Heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration system pipe bracket and gasket

Abstract

There is provided a heat exchanger for heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACamp; r) system (10), said HVACamp; the R system includes a plurality of heat exchange tubes (102), a tube holder bracket (200) including a plurality of apertures (202), and a gasket (300) coupled to the tube holder bracket (200). The gasket (300) includes a plurality of openings (302), and each opening (302) of the plurality of openings (302) is aligned with a corresponding hole (202) of the plurality of holes (202).

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 454,246, filed March 23, 2023, entitled “Pipe supports and gaskets for heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration systems,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes. Background Technology

[0002] This section aims to introduce the reader to various aspects of the technology that may relate to the various aspects of this disclosure described below. It is believed that this discussion will help provide the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of this disclosure. Therefore, it should be understood that these statements should be read in this light, rather than as an endorsement of prior art.

[0003] Heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) systems can utilize a working fluid (e.g., a refrigerant) that changes the phase between vapor, liquid, and their combinations in response to varying temperatures and pressures within components exposed to the HVAC&R system (e.g., a vapor compression system, a cooler system). The HVAC&R system can place the working fluid in a heat exchange relationship with a conditioning fluid (e.g., water, air) to heat and / or cool the conditioning fluid, and then deliver the conditioning fluid to various destinations for other heat transfer applications. For example, an HVAC&R system may include a heat exchanger (e.g., an evaporator, a condenser) configured to receive both the working fluid and the conditioning fluid and place them in a heat exchange relationship. The heated and / or cooled conditioning fluid can then be directed from the heat exchanger to the conditioned equipment and / or the conditioned environment served by the HVAC&R system. In some applications, the conditioning fluid can be directed through downstream equipment, such as air handlers or terminal units, to regulate another fluid, such as air.

[0004] In some HVAC&R systems, the conditioning fluid can be cooled by an evaporator, within which the working fluid absorbs heat from the conditioning fluid, causing the working fluid to evaporate and thus cooling the conditioning fluid. The working fluid can then be compressed by a compressor and directed to a condenser. In the condenser, the working fluid is typically cooled by a flow of water or air and condenses into a liquid. The evaporator and condenser can have various configurations, such as shell-and-tube, tube-fin, etc. In some embodiments, the tubes of the evaporator and / or condenser can extend the length of the evaporator and / or condenser and pass through corresponding openings (e.g., orifices) formed in one or more support brackets (e.g., tube support brackets) within the evaporator and / or condenser. In conventional systems, the tube portion extending through the opening in the support bracket can expand to increase contact with one or more support brackets and thereby secure the tube to the support bracket. Unfortunately, the expansion of the tube within the support bracket can be time-consuming, expensive, and / or may reduce the overall heat exchange capacity of the heat exchanger. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The following provides an overview of certain embodiments disclosed herein. It should be understood that these aspects are presented merely to provide the reader with a brief overview of these particular embodiments, and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. In fact, this disclosure may cover various aspects that may not be set forth below.

[0006] In one embodiment, a heat exchanger for a heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC&R) system includes a plurality of heat exchange tubes, a tube support bracket including a plurality of holes, and a gasket coupled to the tube support bracket. The gasket includes a plurality of openings, and each of the plurality of openings is aligned with a corresponding hole in the plurality of holes.

[0007] In another embodiment, a heat exchanger for a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and / or cooling (HVAC&R) system includes a housing defining an internal volume configured to receive a first fluid, and a plurality of tubes disposed within the internal volume of the housing, wherein the plurality of tubes are configured to allow a second fluid to circulate through the plurality of tubes to place the second fluid in a heat exchange relationship with the first fluid. The heat exchanger also includes a tube support bracket disposed within the internal volume, wherein the tube support bracket includes a plurality of holes formed therein. The heat exchanger further includes a gasket coupled to the tube support bracket, wherein the gasket includes a plurality of openings formed therein, and a tube of the plurality of tubes extends through the holes in the plurality of holes and through an opening in the plurality of openings corresponding to the holes.

[0008] In another embodiment, the heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and / or cooling (HVAC&R) system includes a plurality of heat exchange tubes configured to circulate fluid through the tubes, and a tube support bracket including a plurality of orifices. The heat exchanger also includes a damping plate fixed to a surface of the tube support bracket, wherein the damping plate includes a plurality of openings, and each of the plurality of openings is aligned with a corresponding orifice among the plurality of orifices. Each of the plurality of heat exchange tubes is configured to extend through a corresponding opening among the plurality of openings and through a corresponding orifice among the plurality of orifices aligned with that corresponding opening. Attached Figure Description

[0009] A better understanding of the various aspects of this disclosure can be achieved by reading the following detailed description and referring to the figures, in which: Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a building according to an embodiment of a heating, ventilation, air conditioning and cooling (HVAC&R) system in a commercial environment, based on one aspect of this disclosure; Figure 2 This is a perspective view of an embodiment of a vapor compression system according to one aspect of this disclosure; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a vapor compression system according to one aspect of the present disclosure; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a vapor compression system according to one aspect of the present disclosure; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a heat exchange tube of a heat exchanger according to one aspect of the present disclosure, showing a portion of the heat exchange tube having a surface-reinforced structure and a portion of the heat exchange tube not having a surface-reinforced structure; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a heat exchange tube of a heat exchanger according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the heat exchange tube including a surface-reinforcing structure formed on the heat exchange tube from a first end to a second end of the heat exchange tube; Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional axial view of an embodiment of a heat exchanger according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the heat exchanger including a tube support bracket configured to support a plurality of heat exchange tubes of the heat exchanger; Figure 8 This is a partial perspective view of an embodiment of a heat exchanger according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the heat exchanger having a plurality of tube support brackets configured to support a plurality of heat exchange tubes of the heat exchanger; Figure 9 This is a partial perspective view of an embodiment of a tube support and gasket configured to support heat exchange tubes of a heat exchanger according to one aspect of this disclosure; and Figure 10This is an axial schematic diagram of an embodiment of a heat exchanger tube support and gasket portion according to one aspect of this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0010] One or more specific embodiments will be described below. To provide a concise description of these embodiments, not all features of the actual implementations are described in the specification. It should be understood that, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developer's specific goals, such as consistency with system-related and enterprise-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Furthermore, it should be understood that such development work may be complex and time-consuming, but is merely a routine task of design, manufacture, and production for those skilled in the art who benefit from this disclosure.

[0011] When describing elements of various embodiments of this disclosure, the articles “a” and “the” are intended to indicate the presence of one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that additional elements may be present in addition to the listed elements. Furthermore, it should be understood that references to “one embodiment” or “embodiment” in this disclosure are not intended to exclude the existence of additional embodiments further incorporated into the described features.

