Header for a heat exchanger

• Main Authors: MERCER MICHAEL DAMION, WILLIS VANCE ELLIOT
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 31.05.2016
• Subjects: ACTUATING-FLOATS; BLASTING; COCKS; CONTROLLING; DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OFGENERAL APPLICATION; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING; ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVEFUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL; HEATING; LIGHTING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; PHYSICS; REGULATING; SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES; TAPS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; VALVES; WEAPONS

Disclosed herein is a header for a heat exchanger that has an inflow side, an outflow side, a bypass port therebetween, and a pressure-sensitive flapper valve proximal the bypass port. As pressure increases at the inflow side of the header, the flapper valve opens proportionally, and, as pressure decreases at the inflow side, the flapper valve closes proportionally. The flapper valve is preferably included as part of a service cartridge assembly to facilitate easy repair and/or replacement of the flapper valve. In some embodiments of the invention, a differential pressure is measured between the inflow and outflow sides, and activation of the heat exchanger is initiated in response to the differential pressure having exceeded a set point.