U.S. patent application number 11/557235 was filed with the patent office on 2007-09-20 for heat exchanger.
This patent application is currently assigned to Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Noriharu Fujima, Tomofumi Umetsu.
Application Number | 20070215330 11/557235 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38516573 |
Filed Date | 2007-09-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070215330 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Umetsu; Tomofumi ; et
al. |
September 20, 2007 |
HEAT EXCHANGER
Abstract
A heat exchanger for exchanging heat with gas made to flow in a
flow direction is disclosed. The heat exchanger is provided with: a
plurality of plates each having a first side and a second side; a
plurality of tubes configured to conduct a thermal medium, the
tubes penetrating the plates and being arranged in parallel with
each other and on a plurality of planes perpendicular to the flow
direction, wherein the tubes on each plane are disposed adjacent to
gaps between the tubes on any of adjacent planes so as to form a
plurality of serpentine flow lines among the tubes; and a plurality
of bridges projecting on the first sides of the plates, the bridges
being respectively arranged to be perpendicular to the serpentine
flow lines.
Inventors: |
Umetsu; Tomofumi;
(Kawasaki-shi, JP) ; Fujima; Noriharu;
(Ichikawa-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OBLON, SPIVAK, MCCLELLAND, MAIER & NEUSTADT, P.C.
1940 DUKE STREET
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Assignee: |
Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy
Industries Co., Ltd.
Koto-ku
JP
|
Family ID: |
38516573 |
Appl. No.: |
11/557235 |
Filed: |
November 7, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
165/160 ;
165/151 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F28F 2009/224 20130101;
F28F 1/325 20130101; F28F 2009/226 20130101; F28D 7/1646 20130101;
F28F 9/22 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
165/160 ;
165/151 |
International
Class: |
F28F 9/22 20060101
F28F009/22 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 20, 2006 |
JP |
2006-077169 |
May 15, 2006 |
JP |
2006-012258 |
May 15, 2006 |
JP |
2006-012259 |
Claims
1. A heat exchanger for exchanging heat with gas made to flow in a
flow direction, the heat exchanger comprising: a plurality of
plates each having a first side and a second side; a plurality of
tubes configured to conduct a thermal medium, the tubes penetrating
the plates and being arranged in parallel with each other and on a
plurality of planes perpendicular to the flow direction, wherein
the tubes on each plane are disposed adjacent to gaps between the
tubes on any of adjacent planes so as to form a plurality of
serpentine flow lines among the tubes; and a plurality of bridges
projecting on the first sides of the plates, the bridges being
respectively arranged to be perpendicular to the serpentine flow
lines.
2. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein each of the bridges
includes a pair of legs at both ends to be arranged along the
serpentine flow lines.
3. The heat exchanger of claim 1, further comprising ribs
projecting on the first sides of the plates and running at
respective middles of the planes.
4. A heat exchanger for exchanging heat with gas made to flow in a
flow direction, the heat exchanger comprising: a plurality of
plates each having a first side and a second side; a plurality of
tubes configured to conduct a thermal medium, the tubes penetrating
the plates and being arranged at an even pitch in parallel on a
plurality of planes perpendicular to the flow direction, wherein
the tubes on each plane are respectively deviated in a lateral
direction with respect to the tubes on any of adjacent planes by
half of the pitch of the tubes and the half of the pitch is not
greater than diameters of the tubes; and a plurality of bridges
projecting on the first sides of the plates, the bridges being
respectively arranged to be perpendicular to the serpentine flow
lines.
5. The heat exchanger of claim 4, wherein each of the bridges
includes a pair of legs at both ends to be arranged along the
serpentine flow lines.
6. The heat exchanger of claim 4, further comprising ribs
projecting on the first sides of the plates and running at
respective middles of the planes.
7. A heat exchanger for exchanging heat with gas made to flow in a
flow direction, the heat exchanger comprising: a plurality of
plates each having a first side and a second side; a plurality of
openings formed on the plates and arranged in a plurality of rows
perpendicular to the flow direction, wherein the openings in each
row are disposed adjacent to gaps between the openings in any of
adjacent rows; a plurality of bridge groups respectively projecting
on the first sides of the plates and being disposed at the gaps,
each of the bridge groups including a plurality of bridges
perpendicular to the flow direction and arranged in a row along the
flow direction, a first pair of sub-bridges disposed on an upstream
end of the row with respect to the flow direction and slanted from
a center to both sides of the first pair toward the flow direction,
and a second pair of sub-bridges disposed on a downstream end of
the row with respect to the flow direction and slanted from both
sides to a center of the second pair toward the flow direction; and
a plurality of tubes configured to conduct a thermal medium, the
tubes respectively penetrating the openings.
