Gradated Heat Transfer Structure Patents (Class 165/146)
  • Publication number: 20080105406
    Abstract: A heat pipe (10) includes a casing (11), a plurality of grooves (12, 13) defined in the casing, and working fluid contained in the casing. The casing includes a first portion (14) and a second portion (15) having a smaller diameter than the first portion. The grooves (12) at the first portion of the casing have greater apex angles and smaller groove width than those of the grooves (13) at the second portion. A method for manufacturing the heat pipe includes the steps of: providing a casing with a plurality of grooves defined in an inner wall thereof; shrinking a diameter of one portion of the casing to enable the portion to function as an evaporator section of the heat pipe; vacuuming and placing a predetermined quantity of working fluid in the casing; sealing the casing to obtain the heat pipe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2006
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Applicant: FOXCONN TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: CHANG-SHEN CHANG, JUEI-KHAI LIU, CHAO-HAO WANG, HSIEN-SHENG PEI
  • Patent number: 7367385
    Abstract: The invention includes a heat transfer geometry having first and second flow channels in parallel with each other. The flow cross-sectional area of individual channels varies along the length of the flowpath, with one channel undergoing an expansion and the other undergoing a contraction. Different amounts of additional heat transfer surface are located within different regions. In at least some instances, contraction and expansion may occur as a result of a shift of both the left and right boundaries which principally define the channel, and may occur symmetrically with respect to a centerline of the individual channel. With a cell being a first channel and associated second channel, the overall exiting flow may be offset slightly from the overall entering flow. An array may be formed containing multiple cells, and cells at edges of the array may be atypical so that the overall array fits within a simple geometric envelope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Inventor: Peter A. Materna
  • Publication number: 20080073061
    Abstract: A channel heat exchanger and cooling system with plan-wise variable rate of cooling that corresponds, in part, to a plan-wise variable heat flux and a method of manufacturing and using same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Publication date: March 27, 2008
    Inventors: Rajen Dias, Lars Skoglund
  • Publication number: 20080060796
    Abstract: The present invention is to provide a heat exchange device for hot water of shower and bath, which comprises a trough base, a metal heat exchanging plate and a diversion plate, wherein, said trough base of hollow cuboid with a top opening on the upper side has a water inlet and a water outlet respectively configured on one pair of corresponding flanks thereat; said metal heat exchanging plate has a plurality of round sinks orderly arrayed on the top surface thereof as well as a inlet orifice and a outlet orifice respectively perforated on one pair of sides corresponding to the flanks of said trough base; And said diversion plate, which being securely attached onto the internal bottom surface of said metal heat exchanging plate, has some isolating raised bars protruded on the top surface thereat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2007
    Publication date: March 13, 2008
    Inventor: Ying Lin Cai
  • Patent number: 7334630
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods according to the present invention utilize micropumps that are capable of generating high pressure and flow without moving mechanical parts and the associated generation of unacceptable electrical and acoustic noise, as well as the associated reduction in reliability. These micropumps are fabricated with materials and structures that improve performance, efficiency, and reduce weight and manufacturing cost relative to presently available micropumps. These micropumps also can allow for recapture of evolved gases and deposited materials, which may provide for long-term closed-loop operation. Apparatus and methods according to the present invention also allow active regulation of the temperature of the device through electrical control of the flow through the pump and can utilize multiple cooling loops to allow independent regulation of the spatial and temporal characteristics of the device temperature profiles. Novel enclosed microchannel structures are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Kenneth E. Goodson, Chuan-Hua Chen, David E. Huber, Linan Jiang, Thomas W. Kenny, Jae-Mo Koo, Daniel J. Laser, James C. Mikkelsen, Juan G. Santiago, Evelyn Ning-Yi Wang, Shulin Zeng, Lian Zhang
  • Patent number: 7299642
    Abstract: The invention relates to an exchanger, advantageously a plate exchanger, comprising counter-current parallel exchange sections (8,9). According to the invention, the exchange section for the water (8) has an essentially constant cross-section, whereas the exchange section (9) for the cryogen has a reduced inlet region (9a) enabling the possible formation of ice (10) in the water passage (8) to be concentrated on a small volume, without blocking said water passage. The invention can especially be applied to the supply of gaseous hydrogen stored in a liquid form to an on-board power generating device in a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme a Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Robert Moracchioli, Pierre Briend, VĂ©ronique Grabie, Jacques Chabanne
