In-line heat-exchanger and method of forming same

Abstract

An in-line heat exchanger comprising first and second lengths of seamless, walled tubing, the first length of tubing characterized by a larger diameter than the diameter of the second length of tubing, and the second length of walled tubing disposed within the first length of walled tubing. A plurality of longitudinally-extending channels are defined in the wall of at least one of the first and second lengths of tubing, the channels defining therebetween a plurality of longitudinally-extending passageways in the area between the walls of the first and second lengths of tubing. Terminal portions provided at opposite ends of the first length of tubing are each sealed with respect to the second length of tubing, each terminal portion defining one of an inlet or an outlet, and each terminal portion defining at least one interior passageway between the terminal portion and the wall of the second length of tubing, the at least one interior passageway communicating the plurality of longitudinally-extending passageways with one of the inlet or outlet.

1 . An in-line heat exchanger, comprising:
 first and second lengths of seamless, walled tubing, the first length of tubing characterized by a larger diameter than the diameter of the second length of tubing, and the second length of walled tubing disposed within the first length of walled tubing;   a plurality of longitudinally-extending channels defined in the wall of at least one of the first and second lengths of tubing, the channels defining therebetween a plurality of longitudinally-extending passageways in the area between the walls of the first and second lengths of tubing; and   terminal portions provided at opposite ends of the first length of tubing, the terminal portions each sealed with respect to the second length of tubing and each defining one of an inlet or an outlet, and each terminal portion defining at least one interior passageway between the terminal portion and the wall of the second length of tubing, the at least one interior passageway communicating the plurality of longitudinally-extending passageways with one of the inlet or outlet.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the terminal portions are each defined by opposite ends of the first length of tubing that are sealed against the wall of the second length of tubing. 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the terminal portions comprise separate lengths of tubing that are connected to each of the first and second lengths of tubing. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the terminal portions have different longitudinal dimensions with respect to each other so as to define interior passageways of different volumes. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger of  claim 4 , wherein one of the terminal portions defines an interior passageway capable of accommodating an amount of a high-pressure, sub-cooled fluid at least equivalent to the weight of the quantity of a high-pressure fluid that can be accommodated in the receiver dryer in a fully-charged air-conditioning system. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of longitudinally-extending channels are defined in the wall of the first length of tubing. 
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of longitudinally-extending channels are defined in the wall of the second length of tubing. 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of longitudinally-extending channels are defined in the walls of both the first and second lengths of tubing. 
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of longitudinally-extending channels comprise at least two discrete sets of longitudinally-extending channels. 
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger of  claim 9 , wherein each discrete set of channels is separated from the other by an intermediate space defined in the area between the walls of the first and second lengths of tubing. 
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger of  claim 9 , wherein at least one discrete set of channels is offset relative to the one or more other sets of channels. 
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger of  claim 11 , wherein each discrete set of channels is separated from the other by an intermediate space defined in the area between the walls of the first and second lengths of tubing. 
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of longitudinally-extending channels each define a helical path. 
     
