Heat exchanger

Abstract

A fluid liquid/fluid gas heat exchanger includes a hollow housing through which one of the fluids flows and whose exterior is exposed to the other fluid. The housing rotates about one or more non-rotating tubes which form inlet and outlet openings.

1 . A heat exchanger for exchanging heat between a liquid fluid and a gas fluid, the heat exchanger having a hollow housing, one of the fluids flowing through the housing and the other fluid flowing over an exterior of the housing, characterized by: 
 the housing rotating about an axis.    
   
   
       2 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the housing includes an axial inlet opening and an axial outlet opening through which fluid flows.    
   
   
       3 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2 , wherein: 
 the inlet opening is formed in a non-rotating inlet tube;    the outlet opening is formed in a non-rotating outlet tube; and    the housing is rotatably supported by and sealed with respect to the inlet and outlet tubes.    
   
   
       4 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a hollow tube extends axially through the housing, the tube having a cylindrical wall forming an inlet opening and an outlet opening both located outside the housing, and the tube having radial ports in a portion of the tube located within the housing, the fluid flowing out of the tube and into the tube through the ports.    
   
   
       5 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an inlet pipe having an inlet opening and an outlet pipe coaxial with the inlet pipe and having an outlet opening, fluid flowing into and out of the housing coaxially from one side of the housing though the inlet and outlet pipes.    
   
   
       6 . The heat exchanger of  claim 5 , wherein: 
 one of the inlet and outlet pipes including an over-flow port through which a portion of the fluid can flow directly from the inlet opening to the outlet opening.    
   
   
       7 . The heat exchanger of  claim 6 , wherein: 
 the outlet pipe has a flared end.    
   
   
       8 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a filler opening formed in an outer portion of the housing; and    a cover for closing the filler opening.    
   
   
       9 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 an elastic membrane is mounted inside the housing, the membrane enclosing a volume through which the fluid flows; and    a resilient member is coupled to the membrane.    
   
   
       10 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 a pump impeller is attached to an interior wall of the housing and rotates with the housing.    
   
   
       11 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a pump impeller coupled for rotation with the housing; and    a non-rotating guide positioned adjacent to the impeller.    
   
   
       12 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of blades formed on a surface of the housing.    
   
   
       13 . The heat exchanger of  claim 12 , wherein: 
 the blades which are inclined with respect to a rotation axis of the housing.    
   
   
       14 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a blower impeller coupled to the housing.    
   
   
       15 . The heat exchanger of  claim 14 , wherein: 
 the housing and the blower impeller are rotatably supported by a common bearing.    
   
   
       16 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a drive unit for transmitting torque to the housing.    
   
   
       17 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the housing is coupled to a rotor of a asynchronous motor.    
   
   
       18 . The heat exchanger of  claim 17 , wherein: 
 a portion of the housing comprises a short circuit ring of the asynchronous motor, and the housing includes a collar which comprises a short circuit cage for the asynchronous motor.    
   
   
       19 . The heat exchanger of  claim 17 , wherein: 
 the asynchronous motor includes a stator which is received by a heat conducting housing which is exposed to the flowing fluid.    
   
   
       20 . The heat exchanger of  claim 16 , wherein: 
 the drive unit and the housing are rotatably supported by a bearing.    
   
   
       21 . The heat exchanger of  claim 10 , wherein: 
 the housing and the pump impeller are configured as a one-piece unit.    
   
   
       22 . The heat exchanger of  claim 14 , wherein: 
 the housing and the blower impeller are configured as a one-piece unit.    
   
   
       23 . The heat exchanger of  claim 10 , wherein: 
 the housing and the pump impeller are configured as a one-piece unit.    
   
   
       24 . The heat exchanger of  claim 18 , wherein: 
 the housing and the short circuit cage are configured as a one-piece unit.    
   
   
       25 . The heat exchanger of  claim 18 , wherein: 
 the housing, the short circuit cage and the short circuit ring are configured as a one-piece unit.