Abstract: A heat exchanger that includes a microchannel tube having a plurality of straight sections interconnected by a plurality of bent sections; a plurality of accordion-style fins located between adjacent straight sections of the microchannel tube; and a plurality of brackets having a plurality of slots formed therein that are each configured for receipt of a respective straight section of the microchannel tube, wherein the plurality of brackets are configured to compress the accordion-style fins into direct engagement with the adjacent straight sections of microchannel tube, and wherein at least one of the accordion-style fins and the microchannel tube includes a mating feature that prevents lateral movement of the accordion-style fin relative to the adjacent straight sections of the microchannel tube.

Abstract: A heat exchanger including a plurality of parallel fins, and at least one tube passing through the parallel fins, wherein the tube carries a fluid that exchanges heat with air passing through the heat exchanger. The parallel fins each include a plurality of air deflecting members formed therein. Each air deflecting member is bent substantially orthogonally relative to a planar surface of each fin, and each air deflecting member is configured to direct the air passing through the heat exchanger to increase turbulence of the air, and to impinge the air against adjacent parallel fins, and to balance air flow across the heat exchanger and decrease maldistribution of the air flow through the heat exchanger.

Abstract: A heat transfer tube including an inner surface including a plurality of grooves. The plurality of grooves includes at least primary grooves and secondary grooves, wherein the primary grooves extend axially along a length of the tube, and the secondary grooves intersect the primary grooves.

Abstract: A heat exchanger including a plurality of parallel fins, and at least one tube passing through the parallel fins, wherein the tube carries a fluid that exchanges heat with air passing through the heat exchanger. The parallel fins each include a plurality of air deflecting members formed therein. Each air deflecting member is bent substantially orthogonally relative to a planar surface of each fin, and each air deflecting member is configured to direct the air passing through the heat exchanger to increase turbulence of the air, and to impinge the air against adjacent parallel fins, and to balance air flow across the heat exchanger and decrease maldistribution of the air flow through the heat exchanger.

Abstract: A heat transfer tube including an inner surface including a plurality of grooves. The plurality of grooves includes at least primary grooves and secondary grooves, wherein the primary grooves extend axially along a length of the tube, and the secondary grooves intersect the primary grooves.

Abstract: An extrudable aluminum alloy for a micro channel and round tube heat exchanger application including silicon in an amount that ranges between 0.15 and 0.30 wt %, iron in an amount that is less than or equal to 0.15 wt %, manganese in amount that ranges between 0.50 and 0.90 wt %, zinc in amount of no greater than 0.03 wt %, copper in amount of no greater than 0.03 wt %, and nickel in an amount of no greater than 0.01 wt %.

Abstract: A method and system for manufacturing a hairpin tube. The method includes cutting a coil of tube to provide a plurality of lengths of tubes, and bending each length of tube to form a plurality of hairpin tubes. A lubricant is then atomized with an injector nozzle, and injected into at least one open end of each hairpin tube. After lubricating the hairpin tubes, the legs of each hairpin tube are expanded.

Abstract: A method and system for manufacturing a hairpin tube. The method includes cutting a coil of tube to provide a plurality of lengths of tubes, and bending each length of tube to form a plurality of hairpin tubes. A lubricant is then atomized with an injector nozzle, and injected into at least one open end of each hairpin tube. After lubricating the hairpin tubes, the legs of each hairpin tube are expanded.

Abstract: A method and system for manufacturing a hairpin tube. The method includes cutting a coil of tube to provide a plurality of lengths of tubes, and bending each length of tube to form a plurality of hairpin tubes. A lubricant is then atomized with an injector nozzle, and injected into at least one open end of each hairpin tube. After lubricating the hairpin tubes, the legs of each hairpin tube are expanded.

Abstract: A fin for use on a heat exchanger and a method for making the same. The fin is made by stamping individual columns of openings in the fin such that adjacent columns are equally spaced apart. The outermost column of openings is spaced from a side edge of the fin a distance that is about one-half of the distance between adjacent columns of openings. The uniform spacing allows for the construction of a fin requiring any number of columns of openings to correspond to the tube portion that is used to form the heat exchanger. This spacing provides for an efficient and compact design of the tube portion and of the heat exchanger formed with the tube portion and the fins.

Abstract: A universal fin for use on a heat exchanger having a known number of vertical and horizontal tube passes. The universal fin has a plurality of openings arranged in equally spaced columns and equally spaced rows. One or more continuous fins having columns and rows of openings equal to the known number of tube passes can be removed from the universal fin and assembled with a tube portion to form the heat exchanger. The openings on the universal fin are configured so that one or more fins can be separated from the universal fin for use on a heat exchanger regardless of the number of horizontal and vertical passes that comprise the heat exchanger.

