Microchannel tube for evaporators

Abstract

A microchannel tube for an inlet manifold of an evaporator having a downward flow configuration is disclosed. The tube is a hollow member comprising a plurality of channels configured therewithin and extending parallelly between opposite ends of the tube. One end of the tube is adapted to be disposed of within the inlet manifold such that a first section of the tube remains disposed of within the manifold and the tube protrudes at a predefined angle in a downward direction from the inlet manifold. Further, a predetermined area of a first wall and/or a second wall of the first section of the tube, at a bottom end of the first section, is removed such that the plurality of channels of the tube are exposed to a fluid present in the manifold via the predetermined removed area.

1 . A microchannel tube for a manifold of an evaporator having a V-coil configuration, the microchannel tube comprising:
 a hollow member defining a shape of the tube and comprising a plurality of channels therewithin and extending parallelly between a first end and a second end of the hollow member;   wherein,   the first end of the tube is adapted to be disposed of within the manifold such that a first section of the tube at the first end remains disposed of within the manifold and the tube protrudes at a predefined angle in a downward direction from the inlet manifold, and   a predetermined area of a first wall and/or a second wall of the first section of the tube, at a bottom end of the first section, is removed such that the plurality of channels of the tube are exposed to a fluid present in the manifold via the predetermined removed area.   
     
     
         2 . The microchannel tube of  claim 1 , wherein the manifold is a hollow cylinder, wherein the predetermined removed area is adjacent to an inner-bottom curved surface of the manifold. 
     
     
         3 . The microchannel tube of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined removed area has a curved profile corresponding to profile of the inner-bottom curved surface of the manifold. 
     
     
         4 . The microchannel tube of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the first end of the tube is trimmed off such that a top edge of the trimmed tube is oriented horizontally, which laterally exposes the inlet ports to the fluid within the manifold. 
     
     
         5 . The microchannel tube of  claim 1 , wherein the microchannel tube has a flat profile, wherein the first wall and the second wall of the tube are flat. 
     
     
         6 . The microchannel tube of  claim 1 , wherein the tube comprises one or more partition walls extending between the first wall and the second wall of the tube, such that the plurality of channels is created between the adjacent partition walls within the tube. 
     
     
         7 . The microchannel tube of  claim 1 , wherein the tube is inclined at the predefined angle from a longitudinal axis of the manifold, and wherein the first wall of the tube faces a fluid inlet side of the inlet manifold and the second wall of the faces a side opposite to the fluid inlet side of the inlet manifold. 
     
     
         8 . A downward flow configuration evaporator comprising:
 an inlet manifold;   an outlet manifold; and   a plurality of microchannel tubes fluidically configured between the inlet manifold and the outlet manifold in a downward flow configuration such that the tubes protrude at a predefined angle in a downward direction from the inlet manifold, wherein each of the tubes is a hollow member comprising a plurality of channels therewithin and extending parallelly between opposite ends within the hollow member;   wherein,   a first end of each of the tubes is adapted to be disposed of within the inlet manifold such that a first section of each of the tube at the first end remains disposed of within the inlet manifold, and   a predetermined area of a first wall of the first section of the tube, at a bottom end of the first section, is removed such that the plurality of channels of each of the tubes are exposed to a fluid present in the manifold via the predetermined removed area.   
     
     
         9 . The evaporator of  claim 8 , wherein the evaporator is in a downward fluid flow configuration having a V-coil arrangement. 
     
     
         10 . The evaporator of  claim 8 , wherein the manifold is a hollow cylinder, wherein the predetermined removed area is adjacent to an inner-bottom curved surface of the manifold. 
     
     
         11 . The evaporator of  claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of the first end of each of the tubes is trimmed off to laterally expose the inlet ports associated with each of the tubes to the fluid of the inlet manifold. 
     
     
         12 . The evaporator of  claim 8 , wherein the evaporator comprises a plurality of heat dissipating fins extending between adjacent tubes among the plurality of tubes. 
     
     
         13 . The evaporator of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of tubes are spaced apart by a predefined distance along a length of the inlet manifold. 
     
     
         14 . The evaporator of  claim 8 , wherein the microchannel tube is a flat tube, and wherein the first wall of the tube faces a fluid inlet side of the inlet manifold and the second wall of the faces a side opposite to the inlet side of the inlet manifold. 
     
     
         15 . The evaporator of  claim 8 , wherein the inlet manifold is a cylindrical housing having an opening at the fluid inlet side of the cylindrical housing, wherein the inlet manifold is configured to receive the fluid via the opening. 
     
     
         16 . The evaporator of  claim 8 , wherein the flat wall of each of the tubes is oriented perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the inlet manifold. 
     
     
         17 . A method for enabling even distribution of a fluid across inlet ports of tubes within an inlet manifold of an evaporator having a downward flow configuration, the method comprising the steps of:
 removing a predetermined area of a first wall and/or a second wall of each of the tubes, wherein the predetermined reoved area is at a predefined distance below a first end of the tubes; and   disposing the first end of the tubes within the inlet manifold of the evaporator such that a first section of the tubes at the first end and the predetermined removed area remain within the inlet manifold and the tubes protrude from the inlet manifold in a downward direction making a predefined angle from a plane of the inlet manifold,   wherein the first end of each of the tubes is disposed within the inlet manifold such that the predetermined removed area remains within the manifold at a bottom end of the first section of the tubes to expose the plurality of channels of the tubes to a fluid present in the manifold via the predetermined removed area.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the manifold is a hollow cylinder, wherein the predetermined area of the first wall and/or the second wall of the first section of the tubes, adjacent to an inner-bottom curved surface of the manifold. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the predetermined removed area has a curved profile corresponding to profile of the inner-bottom curved surface of the manifold. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the method comprises the step of laterally exposing the inlet ports of the tubes by trimming off at least a portion of the first end of each of the tubes such that a top edge of the trimmed tubes is oriented horizontally.