8. The heat exchanger of claim 7, wherein the openings are arranged
at an even pitch in each row and a half of the pitch is not greater
than diameters of the tubes.
9. The heat exchanger of claim 7, wherein each of the bridges and
sub-bridges includes a pair of legs at both ends to be arranged
along flow lines of the gas directed by the tubes.
10. The heat exchanger of claim 7, further comprising ribs
projecting on the first sides of the plates and running at
respective middles of the rows of the openings.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is based upon and claims the benefit of
priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application Nos.
2006-077169 (filed on Mar. 20, 2006), 2006-012258 (filed on May 15,
2006), and 2006-012259 (filed on May 15, 2006); the entire contents
of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a heat exchanger for
exchanging heat between gas and a thermal medium.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Heat exchangers are utilized in various uses. A heat
exchanger is provided with a plurality of tubes for conducting a
thermal medium and a plurality of fins respectively projecting from
the tubes. Any gas subject to heat exchange is pressurized to flow
through spaces among the tubes and the fins so as to exchange heat
with the thermal medium. For improvement of efficiency of the heat
exchange, dimensions of the tubes and the fins are the subject of
research.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a heat
exchanger which improves efficiency of heat exchange.
[0007] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a heat
exchanger for exchanging heat with gas made to flow in a flow
direction is provided with: a plurality of plates each having a
first side and a second side; a plurality of tubes configured to
conduct a thermal medium, the tubes penetrating the plates and
being arranged in parallel with each other and on a plurality of
planes perpendicular to the flow direction, wherein the tubes on
each plane are disposed adjacent to gaps between the tubes on any
of adjacent planes so as to form a plurality of serpentine flow
lines among the tubes; and a plurality of bridges projecting on the
first sides of the plates, the bridges being respectively arranged
to be perpendicular to the serpentine flow lines.
[0008] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a
heat exchanger for exchanging heat with gas made to flow in a flow
direction is provided with: a plurality of plates each having a
first side and a second side; a plurality of tubes configured to
conduct a thermal medium, the tubes penetrating the plates and
being arranged at an even pitch in parallel on a plurality of
planes perpendicular to the flow direction, wherein the tubes on
each plane are respectively deviated in a lateral direction with
respect to the tubes on any of adjacent planes by half of the pitch
of the tubes and the half of the pitch is not greater than
diameters of the tubes; and a plurality of bridges projecting on
the first sides of the plates, the bridges being respectively
arranged to be perpendicular to the serpentine flow lines.
[0009] According to a third aspect of the present invention, a heat
exchanger for exchanging heat with gas made to flow in a flow
direction is provided with: a plurality of plates each having a
first side and a second side; a plurality of openings formed on the
plates and arranged in a plurality of rows perpendicular to the
flow direction, wherein the openings in each row are disposed
adjacent to gaps between the openings in any of adjacent rows; a
plurality of bridge groups respectively projecting on the first
sides of the plates and being disposed at the gaps, each of the
bridge groups including a plurality of bridges perpendicular to the
flow direction and arranged in a row along the flow direction, a
first pair of sub-bridges disposed on an upstream end of the row
with respect to the flow direction and slanted from a center to
both sides of the first pair toward the flow direction, and a
second pair of sub-bridges disposed on a downstream end of the row
with respect to the flow direction and slanted from both sides to a
center of the second pair toward the flow direction; and a
plurality of tubes configured to conduct a thermal medium, the
tubes respectively penetrating the openings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross sectional view of a heat
exchanger in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a side view of the heat exchanger;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the heat exchanger taken along
a line A-A of FIG. 1;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a plate applied to the heat
exchanger;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a plan view of the plate;
[0015] FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the plate taken along a line
B-B of FIG. 5; and
[0016] FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the plate taken along a line
C-C of FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0017] An embodiment of the present invention will be described
hereinafter with reference to the appended drawings.
[0018] A heat exchanging unit 17 of the present embodiment is used
in a housing such as one shown in FIG. 1. The housing is provided
with a cylinder 14 and flanges 15, 16 fixed at both ends thereof
for air-tightening. The exteriors of the flanges 15, 16 are further
enclosed by walls, which respectively define fluid rooms 23, 24.
