초록 ▼

A keel cooler having a standard header with an internal beveled bottom wall, with orifices on the inner wall of the exterior tubes extending into the header, the orifices being in the natural flow path of the coolant flow. The orifices are sufficiently large so as not to restrict the flow of coolant

A keel cooler having a standard header with an internal beveled bottom wall, with orifices on the inner wall of the exterior tubes extending into the header, the orifices being in the natural flow path of the coolant flow. The orifices are sufficiently large so as not to restrict the flow of coolant. A fluid flow diverter is additionally provided in the header of the keel cooler for facilitating coolant flow towards both the interior tubes and also towards the exterior tubes.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. An apparatus for diverting the flow of coolant fluid in a header of a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger having a plurality of parallel tubes having generally rectangular cross sections, the tubes including a pair of outermost tubes, each of said outermost tubes having an outer most wa

We claim: 1. An apparatus for diverting the flow of coolant fluid in a header of a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger having a plurality of parallel tubes having generally rectangular cross sections, the tubes including a pair of outermost tubes, each of said outermost tubes having an outer most wall and an inner wall, each of said inner walls having an orifice for communication between said outermost tubes and said header chamber, wherein said orifice is disposed at least partly over said inclined surface and at least partly beneath said inlet/outlet opening, and at least one inner tube located between the outermost tubes, the at least one inner tube having coolant ports, said header comprising: an upper wall having an end portion, opposing side portions, an inner portion and an inlet/outlet opening for permitting the flow of coolant between an inlet/outlet and said header; a bottom wall having an end portion, opposing side portions and an inner portion; an end wall having an inner surface and an outer surface, said end wall interconnecting the end portions of said upper wall and of said bottom wall, and being perpendicular to said upper wall and said bottom wall; an inclined surface extending between the inner portions of said bottom wall and said upper wall, and including the open end(s) of the at least one inner tube to said header; and sidewalls extending between the side portions of said upper wall and said bottom wall, said sidewalls being extensions of the outermost tubes of the heat exchanger, and including an outer wall and an inner wall; the inner surfaces of said sidewalls, upper wall, end wall, and bottom wall, and inclined surface forming a header chamber; wherein said apparatus for diverting coolant fluid flow in said header is adapted for diverting coolant fluid flow towards the outermost tubes and towards the at least one inner tube in substantially relatively equal proportions and wherein said apparatus is contained within said header chamber; said apparatus for diverting the flow of coolant fluid comprising: a first panel proximal one of the outermost tubes and having a first base edge located at the bottom wall and side edges extending from opposite ends of said first base edge towards the upper wall and converging to meet at an apex, said first panel being inclined with respect to said bottom wall away from the proximal outermost tube by an amount for diverting coolant fluid flow from the inlet/outlet opening to the orifice of the proximal outermost tube or from the orifice of the proximal outermost tube towards the inlet/outlet opening; a second panel proximal the other of the outermost tubes and having a second base edge located at the bottom wall and side edges extending from opposite ends of said second base edge towards the upper wall and converging to meet at said apex, said second panel being inclined with respect to said bottom end wall away from the other of the outermost tubes by an amount for diverting coolant fluid flow from the inlet/outlet opening to the orifice of the other of the outermost tubes, or from the orifice of the other of the outermost tubes to the inlet/outlet opening; and a third panel having a third base edge extending between the proximal ends of said respective first base edge and said second base edge, said third panel having side edges extending from the respective proximal ends of said first base edge and said second base edge along the proximal side edges of said first panel and said second panel and meeting at said apex. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said third panel is angled with respect to said bottom wall for maintaining flow between said third panel and each of the openings of the at least one parallel tube in said inclined surface. 3. An apparatus for diverting the flow of coolant fluid in a header of a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger having opposing sides and a plurality of parallel tubes having openings into said header, said header comprising: an upper wall having an interior surface, an end portion, opposing side portions, an inner portion and an inlet/outlet opening for permitting the flow of coolant between an inlet/outlet and said header; a bottom wall having an interior surface, an end portion, opposing side portions and an inner portion; an end wall having an interior surface and an outer surface, said end wall interconnecting the end portions of said upper wall and of said bottom wall, and being perpendicular to said upper wall and said bottom wall; an inclined surface having an interior surface and extending between the inner portions of said bottom wall and said upper wall, and including the opening(s) of the at least one of said parallel tubes to said header; and sidewalls having interior surfaces and extending between the side portions of said upper wall and said bottom wall; the interior surfaces of said sidewalls, upper wall, end wall, and bottom wall, and inclined surface forming a header chamber; wherein said apparatus for diverting fluid flow in said header is adapted for diverting fluid flow towards and from said parallel tubes in substantially relatively equal proportions and wherein said apparatus is contained within said header chamber; said apparatus for diverting the flow of coolant fluid comprising: a first panel proximal one of the sides of the heat exchanger and having a first base edge located at the bottom wall and side edges extending from opposite ends of said first base edge towards the upper wall and converging to meet at an apex, said first panel being inclined with respect to said bottom wall away from the proximal one of the sides of the heat exchanger by an amount for diverting coolant fluid flow from the inlet/outlet opening to the orifice of the proximal one of the sides of the heat exchanger or from the orifice of the proximal one of the sides of the heat exchanger towards said inlet/outlet opening; a second panel proximal the other of the sides of the heat exchanger and having a second base edge located at the bottom wall and side edges extending from opposite ends of said second base edge towards the upper wall and converging to meet at said apex, said second panel being inclined with respect to said bottom end wall away from the other of the sides of the heat exchanger by an amount for diverting coolant fluid flow from the inlet/outlet opening to the orifice of the other of the sides of the heat exchanger, or from the orifice of the other of the sides of the heat exchanger to the inlet/outlet opening; and a third panel having a third base edge extending between the proximal ends of said respective first base edge and said second base edge, said third panel having side edges extending from the respective proximal ends of said first base edge and said second base edge along the proximal side edges of said first panel and said second panel and meeting at said apex. 4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said third panel is angled with respect to said bottom wall for maintaining flow between said third panel and each of the openings of the at least one parallel tube in said inclined surface. 