In some embodiments of the present invention, the second sub-chamber 130 may be of an irregular shape, comprising of one or more geometric characteristics, similar to the shape of the first sub-chamber 125. In other embodiments of the present invention, the second sub-chamber 130 may be of an irregular shape dissimilar to the shape of the first sub-chamber 125.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the first sub-chamber 125, the second sub-chamber 130, or both first sub-chamber 125 and the second sub-chamber 130 may have irregular shapes. In such an embodiment of the present invention, the medium directing assembly 220 may similarly have a corresponding irregular shape to engagingly couple within the cavity provided within the irregular shaped first sub-chamber 125, the second sub-chamber 130, or both the first sub-chamber 125 and the second sub-chamber 130. Furthermore, the first sub-chamber 125, the second sub-chamber 130, or both first sub-chamber 125 and the second sub-chamber 130 may be provided with at least one planar surface, wherein a similarly shaped corresponding planar surface may be provided on at least one vertical or lateral side of the medium directing assembly 220.
Now, reference is made to FIG. 29, showing another embodiment of a first sub-chamber 125C. In an embodiment of the present invention, the first sub-chamber 125C comprise of two vertical panels having a material thickness (See FIG. 30), the first sub-chamber top wall 175 and the first sub-chamber bottom wall 185, and two lateral panels (See FIG. 31) similarly having a material thickness, the first sub-chamber first side wall 180 and the first sub-chamber second side wall 190. A first longitudinal end of the first sub-chamber 125C may be (See FIG. 32) open to the reservoir containing the first heat exchange medium, while a second longitudinal end of the first sub-chamber 125C may be open to an interior space provided within a first chamber assembly 105C, forming a sub-chamber inlet 405. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the sub-chamber inlet 405 may be open to exterior atmosphere, permitting flow of the first heat exchange medium direct from atmosphere. In a similar fashion (Not shown), the second sub-chamber 130 may have its first longitudinal end open to an interior space provided within the second chamber assembly 110, while the second longitudinal end may be open to the reservoir containing the first heat exchange medium.
The heat exchanger 100 may comprise of the first chamber assembly 105 and the second chamber assembly 110 coupled together. In other embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of heat exchangers 100 as described herein may be coupled together in a serial or a parallel fashion or a combination of serial and parallel arrangement to form a larger heat exchanger assembly. As such, the heat exchange medium flow pattern described herein may be repeated several times dependent upon the number of the heat exchanger 100 packaged within an embodiment of a heat exchanger assembly. In an embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of heat exchangers 100 may be bundled together to form a larger heat exchanger assembly, wherein a first longitudinal ends of a plurality of heat exchangers 100 are coupled to a first header plate (Not shown), the first header plate having corresponding orifices to engagingly couple the first longitudinal ends of each of the heat exchangers 100. In a similar fashion, in an embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of heat exchangers 100 may be bundled together to form a larger heat exchanger assembly, wherein a second longitudinal ends of a plurality of the heat exchangers 100 are coupled to a second header plate (Not shown), the second header plate having corresponding orifices to engagingly couple the second longitudinal ends of each of the heat exchangers 100.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the medium directing first side wall 240 may be shown formed from two components, comprising the medium directing first upper side wall 280 and the medium directing first lower side wall. In another embodiment of the present invention, the medium directing first side wall 240 may comprise of a singular piece or a combination of more than two component sections. In a similar fashion, the medium directing second side wall 235 may be shown formed from two components, comprising the medium directing second upper side wall 285 and the medium directing second lower side wall 340. In another embodiment of the present invention, the medium directing second side wall 235 may comprise of a singular piece or a combination of more than two component sections.
The heat exchange medium flow paths provided internally or externally of the heat exchanger 100 may feature surface enhancements, such as, but not limited to, dimples, fins, louvers, that is known in the art to enhance heat transfer effectiveness in a heat exchanger application.
The heat exchanger 100 may comprise of ferrous or non-ferrous material. The material may be an alloy, plastics, composites, or other material suitable for use as a heat exchanger known in the art. In other embodiments of the present invention, more than one type of material may be combined to construct the heat exchanger 100, such as with use of an aluminum alloy along with composite material, for example.
The heat exchanger 100 may be manufactured by stamping, forging, machining, casting, 3-D printing, or by other manufacturing methods known in the art. In another embodiment of the present invention, one or more manufacturing methods may be utilized to manufacture the heat exchanger 100. The heat exchanger 100 may be manufactured as a combination of one or more separately manufactured pieces. The heat exchanger 100 may be coupled together by means of brazing, soldering, welding, mechanical means, or adhesive means known in the art.
The heat exchanger 100 may be utilized as a cooler, a condenser, an evaporator, a radiator, or any other application requiring heat to be transferred from one heat exchange medium to another heat exchange medium. The heat exchange medium may be air, liquid, or gas, known in the art. The heat exchange medium flowing within the heat exchanger 100 may be the same as the heat exchange medium flowing outside of the heat exchanger 100. In another embodiment of the present invention, the heat exchange medium flowing within the heat exchanger 100 may be different from the heat exchange medium flowing outside of the heat exchanger 100. In an embodiment of the present invention, the heat exchange medium may be a compound, combining more than one type of heat exchange medium known in the art. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the heat exchange medium may by combined with more than one type of material, such as with air and silica solids to obtain additional desired features, for example.
Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore, within the scope of the appended claims, the present invention may be practiced other than as specifically described.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A heat exchanger having a first chamber assembly and a second chamber assembly coupled together comprising:

