Multichannel heat exchanger tubes with flow path inlet sections

摘要

The present disclosure is directed to multichannel tubes with flow path inlet sections that allow refrigerant to enter the flow paths through an outer wall of the multichannel tubes. In certain embodiments, a portion of the outer wall is removed to expose the flow paths to a distribution chamber within an inlet manifold divided into an inlet section and a distribution section by a distributor. According to certain embodiments, the inlet section may be designed to have a relatively small cross-sectional area that promotes mixed phase flow of liquid and vapor refrigerant. The multichannel tubes extend into the distribution section to partition the distribution section into a series of distribution chambers defined by a pair of adjacent tubes, the distributor, and the inlet manifold. Within each distribution chamber, the refrigerant may be directed into the multichannel tubes through the flow path inlet sections of the multichannel tubes.

主权项

1. A heat exchanger tube, comprising:
at least one flow path extending along a length of the heat exchanger tube from a first end to a second end opposite of the first end; a fluid flow section in which the at least one flow path is enclosed within the heat exchanger tube and surrounded by a top wall of the heat exchanger tube, a bottom wall of the heat exchanger tube, and a pair of partitions extending between the top wall and the bottom wall; an inlet section in which the bottom wall of the heat exchanger tube and the pair of partitions abut the at least one flow path, wherein the top wall does not extend along the at least one flow path in the inlet section to allow fluid to flow into the at least one flow path, and wherein the inlet sections is spaced from the first end and the second end; and a second flow path extending along the length of the heat exchanger tube from the first end to the second end, wherein a portion of the top wall is removed within the inlet sections to expose the second flow path to allow the fluid to flow into the second flow path, and the top wall is not removed for one or more flow paths disposed between the at least one flow path and the second flow path.