[0012] As used herein, the terms “approximately,” “generally,” and “substantially” are intended to convey that the attribute value being described is within a relatively small range of that attribute value, as understood by one of skill in the art. For example, when an attribute value is described as “approximately” equal to (or, for example, “substantially similar” to) a given value, this is intended to mean that the attribute value is within + / - 5%, + / - 4%, + / - 3%, + / - 2%, + / - 1%, or even closer to the given value. Similarly, when a given provision is described as “substantially parallel” to another feature, “substantially perpendicular” to another feature, etc., this is intended to mean that the given provision has the described properties, such as being parallel to another feature, perpendicular to another feature, etc., within + / - 5%, + / - 4%, + / - 3%, + / - 2%, + / - 1%, or even closer to the given feature. Furthermore, it should be understood that mathematical terms such as “flat,” “sloping,” “perpendicular,” and “parallel” are intended to encompass the characteristics of a surface or element as understood by a person skilled in the art, and should not be interpreted as rigorously as they would be in the mathematical field. For example, a “flat” surface is intended to encompass a surface that is machined, molded, or otherwise formed to be generally flat or smooth (within relevant tolerances) using techniques and tools available to a person skilled in the art. Similarly, a “sloping” surface is intended to encompass a surface that is machined, molded, or otherwise formed to be oriented at an angle (e.g., inclined) relative to a reference point using techniques and tools available to a person skilled in the art.

[0013] Embodiments of this disclosure relate to heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) systems. An HVAC&R system may include a vapor compression system (e.g., a vapor compression loop) configured to circulate a working fluid (e.g., a refrigerant) to cool and / or heat a conditioning fluid (e.g., water). The HVAC&R system may then direct the conditioning fluid to other devices within the HVAC&R system and / or various downstream devices (e.g., air handling units) to regulate spaces and / or components of various client systems.

[0014] For example, an HVAC&R system may include one or more heat exchangers (e.g., evaporators, condensers) configured to receive a working fluid and a conditioning or cooling fluid, and to place the working fluid and the conditioning or cooling fluid in a heat exchange relationship (e.g., a thermal energy exchange relationship). In a typical HVAC&R system, the conditioning fluid may be cooled by an evaporator, within which the working fluid absorbs heat from the conditioning fluid, causing the working fluid to evaporate and the conditioning fluid to cool. The working fluid may then be compressed by a compressor and transferred to a condenser. In the condenser, the working fluid is typically cooled by a flow of water or air and condenses into a liquid. The heat exchangers may have various configurations, such as shell-and-tube configurations, tube-fin configurations, etc. In some embodiments, such as a shell-and-tube configuration, the tubes of the heat exchanger (e.g., tube bundles, heat exchange tubes) may extend along the length of the heat exchanger through a housing. The cooling or conditioning fluid may circulate through the tubes, and the housing may receive the working fluid to enable heat exchange between the cooling or conditioning fluid and the working fluid. The tubes may also extend through holes (e.g., openings) formed in one or more tube support brackets (e.g., baffles, deflectors, tube support plates) within the heat exchanger housing, and the tube support brackets may support or hold the configuration or arrangement of the tubes within the housing.

[0015] In some applications, the tube may include one or more surface-strengthening structures (e.g., finned sections, finned portions, reinforced regions, textured regions, surface features) extending along the length of the tube. Surface-strengthening structures may include fins, constructions, ridges, rings, helices, or other surface features formed along the outer surface of the tube to increase the tube's surface area (e.g., outer surface area). Thus, surface-strengthening structures can increase the tube's heat exchange capacity, increase its heat transfer coefficient, improve its efficiency, and so on. However, conventional tubes may also include sections without surface-strengthening structures (e.g., skipped sections, skipped portions, smooth sections, unrefined sections), which may be exposed; and / or may not include fins or other surface-strengthening structures. In existing systems, the tube may have smooth regions formed within holes in one or more tube support brackets. The smooth regions of the tube may expand within the holes (e.g., radially, outwardly) to increase contact between the tube and one or more tube support brackets, thereby forming an interface or joint between the tube and the tube support bracket to secure the tube relative to the tube support bracket. Unfortunately, heat exchangers, including those with tubes that have smooth regions or sections, may have limited heat exchange capacity and / or heat transfer coefficient. Furthermore, the tube expansion process used to secure the tubes to tube support brackets can be costly, time-consuming, and / or prone to other drawbacks.

[0016] Therefore, embodiments of this disclosure relate to an HVAC&R system (e.g., a heat exchanger) having a gasket for a tube support bracket (e.g., a baffle, deflector, tube support plate) configured to facilitate securing a tube (e.g., a heat exchange tube) to the tube support bracket without causing the tube to expand within the opening of the tube support bracket. In fact, this technology enables the use of tubes that do not have smooth areas or portions (e.g., unfinished portions, finless portions) at their intersection with the tube support bracket, areas or portions that would otherwise be included to allow the tube to expand within the opening of the tube support bracket. Because the gasket for the tube support bracket enables the use of tubes without smooth, finless, or “skipped” areas, the tube can include surface-reinforced structures (e.g., fins) formed along a greater length of the tube, thereby increasing the heat transfer coefficient of the tube compared to heat exchangers that include tubes with smooth, finless, or “skipped” sections, and thus increasing the overall heat exchange capacity of the heat exchanger during operation. Furthermore, according to this technology, the gasket is configured to engage with the pipe to mitigate vibration of the pipe relative to the pipe support bracket, and thereby reduce potential wear and degradation of the pipe and / or pipe support bracket that may otherwise be caused by pipe vibration. In this way, the gasket can extend the life of the pipe, and thus the life of the heat exchanger.

[0017] Now turn to the attached diagram. Figure 1 This is a perspective view of an embodiment of a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and cooling (HVAC&R) system 10 in a building 12 for a typical commercial environment. The HVAC&R system 10 may include a vapor compression system 14 (e.g., a cooler) that supplies a cooling liquid for cooling the building 12. The HVAC&R system 10 may also include a boiler 16 that supplies warm liquid to heat the building 12 and an air distribution system that circulates air through the building 12. The air distribution system may also include an air return duct 18, an air supply duct 20, and / or an air handler 22. In some embodiments, the air handler 22 may include a heat exchanger connected to the boiler 16 and the vapor compression system 14 via duct 24. Depending on the operating mode of the HVAC&R system 10, the heat exchanger in the air handler 22 may receive heated liquid from the boiler 16 and / or cooled liquid from the vapor compression system 14. HVAC&R system 10 is shown as having a separate air processor on each floor of building 12, but in other embodiments, HVAC&R system 10 may include air processor 22 and / or other components that may be shared between floors.

[0018] Figure 2 and Figure 3An embodiment of a vapor compression system 14 that can be used in an HVAC&R system 10 is shown. The vapor compression system 14 circulates working fluid through a working fluid loop that begins with a compressor 32. The working fluid loop may also include a condenser 34, an expansion valve or device 36, and a liquid cooler or evaporator 38. The vapor compression system 14 may further include a control panel 40 having an analog-to-digital (A / D) converter 42, a microprocessor 44, non-volatile memory 46, and / or an interface board 48.

[0019] Some examples of fluids that can be used as working fluids in vapor compression system 14 include hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants such as R-410A, R-407, R-134a, R-1234ze, R1233zd, hydrofluoroolefins (HFO), “natural” working fluids such as ammonia (NH3), R-717, carbon dioxide (CO2), R-744, or hydrocarbon-based working fluids, water vapor, or any other suitable working fluid. In some embodiments, vapor compression system 14 may be configured to effectively utilize a working fluid with a standard boiling point of about 19 degrees Celsius (66 degrees Fahrenheit) at one atmosphere, also referred to as a low-pressure working fluid relative to medium-pressure working fluids such as R-134a. As used herein, “standard boiling point” may refer to the boiling point temperature measured at one atmosphere.

