Low Pressure Drop Fin with Selective Micro Surface Enhancement

Abstract

The assembly includes a heat exchanger assembly including a plurality of tubes extending between first and second manifolds. A plurality of fins extend back and forth between and long the tubes in a continuous patch and define a plurality of legs extending between the tubes. Each of the legs includes a plurality of front long louvers for conveying a stream of air through the legs. Each of the legs further defines a plurality of main spoilers between the front long louvers and the back edges of the legs for inducing turbulence in the stream of air with each of the main spoilers having a spoiler height in the range of 50 to 90 percent of the long louver height and each of the main spoilers having a spoiler length in the range of 10 to 35 percent of the long louver length.

1 . A heat exchanger assembly for transferring heat between a refrigerant and a stream of air, comprising:
 a first manifold;   a second manifold spaced from said first manifold;   a plurality of tubes extending in spaced relationship with one another between said first and second manifolds for conveying the refrigerant between said first and second manifolds;   a plurality of fins disposed between adjacent ones of said tubes for transferring heat between the refrigerant in said tubes and the stream of air;   each of said fins having a front edge and a back edge and including a plurality of legs extending transversely between said adjacent tubes;   each of said legs of said fins defining a plurality of front long louvers disposed between said front and back edges for conveying the stream of air through said legs of said air fins with each of said long louvers having a long louver height and a long louver length; and   each of said legs of said fins defining a plurality of main spoilers disposed between said front long louvers and said back edges for inducing turbulence in the stream of air with each of said main spoilers having a spoiler height in the range of 50 to 90 percent of said long louver height and each of said main spoilers having a spoiler length in the range of 10 to 35 percent of said long louver length.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said main spoilers are micro-louvers. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein each of said legs of said air fins presents a plurality of front spoilers disposed between said front edge and said front long louvers for inducing turbulence in the stream of air. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 3  wherein each of said front spoilers extends outwardly from said legs and has a triangular shape. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 3  wherein each of said legs of said air fins defines a plurality of back spoilers disposed adjacent to said back edge and a plurality of back long louvers disposed between said micro-louvers and said back spoilers. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein each of said legs of said fins has a fin height and said long louver height is in the range of 50 to 90 percent of said fin height. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said long louver length is in the range of 0.7 to 1.5 mm. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said spoiler length is in the range of 0.15 to 0.4 mm. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein each of said front long louvers extends diagonally outwardly from said legs of said fins. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said first and second manifolds extend in spaced and parallel relationship with one another. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 10  wherein said first manifold defines a plurality of first tube slots spaced from one another and said second manifold defines a plurality of second tube slots spaced from one another and aligned with said first tube slots. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 11  wherein each of said tubes has a cross-section presenting flat sides interconnected by a round front and a round back. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 12  wherein said tubes extend in spaced and parallel relationship with one another between said aligned first and second tube slots of said first and second manifolds. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein each of said tubes defines a fluid passage for conveying the refrigerant between said manifolds. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 1  where said main spoilers are disposed in a staggered arrangement. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said main spoilers are semi-cylindrical bumps. 
     
     
         17 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said main spoilers are triangular notches. 
     
     
         18 . A heat exchanger assembly for transferring heat between a refrigerant and a stream of air, comprising:
 a first manifold and a second manifold extending in spaced and parallel relationship with one another;   said first manifold defining a plurality of first tube slots being spaced from each other;   said second manifold defining a plurality of second tube slots being spaced from each other and aligned with said first tube slots;   a plurality of tubes having a cross-section presenting flat sides interconnected by a round front and a round back and extending in spaced and parallel relationship with one another between said aligned first and second tube slots for establishing fluid communication between said first and second manifolds;   each of said tubes defining a fluid passage for conveying the refrigerant between said manifolds;   a plurality of fins disposed between adjacent ones of said tubes for transferring heat between the refrigerant in said fluid passages of said tubes and the stream of air;   each of said fins including a plurality of legs with each leg having a fin height and each leg extending transversely between said adjacent tubes and each of said fins including a plurality of end portions extending along said flat sides of said adjacent tubes to present a serpentine path between said first and second manifolds;   each of said legs of said fins having a front edge adjacent said round front of said tubes and a back edge adjacent said round back of said tubes;   each of said legs of said fins presenting a plurality of front spoilers adjacent to said front edge and a plurality of back spoilers adjacent to said back edge for inducing turbulence in the stream of air;   each of said front and back spoilers extending outwardly from said legs and having a conical shape;   each of said legs of said fins presenting a plurality of front long louvers spaced from said front spoilers and a plurality of back long louvers spaced from said back spoilers for conveying the stream of air through said legs of said fins;   each of said legs of said fins presenting a plurality of main spoilers disposed between said front long louvers and said back long louvers for inducing turbulence in the stream of air;   each of said long louvers having a long louver height in the range of 60 to 90 percent of said fin height;   each of said main spoilers having a spoiler height in the range of 50 to 90 percent of said long louver height;   each of said long louvers having a long louver length in the range of 0.7 to 1.5 mm; and   each of said main spoilers having a spoiler length in the range of 10 to 35 percent of said long louver length.