Heat exchanger and fluid reservoir

Abstract

Improved fluid reservoir designs providing for little or no dead volume or un-swept volume while providing efficient heat exchange are disclosed. Representative fluid reservoirs can have a serpentine flow passage with a cross-section selected such that fluid flow sweeps the entire cross-sectional volume while reducing or eliminating dead volume. The cross-sectional shape of the flow passage can be selected to have a larger surface contact with the cooling environment relative to circular cross-sections. The fluid reservoirs can be molded from two sheets of polymer material that are joined to form the fluid reservoir. Alternatively, the fluid reservoir can be formed from flexible polymer materials that are bonded along seams to demarcate a flow channel. Fluid reservoirs can be located either upstream or downstream of a filtering system to provide chilled filtered liquid. Fluid reservoirs can be associated with an appliance, such as a refrigerator. Methods of fabricating the fluid reservoirs are also disclosed.

1 . A fluid reservoir comprising: 
 a structure having a fluid passageway fluidly connecting a fluid inlet with a fluid outlet, the fluid passageway having at least two bends positioned between the fluid inlet and fluid outlet wherein the fluid passageway has a Reynolds number from about 680 to about 4000 for about 0.5 gpm of water at about 40° F.    
     
     
         2 . The fluid reservoir of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid passageway comprises: 
 a plurality of effectively 180 degree bends defining a serpentine fluid passageway.    
     
     
         3 . The fluid reservoir of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid passageway comprises: 
 a passageway cross-sectional area exceeding the cross-sectional area of the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet.    
     
     
         4 . The fluid reservoir of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid passageway comprises: 
 a top polymeric sheet and a bottom polymeric sheet, wherein the top polymeric sheet and the bottom polymeric sheet are operably joined to form a monolithic structure.    
     
     
         5 . The fluid reservoir of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet port and the outlet port each comprise: 
 a tube fitting.    
     
     
         6 . The fluid reservoir of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid structure comprises: 
 a rigid, monolithic fluid structure.    
     
     
         7 . The fluid reservoir of  claim 6 , wherein the rigid, monolithic fluid structure comprises: 
 a material selected from the group comprising: a polyolefin polymer and a metal.    
     
     
         8 . The fluid reservoir of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid structure comprises: 
 a flexible, monolithic fluid structure.    
     
     
         9 . The fluid reservoir of  claim 8 , wherein the flow passage expands to a full-open position under the influence of a pressurized fluid.  
     
     
         10 . The fluid reservoir of  claim 8 , wherein the flexible, monolithic fluid structure comprises a polyolefin polymer selected from the group comprising: polyethylenes, polypropylenes, polyethylene copolymers, polyurethanes, polystyrenes, polyamides and polyesters.  
     
     
         11 . The fluid reservoir of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid passageway has a Reynolds number from about 820 to about 2725 for about 0.5 gpm of water at about 40° F.  
     
     
         12 . An appliance comprising the fluid reservoir of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         13 . The appliance of  claim 12  wherein the appliance comprises: 
 a refrigerator.    
     
     
         14 . The appliance of  claim 13  further comprising: 
 a water filtration system operatively, fluidly attached to the fluid reservoir.    
     
     
         15 . A method for forming a fluid reservoir structure comprising the acts of: 
 operatively fabricating a top surface and a bottom surface, each surface having a plurality of seams formed therein; and    operatively joining the top surface and bottom surface at the plurality of seams to define a flow passage having at least two bends, wherein at least one of the top surface and the bottom surface have a contoured surface.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the operatively joining act comprises: 
 a bonding process selected form the group comprising:    sonic welding, thermal bonding, radio frequency bonding, adhesive bonding and combinations thereof.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the forming act comprises a molding process selected from the group comprising: 
 blow molding, pressure molding and vacuum forming.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising the act of: 
 folding a polymer sheet to define the top surface and the bottom surface.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising the act of: 
 placing a tube fitting in a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet wherein the fluid inlet and fluid outlets are at fluidly opposing ends of the flow passage.    
     
     
         20 . A fluid reservoir comprising: 
 a monolithic structure having a flow passage along a serpentine path between an inlet and an outlet, wherein adjacent flow passages are separated by a seam.