[0020] In some embodiments, the vapor compression system 14 may use one or more of a variable speed drive (VSD) 52, a motor 50, a compressor 32, a condenser 34, an expansion valve or device 36, and / or an evaporator 38. The motor 50 may drive the compressor 32 and may be powered by the VSD 52. The VSD 52 receives AC power with a specific fixed line voltage and fixed line frequency from an alternating current (AC) power source and supplies power with a variable voltage and frequency to the motor 50. In other embodiments, the motor 50 may be directly powered by an AC or direct current (DC) power source. The motor 50 may comprise any type of motor that can be powered by a VSD or directly by an AC or DC power source, such as a switched reluctance motor, an induction motor, an electronically rectified permanent magnet motor, or another suitable motor.

[0021] Compressor 32 compresses the working fluid vapor and delivers it to condenser 34 through a discharge passage. In some embodiments, compressor 32 may be a centrifugal compressor. The working fluid vapor delivered by compressor 32 to condenser 34 can transfer heat to the cooling fluid (e.g., water or air) in condenser 34. Due to heat transfer with the cooling fluid, the working fluid vapor can condense into working fluid liquid in condenser 34. The liquid working fluid from condenser 34 can flow through expansion device 36 to evaporator 38. Figure 3In the illustrated embodiment, the condenser 34 is water-cooled and includes a tube bundle 54 connected to a cooling tower 56 that supplies cooling fluid to the condenser 34.

[0022] The liquid working fluid delivered to evaporator 38 can absorb heat from the regulating fluid, which may or may not be the same cooling fluid used in condenser 34. The liquid working fluid in evaporator 38 can undergo a phase change from liquid working fluid to working fluid vapor. For example... Figure 3 As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the evaporator 38 may include a tube bundle 58 having a supply line 60S and a return line 60R connected to the cooling load 62. A conditioning fluid (e.g., water, ethylene glycol, calcium chloride brine, sodium chloride brine, or any other suitable fluid) enters the evaporator 38 via the return line 60R and exits the evaporator 38 via the supply line 60S. The evaporator 38 may reduce the temperature of the cooling fluid in the tube bundle 58 via heat transfer with the working fluid. The tube bundle 58 in the evaporator 38 may include multiple tubes and / or multiple tube bundles. In any case, the vapor working fluid exits the evaporator 38 and returns to the compressor 32 via the suction line to complete the cycle.

[0023] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a vapor compression system 14 having an intermediate loop 64 incorporated between the condenser 34 and the expansion unit 36. The intermediate loop 64 may have an inlet line 68 directly fluidly connected to the condenser 34. In other embodiments, the inlet line 68 may be indirectly fluidly connected to the condenser 34. Figure 4 As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the inlet line 68 includes a first expansion device 66 positioned upstream of the intermediate container 70. In some embodiments, the intermediate container 70 may be a flash tank (e.g., a flash intercooler, an energy saver, etc.). In other embodiments, the intermediate container 70 may be configured as a heat exchanger or a "surface energy saver." Figure 4 In the illustrated embodiment, the intermediate container 70 serves as a flash tank, and the first expansion device 66 is configured to reduce the pressure of the liquid working fluid received from the condenser 34 (e.g., to expand the liquid working fluid). During the expansion process, a portion of the liquid may evaporate, and thus the intermediate container 70 can be used to separate the vapor from the liquid received from the first expansion device 66.

[0024] Additionally, the intermediate container 70 provides further expansion of the liquid working fluid due to the pressure drop it experiences upon entering the intermediate container 70 (e.g., due to the rapid increase in volume experienced upon entering the intermediate container 70). Vapor in the intermediate container 70 can be drawn by the compressor 32 through its suction line 74. In other embodiments, vapor in the intermediate container can be drawn to an intermediate stage (e.g., a non-suction stage) of the compressor 32. Due to expansion in the expansion device 66 and / or the intermediate container 70, the enthalpy of the liquid collected in the intermediate container 70 can be lower than the enthalpy of the liquid working fluid leaving the condenser 34. The liquid from the intermediate container 70 can then flow through the second expansion device 36 in line 72 to the evaporator 38.

[0025] It should be understood that any of the HVAC&R systems described above can be utilized according to this technology. For example, this technology can be incorporated into embodiments of the HVAC&R system 10, vapor compression system 14, boiler 16, cooler, heat pump, and / or other HVAC&R equipment described above. The following discussion describes this technology incorporating an embodiment of the vapor compression system 14 (e.g., a cooler) of the HVAC&R system 10, which is configured to supply cooled conditioning fluid to regulate the space and / or components of various downstream devices (e.g., air handling units) of the HVAC&R system 10. However, it should be noted that the systems and methods described herein can be implemented to similarly provide heated conditioning fluid to regulate the space and / or components of any suitable system.

[0026] As briefly discussed above, this embodiment relates to a heat exchanger, such as a condenser 34 and / or an evaporator 38, having gaskets (e.g., gasket sleeves, damping plates) for tube support brackets (e.g., baffles, deflectors, tube support plates) that facilitate securing tubes (e.g., heat exchange tubes) within holes in the tube support brackets. Specifically, the gaskets enable securing the tubes within the holes of the tube support brackets without requiring the tubes to expand within the holes to form an interference fit or engagement between the tubes and the tube support brackets. Instead, the gaskets can be configured to establish an interference fit with the tubes so that the tubes can be held relative to the tube support brackets.

[0027] Gaskets can also be formed from elastomers (e.g., elastic polymers) configured to deform elastically, such as rubber or polychloroprene. Thus, the tube can be formed to include surface-reinforcing structures, such as fins, on the outer surface (e.g., outer diameter, outer circumference) of the tube (e.g., along its length), without also including smooth, finless, or "skipped" sections (e.g., portions, areas) of the tube that do not include fins or surface-reinforcing structures. As mentioned above, existing tubes typically include smooth, finless, or "skipped" sections to accommodate expansion of the tube within holes in tube support brackets. Unfortunately, including sections without surface-reinforcing structures (such as fins) reduces the heat transfer performance of the tube. This technology enables the assembly and manufacture of heat exchangers with tubes that do not include smooth, finless, or "skipped" areas, which, compared to heat exchangers with tubes having smooth or finless areas, allows for improved overall heat exchange capacity and / or efficiency during operation.

[0028] Furthermore, the gasket is configured to mitigate tube vibration, thereby reducing potential wear and degradation of the tube and / or tube support bracket that may otherwise be caused by tube vibration. In this way, the gasket can extend the service life of the tube, and thus the service life of the heat exchanger. As used herein, a “skipped” tube can refer to a heat exchange tube having surface-reinforced structural features (such as fins) formed on a specific portion of the tube’s outer diameter or surface, and also having one or more smooth (e.g., unfined, unmodified, unreinforced) areas or portions along the length of the tube to accommodate expansion of the tube within the orifices of the tube support bracket. As used herein, a “finned” tube can refer to a heat exchange tube having fins or other surface-reinforced structural features formed on the outer diameter or surface of the tube (e.g., along the entire heat transfer length of the tube), and not having one or more smooth or unfined areas formed along the length of the tube to accommodate expansion of the tube within the orifices of the tube support bracket.

