High capacity finned tube heat exchanger

Claim 1

In a finned tube heat exchanger wherein a plurality of fluid carrying tubes extend through a plurality of closely spaced, generally parallel fins formed of metal sheet stock and wherein heat transfer is facilitated by passing a second exterior fluid across the surfaces of said fins and generally at right angles to the axis of the tubes passing through the fins, the improvement wherein: said fins are convoluted in the direction of flow of said external fluid and carry a plurality of holes therein to permit said second exterior fluid to pass through the convolutions from side to side for improved heat exchange efficiency, said fins are accordion pleated to define shallow, angulated convolutions, said heat exchange fluid carrying tubes are arranged in multiple, laterally spaced rows with the tubes of adjacent rows being longitudinally offset with respect to each other, and said fluid passage holes for respective rows are aligned with the tubes within said rows and lie intermediate of the tubes in terms of the direction of flow of the external fluid.