the first chamber assembly having:

an inlet;

a first chamber wall;

a chamber anterior wall; and

a first sub-chamber,

the second chamber assembly having:

an outlet;

a second chamber wall;

a chamber posterior wall; and

a second sub-chamber, wherein

the inlet and the outlet in fluid communication with a first reservoir containing a first heat exchange medium,

a second heat exchange medium flowing outside of the heat exchanger,

a first longitudinal end of the first chamber wall concentrically coupled to the chamber anterior wall,

a second longitudinal end of the first chamber wall coupled to a first longitudinal end of the second chamber wall,

a second longitudinal end of the second chamber wall concentrically coupled to the chamber posterior wall,

the first chamber assembly and the second chamber assembly coupled together form a main chamber within, a hollow space permitting flow of the first heat exchange medium, longitudinally bound between the chamber anterior wall and the chamber posterior wall, while laterally bound by the first chamber wall and the second chamber wall,

the chamber anterior wall being a planar panel, having a first side and a second side,

the chamber posterior wall being a planar panel, having a first side and a second side,

the first sub-chamber coupled to the first side of the chamber anterior wall, a first longitudinal end of the first sub-chamber extending away from the first side of the chamber anterior wall, terminating at the chamber anterior wall, while a second longitudinal end of the first sub-chamber is fluidly connected to the main chamber, the first sub-chamber forming a cavity within, external to the main chamber,

the second sub-chamber coupled to the second side of the chamber posterior wall, a first longitudinal end of the second sub-chamber fluidly connected to the main chamber, while a second longitudinal end of the second sub-chamber extending away from the second side of the chamber posterior wall, terminating at the chamber posterior wall, the second sub-chamber forming a cavity within, external to the main chamber,

longitudinally disposed within the main chamber is a medium directing assembly, a first longitudinal end of the medium directing assembly extending longitudinally out of the main chamber, engaging the cavity provided within the first sub-chamber, while having a second longitudinal end of the medium directing assembly extending longitudinally out of the main chamber, engaging the cavity provided within the second sub-chamber,

the medium directing assembly comprising of a medium directing upper assembly and a medium directing lower assembly coupled together, the medium directing assembly having two distinct lateral sides comprising a medium directing first side wall and a medium directing second side wall, along with two distinct vertical sides comprising, a first vertical side and a second vertical side,

the medium directing assembly having a medium directing inlet on a first longitudinal end of the medium directing assembly, the medium directing inlet in fluid communication with the inlet,

a medium directing outlet provided on a second longitudinal end of the medium directing assembly, the medium directing outlet in fluid communication with the outlet,

a medium directing distribution outlet provided on the first vertical side of the medium directing assembly, the medium distribution outlet fluidly connecting the medium directing inlet and the main chamber,

a medium directing collecting inlet provided on the second vertical side of the medium directing assembly, the medium directing collecting inlet fluidly connecting the main chamber and the medium directing outlet,

the medium directing first side wall and the medium directing second side wall each respectively a planar panel, positioned laterally spaced apart, while extending longitudinally through the main chamber, a first end and a second end of the respective panels extending longitudinally out of the main chamber,

disposed between the medium directing first side wall and the medium directing second side wall is a medium directing panel, a planar panel having a first planar side facing the medium directing inlet and the medium distribution outlet at an angle, while having a second planar side facing the medium directing outlet and the medium directing collecting inlet at an angle,

the medium directing first side wall set laterally spaced apart from a lateral wall of the main chamber, comprising the first chamber wall and the second chamber wall, forming a flow path for the first heat exchange medium therebetween, and

the medium directing second side wall set laterally spaced apart from the lateral wall of the main chamber, comprising the first chamber wall and the second chamber wall, forming a flow path for the first heat exchange medium therebetween.

2. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the first vertical side of the medium directing assembly comprises of a medium directing upper first lateral support and a medium directing upper second lateral support, each respectively a planar panel, positioned generally on a same plane while positioned longitudinally spaced apart, forming the medium directing distribution outlet therebetween.

3. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the second vertical side of the medium directing assembly comprises of a medium directing lower first lateral support and a medium directing lower second lateral support, each respectively a planar panel, positioned generally on a same plane while positioned longitudinally spaced apart, forming the medium directing collecting inlet therebetween.

4. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein a plurality of heat exchangers are coupled together in a serial manner to form a larger heat exchanger assembly.

5. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein a plurality of heat exchangers are coupled together in a parallel fashion to form a larger heat exchanger assembly.

6. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein a plurality of heat exchangers are coupled together in a combination of serial and parallel fashion to form a larger heat exchanger assembly.

7. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein a first longitudinal end of the first sub-chamber is open to atmosphere, while a second longitudinal end of the first sub-chamber is fluidly connected to the main chamber.

8. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein a first longitudinal end of the second sub-chamber is fluidly connected to the main chamber, while a second longitudinal end of the second sub-chamber is open to atmosphere.