Patent ID: 9523542
Filing Date: 2016-12-20
CPC Classification: B23P,B29C,F28D,F28F

Claim Text:
1. A method of making a coil assembly for use in heat exchange applications, the coil assembly ( 10 , 10 ′, 10 ″) comprising: an array ( the array of tubes extending from the first tube sheet to the second tube sheet along a serpentine pathway including at least two generally linear passes ( the array of tubes in each pass comprising at least two generally parallel layers ( the tubes maintaining their relative positional relationship to each other in the passes and in the return bends; and the spacers being oriented transversely along the longitudinal distance of the passes; and the spacers being of a sufficient number and spacing from each other along the longitudinal distance of the passes to support and maintain the tubes in their relative positional relationship in the passes and in the return bends; the method comprising: (a) providing the array of the polymeric tubes, the first and second tube sheets, and a plurality of the tube spacers, where the array of tubes is initially in an extended linear pathway; (b) locating the tubes in the spacers such that the tubes are in the alignment holes in the spacers; (c) aligning the tubes at the first end within the first tube sheet so that fluid can flow internally through the tubes; (d) aligning the tubes at the second end within the second tube sheet so that fluid can flow internally through the tubes; (e) folding the array of tubes from the initial extended linear pathway to form the serpentine pathway having the linear passes and at least one return bend, such that the relative positional relationship of the tubes with respect to each other is maintained in the passes and in the return bends; and wherein the first tube sheet is connected to the first end of the tubes at a pass forming a lowest pass ( wherein the method further comprises aligning and attaching a tube sheet support member to the first tube sheet and aligning and attaching spacer support members to at least some of the spacers in the lowest pass, folding the array of tubes to form the lowest pass and any lower intermediate pass, and such that the tube sheet support members supports any spacers in any lower intermediate pass aligned with the first and second tube supports and such that the spacer support members support at least some of the aligned spacers in any lower intermediate pass, and for each successive intermediate and the top passes, likewise repeating aligning and attaching tube sheet support members aligned with the first and second tube sheets and likewise aligning and attaching the spacer support members to at least some of the spacers in any intermediate passes and the top pass formed by further folding the array of tubes, whereby the tube sheet support members support the second tube sheet and the spacer support members support any intermediate passes and the top pass.