Abstract: A heat exchanger tube of the present invention has first and second surfaces with a longitudinal length and a lateral width. At least one of the surfaces has a plurality of striae that extend along a portion of the width of the tube. The tube has at least one passageway that allows a fluid to flow therethrough. The striae minimize and/or prevent unwanted flow of molten braze alloy along die-lines in the tube formed as part of the extruding process. The striae can be formed in the tube by rollers having projections that extend radially outward. The projections form the striae in the tube as the tube passes along the outer surface of the roller. The striae can be advantageously formed in the tube as part of the overall extruding process or subsequent to the extruding of the tube during the sizing process.

Abstract: A dog-bone type heat exchanger having a plurality of fin members for dissipating heat. Each of the plurality of fin members includes a pair of offset surfaces interconnected by a sloped interconnecting surface. The plurality of fins members may be spaced apart at a distance that is less than, equal to, or more than the offset distance between the pair of offset surfaces on each fin member, thereby maximizing the mixing of air flow and the conductive heat transfer of the heat exchanger through an impinging effect.

Abstract: This invention is a process for making micro-multiport tubing for use in heat exchangers. The tubing is a flat body with a row of side-by-side passageways, which are separated by upright webs. Processing of this tubing involves extrusion, a straightening and cutting operation, a rolling step to reduce the thickness of the flat body and to obtain ultra small voids, assembly and furnace brazing of the heat exchanger. This invention improves the grain size of the metal in the tubing and also improves the metallurgical strength of the tubing. There is at least 10 percent change in material thickness. The strain is concentrated at the center of the web and results in at least enough cold work to produce fine recrystallized grains during the brazing thermal cycle. The amount of grain growth is controlled and the improvement in the metallurgical strength is achieved.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a clad product in which a metallic substrate material is extruded and a cladding material is then brought into intimate contact with the heated extrudate before the extrudate has had an opportunity to cool to room temperature. The cladding material is compressed against the heated extrudate, thereby bonding the cladding material to the substrate material and forming the clad extruded metallic product. The clad extruded metallic product is then cooled to room temperature.

Abstract: This invention is a process for making micro-multiport tubing for use in automobile air conditioner heat exchangers. The tubing is a flat body with a row of side-by-side passageways, which are separated by upright webs. Processing of this tubing involves extrusion, a straightening and cutting operation, assembly and furnace brazing of the condenser. This invention improves the grain size of the metal in the tubing and also improves the metallurgical strength of the tubing. Ports are formed in the tubing during extrusion. These ports are separated by webs and the webs are extruded so that they have a reduced thickness at their centers. In response to successive cold working of the body, the webs are changed in shape to a more uniform thickness state. Stated other wise, in this invention, the webs are initially of hour glass shape such that when there is five percent change in material thickness, the strain is concentrated at the center of the web and results in at least fifteen percent cold work.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a clad product in which a metallic substrate material is extruded and a cladding material is then brought into intimate contact with the heated extrudate before the extrudate has had an opportunity to cool to room temperature. The cladding material is compressed against the heated extrudate, thereby bonding the cladding material to the substrate material and forming the clad extruded metallic product. The clad extruded metallic product is then cooled to room temperature.

Abstract: A heat exchanger of the finned tube type in which the tubing is formed in a single, continuous length which is bent into a zigzagged or serpentine shape and then inserted through elongated slots formed in a series of fin plates. The invention provides for the production of heat exchangers in which the spacing between tube passes through the heat exchanger, and so the flow pattern of the refrigerant, may be varied to meet the design considerations of the particular heat exchanger application.

Abstract: A method of severing an elongated flat metal tube of the type including upper and lower flat horizontal walls, vertical edge walls and vertical partition walls spaced between the edge walls and interconnecting the upper and lower walls to divide the tube into a series of parallel, generally rectangular, longitudinally extending passages. The tube is cut by forming transverse kerfs in the upper and lower walls of the tube and thereafter exerting a relative pulling force on the tube sections on opposite sides of the plane in which the kerfs have been formed to tear apart the remaining tube material at the severing plane and sever the tube. The kerfs are formed in a two-step broaching operation comprising a first cut in which a narrow generally V-shaped narrow angle kerf is formed and a second cut in which the kerf is widened to provide a wide, generally V-shaped, wide angle kerf.

Abstract: An apparatus for extruding a sheath or cladding about a temperature sensitive core material wherein the melting point of the core material is lower than the temperature of the extruded sheath or cladding. The apparatus utilizes a cooling chamber separated from said extrusion die assembly to cool the core material prior to the core material entering the extrusion die assembly.