초록 ▼

The heat exchanger includes a fin and tube assembly with increased heat transfer surface area positioned within a hollow chamber of a housing to provide effective heat transfer between a gas flowing within the hollow chamber and a fluid flowing in the fin and tube assembly. A fan is included to forc

The heat exchanger includes a fin and tube assembly with increased heat transfer surface area positioned within a hollow chamber of a housing to provide effective heat transfer between a gas flowing within the hollow chamber and a fluid flowing in the fin and tube assembly. A fan is included to force a gas, such as air, to flow through the hollow chamber and through the fin and tube assembly. The fin and tube assembly comprises fluid conduits to direct the fluid through the heat exchanger, to prevent mixing with the gas, and to provide a heat transfer surface or pathway between the fluid and the gas. A heat transfer element is provided in the fin and tube assembly to provide extended heat transfer surfaces for the fluid conduits. The heat transfer element is corrugated to form fins between alternating ridges and grooves that define flow channels for directing the gas flow. The fins are fabricated from a thin, heat conductive material containing numerous orifices or pores for transpiring the gas out of the flow channel. The grooves are closed or only partially open so that all or substantially all of the gas is transpired through the fins so that heat is exchanged on the front and back surfaces of the fins and also within the interior of the orifices, thereby significantly increasing the available the heat transfer surface of the heat exchanger. The transpired fins also increase heat transfer effectiveness of the heat exchanger by increasing the heat transfer coefficient by disrupting boundary layer development on the fins and by establishing other beneficial gas flow patterns, all at desirable pressure drops.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A heat exchanger for exchanging heat between a fluid and a gas having improved gas-side heat transfer characteristics, said heat exchanger comprising:a housing having a hollow chamber that defines a flow path for gas flowing through said heat exchanger; a conduit extending through said chamber tr

1. A heat exchanger for exchanging heat between a fluid and a gas having improved gas-side heat transfer characteristics, said heat exchanger comprising:a housing having a hollow chamber that defines a flow path for gas flowing through said heat exchanger; a conduit extending through said chamber transverse to said flow path of said gas and defining a flow path for fluid flowing through said heat exchanger; a porous heat transfer element in heat conducting contact with said conduit and positioned in said flow path of said gas in said chamber, said porous heat transfer element having a porosity greater than about 25 percent, and a plurality of flow elements extending substantially through said porous heat transfer element and oriented substantially orthogonal to said porous heat transfer element; wherein said conduit extends through said porous heat transfer element.