L-TYPE TURN-FIN TUBE AND TURN-FIN TYPE HEAT EXCHANGER USING THE SAME

Abstract

Provided is an L-type turn-fin tube including a turn-fin which may provide excellent adhesiveness even with a tube having a small diameter, and a turn-fin type heat exchanger using the L-type turn-fin tube. The L-type turn-fin tube includes the tube and the turn-fin. A refrigerant moves in the tube. The turn-fin includes a base portion that is formed on one side of a bent portion obtained when a part of a groove portion recessed in a longitudinal direction is bent in the longitudinal direction, and a fin portion that is formed on the other side of the bent portion, wherein the base portion is spirally wound around an outer surface of the tube.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2012-0053862, filed on May 21, 2012, and all the benefits accruing therefrom under 35 U.S.C. §119 which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The present invention relates to an L-type turn-fin tube and a turn-fin type heat exchanger using the same, and more particularly, to an L-type turn-fin tube which may provide excellent adhesiveness even with a tube having a small diameter and may improve heat exchange efficiency and a turn-fin type heat exchanger using the L-type turn-fin tube.

2. Description of the Related Art

In general, a refrigeration system is a system that absorbs heat therein and dissipates the heat to the outside by thermodynamically circulating a refrigerant through a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator. The condenser and the evaporator applied to the refrigeration system are referred to as heat exchangers.

The heat exchangers exchange heat between the refrigerant flowing in a tube and air present outside the tube.

The condenser changes the refrigerant, which has been ejected from the compressor, from a high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous state to a room-temperature and high-pressure liquid state to be easily evaporated by emitting heat of the refrigerant to a fluid such as air.

The condenser may be classified as a wire-type condenser or a turn-fin type condenser according to a shape thereof.

The turn-fin type condenser includes a turn-fin tube. The turn-fin tube includes a refrigerant pipe in which the refrigerant flows and a turn-fin which is coupled to an outer surface of the refrigerant pipe to increase a heat exchange area with external air.

Examples of the turn-fin include an L-type turn-fin whose cross-sectional shape in a longitudinal direction is an “L” shape. The L-type turn-fin is manufactured in various ways.

The condenser is designed to improve the performance of a refrigeration device or reduce noise. In particular, the condenser is designed to prevent the performance of the refrigeration device from being degraded by avoiding an excessive temperature rise, to increase the flux of the refrigerant, and to increase a heat exchange rate, and is also designed to have a compact structure.

Accordingly, the refrigerant pipe may have a small diameter in order to reduce a size of the condenser. However, when the refrigerant pipe has a small size, it is difficult for the L-type turn-fin to be wound around the refrigerant pipe and it is also difficult to maintain a shape of the L-type turn-fin wound around the refrigerant pipe.

Accordingly, adhesiveness between the refrigerant pipe and the L-type turn-fin may be reduced, thereby reducing a heat transfer rate and heat exchange efficiency.

SUMMARY

The present invention provides an L-type turn-fin tube which may provide excellent adhesiveness and may improve heat exchange efficiency even with a tube having a small diameter, and a turn-fin type heat exchanger using the L-type turn-fin tube.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an L-type turn-fin tube including: a tube in which a refrigerant flows; and an L-type turn-fin including: a groove portion that is recessed in a longitudinal direction; a base portion that is formed on one side of a bent portion obtained when a part of the groove portion is bent in the longitudinal direction; and a fin portion that is formed on the other side of the bent portion, wherein the base portion is spirally wound around an outer surface of the tube.

Slits may be further formed in the groove portion at predetermined intervals in a circumferential direction.

The slits may be formed to pass through the groove portion or/and to be recessed to predetermined depths in the groove portion.