  • Publication number: 20070267178
    Abstract: A heat pipe includes a casing (100) having an inner surface. A capillary wick (200) is attached to the inner surface of casing. The casing includes an evaporating section (400) for receiving heat, a condensing section (600) for releasing the heat and an adiabatic section (500) for transferring the heat from the evaporating section to the condensing section. The evaporating and condensing sections are made of metal material and the adiabatic section is made of nonmetallic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2006
    Publication date: November 22, 2007
    Applicant: Foxconn Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: CHUEN-SHU HOU, CHAO-NIEN TUNG, TAY-JIAN LIU
  • Patent number: 7293423
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of controlling freezing in a liquid system is disclosed. The apparatus includes a heat exchanger having a initial zone characterized by a surface area to volume ratio. The apparatus also includes means for initiating freezing of a fluid from the initial zone to facilitate volume expansion during freezing in the direction of a final zone characterized by a final zone surface area to volume ratio. The apparatus can further include a plurality of zones located between the initial zone and the final zone, wherein a zone surface area to volume ratio is calculated for each zone. Preferably, the zone surface area to volume ratio of each zone progressively decreases from the initial zone in the direction of the final zone. Preferably, the final freezing zone has the lowest surface area to volume ratio and has sufficient elasticity to accommodate the volume expansion of all the fluid that has frozen from the initial zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Cooligy Inc.
    Inventors: Girish Upadhya, Richard Grant Brewer, Mark McMaster
  • Patent number: 7290596
    Abstract: A thermal management system (300) includes a first heat transfer body (330) for providing a opposing heat flux to a localized region of elevated heat flux residing in adjacency to a region of lesser flux, such as on a surface (315a) of a circuit die (315) due to a integrated circuit hot-spot (310). A contact (320 or 321) defines a thermal conduction path for the opposing flux. A second heat transfer body (350) is in a heat transport relationship with the first heat transfer boy (330) and a second heat transport relationship with the region of lesser heat flux. In such arrangement, each region of heat flux is provided a thermal solution commensurate with the level of heat flux in the region. For example, the opposing heat flux of an active first heat transfer body (330), such as a thermoelectric cooler, may be provided at the hot-spot (310), while at the same time the lesser heat flux is absorbed by a passive second heat transfer body (350), such as a heat spreader.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: University of Maryland
    Inventors: Bao Yang, Avram Bar-Cohen
  • Publication number: 20070251673
    Abstract: A heat pipe includes a casing (100) and a capillary wick (200) received in the casing. The casing has an evaporating section (400), a condensing section (600) and a central section (500) between the evaporating section and the condensing section. The capillary wick arranged at the central section is made of non-metallic material. The capillary wick at the central section of the casing provides a low cost and a lightweight to the heat pipe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2006
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: FOXCONN TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: CHUEN-SHU HOU, CHAO-NIEN TUNG, TAY-JIAN LIU
  • Publication number: 20070246194
    Abstract: A heat pipe includes a metal casing (100) and a composite capillary wick received in the casing. The casing has an evaporating section (400), a condensing section (600) and a central section (500) between the evaporating section and the condensing section. A first type of capillary wick (250) is provided in the central section of casing and a second type of capillary wick (240) is disposed at the evaporating section of the casing. The capillary pore size of the first type of capillary wick is larger than that of the second type of capillary wick and the first type of capillary wick is made by stacked metal sheets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2006
    Publication date: October 25, 2007
    Applicant: FOXCONN TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chuen-Shu Hou, Tay-Jian Liu, Chao-Nien Tung, Xian-Mei Ke, Chih-Hsien Sun
  • Publication number: 20070240858
    Abstract: A heat pipe includes a metal casing (100) and a composite capillary wick received in the casing. The metal casing has an evaporating section (400), a condensing section (600) and a central section (500) between the evaporating section and the condensing section. First type of capillary wick (200) is provided on an inner all of the metal casing at all of the condensing, central and evaporating sections, while second type of capillary wick (220) is provided on the first type of capillary wick at the central and evaporating sections only. A capillary pore size of the first type of capillary wick is larger than that of the second type of capillary wick.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2006
    Publication date: October 18, 2007
    Applicant: FOXCONN TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chuen-Shu Hou, Tay-Jian Liu, Qian-Hua He, Chih-Hsien Sun, Chao-Nien Tung