[0029] Considering the above, Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a heat exchange tube, which can be included in the tube bundle of a heat exchanger in the vapor compression system of an HVAC&R system. Specifically, Figure 5This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a skipped tube 100 in a heat exchanger of an HVAC&R system. In some embodiments, the skipped tube 100 may be formed of a conductive metallic material, such as, for example, copper, steel, stainless steel, copper-nickel alloy, titanium, aluminum, or any combination thereof. As shown, the skipped tube 100 may include a reinforced region or area (e.g., a textured surface, a surface-reinforced structure), such as a finned segment 104 (e.g., a finned portion, a finned region, a reinforced segment, a textured segment), which is configured to increase the outer surface area of ​​the tube 100 and thus increase the heat transfer coefficient of the finned segment 104 of the skipped tube 100. The reinforced region or finned segment 104 may include a plurality of fins 106 (e.g., ridges) alternating with a plurality of valleys 108 formed on the outer surface 111 of the skipped tube 100. Each of the plurality of fins 106 and each of the plurality of valleys 108 extends radially outward from the central axis 110 (e.g., center) of the skipped tube 100 and substantially surrounds the circumference of the skipped tube 100. In some embodiments, each of the plurality of fins 106 may be a discrete fin, separate and distinct from the other fins 106. In other embodiments, the fins 106 may be formed via one or more continuously formed ribbon structures (e.g., spirals) that coil around the outer surface of the skipped tube 100 within the fin section 104. The plurality of fins 106 (e.g., ridges) and the plurality of valleys 108 of the fin section 104 may be formed via mechanical pressing (e.g., deformation) of the outer surface 111 (e.g., fin region 104) of the skipped tube 100. For example, one or more molds (e.g., discs, rollers) with a desired pattern can be used to form a plurality of fins 106, and the one or more molds can be pressed onto the outer surface 111 of the skipped tube 100 to form a textured surface 112 of the fin segment 104 (e.g., a plurality of fins 106 alternating with a plurality of valleys 108, a textured outer surface, a surface-strengthening structure).

[0030] Figure 5Detailed view 114 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the skipped tube 100 at the apex 118 (e.g., peak) of one of the fins (e.g., a ridge) in fin 106. Detailed view 114 also depicts the trough 126 of one of the valleys 108 in the fin section 104. As shown, the skipped tube 100 may generally be circular and may include an inner wall 122 (e.g., inner diameter) defining a hollow cavity 124 (e.g., a flow path, channel) in which fluid (e.g., conditioning fluid, cooling fluid, water, brine) may flow. Specifically, the apex 118 of the fin 106 (e.g., a ridge) may correspond to a location within the fin section 104 of the skipped tube 100 (e.g., along the central axis 110) where a first thickness 120 (e.g., radial thickness) of the skipped tube 100 (e.g., extending radially from the central axis 110 to the apex 118) is an upper limit (e.g., maximum) value. The trough 126 of valley 108 may correspond to a location within fin section 104 (e.g., along central axis 110) where the second thickness 128 (e.g., radial thickness) of the skipped tube 100 (e.g., extending radially from central axis 110 to trough 126) is a lower limit (e.g., minimum) value. In other words, the first thickness 120 of the skipped tube 100 is greater than the second thickness 128 of the skipped tube 100 in fin section 104.

[0031] Furthermore, the skipped tube 100 may include one or more smooth segments 130 (e.g., finless segments, unreinforced segments) along a length 116 of the skipped tube 100. The one or more smooth segments 130 may include little or no reinforced textured surfaces. In other words, the smooth segment 130 may be a segment of the skipped tube 100 that does not have fins 106 (e.g., finless) and / or does not have any substantial textured surface or surface reinforcement structure. Therefore, the heat transfer coefficient of the smooth segment 130 of the skipped tube 100 may be lower than the heat transfer coefficient of the finned segment 104 (e.g., reinforced segment) of the skipped tube 100. As described herein, the smooth segment 130 may be positioned along the interface (e.g., crossing, overlapping, intersecting, extending therein) between the skipped tube 100 and a tube support bracket (e.g., baffle, deflector, tube support plate) to facilitate expansion of the skipped tube 100 at the interface point, thereby increasing the contact between the skipped tube 100 and the tube support bracket.

[0032] However, the expansion of the skipped tube 100 may result in a thinning of the skipped tube 100 and / or a reduction in the tube wall thickness. Therefore, the skipped tube 100 may include a smooth section 130 at the interface location to allow the skipped tube 100 to expand at the interface location. Specifically, the smooth section 130 may not undergo the process of creating the textured surfaces 112 (such as fins 106 and valleys 108) of the skipped tube 100, which may otherwise lead to a thinning of the skipped tube 100. The thickness of the skipped tube 100 in the reinforced section and / or finned section 104 (e.g., a second thickness 128) may not be large enough to accommodate the expansion of the skipped tube 100 without compromising its structural and / or material integrity. Therefore, the smooth section 130 (e.g., the unreinforced section, the finless section) can have a thickness that allows the skipped tube 100 to expand, thereby increasing the contact between the skipped tube 100 and the tube support bracket at the interface location without compromising the structural integrity of the skipped tube 100. For example, Figure 5 Detailed view 132 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the skipped tube 100 at the smooth section 130. In some embodiments, the third thickness 134 (e.g., radial thickness) of the smooth section 130 of the skipped tube 100 may be substantially equal to or similar to the first thickness 120 of the skipped tube 100 between the inner wall 122 and the apex 118 of the fin 106 of the fin section 104, and may be greater than the second thickness 128 of the skipped tube 100 between the inner wall 122 and the bottom 126 of the valley 108 of the fin section 104.

[0033] In some embodiments, each smooth segment of the smooth segment 130 may include one or more transition regions 136 and one or more exposed regions 140 (e.g., smooth regions). Specifically, the one or more transition regions 136 may be segments of the skipped tube 100 between the finned segment 104 and one or more exposed segments 140, the segments including a rough surface 138 that differs from the finned segment 104 or the exposed region 140. Specifically, the rough surface 138 of the transition region 136 may make the heat exchange surface area to volume ratio of the skipped tube 100 less than the heat exchange surface area to volume ratio of the finned segment 104 of the skipped tube 100.

[0034] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a heat exchange tube, which may be included in a tube bundle (e.g., tube bundle 54, tube bundle 58) of the heat exchanger (e.g., condenser 34, evaporator 38) of the vapor compression system 14 of the HVAC&R system 10. Specifically, Figure 6This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a finned heat exchange tube 102, which can be used in a heat exchanger (e.g., condenser 34, evaporator 38) of an HVAC&R system 10. In some embodiments, the finned tube 102 may be formed of a conductive metallic material, such as, for example, copper, steel, stainless steel, copper-nickel alloy, titanium, aluminum, or any combination thereof. As shown, the finned tube 102 may include surface-strengthening structures (e.g., textured surfaces), such as finned segments 142 (e.g., finned regions, finned surfaces, surface-strengthening structures), which may extend along the length 141 of the finned tube 102 (e.g., substantially the entire length 141, the whole length 141) (e.g., without intermediate smooth sections). In other words, the finned segment 142 may extend from a first longitudinal end portion 143 of the finned tube 102 to a second longitudinal end portion 145 of the finned tube 102. Furthermore, as described herein, finned section 142 can be configured to increase the surface area (e.g., outer surface area) of finned tube 102, and thus increase the heat transfer coefficient of finned tube 102, such as by facilitating increased heat transfer between a first fluid guided through finned tube 102 (e.g., across the outer surface) and a second fluid guided through finned tube 102 (e.g., inside the finned tube).

