Hybrid heat exchanger

Abstract

A heat exchanger includes a coil having bends and tube passes disposed between the bends. The coil further has an inlet end and an outlet end and being continuous between the inlet end and the outlet end. The coil is defined by parallel microchannel passageways extending from the inlet end to the outlet end. The heat exchanger also includes a plurality of elongated fins spaced apart from each other between a first end of the heat exchanger and a second end of the heat exchanger. Each of the fins defines two or more apertures, wherein two or more of the tube passes extend through the same fin of the plurality of fins.

1 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a coil having bends and tube passes disposed between the bends, the coil further having an inlet end and an outlet end and being continuous between the inlet end and the outlet end, and the coil defined by parallel microchannel passageways extending from the inlet end to the outlet end; and   a plurality of elongated fins spaced apart from each other between a first end of the heat exchanger and a second end of the heat exchanger, each of the fins defining two or more apertures,   wherein two or more of the tube passes extend through the same fin of the plurality of fins.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein each of the tube passes has a substantially rectangular cross-section, and wherein the apertures in each of the fins conforms to the shape of tube passes. 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein a plane defined by each tube pass is oriented at a non-zero angle relative to a vertical plane and relative to a horizontal plane. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the tube passes are elongated across a width of the tube passes, and wherein at least two of the tube passes are oriented parallel to each other in a plane defined by the elongated direction. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the coil is a first coil of the heat exchanger and the heat exchanger further includes a second coil having bends and tube passes disposed between the bends of the second coil, the second coil further having an inlet end and an outlet end and being continuous between the inlet end and the outlet end of the second coil, and the second coil defined by parallel fluid passageways extending from the inlet end to the outlet end. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger of  claim 5 , wherein the first coil defines a first circuit of the heat exchanger and the second coil defines a second circuit of the heat exchanger that is separate from the first circuit. 
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger of  claim 5 , wherein a plane defined by at least one of the tube passes of the second coil is oriented non-parallel to a plane defined by at least one of the tube passes of the first coil. 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger of  claim 5 , further comprising an inlet manifold and an outlet manifold, wherein each of the first coil and the second coil is in fluid communication with and coupled to the inlet manifold and the outlet manifold. 
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the coil includes a first tube pass defining a first plane and a second tube pass interconnected to the first tube pass by a bend and defining a second plane, and wherein the second plane is non-parallel relative to the first plane. 
     
     
         10 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a serpentine coil having an inlet end and an outlet end and being continuous between the inlet end and the outlet end, and the serpentine coil defined by parallel fluid passageways extending from the inlet end to the outlet end; and   one or more fins disposed between a first end of the heat exchanger and a second end of the heat exchanger,   wherein each of the one or more fins is coupled to different portions of the serpentine coil.   
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger of  claim 10 , wherein each of the one or more fins defines two or more apertures through which the serpentine coil extends. 
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger of  claim 11 , wherein the serpentine coil has a substantially rectangular cross-section, and wherein the apertures in each of the fins conform to the shape of tube passes. 
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger of  claim 10 , wherein the serpentine coil includes a plurality of tube passes oriented at a non-zero angle relative to a vertical plane and relative to a horizontal plane. 
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger of  claim 13 , wherein the tube passes are elongated across a width of the tube passes, and wherein at least two of the tube passes are oriented parallel to each other in a plane defined by the elongated direction. 
     
     
         15 . The heat exchanger of  claim 10 , wherein the coil is a first coil of the heat exchanger and the heat exchanger further includes a second serpentine coil having an inlet end and an outlet end and being continuous between the inlet end and the outlet end of the second coil, wherein the second coil is defined by parallel fluid passageways extending from the inlet end to the outlet end of the second coil. 
     
     
         16 . The heat exchanger of  claim 15 , wherein a plane defined by at least one of the tube passes of the second coil is oriented non-parallel to a plane defined by at least one of the tube passes of the first coil. 
     
     
         17 . The heat exchanger of  claim 15 , further comprising an inlet manifold and an outlet manifold, wherein each of the first coil and the second coil is in fluid communication with and coupled to the inlet manifold and the outlet manifold. 
     
     
         18 . The heat exchanger of  claim 10 , wherein the coil includes a first tube pass and a second tube pass interconnected by a bend, and wherein the second tube pass is non-parallel with the first tube pass. 
     
     
         19 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a coil having bends and tube passes disposed between the bends, the coil further having an inlet end and an outlet end and being continuous between the inlet end and the outlet end, and the coil defined by parallel microchannel passageways extending from the inlet end to the outlet end; and   a plurality of fins spaced apart from each other between a first end of the heat exchanger and a second end of the heat exchanger,   wherein each of the plurality of fins is coupled to and surrounds multiple tube passes of the coil.   
     
     
         20 . The heat exchanger of  claim 19 , wherein at least one of the tube passes lies in and defines a first plane, and another of the tube passes lies in and defines a second plane that is non-parallel relative to the first plane. 
     
     
         21 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the coil is positioned in a refrigerated merchandiser including a product display area, and wherein the coil is configured to cool an airflow directed toward the product display area. 
     
     
         22 . The heat exchanger of  claim 10 , wherein the coil is positioned in a refrigerated merchandiser including a product display area, and wherein the coil is configured to cool an airflow directed toward the product display area. 
     
     
         23 . The heat exchanger of  claim 19 , wherein the coil is positioned in a refrigerated merchandiser including a product display area, and wherein the coil is configured to cool an airflow directed toward the product display area.