Abstract
The present disclosure relates to a heat exchanger that is characterized by including at least one collector and at least one tube, in which case the tube is installed in the collector by at least one seal disposed between the collector and the tube in such a manner that fluid connection is possible between the collector and the tube, wherein the tube includes at least one reinforcing element. The present disclosure also relates to a method of installing a heat exchanger and a method of manufacturing a heat exchanger, in which case at least one tube is installed in at least one collector by at least one seal disposed between the collector and the tube in such a manner that fluid connection is possible between the collector and the tube, wherein at least one reinforcing element is provided in or to the at least one tube.
Claims
1. A heat exchanger, comprising at least one collector and at least one tube, in which the tube is installed in the collector by at least one seal disposed between the collector and the tube in such a manner that fluid connection is possible between the collector and the tube, wherein the tube comprises at least one reinforcing element that is provided only in a connection region between the tube and the collector.
2. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the at least one tube is flat and has a relatively long axis, when viewed in cross-section, the length of which is 12 mm or more and/or up to 100 mm.
3. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein the at least one reinforcing element is basically an inner rib extending perpendicular to the long axis and/or basically a tube wall extending perpendicular to a tube axis.
4. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the at least one reinforcing element is an insert.
5. The heat exchanger according to claim 4, wherein the at least one insert has at least one step and/or at least one web and/or a circular or elliptical cross-section.
6. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the at least one reinforcing element is a collar provided on a tube end.
7. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the at least one reinforcing element is soldered to the tube.
8. A method of manufacturing a heat exchanger by installing at least one tube in at least one collector by means of a seal disposed between the collector and the tube in such a manner that fluid connection is possible between the collector and the tube, wherein at least one reinforcing element is provided in or to the at least one tube.
9. The method according to claim 8, wherein at least one inner rib is formed integrally (= in a manner that is built in) with the tube.
10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the tube has a flat cross-section with a relatively long axis and a relatively short axis when viewed in cross-section and at least one wall of the tube is basically bent in a manner extending perpendicular to the tube axis.
11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the at least one reinforcing element is soldered to the at least one tube.
12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the at least one reinforcing element is soldered to the tube either before or after the tube is installed in the collector or together during installation of the tube.
13. The method according to claim 8, wherein the at least one reinforcing element is formed by extrusion molding and/or bending.
Description
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0035] Subsequently, the present disclosure will be described in more detail with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, in which:
[0036] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating main parts of a heat exchanger according to the present disclosure; and
[0037] FIGS. 2 to 10 each illustrate a tube end of the heat exchanger according to the present disclosure with a preferred embodiment of a reinforcing element according to the present disclosure.
BEST MODE
[0038] FIG. 1 illustrates main elements of a heat exchanger 10 according to the present disclosure, together with a plurality of flat tubes 12 when viewed in cross-section and two substrates 14 of collectors arranged at the ends of these tubes. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the flat tubes 12 are traditionally aligned horizontally and in parallel to each other in a mounted state, and to improve the heat conduction of the tubes, ribs or pins 16, for example in the form of waves, may be provided between the tubes 12. In connection with the drawings, it should be particularly noted that application is illustrated in which heat is transferred from charge air to ambient air in FIGS. 1, 8, 9, and 10. In other words, ambient air is used to cool the charge air in a charge air cooler. On the other hand, FIGS. 2 to 7 illustrate tubes in radiator application in which heat is transferred between liquid coolant and ambient air.