The fin portion may have a cross-sectional thickness that decreases in the longitudinal direction toward an outer circumference.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a turn-fin type heat exchanger including: the L-type turn-fin tube as mentioned above; and a bracket that maintains a shape of the L-type turn-fin tube by binding at least one of the L-type turn-fin tube and the L-type turn-fin.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiments are described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that various aspects of the drawings may have been exaggerated for clarity:

FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating an L-type turn-fin tube according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating the L-type turn-fin tube of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is cross-sectional views illustrating a strip subjected to a rolling process and a bending process in the L-type turn-fin tube of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side view illustrating an L-type turn-fin tube according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is cross-sectional views illustrating a strip subjected to a rolling process and a bending process in the L-type turn-fin tube of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a front view illustrating the strip of (b) of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is cross-sectional views illustrating slits in the L-type turn-fin tube of FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 is a plan view illustrating a turn-fin type heat exchanger using an L-type turn-fin tube, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a bent shape of the L-type turn-fin tube of the turn-fin type heat exchanger of FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the exemplary embodiments set forth herein. Also, parts in the drawings unrelated to the detailed description are omitted to ensure clarity of the present invention. Like reference numerals in the drawings denote like elements.

Terms concerning attachments, coupling and the like, such as “connected” and “interconnected,” refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures. Throughout the present application, when a part “includes” an element, it is to be understood that the part additionally includes other elements rather than excluding other elements as long as there is no particular opposing recitation.

The present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown.

FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating an L-type turn-fin tube 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating the L-type turn-fin tube 10 of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the L-type turn-fin tube 10 may include a tube 20 and an L-type turn-fin 30.

A refrigerant may flow in the tube 20, and the tube 20 may be formed of a metal.

The L-type turn-fin 30 may be formed by being wound around an outer surface of the tube 20 such that a cross-sectional shape in a longitudinal direction is substantially an “L” shape.

Also, the L-type turn-fin 30 may be formed of a metal such as steel or aluminum.

The L-type turn-fin 30 may include a base portion 55 and a fin portion 56.

The base portion 55 may be attached to the outer surface of the tube 20, and the fin portion 56 may extend in a diameter direction of the tube 20.

Also, the base portion 55 and the fin portion 56 may be formed on both sides of a bent portion 52 that is formed on a groove portion 51.

A thickness D1 of the groove portion 51 may be less than a thickness D2 of the base portion 55 and a thickness D3 of the fin portion 56.

Accordingly, the bent portion 52 of the L-type turn-fin 30 may have a least thickness among elements of the L-type turn-fin 30, and thus the bent portion 52 may be more easily bent.

Furthermore, the fin portion 56 may be formed to be almost perpendicular to the base portion 55, and thus a cross-sectional shape of the L-type turn-fin 30 in the longitudinal direction may be a better “L” shape.

In addition, since the bent portion 52 of the L-type turn-fin 30 may be more easily bent, an inner diameter after the L-type turn-fin 30 is wound around the tube 20 may be reduced.

Accordingly, since a diameter of the tube 20 may be reduced, the L-type turn-fin 30 may be stably closely attached to even a tube having a small diameter equal to or less than 8 mm.

The fin portion 56 may be formed such that a cross-sectional thickness in the longitudinal direction decreases toward an outer circumference.

Accordingly, an outer circumferential part of the fin portion 56 may spread widely, and thus a cross-sectional shape of the L-type turn-fin 30 in the longitudinal direction may be a satisfactory “L” shape.

Also, since the outer circumferential part of the fin portion 56 may spread widely, the fin portion 56 may not be wrinkled.

FIG. 3 is cross-sectional views illustrating a strip 50 subjected to a rolling process and a bending process in the L-type turn-fin tube 10 of FIG. 1. Referring to (a) of FIG. 3, the L-type turn-fin 30 wound around the tube 20 may be supplied as the strip 50. The strip 50 may be a metal plate member having a flat band shape.

Referring to (b) of FIG. 3, the groove portion 51 may be formed to be recessed in the strip 50 in a longitudinal direction of the strip 50 using a first rolling process.

Both sides 51a and 51b of the groove portion 51 may be inclined.

Also, the groove portion 51 may be eccentric from the center of the strip 50 toward a side.

Referring to (c) of FIG. 3, a part of the groove portion 51 may be bent using a first bending process in the longitudinal direction to form the bent portion 52.

The bent portion 52 may be bent at a first angle A1.

The first angle A1 may range from 115 to 130°.

Referring to (d) of FIG. 3, the bent portion 52 may be bent at a second angle A2 using a second bending process.

The second angle A2 may range from 86 to 114°.

