Fin-tube heat exchanger

Abstract

A heat exchanger includes: fins formed in a wavy shape; and a tube attached with the wavy fins and bent in a zigzag shape. A contact area between the tube and the fins are maximized to thus considerably enhance heat transfer through the fins.

1 . A heat exchanger comprising: 
 a tube through which a refrigerant flows; and    a fin attached to the tube, the fin having a nonlinear shape at an interface between the fin and the tube.    
   
   
       2 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the fin is shaped to conform with a shape of the tube at the interface between the fin and the tube.  
   
   
       3 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2 , wherein the interface between the fin and the tube defines an arc and the fin has an arcuate shape at the interface.  
   
   
       4 . The heat exchanger of  claim 3 , wherein the fin has a serpentine shape.  
   
   
       5 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the tube has a serpentine shape.  
   
   
       6 . The heat exchanger of  claim 5 , wherein the tube includes multiple parallel portions.  
   
   
       7 . The heat exchanger of  claim 6 , wherein the fin interfaces with at least two of the parallel portions of the tube and is shaped to conform with a shape of the tube at the interfaces between the fin and the at least two parallel portions.  
   
   
       8 . The heat exchanger of  claim 7 , wherein the interfaces between the fin and the at least two parallel portions of the tube define arcs and the fin has arcuate shapes at the interfaces.  
   
   
       9 . The heat exchanger of  claim 8 , wherein the fin has a serpentine shape.  
   
   
       10 . A heat exchanger comprising: 
 a tube through which a refrigerant flows; and    a plurality of fins attached to the tube, each of the fins having a nonlinear shape at an interface between the fin and the tube.    
   
   
       11 . The heat exchanger of  claim 10 , wherein each of the fins is shaped to conform with a shape of the tube at the interface between the fin and the tube.  
   
   
       12 . The heat exchanger of  claim 11 , wherein the interface between each of the fins and the tube defines an arc and each of the fins has an arcuate shape at the interface.  
   
   
       13 . The heat exchanger of  claim 12 , wherein each of the fins has a serpentine shape.  
   
   
       14 . The heat exchanger of  claim 10 , wherein the tube has a serpentine shape.  
   
   
       15 . The heat exchanger of  claim 14 , wherein the tube includes multiple parallel portions.  
   
   
       16 . The heat exchanger of  claim 15 , wherein each of the fins interfaces with at least two of the parallel portions of the tube and is shaped to conform with a shape of the tube at the interfaces between the the fin and the at least two parallel portions.  
   
   
       17 . The heat exchanger of  claim 16 , wherein the interfaces between each of the fins and the at least two parallel portions of the tube define arcs and each of the fins has arcuate shapes at the interfaces.  
   
   
       18 . The heat exchanger of  claim 17 , wherein each of the fins has a serpentine shape.  
   
   
       19 . The heat exchanger of  claim 10 , wherein a first group of the fins are attached to an upper surface of the tube and a second group of the fins are attached to a lower surface of the tube.  
   
   
       20 . The heat exchanger of  claim 19 , wherein each fin of the first group of fins is placed between two adjacent fins of the second group of fins.  
   
   
       21 . A heat exchanger comprising: 
 a tube through which a refrigerant flows;    a first group of fins attached to an upper surface of the tube; and    a second group of fins attached to a lower surface of the tube,    wherein each fin of the first group of fins is placed between two adjacent fins of the second group of fins.    
   
   
       22 . A refrigerator comprising the heat exchanger of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       23 . A method of manufacturing a heat exchanger, comprising: 
 providing a tube through which a refrigerant flows; and    attaching a plurality of fins to the tube, each of the fins having a nonlinear shape at an interface between the fin and the tube.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein each of the fins is shaped to conform with a shape of the tube at the interface between the fin and the tube.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein attaching the fins to the tube comprises attaching a first group of the fins to an upper surface of the tube and attaching a second group of the fins to a lower surface of the tube.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein each fin of the first group of fins is placed between two adjacent fins of the second group of fins.