The heat exchanging unit 17 is provided with a plurality of tubes
18 running along an axis of the cylinder 14, which liquid-tightly
penetrate the flanges 15, 16 and have openings at both ends to
communicate with the fluid rooms 23, 24.
[0019] The heat exchanging unit 17 is further provided with a
plurality of plates 21, which the tubes 18 penetrate. The plates 21
stand substantially vertical to the axis of the cylinder 14 and are
arranged to have even intervals therebetween.
[0020] Referring to FIG. 2, the fluid room 23 is liquid-tightly
partitioned into two sub-rooms 23a, 23b by a partition 25. An inlet
port 26 is linked with the sub-room 23a and an outlet port 27 is
linked with the sub-room 23b, thereby a thermal medium such as a
cooling water is capable of flowing in and out of the fluid room
23. The thermal medium flowing through the inlet port 26 into the
sub-room 23a further flows through some of the tubes 18 and then
reaches the opposite fluid room 24. Further, the thermal medium in
the fluid room 24 flows through the rest of the tubes 18, reaches
the sub-room 23b, and are then exhausted out of the outlet port
27.
[0021] The cylinder 14 has a partition 28 therein, which runs along
the axis, to partition the interior thereof into a gas migration
chamber 29 and the rest as shown in FIG. 3. The rest of the
interior is further partitioned into a gas inflow chamber 32 and a
gas outflow chamber 33 by a partition 31 provided at an axial
middle of the interior of the cylinder 14 as shown in FIG. 1. The
cylinder 14 is provided with a gas inflow port 33 and a gas outflow
port 35 to respectively communicate with the gas inflow chamber 32
and the gas outflow chamber 33.
[0022] Gas subject to heat exchange, such as air to be cooled, is
made to flow into the gas inflow port 34 by any gas feeding means
such as a rotating fan or a pump. The gas flows through the gas
inflow port 34 into the gas inflow chamber 32 as indicated by
arrows from the top to the right in FIG. 3. The gas further flows
through the heat exchanging unit 17 as indicated by arrows from the
right to the left in FIG. 3, and enters the gas migration chamber
29. The gas migrates in the gas migration chamber 29 from the left
to the right of FIG. 1 and then flows though the heat exchanging
unit 17 to the gas outflow chamber 33. The gas in the gas outflow
chamber 33 flows out of the gas outflow port 35.
[0023] In the course of the aforementioned flow of the gas, the
thermal medium exchanges heat with the gas. If cooling water is
applied to the thermal medium and air is the gas, the air is cooled
by the cooling water as a result of the heat exchange. The cooled
air is extracted from the gas outflow port 35.
[0024] Details of the heat exchanging unit 17 will be described
hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 4-7.
[0025] The plates 21 are configured to increase contact area with
respect to the flowing gas and serve as cooling (or heating) fins.
As mentioned above, the gas flowing around the plates 21 is as a
whole directed in a direction from one end to another end of each
of the plates 21. The direction is shown as from the right to the
left in FIG. 3 and as from the top to the bottom in FIG. 5.
Throughout the specification and claims, "a flow direction" with
respect to each of the plates 21 is defined as a direction along
which the gas is made to flow and correspondent with a direction
from one end to another end of each of the plates 21.
[0026] Each of the plates 21 is provided with a plurality of
openings 36 which fixedly support the tubes 18. The openings 36 are
arranged in a plurality of rows which are perpendicular to the flow
direction and arranged at even intervals. Positions of the openings
36 in each row are laterally deviated from positions of the
openings 36 in the adjacent row by half of a pitch of the openings
36, thereby the openings 36 in each row are disposed adjacent to
gaps between the openings 36 in the adjacent row. The half of the
pitch is not greater than the diameter of the openings 36.
[0027] Collars 37 respectively stand around the openings 36. The
collar 37 serves as a spacer for keeping gaps toward an adjacent
plate 21. The collar 37 further serves to transmit heat between the
plate 21 and the tube 18.
