Fabricated tube for an evaporator
Abstract
An evaporator assembly having a first header, a second header, at least two banks of evaporator tubes extending therebetween and in hydraulic communication with the first and second headers. At least one of the evaporator tube may be folded from a unitary strip clad aluminum folded having a thickness (t). The evaporator tube includes a height (h) which is measured from the bottom exterior surface to the top exterior surface, and a corner radius (r c ) defined by the transition radius from the flange segments to the channel walls. The bottom wall includes a width (2w), the corrugated portion includes alternating flange segments abutting the interior surface and channel walls connecting the alternating flange segments, at least one of the alternating adjacent flange segments includes a length (a) cooperating with adjacent the channel walls to define a channel having a width (b). The evaporator tube also includes a number of ports per millimeter width (PPMW) in a range of 0.40 to 1.0 as defined by the equation PPMW=2/(a+b+t); a Port Shape (PS) ratio of 0.05 to 0.6 as defined by the equation PS ratio=a/b; a non-dimensional gauge (NDG) ratio of 0.11 to 0.21 as defined by the equation NDG ratio=t/h; and a non-dimensional corner radius (NDCR) ratio of 0.10 to 0.5 as defined by the equation NDCR ratio=r c /2t.
Claims
exact text as granted — not AI-modified1 . A folded evaporator tube comprising,
a unitary strip of heat conductive material having a thickness (t) folded into a cross sectional shape having: a bottom wall with two opposing tube edges transitioning into a pair of top walls spaced from and substantially parallel to said bottom wall defining an interior surface; a pair of abutted central walls bent substantially perpendicularly out of said top walls and extends toward said bottom wall; a corrugated portion extending substantially perpendicularly out of each of said central walls toward said corresponding tube edge; wherein said bottom wall includes a width (2w), wherein said corrugated portion includes alternating flange segments abutting said interior surface and channel walls connecting said alternating flange segments, wherein at least one of said alternating adjacent flange segments includes a length (a) cooperating with adjacent said channel walls to define a channel having a width (b); and a number of ports per millimeter width (PPMW) includes a range of 1/w to 2/t as defined by the equation:
PPMW=2/( a+b+t ).
2 . The folded evaporator tube of claim 1 , wherein the PPMW includes a range of 0.40 to 1.0.
3 . The folded evaporator tube of claim 1 , wherein the PPMW is 0.57.
4 . The folded evaporator tube of claim 1 , further comprising a Port Shape (PS) ratio having a range of 0.0 to 1.0 as defined by the equation:
PS ratio= a/b.
5 . The folded evaporator tube of claim 4 , wherein said PS ratio includes a range of 0.05 to 0.60.
6 . The folded evaporator tube of claim 4 , wherein said PS ratio is 0.39.
7 . The folded evaporator tube of claim 1 , wherein evaporator tube further comprising a height (h) measured from the bottom exterior surface to the top exterior surface of said evaporator tube, and a non-dimensional gauge (NDG) ratio range of 0.05 to 0.333 as defined by the equation:
NDG ratio= t/h
8 . The folded evaporator tube of claim 7 , wherein said NDG ratio includes a range of 0.11 to 0.21.
9 . The folded evaporator tube of claim 7 , wherein NDG ratio is 0.186.
10 . The folded evaporator tube of claim 1 , further comprising:
a corner radius (r c ) defined by the transition radius from said flange segments to said channel walls, and a non-dimensional corner radius (NDCR) ratio range of 0.0 to 1.0 as defined by the equation:
NDCR ratio= r c /2 t.
11 . The folded evaporator tube of claim 10 , wherein the NDR ratio includes a range of 0.10 to 0.50.
12 . The folded evaporator tube of claim 10 , wherein the NDCR ratio is 0.288.
13 . An evaporator assembly comprising,
a first header; a second header; at least two banks of evaporator tubes extending between and in hydraulic communication with said first and second headers; wherein at least one of said evaporator tube comprises:
a unitary strip clad aluminum having a thickness (t) folded into a cross sectional shape having:
a bottom wall with two opposing tube edges transitioning into a pair of top walls spaced from and substantially parallel to said bottom wall defining an interior surface,
a pair of abutted central walls bent substantially perpendicularly out of said top walls and extends toward said bottom wall,
a corrugated portion extending substantially perpendicularly out of each of said central walls toward said corresponding tube edge,
a height (h) measured from the bottom exterior surface to the top exterior surface of said evaporator tube, and
a corner radius (r c ) defined by the transition radius from said flange segments to said channel walls;
wherein said bottom wall includes a width (2w),
wherein said corrugated portion includes alternating flange segments abutting said interior surface and channel walls connecting said alternating flange segments,
wherein at least one of said alternating adjacent flange segments includes a length (a) cooperating with adjacent said channel walls to define a channel having a width (b); and
a number of ports per millimeter width (PPMW) includes a range of 0.40 to 1.0 as defined by the equation PPMW=2/(a+b+t);
a Port Shape (PS) ratio having a range of 0.05 to 0.6 as defined by the equation PS ratio=a/b;
a non-dimensional gauge (NDG) ratio range of 0.11 to 0.21 as defined by the equation NDG ratio=t/h; and
a non-dimensional corner radius (NDCR) ratio range from 0.10 to 0.5 as defined by the equation NDCR ratio=r c /2t.
14 . The evaporator assembly of claim 13 , wherein:
PPMW is 0.57; PS ratio is 0.39; NDG ratio is 0.186; and NDCR ratio is 0.288.
15 . The evaporator assembly of claim 13 , wherein the intersection of said channel wall with said interior surface defines an angle (θ) of 41.5°;
w=8.8 mm;
h=1.4 mm; and
t=0.26 mm.
16 . The evaporator assembly of claim 15 , wherein:
a=0.9 mm; b=2.3 mm; and r c =0.15.
17 . The evaporator assembly of claim 16 , further including a Hydraulic Diameter (D h ) of 0.738 as defined by the formula:
D
h
=
2
(
a
+
b
)
(
h
-
3
t
)
(
a
+
b
+
2
(
h
-
3
t
)
/
sin
θ
)
,
where
θ
=
tan
-
1
(
2
h
-
6
t
)
b
-
a
)
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