Heat exchange system with inclined heat exchanger device
A technique for cooling an air flow through a heat exchanger device involves a controlled change of direction from an air input direction to cooling fins in the heat exchanger device. The heat exchanger device is angled relative to the air stream input direction. The heat exchanger device may include a fluid-carrying conduit, a plurality of sets of cooling fins coupled along the fluid-carrying conduit, and a plurality of air stream deflectors, coupled to the fluid-carrying conduit, that form dividers between the sets of cooling fins. In operation, the air stream deflectors may change in a controlled manner air stream direction from the air stream input direction into a direction approximately parallel with the cooling fins and, after passing out of the cooling fins, change in a controlled manner air stream direction to an air stream output direction.
This Application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/674,782 filed on Apr. 25, 2005, which is incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUNDHeat exchangers are used to remove heat from, for example, electronic systems. Typically, the heat exchangers have a size limitation. For example, some electronic systems are located within a cabinet, so the heat exchangers must fit inside the cabinet. While it is generally accepted that more size will enable greater heat exchange, making high capacity heat exchangers that fit within a small space is an ongoing challenge.
In a typical heat exchanger, an air flow passes over or through the heat exchanger, through some passages that allow contact between the air and a heat exchanger coil, and out the other end. Heat exchangers may include thin metal fins that are fastened so that their planes are oriented normally to the axis of a heat exchanger coil. One technique that has yielded some success in reducing the vertical height of a high capacity heat exchanger is inclining the heat exchanger in the direction of the air flow. Unfortunately, the incline forces the air flow to make two changes in direction, one down into the fins and one horizontally out of the inclined heat exchanger. The resistance to air streams incident at acute angle to the plane of the fins may cause a pressure drop across the heat exchanger assembly, introduce turbulence in the air flow, reduce air flow, or raise the pressure required to drive the air flow through the core.
The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings.
SUMMARYThe following embodiments and aspects thereof are described and illustrated in conjunction with systems, tools, and methods that are meant to be exemplary and illustrative, not limiting in scope. In various embodiments, one or more of the above-described problems have been reduced or eliminated, while other embodiments are directed to other improvements.
A technique for cooling an air flow through a heat exchanger device involves a controlled change of direction from an air input direction to cooling fins in the heat exchanger device. A system according to the technique includes a duct, a fan, and a heat exchanger device. In operation, the fan directs an air stream through the duct in an air stream input direction. The heat exchanger device is angled relative to the air stream input direction. The heat exchanger device may include a fluid-carrying conduit, a plurality of sets of cooling fins coupled along the fluid-carrying conduit, and a plurality of air stream deflectors, coupled to the fluid-carrying conduit, that form dividers between the sets of cooling fins. In operation, the air stream deflectors may change in a controlled manner air stream direction from the air stream input direction into a direction approximately parallel with the cooling fins and, after passing out of the cooling fins, change in a controlled manner air stream direction to an air stream output direction.
A heat exchanger device according to the technique may include heat exchanger coils, a plurality of director vanes coupled to the heat exchanger coils, and a plurality of fins coupled to the heat exchanger coils in subpluralities that are arranged substantially in parallel between the director vanes. In operation, conditioned cooling fluid may pass through the heat exchanger coils and absorb and carry away heat from the fins. In operation, air may flow in an air input direction against a first director vane, the first director vane may change the direction of the air flow to approximately parallel to a subplurality of fins, the air flow may pass between the subplurality of fins, the subplurality of fins may absorb heat from the air flow, the air may flow against a second director vane, and the second director vane may change the direction of the air flow to an air output direction that is approximately parallel to the air input direction and approximately perpendicular to the subplurality of fins.
A method for building a heat exchanger device according to the technique may include providing a tube, stacking a plurality of fins onto the tube, interspersing a plurality of director vanes between subpluralities of fins, and pressurizing the tube to tighten the tube against the fins and director vanes.
The proposed system can offer, among other advantages. These and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following descriptions and a study of the several figures of the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSEmbodiments of the invention are illustrated in the figures. However, the embodiments and figures are illustrative rather than limiting; they provide examples of the invention.
