Patent ID: 8376029
Filing Date: 2013-02-19
Classification: B63B,B63H,F28D

Abstract:
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 and having open ends into said header, the tubes including a pair of outermost tubes, each of said outermost tubes having an outermost wall and an inner wall, each of said inner walls having an orifice for communication between said outermost tubes and said header, and at least one inner tube located between the outermost tubes, 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, wherein said orifice of each of said inner walls is disposed at least partly beneath said inlet/outlet opening; 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 interconnecting the end portions of said upper wall and of said bottom wall, said end wall 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, the coolant flow to said outermost tubes being at least as much as the coolant fluid flow to said at least one inner tube, and wherein said apparatus is contained within said header chamber, or for diverting coolant fluid flow from the outermost tubes and from the at least one inner tube, the latter coolant fluid flow from said outermost tubes being at least as much as the coolant fluid flow from said at least one inner tube; said apparatus for diverting coolant fluid flow between said header and said parallel tubes comprising: