Heat exchanger having a reinforced collector

Abstract

A heat exchanger includes a heat exchange body 2, at least one cover 4 and a manifold 3 connecting the cover 4 to the heat exchange body 2. The heat exchange body 2 is delimited by at least one blanking plate 6. The manifold 3 includes a base plate 20 surrounded by an edge 21 for fixing the cover 4, and the fixing edge 21 is formed by a double-thickness wall 22, one end 23 of which is at least partially fixed to the blanking plate 6.

Claims

1. A heat exchanger (1) comprising a heat exchange body (2), at least one cover (4) and a manifold (3) connecting the cover (4) to the heat exchange body (2), the heat exchange body (2) being delimited by at least one blanking plate (6, 6a, 6b), the manifold (3) comprising a base plate (20) surrounded by an edge (21) for fixing the cover (4), wherein the fixing edge (21) is formed by a double-thickness wall (22), one end (23) of which is at least partially fixed to the blanking plate (6, 6a, 6b), and wherein the end (23) of the double-thickness wall (22) comprises a bend (35) positioned such that the end (23) extends in a direction opposite a remainder of the double-thickness wall (22), and wherein the heat exchange body (2) comprises a plurality of tubes (12, 12a, 12b) secured to the manifold (3) and configured to channel a first fluid, and also a multiplicity of ducts (18) configured to channel a second fluid, the ducts (18) being formed between the tubes (12, 12a, 12b) and delimited by at least the blanking plate (6, 6a, 6b).

2. The exchanger (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a thickness of the double-thickness wall (22) is at least twice as large as a thickness of the base plate (20).

3. The exchanger (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the double-thickness wall (22) is formed by a first wall (24) and a second wall (25) brazed to the first wall (24).

4. The exchanger (1) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the double-thickness wall (22) comprises at least one corner at which a mechanical reinforcement device is formed.

5. The exchanger (1) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the mechanical reinforcement device is a chamfer (31) formed at the corner of the first wall (24).

6. The exchanger (1) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the mechanical reinforcement device is a fillet (34) formed at the corner of the second wall (25), the fillet (34) being formed in particular opposite the chamfer (31).

7. The exchanger (1) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the fixing edge (21) at least partially delimits a housing (26) for receiving a heel (27) of the cover (4), the housing (26) furthermore being delimited by a band (28) which peripherally extends the base plate (20).

8. The exchanger (1) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first wall (24) of the double-thickness wall (22) comprises a first strip (29) forming a base of the housing (26) and a first side wall (30) laterally delimiting the housing (26), the first strip (29) and the first side wall (30) being connected by a chamfer (31).

9. The exchanger (1) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second wall (25) of the double-thickness wall (22) comprises a second strip (32) brazed to the first strip (29) and a second side wall (33) brazed to the first side wall (30), the second strip (32) and the second side wall (33) being connected by a fillet (34) at a distance from the chamfer (31).

10. The exchanger (1) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the end (23) of the double-thickness wall (22) is positioned such that one face of the second wall (25) of the double-thickness wall (22) is brazed to the blanking plate (6, 6a, 6b).

11. The exchanger (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the multiplicity of ducts (18) is closed by a first blanking plate (6a) and by a second blanking plate (6b), each blanking plate (6a, 6b) being secured to a lateral wall (16, 17) of each tube (12, 12a, 12b).

12. The exchanger (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein one edge (39) of the double-thickness wall (22) is fixed at least to a longitudinal wall (14) of an end tube (12a, 12b) of the heat exchange body (2).

13. The exchanger (1) as claimed in claim 12, wherein the blanking plate (6, 6a, 6b) comprises at least one tongue (9, 10, 11) that is folded against and brazed to the longitudinal wall (14) of the end tube (12a, 12b).

14. The exchanger (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the blanking plate (6, 6a, 6b) comprises at least one orifice (7) through which a second fluid is able to enter or exit the heat exchange body (2).

15. The exchanger (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a thickness of the double-thickness wall (22) is at least twice as large as a thickness of the base plate (20).

Description

(1) Further features, details and advantages of the invention will become more clearly apparent from reading the description given hereinbelow by way of illustration and with reference to the drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a heat exchanger according to the invention,

(3) FIG. 2 is a view of the constituent heat exchange body of the heat exchanger, in cross section on the plane A illustrated in FIG. 1,

(4) FIG. 3 is a view illustrating the fixing of the manifold to a first side of the heat exchange body, in cross section on the plane B illustrated in FIG. 1,

(5) FIG. 4 is a view illustrating the fixing of the manifold to a second side of the heat exchange body, in cross section on the plane C illustrated in FIG. 1,

(6) FIG. 5 is a view illustrating two variants of fixing between the manifold and the cover, viewed in cross section on the plane B shown in FIG. 1.

