HEAT EXCHANGER WITH EXTRUDED MULTI-CHAMBER MANIFOLD WITH MACHINED BYPASS
The present invention heat exchanger with extruded multi-chamber manifolds includes at least two panels, with each panel having a row of at least one channel which communicates fluid. The heat exchanger includes a first manifold and a second manifold, the first manifold and the second manifold each having at least two manifold chambers. Each panel is attached to a manifold chamber of the first manifold and a manifold chamber of the second manifold, with each chamber having an inner wall and outer wall. The outer wall has a surface exposed outside the manifold chambers. There is also an opening through the outer wall including a bypass slot. The bypass slot allows fluid communication between the chambers.
The present invention relates generally to heat exchangers, and more particularly, to an extruded multi-chamber manifold with a machined bypass.
Heat exchanger manifolds must be strong enough to withstand elevated pressures exerted by fluids flowing through the manifold during operation. Many heat exchangers require multiple panels to be put together to allow increased fluid flow. These panels are aligned adjacent to each other and connect to separate chambers. Therefore, there are situations where it is necessary for adjacent chambers of a manifold to be in fluid communication with one another.
A heat exchanger with a D-shaped manifold has been proposed which has a single chamber manifold typical of that used in automotive and commercial air conditioning applications. The heat exchanger consists of a single row of tubes and fins stacked together to form a panel. The panel is capped with the D-shaped manifold on either end.
Multi-chamber manifolds can pose a problem when extruded as the manifolds made by the extrusion process do not allow fluid bypass. Where multi-chamber manifolds are necessary, fluid communication between chambers typically requires an external bypass between two or more of the above mentioned D-shaped manifolds. This results in increasing the distance the fluid must travel as well as increasing the pressure to unacceptable levels at the external bypass.
When heat exchangers have multiple panels, individual headers will not suffice. It is necessary to have a manifold which can accommodate each panel individually, thus requiring multiple manifolds or a multi-chamber manifold.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAn example heat exchanger with extruded multi-chamber manifolds includes at least two panels, with each panel having a row of at least one channel which communicates fluid. The heat exchanger includes a first manifold and a second manifold, the first manifold and the second manifold each having at least two manifold chambers. Each panel is attached to a manifold chamber of the first manifold and a manifold chamber of the second manifold, with each chamber having an inner wall and outer wall. The outer wall has a surface exposed outside the manifold chambers. There is also an opening through the outer wall including a bypass slot. The bypass slot allows fluid communication between the chambers.
An example extruded multi-chamber manifold with machined bypass includes at least two manifold chambers. Each of the at least two manifold chambers has a panel attached to it. The manifold chamber further includes an inner wall and outer wall. The manifold also has at least one bypass slot. There is an opening in the outer wall of the manifold which reaches the bypass slot and is filled with a plug.
An example method of forming an extruded multi-chamber manifold with internal bypass includes extruding a manifold with at least two manifold chambers. An opening with a seat and a bypass slot is machined in an outer wall and an inner wall of the manifold chamber. A plug is inserted into the seat to seal the manifold chamber.
These and other features of the present invention can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description.
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Although a preferred embodiment of this invention has been disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.
Claims
1. A heat exchanger comprising:
- at least two panels, each panel comprising at least one channel;
- a first manifold and a second manifold, the first manifold and second manifold each having at least two manifold chambers, each panel attached to a manifold chamber of the first manifold and of the second manifold, the first manifold chambers and second manifold chambers including an inner wall and outer wall, the outer wall having a surface exposed outside the manifold chambers; and
- an opening in the outer wall, the opening including a bypass slot, the bypass slot allowing fluid communication between two manifold chambers.
2. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein panels connected to the first manifold and the second manifold allow fluid flow in only one direction.
3. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the opening is filled with a bypass plug.
4. The heat exchanger of claim 3, wherein the bypass plug is sealed to the manifold by welding.
5. An extruded multi-chamber manifold comprising:
- a manifold having at least two manifold chambers, each of the at least two manifold chambers including an inner wall and outer wall; and
- an opening in the outer wall which extends to a bypass slot, the opening filled with a plug.
6. The extruded multi-chamber manifold of claim 5, wherein the bypass slot allows fluid communication between at least two manifold chambers.
7. The extruded multi-chamber manifold of claim 6, wherein the manifold includes at least three manifold chambers, with at least one manifold chamber lacking a bypass slot.
8. A method of forming an extruded multi-chamber manifold with internal bypass comprising:
- creating an extruded manifold with at least two manifold chambers;
- machining at least one opening in an outer wall and an inner wall of the manifold chambers, the opening including a bypass slot and a seat; and
- inserting a plug into the bypass slot to seal the at least two manifold chambers, the plug located in the seat.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises welding the plug.
10. The method of claim 8, wherein an additional step is included comprising machining the seat to be wider than the bypass slot.
11. The method of claim 8, wherein the bypass slot and the seat are machined separately.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 15, 2010
Publication Date: Jul 21, 2011
Inventors: Alexander N. Kurochkin (Moscow), James D. Gowan (Lillian, AL)
Application Number: 12/688,297
International Classification: F28F 9/02 (20060101); B21D 53/02 (20060101); F28F 9/22 (20060101);