5. An apparatus for diverting the flow of coolant fluid in a header of a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger having a plurality of parallel tubes including a pair of outermost tubes, and at least one inner tube located between the outermost tubes, the at least one inner tube having coolant ports, said header comprising: an upper wall having an end portion, opposing side portions, an inner portion and an inlet/outlet opening for permitting the flow of coolant between an inlet/outlet and said header; a bottom wall having an end portion, opposing side portions and an inner portion; an end wall having an inner surface and an outer surface, said end wall interconnecting the end portions of said upper wall and of said bottom wall; an inclined surface extending between the inner portions of said bottom wall and said upper wall, and including the open end(s) of the at least one inner tube to said header; and sidewalls extending between the side portions of said upper wall and said bottom wall, said sidewalls being extensions of the outermost tubes of the heat exchanger, and including an outer wall and an inner wall; the inner surfaces of said sidewalls, upper wall, end wall, and bottom wall, and inclined surface forming a header chamber; wherein said apparatus for diverting coolant fluid flow in said header is adapted for diverting fluid flow towards the outermost tubes and towards the at least one inner tube in substantially relatively equal proportions and wherein said apparatus is contained within said header chamber; said apparatus for diverting the flow of coolant fluid comprising: a first panel proximal one of the outermost tubes and having a first base edge located at the bottom wall and side edges extending from opposite ends of said first base edge towards the upper wall and converging to meet at an apex, said first panel being inclined with respect to said bottom wall away from the proximal outermost tube by an amount for diverting coolant fluid flow from the inlet/outlet opening to the orifice of the proximal outermost tube or from the orifice of the proximal outermost tube towards the inlet/outlet opening; a second panel proximal the other of the outermost tubes and having a second base edge located at the bottom wall and side edges extending from opposite ends of said second base edge towards the upper wall and converging to meet at said apex, said second panel being inclined with respect to said bottom end wall away from the other of the outermost tubes by an amount for diverting coolant fluid flow from the inlet/outlet opening to the orifice of the other of the outermost tubes, or from the orifice of the other of the outermost tubes to the inlet/outlet opening; and a third panel having a third base edge extending between the proximal ends of said respective first base edge and said second base edge, said third panel having side edges extending from the respective proximal ends of said first base edge and said second base edge along the proximal side edges of said first panel and said second panel and meeting at said apex. 6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said third panel is angled with respect to said bottom wall for maintaining flow between said third panel and each of the openings of the at least one parallel tube in said inclined surface. 7. An apparatus for diverting the flow of coolant in a header of a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger having opposing side edges and a plurality of parallel tubes having openings into said header, said header comprising: an upper wall having an interior surface, an end portion, opposing side portions, an inner portion and an inlet/outlet opening for permitting the flow of coolant between an inlet/outlet and said header; a bottom wall having an interior surface, an end portion, opposing side portions and an inner portion; an end wall having an interior surface and an outer surface, said end wall interconnecting the end portions of said upper wall and of said bottom wall; a surface having an interior surface and extending between the inner portions of said bottom wall and said upper wall, and including the opening(s) of at least one of said tubes to said header; and sidewalls having interior surfaces and extending between the side portions of said upper wall and said bottom wall; the interior surfaces of said sidewalls, upper wall, end wall, and bottom wall, and inclined surface forming a header chamber; wherein said apparatus for diverting fluid flow in said header comprises surfaces in more than one plane and is adapted for diverting fluid flow towards and from said parallel tubes in substantially relatively equal proportions and wherein said apparatus is contained within said header chamber; said apparatus for diverting the flow of coolant fluid comprising: a first panel proximal one of the sides of the heat exchanger and having a first base edge located at the bottom wall and side edges extending from opposite ends of said first base edge towards the upper wall and converging to meet at an apex, said first panel being inclined with respect to said bottom wall away from the proximal one of the sides of the heat exchanger by an amount for diverting coolant fluid flow from the inlet/outlet opening to the orifice of the proximal one of the sides of the heat exchanger or from the orifice of the proximal one of the sides of the heat exchanger towards said inlet/outlet opening; a second panel proximal the other of the sides of the heat exchanger and having a second base edge located at the bottom wall and side edges extending from opposite ends of said second base edge towards the upper wall and converging to meet at said apex, said second panel being inclined with respect to said bottom end wall away from the other of the sides of the heat exchanger by an amount for diverting coolant fluid flow from the inlet/outlet opening to the orifice of the other of the sides of the heat exchanger, or from the orifice of the other of the sides of the heat exchanger to the inlet/outlet opening; and a third panel having a third base edge extending between the proximal ends of said respective first base edge and said second base edge, said third panel having side edges extending from the respective proximal ends of said first base edge and said second base edge along the proximal side edges of said first panel and said second panel and meeting at said apex. 8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said third panel is angled with respect to said bottom wall for maintaining flow between said third panel and each of the openings of the at least one parallel tube in said inclined surface.