Tube Pattern For A Refrigerator Evaporator

Abstract

A refrigeration system for a refrigerator or a freezer, comprising a compressor; a condenser; and an evaporator, wherein the evaporator includes a coil formed of a plurality of linear sections connected by a plurality of curved sections, and the coil is attached to a plurality of fins, each fin has a length and a width, and the width defines an evaporator depth; and the plurality of curved sections are arranged in a number of columns to define a tube pattern formed along the evaporator depth.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigeration system for a refrigerator or a freezer, comprising:
 a compressor;   a condenser; and   an evaporator,   wherein the evaporator includes a plurality of fins and a serpentine coil attached to each of the plurality of fins, the serpentine coil being formed from a tube having a plurality of linear sections interconnected by a plurality of curved sections,   each fin has a length and a width, and the width defines an evaporator depth; and   the plurality of curved sections that interconnect the plurality of linear sections are arranged in a number of columns to define a tube pattern formed along the evaporator depth,   the plurality of linear sections in each column are staggered to provide for air flow between the plurality of linear sections to increase heat transfer between a refrigerant carried by the serpentine coil and the air,   the number of columns is selected based on the evaporator depth such that when the plurality of fins have a first evaporator depth the number of columns is at least one, when the plurality of fins have a second evaporator depth greater than the first evaporator depth the number of columns is at least two, when the plurality of fins have a third evaporator depth greater than the second evaporator depth the number of columns is at least three, and when the plurality of fins have a fourth evaporator depth greater than the third evaporator depth the number of columns is at least four,   an outer diameter of the tube is in the range of 6.5 mm to 7.5 mm.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigeration system according to  1 , wherein a wall thickness of the tube is in the range of 0.3 mm to 0.7 mm. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigeration system of  claim 1 , wherein the fins have the second evaporator depth, and the tube pattern includes two columns of curved sections. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigeration system of  claim 3 , wherein the second evaporator depth is about 50 mm. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigeration system of  claim 1 , wherein the fins have the third evaporator depth, and the tube pattern includes three columns of curved sections. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigeration system of  claim 5 , wherein the third evaporator depth is about 60 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigeration system according to  claim 6 , wherein the columns are spaced apart in a width direction of the fin such that the fin cannot be divided into three fins having an evaporator depth of about 20 mm each having a single column of curved sections. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigeration system of  claim 5 , wherein the third evaporator depth is about 75 mm. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigeration system of  claim 1 , wherein the fins have the fourth evaporator depth, and the tube pattern includes four columns of curved sections. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigeration system of  claim 9 , wherein the fourth evaporator depth is about 100 mm. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigeration system of  claim 1 , wherein the outer diameter of the tube is about 7.0 mm. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigeration system of  claim 1 , wherein a spacing between the columns is smaller than a radius of curvature of the curved sections. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigeration system according to  claim 12 , wherein the radius of curvature of the curved sections is in the range of 9 to 12 mm. 
     
     
         14 . A refrigeration system for a refrigerator or a freezer, comprising:
 a compressor;   a condenser; and   an evaporator,   wherein the evaporator includes a plurality of fins and a serpentine coil attached to each of the plurality of fins, the serpentine coil being formed from a tube having a plurality of linear sections interconnected by a plurality of curved sections,   each fin has a length and a width, the width defines an evaporator depth, and the width is about 60 mm; and   the plurality of curved sections that interconnect the plurality of linear sections are arranged in a three columns to define a tube pattern formed along the evaporator depth,   the plurality of linear sections in each column are staggered to provide for air flow between the plurality of linear sections to increase heat transfer between a refrigerant carried by the serpentine coil and the air, and   an outer diameter of the tube is in the range of 6.5 mm to 7.5 mm.   
     
     
         15 . The refrigeration system according to  claim 14 , wherein the three columns are spaced apart in a width direction of the fin such that the fin cannot be divided into three fins having an evaporator depth of about 20 mm each having a single column of curved sections. 
     
     
         16 . The refrigeration system of  claim 15 , wherein a spacing between the three columns is smaller than a radius of curvature of the curved sections. 
     
     
         17 . The refrigeration system according to  claim 16 , wherein the radius of curvature of the curved sections is in the range of 9 to 12 mm. 
     
     
         18 . The refrigeration system of  claim 14 , wherein the outer diameter of the tube is about 7.0 mm.