The following description relates to heat exchangers and, more specifically, to a tube sheet for an evaporator coil of a heat exchanger in an air conditioning application.
Air conditioning (often referred to as AC or A/C) is the process of removing heat and moisture from the interior of an occupied space. Air conditioning is typically used to improve the comfort of occupants and to cool and dehumidify rooms filled with heat-producing electronic devices, such as computer servers, power amplifiers and to display and store products, such as perishable food, drugs and artwork. Air conditioners often use a fan to distribute conditioned air to an occupied space and cooling is typically achieved through a refrigeration cycle, but sometimes evaporation or free cooling is used.
In many cases, cooling of air in an air conditioner requires that the air passes through a heat exchanger. Water in the air is thus condensed on an evaporator coil and some of the tubing containing refrigerant. This condensate needs to be drained, but providing for drainage can be complicated. For example, in some air conditioners, water that condenses on the evaporator coil typically falls into a drain pan but water that condenses on the tubing containing the refrigerant may not have a clear drain path.
According to an aspect of the disclosure, a heat exchanger is provided and includes coils, a header disposed at an end of the coils to distribute fluid into the coils, an evaporator tube fluidly communicative with an end of the header and a tube sheet disposed against a side of one of the coils which is nearest to the end of the header to catch condensate dripping off the evaporator tube and to drain the condensate away from the coils.
In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the coils are disposable in an air stream and the fluid includes refrigerant.
In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the coils are provided in a sloped configuration, the heat exchanger further includes a drain pan disposed at an end of the coils opposite the header, the tube sheet extends along the side of the one of the coils from the header to the drain pan and the evaporator tube is fluidly communicative with an input end of the header to deliver the fluid to the header.
In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the coils are provided in a V-shaped configuration with the header provided as a first header at an end of a first portion of the coils and a second header at an end of a second portion of the coils, the heat exchanger further includes a drain pan disposed at respective ends of the first and second portions of the coils opposite the first and second headers, respectively, the tube sheet is provided as a first tube sheet that extends along the side of the one of the coils of the first portion of the coils from the first header to the drain pan and as a second tube sheet that extends along the side of the one of the coils of the second portion of the coils from the second header to the drain pan and the evaporator tube is fluidly communicative with an input end of the first header to deliver the fluid to the first header and with an output end of the second header to receive the fluid from the second header.
In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, a drain pan is disposed at an end of the coils opposite the header and a T-shaped bar.
In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the tube sheet has one of a C-shaped cross-section, an L-shaped cross-section and a curved cross-section.
In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the tube sheet is attached to the side of the one of the coils by one or more of a weld, one or more fasteners and adhesive.
In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, foam is interposed between the tube sheet and the side of the one of the coils.
According to an aspect of the disclosure, a method of assembling a heat exchanger including coils, a header to distribute fluid into the coils, an evaporator tube fluidly communicative with an end of the header and a tube sheet is provided. The method includes disposing the tube sheet against a side of one of the coils which is nearest to the end of the header and configuring the tube sheet to catch condensate dripping off the evaporator tube and to drain the condensate away from the coils.
In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the configuring of the tube sheet includes forming the tube sheet with one of a C-shaped cross-section, an L-shaped cross-section and a curved cross-section.
In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the disposing includes attaching the tube sheet to the side of the one of the coils by one or more of a weld, one or more fasteners and adhesive.
In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the method further includes interposing foam between the tube sheet and the side of the one of the coils.
According to an aspect of the disclosure, a heat exchanger assembly is provided and includes a door and a heat exchanger accessible via the door. The heat exchanger includes coils, a header disposed at an end of the coils to distribute fluid into the coils, an evaporator tube fluidly communicative with an end of the header and a tube sheet disposed to be urged by the door against a side of one of the coils which is nearest to the end of the header to catch condensate dripping off the evaporator tube and to drain the condensate away from the coils.
In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the coils are disposable in an air stream and the fluid includes refrigerant.
In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the coils are provided in a sloped configuration, the heat exchanger further includes a drain pan disposed at an end of the coils opposite the header, the tube sheet extends along the side of the one of the coils from the header to the drain pan and the evaporator tube is fluidly communicative with an input end of the header to deliver the fluid to the header.
In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the coils are provided in a V-shaped configuration with the header provided as a first header at an end of a first portion of the coils and a second header at an end of a second portion of the coils, the heat exchanger further includes a drain pan disposed at respective ends of the first and second portions of the coils opposite the first and second headers, respectively, the tube sheet is provided as a first tube sheet that extends along the side of the one of the coils of the first portion of the coils from the first header to the drain pan and as a second tube sheet that extends along the side of the one of the coils of the second portion of the coils from the second header to the drain pan and the evaporator tube is fluidly communicative with an input end of the first header to deliver the fluid to the first header and with an output end of the second header to receive the fluid from the second header.
In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, a drain pan is disposed at an end of the coils opposite the header.
In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the tube sheet has one of a C-shaped cross-section, an L-shaped cross-section and a curved cross-section.
In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the tube sheet is attached to the side of the one of the coils by one or more of a weld, one or more fasteners and adhesive.
In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, foam is interposed between the tube sheet and the side of the one of the coils.
These and other advantages and features will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings.
The subject matter, which is regarded as the disclosure, is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features and advantages of the disclosure are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
These and other advantages and features will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings.
As will be described below, a tube sheet is provided for use in a heat exchanger of an air conditioner as a bracket that extends off a side of the heat exchanger (i.e., off the side of the heat exchanger coils). The bracket or tube sheet can be C, L or S shaped and runs a length of the coils. For a V-shaped coil assembly, two tube sheets are used and for a sloped coil assembly only one is necessary.
It is to be understood that, because of the presence of headers in a heat exchanger, it can be unusual for the coils to extend to the walls of the cabinet in both the front and the back. The tube sheet extends from the front of the coils to a door of the unit, sealing the upper section of the cabinet from the lower section. Here, the tube sheet is placed under the vapor (cold) tube and any water that condenses on the vapor tube drips onto the tube sheet which directs the water into the drain pan. The tube sheet can be attached to the header at the top and/or to the drain pan at the bottom and can be sealed to the coils via weld, a fastener, adhesive or foam.
With reference to
With continued reference to
In accordance with embodiments, the coils 210 can be disposable in an air stream through the heat exchanger assembly 101 (see
As shown in
As shown in
Although the coils 210 have been described herein and illustrated in
With reference to
With reference to
With reference back to
With reference to
Technical effects and benefits of the present disclosure are the provision of a tube sheet for use with a heat exchanger of an air conditioner. The tube sheet creates an air dam that helps to separate upper and lower sections of a cabinet and forces the air to travel through the heat exchanger coils. The tube sheet eliminates the need for a delta plate and allows access to both sides of the heat exchanger coils when a door is removed to thus make cleaning and servicing easier. The tube sheet also catches condensate dripping off evaporator tubing external to the heat exchanger coils and transports this condensate to the drain pan. The tube sheet also provides structural support when attached to a header or the drain pan.
While the disclosure is provided in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the disclosure is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the disclosure can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Additionally, while various embodiments of the disclosure have been described, it is to be understood that the exemplary embodiment(s) may include only some of the described exemplary aspects. Accordingly, the disclosure is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.
This application claims the benefit of Provisional Patent Application No. 62/902,119, filed Sep. 18, 2019, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20210080193 A1 | Mar 2021 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62902119 | Sep 2019 | US |