Heat exchangers for air conditioning systems

Abstract

In the field of heat exchangers for air conditioning systems there is a need for an improved heat exchanger which provides improved efficiency in terms of overall packaging and performance. A heat exchanger, for use in an air conditioning system of a building, including an elongate fluid conduit which has first and second elongate heat exchange fins extending laterally therefrom. Opposed faces of the first and second fins define an acute angle therebetween. The fluid conduit defines a discrete conduit body, the first fin defines a first fin body, and the second fin defines a second fin body. The conduit body is thermally coupled to at least one of the first and second fin bodies by a discrete heat exchange member.

1 . A heat exchanger, for use in an air conditioning system of a building, comprising:
 an elongate fluid conduit having first and second elongate heat exchange fins extending laterally therefrom, opposed faces of the first and second fins defining an acute angle therebetween, the fluid conduit defining a discrete conduit body, the first fin defining a first fin body, and the second fin defining a second fin body, the conduit body being thermally coupled to at least one of the first and second fin bodies by a discrete heat exchange member.   
     
     
         2 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1  wherein the discrete heat exchange member extends at least partially around the conduit body. 
     
     
         3 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1  wherein the conduit body is removably retained between the first and second fin bodies. 
     
     
         4 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1  wherein the first and second fin bodies are integrally formed with one another. 
     
     
         5 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1  further comprising a second pair of first and second elongate heat exchange fins extending laterally from the fluid conduit. 
     
     
         6 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 5  wherein the respective first heat exchange fins are integrally formed with one another to define a unitary first fin body and the respective second heat exchange fins are integrally formed with one another to define a unitary second fin body. 
     
     
         7 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1  wherein the first and second fin bodies are selectively separable from one another. 
     
     
         8 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 7  wherein the first and second fin bodies are secured to one another by at least one selectively removable fastener. 
     
     
         9 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1  further comprising a heat transfer member including an elongate member having a uniform cross-sectional profile. 
     
     
         10 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 9  wherein the heat transfer member defines a receiving formation to receive at least a portion of the fluid conduit. 
     
     
         11 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 9  wherein the heat transfer member cooperates with the first and second fin bodies to removably retain the conduit body between the first and second fin bodies. 
     
     
         12 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 9  wherein the heat transfer member includes first and second heat transfer member portions. 
     
     
         13 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 12  wherein each heat transfer member portion defines a part of the receiving formation and is separable from the other heat transfer member portion. 
     
     
         14 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 11  wherein the first and second heat transfer member portions lie spaced from one another. 
     
     
         15 . A heat exchanger assembly including a plurality of heat exchangers according to  claim 1  arranged side by side one another in a heat exchange matrix, the fluid conduit of one heat exchanger being fluidly connected with the fluid conduit of at least one adjacent heat exchanger. 
     
     
         16 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 2  wherein the conduit body is removably retained between the first and second fin bodies. 
     
     
         17 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 12  wherein the first and second heat transfer member portions lie spaced from one another.