Dynamic surface area expansion in a rear door heat exchanger

Abstract

A rear door heat exchanger includes a door frame have opposing first and second edges, a fluid supply manifold secured along the first edge of the door frame, a fluid return manifold secured along the second edge of the door frame, a fin tube assembly including a plurality of fin tubes extending across a central region of the rear door heat exchanger and forming an air flow pathway through the fin tube assembly, and an actuator for controllably moving the fin tube assembly between retracted and extended positions. The rear door heat exchanger further comprises a plurality of supply pipe coupling assemblies and a plurality of return pipe coupling assemblies, each pipe coupling assembly providing fluid communication between one of the manifolds and one of the fin tubes.

1 . A rear door heat exchanger, comprising:
 a door frame have opposing first and second edges;   a fluid supply manifold secured along the first edge of the door frame;   a fluid return manifold secured along the second edge of the door frame;   a fin tube assembly including a plurality of fin tubes extending across a central region of the rear door heat exchanger and forming an air flow pathway through the fin tube assembly;   an actuator for controllably moving the fin tube assembly from a retracted position to an extended position; and   a plurality of supply pipe coupling assemblies, each supply pipe coupling assembly providing fluid communication from the fluid supply manifold to one of the plurality of fin tubes; and   a plurality of return pipe coupling assemblies, each return pipe coupling assembly provide fluid communication from one of the plurality of fin tubes to the fluid return manifold.   
     
     
         2 . The rear door heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the each pipe coupling assembly includes cooling fins. 
     
     
         3 . The rear door heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein each pipe coupling assembly includes three pipe joints and two rigid pipe sections. 
     
     
         4 . The rear door heat exchanger of  claim 3 , wherein each of the three pipe joints are independently selected from a pivot coupling and a flexible tube. 
     
     
         5 . The rear door heat exchanger of  claim 4 , wherein each pivot coupling includes a housing and spherical member with a port through the spherical member, wherein a first pipe is coupled to the housing and a second pipe is coupled to the port of the spherical member such that fluid communication is provided from the first pipe through the housing and the port to the second pipe. 
     
     
         6 . The rear door heat exchanger of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first sealing plate extending from a first edge of the fin tube assembly to the first edge of the door frame; and   a second sealing plate extending from a second edge of the fin tube assembly to the second edge of the door frame.   
     
     
         7 . The rear door heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator is a hydraulic cylinder. 
     
     
         8 . The rear door heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator includes a motor and worm gear. 
     
     
         9 . The rear door heat exchanger of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a hinge secured to one edge of the door frame for attachment to a rack.   
     
     
         10 . The rear door heat exchanger of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of air-pressure sensors disposed across the fin tub assembly.   
     
     
         11 - 16 . (canceled)