HEAT EXCHANGER
A heat exchanger including (a) a fluid conductor including a heat exchange tubing including a first end and a lumen; and (b) a first connecting tubing including an outer surface, a lumen and a first sealing ring disposed about the outer surface of the first connecting tubing, wherein the first connecting tubing is configured for insertion into the lumen of the heat exchange tubing at the first end such that the first sealing ring comes in sealing engagement with the first connecting tubing and the heat exchange tubing while allowing relative movement between the heat exchange tubing and the first connecting tubing and a fluid flow is confined within a lumen formed of the lumen of the first connecting tubing and the lumen of the heat exchange tubing.
1 . A heat exchanger comprising:
(a) a fluid conductor comprising a heat exchange tubing comprising a first end and a lumen; and
(b) a first connecting tubing comprising an outer surface, a lumen and a first sealing ring disposed about said outer surface of said first connecting tubing, wherein said first connecting tubing is configured for insertion into said lumen of said heat exchange tubing at said first end such that said first sealing ring comes in sealing engagement with said first connecting tubing and said heat exchange tubing while allowing relative movement between said heat exchange tubing and said first connecting tubing and a fluid flow is confined within a lumen formed of said lumen of said first connecting tubing and said lumen of said heat exchange tubing.
2 . The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein said fluid conductor further comprises a second end and said heat exchanger further comprises a second connecting tubing comprising an outer surface and a second sealing ring disposed about said outer surface of said second connecting tubing, wherein said second connecting tubing is configured for insertion into said lumen of said heat exchange tubing at said second end such that said second sealing ring comes in sealing engagement with said second connecting tubing and said heat exchange tubing while allowing relative movement between said heat exchange tubing and said second connecting tubing and the fluid flow is confined within said second connecting tubing and said heat exchange tubing.
3 . The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein said first connecting tubing further comprises a central axis and a groove disposed about said central axis on said outer surface of said first connecting tubing, said groove configured for receiving and retaining said first sealing ring in place to prevent relative motion of said first sealing ring relative to said first connecting tubing.
4 . The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein said heat exchange tubing further comprises an outer surface and said heat exchange tubing further comprises a plurality of fins each extending from said outer surface of said heat exchange tubing.
5 . The heat exchanger of claim 4 , wherein each of said plurality of fins comprises a thickness and a height and the thickness of at least one of said plurality of fins is about 0.5 mm and the height of said at least one of said plurality of fins is no more than about 10 mm.
6 . The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein said heat exchange tubing further comprises a wall thickness of no more than about 1.2 mm.
7 . The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein said heat exchange tubing further comprises an outer surface and a plurality of fins extending from said heat exchange tubing by attaching said plurality of fins to said outer surface of said heat exchange tubing by laser welding.
8 . The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein said heat exchange tubing and said plurality of fins are constructed from the same material.
9 . The heat exchanger of claim 8 , wherein said same material is stainless steel.
10 . The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein said heat exchange tubing is a helical coil.
11 . A heat exchanger comprising:
(a) a fluid conductor comprising a heat exchange tubing comprising a lumen, a first end, an outer surface and a first sealing ring disposed about said outer surface at said first end; and
(b) a first connecting tubing comprising a lumen,
wherein said first end of said heat exchange tubing is configured for insertion into said lumen of said first connecting tubing such that said first sealing ring comes in sealing engagement with said first connecting tubing and said heat exchange tubing while allowing relative movement between said heat exchange tubing and said first connecting tubing and a fluid flow is confined within a lumen formed of said lumen of said first connecting tubing and said lumen of said heat exchange tubing.
12 . The heat exchanger of claim 11 , wherein said heat exchange tubing further comprises a central axis and a groove disposed about said central axis on said outer surface of said heat exchange tubing on said first end, said groove configured for receiving and retaining said first sealing ring in place to prevent relative motion of the first sealing ring relative to said heat exchange tubing.
13 . A heat exchanger for heating a fluid flow, said heat exchanger comprising:
(a) a coil comprising a top section, a bottom section, a top end, a bottom end and a lumen, said coil configured for receiving the fluid flow at one of said top end and bottom end of said coil and channeling the fluid flow to the other one of said top end and bottom end, wherein said lumen at said top section is configured for receiving a heated gas urged to flow in a direction from said top section of said coil to said bottom section of said coil;
(b) a shroud comprising a side wall, said side wall comprising an upper section and a lower section, at least one opening disposed on said upper section of said side wall, wherein said top section of said coil is disposed within said upper section of said shroud and said at least one opening is configured to be aligned with a coil loop of said coil and allows a portion of the heated gas to flow around said coil loop and through said at least one opening to enter a space outside of said shroud, wherein the fluid flow is configured to receive heat from the portion of the heated gas flowing around said coil loop; and
(c) at least one aperture disposed at said lower section of said side wall, said at least one aperture configured to allow the portion of the heated gas to reenter said shroud at said lower section of said side wall from the space outside of said shroud to continue heating said bottom section of said coil.
14 . The heat exchanger of claim 13 , wherein said at least one opening is configured to vary in size from said upper section of said side wall to said lower section of said side wall.
15 . The heat exchanger of claim 13 , wherein said at least one opening is configured to decrease in size from said upper section of said side wall to said lower section of said side wall.
16 . The heat exchanger of claim 13 , said at least one opening is selected from the group consisting of a slit and a hole or any combination thereof.
17 . The heat exchanger of claim 13 , wherein said upper section of said shroud is substantially isolated from said lower section of said shroud.
18 . The heat exchanger of claim 13 , wherein the heated gas is provided by a burner.
19 . The heat exchanger of claim 13 , wherein said shroud further comprises a lumen and at least one drain hole disposed at a bottom edge of said lower section of said shroud and said at least one drain hole is configured for allowing draining of condensate from outside of said shroud to said lumen of said shroud.
20 . The heat exchanger of claim 13 , further comprising an exhaust pointed in a direction, wherein said at least one opening is configured to decrease in size in said direction.