Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
  • F28F9/00—Casings; Header boxes; Auxiliary supports for elements; Auxiliary members within casings
  • F28F9/02—Header boxes; End plates
  • F28F9/04—Arrangements for sealing elements into header boxes or end plates
  • F28F9/16—Arrangements for sealing elements into header boxes or end plates by permanent joints, e.g. by rolling
  • F28F9/162—Arrangements for sealing elements into header boxes or end plates by permanent joints, e.g. by rolling by using bonding or sealing substances, e.g. adhesives
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28D—HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT
  • F28D1/00—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary conduit assemblies for one heat-exchange medium only, the media being in contact with different sides of the conduit wall, in which the other heat-exchange medium is a large body of fluid, e.g. domestic or motor car radiators
  • F28D1/02—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary conduit assemblies for one heat-exchange medium only, the media being in contact with different sides of the conduit wall, in which the other heat-exchange medium is a large body of fluid, e.g. domestic or motor car radiators with heat-exchange conduits immersed in the body of fluid
  • F28D1/04—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary conduit assemblies for one heat-exchange medium only, the media being in contact with different sides of the conduit wall, in which the other heat-exchange medium is a large body of fluid, e.g. domestic or motor car radiators with heat-exchange conduits immersed in the body of fluid with tubular conduits
  • F28D1/053—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary conduit assemblies for one heat-exchange medium only, the media being in contact with different sides of the conduit wall, in which the other heat-exchange medium is a large body of fluid, e.g. domestic or motor car radiators with heat-exchange conduits immersed in the body of fluid with tubular conduits the conduits being straight
  • F28D1/0535—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary conduit assemblies for one heat-exchange medium only, the media being in contact with different sides of the conduit wall, in which the other heat-exchange medium is a large body of fluid, e.g. domestic or motor car radiators with heat-exchange conduits immersed in the body of fluid with tubular conduits the conduits being straight the conduits having a non-circular cross-section
  • F28D1/05366—Assemblies of conduits connected to common headers, e.g. core type radiators
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
  • F28F21/00—Constructions of heat-exchange apparatus characterised by the selection of particular materials
  • F28F21/06—Constructions of heat-exchange apparatus characterised by the selection of particular materials of plastics material
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
  • F28F9/00—Casings; Header boxes; Auxiliary supports for elements; Auxiliary members within casings
  • F28F9/02—Header boxes; End plates
  • F28F9/0202—Header boxes having their inner space divided by partitions
  • F28F9/0204—Header boxes having their inner space divided by partitions for elongated header box, e.g. with transversal and longitudinal partitions
  • F28F9/0209—Header boxes having their inner space divided by partitions for elongated header box, e.g. with transversal and longitudinal partitions having only transversal partitions
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
  • F28F9/00—Casings; Header boxes; Auxiliary supports for elements; Auxiliary members within casings
  • F28F9/02—Header boxes; End plates
  • F28F9/0202—Header boxes having their inner space divided by partitions
  • F28F9/0204—Header boxes having their inner space divided by partitions for elongated header box, e.g. with transversal and longitudinal partitions
  • F28F9/0214—Header boxes having their inner space divided by partitions for elongated header box, e.g. with transversal and longitudinal partitions having only longitudinal partitions
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
  • F28F9/00—Casings; Header boxes; Auxiliary supports for elements; Auxiliary members within casings
  • F28F9/02—Header boxes; End plates
  • F28F9/0219—Arrangements for sealing end plates into casing or header box; Header box sub-elements
  • F28F9/0224—Header boxes formed by sealing end plates into covers
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28D—HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT
  • F28D21/00—Heat-exchange apparatus not covered by any of the groups F28D1/00 - F28D20/00
  • F28D2021/0019—Other heat exchangers for particular applications; Heat exchange systems not otherwise provided for
  • F28D2021/008—Other heat exchangers for particular applications; Heat exchange systems not otherwise provided for for vehicles
  • F28D2021/0091—Radiators
  • F28D2021/0094—Radiators for recooling the engine coolant
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
  • F28F2275/00—Fastening; Joining
  • F28F2275/06—Fastening; Joining by welding

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a heat exchanger, such as, for example, a liquid cooler, having a two-part collecting tank which is composed entirely of plastic, with one collecting tank part having openings for receiving the ends of tubes, with the tube ends being adhesively bonded therein, and with the two collecting tank parts being welded to one another at a weld seam which runs around a periphery of their walls.
