US4393926A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Clover heat exchanger core
Assignee: Advance Energy Conversion Corp
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Filing: 1981-04-06
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Granted: 1983-07-19
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Expires: 2001-04-06
Abstract
Abstract A heat exchanger including the multiplicity of elongate laterally spaced parallel tubes, each of which is formed with circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending radially outwardly projecting lobes which are semi-circular in cross-section and circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending radially outwardly opening intermediate grooves which are semi-circular in cross-section and wherein related lobes and grooves of adjacent tubes are interengated with their opposing semi-circular surfaces in uniform spaced relationship from each other whereby a labyrinth of passages of substantially uniform cross-section, through which a fluid medium can flow, occur about and between all adjacent related tubes whereby more uniform lateral flow of a fluid medium about and between adjacent tubes is attainable.
Inventors
- 👤 Gary H. Appel
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 06:50
CPC Classifications
F; F28; F28D; F28D7/00; F28D7/0041; F28D7/0066; F28D7/10; F28F; F28F1/00; F28F1/02; F28F1/06; F28F13/00; F28F13/06; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S165/00; Y10S165/355; Y10S165/40; Y10S165/427; Y10S165/435
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
165 words
A heat exchanger comprising a plurality of elongate parallel fluid medium conducting tubes, a first fluid handling means communicating with the opposite ends of the tubes to deliver a first fluid medium into one end and to receive said medium at the other end thereof, a second fluid handling means directing a second fluid medium about the exterior of and between the tubes, each tube is formed with an uneven number of circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending grooves and circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending lobes, each lobe occurs between a pair of adjacent grooves, the grooves have concave substantially radially outwardly disposed outside bottom surfaces and the lobes have substantially radially outwardly disposed convex outside surfaces, the radius of said convex surfaces is less than the radius of said concave surfaces, the lobes at the sides of each tube projecting toward adjacent tubes extend to the related grooves of said adjacent tubes with the concave and convex surfaces of the related lobes and grooves in spaced relationship.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
165 words
A heat exchanger comprising a plurality of elongate parallel fluid medium conducting tubes, a first fluid handling means communicating with the opposite ends of the tubes to deliver a first fluid medium into one end and to receive said medium at the other end thereof, a second fluid handling means directing a second fluid medium about the exterior of and between the tubes, each tube is formed with an uneven number of circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending grooves and circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending lobes, each lobe occurs between a pair of adjacent grooves, the grooves have concave substantially radially outwardly disposed outside bottom surfaces and the lobes have substantially radially outwardly disposed convex outside surfaces, the radius of said convex surfaces is less than the radius of said concave surfaces, the lobes at the sides of each tube projecting toward adjacent tubes extend to the related grooves of said adjacent tubes with the concave and convex surfaces of the related lobes and grooves in spaced relationship.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The heat exchanger set forth in claim 1 wherein the space between the opposing surfaces of inter-engaged grooves and lobes is substantially the same throughout the assembly of tubes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
82 words
The heat exchanger set forth in claim 1 wherein the opposite end portions of the grooves and lobes of each tube are expanded so that the radius of the concave and convex surfaces thereof are equal and whereby the opposing concave and convex surfaces of related grooves and lobes of adjacent tubes establish substantial uniform engagement with each other and means bonding said engaging surfaces together and sealing the spaces between adjacent tubes throughout the end portions of the assembly of tubes.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
77 words
The heat exchanger set forth in claim 1 wherein the radial outer portions of the lobes of the tubes are formed with longitudinally spaced circumferentially and longitudinally inclined elongate radially inwardly projecting vanes to cause the medium flowing longitudinally therethrough to rotate and scrub the interior surface of the lobes, the rotating medium in each lobe joins the medium flowing longitudinally through the tubes radially inward of the lobes and grooves and causes that medium to rotate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
77 words
The heat exchanger set forth in claim 3 wherein the radial outer portions of the lobes of the tubes are formed with longitudinally spaced circumferentially and longitudinally inclined elongate radially inwardly projecting vanes to cause the medium flowing longitudinally therethrough to rotate and scrub the interior surface of the lobes, the rotating medium in each lobe joins the medium flowing longitudinally through the tubes radially inward of the lobes and grooves and causes that medium to rotate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
98 words
The heat exchanger set forth in claim 1 wherein the radial outer portions of the lobes of the tubes are formed with longitudinally spaced circumferentially and longitudinally inclined elongate radially inwardly projecting vanes to cause the medium flowing longitudinally therethrough to rotate and scrub the interior surface of the lobes, the rotating medium in each lobe joins the medium flowing longitudinally through the tubes radially inward of the lobes and grooves and causes that medium to rotate, said vanes are established by elongate radially outwardly opening axially and circumferentially disposed depressions formed in the walls of the tubes.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
98 words
The heat exchanger set forth in claim 3 wherein the radial outer portions of the lobes of the tubes are formed with longitudinally spaced circumferentially and longitudinally inclined elongate radially inwardly projecting vanes to cause the medium flowing longitudinally therethrough to rotate and scrub the interior surface of the lobes, the rotating medium in each lobe joins the medium flowing longitudinally through the tubes radially inward of the lobes and grooves and causes that medium to rotate, said vanes are established by elongate radially outwardly opening axially and circumferentially disposed depressions formed in the walls of the tubes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
The heat exchanger set forth in each of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 which further includes elongate cylindrical inside tubes extending longitudinally through and in supporting engagement with the innermost surfaces of the grooves formed in the outer formed tubes and means fixing the inside and outer tubes together.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
94 words
The heat exchanger set forth in each of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 which further includes elongate cylindrical inside flow tubes extending longitudinally through and axially outward from the opposite ends of the first recited formed tubes, said flow tubes engage and are fixed to the groove portions of the formed tubes and, a third fluid handling means communicating with the opposite ends of the flow tubes directing a third fluid medium into one end of and receiving that third fluid medium flowing from the other ends of said flow tubes.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-07-18 | 1987-01-17 | 1987-07-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-07-18 | 1991-01-17 | 1991-07-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-07-18 | 1995-01-17 | 1995-07-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |