Heat exchanger

Abstract

A short, compact heat exchanger is disclosed to include an inner tube, an intermediate tube and an outer tube concentrically arranged together to form a triple-tube structure, a thermal fluid flowing through the intermediate tube, a heat-transfer medium flowing through the outer tube and the inner tube to make heat exchange with the thermal fluid. If the thermal fluid can be a refrigerant and the heat-transfer medium can be room temperature water so that the heat exchanger can be used in an air-conditioning refrigerating system to substitute for a condenser or evaporator.

1 . A heat exchanger, comprising:
 a triple-tube structure, said triple-tube structure comprising an inner tube, an intermediate tube concentrically surrounding said inner tube, and an outer tube concentrically surrounding said intermediate tube, said inner tube and said intermediate tube and said outer tube having different diameters;   a thermal fluid flowing through said intermediate tube; and   a heat-transfer medium flowing through said outer tube and said inner tube; and   wherein the surface energy and core energy of said thermal fluid are respectively transferred to said heat-transfer medium through said intermediate tube and said outer tube.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the flowing direction of said thermal fluid in said intermediate tube is reversed to the flowing direction of said heat-transfer medium in said outer tube and said inner tube. 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said inner tube and said outer tube have a three-way pipe respectively connected to the upstream and downstream ends thereof to delivery the heat-transfer medium; said intermediate tube has a linking manifold respectively connected to upstream and downstream ends thereof to delivery said heat-transfer medium. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said thermal fluid is a cold or hot liquid or gas; said heat-transfer medium is a hot or cold liquid or gas. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said thermal fluid is a refrigerant and lubrication oil; said heat-transfer medium is room temperature water. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising an insulation material wrapped about said triple-tube structure. 
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said inner tube, said intermediate tube and said outer tube are made of a metal material. 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said metal material is copper.