Gas turbulator for an indirect gas-fired air handling unit

Abstract

A gas turbulator is inserted in a tube of a heat exchanger to increase turbulence of gases passing through the tubes of the heat exchanger. The turbulator consists of a longitudinal metal strip running the length of the heat exchanger tube. Longitudinal tabs are punched from the interior of the metal strip. The tabs protrude in opposite directions from the plane of the longitudinal strip to form a series of slanted flip up tabs and flip down tabs in a side elevation view of the turbulator.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A gas turbulator for insertion in a tube of a heat exchanger having a length and a diameter to increase turbulence of gas passing through the tubes of the heat exchanger, the turbulator comprising a longitudinal strip of material having a width and length defining a plane and longitudinal tabs protruding in opposite directions from the plane to form a series of slanted flip up tabs and flip down tabs each bent at an angle to the plane. 
     
     
         2 . The gas turbulator of  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal tabs are formed from the longitudinal strip. 
     
     
         3 . The gas turbulator of  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal strip has a thickness between between 0.030 inch and 0.060 inch. 
     
     
         4 . The gas turbulator of  claim 1 , wherein the width and the length of the longitudinal strip conforms to the length and the diameter of the tube of the heat exchanger respectively. 
     
     
         5 . The gas turbulator of  claim 1 , wherein the tabs have a tab width between 40% and 60% of the width of the longitudinal strip. 
     
     
         6 . The gas turbulator of  claim 1 , wherein the total length of all of the tabs is between 50% and 80% of the length of the longitudinal strip. 
     
     
         7 . The gas turbulator of  claim 1 , wherein each tab has a length between 4 inches and 7 inches. 
     
     
         8 . The gas turbulator of  claim 1 , wherein the tabs are set at an angle between 15° and 25° from the plane of the longitudinal strip. 
     
     
         9 . The gas turbulator of  claim 1 , wherein the tabs have a geometric shape. 
     
     
         10 . The gas turbulator of  claim 9 , wherein the geometric shape is selected from the group of geometric shapes including rectangles, squares, triangles, circles, ellipses, pentagons, hexagons, and octagons. 
     
     
         11 . The gas turbulator of  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal strip is metal. 
     
     
         12 . The gas turbulator of  claim 11 , wherein the metal is stainless steel. 
     
     
         13 . A method of manufacturing a gas turbulator comprising the steps of:
 a. providing a longitudinal strip of material with a length and a width, the longitudinal strip defining a plane;   b. making a series of H-shaped cuts along the length of the longitudinal strip to create a series of pairs of facing tabs; and   c. bending one of the facing tabs upwardly from the plane of the longitudinal strip and bending the other facing tab downwardly from the plane of the longitudinal strip.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the longitudinal strip has a thickness between between 0.030 inch and 0.060 inch. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the width and the length of the longitudinal strip conform to a length and a diameter of a tube of a heat exchanger into which the turbulator is installed. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the H-shaped cuts are dimensioned to create a tab width between 40% and 60% of the width of the longitudinal strip. 
     
     
         17 . The method  claim 13 , wherein the H-shaped cuts are dimensioned to create a tab length between 4 inches and 7 inches. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the H-shaped cuts and dimensioned to create a total length of all of the tabs between 50% and 80% of the length of the longitudinal strip. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the tabs are bent to an angle between 15° and 25° from the plane of the longitudinal strip. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the longitudinal strip is metal. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the metal is stainless steel.