Corrugated And Finned Heat Transmitters Patents (Class 122/367.3)
  • Patent number: 10928101
    Abstract: An ejector (200; 300; 400) has a primary inlet (40), a secondary inlet (42), and an outlet (44). A primary flowpath extends from the primary inlet to the outlet. A secondary flowpath extends from the secondary inlet to the outlet. A mixer convergent section (114) is downstream of the secondary inlet. A motive nozzle (100) surrounds the primary flowpath upstream of a junction with the secondary flowpath to pass a motive flow. The motive nozzle has an exit (110). The ejector has surfaces (258, 260) positioned to introduce swirl to the motive flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Louis Chiappetta, Jr., Parmesh Verma, Thomas D. Radcliff
  • Patent number: 10683691
    Abstract: A power swing door actuator for moving a passenger swing door relative to a body portion of a motor vehicle. The power swing door actuator includes a housing rigidly fixed to the swing door, a motor mounted to the housing, a connector link having a first end pivotably coupled to the vehicle body portion and a second end pivotably coupled to a drive nut of a spindle drive mechanism. A leadscrew of the spindle drive mechanism is rotatably driven by the motor for causing relative translational movement between the drive nut and the leadscrew which, in turn, results in pivoting movement of the connector link while the vehicle door swings between open and closed positions in response to selective actuation of the motor. The power swing door actuator is further equipped with an integrated door check mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: MAGNA CLOSURES INC.
    Inventor: Vadym Podkopayev
  • Patent number: 9975278
    Abstract: An improved device for degassing polymer melts is characterised by, inter alia, the following features: the at least one vacuum separator comprises cooling pipes extending parallel to each other in the tank interior of the vacuum separator housing, the cooling pipes are double-walled, the cooling pipes end at a distance above a collection chamber or above the tank bottom of the vacuum separator housing, and a cleaning device having a scraper or a wiper is provided, said cleaning device being adapted to the cross-sectional shape of the cooling pipes and preferably to the course of the inner wall of the vacuum separator housing and being movable at least in a partial height at least to the lower end of the cooling pipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: BRÜCKNER MASCHINENBAU GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Bernhard Rabiser, Rainer Schwuchow
  • Patent number: 9689615
    Abstract: A reactor comprising a thermal barrier surrounding a combustion zone. The reactor further comprises a cooling jacket inner wall and a binder disposed between the cooling jacket inner wall and the thermal barrier, and a cooling jacket outer wall, wherein the cooling jacket inner wall and the cooling jacket outer wall define a cooling channel. The reactor further comprises an outer reactor wall disposed over the cooling jacket outer wall, wherein the outer reactor wall is impermeable and is configured to contain high pressure gas within the reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Antoine Negiz, Robert B. James, Carl J. Stevens, Donald L. Mittendorf
  • Patent number: 8757102
    Abstract: A boiler according to the present invention includes: a plurality of heat transfer tubes arranged to form a cylindrical shape between an upper header and a lower header to constitute a heat transfer tube row; a boiler body cover of a cylindrical shape provided between the upper header and the lower header so as to surround the heat transfer tube row; and a heat insulating material provided to a predetermined region of a space between the heat transfer tube row and the boiler body cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Miura Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Ookubo, Kyousuke Ookubo, Soji Sumi
  • Patent number: 8555820
    Abstract: A boiler has a plurality of inner heat-transfer tubes which makes up an inner heat-transfer tube row, and a plurality of outer heat-transfer tubes which makes up an outer heat-transfer tube row. Inner fins project from each of the inner heat-transfer tubes on an outer circumferential side of the inner heat-transfer tube row. Outer fins project from each of the outer heat-transfer tubes on an inner circumferential side of the outer heat-transfer tube row. An inner row communicating portion is provided in a lower end portion of the inner heat-transfer tube row. An outer row communicating portion is provided in an upper end portion of the outer heat-transfer tube row. An inner-fin absent region is provided in a lower end portion of each of the inner heat-transfer tubes. An outer-fin absent region is provided in a longitudinally middle portion of each of the outer heat-transfer tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Miura Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Soji Sumi
  • Patent number: 8281564
    Abstract: A combined cycle power plant includes a first generator driven by a gas turbine for generating electricity. The combined cycle power plant further includes a heat recovery steam generator disposed to receive exhaust gas from the gas turbine. The heat recovery steam generator includes an evaporator having tubes receptive to water flow therethrough. The tubes are disposed to be exposed to the exhaust gas, such that a flow of the exhaust gas passes around the tubes transfers heat from the exhaust gas to the tubes and thereby the water flowing through the tubes sufficient for the water to evaporate into steam. The tubes each having an outer surface with a plurality of deformations formed therein sufficient to introduce turbulence in the flow of the exhaust gas for enhancing heat transfer from the exhaust gas to the tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Hua Zhang, Sal Albert Leone, Thomas Francis Taylor
