Abstract: A tube supporting device is provided for supporting closely packed tubes in a heat exchanger. The device has a support plate transversely disposed with respect to the tubes. The support plate has a plurality of holes formed therein which are penetrated by the tubes and which support the tubes against lateral movement. The holes can be a variety of shapes to create one or more gaps between the peripheral surfaces of the holes and the outer surfaces of the tubes. The gaps enhance the flow of condensate which has formed on the tubes and causes the condensate to flow to a bottom portion of the heat exchanger without moving to and collecting on the support plate. The holes also inhibit lateral movement of the tubes.

Abstract: A heat exchanger, such as an evaporator, includes an upper tank and a lower tank and a plurality of heat exchange units extending between the upper and lower tanks. Each heat exchange unit includes a plurality of pipe members, each having a longitudinal central axis, which place the upper and lower tanks in fluid communication. The pipe members of each heat exchange unit are arranged such that their longitudinal central are aligned in a first plane. The heat exchange units are oriented such that the first plane is perpendicular to a flow direction of air which passes through the heat exchanger. Each heat exchange unit further comprises a plate member which extends along a second plane which is parallel to the first plane. The plate members are provided with a plurality of rows of louvers and a plurality of plane regions. The pipe members are connected to the corresponding plane regions of the plate member.

Abstract: A heat exchanger includes a first tank and a second tank, an inlet and an outlet each connected to either the first tank or the second tank, and a plurality of panel units provided between and connected to the first and second tanks. Each of the panel units has a plurality of tube portions formed as fluid paths and a plurality of plate portions connecting adjacent tube portions and having a thickness less than a thickness of the tube portions. The heat exchanger is lightweight, can be easily assembled and can have a high efficiency in heat exchange.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a heat exchanger, such as an evaporator for an automotive air conditioning refrigeration circuit. The heat exchanger includes a serpentine tube in which the interior space is divided by a plurality of parallel partition wall into a corresponding plurality of essentially parallel passages through which refrigerant fluid flows, and inlet and outlet mechanisms connected to the two opposite terminal ends of the serpentine tube, respectively. The inlet mechanism comprises a cylindrical header pipe portion which is fixedly disposed at one terminal end of the serpentine tube along the depth of the serpentine tube, and a separate cylindrical conducting pipe portion of which one terminal end is connected at a right angle to the inner side section of the air outflow region of the header pipe portion.