[0035] The fin segment 142 may include a plurality of fins 144 (e.g., ridges, surface-reinforced structures) alternating with a plurality of valleys 146. Each fin 144 and each valley 146 may extend radially generally from a central axis 148 (e.g., center) of the finned tube 102 and substantially around the circumference of the finned tube 102. In some embodiments, each of the plurality of fins 144 may be a discrete fin, separate and distinct from the other fins 144. In other embodiments, the fins 144 may be one or more continuously formed ribbon structures (e.g., spirals) that coil around the outer surface 174 of the finned tube 102. The plurality of fins 144 (e.g., ridges) and the plurality of valleys 146 of the finned tube 102 (e.g., fin segment 142) may be formed via mechanical pressing (e.g., deformation) of the outer surface 174 of the finned tube 102. For example, one or more molds (e.g., discs, rollers) with a desired pattern can be used to form a plurality of fins 144, and the one or more molds can be pressed onto the outer surface 174 of the finned tube 102 to form a textured surface 150 (e.g., a plurality of fins 144 alternating with a plurality of valleys 146, a textured outer surface, a surface-strengthening structure) along the outer surface 174 of the finned tube 102 (e.g., from a first longitudinal end portion 143 to a second longitudinal end portion 145).

[0036] For example, Figure 6Detailed view 152 shows a cross-sectional view of the finned tube 102 at the apex 154 (e.g., peak) of one of the fins (e.g., a ridge) in the finned tube 144. Detailed view 152 also depicts the trough 158 of one of the valleys 146. As shown, the finned tube 102 may generally be circular and may include an inner wall 160 (e.g., an inner surface) defining a hollow cavity 162 (e.g., a flow path, a channel) in which fluid (e.g., a conditioning fluid, a cooling fluid, water, brine) may flow. Specifically, the apex 154 of the finned tube 144 (e.g., a ridge) may correspond to a location of the finned tube 102 (e.g., along the central axis 148) where a first thickness 164 (e.g., a radial thickness) (e.g., extending radially from the central axis 148 to the apex 154) of the finned tube 102 is an upper limit (e.g., a maximum) value. The trough 158 of valley 146 may correspond to a position of finned tube 102 (e.g., along central axis 148) where the second thickness 166 (e.g., radial thickness) of finned tube 102 is at a lower limit (e.g., minimum) value. In other words, the first thickness 164 of finned tube 102 is greater than the second thickness 166 of finned tube 102.

[0037] Furthermore, the finned tube 102 may have an inner diameter 170 defined by the inner wall 160 of the finned tube 102. In some embodiments, the inner diameter 170 may be generally and / or substantially constant along the length 141 of the finned tube 102. The outer diameter 172 of the finned tube 102 may vary along the length 141 of the finned tube 102, such as due to the formation of fins 144 and valleys 146 (e.g., fin segments 142, textured surfaces 150, surface-reinforcing structures) on the outer surface 174 of the finned tube 102. In some embodiments, the size of the outer diameter 172 may vary along the length 141 of the finned tube 102 between about 18 mm and 20 mm, between about 17 mm and 19 mm, between about 18.7 mm and 19 mm, or any other suitable range. The outer diameter 172 can vary along the length 141 due to the variation in the thickness (e.g., radial thickness) (e.g., first thickness 164, second thickness 166) of the finned tube 102 caused by the formation of fins 144 (e.g., ridges) and valleys 146 in the outer surface 174. Thus, the pattern of the textured surface 150 with fins 144 and valleys 146 increases the surface area of ​​the outer surface 174, and also increases the ratio of the heat exchange surface area of ​​the finned tube 102 to the fluid volume within the finned tube 102. This increased surface area of ​​the outer surface 174 makes it possible to increase the heat transfer coefficient (e.g., heat transfer capacity) of the finned tube 102.

[0038] A textured surface 150 (e.g., fins 144, valleys 146) formed on the outer surface 174 and extending from the first longitudinal end portion 143 to the second longitudinal end portion 145 (e.g., along length 141) without intermediate smooth segments formed along length 141, can enable improved heat transfer via the finned tube 102 compared to embodiments of skipped tube 100 having one or more smooth segments 130 (e.g., unfinished segments) incorporated to accommodate the expansion of skipped tube 100. It should be understood that in some embodiments, the textured surface 150 of the finned tube 102 may have alternative geometries (e.g., surface-strengthening structures) in addition to or instead of fins 144 (e.g., ridges) and valleys 146. For example, the finned tube 102 (e.g., heat exchange tube, tube) may include surface-strengthening structures such as scribe lines, dotted lines, pits, peaks, and / or other surface-strengthening structures that can increase the surface area of ​​the outer surface 174 of the finned tube 102. In any case, a surface-reinforced structure may be formed on the outer surface 174 of the finned tube 102 along its entire or substantially the entire length 141 (e.g., without one or more intermediate smooth or exposed sections) in accordance with this technology. In some embodiments, the inner wall 160 of the finned tube 102 may include a second textured surface, which may be substantially the same as or different from the textured surface 150 of the outer surface 174 of the finned tube 102.

[0039] As described herein, the use of finned tubes 102 incorporating this technology within the heat exchangers (such as condensers 34 and / or evaporators 38) of the vapor compression system 14 of the HVAC&R system 10 improves the operation of the HVAC&R system 10. For example, compared to a heat exchanger including skipped tubes 100, finned tubes 102 enable an increase in the heat transfer coefficient of the heat exchanger having finned tubes 102, an increase in the overall heat exchange capacity of the HVAC&R system 10, and an improvement in the efficiency of the heat exchanger and / or the HVAC&R system. Specifically, finned tubes 102 have a textured surface 150 formed along a length 141 (e.g., the entire length 141) without intermediate smooth sections, providing a larger heat exchange surface area 174 (e.g., relative to the volume of fluid guided through finned tubes 102) compared to skipped tubes 100, due to the presence of one or more smooth sections 130 (e.g., unreinforced sections, unfined sections) on the outer surface 111 of skipped tubes 100.

[0040] Figure 7This is a cross-sectional axial view of an embodiment of a heat exchanger 180 according to the present technology, within which heat exchange tubes, such as finned tubes 102, may be incorporated. As also described above, the heat exchanger 180 may be combined with an embodiment of a vapor compression system 14 and may be configured to enable heat transfer between two or more fluid flows. For this purpose, the heat exchanger 180 includes a housing 182 defining an internal volume 184 configured to receive a first fluid, such as a working fluid circulating through the vapor compression system 14. A plurality of finned tubes 102 may be disposed within the housing 182 and may be configured to allow a second fluid (e.g., a cooling fluid, a conditioning fluid) to circulate through the plurality of finned tubes. Thus, the first fluid may be guided through the plurality of finned tubes 102, and heat may be exchanged between the first fluid and the second fluid guided through the finned tubes 102.

