Fluid distributor for an inlet header of a heat exchanger

Abstract

Described herein is a fluid distributor for a header associated with a heat exchanger. The distributor comprises a distributor tube comprising a first tube segment, and a second tube segment extending at a predefined angle from an end of the first tube segment, wherein the distributor tube comprises a hole at a predefined position on a predefined side, facing towards the first tube segment on an inner side of a bend, of the second tube segment, wherein the distributor tube is configured with the header such that the first tube segment remains outside of the header and the second tube segment extends longitudinally within the header via a first end of the header, with the hole located at the first end of the header.

1 . A fluid distributor for a header associated with a heat exchanger, the distributor comprising:
 a distributor tube comprising a first tube segment, and a second tube segment extending at a predefined angle from an end of the first tube segment, wherein the distributor tube comprises a hole at a predefined position on a predefined side, facing towards the first tube segment on an inner side of a bend of the second tube segment,   wherein the distributor tube is configured with the header such that the first tube segment remains outside of the header and the second tube segment extends longitudinally within the header via a first end of the header, with the hole located at the first end of the header.   
     
     
         2 . The distributor of  claim 1 , wherein the first tube segment and the second tube segment are connected by a curved portion to define the shape of the distributor tube having a first open end located outside of the header and a second open end located within the header, and wherein the hole is located downstream of the curved portion on the predefined side of the second tube segment, such that the hole remains at the first end of the header and adjacent to the curved portion. 
     
     
         3 . The distributor of  claim 2 , wherein the distributor is configured to receive a two-phase fluid within the distributor tube via the first open end, causing the two-phase fluid and/or a liquid phase associated with the two-phase fluid to flow out of the distributor into the header via the second open end and a vapor phase associated with the two-phase fluid to flow into the header via the hole, and wherein the liquid phase flowing out of the second open end flows into one or more ports associated with a plurality of heat exchange tubes being fluidically connected to the header. 
     
     
         4 . The distributor of  claim 3 , wherein the vapor phase flowing out of the hole into the header facilitates stirring of any pool of the liquid phase formed within the header while moving the stirred liquid phase in an upward direction to enable homogeneous flow of the liquid phase within the header and further into the one or more ports. 
     
     
         5 . The distributor of  claim 3 , wherein when a static pressure created in the header due to a liquid pool formed within the header increases above a pressure created in an interior of the curved portion of the distributor tube due to velocity of the vapor phase therein, and wherein the hole facilitates automated suction of the liquid phase from the formed liquid pool back into the distributor tube and further allowing the two-phase fluid and/or the liquid phase to flow out of the second open end into the header. 
     
     
         6 . The distributor of  claim 1 , wherein the distributor tube has a L-shaped profile or a J-shaped profile, and wherein the second tube segment extends at the predefined angle of 90 degrees from the first tube segment. 
     
     
         7 . The distributor of  claim 1 , wherein the second tube segment extends at the predefined angle greater than 10 degrees from the first tube segment. 
     
     
         8 . The distributor of  claim 1 , wherein the distributor further comprises a nozzle configured at the second open end of the distributor tube. 
     
     
         9 . The distributor of  claim 8 , wherein the nozzle is a flat nozzle comprising an inlet connected to a second open end of the distributor tube, and an outlet having a flat profile facing an inner wall at the second end of the header, and wherein the nozzle has an area reduction in a range of 25% to 75% of a flow area of the distributor tube. 
     
     
         10 . The distributor of  claim 1 , wherein the header comprises one or more baffles, each having an opening of predefined sizes, disposed coaxially or off-centered within the header, and wherein the second tube segment of the distributor tube extends longitudinally through the openings of the one or more baffles such that a predefined gap remains between a rim of the corresponding openings and an outer surface of the distributor tube to allow flow of a two-phase fluid therethrough. 
     
     
         11 . The distributor of  claim 10 , wherein the size of the openings of the one or more baffles and/or the predefined gap between the rim of the corresponding openings and an outer surface of the distributor tube decreases or increases while moving in a direction from the second end towards the first end of the header, thereby allowing flow of a predetermined volume flow of the two-phase fluid through each of the gaps. 
     
     
         12 . The distributor of  claim 1 , wherein the header comprises a porous media disposed at least partially within the header around the distributor tube, and wherein the porous media facilitates the liquid phase flowing out of a second open end of the distributor tube to be supplied into one or more ports associated with a plurality of heat exchange tubes being fluidically connected to the header. 
     
     
         13 . The distributor of  claim 12 , wherein the porous media is disposed within the header along an entire length of the header. 
     
     
         14 . The distributor of  claim 12 , wherein density or pore size of the porous media increases while moving in a direction from the second end toward the first end of the header. 
     
     
         15 . The distributor of  claim 1 , wherein the header is oriented vertically upward or inclined at a predefined angle from a vertical axis such that the first end of the header remains at a bottom and the second end of the header remains on top. 
     
     
         16 . The distributor of  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of a length of the header and a distance between a second open end of the distributor tube and the second end of the header is in a range of 0.5 times an inner diameter of the header to 50% of the length of the header. 
     
     
         17 . An inlet header for a heat exchanger, the inlet header comprising:
 a housing defining shape of the inlet header and comprising one or more partitioned compartments, wherein an interior volume of at least one of the compartments of the inlet header is fluidically connected to a plurality of heat exchange tubes associated with the heat exchanger; and   one or more distributor tubes according to  claim 1 ,   wherein one of the distributor tubes is configured with one of the compartments of the inlet header such that a first tube segment of each of the distributor tubes remains outside of the corresponding compartment and a second tube segment of each of the distributor tubes extends longitudinally within the corresponding compartment via a first end of the respective compartments, with a hole located at the first end of the respective compartments.   
     
     
         18 . The inlet header of  claim 17 , wherein the first tube segment and the second tube segment of each of the distributor tubes are connected by a curved portion to define the shape of the one or more distributor tubes, each having a first open end located outside of the respective compartments and a second open end located within the respective compartments, and wherein the hole is located downstream of the curved portion on the predefined side of the second tube segment or in the curved portion, such that the hole remains at the first end of the respective compartments and adjacent to the curved portion. 
     
     
         19 . The inlet header of  claim 18 , wherein the first open end of each of the distributor tubes is configured to be fluidically connected to an outlet of an external fluid distributor that is configured to receive the two-phase fluid from a refrigerant line and uniformly supply the two-phase fluid into the corresponding distributor tubes. 
     
     
         20 . An inlet header for a heat exchanger, the inlet header comprising:
 a housing defining shape of the inlet header, wherein a plurality of heat exchange tubes associated with the heat exchanger is fluidically connected to an interior volume of the inlet header; and   the distributor tube according to  claim 1 ,   wherein the distributor tube is configured with the inlet header such that the first tube segment remains outside of the inlet header and the second tube segment extends longitudinally within the inlet header via a first end of the header, with the hole located at the first end of the inlet header.