Referring to (e) of FIG. 3, the bent portion 52 may be bent at a third angle A3 using a third bending process.

The third angle A3 may range from 85 to 95°.

Accordingly, after the third bending process, the strip 50 including the fin portion 56 and the base portion 55 whose cross-sectional shape in the longitudinal direction is an “L” shape may be formed.

The strip 50 having been subjected to the third bending process may be wound around the tube 20 to form the L-type turn-fin 30.

When the strip 50 having been subjected to the third bending process is wound around the tube 20, the fin portion 56 may be further rolled using a second rolling process.

In particular, referring to (f) of FIG. 3, the fin portion 56 may be formed using the second rolling process such that a thickness decreases toward the outer circumference of the fin portion 56.

Accordingly, a cross-sectional shape of the L-type turn-fin 30 in the longitudinal direction may be a satisfactory “L” shape, and the fin portion 56 may not be wrinkled.

FIG. 4 is a side view illustrating an L-type turn-fin tube 130 according to another embodiment of the present invention. Slits 180 may be formed in a groove portion 151, and other elements are the same as those of FIG. 1 and thus a repeated explanation thereof will not be given.

Referring to FIG. 4, the slits 180 may be formed in the groove portion 151 of the L-type turn-fin tube 130.

The slits 180 may be formed at predetermined intervals in a circumferential direction, and each of the slits 180 may longitudinally extend in a diameter direction of the L-type turn-fin tube 130.

Accordingly, the slits 180 may be densely formed in the groove portion 151.

Also, the slits 180 may be formed to pass through the groove portion 151 or to be recessed to predetermined depths in the groove portion 151.

Alternatively, some of the slits 180 may be formed to pass through the groove portion 151 and the remainder may be formed to be recessed to predetermined depths in the groove portion 151.

When the slits 180 are formed to pass through the groove portion 151, since a fluid such as air may pass through the slits 180, heat exchange with the L-type turn-fin tube 130 may more effectively occur.

Also, even when the slits 180 are formed to be recessed to predetermined depths in the groove portion 151, since a heat exchange area with a fluid such as air may be increased due to the slits 180, heat exchange may more effectively occur.

FIG. 5 is cross-sectional views illustrating a strip 150 subjected to a rolling process and a bending process in the L-type turn-fin tube 130 of FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a front view illustrating the strip 150 of (b) of FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is cross-sectional views illustrating the slits 180 in the L-type turn-fin tube of FIG. 4. The following will be explained with reference to FIGS. 5 through 7.

Referring to (a) and (b) of FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the slits 180 may be formed at the same time as the groove portion 151 is formed by performing a first rolling process on the strip 150.

To this end, a slit forming unit (not shown) for forming the slits 180 may be further formed on a rolling machine (not shown) that performs a first rolling on the strip 150.

Also, the slits 180 may be formed at predetermined intervals in a longitudinal direction of the strip 150. Each of the slits 180 may longitudinally extend in a width direction of the strip 150.

The slits 180 may be formed to pass through the groove portion 151. The slits 180 may pass through the groove portion 151 to have predetermined widths as shown in FIG. 7A. The slits 180 may pass through the groove portion 151 such that thicknesses decrease away from one side toward the other side as shown in FIG. 7B.

In this case, when the strip 150 having been subjected to first, second, and third bending processes as shown in (c) through (e) of FIG. 5 and then a second rolling process as shown in (f) of FIG. 5 is wound around the tube 120 (see FIG. 4), the slits 180 may be widened, to form holes.

Accordingly, since the slits 180 may form passages through which a fluid such as air may flow, heat exchange with the L-type turn-fin tube 130 may more effectively occur.

In addition, when the strip 150 is wound around the tube 120, the strip 150 may easily stretch in a circumferential direction on the groove portion 151 of the tube 120 due to the slits 180, and thus the strip 150 may be more efficiently wound around the tube 120.

Also, the slits 180 may be formed to be recessed to predetermined depths in the groove portion 151 as shown in FIG. 7C.

In this case, when the strip 150 is wound around the tube 120, the slits 180 may be widened to form grooves.

Accordingly, since a heat exchange area with a fluid such as air may be increased due to the slits 180, heat exchange may more effectively occur.

