Wound layered tube heat exchanger

Abstract

A wound tube heat exchanger 10 article that receives a heat exchange fluid and its method of manufacture. The exchanger 10 has one or more layers 12 of a tube 14. In one embodiment, the tube surface is bare. In other embodiments, the outside tube surface is enhanced to produce turbulence. At least some of the layers 12 have an ovate oblong configuration. A pair of opposing linear runs 16,18 is connected by a pair of opposing curved sections 20,22. In some embodiments, the layers are circular, oval or rectangular with radiused corners. An elongate spacer member 24 has forwardly 26 and rearwardly 28 facing edges. Defined within those edges are engagement surfaces 30 that detachably retain the opposing linear runs 16,18.

1 . A heat exchanger that transfers thermal energy between an internal heat exchange fluid that flows within the exchanger and an external heat exchange fluid in thermal communication with the internal heat exchange fluid, the heat exchanger comprising: 
 one or more layers of a tube within which the internal heat exchange fluid passes;    at least some of the one or more layers having an oblong ovate configuration with a pair of opposing linear runs that are connected by a pair of opposing curved sections; and    a spacer member that extends angularly in relation to the linear runs, the spacer member having forwardly and rearwardly facing edges, the edges defining engagement surfaces that detachably retain the opposing linear runs.    
   
   
       2 . The tube heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the forwardly facing edges detachably retain linear runs of one revolution of the oblong ovate configuration and the rearwardly facing edges detachably retain the other linear run of the one revolution of the oblong ovate configuration.  
   
   
       3 . The tube heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the engagement surfaces comprise a truncated form having an open portion that is less than a main dimension of the form.  
   
   
       4 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the tube is circular and has an outside diameter (OD), an inside diameter (ID) and a wall thickness (T=(OD−ID)/2), wherein the ratio of (T) to (OD) is between 0.01 and 0.1.  
   
   
       5 . A heat exchanger assembly comprising: 
 a single layer of a tube within which heat exchange fluid passes; and    a multiple layer heat exchanger having a tube in common with the single layer so that differing heat exchange characteristics are presented by the single and multiple layers in the assembly.    
   
   
       6 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein the spacer member assumes a hoop-like configuration and the overall orientation of the heat exchanger assumes a toroidal aspect.  
   
   
       7 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein the opposed curved sections in a given pair have differing radii of curvature.  
   
   
       8 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein the ratio of the average radius of opposing curved sections to the tube outside diameter (OD) is approximately 10 to 3.  
   
   
       9 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein the one or more layers of a tube have one inlet and one outlet.  
   
   
       10 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein the one or more layers of a tube have one inlet and one outlet.  
   
   
       11 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the tube has an elliptical cross section with an average outside diameter (OD), an elliptical lumen with an average inside diameter (ID), and an average wall thickness (T), where the wall thickness equals the smallest (OD) minus the largest (ID) divided by 2.  
   
   
       12 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the tube has an average outside diameter (OD), an average inside diameter (ID), and an average wall thickness (T=(OD−ID)/2), wherein the ratio of (T) to (OD) is between 0.01 and 0.1.  
   
   
       13 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein the one or more layers are provided with a surface enhancement that extends from an outside surface of the tube.  
   
   
       14 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein the one or more layers are provided with an internal surface enhancement that extends from an inside surface of the tube.  
   
   
       15 . The heat exchanger of  claim 14  wherein the internal surface enhancement is selected from the group consisting of a helical groove, a herringbone pattern, a cross-hatched pattern, a V-configuration and a tube-spiral surface texture.  
   
   
       16 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein the spacer member defines a hollow cavity and ports which communicate between the internal diameter of a tube and the cavity so that heat exchange fluid may pass therethrough.  
   
   
       17 . A heat exchanger that transfers thermal energy between an internal heat exchange fluid that flows within the exchanger and an external heat exchange fluid in thermal communication with the internal heat exchange fluid, the heat exchanger comprising: 
 one or more layers of a tube within which the internal heat exchange fluid passes;    at least some of the one or more layers having a uniform bend radius; and    a spacer member that extends angularly in relation to the one or more layers, the spacer member having forwardly and rearwardly facing edges, the edges defining engagement surfaces that detachably retain the outside diameter of the tube.    
   
   
       18 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein the direction of flow within one layer of a tube is opposite from the direction of flow in the tube of within one layer of a tube is opposite from the direction of flow in the tube of another layer, such that there is cross flow between the layers.  
   
   
       19 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein the tube has a cross sectional profile selected from the group consisting of a circle, an oval, a rectangle with rounded corners, multiport, multi-channel, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       20 . A method of making a heat exchanger for transferring thermal energy comprising the steps of: 
 providing an elongate mandrel; and    winding a continuous length of a tube around the mandrel so as to prepare windings, each having an oblong ovate configuration.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the step of providing an elongate mandrel comprises a step of providing one or more spacer members that serve as the mandrel.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the step of providing an elongate mandrel comprises the step of providing a hollow spacer member having detents defined within an outside surface thereof which accommodate and guide successive turns of tube that are wrapped around the elongate mandrel.  
   
   
       23 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , further including a manifold that accommodates a heat exchanger fluid that is delivered to the one or more layers of tube.  
   
   
       24 . The heat exchanger of  claim 5 , further including a manifold that communicates a heat exchanger fluid to one or more of the single layer or multiple layers of tube.