[0039] In response to the cross-sectional configuration of the tubes, each of the substrates 14 has openings into which the tube ends are inserted, in which case each section of a seal is disposed between the tube end and the substrate 14 of the collector. The shape of this seal basically corresponds to the shape of the substrate, i.e., the seal has openings corresponding to the openings in the substrate 14 for insertion of the tube 12. In this case, the seal is traditionally extends in a tube direction as well as being flat, and has a web, an edge or a collar surrounding its periphery, where the web, the edge or the collar extends along the circumference of the individual opening in the substrate 14 so that a sealing material is disposed between the tube and the opening in the substrate 14 traditionally in such a manner as to surround the outer surface of the tube. The seal may be inserted into the substrate from the side of the collector as illustrated on the right of FIG. 1, namely from the right in FIG. 1, or from the side of the tube. The seal is traditionally made of an elastic material, especially a rubber material, and thus preferably allows for certain deformation and extension of the tubes mounted in the substrate. Since the above deformation may lead to a load which may cause crack formation at the tube ends, reinforcing elements may be provided according to the present disclosure, which are already illustrated in various embodiments on the right of FIG. 1 and will be described in detail below.
[0040] For example, FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment in which the end region of the tube is reinforced by an insert 18, in which case the insert has a flat cross-section basically corresponding to the inner cross-section of the tube 12. In connection with the embodiment of FIGS. 2 to 7, it should be contemplated that the tube basically has a first cross-section that is relatively small in size over most of its longitudinal extension, in other words, between the two substrates 14 according to FIG. 1, and has a second cross-section that is relatively large in size in its end region. To mount the tube in the substrate 14, the second region that is relatively large in size as described above is inserted into the individual opening in the substrate and then soldered, for example, with the opening. The inserts illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 6 are typically provided at the end of the region having a large cross-section, so that the inserts can provide stability required in this case.
[0041] The shape of the above-mentioned tube having a relatively large cross-sectional region and a relatively small cross-sectional region may result in deformation, and the individual insert may be subsequently inserted, in which case the position of the insert is defined between the relatively large cross-sectional region and the relatively small cross-sectional region by steps (such as the rail of the ladder). In other words, the tube ends are deformed in such a manner that the cross-section of the tube end is higher in height and narrow in width in a first step, for example, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4. In other words, the cross-section is deformed into an “elliptical” shape, but it may also have an undeformed cross-sectional region in this case. After the deformation process described above, the inserts may be inserted into the deformed end and then soldered to the tube. In this regard, the outermost end of the tube may be slightly closed through section formation in which the section is gradually tapered, for example, as can be seen in an observer direction of viewing the drawings in FIGS. 2 to 4, to fix the inserted insert in place.
[0042] In connection with the insert 18 illustrated in FIG. 2, it should be contemplated that the insert basically has a flat rectangular cross-section with a long parallel side and a short rounded side and, in the case illustrated, two webs 20 that are perpendicular to the long side. Particularly, the webs enable stability to be provided in an axial direction in which the length of the cross-section that is flat from top to down in FIG. 2 is short.
[0043] This applies equally to the insert 18 illustrated in FIG. 3 basically having the same cross-section as the cross-section of FIG. 2, but the insert illustrated in FIG. 3 has only one web which is given through quadruple bending. The insert starts from the upper surface thereof to be first bent in an S-shape, resulting in a first end 22 extending in a manner that is parallel to the long side and abuts on the upper boundary of the insert 18. To form the web 20, the substantially central region of the long side is basically provided with an additional bending of about 90°, in which case the web is supported at its lower region on the lower surface of the insert by the additional bending.
[0044] In addition, the embodiment of FIG. 4 is similar to the left half of the insert 18 in the formation according to FIG. 3 in that the web 20.1 is basically formed at a position corresponding to approximately one-third along the length of the long side (from left to right in FIG. 4). For the formation of an additional web 20.2, the insert is bent upward in an S-shape again from the lower end in such a manner that the end 24 abuts on the upper surface of the insert. In this case, the two webs 20.1 and 20.2 enable very excellent stability to be provided almost corresponding to the embodiment of FIG. 2.
[0045] This applies equally to an embodiment of FIG. 5 having an elliptical insert 18 in a substantially central region in the tube along the long side of the tube cross-section, wherein the insert has a long axis which occupies about 40% to 60% of the long axis of the tube cross-section. FIG. 5 further illustrates a section of a collector substrate 14 and a seal 26 disposed between the tube end of the substrate.