In the following description, several specific details are presented to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or in combination with other components, etc. In other instances, well-known implementations or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of various embodiments of the invention.
The enclosure 110 may be, by way of example but not limitation, a cabinet, a compartment, a room, or some other structure that encloses the electronic assembly 120 and the heat exchange system 130. In practice it is found that the greatest need for heat exchangers is in enclosed spaces. Indeed, space inside the enclosure 110 is sometimes at a premium. Nevertheless, in alternative embodiments, the system 100 need not be enclosed.
The electronic assembly 120 may include any equipment that would potentially have performance degradation if the equipment overheated and/or any electronic equipment that generates heat. The electronic assembly 120 may include electronic data equipment that is used, by way of example but not limitation, for high speed Internet, for streaming data services, as data center servers, and/or in the telecommunications industry. Other known or convenient uses would be apparent to those of skill in the relevant art.
In the example of
The one or more fans 132 move air from the enclosure 110 into the heat exchanger assembly 134. As used herein, a fan refers to any type of air distribution device. The fans 132 may simply be configured to direct air out of the enclosure 110 into the heat exchanger assembly 134, or the fans 132 may associated ducts that cause air to be moved from a particular part of the enclosure 110, such as relatively near a heat-producing portion or heat-susceptible portion of the electronic assembly 120. Despite the apparent location in a given drawing, fans may be placed in any convenient location to facilitate air flow into and/or out of a heat exchanger device. In another embodiment, fans may be located at both ends of the heat exchanger assembly 134 to simultaneously direct air into and away from the heat exchanger assembly 134. In another embodiment, fans may also be located above the electronic assembly 120 to direct air downward toward the heat exchange system 130. In another embodiment, some fans may also be used to direct air out of the enclosure 110. Other known or convenient uses of fans would be apparent to those of skill in the relevant art.
In the example of
The duct 136, as depicted in
It may be advantageous to affix the heat exchanger device 138 to the duct 136 such that no air passes between the duct 136 and the heat exchanger device 138, thereby forcing all of the air to pass through the heat exchanger device 138 at some point. The passage of air through the heat exchanger device 138 is depicted in
The heat exchanger device 138, as depicted in
Although
In the example of
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In operation, the heat absorbed by the director vanes 210 is conducted to the heat exchanger coils 212. Alternatively or in addition, the heat exchanger coils 212 absorb heat from the air flowing through the heat exchanger device 208. In either case, whether the heat is absorbed by the heat exchanger coils 212 directly or indirectly through the director vanes 210, fluid passing through the heat exchanger coils 212 absorbs and carries away heat from the air flowing through the heat exchanger device 208. The fluid enters the heat exchanger device 208 from a fluid source (not shown) via an in-manifold of the manifolds 206 and exits the heat exchanger device 208 to a fluid sink (not shown) via an out-manifold of the manifolds 206.
In the example of
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The heat exchanger assembly 500 may be effective to reduce restriction to an air stream as it passes through an inclined heat exchanger device. The fins 540 of the heat exchanger assembly 500 may be affixed so that their planes are at an acute angle to the tubes 530 which convey the cooling fluid. This may reduce the resistance to the air flow, thus allowing a greater flow and an increase in the capacity of the heat exchanger assembly 500. The fins 540 may be parallel, or nearly so, to the incident air stream. Alternatively, the fins may be affixed at an angle less than 45°, or at least less than 90°.
It may be noted that the example of
Other fin configurations could be used instead of those illustrated by way of example in
In the example of
In the example of
The amount of change of air direction over a given distance is an implementation decision, but the change of direction should be accomplished in a sufficiently controlled manner to reduce air turbulence and improve air flow to the cooling fins. The amount of change in air direction may depend upon the angle of the cooling fins, the incline of the heat exchanger device, or other factors. For example, the air flow direction may gradually change by 90°, 87°, or some other angle.
In the example of
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As used herein, the term “embodiment” means an embodiment that serves to illustrate by way of example but not limitation.