(7) FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a heat exchanger 1 according to the invention. Such a heat exchanger is in particular a charge air cooler used to cool the intake gases of an internal combustion engine, but it may also be a recirculated exhaust gas cooler used to lower the temperature of exhaust gas injected into the intake gases of such an internal combustion engine.

(8) The heat exchanger 1 according to the invention is configured to implement an exchange of heat between a first fluid and a second fluid. In a particular manner, the heat exchanger is designed not only to channel a gaseous fluid but also to convey a liquid fluid, such as a cooling fluid consisting for example of water to which glycol has been added. Thus, the heat exchanger 1 may be a gaseous fluid/liquid fluid exchanger.

(9) The heat exchanger 1 according to the invention comprises a heat exchange body 2 which forms the site of the heat exchange between the first fluid and the second fluid. Located at each end of this heat exchange body 2 is a manifold 3 covered by a cover 4.

(10) The manifold 3 distributes the first fluid through a plurality of constituent tubes of the heat exchange body 2, this first fluid being channeled through the cover 4 to or from the manifold 3. The cover 4 comprises at least one opening 5 through which the first fluid enters or exits the heat exchanger 1. The manifold 3 is thus on one side brazed to the heat exchange body 2 and on the other side secured to the cover 4 either by brazing or by crimping the manifold 3 to the cover 4.

(11) The heat exchange body 2 is provided with at least one blanking plate 6 which helps to delimit ducts through which the second, in particular liquid, fluid flows. The blanking plate 6 comprises at least one orifice 7 through which the second fluid can pass into the heat exchange body 2. The blanking plate 6 may also have a deformation that forms a bulge 8 with respect to a plane of extension of the blanking plate 6. Such a bulge makes it easier to distribute the second fluid over the entire width of the heat exchange body 2. In the particular example of FIG. 1, the blanking plate 6 comprises two bulges 8 and two orifices 7 formed at the bulges, a first orifice being able to allow the second fluid to enter the heat exchange body 2 while a second orifice is able to allow the second fluid to exit the heat exchange body 2.

(12) The blanking plate 6 comprises at least one tongue 9 that is folded against and brazed to a face of a tube bordering the heat exchange body 2.

(13) According to the exemplary embodiment, the blanking plate has two sets of three tongues with the references 9, 10, and 11, each of the sets protruding from one edge of the blanking plate that is parallel to the tube.

(14) The manifold 3 is thus secured to the blanking plate 6 by means of one end of a double-thickness wall of the manifold 3 that is brazed to the blanking plate. This manifold 3 is also secured, in particular by brazing, to a wall of the end tubes placed at the ends of the heat exchange body 2.

(15) FIG. 2 is a view of the heat exchange body 2, in cross section passing through a plane A shown in FIG. 1.

(16) The heat exchange body 2 comprises a plurality of tubes 12 secured to the manifold by brazing. These tubes are produced, for example, from a metal sheet folded on itself so as to delimit an internal volume in which the first, in particular gaseous, fluid flows. It will be noted that the structure of each tube 12 is identical, the two tubes placed at one and the other of the ends of the heat exchange body 2 being referred to as end tubes 12a and 12b below.

(17) A tube 12 is delimited by two parallel longitudinal walls, with the references 14 and 15, that are joined by two lateral walls with the references 16 and 17. This structure applies to all the constituent tubes 12 of the heat exchange body 2, including the end tubes 12a, 12b.

(18) Installed inside the internal volume of each tube is an insert 13. The latter has a first function which consists in disrupting the flow of the first fluid in the tube 12 so as to maximize the transfer of heat between the first fluid and the walls delimiting the tube 12. This insert 13 may have a second function which consists in mechanically reinforcing the tube 12. Specifically, the zigzag shape of the insert makes it possible to provide lines of braze between an internal face of the longitudinal walls 14, 15 and the peak of each undulation of the insert 13. The latter thus extends in a rectilinear manner between each internal face of these longitudinal walls, thereby avoiding swelling of the tube 12 under the effect of the pressure of the first fluid.

(19) The heat exchange body 2 also comprises a multiplicity of ducts 18 that are able to channel the second fluid. These ducts 18 are formed by a space formed between each tube, but they are also delimited by a first blanking plate 6a and by a second blanking plate 6b, which laterally close the heat exchange body 2. The first fluid is thus separated from the second fluid only by the longitudinal walls 14, 15 which form the tubes 12.

(20) The space between each tube 12 is generated by a spacing device 19, one of the functions of which is to ensure a defined distance between two adjacent tubes 12 so as to form the duct 18 in question.

(21) This spacing device 19 may implement a second function which consists in creating turbulence in the second fluid inside the ducts 18, so as to increase the exchange of heat between the second fluid and the longitudinal walls 14, 15 of the tubes 12.