  • Patent number: 7281573
    Abstract: A cooler includes a heat conducting member and a heat scattering member. The heat conducting portion is closely attached with a heat source. The heat scattering member has plural hollow cones respectively formed of sintered metallic particles with their size enlarged gradually from the bottom to the top. The metallic particles closer to the surface of the heat conducting member are smaller, having a greater contact area to transmit the heat more effectively. And, plus the ventilation of a fan on the heat scattering member, the air in the hole of the hollow cone is expelled out, so the air outside the hollow cone flows into its center through the porosities between the metallic particles, enabling the metallic particles of the hollow cone to increase the contact area with air for a better thermal release.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Hua-Hsin Tsai
    Inventor: Ming-Kun Tsai
  • Publication number: 20070193723
    Abstract: A heat pipe includes a casing (100) containing a working fluid therein and a capillary wick (200) arranged on an inner wall of the casing. The casing includes an evaporating section (400) at one end thereof and a condensing section (600) at an opposite end thereof, and a central section (500) located between the evaporating section and the condensing section. The thickness of the capillary wick formed at the evaporating section is smaller than that of the capillary wick formed at the central section in a radial direction of the casing. The capillary wick is capable of reducing thermal resistance between the working fluid and the casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2006
    Publication date: August 23, 2007
    Applicant: FOXCONN TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: CHUEN-SHU HOU, TAY-JIAN LIU, CHAO-NIEN TUNG, CHIH-HSIEN SUN
  • Publication number: 20070193722
    Abstract: A heat pipe includes a casing (100) containing a working fluid therein and a capillary wick (200) arranged in an inner wall of the casing. The casing includes an evaporating section (400) at one end thereof and a condensing section (600) at an opposite end thereof, and a central section (500) located between the evaporating section and the condensing section. The thickness of the capillary wick formed at the condensing section is smaller than that of the capillary wick formed at the central section in a radial direction of the casing. The capillary wick is capable of reducing the thermal resistance between the working fluid and the casing at the condensing section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2006
    Publication date: August 23, 2007
    Applicant: FOXCONN TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: CHUEN-SHU HOU, TAY-JIAN LIU, CHAO-NIEN TUNG, CHIH-HSIEN SUN
  • Patent number: 7255159
    Abstract: An insert adapted to connect to opposite walls in a heat exchanger tube, including a corrugated sheet having alternating wave crests and wave troughs connected by wave flanks having openings therein, wherein at least some of the wave crests have a length different than the length of the wave troughs, and/or adjacent sections have different wavelength waves. Such inserts may be produced by transporting material sheets through a press, where the sheet feed rate and/or the press stroke speed may be selectively varied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Modine Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Rob J. Sagasser, Jens BlĂ¼tling, Rainer Käsinger
  • Patent number: 7237600
    Abstract: A heat transfer support surface for heating or cooling food articles placed adjacent the support surface by circulating a heat transfer fluid in the internal passages of the support surface is disclosed. Circulated fluid is heated or cooled by a source. Support surface contains multiple heat transfer elements arranged substantially in parallel and interconnected on both ends. Flow control tubes control the fluid flow and reduce the amount of fluid required. The method of making the support surface is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Inventor: Edward Joseph Tippmann
  • Patent number: 7163052
    Abstract: In a parallel flow heat exchanger, which is susceptible to having a non-uniform distribution of a two-phase refrigerant flow to the individual channels, the resultant differences in the refrigerant flow therethrough are compensated and counter-balanced by a corresponding difference in the external heat transfer rate for the respective channels. In one embodiment, these differences are accomplished by variable characteristics of extended heat transfer surface elements such as fin type, fin density, fin geometry and difference in construction materials, and in another embodiment, by varying the airflow distribution over the cross-section area of the heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Michael F. Taras, Allen C. Kirkwood, Robert A. Chopko
  • Patent number: 7131288
    Abstract: In a heat exchanger (10) for transferring heat from a first fluid to a second fluid, which heat exchanger (10) comprises one or more flow passages (12) for a first fluid, the outer wall (26) of these passages is in heat-transferring contact with a flow body (20) made from metal foam for a second fluid. This metal foam has a gradient of the volume density of the metal, so that it is possible to achieve a favorable equilibrium between heat transfer and conduction, on the one hand, and flow resistance, on the other hand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: INCO Limited
