Microchannel heat exchanger

Abstract

A heat exchanger tube includes a tube formed substantially of a heat conducting material, the tube being defined by a length, a height, and a width. The heat exchanger tube also includes at least one conduit formed within the tube and extending the length of the tube, the conduit defining an inlet at one end of the tube and the conduit defining an outlet at the opposite end of the tube, the conduit having a cross-section defined within the height and width of the tube, the cross-section having an oscillating geometry.

1 . A heat exchanger tube, comprising:
 a tube formed substantially of a heat conducting material, the tube being defined by a length, a height, and a width; and   at least one conduit formed within the tube and extending the length of the tube, the conduit defining an inlet at one end of the tube and the conduit defining an outlet at the opposite end of the tube, the conduit having a cross-section defined within the height and width of the tube, the cross-section having an oscillating geometry.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger tube of  claim 1 , wherein more than one conduit is formed within the tube, wherein the cross-section of the conduit is formed by more than one identical repeating full pattern, each full pattern comprising a non-straight shape with the conduit width exceeding the conduit height, with an end of one full pattern defining a start of an adjacent full pattern. 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger tube of  claim 2 , wherein all of the conduits formed within the tube have substantially the same geometry. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger tube of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the more than one conduits has a different geometry. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger tube of  claim 1 , wherein the oscillating geometry is representative of at least a portion of a sine wave. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger tube of  claim 1 , wherein the oscillating geometry is representative of at least a portion of a square wave. 
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger tube of  claim 1 , wherein the oscillating geometry is representative of at least a portion of a triangle wave. 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger tube of  claim 1 , wherein the oscillating geometry is representative of at least a portion of more than one different waveform. 
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger tube of  claim 1 , wherein the oscillating geometry is representative of more than one additive waveforms. 
     
     
         10 . A heat exchanger, comprising:
 more than one tube formed substantially of a heat conducting material, each tube being defined by a length, a height, and a width, each tube having an inlet end and an outlet end;   at least one conduit formed within each tube and extending the length of each tube, the conduit defining an inlet at one end of each tube and the conduit defining an outlet at the opposite end of each tube, the conduit having a cross-section defined within the height and width of each tube, the cross-section having an oscillating geometry;   an inlet manifold fluidly coupled to each of the inlet ends of the more than one tubes and configured to receive a fluid;   an outlet manifold fluidly coupled to each of the outlet ends of the more than one tubes; and   heat conducting structures conductively coupled to the more than one tubes.   
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger of  claim 10 , wherein the heat conducting structures include fins. 
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger of  claim 10 , wherein the heat conducting structures include tubes. 
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger of  claim 10 , wherein the heat conducting structures include plates. 
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger of  claim 10 , wherein the oscillating geometry is representative of at least a portion of a sine wave. 
     
     
         15 . The heat exchanger of  claim 10 , wherein each tube comprising a plurality of conduits placed serially along the width of the tube thereof, wherein each conduit has the cross-section comprising more than one identical repeating full pattern, each full pattern comprising a non-straight shape with the conduit width exceeding the conduit height, with an end of one full pattern defining a start of an adjacent full pattern. 
     
     
         16 . The heat exchanger of  claim 10 , wherein the oscillating geometry is representative of at least a portion of a triangle wave. 
     
     
         17 . The heat exchanger of  claim 10 , wherein the fluid includes a single-phase refrigerant. 
     
     
         18 . The heat exchanger of  claim 10 , wherein the fluid includes a two-phase refrigerant. 
     
     
         19 . The heat exchanger of  claim 10 , wherein there are more than one conduit formed within each tube. 
     
     
         20 . The heat exchanger of  claim 19 , wherein at least one of the more than one conduits has a different geometry.