[0041] To maintain the position, configuration, and / or arrangement of the finned tubes 102 within the internal volume 184, the heat exchanger 180 may include one or more tube support brackets 200 (e.g., baffles, deflectors, tube support plates) disposed within the internal volume 184 of the heat exchanger 180. In some embodiments, the tube support brackets 200 may be manufactured from a single piece (e.g., a monolithic material) such as copper, steel, stainless steel, copper-nickel alloy, titanium, aluminum, other metallic materials, composite materials, or any other suitable material. One or more tube support brackets 200 may be secured to the inner wall 256 of the housing 180 within the internal volume 184. One or more tube support brackets 200 may be secured to the inner wall 256 of the heat exchanger 180 via any suitable fastening technique such as one or more fasteners, brazing, adhesives, and / or welding. In some embodiments, the tube support bracket 200 may have a semi-circular shape or geometry and may extend within the internal volume 184 along a portion of the height 204 of the heat exchanger 180 (e.g., housing 182, internal volume 184) relative to the vertical axis 250. The tube support bracket 200 also extends within the internal volume 184 along a width 206 of the heat exchanger 180 (e.g., housing 182, internal volume 184) relative to the transverse axis 252. In the illustrated embodiment, the tube support bracket 200 extends through the entire width 206. It should be understood that, according to the present technology, the tube support bracket 200 may have any suitable geometry (e.g., external geometry), shape, and / or configuration configured to support and retain the finned tube 102 within the internal volume 184.

[0042] Furthermore, the tube support bracket 200 may include a plurality of holes 202 (e.g., gaps, openings, orifices) formed therein. Each hole 202 is configured to receive a corresponding heat exchange tube (e.g., finned tube 102) disposed within the internal volume 184. In practice, the heat exchanger 180 may include a plurality of tube support brackets 200 that may have similar configurations, and each heat exchange tube may extend through a corresponding hole 202 in each tube support bracket 200. The holes 202 may be arranged in any suitable manner (e.g., pattern, geometry) to support and retain the heat exchange tubes (e.g., finned tube 102) in a desired configuration, arrangement, and / or position within the heat exchanger 180. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the holes 202 are arranged as a series of rows 240 (e.g., offset rows, staggered rows) arranged and / or aligned along a vertical axis 250. The holes 202 of adjacent rows 240 (e.g., vertically adjacent rows) may be staggered relative to each other, such as staggered relative to the vertical axis 250 and / or along the transverse axis 252. For example, the first center 212 (e.g., central axis) of the first hole 214 in the first row 216 of holes 202 is offset (e.g., misaligned) from the second center 218 (e.g., central axis) of the second hole 220 in the second row 222 of holes 202. The third center 224 (e.g., central axis) of the third hole 226 in the third row 228 of holes 202 is aligned with the first center 212 of the first hole 214. Furthermore, each hole 202 may have a diameter 230 (e.g., approximately 17 mm, 18 mm, 19 mm, 18 mm to 19 mm, 19.2 mm to 19.35 mm). The diameter 230 of the hole 202 may be larger than (e.g., slightly larger than) the outer diameter of the heat exchange tube (e.g., the outer diameter 172 of the finned tube 102). Thus, during the assembly of the heat exchanger 180, the heat exchange tube (e.g., the finned tube 102) can be easily inserted through the hole 202. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the smaller outer diameter of the heat exchange tube allows it to be positioned within the corresponding bore 202 such that the heat exchange tube is substantially offset (e.g., radially offset) from the edge of the tube support bracket 200 defining the bore 202. Specifically, the heat exchange tube can be positioned coaxially with the corresponding bore 202 (e.g., the central axis 148 is collinear with the first center 214). In other words, in the assembled configuration, the heat exchange tube may not directly contact the tube support bracket 200. Therefore, vibrations induced within the tube support bracket 200 during operation of the heat exchanger 180 may not be applied to the heat exchange tube (e.g., the finned tube 102) and vice versa.

[0043] The tube support bracket 200 can still support part of the weight of the heat exchange tubes (e.g., finned tubes 102) and facilitate and maintain the correct positioning and / or alignment of the heat exchange tubes (e.g., finned tubes 102) within the heat exchanger 180. For this purpose, the heat exchanger 180 includes one or more washers (e.g., damping plates) corresponding to each tube support bracket 200, as described in further detail below. Each washer can be secured to one of the tube support brackets 200 and can be configured to receive and engage one of the heat exchange tubes so that the heat exchange tube can be held in a desired position within the internal volume 184.

[0044] Considering the above, Figure 8 This is a perspective view of an embodiment of a heat exchanger 180 having a plurality of tube support brackets 200 (e.g., baffles, deflectors) arranged within an internal volume 184 of the heat exchanger 180. For clarity, specific components of the heat exchanger 180 (such as housing 182) are depicted with hidden lines or dashed lines to better show the internal components within the heat exchanger 180, such as the tube support brackets 200 and heat exchange tubes (e.g., finned tubes 102). It should be understood that the heat exchanger 180 may include a corresponding heat exchange tube (e.g., finned tube 102) extending through each opening 202 of each tube support bracket 200. As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the heat exchanger 180 may include a plurality of tube support brackets 200 (e.g., 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or more). Tube support brackets 200 can be arranged within the internal volume 184 of the housing 182 along its length (e.g., along the longitudinal axis 254 of the heat exchanger 180). For example, tube support brackets 200 can be spaced apart from each other (e.g., with adjacent tube support brackets 200) along the longitudinal axis 254 (such as along the length or a portion of the length 210 of the heat exchanger 180). In this way, the multiple tube support brackets 200, in conjunction with the gaskets described below, can support the weight of the heat exchange tubes (e.g., finned tubes 102) and can maintain the correct positioning and / or alignment of the heat exchange tubes (e.g., finned tubes 102) along the length or a portion of the length 210 of the heat exchanger 180 (e.g., reducing sagging and / or bending). In practice, the multiple tube support brackets 200 spaced apart from each other can make the weight distribution of the heat exchange tubes more desirable. Proper support and positioning of the heat exchange tubes (e.g., finned tube 102) can extend the service life of the heat exchange tubes, and thus extend the service life of the heat exchanger 180.

[0045] It should be understood that in other embodiments, the tube support bracket 200 may be configured and / or manufactured with alternative geometries, shapes, configurations, and / or arrangements to provide a desired configuration and / or arrangement of the heat exchanger 180 (e.g., heat exchanger tubes, finned tubes 102, tube bundles). For example, in some embodiments, a first tube support bracket may be disposed substantially along the lower half of the heat exchanger 180 relative to the vertical axis 250, wherein the next successive (e.g., second, adjacent) tube support bracket is disposed substantially along the upper half of the heat exchanger 180 relative to the vertical axis 250. The remaining tube support brackets may repeat this alternating arrangement along the length or a portion of the length 210 of the heat exchanger 180. In this way, the tube support bracket 200 can be positioned to achieve a desired flow path and / or desired velocity of fluids (e.g., conditioning fluid, cooling fluid, working fluid) within the heat exchanger 180.

[0046] As briefly discussed above, vibrations may be induced in the heat exchange tubes (e.g., finned tube 102) during operation of the heat exchanger 180. For example, eddies induced by the flow of working fluid (e.g., refrigerant) and / or fluids (e.g., water, conditioning fluid, cooling fluid) guided through the housing 182 and through the heat exchange tubes may generate vibrations within the heat exchange tubes. As shown above, using finned tube 102 in the heat exchanger 180 instead of skipped tube 100 is desirable because finned tube 102 does not have a smooth section 130 and therefore can provide an increased heat transfer coefficient, which improves the heat exchange capacity, rate, and / or efficiency of the heat exchanger 180. However, fabricating a textured surface 150 (e.g., finned section 142) of finned tube 102 along its entire or substantially the entire length 141 may thin the finned tube 102 (e.g., reduce its thickness). Therefore, tube expansion techniques used to secure the finned tube 102 to the tube support bracket 200 to mitigate vibration of the finned tube 102 may compromise the integrity of the finned tube 102 and are therefore unsuitable. Consequently, embodiments of this disclosure relate to a gasket (e.g., gasket sleeve, damping plate) configured for use with the tube support bracket 200 (e.g., baffle, deflector) to secure the finned tube 102 within the heat exchanger 180.

[0047] Figure 9This is a partial perspective view of an embodiment of a heat exchanger 180, showing an embodiment of the connection (e.g., interface, alignment, fixation) between a gasket 300 and a tube support bracket 200 of the heat exchanger 180. As shown, a finned tube 102 can extend through both the gasket 300 and the tube support bracket 200. The gasket 300 may include a plurality of openings 302 (e.g., gaps, holes, apertures), and each opening 302 can be configured to receive one finned tube of the finned tube 102. Thus, each opening 302 can be aligned with a corresponding hole 202 of the tube support bracket 200. That is, the corresponding opening 302 and the corresponding hole 202 can be substantially coaxial so that the corresponding finned tube 102 can extend through the opening and the hole.

[0048] As mentioned above, the washer 300 can be secured to the tube support bracket 200. For example, a first surface 304 of the washer 300 can abut a second surface 306 of the tube support bracket 200. In some embodiments, substantially the entire first surface 304 can abut a substantially the entire second surface 306. In this way, the weight of the finned tube 102 applied to the washer 300 can be sufficiently or desirously transferred to the tube support bracket 200 and the housing 182. Additionally, the washer 300 may include a first shape or geometry 308 (e.g., an external geometry) that corresponds (e.g., matches) to a second shape or geometry 310 (e.g., an external geometry) of the tube support bracket 200. The washer 300 can be fastened (e.g., coupled, directly coupled, secured, glued) to the tube support bracket 200 via any suitable technique. For example, a rivet 312 can extend through the washer 300 and the tube support bracket 200 to secure the washer 300 and the tube support bracket 200 to each other. Alternatively or concurrently, the washer 300 and the tube support bracket 200 may be fastened to each other by adhesive, molding process, one or more alternative fasteners (e.g., bolts, screws and nuts), another suitable fastening technique, or any combination thereof.

[0049] In some embodiments, gasket 300 may be formed of an elastic material and / or an elastomeric material. For example, gasket 300 may be formed of natural rubber, synthetic rubber, polychloroprene, or other suitable elastomers. The material used to form gasket 300 may be selected based on desired compatibility with the working fluid (e.g., refrigerant) circulating through heat exchanger 180 (e.g., housing 182) and guided through finned tube 102. Thus, the working fluid can contact gasket 300, and gasket 300 will not degrade over time due to contact with the working fluid (e.g., refrigerant) and / or due to exposure to elevated temperatures (e.g., about 200 to 300 degrees Fahrenheit) and / or decreased temperatures (e.g., about 0 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit) within heat exchanger 180. Furthermore, gasket 300 may be formed as a single (e.g., continuous) sheet material. The gasket 300 can be formed to have a thickness 314 of a desired size (e.g., approximately 0.125 inches, 0.25 inches, or 0.5 inches) to adequately absorb vibrations from the finned tube 102. Furthermore, in some embodiments, one or more openings 302 can be formed in a single sheet of material, such as through cutting or punching manufacturing techniques. Alternatively or concurrently, the gasket 300 can be formed using a molding process.

[0050] As described in further detail below, gasket 300 is configured to engage with finned tube 102 to hold finned tube 102 in a desired position. For example, gasket 300 (e.g., opening 302) may have dimensions configured to abut and capture finned tube 102 extending through opening 302. Because gasket 300 may be formed of an elastomer or other elastic (e.g., flexible) material, gasket 300 may not apply forces to finned tube 102, which could affect or alter the structural geometry of finned tube 102 (e.g., fins 144). Instead, the material of gasket 300 may be deformable to accommodate finned tube 102, including physical characteristics of finned tube 102 such as textured surface 150, fins 144, etc. For example, each opening 302 of the gasket 300 may be defined by a corresponding inner edge 316 of the gasket, and during the mounting of the finned tube 102 within and / or through the opening 302, the inner edge 316 may deform to accommodate, capture, and maintain the physical geometry of the finned tube 102 within the opening 302 (e.g., fins 144) without altering that physical geometry. Similarly, during operation of the heat exchanger 180, vibrations induced in the finned tube 102 may be applied to and absorbed by the gasket 300, and the physical geometry (e.g., textured surface 150, fins 144, first thickness 164, second thickness 166) may remain substantially unchanged. Therefore, the finned segment 142 of the finned tube 102 may extend within and through the opening 302 of the gasket 300 without compromising the structural integrity of the finned tube 102. Thus, the finned tube 102 may include finned sections 142 formed along substantially the entire length 141 of the finned tube 102 (e.g., without smooth sections for tube expansion within the holes 202 of the tube support bracket 200) to enable improved heat transfer, as described above.

[0051] Considering the above, Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a gasket 300 and a tube support bracket 200 for a heat exchanger 180. As described above, the gasket 300 includes an opening 302 aligned (e.g., coaxial) with one or more holes 202 in the tube support bracket 200 and configured to receive a finned tube 102 passing through the opening and hole. Each opening 302 of the gasket 300 may have a diameter 320 defined by a corresponding inner edge 316 forming the opening 302. The diameter 320 of the opening 302 may be smaller than the diameter 230 of the corresponding hole 202 in the tube support bracket 200 aligned with the opening 302. For example, the diameter 320 may be approximately 17 mm, 18 mm, 18.4 mm, 18.4 mm to 18.7 mm, 19 mm, or any other suitable size.

[0052] In some embodiments, the diameter 320 of the opening 302 may be smaller than (e.g., slightly smaller than) the outer diameter 172 of the finned tube 102 (e.g., defined by the fin 144), and the diameter 230 of the hole 202 may be larger than the outer diameter 172 of the finned tube 102. Therefore, the opening 302 of the gasket 300 allows it to engage with the finned tube 102 via an interference fit. In other words, the finned tube 102 may extend through the opening 302, and the outer diameter 172 of the finned tube 102 (e.g., the fin 144) may engage (e.g., contact, abut, or adhere) with the inner edge 316 forming the opening 302. Because the gasket 300 may be formed of an elastomeric material, the inner edge 316 of the gasket 300 may deform to receive, accommodate, and retain the finned tube 102 (including the fin 144) without causing physical alteration or degradation of the fins 144 and / or the outer surface 174 of the finned tube 102. The interference fit established between the finned tube 102 and the gasket 300 allows for more effective suppression of induced vibrations in the finned tube 102. Furthermore, the interference fit increases the contact (e.g., physical contact) between the finned tube 102 and the gasket 300, thereby increasing the coefficient of friction (e.g., relative motion resistance) between them. The smaller relative size of the diameter 320 of the opening 302, and the flexibility and / or elasticity of the material used to form the gasket 300, facilitates improved (e.g., cheaper, more efficient, and faster) assembly of the finned tube 102 via the tube support bracket 200 within the heat exchanger 180 without applying undesirable forces to the finned tube 102 (e.g., through unintentional or accidental contact between the finned tube 102 and the tube support bracket 200). Furthermore, since the diameter 230 of the hole 202 in the tube support bracket 200 can be larger than the outer diameter 172 of the finned tube 102, the finned tube 102 (including fins 144) may not be in physical contact with the tube support bracket 200 during the assembly of the heat exchanger 180 and / or in its assembled configuration, but can still be desirablely held in the assembled configuration by means of the gasket 300. This avoids undesirable contact between the finned tube 102 (e.g., made of metal) and the tube support bracket 200 (e.g., made of metal), thereby mitigating the possibility of wear and degradation of the finned tube 102 during the assembly of the heat exchanger 180 and / or during its operation.