• a heat exchanger such as, for example, a liquid cooler
• DE 10 2006 002 627.6 and DE 10 2006 002 789.2 disclose conventional heat exchangers having two-part collecting tanks connected by means of a welding process, without going into any more detail as to how the collecting tank parts must be configured for a welded connection and how the welded connection and the production of the heat exchanger can be carried out in a cost-effective manner.
• the earlier applications specify a production method for heat exchangers in which a flat-tube/fin block having free flat tube ends is provided, with the flat-tube/fin block which has free flat tube ends being soldered in a soldering furnace, with a plastic collecting tank which has receiving openings for the flat tube ends, or a first collecting tank part with receiving openings of said type, being placed on the free flat tube ends of the soldered flat-tube/fin block, and with an adhesive being introduced into a gap between the flat tube ends and the wall of the receiving openings.
• Patent Application No. DE 10 2006 055 458.2 discloses another heat exchanger having collecting tank parts which are adhesively bonded to one another.
• the collecting tank parts have numerous ribbed portions which arc intended to improve the stability of the collecting tank.
• the lower parts can include planar plates which have openings into which the ends of round tubes can be inserted, usually by expanding the latter. There appears to be a capacity for improving the inner pressure stability of the heat exchangers, because the cross section of the collecting tank contains very abrupt transitions.
• the tank parts form a collecting tank cross section which is oval to round in cross section, and because the weld seam is situated in a seam preparation which is formed as a thickened portion of the wall of at least one tank part, the pressure stability could be noticeably increased.
• the thickened portion extends as a strip preferably around the edges of both walls.
• the seam preparation abuts against another at the end sides of the walls and thereby preferably forms an I-shaped butt joint.
• the weld seam takes on a stepped profile in the region of the inlet or outlet connecting pipe. In the remaining region, the weld seam runs approximately without shoulders around the periphery of the tank parts.
• the profile is recessed from the first- mentioned profile of the weld seam in the region of the inlet or outlet connecting pipe, that is to say steps are provided in the profile.
• the proposed embodiment likewise makes it possible to reduce as far as possible the protrusion of the collecting tank beyond the cooling network formed from flat tubes and fins, which contributes to a space saving.
• the weld seam is a gas weld seam, which is particularly preferred, or a friction weld seam.
• the weld is carried out without additional material.
• the cross section of the collecting tank is more approximately round in the region of the inlet or outlet connecting pipe and merges more and more into the flat-oval cross-sectional form in the direction of the edges of the heat exchanger.
• the collecting tanks become increasingly slim toward the edges of the heat exchanger or toward the ends of the collecting tanks. Said design is particularly space-saving and compact.
• the thickened portion contains surpluses which are defined taking into consideration the melting of the seam, so that the finished collecting tank constitutes a dimensionally stable product.
• the seam preparation comprises a flange-like projection on the edge of one of the tank parts, which projection is arranged with a gap with respect to the edge of the other tank part, with the gap being suitable for receiving weld material, and the flange-like projection performing the function of a clean visible edge.
• the flange-like projection which forms the visible edge is accordingly situated on the outside of the collecting tank. Aftertreatment of the weld seam is therefore not necessary.
• the gas weld seam is a hot gas weld seam.
• Welding is carried out for example using a welding device which is formed as a round or approximately flat tube with outflow openings for the hot gas.
• the hot gas brings the edges of the weld seam preparation which are to be joined up to welding temperature, that is to say the edges are thereby placed into a pasty state.
• the device is thereafter removed, and the two tank parts are pressed together at the weld seam preparation and welded there without the aid of an additional material.
• Said device is an approximately rectangular frame, since the periphery of the two tank parts has a corresponding approximately rectangular geometry.
• Said outflow openings in the tube arc preferably formed on two opposite sides of the tube, so that the hot gas can simultaneously bring both seam parts, the upper and the lower seam part, up to welding temperature around the entire periphery of the weld seam.
• Figure 1 shows an overall view of the heat exchanger having two collecting tanks.
• Figures 2a and 2b show views of the one collecting tank from figure 1.
• Figures 3a and 3b show views of the other collecting tank from figure 1.
• Figure 4 shows the section A-A through a collecting tank.
• Figure 5 shows the section B-B through a collecting tank.
• Figure 6 shows the section C-C through a collecting tank.
• Figure 7 shows the section D-D through a collecting tank.
