Heat exchanger assembly

Abstract

A heat exchanger includes an inlet manifold and an outlet manifold. A plurality of heat exchanger tubes are in fluid communication with the inlet manifold at a first end portion and the outlet manifold at a second end portion. The outlet manifold fluidly connects outlets on each of the plurality of heat exchanger tubes. A plurality of fluid conduits are in fluid communication with and extending from the outlet manifold. The plurality of fluid conduits are longitudinally spaced along the outlet manifold and are in fluid communication with a common outlet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 an inlet manifold;   an outlet manifold;   a plurality of heat exchanger tubes in fluid communication with the inlet manifold at a first end portion and the outlet manifold at a second end portion, wherein the outlet manifold fluidly connects outlets on each of the plurality of heat exchanger tubes; and   a plurality of fluid conduits in fluid communication with and extending from the outlet manifold, wherein the plurality of fluid conduits are longitudinally spaced along the outlet manifold and in fluid communication with a common outlet.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of conduits include a common internal diameter defining a single passageway. 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of conduits include varying internal diameters defining a single passageway. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of conduits are unevenly spaced longitudinally along the outlet manifold. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of conduits are arranged perpendicular to the plurality of heat exchanger tubes. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger of  claim 5 , further comprising a collector pipe spaced from the outlet manifold, wherein the plurality of conduits are attached to the outlet manifold at a first end and the collector pipe at a second end. 
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of conduits are located inward from opposing ends of the collector pipe. 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of conduits are arranged perpendicular to the plurality of heat exchanger tubes. 
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger of  claim 7 , wherein the outlet manifold includes a first length in a longitudinal direction of the outlet manifold and the collector pipe includes a second length in a longitudinal direction of the collector pipe and the second length is greater than the first length. 
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger of  claim 9 , wherein the common outlet is in fluid communication with an outlet pipe and the outlet pipe is spaced inward from opposing ends of the collector pipe. 
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet manifold includes a distribution insert having a plurality of distribution outlets longitudinally spaced from each other within the inlet manifold. 
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of distribution outlets on the distribution insert include at least one pair of adjacent distribution outlets fluidly separated by a partition. 
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of fins attached to an exterior surface of each of the plurality of heat exchanger tubes. 
     
     
         14 . A method of distributing a refrigerant through a heat exchanger comprising the steps of:
 directing refrigerant through an inlet manifold;   directing the refrigerant from the inlet manifold into a plurality of heat exchanger tubes;   directing the refrigerant from the heat exchanger tubes into an outlet manifold; and   directing the refrigerant from the outlet manifold into a plurality of fluid conduits in fluid communication with and extending from the outlet manifold, wherein the plurality of fluid conduits are longitudinally spaced along the outlet manifold and in fluid communication with a common outlet.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of conduits are unevenly spaced longitudinally along the outlet manifold. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising a collector pipe spaced from the outlet manifold, wherein the plurality of conduits are attached to the outlet manifold at a first end and the collector pipe at a second end. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of conduits are located inward from opposing ends of the collector pipe. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising directing the refrigerant through an outlet pipe in fluid communication with the common outlet and spaced inward from opposing ends of the collector pipe. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein directing the refrigerant through the inlet manifold includes directing the refrigerant through a distribution insert having a plurality of distribution outlets longitudinally spaced from each other within the inlet manifold. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the plurality of distribution outlets on the distribution insert include at least one pair of adjacent distribution outlets fluidly separated by a partition.