(22) According to one implementation example, the spacing device 19 may be formed by a plurality of deformations provided in the longitudinal walls 14, 15 of the tubes 12. Alternatively, this spacing device 19 may be implemented by one or more attached parts installed between each tube prior to a brazing operation. According to one exemplary embodiment, this part may be a grating, in particular comprising undulations for generating turbulence.

(23) The spacing device 19 may also fulfill a third function which consists in absorbing mechanical forces so as to avoid deformations of the heat exchange body 2. In this way, the spacing device 19 can be brazed to each longitudinal wall 14, 15 of two immediately adjacent tubes 12.

(24) The heat exchange body 2 comprises the first blanking plate 6a and the second blanking plate 6b, each blanking plate being secured to the lateral wall 16, 17 of each tube 12. Such securing is ensured by brazing of the blanking plate to the lateral wall of the tubes 12.

(25) FIG. 2 clearly illustrates the presence of the tongues 10 formed integrally from the material of the blanking plate 6a and 6b. These tongues are folded against an external face of the longitudinal wall 14 of the end tubes 12a and 12b. These tongues reinforce the mechanical connection by brazing between the blanking plates 6a, 6b and the end tubes 12a, 12b so as to form a casing delimiting the multiplicity of ducts 18.

(26) FIG. 3 is a view showing in detail the fixing between the cover 4, the manifold 3 and the blanking plate 6. This depiction illustrates a cross section taken in the plane B shown in FIG. 1.

(27) The manifold 3 comprises a base plate 20 surrounded by a fixing edge 21. The base plate 20 is provided with openings, having in this case an elongate shape, which receive one end of each tube 12. These openings can be provided with a collar which is oriented for example toward the heat exchange body 2 or toward the cover 4.

(28) The fixing edge 21 forms a peripheral belt around the base plate 20, this fixing edge preferably being formed integrally from the material of the base plate.

(29) According to the invention, this fixing edge 21 is formed by a double-thickness wall 22, the latter ending at one end 23 at least partially fixed to one and/or the other of the blanking plates 6.

(30) The term “double-thickness” means that the fixing edge 21 is reinforced by the provision of two thicknesses of walls pressed against one another. The double-thickness wall 22 is thus formed by a first wall 24 and by a second wall 25 immediately adjacent to the first wall 24, following the contours thereof. The second wall 25 is at least partially secured to the first wall 24 by a braze between these two walls.

(31) According to an exemplary embodiment shown in this figure, the first wall 24 is also secured to the second wall by means of a fold 36. In such a case, the first wall 24 and the second wall 25 are produced from one and the same metal sheet which has been folded at the fold 36 in order to press the second wall 25 against the first wall 24. Thus, the second wall 25 is considered to be formed integrally from the material of the first wall 24.

(32) Alternatively, the second wall 25 may be a separate part from the first wall 24 and attached before being brazed to the latter, so as to form the double-thickness wall 22 once they have been secured together, in particular by brazing.

(33) In order to simplify the way in which the manifold 3 is manufactured, a thickness of the double-thickness wall 22 is at least twice as large as a thickness of the base plate 20. More precisely, the thickness of the double-thickness wall 22 is strictly equal to twice the thickness of the base plate 20. The thickness of the double-thickness wall 22 is measured in a plane passing through the base plate 20, while the thickness of the latter is measured in a direction parallel to a longitudinal direction of the tubes 12.

(34) According to the exemplary embodiment in FIGS. 3 and 4, the fixing edge 21 at least partially delimits a housing 26 for receiving a heel 27 of the cover 4. For its part, the base plate 20 is extended by a band 28 which extends in a direction perpendicular to the plane of extension of the base plate 20.

(35) The housing 26 which receives the heel 27 of the cover is thus bordered on one side by the band 28 and on the other by the first wall 24 of the double-thickness wall 22.

(36) In addition to receiving the heel 27 of the cover 4, this housing 26 can receive a seal 43 that provides sealing between the first fluid and the surroundings of the heat exchanger according to the invention. This seal 43 thus bears against the heel 27, against the band 28 and against the first wall 24 in the region of the housing 26.

(37) According to the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 3, the first wall 24 comprises a first strip 29 extended by a first side wall 30. The first strip 29 forms the base of the housing 26 against which the seal 43 bears. The first side wall 30 extends at least partially in line with the housing 26, in particular laterally thereto. The first strip 29 and the first side wall 30 are in particular flat.

(38) Located between the first strip 29 and the first side wall 30 is a chamfer 31, that is to say a substantially flat edge that is inclined with respect to the first strip 29 and with respect to the first side wall 30. This chamfer 31 thus connects the first strip 29 to the first side wall 30, this chamfer being an element involved in the mechanical reinforcement of the double-thickness wall 22.

(39) The second wall 25 of the double-thickness wall 22 comprises a second strip 32 extended by a second side wall 33. The second strip 32 extends in a plane parallel to the plane of extension of the first strip 29, these two strips being secured together by a brazed connection.