• Figure 8 shows two collecting tank parts, before being joined, with a welding device indicated in between.
• Figure 9 shows a detail of the lower collecting tank part with tube ends.
• Figures 10-13 show perspective views of refined embodiments of a part of a collecting tank.
• Figure 14 shows an enlargement of figure 8.
• the heat exchanger shown in a front view in figure 1 is a liquid cooler for motor vehicles, which has, in this case, been designed for use in trucks.
• the present invention could however involve other types of heat exchangers, such as, for example charge air coolers, and/or other applications of heat exchangers.
• the heat exchanger has a block of flat tubes 10 and corrugated fins 2 (figure 9).
• the flat tubes 1 and the block composed of flat tubes 10 and fins 2 can be connected to one another in one single soldering process.
• the flat tubes 10 and the fins 2 can be produced from one or more "endless" sheet-metal strips.
• the sheet metal thickness for the flat tubes 1 is approximately in the range from 0.03 - 0.15 mm.
• the sheet metal thickness for the fins 2 is less than 0.10 mm.
• slightly thicker metal sheets can be used for the tubes, for example up to 0.20 mm (not shown here, but present in the cited earlier applications).
• the free flat tube ends 1 1 of the soldered block are inserted into the openings 20 of the plastic collecting tanks 50.
• the walls of the openings 20 in this exemplary embodiment have injection openings 21 in order to be able to introduce an adhesive into the gaps 22 between the ends 1 1 and the walls of the openings 20. It is notable that the far ends 1 11 of the flat tubes 10 are seated tightly in the openings 20 and that the gap 22 for the adhesive only follows thereafter. This is intended to prevent the adhesive or the adhesive connection coming into direct contact with the cooling liquid.
• the far ends 1 1 1 of the flat tubes 10 do not project into the interior of the collecting tanks 50 contributes noticeably to the attainment of a very low loss of pressure (in this regard, compare also figure 5, in which one individual flat tube end 1 1 has been indicated by a dashed line).
• the collecting tank part 50b is provided between the flat tubes 10 with a corrugation which is likewise favorable for limiting the pressure loss.
• the details can likewise be gathered from a longitudinal section through a small piece of the lower collecting tank part 50b as per figure 9. In said figure - as in figure 1 - the view is of one of the narrow sides of the flat tubes 1.
• the collecting tank 50 is produced from a lower collecting tank part 50b, in which said openings 20 are provided, and an upper collecting tank part 50a.
• the two parts 50a and 50b are connected to one another by means of a hot gas welding process along a seam preparation 30.
• Figures 2 and 3 show the collecting tanks 50 in two views in each case.
• the two collecting tanks 50 differ in said exemplary embodiment by the positioning of the inlet or outlet connecting pipe 3, 4.
• the inlet or outlet connecting pipe 3 is situated in an approximately central position, and in the collecting tank 50 arranged at the bottom, the inlet or outlet connecting pipe 4 is arranged more in a non-central position.
• the weld seam preparation 30 is also formed accordingly. That is to say, as the figures show, the weld seam preparation 30 takes on a bent profile in the region of the inlet or outlet connecting pipe 3 or 4. It is thereby possible, despite the otherwise very flat design of the collecting tank 50, to provide the inlet or outlet connecting pipe 3, 4 with a considerable flow cross section, which brings some advantages not only in terms of the loss of pressure.
• the cross section becomes increasingly flat and also smaller, varying from a more round cross section (figures 6, 7, 8) in the region of the inlet or outlet connecting pipe 3, 4 to a flat-oval cross section at the ends, for example figure 4, where the horizontal axis is greater than the vertical axis through the oval shown.
• the cross section of the collecting tank 50 is for the most part approximately round as viewed over almost the entire length. Only at the ends of the collecting tank 50 is a smaller, approximately oval cross section then provided.
• the invention encompasses elongate-oval cross sections which are not excluded instead of the round cross sections.
• Elongate-oval cross sections are those in which the vertical axis is greater than the horizontal axis (not shown).
• the sections shown in the discussed figures have been shown in figure 3a.
• the sections A-A to D-D which are shown are situated in each case between two flat tubes 10. Said sections show the cross-sectional area of the collecting tank 50 which becomes smaller toward the end.
• the cross section of the collecting tanks 50 in a plane running through one of the flat tubes has been indicated in figure 5 by means of the two vertical dashed lines 12.
