U.S. patent application number 10/712676 was filed with the patent office on 2004-09-16 for heat exchanger and fabrication method thereof.
This patent application is currently assigned to LG Electronics Inc.. Invention is credited to Cho, Nam Soo, Jhee, Sung, Lee, Jang Seok.
Application Number | 20040177948 10/712676 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36292636 |
Filed Date | 2004-09-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040177948 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cho, Nam Soo ; et
al. |
September 16, 2004 |
Heat exchanger and fabrication method thereof
Abstract
A heat exchanger includes: refrigerator pipes arranged at
regular intervals; and cooling pins arranged between the
refrigerator pipes and integrally formed with the refrigerator
pipes. A fabrication process and cost can be reduced, a heat
transfer performance can be enhanced, and the life span of the heat
exchanger can be lengthened.
Inventors: |
Cho, Nam Soo; (Seoul,
KR) ; Lee, Jang Seok; (Incheon, KR) ; Jhee,
Sung; (Gyeonggi-Do, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
JONATHAN Y. KANG, ESQ.
LEE & HONG P.C.
11th Floor
221 N. Figueroa Street
Los Angeles
CA
90012-2601
US
|
Assignee: |
LG Electronics Inc.
|
Family ID: |
36292636 |
Appl. No.: |
10/712676 |
Filed: |
November 13, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
165/150 ;
165/183 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F28F 9/001 20130101;
F28D 1/0477 20130101; F28F 1/16 20130101; B21D 53/085 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
165/150 ;
165/183 |
International
Class: |
F28F 001/36 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 13, 2003 |
KR |
15824/2003 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A heat exchanger comprising: refrigerator pipes arranged at
regular intervals; and cooling pins arranged between the
refrigerator pipes and integrally formed with the refrigerator
pipes.
2. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein a support holder
supporting the refrigerator pipes is disposed at both sides of the
refrigerator pipes.
3. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the refrigerant pipe and
the cooling fin are made of an aluminum material.
4. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein, regarding the
refrigerant pipes, two refrigerant pipes are arranged at a certain
interval and repeatedly bent, respectively.
5. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the cooling fins are
formed in a direction of a right angle to a longitudinal direction
of the refrigerant pipe between the refrigerants and has a certain
tilt angle.
6. The heat exchanger of claim 2, wherein there is no cooling fin
at a portion of the refrigerant pipe inserted into a slot of the
support holder.
7. A method for fabricating a heat exchanger comprising: a first
step of integrally forming refrigerant pipes and a flat type
cooling fin forming part between the refrigerant pipes; a second
step of forming a plurality of cooling fins at the cooling fin
forming part; a third step of bending the cooling fin-formed
refrigerant pipe several times at certain intervals; and a fourth
step of assembling a support holder at both sides of the
refrigerant pipe.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein, in the first step, two
refrigerant pipes and the flat type cooling fin forming part
between the two refrigerant pipes are integrally formed by using a
molding unit.
9. The method of claim 7, wherein, in the second step, the plural
cooling fins are formed with a certain tile angle by passing the
cooling fin forming part between louvering gears.
10. The method of claim 7 further comprising: removing cooing fins
formed at both sides of the refrigerant pipe so that the
refrigerant pipe can be inserted into a slot of the support holder
after the refrigerant pipe is bent.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a heat exchanger and its
fabrication method, and more particularly, to a heat exchanger and
its fabrication method capable of reducing a fabrication process
and improving a heat exchange performance by integrally forming a
refrigerant pipe and a cooling fin.
[0003] 2. Description of the Background Art
[0004] In general, a heat exchanger is a device for heat-exchanging
by making two different fluids contact each other directly or
indirectly, and commonly used for a heater, a cooler, an
evaporator, a condenser and the like.
[0005] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fin and tube type heat
exchanger mainly used for the evaporator of a refrigerator in
accordance with a conventional art.
[0006] The conventional heat exchanger includes a refrigerant pipe
102 performing a heat exchanging operation while a refrigerant
passes therethrough, a plurality of cooling fins 104 mounted at the
refrigerant pipe 102 at regular intervals and extending a contact
area of air passing between the refrigerant pipes 102 in order to
enhance a heat transfer performance, and a support holder 106
mounted at both sides of the refrigerant pipe 102 and supporting
the refrigerant pipe 102.
[0007] The refrigerant pipe 102 is formed such that a cooper pipe
is repeatedly bent, and as shown in FIG. 2, the cooling fin 104 is
formed in a flat type with a through hole 108 so as to be inserted
in an outer circumference of the refrigerant pipe 102, and made of
an aluminum material.
[0008] A method for fabricating the conventional heat exchanger is
that the refrigerant pipe 102 is extruded, the cooling fins 104 are
blanked and inserted to the refrigerant pipe 102, and then an
tube-expanding process is performed to expand a diameter of the
refrigerant pipe 102, whereby the cooling pins 104 are fixed at the
outer circumference of the refrigerant pipe 102.
[0009] However, the conventional heat exchanger has the following
problems.
[0010] That is, because the refrigerant pipe 102 and the cooling
pins 104 are processed through separate processes and then the
cooling pins 104 are combined to the refrigerant pipe 102, the
fabrication process is complicate and thus a fabrication cost
increases.
[0011] In addition, because the cooling fin 104 is inserted at the
outer circumference of the refrigerant pipe 102, a gap (T) exists
between the refrigerant pipe 102 and the cooling pin 104, causing
degradation of a heat transfer performance.
[0012] Especially, when the heat exchanger is used for a freezing
device, a freezing phenomenon is generated at the refrigerant pipe
102 and the cooling pin 104 due to condensate water, and a
defrosting is performed by using a defrosting heater. At this time,
as the freezing and defrosting are repeatedly performed at the gap
(T) between the refrigerant pipe 102 and the cooling pin 104, the
gap (T) widens, and thus, the heat transfer performance is more
degraded.
[0013] In addition, because the refrigerant pipe 102 and the
cooling fin 104 are made of copper and aluminum, potential
difference corrosion is generated due to a potential difference
between the two materials, which causes shortening of the life span
of the heat exchanger.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide
a heat exchanger and its fabrication method capable of shortening a
fabrication process and reducing a fabrication cost by integrally
forming a refrigerant pipe and cooling fins.
[0015] Another object of the present invention is to provide a heat
exchanger and its fabrication method capable of enhancing a heat
transfer performance and lengthening the life span of a heat
exchanger by integrally forming a refrigerator pipe and cooling
pins in the same material.
[0016] To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with
the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly
described herein, there is provided a heat exchanger including:
refrigerator pipes arranged at regular intervals; and cooling pins
arranged between the refrigerator pipes and integrally formed with
the refrigerator pipes; and a support holder disposed at both sides
of the refrigerator pipes and supporting the refrigerator
pipes.
[0017] The refrigerant pipe and the cooling fin are made of an
aluminum material.
[0018] Regarding the refrigerant pipes, two refrigerant pipes are
arranged at a certain interval and repeatedly bent,
respectively.
[0019] The cooling fins are formed in a direction of a right angle
to a longitudinal direction of the refrigerant pipe between the
refrigerants and has a certain tilt angle.
[0020] To achieve the above objects, there is also provided a
method for fabricating a heat exchanger including: a first step of
integrally forming refrigerant pipes and a flat type cooling fin
forming part between the refrigerant pipes; a second step of
forming a plurality of cooling fins at the cooling fin forming
part; a third step of bending the cooling fin-formed refrigerant
pipe several times at certain intervals; and a fourth step of
assembling a support holder at both sides of the refrigerant
pipe.
[0021] In the first step, two refrigerant pipes and the flat type
cooling fin forming part between the two refrigerant pipes are
integrally formed by using a molding unit.
[0022] In the second step, the plural cooling fins are formed with
a certain tile angle by passing the cooling fin forming part
between louvering gears.
[0023] The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and
advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from
the following detailed description of the present invention when
taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a
further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and
constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of
the invention and together with the description serve to explain
the principles of the invention.
[0025] In the drawings:
[0026] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a heat exchanger in
accordance with a conventional art;
[0027] FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view of the heat exchanger in
accordance with the conventional art;
[0028] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a heat exchanger in
accordance with the present invention;
[0029] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion `A` of FIG. 3;
[0030] FIG. 5 is a partial front view of the heat exchanger in
accordance with the present invention;
[0031] FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view of the heat exchanger in
accordance with the present invention;
[0032] FIGS. 7 through 10 are sequential perspective views showing
a fabrication process of the heat exchanger in accordance with the
present invention; and
[0033] FIGS. 11, 12A and 12B are graphs comparatively showing
performances of the conventional heat exchanger and the heat
exchanger in accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0034] Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred
embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
[0035] There can be plural embodiments of a heat exchanger and its
fabrication method in accordance with the present invention, of
which the most preferred one will now be described.
[0036] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a heat exchanger, FIG.
4 is an enlarged view of a portion `A` of FIG. 3, FIG. 5 is a
partial front view of the heat exchanger, and FIG. 6 is a partial
sectional view of the heat exchanger in accordance with the present
invention.
[0037] The heat exchanger of the present invention is featured in
that refrigerant pipes 10 through which a refrigerant passes are
arranged at a certain interval and cooling fins 12 are integrally
formed between the refrigerant pipes 10 to enhance a heat transfer
performance by enlarging a contact area to air which passes between
the refrigerant pipes 10. In addition, a support holder 14 is
disposed at both sides of the refrigerant pipes 10 in order to
support the heat exchanger.