  • Patent number: 7921507
    Abstract: A heating apparatus and a cleaner having the same are disclosed. The heating apparatus includes a heating casing to receive water from a water container and convert the water into steam, wherein the heating casing comprises a plurality of ribs and each successive rib comprises a space to collect water and convert the water into steam. The cleaner includes a cleaner body in which a water container is detachably mounted, a nozzle assembly rotatably connected to a lower part of the cleaner body and including a nozzle to inject steam, and a heating apparatus that includes a heating casing to receive water from the water container, convert the water into steam, and supply the steam to the nozzle assembly, wherein the heating casing includes a plurality of ribs and each successive rib includes a space to collect water and convert the water into steam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Gwangju Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jang-keun Oh, Hyoun-soo Kim
  • Publication number: 20110067650
    Abstract: A water heater module of the present invention includes a water heater and an extra heat exchanger. The extra heat exchanger has a spiral pipe and is detachably connected to the water heater. The spiral pipe is heated by high temperature gas from the water heater to pre-heat cold water in the pipe, and then the water is sent to the water heater for further heating that the temperature of the water will be raised within a short time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2009
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Applicant: GRAND MATE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Huang Chung-Chin, Huang Chin-Ying, Hsin-Ming Huang, Hsing-Hsiung Huang
  • Patent number: 7784434
    Abstract: The invention relates to a heat exchange element intended for a central heating boiler, which heat exchange element is designed as a monocasting from substantially aluminum, the heat exchange element being provided with walls which bound a water-carrying channel, and with at least one wall which bounds at least one flue gas draft to which a burner can be connected, at least one wall which bounds the at least one flue gas draft being water-cooled in that it also forms a boundary of the water-carrying channel, while one said at least one water-cooled wall is provided with heat exchanging surface enlarging pins and/or fins which extend in the respective flue gas draft, wherein the cross-sectional surface of a said pin and/or fin is smaller than 25 mm2. The invention also relates to a central heating boiler provided with such a heat exchange element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Remeha B.V.
    Inventor: Pouwel Jelte Gelderloos
  • Patent number: 7770544
    Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a first vessel for holding a mixture of steam and water is disclosed. At least one first manifold is in fluid communication with the first vessel, the at least one first manifold is for receiving water from the first vessel. At least one second manifold is in fluid communication with the first vessel and in parallel spaced relation to the first manifold, the at least one second manifold is for returning a mixture of steam and water to the first vessel. At least one tube is in fluid communication with the at least one first manifold and the at least one second manifold, and a plurality of fins extends radially outward from an outer surface of the at least one tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Victory Energy Operations LLC
    Inventor: John C. Viskup, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20080295784
    Abstract: The present invention provides a water vaporizer including a first flow path connected to a water inlet, a second flow path for receiving superheated water vapor from the first flow path and being connected to a vapor outlet to exhaust the superheated water vapor, and a third flow path extending between an exhaust inlet and an exhaust outlet and being oriented to transfer heat from an exhaust flow to the superheated water vapor. The water vaporizer can also include a first convoluted fin positioned along the second flow path, and a second convoluted fin positioned along the second flow path adjacent to and separated from the first fin to define a gap extending between the first and second fins along a length of the first fin in a direction substantially parallel to the exhaust flow along the third flow path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Inventors: Jeroen Valensa, Adam Kimmel, Michael Reinke
  • Publication number: 20080257283
    Abstract: A boiler according to the present invention includes: a plurality of heat transfer tubes arranged to form a cylindrical shape between an upper header and a lower header to constitute a heat transfer tube row; a boiler body cover of a cylindrical shape provided between the upper header and the lower header so as to surround the heat transfer tube row; and a heat insulating material provided to a predetermined region of a space between the heat transfer tube row and the boiler body cover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2008