    Inventors: Theodor Johannes Peter Toonen, Peter Leerkamp, Bob Meuzelaar
  • Patent number: 7124812
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for cooling heated fluids, such as exhaust gases, flowing through a heat exchanger comprising one or more exhaust plenums and one or more coolant plenums, and providing increased coolant velocity in that portion of the coolant plenums contacting the inlet portion of the exhaust plenums. Local increased coolant velocity is provided by any means, including decreasing the area-in-flow of the coolant plenums wherein increased velocity is desired, shaping or baffling either or both inlet or outlet coolant tanks in fluidic contact with coolant plenums wherein increased velocity is desired, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith D. Agee, Richard Paul Beldam, Roland L. Dilley, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7114549
    Abstract: In a regenerator for a regenerative cycle machine, regenerator foil is grooved on both sides, with intersections of grooves on opposite side forming holes at which separate flows of fluid interact to induce flows ancillary to the overall direction of flow in the regenerator, thereby enhancing heat transfer to and from the material of the regenerator and improving thermodynamic performance of the gas cycle machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Inventor: Matthew P. Mitchell
  • Patent number: 7096933
    Abstract: A furnace heat exchanger with multiple parallel flow passages wherein the last flow passage extends downwardly from its plane as it approaches the outlet so as to result in a lower overall height of the heat exchanger. Preferably both the upper wall and the lower wall of the last passage extend downwardly such that the cross-sectional area of the last flow passage is not reduced and is preferably increased as it approaches the outlet. The bottom wall extension is preferably curvilinear and has substantially the same curvature as a return bend at the inlet of the penultimate flow passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Ninev Karl Zia, Shailesh Sharad Manohar, Scott Andrew Beck
  • Patent number: 7073572
    Abstract: An evaporator for a refrigeration system is disclosed which includes a tube bundle with various kinds of tubes. Depending upon the size of a tube bundle, at least two different kinds of tubes are used along the height of the tube bundle. Highly efficient nucleate boiling characteristics tubes are used in the lower section and prime surface or only inside surface enhanced tubes are used in the top section to minimize the adverse effects of vapor blanketing. Tubes in the mid sections could be the same or different than the tubes in the lower and upper sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Inventor: Zahid Hussain Ayub
  • Patent number: 7073573
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for cooling heated fluids, such as exhaust gases, flowing through a heat exchanger including at least one exhaust gas plenum with fins or other heat transfer structure and at least one coolant plenum, and providing decreased heat exchange in that portion of the exhaust gas plenum contacting the inlet thereof by decreasing the fin or heat transfer structure density in such portion relative to the remainder of the exhaust gas plenum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventor: Keith D. Agee
  • Patent number: 7069977
    Abstract: Heat transfer members (H4, H3, H2, H1) are sequentially disposed within an exhaust port (18), within a pre-catalytic device (34), and on the downstream of a main catalytic device (35); the exhaust port (18), the pre-catalytic device (34), and the main catalytic device (35) being provided in an exhaust passage (33) of an internal combustion engine. The heat transfer surface density (heat transfer area/volume) of the heat transfer members (H4) on the upstream side of the exhaust passage (33) is the lowest, and that of the heat transfer members (H1) on the downstream side is the highest. Thus, even though the temperature of the exhaust gas is higher on the upstream side of the exhaust passage (33) than it is on the downstream side of the exhaust passage (33), a uniform heat transfer performance across all of the heat exchangers (H4, H3, H2, H1) may be maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masashi Shinohara, Haruhiko Komatsu, Seiji Nishimoto, Tsutomu Takahashi, Hideharu Izumi
  • Patent number: 7063047
    Abstract: Large thermal stresses are avoided and the fuel charge reduced in a vaporizer particularly suited for use in a reformer type fuel cell system and having a construction that includes alternating fuel/water flow path defining cells (68) and hot gas flow path cells (69) by providing heat transfer augmentation, such as a lanced and offset fin (120), only in that part of the gas flow path structure (69) adjacent the regions in the fuel/water flow path cells (68) where heating of the liquid fuel/water and vaporizing of the fuel/water where the mixture exists is a two phase material occurs and not in the area adjacent those parts of the fuel/water flow path structure (68) in which superheating of the vaporized fuel/water mixture is occurring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Modine Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Michael J. Reinke, Jeroen Valensa
  • Patent number: 7059399
    Abstract: A heat exchanger including first and second header tanks for receiving and discharging refrigerant. Further, the first and second header tanks are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance. Also include is a plurality of flat tubes each having opposite ends respectively connected to the first and second header tanks, in which each of the flat tubes has channels through which the refrigerant scatters and flows, and the channels have a different capacity from each other. Further included is a cooling member for discharging heat of the refrigerant flowing along the flat tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sim Won Chin, Kee Soo Hong, Moon Kee Chung
  • Patent number: 7040388
    Abstract: A heatsink of the present invention has a column having a heat conducting plate with a heat receiving face contacting a heat producing element. On the side faces of the column are a plurality of first slits disposed parallel to the heat receiving face and a plurality of second slits disposed transversely to the heat receiving face. These slits form a plurality of pillar-type protrusions functioning as fins for cooling. At least one of cross sections of the column has a shape of a rectangle, a trapezoid, a triangle or a shape which tapers off as it goes away at right angle from the heat receiving face. A method of manufacturing the heatsink of the present invention includes first and second processes. In the first process, the first slits are formed by providing a plurality of metallic plate fins on the column along its length by the methods including the extrusion molding using a metallic mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kaoru Sato, Yasuhiro Fujiwara, Seiji Manabe, Shinobu Kamizuru
  • Patent number: 6991025
    Abstract: According to one example of the invention, there is provided a multipass plate pair for conducting a fluid in a heat exchanger. The plate pair includes first and second plates, each plate having at least two longitudinal columns of externally protruding obliquely angled ribs formed therein and separated by a longitudinal flat section extending from substantially a first end of the plate to a terminus spaced apart from a second end of the plate. Each plate includes, between the terminus and the second end, a turn portion joining the two longitudinal columns. The first and second plates are joined together with the longitudinal flat sections abutting each other and the columns of angled ribs cooperating to form undulating first and second internal flow channels there-through separated by the abutting longitudinal flat sections. The first and second internal flow channels each have an upstream area and a downstream area relative to a flow direction of an external fluid flowing over the plate pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Dana Canada Corporation
    Inventor: Paul K. Beatenbough
  • Patent number: 6957689
    Abstract: A heat exchange arrangement for a vehicle has at least two heat exchangers exposed to the action of ambient air. One of the heat exchanger is coolant cooler and the other one is a charge-air coolant. Each of these coolers has tubes through which liquid or gas flows and heat dissipating ribs connected to the tubes. The coolant cooler is positioned upstream of the charge-air cooler in the air-flow direction. The charge-air cooler has an overlapping region in which the coolant cooler and the charge-air cooler overlap one another and a non-overlapping region in which the coolant cooler projects substantially perpendicularly to the cooling air flow direction. The non-overlapping region is formed at least in the charge-air outlet region and is cooled directly by ambient cooling air. The overlapping region is cooled by the ambient cooling air that has passed through the coolant cooler, which is positioned immediately upstream of the overlapping region of the charge-air cooler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: BEHR GmbH & CO.
    Inventors: Peter Ambros, Peter Griesheimer, Reinhard Kull, Eberhard Pantow
  • Patent number: 6951242
    Abstract: A heat exchanger for both sensible and latent energy, enthalpy, has walls or plates that extend between two air streams that also permit and assist recirculation and filtration. The walls between air streams consist of a substrate with a coating on the substrate. The coating, in combination with the substrate material original porosity, is used to control final porosity and hydrophilic/oleophilic characteristics. By control of the pore size and surface material characteristics, there can be almost a total recirculation, a recirculation of only gases (filtering out solid particles), a transfer of only moisture and heat, or a transfer of only heat. The pore size and characteristics of the coating along the path of the air streams can be varied so that different types of exchange can be obtained along the path of the air streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Inventors: Nicholas H. Des Champs, Benjamin R. Tritt
  • Patent number: 6938688
    Abstract: A clamshell heat exchanger comprises upper and lower clamshell plates assembled together and sealed at the peripheral edges thereof, the assembled plates defining at least three internal passageways communicating in a serpentine configuration. The passageways include an inlet passageway having an inlet port for receipt therethrough of combustion gases, an intermediate passageway and an exhaust passageway having an exit port for the discharge of combustion gases, all such passageways lying generally parallel to each other. In one arrangement of the heat exchanger, the upper and lower clamshell plates define an air gap between the inlet passageway and the intermediate passageway, with the intermediate passageway and the exhaust passageway being joined by a secured flattened portion of the upper and lower clamshell plates. In another arrangement, instead of an air gap, the inlet passageway and the intermediate passageway are also joined by secured flattened portions of the upper and lower clamshell plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Thomas & Betts International, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip E. Lengauer, Jr., Werner O. Specht, Donald G. Warren, Dominick J. DiMaggio
  • Patent number: 6935419
    Abstract: A heat dissipating apparatus. In one embodiment, a heat dissipating apparatus is comprised of a heat sink device having a plurality of cooling fins coupled to the heat sink device. The heat sink device is adapted to be thermally coupled to a heat source. The plurality of cooling fins are adapted to dissipate heat generated by the heat source. An air duct is coupled with the heat sink device. The air duct is for directing an airflow to the cooling fins to increase dissipation of the heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Christopher G. Malone, Ryan Abbott
  • Patent number: 6928730
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for cooling hot fluids, especially exhaust gases, with a multi-pass cooler core. The cooler core is particularly useful for cooling exhaust gases flowing in an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system or regime in operative association with an internal combustion engine, such as a diesel engine. Cooled gases are recirculated to the engine input to help reduce noxious exhaust emissions. The invention utilizes unequal areas-in-flow between the first exhaust pass through the core and the second and subsequent passes through the core. The first pass through the core features an area-in-flow comparatively larger than the area-in-flow of the second pass. The difference in areas-in-flow between passes influences gas velocities to reduce fouling, despite changes in exhaust gas temperature between passes through the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Paul Beldam, Keith D. Agee
  • Patent number: 6910469
    Abstract: A supercharged multi-cylinder piston engine includes an elongate air inlet manifold and multiple heat transfer elements located in the interior space of the air inlet manifold. The heat transfer elements extend individually over different respective length segments of the interior space of the manifold and extend collectively over substantially the entire length of the interior space of the manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Wartsila Technology Oy AB
    Inventor: Jari Renkonen
  • Patent number: 6883502
    Abstract: Engineers have learned that if the temperature of coolant within a heat exchanger is raised above the coolant's boiling point by the entering hot fluid, the boiling of the coolant can cause corrosion within the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger of the present invention includes a heat exchanger body that defines a plurality of fluid passages that are operable to exchange heat with a plurality of liquid passages. At least one of the liquid passages is re-sized to include a greater cross-sectional flow area than another liquid passage. Thus, a greater amount of liquid can flow through the coolant passage with the greater cross-sectional flow area, thereby reducing the risk of boiling coolant that may cause corrosion within the coolant passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Samuel C. Nechvatal
  • Patent number: 6880620
    Abstract: The subject invention includes a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) assembly having a housing with an inlet and at least one outlet for directing a flow of air into a passenger compartment. An evaporator core is disposed within the housing downstream of the inlet and upstream from the outlet. A heater core is disposed within the housing between the evaporator core and the outlet with the heater core having an upstream surface generally facing the evaporator core and a downstream surface generally facing the outlet. The heater core includes a first portion and a second portion being angled relative to the first portion such that the upstream surface of the first portion at least partially faces the upstream surface of the second portion to define an angled heater core facing the evaporator core wherein air flowing over the upstream surfaces is evenly distributed across both of the first and second portions, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the heater core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Lin-Jie Huang, Mohinder Singh Bhatti
  • Patent number: 6871399
    Abstract: In a fin forming step, fins of heat exchangers are formed into a connected state where the fins are connected to each other via a parting portion. In a fin attaching step, the fins in the connected state are temporarily attached to the respective heat exchangers. In a fin fixing step, an integrated heat exchanger in which the fins are temporarily attached is passed through a heating oven to braze the fins to the respective heat exchangers. In a fin separating step W4, the fins in the connected state of the respective heat exchangers are separated from each other in the parting portion. Therefore, each of the heat exchangers can independently perform a heat exchanging operation without being affected by heat conduction from the other heat exchanger via the fins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuru Iwasaki, Kazunori Namai, Hiroshi Chikuma
  • Patent number: 6868897
    Abstract: A heat exchange cell for a recuperator includes top and bottom plates sandwiching a matrix finned member and a pair of header finned members. The top and bottom plates each include a pair of manifold openings, and the header finned members each include a curved free edge following the curvature of an associated manifold opening. The header finned member includes a high fin density portion along the free edge and a low fin density portion communicating with the high fin density portion. The dual fin density header finned member thus provides increased structural strength along the free edge and provides a low pressure drop through the low fin density portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Ingersoll-Rand Energy Systems Corporation
    Inventors: James S. Nash, Alexander Haplau-Colan
  • Patent number: 6857288
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a heat exchanger in a refrigerator having a simple structure and an improved heat exchange performance. For this, the present invention includes refrigerant tubes (10) having a plurality of straight parts (11) and a plurality of curved parts (12) connected between the straight parts arrange to form one or more columns perpendicular to each other, a plurality of straight plate type fins (20) fitted to the straight parts (11) of the refrigerant tubes (10) by means of a plurality of through holes (21) formed therein to form one or more than columns along a length direction, and one pair of reinforcing plates (30) fitted to the straight parts of the refrigerant tubes on both sides of the fins, wherein ST=D/N, where D denotes a width of the reinforcing plate (30), ST denotes a distance between centers of the refrigerant tube in each column, N denotes a number of the columns of the refrigerant tubes (21).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sam Chul Ha, Jong Min Sin, Bong Jun Choi, Cheol Hwan Kim, Young Hwan Ko, Young Jeong, Seong Hai Jeong, Alexei V Tikhonov
  • Patent number: 6854509
    Abstract: In a regenerator for a regenerative cycle machine, regenerator foil is grooved on both sides, with intersections of grooves on opposite side forming holes at which separate flows of fluid interact to induce flows ancillary to the overall direction of flow in the regenerator, thereby enhancing heat transfer to and from the material of the regenerator and improving thermodynamic performance of the gas cycle machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Inventor: Matthew P. Mitchell
  • Publication number: 20040261395
    Abstract: An apparatus for vaporizing liquefied natural gas (LNG) is disclosed. The apparatus comprises an LNG side with a plurality of heat transfer circuits and a heating medium side with a plurality of passages within a trough like containment. The vaporizer is designed for high heat transfer rates and reduced thermal stresses. The vaporizer can be brought on line quickly, and can utilize sea water and other fluids as the heating medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Inventor: Gerald E. Engdahl
  • Publication number: 20040134640
    Abstract: Providing a multi-tube heat exchanger capable of increasing heat exchanging performance without increasing its heat transmitting area and solving a problem on drop in heat exchanging efficiency due to adhering pollutant or the like. A multi-tube heat exchanger comprising an inner tube (heat transmitting tube) group in which a first fluid passes and an outer tube (body) in which a second fluid passes, both ends of each multiple heat transmitting tubes being held and disposed on introduction/discharge side holding plates located on each of first fluid introduction side and first fluid discharge side. The heat transmitting tube is constituted of only a heat transmitting tube main body 114 and a number of lump-like projections are formed at a predetermined interval in the length direction on one or both of opposing wall faces on longer sides of the heat transmitting tube main body 114.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2003
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Inventors: Yasufumi Sakakibara, Naruki Harada
  • Publication number: 20040118152
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a heat exchanger in a refrigerator having a simple structure and an improved heat exchange performance. For this, the present invention includes refrigerant tubes (10) having a plurality of straight parts (11) and a plurality of curved parts (12) connected between the straight parts arrange to form one or more columns perpendicular to each other, a plurality of straight plate type fins (20) fitted to the straight parts (11) of the refrigerant tubes (10) by means of a plurality of through holes (21) formed therein to form one or more than columns along a length direction, and one pair of reinforcing plates (30) fitted to the straight parts of the refrigerant tubes on both sides of the fins, wherein ST=D/N, where D denotes a width of the reinforcing plate (30), ST denotes a distance between centers of the refrigerant tube in each column, N denotes a number of the columns of the refrigerant tubes (21).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2003
    Publication date: June 24, 2004
    Inventors: Sam Chul Ha, Jong Min Sin, Bong Jun Choi, Cheol Hwan Kim, Young Hwan Ko, Young Jeong, Seong Hai Jeong, Alexei V Tikhonov
  • Publication number: 20040112576
