David Albert Oakley

US Patent:

41756177, Nov 27, 1979

Filed:

Dec 27, 1977

Appl. No.:

5/864367

Inventors:

Thomas M. Hahn - Jeffersontown KY
Ivar Lohmus - Louisville KY
David E. Oakley - Fairdale KY

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Louisville KY

International Classification:

F28D 702
F28F 138

US Classification:

165122

Abstract:

A heat exchanger for refrigerator evaporators of the type consisting of helically coiled refrigerant-carrying tubing with radially inward extending fins formed along the length of the coiled tubing, with the air to be refrigerated directed across the axis of the coil turns. The coil turns are skewed from the helix angle to expose a greater proportion of the fins into the air flow path between the coil turns so as to increase the air flow contact with the fins. The skewing is created by relatively offsetting opposite portions of the coil turns along the air flow path across the helical coil to increase the obliqueness of a portion of each coil turn with respect to the direction of air flow. The tube coil includes sections folded into a side-by-side relationship, with the skew direction of the coil sections placed in reverse orientations to increase the length of the flow path of the air circulated through the coils and to position gaps between each of the coil turns in either section opposite the areas in the other coil section occupied by radial fins.