Plate-fin and tube heat exchanger with a dog-bone and serpentine tube insertion

Abstract

A dog-bone type heat exchanger having a plurality of fin members for dissipating heat. Each of the plurality of fin members includes a pair of offset surfaces interconnected by a sloped interconnecting surface. The plurality of fins members may be spaced apart at a distance that is less than, equal to, or more than the offset distance between the pair of offset surfaces on each fin member, thereby maximizing the mixing of air flow and the conductive heat transfer of the heat exchanger through an impinging effect.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A dog-bone type heat exchanger comprising: 
 a first fin member having a first surface and a second surface interconnected by a first sloped interconnecting surface, a plane of said first surface being offset from a plane of said second surface;    a second fin member having a third surface and a fourth surface interconnected by a second sloped interconnecting surface, a plane of said third surface being offset from a plane of said fourth surface;    a plurality of slots formed through said first surface and said third surface, each of said plurality of slots having a pair of generally circular portions and an intermediate portion;    a continuous tube for conveying a first fluid within said tube to exchange heat with a second fluid surrounding said tube, said tube having a plurality of reverse bends forming a plurality of parallel tube runs, said tube being coupled to said first fin member and said second fin member such that each of said plurality of reverse bends passes through a corresponding one of said plurality of slots formed in said first fin member and said second fin member.    
     
     
         2 . The dog-bone type heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a collar portion extending about the periphery of each of said plurality of generally circular portions of said plurality of slots, said collar portions generally facilitating heat conduction and minimizing abrasion between said first and second fin members and said continuous tube.    
     
     
         3 . The dog-bone type heat exchanger according to  claim 1  wherein a distance between said plane of said first surface and said plane of said second surface is at least equal to or greater than a distance between said first fin member and said second fin member.  
     
     
         4 . The dog-bone type heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 said plurality of slots further being formed through said second surface and said fourth surface to receive said plurality of reverse bends.    
     
     
         5 . The dog-bone type heat exchanger according to  claim 1  wherein the width of said intermediate portion is smaller than a diameter of each of said pair of generally circular portions  
     
     
         6 . A method of assemblying a dog-bone type heat exchanger, said method comprising: 
 providing a base member having a plurality of spaced support members coupled thereto forming support channels therebetween;    providing a pair of fin members each having a first surface and a second surface interconnected by a first sloped interconnecting surface, a plane of said first surface being offset from a plane of said second surface, at least said first surface having a plurality of slots formed therethrough, each of said plurality of slots having a pair of generally circular portions and an intermediate portion;    inserting each of said pair of fin members into said corresponding support channels formed in said base member;    providing a continuous tube having a plurality of reverse bends forming a plurality of parallel tube runs; and    inserting each of said plurality of reverse bends through a corresponding one of said plurality of slots formed in said pair of fin members.    
     
     
         7 . The method of assemblying a dog-bone type heat exchanger according to  claim 6  wherein said step of inserting each of said pair of fin members into said corresponding support channels formed in said base member includes retaining each of said pair of fin members along only said interconnecting surface using only said support channel.  
     
     
         8 . The method of assemblying a dog-bone type heat exchanger according to  claim 6  wherein said step of providing a pair of fin members includes providing said pair of fin members wherein the width of said intermediate portion is smaller than a diameter of each of said pair of generally circular portions, thereby generally defining a dog-bone shape.  
     
     
         9 . The method of assemblying a dog-bone type heat exchanger according to  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 spacing said pair of fin members a distance that is greater than or equal to a distance between said plane of said first surface and said plane of said second surface.    
     
     
         10 . A dog-bone type heat exchanger comprising: 
 a first fin member having a first surface and a second surface interconnected by a first sloped interconnecting surface, a plane of said first surface being offset from a plane of said second surface;    a second fin member having a third surface and a fourth surface interconnected by a second sloped interconnecting surface, a plane of said third surface being offset from a plane of said fourth surface;    a plurality of slots formed through said first surface and said third surface, each of said plurality of slots having a pair of generally circular portions and an intermediate portion, said intermediate portion having a width smaller than a diameter of each of said pair of generally circular portions;    a continuous tube for conveying a first fluid within said tube to exchange heat with a second fluid surrounding said tube, said tube having a plurality of reverse bends forming a plurality of parallel tube runs, said tube being folded into a tube bundle, said tube bundle being coupled to said first fin member and said second fin member such that each of said plurality of reverse bends passes through a corresponding one of said plurality of slots formed in said first fin member and said second fin member,    wherein a distance between said plane of said first surface and said plane of said second surface is at least equal to or greater than a distance between said first fin member and said second fin member.    
     
     
         11 . The dog-bone type heat exchanger according to  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 a collar portion extending about the periphery of each of said plurality of generally circular portions of said plurality of slots, said collar portions generally facilitating heat conduction and minimizing abrasion between said first and second fin members and said continuous tube.    
     
     
         12 . The dog-bone type heat exchanger according to  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 said plurality of slots further being formed through said second surface and said fourth surface to receive said plurality of reverse bends.