Patent · US Active

Multichannel heat exchanger tubes with flow path inlet sections

US9151540B2 · kind B2 · utility

4Cited by
42References
9Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 27, 2011
Grant dateOct 6, 2015
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 16, 2034

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T29/49391
  • WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to multichannel tubes with flow path inlet sections that allow refrigerant to enter the flow paths through an outer wall of the multichannel tubes. In certain embodiments, a portion of the outer wall is removed to expose the flow paths to a distribution chamber within an inlet manifold divided into an inlet section and a distribution section by a distributor. According to certain embodiments, the inlet section may be designed to have a relatively small cross-sectional area that promotes mixed phase flow of liquid and vapor refrigerant. The multichannel tubes extend into the distribution section to partition the distribution section into a series of distribution chambers defined by a pair of adjacent tubes, the distributor, and the inlet manifold. Within each distribution chamber, the refrigerant may be directed into the multichannel tubes through the flow path inlet sections of the multichannel tubes.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.