Fluid distributor for a heat exchanger

Abstract

Described herein is a fluid distributor for a heat exchanger. The fluid distributor comprises a first tube having an open first end and a closed second end, wherein a plurality of first channels extends in a helical configuration along a length in an interior of the first tube and one or more outlet ports are configured along a surface of the first tube, wherein the fluid distributor is configured with the heat exchanger such that the one or more outlet ports fluidically connect the plurality of first channels to a plurality of tubes associated with a heat exchange section of the heat exchanger or an interior volume of an inlet header associated with the heat exchanger.

1 . A fluid distributor for a heat exchanger, the fluid distributor comprising:
 a first tube having an open first end and a closed second end, wherein a plurality of first channels extends in a helical configuration along a length in an interior of the first tube, and one or more outlet ports are configured along a surface of the first tube,   wherein the fluid distributor is configured with the heat exchanger such that the one or more outlet ports fluidically connect the plurality of first channels to a plurality of tubes associated with a heat exchange section of the heat exchanger or an interior volume of an inlet header associated with the heat exchanger.   
     
     
         2 . The fluid distributor of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid distributor is configured to receive a two-phase fluid within the plurality of first channels via the open first end of the first tube, causing the two-phase fluid to flow in helical motion, and wherein the helical motion of the two-phase fluid causes the fluid to radially flow out of the fluid distributor into the plurality of tubes of the heat exchange section or the internal volume of the inlet header via the one or more outlet ports. 
     
     
         3 . The fluid distributor of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid distributor further comprises:
 a second tube having a closed first end and an open second end, the second tube concentrically disposed within and extending longitudinally through the first tube with a predefined gap therebetween to define a shape of the fluid distributor;   wherein the second tube forms a second central channel within the first tube and the plurality of first channels extend in the helical configuration around the second central channel, along the length of the first tube, within the gap between the first tube and second tube; and   one or more inlet ports configured along a surface of the second tube, wherein the one or more inlet ports fluidically connect the plurality of first channels to the second central channel.   
     
     
         4 . The fluid distributor of  claim 3 , wherein the fluid distributor is configured to receive a two-phase fluid within the plurality of first channels via the open first end of the first tube, causing the two-phase fluid to flow in helical motion, and wherein the helical motion of the two-phase fluid causes a liquid phase associated with the two-phase fluid to radially flow out of the fluid distributor into the plurality of tubes of the heat exchange section or the internal volume of the inlet header via the one or more outlet ports and a vapor phase associated with the two-phase fluid to flow into the second central channel via the one or more inlet ports. 
     
     
         5 . The fluid distributor of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid distributor is configured to be longitudinally disposed in the inlet header such that the fluid distributor extends at least partially through the inlet header. 
     
     
         6 . The fluid distributor of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet header comprises one or more first compartments separated by one or more first walls, and wherein the one or more outlet ports are configured at first positions on the first tube, such that at least one of the one or more outlet ports remains in each of the first compartments. 
     
     
         7 . The fluid distributor of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid distributor is configured externally to the inlet header with the one or more outlet ports fluidically connecting the plurality of first channels of the fluid distributor to the plurality of tubes of the heat exchange section or the interior volume of the inlet header. 
     
     
         8 . The fluid distributor of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet header comprises one or more first compartments separated by one or more first walls, and wherein the one or more outlet ports are configured at first positions on the first tube, such that at least one of the one or more outlet ports remains fluidically connected to at least one of the first compartments via one or more tube stubs. 
     
     
         9 . The fluid distributor of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet header comprises a plurality of first compartments separated by one or more first walls, the plurality of first compartments comprising at least one fluid inlet compartment and at least one fluid outlet compartment, and wherein the plurality of tubes of the heat exchange section has a number of turns and passes such that the tube associated with each of the passes extends between one of the fluid inlet compartments and one of the fluid outlet compartments among the plurality of first compartments. 
     
     
         10 . The fluid distributor of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more outlet ports of the fluid distributor are configured at first positions on the first tube, such that at least one of the one or more outlet ports remains fluidically connected to at least one of the fluid inlet compartments via one or more tube stubs, and wherein each of the fluid outlet compartments comprises an opening to discharge a substantially vapor phase, created within the corresponding tubes, out of the inlet header. 
     
     
         11 . The fluid distributor of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more inlet ports are configured at second positions on the second tube, such that the one or more inlet ports fluidically connect each of the first channels to the second central channel. 
     
     
         12 . The fluid distributor of  claim 3 , wherein the second central channel comprises a plurality of second channels extending longitudinally through the second tube, and wherein the one or more inlet ports are configured at second positions on the second tube, such that the one or more inlet ports fluidically connect each of the first channels to the at least one of the plurality of second channels. 
     
     
         13 . The fluid distributor of  claim 6 , wherein the fluid distributor is disposed in the inlet header such that the fluid distributor extends through each of the first compartments of the inlet header, and wherein a second tube is concentrically disposed in the first tube such that an open second end of the second tube extends at least partially out of the closed second end of the first tube and the inlet header to transfer the vapor phase out of the inlet header. 
     
     
         14 . The fluid distributor of  claim 6 , wherein the fluid distributor is longitudinally disposed in the inlet header such that an open second end of a second tube extends at least partially out of the closed second end of the first tube into one of the first compartments of the inlet header to transfer the vapor phase into the corresponding first compartment. 
     
     
         15 . The fluid distributor of  claim 8 , wherein an open second end of a second tube extends at least partially out of the closed second end of the first tube to transfer the vapor phase out of the inlet header. 
     
     
         16 . The fluid distributor of  claim 8 , wherein an open second end of a second tube extends at least partially out of the closed second end of the first tube into an external compartment to transfer the vapor phase into the corresponding external compartment, and wherein the external compartment comprises at least one of the outlet ports fluidically connected to at least one of the first compartments of the inlet header. 
     
     
         17 . The fluid distributor of  claim 9 , wherein an open second end of a second tube extends at least partially out of the closed second end of the first tube to transfer the vapor phase, separated within the fluid distributor, out of the inlet header. 
     
     
         18 . The fluid distributor of  claim 3 , wherein the open second end of the second tube comprises a check valve to restrict back flow of the vapor phase into the second tube or the second central channel, and wherein the first end of the second tube is closed by a flow restrictor, and the open first end of the first tube or the fluid distributor is configured to be fluidically connected to a supply tube associated with the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         19 . The fluid distributor of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises a plurality of heat-dissipating fins in thermal contact with the plurality of tubes in the heat exchange section of the heat exchanger, and wherein the plurality of heat-dissipating fins is any of corrugated-fin type or inserted-fin type. 
     
     
         20 . The fluid distributor of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is in a horizontal configuration or a vertical configuration.