(40) The second side wall 33 extends in a plane parallel to the plane of extension of the first side wall 30 and is brazed to the latter.

(41) The second strip 32 is joined to the second side wall 33 by a fillet 34, that is to say an edge with a rounded section. This fillet 34 is opposite the chamfer 31 and is configured so as to be separated from this chamfer 31, such an arrangement helping to increase the mechanical strength of the double-thickness wall 22. The second strip 32 and the second side wall 33 are for example flat.

(42) Thus, the double-thickness wall 22 comprises a mechanical reinforcement device arranged at a corner of this double-thickness wall. This mechanical reinforcement device may be formed either only by the chamfer 31 or only by the fillet 34. The mechanical reinforcement device could also be produced by the combination of this chamfer 31 with the fillet 34, such a combination also making it possible to increase the mechanical strength of the double-thickness wall 22.

(43) The end 23 of the double-thickness wall 22 is formed by an end part of the second strip 32. At the manifold 3, the blanking plate 6 is interposed between the lateral walls 16, 17 of the tubes 12 and this end 23. According to an exemplary embodiment that is not shown, it is one edge of the second strip 32 which is brazed to the blanking plate 6.

(44) In the example in FIG. 3, the end 23 comprises a bend 35 oriented such that one or the other of the faces delimiting the second strip 32 bears against and is brazed to the blanking plate 6. In the present case, the bend 35 forms an angle of 90° turned toward the heat exchange body 2, that is to say away from the cover 4 fixed to the manifold 3 in question.

(45) At the fold 36, the double-thickness wall 22 comprises a number of crimping tabs 37 formed by portions which extend the first wall 24. In this figure, these crimping tabs 37 are shown before being folded over the heel 27 of the cover 4. In the final assembly position, these crimping tabs are pressed against the heel 27 of the cover 4 so as to exert a compressive force against the seal 43.

(46) FIG. 4 is a view showing in detail the fixing between the cover 4, the manifold 3 and one of the end tubes 12a or 12b. This depiction illustrates a cross section taken in the plane C shown in FIG. 1. The differences with respect to FIG. 3 will be described and reference will be made to the description given with respect thereto in order to implement the structure of the elements in common that are shown in FIG. 4.

(47) The base plate 20 comprises in this case collars 38 that are turned toward the heat exchange body 2. These collars receive one end of each tube 12, thereby forming a contact zone improving the brazing between the base plate 20 and the tubes 12.

(48) The band 28 is in this case separated from the longitudinal wall 14 of the end tube 12a on account of the presence of a collar.

(49) The second wall 25 is terminated by an edge 39 secured to the end tube 12a, for example by brazing between these two parts. The edge 39 comprises a bend 35 which makes it possible to press one face of the second wall 25 against an external face of the longitudinal wall 14 of the end tube 12a.

(50) For the variant in FIGS. 3 and 4, it will be noted that the heat exchange body and the manifold can be produced from an aluminum alloy. For its part, the cover 4 can be produced from an aluminum alloy or a synthetic material, such as plastics material for example.

(51) FIG. 5 shows a variant embodiment of the heat exchanger, viewed in a cross-sectional plane illustrated by the reference B in FIG. 1. For FIGS. 3 and 4, the cover 4 is held in the manifold 3 by folding of crimping tabs. The variant in FIG. 5 shows a different assembly in that the cover 4 is secured to the manifold 3 by a weld or at least a braze. For the elements shown in an identical manner, reference will be made to the description relating to FIG. 3.

(52) The housing 26 in this case receives the heel 27 of the cover 4, this heel then being fixed to the double-thickness wall 22 according to two alternative or complementary fixing variants, both of which are shown in this FIG. 5.

(53) The first fixing alternative resides in brazing carried out between the heel 27 and the fixing edge 21 of the manifold 3. First brazing, with the reference 40, is carried out between the band 28 and an internal face of the heel 27 while second brazing 41 is carried out between an external face of the heel 27 and the double-thickness wall 22. By way of example, this second brazing 41 is carried out between the first constituent side wall 30 of the first wall 24 and the external face of the heel 27.

(54) The second fixing alternative is formed by a weld bead, with the reference 42, disposed for example between the heel 27 of the cover and the fold 36 connecting the first wall 24 to the second wall 25 of the double-thickness wall 22.

(55) In the scope of the two fixing alternatives presented in FIG. 5, the heat exchange body 2 and the cover 4 can be produced from an aluminum alloy, thereby making it easier to recycle the heat exchanger without needing to disassemble it.

(56) The above-described heat exchanger 1 can be incorporated into a system for cooling intake gases or exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine. In such a case, the first fluid is formed by the intake gases or exhaust gases of the internal combustion engine, while the second fluid is formed by a liquid cooling fluid.