Heat exchanger assembly for an hvac system

Abstract

A heat exchanger includes a tube configured to direct a working fluid therethrough. The heat exchanger also includes a fin disposed about the tube and having a louver, where the tube and the fin are made of a polymeric material.

1 . A heat exchanger, comprising:
 a tube configured to direct a working fluid therethrough; and   a fin disposed about the tube and having a louver, wherein the tube and the fin are made of a polymeric material.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the tube and the fin are integrally formed as a single piece component. 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric material is a high density polyethylene. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric material has a thermal conductivity value of at least 10 Watts per meter-Kelvin. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the tube has an oblong cross-sectional profile. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the fin includes an opening, and the tube is disposed within the opening and is secured within the opening via an interference fit. 
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger of  claim 6 , wherein the fin includes a flange extending about a perimeter of the opening, and the flange is engaged with the tube via the interference fit. 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the louver is a first louver, and the fin includes a second louver, wherein the first louver extends from a first side of the fin, and the second louver extends from a second side of the fin opposite to the first side. 
     
     
         9 . A heat exchanger, comprising:
 a fin having an opening and a louver formed therein; and   a tube positioned within the opening and configured to receive a flow of working fluid, wherein the tube and the fin are made of a polymeric material.   
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger of  claim 9 , wherein the opening has an oblong cross-sectional profile that is configured to engage with the tube via an interference fit. 
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger of  claim 9 , wherein an adhesive is configured to couple the tube to a perimeter of the opening. 
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger of  claim 9 , wherein the fin is a first fin, and the heat exchanger includes a second fin positioned adjacent to the first fin and having an additional opening, wherein the tube is positioned within the additional opening. 
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger of  claim 12 , comprising a first flange extending about a perimeter of the opening and a second flange extending about a perimeter of the additional opening, wherein the first flange is configured to abut the second flange to form a tunnel extending through the first fin and the second fin in an assembled configuration of the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger of  claim 13 , wherein the tunnel includes an interior surface, and an exterior surface of the tube is configured to abut the interior surface. 
     
     
         15 . The heat exchanger of  claim 9 , wherein the louver forms a fluid flow path that extends from a first surface of the fin to a second surface of the fin disposed opposite to the first surface. 
     
     
         16 . The heat exchanger of  claim 9 , wherein the louver is one of a plurality of louvers arrayed in a louver group, wherein each louver in the louver group forms a respective fluid flow path through the fin from a first surface of the fin to a second surface of the fin, opposite to the first surface, wherein the fluid flow paths include louver openings defined between respective ones of the louvers and the first surface, and wherein each of the louver openings is oriented toward a perimeter of the opening. 
     
     
         17 . The heat exchanger of  claim 9 , wherein the tube is configured to contain and facilitate flow of water as the working fluid. 
     
     
         18 . The heat exchanger of  claim 9 , wherein the polymeric material is a high density polyethylene having a thermal conductivity value of at least 10 Watts per meter-Kelvin. 
     
     
         19 . A heat exchanger for a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
 a fin made of a first polymeric material and having a louver formed therein; and   a tube made of a second polymeric material and coupled to the fin, wherein the tube is configured to receive a flow of working fluid.   
     
     
         20 . The heat exchanger of  claim 19 , wherein the first polymeric material is different from the second polymeric material. 
     
     
         21 . The heat exchanger of  claim 19 , wherein the first polymeric material and the second polymeric material are a high density polyethylene. 
     
     
         22 . The heat exchanger of  claim 19 , wherein the louver is formed integrally with the fin via an injection molding process or an additive manufacturing process. 
     
     
         23 . The heat exchanger of  claim 19 , wherein the fin includes an opening, and the tube extends through the opening. 
     
     
         24 . The heat exchanger of  claim 23 , wherein the fin includes a flange that extends about a perimeter of the opening and that extends bi-directionally from the fin in directions generally orthogonal to the fin. 
     
     
         25 . The heat exchanger of  claim 24 , wherein the tube is coupled to an interior surface of the flange via an interference fit, via an adhesive, or both. 
     
     
         26 . The heat exchanger of  claim 19 , wherein the tube and the fin are integrally formed as a one piece structure.