[0053] In the manner described above, this embodiment, by implementing a gasket with a tube support bracket, enables an increase in the heat transfer coefficient of the heat exchange tube and improves the heat exchange capacity and / or efficiency of the heat exchanger including the heat exchange tube. The gasket allows for the formation of a surface-reinforced structure (e.g., no smooth or exposed sections) over a larger area or surface region of the heat exchange tube, which improves heat transfer while also enabling the heat exchange tube to be held in a desired arrangement or location within the heat exchanger. Furthermore, the gasket reduces wear and degradation on the heat exchange tube, which may otherwise be caused by vibrations induced in the heat exchange tube during heat exchanger operation. Thus, the gasket can also typically extend the service life or operational life of the heat exchange tube and the heat exchanger. The disclosed technology also enables a reduction in the overall cost of producing heat exchangers and an increase in the efficiency of heat exchanger production by simplifying the manufacture of the heat exchanger, including avoiding the tube expansion process commonly used in conventional designs.

[0054] Although only certain features and embodiments of this disclosure have been shown and described, many modifications and variations will occur to those skilled in the art (e.g., variations in the size, dimensions, structure, shape and proportion of various elements, parameter values ​​(e.g., temperature, pressure, etc.), installation arrangements, material use, color, orientation, etc.) without substantially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter described in the claims. The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be altered or reordered according to alternative embodiments. Therefore, it should be noted that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and variations falling within the true spirit of this disclosure.

[0055] Furthermore, in order to provide a concise description of exemplary embodiments, not all features of actual implementations (i.e., those features irrelevant to the best mode of implementing this disclosure, or those features irrelevant to implementing the claimed embodiments) may be described. It should be understood that, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions may be made in the development of any such actual implementation. Such development work may be complex and time-consuming, but these are routine tasks of design, manufacture, and production for those skilled in the art who benefit from this disclosure, without requiring excessive experimentation.

[0056] The technical references presented and asserted herein are applied to tangible objects and specific examples of practical nature that arguably improve the technical field of the invention and are therefore not abstract, intangible, or purely theoretical. Furthermore, if any claim appended to this specification contains one or more elements expressed as "means for [performing] [function]..." or "steps for [performing] [function]...", such elements are intended to be interpreted in accordance with 35 USC 112(f). However, for any claim containing elements specified in any other manner, it is intended that such elements not be interpreted in accordance with 35 USC 112(f).

Claims

1. A heat exchanger for a heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC&R) system, the heat exchanger comprising: Multiple heat exchange tubes; A pipe support bracket, the pipe support bracket including multiple holes; as well as A washer is attached to the tube support bracket, wherein the washer includes a plurality of openings, and each of the plurality of openings is aligned with a corresponding hole in the plurality of holes.

2. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of heat exchange tubes extends through a corresponding opening of the plurality of openings and through a corresponding hole of the plurality of holes.

3. The heat exchanger of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of openings has a first diameter, each of the plurality of holes includes a second diameter, and the first diameter is smaller than the second diameter.

4. The heat exchanger of claim 3, wherein the gasket is configured to engage with each of the plurality of heat exchange tubes to retain each of the plurality of heat exchange tubes within the respective opening of the plurality of openings and the corresponding hole of the plurality of holes via an interference fit between the gasket and the heat exchange tube.

5. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the gasket comprises a synthetic rubber material.

6. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the gasket is connected to the tube support bracket via one or more rivets.

7. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the gasket comprises a first external geometry, and the tube support bracket comprises a second external geometry corresponding to the first external geometry.

8. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of heat exchange tubes includes a surface-reinforced structure formed in the outer surface of the heat exchange tube.

9. The heat exchanger of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of heat exchange tubes extends through a corresponding opening of the plurality of openings and through a corresponding hole of the plurality of holes, and the corresponding surface-reinforcing structure of each of the plurality of heat exchange tubes extends through the corresponding opening of the plurality of openings and through the corresponding hole of the plurality of holes.

10. The heat exchanger of claim 9, wherein the surface strengthening structure comprises a plurality of fins formed in the outer surface of the heat exchange tube.

11. A heat exchanger for a heating, ventilation, air conditioning and / or cooling (HVAC&R) system, said heat exchanger comprising: A housing that defines an internal volume configured to receive a first fluid; A plurality of tubes are disposed within the internal volume of the housing, wherein the plurality of tubes are configured to allow a second fluid to circulate through the plurality of tubes so that the second fluid is in a heat exchange relationship with the first fluid; A tube support bracket is disposed within the internal volume of the housing, wherein the tube support bracket includes a plurality of holes formed therein; as well as Washers, the washers being coupled to the tube support brackets, wherein the washers include a plurality of openings formed therein. The tubes of the plurality of tubes extend through the holes of the plurality of holes and through the openings of the plurality of openings corresponding to the holes.

12. The heat exchanger of claim 11, wherein the orifice includes a first inner diameter, the opening includes a second inner diameter, and the second inner diameter is smaller than the first inner diameter.

13. The heat exchanger of claim 12, wherein the gasket includes an inner edge defining the opening, and the tube engages with the inner edge via an interference fit.

14. The heat exchanger of claim 11, wherein the tube includes a textured outer surface formed along the length of the tube, and the textured outer surface is disposed within the hole and the opening.

15. The heat exchanger of claim 11, wherein the gasket comprises an elastomer and the tube support bracket comprises metal.

16. The heat exchanger of claim 15, wherein the gasket is attached to the tube support bracket via an adhesive.

17. A heating, ventilation, air conditioning and / or cooling (HVAC&R) system, said HVAC&R system comprising: Multiple heat exchange tubes, the multiple heat exchange tubes being configured to allow fluid to circulate through the multiple heat exchange tubes; A pipe support bracket, the pipe support bracket including multiple holes; as well as A damping plate, fixed to the surface of the pipe support bracket, wherein the damping plate includes a plurality of openings, and each of the plurality of openings is aligned with a corresponding hole in the plurality of holes. Each of the plurality of heat exchange tubes is configured to extend through a corresponding opening in the plurality of openings and through a corresponding hole in the plurality of holes aligned with the corresponding opening.

18. The HVAC&R system of claim 17, wherein each of the plurality of heat exchange tubes includes an outer diameter, each of the plurality of orifices includes a first inner diameter, each of the plurality of openings includes a second inner diameter, the second inner diameter being smaller than the outer diameter, and the first inner diameter being larger than the outer diameter.

19. The HVAC&R system of claim 18, wherein the damping plate is formed of an elastomeric material.

20. The HVAC&R system of claim 17, wherein each of the plurality of heat exchange tubes includes a plurality of fins formed in the outer surface of the heat exchange tube, and the plurality of fins extend through the corresponding opening of the plurality of openings and through the corresponding hole of the plurality of holes.

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