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  3-d dimpled heat exchangerRelated Patent Categories: Heat Exchange, Tubular StructureThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070089873. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention is directed, in general, to heat exchange apparatus and, more specifically, to a design for heat exchanger tubes. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Heat exchange tubes are used to transfer heat between two media by using, for example, a so-called "tube-in-tube" design or a "shell-in-tube" design. In a "tube-in-tube" design the fluid product to be heated or cooled flows through a product tube or series of product tubes and the heating or cooling media flows through an outer media tube or series of media tubes usually in a countercurrent fashion with respect to the product flow. Thus, heat is transferred between the media flowing in the inner space between the walls of the media and product tubes and the fluid product flowing through the product tubes or tubes. In a "shell-in-tube" design the product tubes are disposed within a container referred to as a shell and within which the heating or cooling media flows over all of the product tubes from an inlet to an outlet thereof to transfer heat between the media and the product. [0003] To improve heat transfer efficiency the product tubes in either a tube-in-tube design or shell-in-tube design have included turbulating structure of various configurations to promote flow within the tube at a Reynolds number between 8,000 and 10,000, approaching turbulent flow. Generally stated, turbulent flow increases the heat transfer efficiency of the tube by distributing the core fluid flowing therethrough across the entire diameter of the tube and not in streams flowing generally parallel to the axis of the tube in substantially laminar flow. Since a higher rate of heat transfer occurs adjacent the wall of the product tube, ideally a flow pattern is created which eliminates a temperature gradient within the fluid at any cross section taken through the tube. [0004] One method of inducing turbulent flow that has been used with some success is the formation of paired dimples in an outer surface of the heat exchange tube. In many cases, the pairs of dimples are diametrically opposite on the surface of the tube. In some cases, the dimples are co-linear along a line parallel to the axis of the tube. In other cases, successive dimple pairs are non-co-linear, being positioned axially by a set number of degrees, e.g., 30.degree. or 40.degree., from the previous pair so as to induce an additional rotational effect to the fluid flow. [0005] Nonetheless, there is continual emphasis in most industries to make ever more efficient units in ever more restricted space. This is particularly true in the heating and air conditioning industry where reducing the heat exchanger cabinet size for a given tonnage is always a design objective. As a result, conventional approaches to increasing efficiency and therefore increasing Reynolds number are limited by the geometry of the system. [0006] Accordingly, what is needed in the art is an improved design for turbulating mechanisms in heat exchanger tubes to improve efficiency within a given tube length. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] To address the above-discussed deficiencies of the prior art, the present invention provides a heat exchanger apparatus comprising a frame, a tube coupled to the frame, and turbulating structure disposed within the tube and extending into an inner hollow space thereof for promoting turbulent fluid flow within the tube. The turbulating structure comprises elements located arcuately around an inner periphery of the tube at approximately 120.degree. increments. A method of manufacturing and a heating system is also provided. [0008] The foregoing has outlined preferred and alternative features of the present invention so that those skilled in the art may better understand the detailed description of the invention that follows. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they can readily use the disclosed conception and specific embodiment as a basis for designing or modifying other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0009] For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: [0010] FIG. 1 illustrates a side elevation view of a portion of one embodiment of a heat exchanger tube constructed according to the principles of the present invention; [0011] FIG. 2 illustrates a cross sectional view of the heat exchanger tube of FIG. 1 at plane 2-2; [0012] FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of a portion of the heat exchanger tube of FIG. 1; [0013] FIGS. 4A-4C illustrate sectional views of the heat exchanger tube of FIG. 3 at planes 4A-4A, 4B-4B, and 4C-4C, respectively; [0014] FIG. 5 illustrates a side elevation view of a portion of a first alternative embodiment of the heat exchanger tube of FIG. 1; [0015] FIGS. 6A--6C illustrate sectional views of the heat exchanger tube of FIG. 5 at planes 6A-6A, 6B-6B, and 6C-6C, respectively; [0016] FIG. 7 illustrates a side elevation view of a portion of a second alternative embodiment of the heat exchanger tube of FIG. 1; [0017] FIGS. 8A-8C illustrate sectional views of the heat exchanger tube of FIG. 7 at planes 8A-8A, 8B-8B, and 8C-8C, respectively; [0018] FIG. 9 illustrates a side elevation view of a portion of a third alternative embodiment of the heat exchanger tube of FIG. 1; [0019] FIGS. 10A-10C illustrate sectional views of the heat exchanger tube of FIG. 9 at planes 10A-10A, 10B-10B, 10C-10C, respectively; [0020] FIG. 11 illustrates a side elevation view of one embodiment of a heat exchanger tube constructed according to the principles of the present invention; Continue reading... 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