It will be appreciated to those skilled in the art that the preceding examples and embodiments are exemplary and not limiting to the scope of the present invention. It is intended that all permutations, enhancements, equivalents, and improvements thereto that are apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings are included within the true spirit and scope of the present invention. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims include all such modifications, permutations and equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A system comprising:
- a duct;
- a fan, in communication with the duct, wherein, in operation, the fan directs an air stream through the duct in an air stream input direction;
- a heat exchanger device, coupled to the duct and angled relative to the air stream input direction, the heat exchanger device including: a fluid-carrying conduit; a plurality of sets of cooling fins coupled along the fluid-carrying conduit; a plurality of air stream deflectors, coupled to the fluid-carrying conduit, that form dividers between the sets of cooling fins, wherein, in operation, the air stream deflectors change in a controlled manner air stream direction from the air stream input direction into a direction approximately parallel with the cooling fins and, after passing out of the cooling fins, change in a controlled manner air stream direction to an air stream output direction.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the air stream output direction is approximately parallel to the air stream input direction.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein, in operation, the air stream deflectors produce less turbulent and more uniform input velocity in an air stream passing through the duct in the air stream input direction.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein, in operation, the air stream deflectors produce less turbulent and more uniform output velocity in an air stream passing through the duct in the air stream output direction.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of air stream deflectors also act as cooling fins.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein the duct has a vertical height of less than about 8.75 inches.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger device is longer than the height of the duct.
8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a heat sink, wherein fluid passes through the fluid-carrying conduit, absorbs heat through the cooling fins, and is directed to the heat sink.
9. A device comprising:
- heat exchanger coils;
- a plurality of director vanes coupled to the heat exchanger coils;
- a plurality of fins coupled to the heat exchanger coils in subpluralities that are arranged substantially in parallel between the director vanes, wherein, in operation, conditioned cooling fluid passing through the heat exchanger coils absorbs and carries away heat from the fins;
- wherein, in operation, air flows in an air input direction against a first director vane, the first director vane changes the direction of the air flow to approximately parallel to a subplurality of fins, the air flow passes between the subplurality of fins, the subplurality of fins absorb heat from the air flow, the air flows against a second director vane, and the second director vane changes the direction of the air flow to an air output direction that is approximately parallel to the air input direction and approximately perpendicular to the subplurality of fins.
10. The device of claim 9, wherein the subplurality of fins includes at least two fins arranged in parallel between the first director vane and the second director vane.
11. The device of claim 9, wherein the subplurality of fins includes no more than 70 fins arranged in parallel between the first director vane and the second director vane.
12. The device of claim 9, wherein the subplurality of fins includes a number of fins, and wherein the number of fins depends upon the angle between the air flow and fin faces.
13. The device of claim 9, wherein two subpluralities of fins and the first director vane extend approximately one inch along the heat exchanger coils.
14. The device of claim 9, wherein a liquid coolant or direct expansion gas passes through the heat exchanger coils and cools the air when the air flow contacts the heat exchanger coils.
15. The device of claim 9, wherein the first director vane gradually changes the air flow direction.
16. The device of claim 9, wherein the first director vane changes the air flow direction incrementally.
17. The device of claim 9, wherein the first director vane reduces back pressure by gradually changing the air flow direction.
18. The device of claim 9, wherein the director vanes also act as cooling fins.
19. A method comprising:
- providing a tube;
- stacking a plurality of fins onto the tube, wherein the tube is passed through an opening in each of the plurality of fins;
- interspersing a plurality of director vanes between subpluralities of fins, wherein the tube is passed through an opening in each of the plurality of director vanes;
- pressurizing the tube to tighten the tube against the fins and director vanes at the openings.
20. The method of claim 19, further comprising spacing the fins by providing embossing around the hole of each of the plurality of fins.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 23, 2006
Publication Date: Dec 27, 2007
Inventors: Anthony Sharp (Toronto), Eino Aapro (Cobourg), Andrew Hudz (Toronto)
Application Number: 11/338,605
International Classification: F28D 1/04 (20060101);