Also, when the strip 150 having been subjected to a second rolling process is wound around the tube 120, the slits 180 may be widened and thus the strip 150 may easily stretch in the circumferential direction of the groove portion 151. Accordingly, the strip 150 may be more efficiently wound around the tube 120.

Alternatively, some of the slits 180 may be formed to pass through the groove portion 151 and the remainder may be formed to be recessed in the groove portion 151.

FIG. 8 is a plan view illustrating a turn-fin type heat exchanger using an L-type turn-fin tube 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a bent shape of the L-type turn-fin tube 200 of the turn-fin type heat exchanger of FIG. 8.

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the turn-fin type heat exchanger may include the L-type turn-fin tube 200 and a bracket 300.

The L-type turn-fin tube 200 may include an L-type turn-fin manufactured with the strip 50 and/or 150 of FIG. 1 and/or FIG. 4.

The L-type turn-fin tube 200 may be formed by being subjected to a first bending process in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the L-type turn-fin tube 200 to have a meandering shape and then to a second bending process to have a roll shape.

The number of columns formed by the first bending process and the number of rolls formed by the second bending process may be appropriately determined according to required heat exchange efficiency and a space in which the turn-fin type heat exchanger is installed.

The bracket 300 may fix the L-type turn-fin tube 200 to maintain a shape of the L-type turn-fin tube 200.

To this end, the bracket 200 may be configured to bind at least one of an L-type turn-fin 230 and a tube 220 of the L-type turn-fin tube 200.

Also, the bracket 300 may be modified in various ways. For example, the bracket 300 may include an L-type turn-fin tube binding bracket 310 for binding the L-type turn-fin tube 200 and a coupling bracket 320 coupled to fix the L-type turn-fin tube binding bracket 310.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof using specific terms, the embodiments and terms have merely been used to explain the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention as defined by the claims. The exemplary embodiments should be considered in a descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. For example, singular forms are intended to include plural forms as well and plural forms are intended to include singular forms as well.

Therefore, the scope of the invention is defined not by the detailed description of the invention but by the appended claims, and all differences within the scope will be construed as being included in the present invention.

According to the present invention, since a bent portion of an L-type turn-fin is formed on a groove portion that is recessed in a longitudinal direction of the L-type turn-fin, a base portion of the L-type turn-fin may be easily closely wound around a tube having a small diameter.

Also, since a fin portion is formed such that a cross-sectional thickness in the longitudinal direction decreases toward an outer circumference, an outer circumferential part of the fin portion may spread widely. Accordingly, a cross-sectional shape of the L-type turn-fin in the longitudinal direction may be a satisfactory “L” shape.

Also, slits may be further formed in the groove portion of the L-type turn-fin to pass through the groove portion or to be recessed to predetermined depths in the recessed portion. Since a heat exchange area may be further increased due to the slits, heat exchange efficiency may be improved.

Effects of the present invention are not limited thereto, and other effects would be clearly understood from the detailed description of the invention or the description of the following claims.

While exemplary embodiments have been disclosed herein, it should be understood that other variations may be possible. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of exemplary embodiments of the present application, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. An L-type turn-fin tube comprising:

a tube in which a refrigerant flows; and

an L-type turn-fin comprising:

a groove portion that is recessed in a longitudinal direction;

a base portion that is formed on one side of a bent portion obtained when a part of the groove portion is bent in the longitudinal direction; and

a fin portion that is formed on the other side of the bent portion,

wherein the base portion is spirally wound around an outer surface of the tube.

2. The L-type turn-fin tube of claim 1, wherein slits are further formed in the groove portion at predetermined intervals in a circumferential direction.

3. The L-type turn-fin tube of claim 2, wherein the slits are formed to pass through the groove portion or/and to be recessed to predetermined depths in the groove portion.

4. The L-type turn-fin tube of claim 1, wherein the fin portion has a cross-sectional thickness that decreases in the longitudinal direction toward an outer circumference.

5. A turn-fin type heat exchanger comprising:

the L-type turn-fin tube of any one of claims 1 to 4; and

a bracket that maintains a shape of the L-type turn-fin tube by binding at least one of the L-type turn-fin tube and the L-type turn-fin.