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Inventors: Tomohiro Ookubo, Kyousuke Ookubo, Soji Sumi
  • Patent number: 7434545
    Abstract: A gas water heater device includes a combustion chamber for providing a gas flow, a pipe assembly, and a heat exchanger disposed over the combustion chamber including a plurality of thermal conductors disposed in parallel with each other, each of the plurality of thermal conductors further comprising a base, a plurality of through holes accommodating the pipe assembly therethrough, and a flange for collecting condensed water formed on the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Wen-Bin Lo, Kuo-Kuang Wu, Jing-Lyang Jeng, E-I Lee
  • Patent number: 7281498
    Abstract: A compact gas fired steam generator comprises a water tank with designated steam separation zone, boiling zone and a solids separation zone, a burner for burning gaseous fuel with air for producing combustion products and a flat tubular type heat exchanger immersed in water in the water tank. The combustion products are passing through the heat exchanger in an indirect heat transfer relationship with water in boiling zone thereby boiling, circulating and evaporating the water in boiling zone and in an indirect heat transfer relationship with cold make up water passing upwardly through solids separation zone thereby preheating cold make up water and cooling combustion products and recovering latent heat and condensing moisture present in combustion products. The cooled combustion products are discharged to outdoors and the collected condensed moisture is discharged to drain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Inventor: Ferdinand K. Besik
  • Patent number: 7013843
    Abstract: A downdraft boiler has a ceramic burner plate overlying a horizontal-tube heat exchanger at least the upper tubes of which each have an internal turbulator preventing premature vaporization of the water traversing the heat exchanger. The turbulator can consist of a twisted metal strip whose edges lie along helices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Slant/Fin Corporation
    Inventors: George Weintraub, Donald Brown
  • Patent number: 6948455
    Abstract: A high efficiency heat exchanger is shown which can be incorporated into a finned tube water heater. The heat exchanger has a pair of flow manifolds each having a water inlet and a water outlet and a series of connecting openings. Circular flow tubes have connecting ends which fit within the connecting openings of the manifold so that the tubes are arranged in a stacked fashion to form a tube bundle. When incorporated into a water heater, a burner communicates with the interior space within the stacked tube bundle for producing products of combustion for heating water flowing in the flow tubes. The flow tubes have external fins which are crushed to form upper and lower flat stacking surfaces for stacking the tubes to form the tube bundle. The fins are also crushed to form angled baffled surfaces about a external periphery of the tubes. The baffle surfaces serve to retain heat from the products of combustion of the burner which are released into the interior space within the stacked tube bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: Riverside Hydronics, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Allen Ferguson, Frank Austin Myers, Richard Patrick Carter, Michael James Hubbard, Curtis Allan Hissam, Scott Kevin White
  • Patent number: 6810836
    Abstract: A finned tube water heater has a pair of flow manifolds each having a water inlet and a water outlet and a series of connected openings. Circular flow tubes have connecting ends which fit within the connecting openings of the manifold so that the tubes are arranged in a stacked fashion to form a tube bundle. A burner communicates with the interior space within the stacked tube bundle for producing products of combustion for heating water flowing in the flow tubes. The flow tubes have external fins which are crushed to form upper and lower flat stacking surfaces for stacking the tubes to form the tube bundle. The fins are also crushed to form angled baffled surfaces about a external periphery of the tubes. The baffle surfaces serve to retain heat from the products of combustion of the burner which are released into the interior space within the stacked tube bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Riverside Hydronics, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Allen Ferguson, Frank Austin Myers, Richard Patrick Carter, Michael James Hubbard, Curtis Allan Hissam, Scott Kevin White
  • Patent number: 6792895
    Abstract: Combustion method and apparatus for NOx reduction which are capable of achieving NOx reduction with the value of exhaust NOx under 10 ppm, as well as CO reduction at the same time. The combustion method for fulfilling NOx reduction and CO reduction by suppressing temperature of combustion gas derived from a burner comprises a NOx reduction step for suppressing combustion gas temperature in such a manner that suppression of NOx generation is preferred to reduction of exhaust CO value, thereby keeping NOx value not more than a specified value, and a CO reduction step for thereafter reducing exhaust CO value resulting from the NOx reduction step to not more than a specified value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Miura Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Kayahara, Noboru Takubo
  • Patent number: 6763786
