Patent ID: 7201213
Filing Date: 2007-04-10
Classification: B63B,B63H,B63J,F01P,F28D,F28F,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A header for a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger having a plurality of parallel tubes 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 at least one inner tube having coolant ports and the outermost tubes respectively comprising an outer wall and a parallel inner wall, each of the inner walls having an orifice in the header for access to 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; a bottom wall having an end portion, opposing side portions and an inner portion; 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; a flow diverter comprising a spine inclined from a first position near the upper wall to a second position near said bottom wall, closer to said inclined surface than said first position and having an apex located at the top of said spine near said upper wall; said flow diverter having diverting first and second panels extending downwardly in opposite radial directions from said apex and on opposite sides of said spine at respective angles towards the respective outermost tubes and respectively ending at the inner portion of said bottom wall, said first panel and said second panel having beveled surfaces inclined towards the at least one inner tube and towards the respective orifices to the respective outermost tubes for facilitating flow of coolant between said inlet/outlet and said pair of outermost tubes and into said at least one inner tube; and sidewalls extending between the side portions of said upper wall and said bottom wall; said sidewalls, upper wall, flow diverter, bottom wall and inclined surface forming a header chamber; said respective orifice being disposed at least partly over said inclined surface and at least partly beneath said inlet/outlet opening.