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U.S. Department of Energy
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Advanced Serpentine Heat Exchangers to Minimize Number of Joints and Leakage in HVAC&R Systems

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1895038· OSTI ID:1895038
 [1];  [2];  [2];  [3];  [3];  [3];  [3];  [4]
  1. Optimized Thermal Systems, Inc., Beltsville, MD (United States); Optimized Thermal Systems, Inc.
  2. Heat Transfer Technologies, LLC, Prospect Heights, IL (United States)
  3. Optimized Thermal Systems, Inc., Beltsville, MD (United States)
  4. Stone Mountain Technologies, Inc., Johnson City, TN (United States)
Refrigerant leakage has a significant impact on heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC&R) industries in terms of both greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and lost efficiency of the systems themselves. One of the major causes of refrigerant leakage is braze joints within a vapor compression system. The brazing process is often inconsistent and almost always imperfect. As a result, braze joints are left vulnerable to leaks and can be weaker than non-brazed tubing. Conventional tube-fin heat exchangers are manufactured using one brazed joint per tube. An alternative to the conventional approach is the use of a single continuous serpentine tube. An Advanced Serpentine Heat Exchanger was developed to provide a heat transfer solution that meets or exceeds performance while also significantly reducing the number of joints and, consequently, the potential for refrigerant leakage. The developed serpentine heat exchanger not only delivers on performance, but is also cost competitive with conventional heat exchangers on the market.
Research Organization:
Optimized Thermal Systems, Inc., Beltsville, MD (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Energy Efficiency Office. Building Technologies Office
Contributing Organization:
Brazeway, LLC; Sub-Zero, Inc.; Virtus Precision Tubes
DOE Contract Number:
EE0007680
OSTI ID:
1895038
Report Number(s):
DE-EE0007680-FTR
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English