[0028] Respective spaces among the openings 36 are cut or punched
out to project from one side of the plate 21 as shown in FIGS. 4
and 7. These projections form a group in each space and each
projection is formed to be a shape of a bridge having legs at both
ends and a flat top spanning the legs as shown in FIG. 6. Bridges
39, 40, 41 at the middle of each group are directed perpendicular
to the flow direction and arranged in a row along the flow
direction. Upstream of the bridges 39, 40, 41 with respect to the
flow direction, just downstream of one opening 18, a pair 38 of
sub-bridges 38a, 38b is formed. The sub-bridges 38a, 38b are
arranged to be symmetrical with respect to the center of the pair
and are slanted from the center to both sides of the pair 38 toward
the flow direction. Similarly, downstream of the bridges 39, 40,
41, just upstream of another opening 18, a pair 42 of sub-bridges
42a, 42b is formed, however, contrary to the aforementioned
sub-bridges 38a, 38b, the sub-bridges 42a, 42b are slanted from
both sides to the center of the pair 42 toward the flow
direction.
[0029] Arrangement of the tubes 36 respectively inserted in the
openings 36 defines a plurality of serpentine flow lines 44 among
the tubes 36, as indicated by serpentine arrows in FIG. 5. The
bridges 39, 40, 41 and the sub-bridges 38a, 38b, 42a, 42b are
arranged along and perpendicular to the serpentine flow lines 44.
Further, the legs of the bridges 39, 40, 41 and the sub-bridges
38a, 38b, 42a, 42b are substantially in parallel with the
serpentine flow lines 44.
[0030] The plate 21 is provided with ribs 43 projecting on the same
side as the bridges as shown in FIG. 7. The shape of the ribs 43 is
not limited to but can be a triangular sectional shape. The ribs 43
run at respective middles of the rows of the openings 18.
[0031] When assembling the plates 21 and the tubes 18, one of the
plates 21 is handled so that the tubes 18 are inserted to the
respective openings 36 thereof. The plates 21 are one by one put
under assembly to be combined with the tubes 18. When one of the
plates 21 abuts on another of the plates 21 with interposing the
collar 37, the gap therebetween is regulated by the collar 37
serving as a spacer. After all of the plates 21 and the tubes 18
are assembled, the tubes 18 are broadened so as to fix the tubes 18
with the plates 21.
[0032] Thereby, the tubes 18 and the plates 21 are combined to form
the heat exchanging unit 17. The assembled heat exchanging unit 17
is combined in the cylinder 14.
[0033] The heat exchanging unit 17 exchanges heat in accordance
with the following manner.
[0034] The gas subject to the heat exchange, such as air to be
cooled, is made to flow from the top to the bottom in FIG. 5. When
the gas goes around any of the tubes 36, the gas tends to turn
aside around an upstream face thereof. Since the sub-bridges 42a
and 42b in the upstream stand there so as to conduct the flow, the
flow of the gas is smoothly branched into right and left streams.
Then the right stream is conducted by the sub-bridge 38a of another
group of bridges at the right and the downstream, and the left
stream is conducted by the sub-bridge 38b of the other group of
bridges at the left and downstream. The streams are respectively
merged with the other adjacent branched streams. These merged
streams are then further branched by the lowermost sub-bridges 42a
and 42b of the current bridge group. Therefore, the streams of the
gas are respectively faired along the serpentine flow lines 44.
[0035] In general, gas flowing among cylindrical bodies such as the
tube 18 tends to form stagnation around downstream faces of the
cylindrical bodies, however, the faring effect of the bridges
prominently reduces the stagnation. Further, since the streams of
the gas just downstream of the tube 18 receive force in lateral
directions by the ribs 43, the stagnation is further reduced.
Reduction in the stagnation improves efficiency of heat exchange of
the heat exchanging unit 17.
[0036] The streams of the gas further receive force in a direction
perpendicular to the plates 21 (perpendicular to a paper face of
FIG. 5) from the bridges 38-42 and the ribs 43 to
three-dimensionally fluctuate. Therefore contact length of the gas
with the plates 21 increases and hence efficiency of the heat
exchange further increases.
[0037] The ribs 43 may be formed not of continuity as mentioned
above but of discontinuity. For example, merely portions just
downstream of the tubes 18 may be formed to project but portions
just downstream of the bridges 38-42 may not be projected.
Moreover, the ribs 43 maybe formed in paired parallel rib shapes or
half-round sectional shapes, or any other modifications may be
applicable.
[0038] Further, the bridges may be formed in other shapes, such as
arch shapes. Any bridge between the sub-bridges 38, 42 may also be
divided in a pair of sub-bridges like as the sub-bridges 38,
42.
[0039] Although the invention has been described above by reference
to certain embodiments of the invention, the invention is not
limited to the embodiments described above. Modifications and
variations of the embodiments described above will occur to those
skilled in the art, in light of the above teachings.
* * * * *