[0038] The refrigerant pipes 10 are arranged at certain intervals
in such a tube type that the refrigerant can pass through, and the
cooling fins 12 are integrally formed in the same material as that
of the refrigerant pipe 10 between the refrigerant pipes 10.
Regarding the refrigerant pipe, plural ones may be arranged, and
preferably, two refrigerant pipes 10 are constructed as a pair and
the cooling fins 12 are formed therebetween.
[0039] The refrigerant pipe 10 are bent several times at certain
intervals according to a size of a space where the refrigerant
pipes are installed, and as the air for performing a cooling
operation passes between the refrigerant pipes 10 and the cooling
fins 12, heat is exchanged.
[0040] The cooling fins 12 are arranged at certain intervals in a
direction of a right angle to an axis between the refrigerant pipes
10, and in order to smoothly discharge condensate water and for a
smooth contact with air, the cooling fins 12 are formed at a
certain tilt angle.
[0041] The support holder 14 includes a plurality of slots 16 into
which portions of the refrigerant pipes 10 are inserted. Cooling
fins existing at both end portions of the refrigerant pipes 10 are
removed so that the end portions of the refrigerant pipes 10 can be
inserted into the slots of the support holder 14.
[0042] A method for fabricating the heat exchanger will now be
described in detail.
[0043] To begin with, as shown in FIG. 7, a cooling fin forming
part 20 for integrally forming the refrigerant pipe 10 and the
cooling fin 14 is formed. That is, the flat type cooling fin
forming part 20 having two refrigerant pipes 10 and a certain
thickness is formed by using a molding unit 30.
[0044] Next, as shown in FIG. 8, the cooling fins 14 are formed at
the cooling fin forming part 20. That is, when the cooling fin
forming part 20 passes between engaged louvering gears 40, the
cooling fin forming part 20 is punched at certain intervals by the
louvering gears 40, to thereby form plural cooling fins 12.
[0045] At this time, the tilt angle of the cooling fin 12 differs
depending on a tooth angle of the louvering gear 40. Thus, a
desired tile angle of the cooling fin 12 can be obtained by
controlling the tooth angle of the louvering gear 40.
[0046] And then, as shown in FIG. 9, the cooling fin-formed
refrigerant pipes 10 are bent several times at certain
intervals.
[0047] And as shown in FIG. 10, the support holder 14 is assembled
at both sides of the bent refrigerant pipes 10, thereby completing
fabrication of the heat exchange. At this time, cooling fins
existing at both end portions 50 of the refrigerant pipes 10 are
removed so that the both end portions can be inserted into the
slots 16 formed at the support holder 14.
[0048] FIG. 11 is a graph comparatively showing performances of the
conventional heat exchanger and the heat exchanger in accordance
with the present invention.
[0049] With reference to FIG. 11, the more a heat transfer
coefficient (U) according to the speed of a flow of introduced air
is, the better the heat transfer performance. Thus, as noted in
FIG. 11, a graph (C) indicating a heat transfer coefficient value
of the present invention is greater than a graph (D) indicating a
heat transfer coefficient value of the conventional art, so that
the heat exchanger of the present invention has an excellent heat
transfer performance compared to that of the conventional art.
[0050] FIG. 12A and 12B are graph comparatively showing internal
temperatures of a refrigerator when a door of the refrigerator is
opened and closed in both cases where the heat exchanger of the
present invention is installed in the refrigerator and the heat
exchanger of the conventional art is installed in the
refrigerator.
[0051] As shown in the FIG. 12A, when 10 hours elapsed after a
testing started, an internal temperature of the refrigerator in
which the conventional heat exchange was installed was 10.5.degree.
C., whereas as shown in the FIG. 12B, an internal temperature of
the refrigerator in which the heat exchanger of the present
invention was installed was 9.8.degree. C. Therefore, it is noted
that the heat transfer performance of the heat exchanger of the
present invention is excellent compared to that of the conventional
heat exchanger.
[0052] As so far described, the heat exchanger and its fabrication
method of the present invention have the following advantages.
[0053] For example, first, because the refrigerant pipes and the
cooling fin forming part are integrally formed and then the cooling
fins are formed, the fabrication process of the heat exchanger can
be reduced, and its fabrication cost can be also reduced.
[0054] Second, because the refrigerant pipes and the cooling fins
are integrally formed, the heat exchange performance between the
refrigerant passing between the refrigerant pipes and the air
passing between the cooling fins can be enhanced.
[0055] Third, because the refrigerant pipe and the cooling pins are
made of the same material, a potential difference corrosion that
may be generated between different materials can be prevented,
leakage of the refrigerant can be prevented, and the life span of
the heat exchanger can be lengthened.
[0056] As the present invention may be embodied in several forms
without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics
thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described
embodiments are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing
description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be
construed broadly within its spirit and scope as defined in the
appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that
fall within the metes and bounds of the claims, or equivalence of
such metes and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the
appended claims.
* * * * *