Heat exchanger tube assembly

Abstract

A heat exchanger tube assembly 10 comprising a tube 12 having a plurality of fins 14 mounted thereto at spaced intervals along its length, each fin 14 having at least one aperture 16 through which the tube 12 is received, each fin 14 having an integral spacer 20 to define the spaced interval from an adjacent fin, the spacer 20 extending from the rim of the aperture 16 generally transversely to the fin 14 to provide an inner surface profiled to contact and cooperate with the external surface of the tube 12 to enhance heat transfer from the tube 12 to the fin 14, the spacer 20 being bonded to the tube 12 by a thermally-conductive medium.

1 . A heat exchanger tube assembly comprising a tube having a plurality of fins mounted thereto at spaced intervals along its length, each fin having at least one aperture through which the tube is received, each fin having an integral spacer to define the spaced interval from an adjacent fin, the spacer extending from the rim of the aperture generally transversely to the fin to provide an inner surface profiled to contact and cooperate with the external surface of the tube to enhance heat transfer from the tube to the fin, the spacer being bonded to the tube by a thermally-conductive medium.  
     
     
         2 . A heat exchanger tube assembly as claimed at  claim 1  wherein the fins are formed of generally the same material as the tube.  
     
     
         3 . A heat exchanger tube assembly as claimed at  claim 2  wherein said material is a steel.  
     
     
         4 . A heat exchanger tube assembly as claimed at  claim 1  wherein the thermally conductive medium occupies a region between the external surface of the tube and the inner surface of the spacer to thereby enhance said heat transfer from the tube to the fin.  
     
     
         5 . A heat exchanger tube assembly as claimed at  claim 1  wherein each spacer is configured as an annular flange.  
     
     
         6 . A heat exchanger tube assembly as claimed at  claim 5  wherein said annular flange is discontinuous around the circumference of said tube.  
     
     
         7 . A heat exchanger tube assembly as claimed at  claim 5  wherein said annular flange comprises a plurality of tabs disposed around the circumference of said tube.  
     
     
         8 . A heat exchanger tube assembly as claimed at  claim 1  wherein said heat exchanger tube assembly is covered with a corrosion-resistant material.  
     
     
         9 . A heat exchanger tube assembly as claimed at  claim 8  wherein said corrosion-resistant material is said thermally-conductive medium.  
     
     
         10 . A heat exchanger tube assembly as claimed at  claim 1  wherein said thermally-conductive medium is zinc or zinc alloy.  
     
     
         11 . A heat exchanger comprising a plurality of heat exchanger tube assemblies as claimed at  claim 1 , said tubes being held in parallel spaced relation, adjacent tubes being interconnected by at least some of said fins, each tube being received through an aperture provided in said fins, each fin having at least two apertures to thereby interconnect adjacent tubes.  
     
     
         12 . A heat exchanger comprising a plurality of heat exchanger tube assemblies as claimed at  claim 1 , said tubes being held in parallel spaced relation, each tube being interconnected with at least one adjacent tube by a group of fins, each fin having two apertures to receive said adjacent tubes to thereby interconnect adjacent tubes.  
     
     
         13 . A method of manufacturing a heat exchanger tube assembly, said method comprising the steps of mounting a plurality of fins to a tube and bonding the fins to the tube with a thermally-conductive medium, each fin having at least one aperture through which the tube is received, each fin having an integral spacer to define the spaced interval from an adjacent fin, the spacer extending from the rim of the aperture generally transversely to the fin to provide an inner surface profiled to contact and cooperate with the external surface of the tube to enhance heat transfer from the tube to the fin.  
     
     
         14 . A method of manufacturing a heat exchanger tube assembly as claimed at  claim 13  further comprising the step of covering the fins and tube with a corrosion-resistant material.  
     
     
         15 . A method of manufacturing a heat exchanger tube assembly as claimed at  claim 14  wherein the methods of bonding the fins to the tube and covering of the fins and tube comprises a hot-dip, zinc or zinc-alloy galvanising procedure.