US 12,392,562 B2
Indirect heat exchanger pressure vessel with controlled wrinkle bends
Daniel E. Parker, Union Bridge, MD (US); Advait Damle, Columbia, MD (US); and Frank T. Morrison, Crownsville, MD (US)
Assigned to Baltimore Aircoil Company, Inc., Jessup, MD (US)
Filed by Baltimore Aircoil Company, Inc., Jessup, MD (US)
Filed on Jan. 14, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/576,061.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/270,953, filed on Oct. 22, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/138,655, filed on Jan. 18, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0228817 A1, Jul. 21, 2022
Int. Cl. F28D 1/047 (2006.01); F28F 1/00 (2006.01)
CPC F28F 1/006 (2013.01) [F28D 1/0477 (2013.01); F28F 2225/04 (2013.01)] 50 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An indirect heat exchanger pressure vessel comprising:
an inlet header to receive a pressurized working fluid;
an outlet header to collect the pressurized working fluid;
a serpentine circuit tube connecting the inlet and outlet headers and permitting the pressurized working fluid to flow from the inlet header to the outlet header;
the serpentine circuit tube comprising runs and a return bend connecting the runs;
wherein the return bend has an intrados and an extrados;
the return bend having side surface portions intermediate the intrados and the extrados, the return bend having a controlled wrinkled portion between the side surface portions;
the controlled wrinkled portion including alternating ridges and grooves;
wherein the controlled wrinkled portion of the return bend includes a sinusoidal pattern at the intrados of the return bend, the sinusoidal pattern including peaks at the ridges and valleys at the grooves of the return bend;
wherein each ridge extends from the intrados of the return bend toward the side surface portions of the return bend; and
wherein each ridge widens as the ridge extends from the intrados toward the side surface portions of the return bend, each ridge having a first width at the intrados that is less than a second width at either of the side surface portions.