Design characteristics for heat exchangers distribution insert

Abstract

A heat exchanger includes heat exchange tubes, a manifold, and a distribution insert incorporating orifices that communicate a fluid into the manifold for distribution into the heat exchange tubes. A design characteristic of the distribution insert and another design characteristic of at least one of the distribution insert, the manifold and the heat exchange tubes are employed to determine an essential design relationship. The essential design relationship defines a design parameter, the value of which falls within a determined range of values.

1 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a plurality of heat exchange tubes;   a manifold; and   
       a distribution insert at least partially received in the manifold, wherein the distribution insert includes a plurality of orifices that can distribute a fluid into the manifold for distribution into the plurality of heat exchange tubes, 
       wherein at least one design characteristic of the distribution insert and another design characteristic of at least one of the distribution insert, the manifold and the plurality of heat exchange tubes are employed to determine an essential design relationship, and the essential design relationship defines a design parameter with a value that falls within a determined range of values. 
     
     
         2 .- 3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 1  wherein the heat exchanger is a microchannel heat exchanger. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 1  wherein the essential design relationship is a non-dimensional ratio. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 1  wherein the at least one design characteristic of the distribution insert is one of a length of the distribution insert, a diameter of the distribution insert, a hydraulic diameter of the plurality of orifices of the distribution insert, a separation distance between centers of the plurality of orifices of the distribution insert, a surface area of the distribution insert, a cross-sectional area of the distribution insert, a total cross-sectional area of the plurality of orifices of the distribution insert, and a number of the distribution orifices. 
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 1  wherein the at least one design characteristic is an inner diameter of the distribution insert and the another design characteristic is an inner diameter of the manifold, and the essential design relationship is defined by a ratio of the inner diameter of the distribution insert to the inner diameter of the manifold, wherein the ratio is squared to define the design parameter. 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 7  wherein the range of values for the design parameter is between 0.02 and 0.95. 
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 1  wherein the another design characteristic is a characteristic of the distribution insert, and the at least one design characteristic is a total cross-sectional area of the plurality of distribution orifices of the distribution insert and an external surface area of the distribution insert, and the essential design relationship is defined by a ratio of the total cross-sectional area of the plurality of distribution orifices of the distribution insert to the external surface area of the distribution insert, wherein the ratio defines the design parameter. 
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 9  wherein the range of values for the design parameter is between 50 and 5000. 
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 1  wherein the another design characteristic is a characteristic of the distribution insert, and the at least one design characteristic is a total cross-sectional area of the plurality of distribution orifices of the distribution insert and a cross-sectional area of the distribution insert, and the essential design relationship is defined by a ratio of the total cross-sectional area of the plurality of distribution orifices of the distribution insert to the cross-sectional area of the distribution insert, wherein the ratio defines the design parameter. 
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 11  wherein the range of values for the design parameter is between 0.01 to 100. 
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 1  wherein the another design characteristic is a characteristic of the distribution insert, and the at least one design characteristic is a hydraulic diameter of the plurality of distribution orifices of the distribution insert and a separation between centers of the plurality of distribution orifices of the distribution insert, and the essential design relationship is defined by a ratio of the hydraulic diameter of the plurality of the distribution orifices of the distribution insert to the separation between the centers of the plurality of distribution orifices of the distribution insert, wherein the ratio defines the design parameter. 
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 13  wherein the range of values for the design parameter is between 0.01 to 35. 
     
     
         15 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 1  wherein the at least one design characteristic is a hydraulic diameter of the plurality of distribution orifices of the distribution insert and a surface area of the distribution insert, the another design characteristic is a hydraulic diameter of the plurality of heat exchange tubes and a cross-sectional area of the manifold, and the essential design relationship is defined as a first design characteristic divided by a second design characteristic,
 wherein the first design characteristic is a ratio of the hydraulic diameter of the plurality of distribution orifices of the distribution insert squared to the external surface area of the distribution insert, and the second design characteristic is a ratio of the hydraulic diameter of the plurality of heat exchange tubes squared to the cross-sectional area of the manifold, and the ratio of the first design characteristic to the second design characteristic defines the design parameter. 
 
     
     
         16 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 15  wherein the range of values for the design parameter is 0.01 to 25. 
     
     
         17 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 1  wherein the at least one design characteristic is a hydraulic diameter of the plurality of distribution orifices of the distribution insert and a number of the plurality of distribution orifices of the distribution insert, the another design characteristic is a number of the plurality of heat exchange tubes and a hydraulic diameter of the plurality of heat exchange tubes, and the essential design relationship is defined as a first design characteristic divided by a second design characteristic,
 wherein the first design characteristic is defined by the number of the plurality of distribution orifices of the distribution insert multiplied by the hydraulic diameter of the plurality of distribution orifices of the distribution insert, which is then squared, and the second design characteristic is the number of the plurality of heat exchange tubes multiplied by the hydraulic diameter of the plurality of heat exchange tubes, which is then squared, and the ratio of the first design characteristic to the second design characteristic defines the design parameter. 
 
     
     
         18 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 17  wherein the range of values for the design parameter is 0.01 to 100. 
     
     
         19 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 1  wherein the at least one design characteristic is a hydraulic diameter of the plurality of distribution orifices of the distribution insert, a length of the distribution insert and an inner diameter of the distribution insert, the another design characteristic is a diameter of the manifold, and the essential design relationship is defined as a first design characteristic divided by a second design characteristic,
 wherein the first design characteristic is the diameter of the manifold divided by the hydraulic diameter of the plurality of distribution orifices of the distribution insert squared divided by the length of the distribution insert divided by the diameter of the distribution insert squared, and the ratio of the first design characteristic to the second design characteristic defines the design parameter. 
 
     
     
         20 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 19  wherein the range of values for the design parameter is 0.01 to 20. 
     
     
         21 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 1  wherein the at least one design characteristic is a length of the distribution insert, the another design characteristic is an inner diameter of the manifold, and the essential design relationship is defined as a ratio of the inner diameter of the manifold to the length of the distribution insert, wherein the ratio defines the design parameter. 
     
     
         22 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 21  wherein the range of values for the design parameter is 1 to 1000. 
     
     
         23 .- 25 . (canceled)