Heat Exchanger Assembly

Abstract

A heat exchanger assembly including first and second manifolds for transferring heat between a coolant and a flow of air. Tubes extend between the manifolds for conveying the coolant therebetween. Air fins are disposed between adjacent tubes, and each air fin has a cross-section presenting a legs extending between the adjacent tubes at equal and opposing angles to one another and bases interconnecting alternate ends of the adjacent legs to present a serpentine pattern. Each base extends through an arc between the ends of the adjacent legs and defines a lead-in radius interconnecting each base with one of the legs and an exit radius interconnecting each base with the end of the adjacent leg. The equal and opposing angles are in the range of 1 to 4 degrees. The lead-in and exit radii are in the range of 0.05 to 0.15 mm. The middle radius is in the range of 0.5 to 1.5 mm.

1 . A heat exchanger assembly for transferring heat between a coolant and a flow of air comprising:
 a first manifold;   a plurality of tubes extending in spaced and parallel relationship with one another for conveying the coolant;   adjacent ones of said tubes being spaced from one another by a fin space;   a plurality of air fins disposed in said fin space having a cross-section presenting a plurality of legs extending between said adjacent tubes at equal and opposing angles to one another and said bases interconnecting alternate ends of adjacent legs and engaging said adjacent tubes to present a serpentine pattern;   each of said bases extending through an arc between said ends of said adjacent legs and defining a lead-in radius interconnecting said bases with one of said legs and an exit radius interconnecting each of said bases with the other of said adjacent legs and a middle radius extending between said lead-in and exit radii;   said equal and opposing angles being in the range of 1 to 4 degrees;   said lead-in and exit radii being in the range of 0.05 to 0.15 mm; and   said middle radius is in the range of 0.5 to 1.5 mm.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said lead-in radius is equal to said exit radius. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said lead-in and exit radii are each less than said middle radius. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein each of said bases has a base width and adjacent ones of said bases are spaced from one another by a span and the ratio of said base width to said span is in the range of 0.80 to 0.90. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 4  wherein said base width is in the range of 1.00 to 2.25 mm. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said equal and opposing angles are further defined as 1.53 degrees. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein each of said legs of said air fins presents a plurality of louvers for conveying the flow of air through said legs between adjacent fin spaces. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein each of said air fins has a length in the range of 5 to 6 mm. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 1  further including a second manifold in spaced and parallel relationship with said first manifold and wherein said tubes extend between said first and second manifolds for conveying the coolant between said first and second manifolds. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein each of said tubes has a cross-section presenting flat sides extending in a transverse direction interconnected by round ends. 
     
     
         11 . A heat exchanger assembly for transferring heat between a coolant and a flow of air comprising:
 a first manifold and a second manifold in spaced and parallel relationship with one another;   a plurality of tubes extending in spaced and parallel relationship with one another between said first and second manifolds for conveying the coolant between said first and second manifolds;   each of said tubes having a cross-section presenting flat sides extending in a transverse direction interconnected by round ends with said flat sides of adjacent tubes spaced from one another by a fin space;   a plurality of air fins disposed in said fin space between said flat sides of said adjacent tubes;   each of said air fins having a cross-section presenting a plurality of legs extending between said flat sides of said adjacent tubes at equal and opposing angles to one another and bases interconnecting alternate ends of adjacent legs and engaging said flat sides of said adjacent tubes to present a serpentine pattern extending between said first and second manifolds;   said equal and opposing angles being in the range of 1 to 4 degrees;   said equal and opposing angles being further defined as 1.53 degrees;   each of said bases extending through an arc between said ends of said adjacent legs and defining a lead-in radius interconnecting each of said bases with one of said legs and an exit radius interconnecting each of said bases with the other of said adjacent legs and a middle radius extending between said lead-in and exit radii;   each of said legs of said air fins presenting a plurality of louvers for conveying the flow of air through said legs between adjacent fin spaces;   each of said legs of said air fins having a length;   said length being in the range of 5 to 6 mm;   each of said bases of said air fins having a base width;   adjacent ones of said bases being spaced from one another along the associated one of said flat sides of said tubes by a span;   the ratio of said base width to said span being in the range of 0.80 to 0.90;   said lead-in radius being equal to said exit radius;   said lead-in and exit radii being less than said middle radius;   said lead-in and exit radii being in the range of 0.05 to 0.15 mm; and   said middle radius being in the range of 0.5 to 1.5 mm.