Patent ID: 6575227
Filing Date: 2003-06-10
Classification: F28D,F28F

Abstract:
A header for a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger having a plurality of parallel tubes extending in a longitudinal direction and having generally rectangular cross sections, the tubes including a pair of outermost tubes and at least one inner tube located between the outermost tubes, the outermost tubes having an outside wall and a parallel inside wall, and the inner tubes having coolant ports, said header comprising:an upper wall having an upper end portion, opposing side portions and an upper inner portion, said upper end portion and said upper inner portion being located in a plane, and an inlet/outlet opening for permitting the flow of coolant between an inlet/outlet and said header, said upper wall having a length extending between said upper end portion and said upper inner portion; a lower wall located below said upper wall, said lower wall having a lower end portion, opposing side portions and a lower inner portion, said lower wall having a length extending between the lower end portion and the lower inner portion, said length being less than the length of said upper wall and disposed inwardly from both the upper end portion and the upper inner portion of said upper wall; an end wall extending transversely from the end portion of said upper wall and terminating below said upper wall and above said lower wall; an inclined surface extending between the inner portions of said lower wall and said upper wall, and including the open end(s) of the at least one inner tube to said header; outside side walls extending between the side portions of said upper wall and said lower wall, said outside side walls each being an extension of the outside wall of the outermost tube of the heat exchanger; inside side walls parallel to said outside side walls, said inside side walls each being an extension of the inside wall of the outermost tube; and a beveled wall extending between the termination of said end wall and the end portion of said lower wall and beveled with respect to said longitudinal direction from said upper wall to said lower wall towards said tube to reduce the turbulence of coolant flow to and/or from said parallel tubes and increase ambient fluid flow to the exterior surfaces of said parallel tubes compared to a non-beveled wall; the inner surfaces of said inside side walls, upper wall, end wall, bottom wall, beveled wall and inclined surface forming a header chamber; said inside side walls each having an orifice for permitting the flow of coolant between said header chamber and the respective outermost tube; said orifice being disposed at least partly over said inclined surface when viewed in a transverse direction with respect to the longitudinal direction and at least partly beneath said inlet/outlet opening.