Flat tube heat exchanger core with internal fluid supply and suction lines

Abstract

Heat exchanger core comprising flat plate fluid U flows tubes stacked on one another and operatively connected to one another by discrete fluid supply and suction lines. These lines extending through side-by-side tank portions of the tubes to improve structural integrity of the core and respectively have fluid feed and exhaust openings communicating with the tanks and sized to provide even distribution of the heat exchanger fluid to the tubes. With the supply and suction lines, evenly distributing the heat exchanger fluid, tank size and capacity is optimized and the requirement for large capacity deep draw tanks of prior constructions is eliminated.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A heat exchanger having a plurality of flattened fluid flow tubes operatively mounted adjacent one another to provide passage for volatile heat exchanger fluid therethrough, each of said tubes having a leading edge, a trailing edge and a lower end, said edges bounding flattened side portions that are laterally spaced from one another, a divider rib extending in each of said tubes to a terminal end therein to define separate first and second side flow sections in each of said tubes and a crossover section at the lower end thereof for transmitting said heat exchanger fluid from said first side flow section to said second side flow section, and an inlet line extending into each of said tubes for feeding heat exchanger fluid into each of said first side flow section of each of said tubes and an outlet line extending in each of said tubes for exhausting heat exchanger fluid from said second side flow section of each of said tubes.  
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein said fluid inlet line has fluid flow openings spaced at predetermined intervals along the length thereof for respectively transmitting heat exchanger fluid into a first of said side flow sections of each tube, said outlet line has fluid flow openings spaced at predetermined intervals along the length thereof for transmitting heat exchanger fluid from said second side flow sections of each tube into said outlet line.  
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein said tubes have laterally extending tank portions formed in side-by-side relationship at the upper end thereof, each of said tank portions having a laterally extending neck portion each of said neck portions defining a laterally oriented opening, and wherein said tubes are closely received in said openings and are supported by said neck portions in a side-by-side relationship.  
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2  wherein said flow openings in said pipes are sized so that each tube receives and discharges fluid substantially at the same fluid flow rate during heat exchanger operations to optimize the operating efficiency of said heat exchanger.  
     
     
         5 . A heat exchanger having a plurality of flattened fluid flow tubes operatively arranged adjacent to one another to provide passage for volatile heat exchanger fluid therethrough, a connection for interconnecting said tubes so that air can externally pass between said tubes, each of said tubes having a leading edge and a trailing edge and flattened side portions that are laterally spaced from one another, divider rib means in each of said tubes extending between the walls of said tubes to a terminal end therein to define first and second discreet side flow sections in each of said tubes and a crossover section for transmitting said volatile heat exchanger fluid from one side flow section to the other side flow section, an elongated inlet line and an elongated outlet line extending into each of said tubes of said heat exchanger and out of each of said tubes, said lines having fluid flow openings therein for transmitting heat exchanger fluid into a first side flow section of each of said tubes and for transmitting fluid from said second side flow section each of said tubes.  
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger of  claim 5  wherein each flattened tube has protuberances formed therein extending laterally outwardly from the plane thereof and wherein said protuberances define tank portions for each of said tubes, said protuberances further having neck portions which engage and support said supply and suction lines.  
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger of  claim 5 , wherein said tubes are completely spaced from one another and wherein said tubes are mechanically connected to one another by said outlet and inlet lines.