[0046] The elliptical insert 18 illustrated in FIG. 5 may have a circular cross-section as illustrated in the embodiment of FIG. 6, where the side ends of the tube in the embodiment of FIG. 6 are provided with circular inserts 18. The diameter of each circular insert corresponds to about one-third of the length of the long axis in the tube cross-section in the case illustrated.
[0047] While the embodiments described so far have the inserts inserted into the tube, FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment in which reinforcement is made by the section of a tube itself, on the one hand, and by the type of a collar 28, on the other hand. The shape of the collar corresponds to the tube end according to the embodiments of FIGS. 2 to 6 and has a first relatively large cross-section facing the observer in FIG. 7, wherein the cross-section may receive the tube end. To the first cross-section, a relatively small cross-section that is away from the observer and faces the collector in the mounted state in FIG. 7 is connected, and at the same time, this cross-section provides a step basically surrounding its periphery between two sections of different cross-sections, and this step determines the location of the tube when installing the tube in the collector. In the embodiment of FIG. 7, on the one hand, the collar 28 may act as a reinforcing element. In FIG. 7, however, an additional measure is illustrated in which two inner ribs 30 are formed in the tube, integrally with the walls of the tube, where these ribs basically extend in an axial direction in which the length of the tube cross-section is short. As can be seen in FIG. 7, the expression “basically” means a deviation of up to 10° from the direction mentioned in this case. In the example illustrated, the ends of the ribs are bent again by about 90° or more to provide a circular round support on the upper inner wall of the tube. In this regard, the advantages of the installation of the collar as a reinforcing element are that a groove and/or a possible gap at the position where the ribs 30 bent from the individual tube wall collide when the collar is soldered to the tube end is closed by soldering.
[0048] FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment similar to that of FIG. 6, but in this case the summed diameter of the plurality of circular inserts 18 placed side by side basically corresponds to the length of the long axis of the tube cross-section, and in turn the tube is reinforced over the entire width (which is identifiable from left to right in FIG. 8). According to FIGS. 8 to 10, the tube may further have inner ribs 30 to the inserts 18 further provided at its end.
[0049] The insert in FIG. 9 is changed in a manner that has a plurality of S-shaped or Z-shaped bending portion compared to the insert of FIG. 4, resulting in a plurality of webs 20, the regions between which abut on their upper surfaces or lower surfaces in plane, respectively. The forms abutting on the lower surfaces correspond to the regions between the first web and the second web, between the third web and the fourth web, and between the fifth web and the sixth web, in the direction from left to right in FIG. 9. Correspondingly, the left region of the first web, the region between the second web and third web, the region between the fourth web and the fifth web, and the right region of the sixth web abut on the upper surfaces.
[0050] In addition, the reinforcing measure in FIGS. 9 and 10 is illustrated to the effect that the upper or lower boundary section of the tube is bent upward or downward in such a manner that the wall section 32 in the form of the web of the tube, which basically extends perpendicular to the tube axis in this case, is produced, for example, by the injection molded parts mentioned in the introduction section. This measure also provides the desired reinforcement of the tube end in certain applications that do not include any insert 18.
[0051] According to FIG. 10, this measure including any insert is combined similar to the insert of FIG. 2, for example, which is formed by extrusion molding and has a plurality of webs 20. The webs are formed integrally with the upper or lower boundary of the insert in series, while according to FIG. 9 (and FIGS. 3 and 4) they were first formed by the appropriate bending of the flat starting material of the insert.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0052] The present disclosure relates to a heat exchanger and a method of manufacturing and assembling the same, and more particularly, the heat exchanger according to the present disclosure is associated with an air flow heat exchanger that is assembled by mechanical assembly (MA) as well as controlled atmospheric brazing (CAB).