    Abstract: The invention relates to an equipment to be used in a gas-fired water heater which equipment contains a combustion chamber (2) and a heat exchanger (1). Accordingly the combustion chamber (2) is made of a ceramic material and provided with slots (3) for crossing the heating elements (4) of the heat exchanger (1) through the opposite walls (5,6) of the combustion chamber (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Outokumpu Oyj
    Inventor: José M. Vergara
  • Patent number: 6675746
    Abstract: A heat exchanger/heater comprising a tubular member having a fluid inlet end, a fluid outlet end and plurality of pins secured to the interior wall of the tube. Various embodiments additionally comprise a blocking member disposed concentrically inside the pins, such as a core plug or a baffle array. Also disclosed is a vapor generator employing an internally pinned tube, and a fluid-heater/heat-exchanger utilizing an outer jacket tube and fluid-side baffle elements, as well as methods for heating a fluid using an internally pinned tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Advanced Mechanical Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Gerstmann, Charles L. Hannon
  • Patent number: 6526898
    Abstract: The present invention utilizes radiation reflectors on the refractory wall of a fired furnace opposite the spaces between adjacent tubes. The radiation reflectors focus the reflected radiation from the flame onto the dark side of the tubes. The invention increases the overall heat transfer of the tube by increasing the heat flux rate for the backside of the tube, and also decreases the flux and temperature differentials between the front and rear sides of the tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Technology Sales & Marketing Corporation
    Inventor: Ram Ganeshan
  • Patent number: 6497199
    Abstract: A catalytic combustion heater having, in a fuel gas flow passage in which an inflammable gas- and combustion support gas-containing fuel gas flows, tubes in which an object fluid to be heater flows, and an oxidation catalyst provided on outer surfaces of the tubes and contacting the fuel gas to generate an oxidation reaction, comprising a catalyst-carrying heat exchanger adapted to heat the object fluid with the oxidation reaction heat of the fuel gas, a detecting member adapted to detect the temperature of a combustion exhaust gas in the fuel gas flow passage to check whether the temperature is at the level of a dew point thereof or not, and a control unit adapted to control at least one of a feed rate of the combustion support gas, which is supplied to the fuel gas flow passage, and a feed rate of the inflammable gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2002
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoji Yamada, Shoji Hirose, Mitsuo Inagaki, Shigeru Ogino
  • Patent number: 6453852
    Abstract: A heat recovery system includes an upstream superheater section and a duct burner arranged to provide improved performance. The upstream superheater section and duct burner are arranged to reduce the negative effects of heat extraction by the upstream superheater section on the duct burner operation. The arrangement provides a downstream flow from the upstream SH section that is temperature stratified and positions the duct burner elements in the areas of maximum temperature. The tubes of the upstream superheater section and the duct burner elements are arranged in a variety of ways to provide temperature stratification, for example, in the horizontal or vertical directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Corn Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Vladimir Lifshits, Martin Joseph Fry
  • Publication number: 20020066421
    Abstract: A catalytic combustion heater having, in a fuel gas flow passage in which an inflammable gas- and combustion support gas-containing fuel gas flows, tubes in which an object fluid to be heater flows, and an oxidation catalyst provided on outer surfaces of the tubes and contacting the fuel gas to generate an oxidation reaction, comprising a catalyst-carrying heat exchanger adapted to heat the object fluid with the oxidation reaction heat of the fuel gas, a detecting member adapted to detect the temperature of a combustion exhaust gas in the fuel gas flow passage to check whether the temperature is at the level of a dew point thereof or not, and a control unit adapted to control at least one of a feed rate of the combustion support gas, which is supplied to the fuel gas flow passage, and a feed rate of the inflammable gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2002
    Publication date: June 6, 2002
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomoji Yamada, Shoji Hirose, Mitsuo Inagaki, Shigeru Ogino
  • Patent number: 6397788
    Abstract: A compact gas fired steam generator comprises a steam separation chamber integrated with vertical fin tubes, a down comer tube and a tube header immersed in a thermally insulated firebox chamber provided with horizontally firing gas burners, a condensing heat exchanger for recovery of the waste heat from flue gases to preheat the feed water and the return condensate and a heat exchanger to recover waste heat from the blow down boiling water to the incoming feed water, all enclosed in a thermally insulated casing. The steam is produced in said vertical fin tubes by boiling and evaporating a recirculating boiling water by the heat transferred to the boiling water from hot combustion gases produced in said firebox chamber, with said produced steam being separated from the recirculating boiling water in said steam separation chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Inventor: Ferdinand K. Besik
  • Patent number: 6352054
    Abstract: A catalytic combustion heat exchanger includes a fuel gas passage and a number of tubes, which are located in the fuel gas passage. Fuel gas flows in the fuel gas passage. An object fluid, which is heated by the heat exchanger, flows in the tubes. Fins, which carry a catalyst, are fixed to the outer surfaces of the tubes. The fluid is heated by an oxidation reaction of the fuel gas that occurs on the surface of the fins. When the heat exchanger is initially activated, the controller maintains the flow rate of the object fluid at a relatively low rate until a temperature detector detects that the temperature of the object fluid is higher than a certain level to limit heat transfer from the fins to the object fluid. This increases the fin temperatures throughout the heat exchanger. The controller increases the flow rate of the object fluid when the temperature of the object fluid exceeds a certain level, to increase heat transfer to the object fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoji Yamada, Shoji Hirose, Shigeru Ogino
  • Patent number: 6311646
    Abstract: A hot water heater having a housing with a top chamber, a bottom chamber and a main tank. A cold water inlet pipe runs into the top chamber and extends into the tank. The cold water inlet pipe coils inward, beginning at circumference of the top chamber before extending into the tank, thus increasing the distance the water has to travel inside the heater. Contrastly, the hot water outlet pipe runs straight from the main tank through the top chamber and exits therefrom. The bottom chamber has a dome shaped ceiling with peaked apertures. A burner is positioned along the bottom surface and produces a flame that sends heated air upward, through the peaked apertures into connected heat distribution tubes which travel vertically through the tank. These tubes are angled along their length and have cylindrical fins attached. Once the heat from the flame rises through the apertures, it continues upward through the tubes, until it is released into the top chamber and exits trough an exhaust chimney.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Inventor: Asllan Selmani
  • Publication number: 20010020451
    Abstract: A compact gas fired steam generator comprises a steam separation chamber integrated with vertical fin tubes, a down corner tube and a tube header immersed in a thermally insulated firebox chamber provided with horizontally firing gas burners, a condensing heat exchanger for recovery of the waste heat from flue gases to preheat the feed water and the return condensate and a heat exchanger to recover waste heat from the blow down boiling water to the incoming feed water, all enclosed in a thermally insulated casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2001
    Publication date: September 13, 2001
    Inventor: Ferdinand Besik
  • Patent number: 6283068
    Abstract: The present invention provides an air-heated/hot-water vaporizer having a very high thermal efficiency and which is easy to handle for a long period of time. Hot water supplied to the inner tube 24 of the hot water tube 22 passes through the inner tube 24 and flows out from the other end thereof to the closed end side of the outer tube 23. The hot water having flowed out to the closed end side of the outer tube 23 passes through the annular path formed by the inner tube and the outer tube 23, flows in a direction counter to that of the hot water flowing in the inner tube 24, and flows from the opening of the outer tube 23 to the outside. Liquefied gas supplied to the liquefied gas tube 21 flows along the outside of the outer tube 23, and is heated and vaporized by hot water flowing through the hot water tube 22.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: Koagas Nihon Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masayasu Kamikozuru
  • Patent number: 6269782
    Abstract: Boiler efficiency is further improved and the whole boiler body is slimmed down by totally improving heat transfer surfaces confronting gas flow passages, i.e., by forming the heat transfer surface structure into three stages, and moreover by making effective use of the whole heat transfer surfaces of water tubes equipped with fully circumferentially finned water tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Assignees: Miura Co., Ltd., Miura Institute of Research & Development Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Kayahara, Akinori Kawakami, Takashi Morimatsu, Koichi Wakae, Kanta Kondou, Tomohiro Ookubo, Osamu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 6167846
    Abstract: Multiple heat-receiving fluid passages, through which heat-receiving fluid flows, are arranged in layers in a fuel gas passage provided in a container. Multiple fins, on which an oxidation catalyst is carried, are provided on outer peripheries of the heat-receiving fluid passages. A feed port for combustion support gas is provided at one end of the fuel gas passage, and multiple combustible gas feed ports are provided in a wall of the fuel gas passage. Combustible gas is separately supplied to the respective layers of the heat-receiving fluid passages in accordance with a state of the heat-receiving fluid so as to suitably control a heat release value. Especially in the intermediate layer where the heat-receiving fluid is at its boiling point and thus exhibits a low heat transfer resistance, more combustible gas feed ports are provided than in the other layers. As a result, more fuel is supplied, the heat release value is increased, and the heat exchange efficiency is enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigeru Ogino, Tomoji Yamada, Shoji Hirose