Heat exchanger system having nonmetallic finless tubes

Abstract

A heat exchanger system includes one or more nonmetallic finless heat exchanging tubes. The heat exchanging tubes are coiled around a central axis, and vehicle fluid flowing through the tubes is cooled or heated by airflow perpendicular to the central axis.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A heat exchanger system, comprising: 
 one or more nonmetallic finless heat exchanging tubes, each heat exchanging tube being coiled one or more times around a central axis to allow airflow perpendicular to the central axis, and wherein a vehicle fluid circulates through each heat exchanging tube.    
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger system of  claim 1 , including a fan adapted to provide airflow perpendicular to the central axis.  
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanging tubes are of circular cross-section.  
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger system of  claim 1 , wherein multiple heat exchanging tubes or portions thereof are located at differing predetermined locations along the central axis.  
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger system of  claim 1 , wherein multiple heat exchanging tubes or portions thereof are located at differing predetermined radii from the central axis.  
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger system of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle fluid is at least one of: an engine cooling fluid, an air conditioning fluid, a heating fluid, an engine lubrication fluid, and a hydraulic fluid.  
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger system of  claim 1 , including spacers separating portions of at least one heat exchanging tube from other portions of the heat exchanging tube or from portions of another heat exchanging tube.  
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger system of  claim 1 , including at least one core element associated with at least one heat exchanging tube and providing a fluid path interface between the heat exchanging tube and a vehicle fluid system.  
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger tubes are formed of a flexible material.  
     
     
         10 . A vehicle, comprising: 
 a vehicle chassis;    a load compartment carried by the vehicle chassis;    an engine, located within an engine compartment and adapted to provide power to the vehicle; and    a heat exchanger system, located within the engine compartment adjacent the engine, wherein the heat exchanger system includes: 
 one or more nonmetallic finless heat exchanging tubes, each heat exchanging tube being coiled one or more times around a central axis to allow airflow perpendicular to the central axis, and wherein a vehicle fluid circulates through each heat exchanging tube.  
   
     
     
         11 . The vehicle of  claim 10 , including a fan adapted to provide airflow perpendicular to the central axis.  
     
     
         12 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanging tubes are of circular cross-section.  
     
     
         13 . The vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein multiple heat exchanging tubes or portions thereof are located at differing predetermined locations along the central axis.  
     
     
         14 . The vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein multiple heat exchanging tubes or portions thereof are located at differing predetermined radii from the central axis.  
     
     
         15 . The vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein the vehicle fluid is at least one of: an engine cooling fluid, an air conditioning fluid, a heating fluid, an engine lubrication fluid, and a hydraulic fluid.  
     
     
         16 . The vehicle of  claim 10 , including spacers separating portions of at least one heat exchanging tube from other portions of the heat exchanging tube or from portions of another heat exchanging tube.  
     
     
         17 . The vehicle of  claim 10 , including at least one core element associated with at least one heat exchanging tube and providing a fluid path interface between the heat exchanging tube and a vehicle fluid system.  
     
     
         18 . The vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein the heat exchanger tubes are formed of a flexible material.  
     
     
         19 . A method of manufacturing a heat exchanging system, comprising: 
 coiling one or more flexible, nonmetallic, finless heat exchanging tubes one or more times about a central axis;    arranging the heat exchanging tubes to allow airflow therebetween in a direction perpendicular to the central axis; and    providing an interface to each heat exchanging tube such that a vehicle fluid can be circulated therethrough.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , including: 
 providing spacers to allow airflow between the heat exchanging tubes in a direction perpendicular to the central axis.