     
         14 . A method for forming in-line heat exchangers, comprising the steps of:
 providing at least first and second lengths of seamless, walled tubing, the first length of tubing characterized by a larger diameter than the diameter of the second length of tubing, and each of the at least first and second lengths of walled tubing characterized by generally circular cross-sectional shapes;   inwardly deforming circumferentially spaced-apart portions of the wall of at least one of the first and second lengths of tubing to form along a longitudinal length thereof a plurality of longitudinally-extending channels; and   positioning the second length of walled tubing within the first length of walled tubing so that the walls of the first and second lengths of tubing are in contact proximate the plurality of longitudinally-extending channels, and so that, intermediate the areas of contact between the first and second lengths of walled tubing proximate the plurality of longitudinally-extending channels there are defined between the walls of the first and second lengths of tubing a plurality of longitudinally-extending passageways.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of positioning the second length of walled tubing within the first length of walled tubing is carried out before the step of inwardly deforming circumferentially spaced-apart portions of the wall of at least one of the first and second lengths of tubing. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of inwardly deforming circumferentially spaced-apart portions of the wall of at least one of the first and second lengths of tubing comprises inwardly deforming circumferentially spaced-apart portions of the wall of the first length of tubing. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of positioning the second length of walled tubing within the first length of walled tubing is carried out after the step of inwardly deforming circumferentially spaced-apart portions of the wall of at least one of the first and second lengths of tubing. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of inwardly deforming circumferentially spaced-apart portions of the wall of at least one of the first and second lengths of tubing comprises inwardly deforming circumferentially spaced-apart portions of the wall of the second length of tubing. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of inwardly deforming circumferentially spaced-apart portions of the wall of at least one of the first and second lengths of tubing comprises inwardly deforming circumferentially spaced-apart portions of the walls of the first and second lengths of tubing. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of inwardly deforming circumferentially spaced-apart portions of the wall of at least one of the first and second lengths of tubing to form along a longitudinal length thereof a plurality of longitudinally-extending channels further comprises forming those channels intermediate of terminal sections of the first length of tubing, and wherein the method further comprises the step of sealing the ends of the terminal sections against the wall of the second length of tubing to define terminal portions each defining at least one interior passageway between the terminal portion and the wall of the second length of tubing, the at least one interior passageway communicating the plurality of longitudinally-extending passageways, and the step of forming one of an inlet or outlet passageway in each terminal section, the inlet and outlet each communicating one or the other of the at least one interior passageways defined in each terminal portion. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the terminal portions have different longitudinal dimensions with respect to each other so as to define interior passageways of different volumes. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein one of the terminal portions defines an interior passageway capable of accommodating an amount of a high-pressure, sub-cooled fluid at least equivalent to the weight of the quantity of a high-pressure fluid that can be accommodated in the receiver dryer in a fully-charged air-conditioning system. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of longitudinally-extending channels comprise at least two discrete sets of channels, each discrete set of channels comprising a plurality of longitudinally-extending channels. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein each such discrete set of channels is separated from the other by an intermediate space defined in the area between the walls of the first and second lengths of tubing. 
     
     
         25 . The heat exchanger of  claim 23 , wherein at least one discrete set of channels is offset relative to the one or more other discrete sets of channels. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein each such discrete set of channels is separated from the other by an intermediate space defined in the area between the walls of the first and second lengths of tubing. 
     
     
         27 . The heat exchanger of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of longitudinally-extending channels each define a helical path. 
     
     
         28 . A method for forming in-line heat exchangers, comprising the ordered steps of:
 providing at least first and second lengths of seamless, walled tubing, the first length of tubing characterized by a larger diameter than the diameter of the second length of tubing, and each of the at least first and second lengths of walled tubing characterized by generally circular cross-sectional shapes;   positioning the second length of walled tubing within the first length of walled tubing; and   deforming inwardly circumferentially spaced-apart portions of the wall of the first length of tubing to bring the same into contact with the wall of the second length of tubing, thereby forming along a longitudinal length of the tubing a plurality of longitudinally-extending channels in the wall of the first length of tubing, the plurality of longitudinally-extending channels defining therebetween a plurality of longitudinally-extending passageways between the walls of the first and second lengths of tubing.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the step of inwardly deforming circumferentially spaced-apart portions of the wall of the first length of tubing to form along a longitudinal length thereof a plurality of longitudinally-extending channels further comprises forming those channels intermediate of terminal sections of the first length of tubing, and wherein the method further comprises the step of sealing the ends of the terminal sections against the wall of the second length of tubing to define terminal portions each defining at least one interior passageway between the terminal portion and the wall of the second length of tubing, the at least one interior passageway communicating the plurality of longitudinally-extending passageways, and the step of forming one of an inlet or outlet passageway in each terminal section, the inlet and outlet each communicating one or the other of the at least one interior passageways defined in each terminal portion. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the terminal portions have different longitudinal dimensions with respect to each other so as to define interior passageways of different volumes. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein one of the terminal portions defines an interior passageway capable of accommodating an amount of a high-pressure, sub-cooled fluid at least equivalent to the weight of the quantity of a high-pressure fluid that can be accommodated in the receiver dryer in a fully-charged air-conditioning system. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the plurality of longitudinally-extending channels comprise at least two discrete sets of channels, each discrete set of channels comprising a plurality of longitudinally-extending channels. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein each such discrete set of channels separated from the other by a circumferential chamber defined in the area between the walls of the first and second lengths of tubing. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein at least one discrete set of channels is offset relative to the one or more other discrete sets of channels. 
     
     
         35 . The heat exchanger of  claim 28 , wherein the plurality of longitudinally-extending channels each define a helical path.