    Abstract: A heat-exchanger assembly, which can be advantageously employed as an intercooler for an air-charging system for an internal combustion engines includes a plurality of generally wedge-shaped coolant tubes through which coolant is directed for effecting cooling of compressed air flowing about the tubes. In order to promote efficient operation, each of the wedge-shaped cooling tubes includes a plurality of coolant passages of substantially identical hydraulic diameter or cross-sectional area, thereby promoting uniform flow of coolant through each coolant tube. Each coolant tube includes outer walls which may be of a substantially uniform thickness, or which may increase in thickness across the width of the tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2002
    Publication date: June 17, 2004
    Inventor: Steven P. Meshenky
  • Patent number: 6688381
    Abstract: Thermal management devices and methods include branching networks comprising flow channels of varying cross-sectional area. The branching networks can be fractal-like in nature with an increase in the total flow area following a flow channel bifurcation. In representative embodiments, the branching networks are defined in a channel pattern that is laminated between cover plates to form a thermal management device. The channel pattern includes bridging portions so that the branching network is defined with a single pattern piece. The branching networks can exhibit radial symmetry or be aligned with respect to one or more axes. Heat exchangers and diffusive mixers that include such networks are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: The State of Oregon Acting by and through the State Board of Higher Education on Behalf of Oregon State University
    Inventors: Deborah V. Pence, Jose N. Reyes, Jr., Nathan Phillips, Qiao Wu, John T. Groome
  • Patent number: 6672080
    Abstract: A rapid cooling apparatus passing hot exhaust gas in a short time along a flow path formed in a cooling setting with piled up arrangement and having a reduced cross-sectional area of the flow path to reduce the volume thereof so as to cool rapidly to a temperature below a dioxin synthesizing temperature so that dioxins are prevented from generating, characterized in that multistage tube bodies for heat exchange to pass coolant therethrough are arranged in a rapid cooling cylindrical body for passing hot gas such as exhaust gas from an inlet opening to an outlet opening, and the cross-sectional area of the rapid cooling cylindrical body is being reduced gradually in a passing direction of the hot gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Masue Iwasaki
    Inventor: Tetsuto Tamura
  • Patent number: 6668915
    Abstract: An arrangement of fins or other convective heat transfer surfaces which provides an improved value of heat transfer per unit pressure drop of the flowing fluid, for a defined geometric envelope. There are at least two flowpaths in parallel. Each flowpath contains a wide densely-surfaced region, called a heat transfer region, which accomplishes heat transfer at a reduced velocity whereby the ratio of heat transfer to pressure drop for that region is improved. In series with that region, in the same flowpath, is a narrow sparsely-surfaced region, called a fluid flow region, which serves to transport the fluid, at higher velocity but with minimal pressure drop, through the region(s) not densely-surfaced. The respective wide and narrow regions can be oppositely placed so that the overall arrangement maintains a constant width dimension so as to resemble conventional design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Inventor: Peter Albert Materna
  • Patent number: 6644389
    Abstract: A fin tube heat exchanger includes plate-shaped elongated fin members spaced at regular intervals, in parallel with one another. Each fin member has a fin base, through-holes in two rows in a longitudinal direction of the fin member, and raised portions with legs. Heat exchanger tubes are inserted into the through-holes. Each fin member has flat areas at a front and middle regions of a front half and a middle region of a rear half. The raised portion disposed at a rear region of the front half and a front region of the rear half has the legs inclined by a predetermined angle with respect to a traverse centerline which passes through the center of an adjacent through-hole of the front row. The distance from the centerline generally increases with a direction of airflow. A larger volume of air can be directed toward the vicinity of the tubes of the rear row. Each fin member has a front edge and a rear edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Pohang University of Science and Technology Foundation
    Inventors: Hie-chan Kang, Moo-hwan Kim
  • Publication number: 20030205335
    Abstract: The present invention provides a contactor apparatus and method for removing solvent from a polymer cement. The resulting polymer is substantially free of solvent and exhibits improved oil absorption and lower fines. In one aspect, a contactor is provided comprising a cylindrical casing having a high pressure section, a convergence section, a high velocity section, a divergence section, and a discharge section. The polymer cement is introduced into the high pressure section to significantly and unexpectedly improve solvent removal. The convergence and divergence sections have cross-sectional areas that correspond to an effective angle from about 4° to about 65°, such as 6°. The polymer cement is mixed with high pressure steam. After converging, the polymer cement forms more uniform droplets due to high shear of steam. In the divergence and discharge sections, the polymer is substantially devolatized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2002
    Publication date: November 6, 2003
    Inventors: Rong-Her Jean, Chin-Yuan George Ma