• the protrusion 70 which is very small as viewed in the air flow direction (arrow), which contributes to space saving.
• the slim design of the collecting tanks 50 is likewise very space-saving and does not lead to any flow-related disadvantages.
• the described cross-sectional design in connection with the welding of the tank parts 50a, 50b leads to extremely good pressure stability which makes it possible for the wall of the collecting tank 50 to be formed without any otherwise conventional outer stiffening ribs, even though the wall thickness of the collecting tank 50 is comparatively low.
• the weld seam 30 is indicated symbolically in figure 4. Said weld seam 30 has not been shown in the other cross sections (figures 5, 6, 7) but of course can be present there.
• the seam preparation 30 or the weld seam is situated outside the very short region of the inlet or outlet connecting pipe 3, 4 and approximately in a central plane of the collecting tank 50.
• the seam preparation 50 is thus situated approximately in the longer axis of the oval. Abrupt cross-sectional transitions in the collecting tank 50 are largely avoided.
• FIG. 8 is now suitable for indicating how the collecting tank parts 50a and 50b are welded to one another.
• the weld seam preparation 30 constitutes a thickened portion of the wall of the collecting tank parts 50a, 50b.
• the weld seam preparation 30 comprises a flange-like projection 31 which extends outward and along the seam 30.
• Said projection 31 is formed in the exemplary embodiment on the upper collecting tank part 50a, and covers the weld seam itself.
• a spacing is provided between the projection 31 and the seam thickened portion, which spacing is suitable for receiving weld material which escapes as the tank parts 50a, 50b are pressed together.
• the weld material remains hidden behind the projection 31, and there is therefore no need to carry out weld seam aftertreatment for visual reasons.
• the weld seam preparation 30 also comprises dimensional surpluses z in the thickened portion of the wall, which dimensional surpluses z serve as it were to compensate said escaping weld material, so that the dimensional stability of the collecting tank 50 can be ensured.
• said surpluses z which are in the range of millimeters or less, have been indicated on both halves of the seam preparation 30. It can also be sufficient to provide surpluses z of said type only on one side, for example only on the tank part 50a.
• a welding device 300 Also indicated in the cross section as per figure 8 is a welding device 300.
• Said welding device 300 is an approximately rectangular frame composed of a tube, since the latter extends around the entire periphery of the weld scam preparation 30.
• Provided in the tube arc upward-pointing and downward-pointing openings through which hot gas exits in order to heat the weld scam preparation 30 up to welding temperature, that is to say to bring said weld seam preparation 30 into a pasty state.
• the welding device 300 is removed, and the parts 50a, 50b are pressed together in a defined manner in the weld seam preparation 30 by means of a device, thereby leading to a sealed welded connection (not illustrated).
• Figures 10-13 show different exemplary embodiments which can inter alia yet further improve the inner pressure stability of the collecting tank 50.
• internal connections 60 have been provided which can be embodied as individual supports 61, 62 or else as a continuous partition.
• the individual supports 61, 62 need not be arranged in a row as shown in figure 1 1 , but can be provided at suitable points in the collecting tank 50.
• a partition has been arranged in the longitudinal direction, and in figures 12 and 13, in contrast, in the transverse direction, of the collecting tank 50. It is however self-evident that longitudinal and transverse walls 60 can also be arranged together in one collecting tank 50.
• the design of the welding device 300 has been matched to the arrangement of the internal connection 60, since the internal connection 60 is likewise carried out by means of gas welding during the course of the production of the collecting tank 50.
• Said illustrations show the above-mentioned openings 301 from which the hot gas jet which impinges on the seam preparation 30 exits.
• the reference symbols in figure 10 also apply to figures 1 1-13. The illustrations are otherwise self-explanatory.
• partitions 60 It is possible using partitions 60 to generate advantageous throughflow characteristics of the heat exchanger, as have been illustrated for example in the recently submitted German patent application with the file reference DE 10 2006 056 774.9.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Thermal Sciences (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Heat-Exchange Devices With Radiators And Conduit Assemblies (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=39645802

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Families Citing this family (4)

Citations (4)

Family Cites Families (18)

• 2007
  • 2007-02-21 DE DE102007008536A patent/DE102007008536A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2007-11-30 US US12/526,684 patent/US20100170668A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2007-11-30 WO PCT/US2007/086008 patent/WO2008103203A1/en not_active Ceased

Patent Citations (4)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events