HEAT EXHANGER

Abstract

A heat exchanger, for example an intercooler or a coolant radiator, may include at least two floors each having a passage for accommodating a longitudinal end region of a plurality of fluid-conducting tubes. The heat exchanger may further include at least one side part having a longitudinal end region at least one of at least partially accommodated in a passage at an end of an associated floor and adjoining the associate floor. The at least one side part may include at least two segments having a different cross-section from one another.

Claims

1. A heat exchanger, comprising: at least two floors each having a passage for accommodating a longitudinal end region of a plurality of fluid-conducting tubes; at least one side part having a longitudinal end region at least one of at least partially accommodated in a passage at an end of an associated floor and adjoining the associated floor; and wherein the at least one side part includes at least two segments having a different cross-section from one another.

2. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the at least two segments of the at least one side part includes two substantially identical longitudinal end segments and a middle section arranged between the two longitudinal end segments.

3. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein the middle section has at least one of a material thickness and a bending stiffness that is lower than the two longitudinal end segments.

4. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein the middle section is structured as a metal strip.

5. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein the two longitudinal end segments have at least one of a U-shaped cross-section, a U-wedge shaped cross-section, a L-shaped cross-section, a W-shaped cross-section and a tubular cross-section with one or more chambers.

6. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein a gap is provided between the middle section and at least one longitudinal end segment of the two longitudinal end segments to space the same from each other.

7. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the two longitudinal end segments and the middle section are materially bonded to each other at least in one region.

8. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the two longitudinal end segments and the middle section are at least partially connected to each other via a positive locking connection.

9. The heat exchanger according to claim 8, wherein the at least one longitudinal end segment and the middle section are at least partially connected to each other via a clipped connection.

10. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the two longitudinal end segments has a first contour and the middle section has a second contour complementing the first contour.

11. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein the two longitudinal end segments have a tubular cross-section with one or more chambers.

12. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein the two longitudinal end segments have at least one of a U-shaped cross-section, a U-wedge shaped cross-section, and a W-shaped cross-section.

13. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein the middle section has a lower material thickness than that of the two longitudinal end segments.

14. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein the middle section has a lower bending stiffness than that of the two longitudinal end segments.

15. The heat exchanger according to claim 3, wherein the middle section is structured as a metal strip.

16. The heat exchanger according to claim 4, wherein the middle section and at least one of the two longitudinal end segments are spaced apart from one another to define a gap therebetween.

17. A heat exchanger, comprising: a plurality of fluid-conducting tubes; at least two floors each having a passage for accommodating a longitudinal end region of the plurality of fluid-conducting tubes; at least one side part having a longitudinal end region coupled to an associated one of the at least two floors; and wherein the at least one side part includes at least two segments having a different cross-section from one another, the at least two segments including two longitudinal end segments and a middle section arranged between the two longitudinal end segments.

18. The heat exchanger according to claim 17, wherein the middle section is structured as a flat strip and the two longitudinal end segments are structured substantially identical to one another.

19. The heat exchanger according to claim 17, wherein the middle section has at least one of a material thickness and a bending stiffness that is lower than that of the two longitudinal end segments.

20. The heat exchanger according to claim 17, wherein at least one of the two longitudinal end segments has one of a U-shaped cross-section, a U-wedge shaped cross-section, a L-shaped cross-section, a W-shaped cross-section, and a tubular cross-section with one or more chambers.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] In the schematic drawing:

[0018] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view through a heat exchanger according to the invention,

[0019] FIG. 2 shows a side part according to the invention with a middle section and two longitudinal end segments,

[0020] FIGS. 3 to 7 show various views of a side part with a middle section and differing longitudinal end segments,

[0021] FIG. 8 is a view of a side part with a longitudinal end segment having a first contour and a middle section having a second contour that complements the first.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] According to FIG. 1, a heat exchanger 1 according to the invention, which may be realised as an intercooler for example, includes two floors 2, each of which has passages 3 for accommodating the longitudinal end regions of fluid-conducting tubes 4, flat tubes, for example. Floors 2 are connected to plenums 5 to form a collector, for coolant for example. The respective longitudinal end regions 7 of the two side parts 6 are at least partially accommodated in a passage 8 at the end of the associated floor 2, wherein the passage 8 at the end is constructed identically with the passages 3 provided for tubes 4. Side parts 6 may pass partially or all the way through passages 8, but do not have to. Alternatively, of course, they can also be joined to floors 2 in some other way, for example by soldering, welding, etc.

[0023] Now in order to be able to produce a side part 6 that not only satisfies the more demanding bending stiffness requirements that arise in the longitudinal end region 7 but can otherwise be produced with minimal material consumption, it is suggested according to the invention that side part 6 includes at least two different segments 9, 10 with differing cross-section and therewith also different bending stiffness characteristics. The side part 6 represented according to FIG. 2 has a total of three segments 9, 10, that is to say two identical longitudinal end segments 13 and a middle section 14 arranged between them. Middle section 14 has lower bending stiffness and/or a lower material thickness than longitudinal end segments 13 and can consequently be constructed particularly economically in terms of materials and with less weight. On the other hand, the longitudinal end segments 13 not only have differing cross-sections, enabling greater bending stiffness, but may also have greater material thickness, which also contributes to greater bending stiffness.

[0024] Middle section 14 may be in the form of a metal strip, which can be constructed simply and inexpensively, whereas the longitudinal end segments 13 may have for example a W-shaped cross-section (see FIGS. 2 and 5), a U-shaped cross-section (see FIG. 3), a U-wedge shaped cross-section (see FIG. 4) or a tubular cross-section consisting of one or more chambers 15 (see FIGS. 6 and 7). A common feature of all longitudinal end segments 13 shown is that they have relatively high bending stiffness moments by virtue of their cross-sections alone.

[0025] It is also conceivable that at least one longitudinal end segment 13 and the middle section 14 are materially bonded to each other, for example by welding or soldering, or that a gap 16 is provided between the middle section 14 and a longitudinal end segment 13, so that they do not touch each other. Theoretically, of course, the individual segments 9, 10 may be arranged so that they both overlap and abut each other. However, it is particularly advantageous if the two segments 9, 10 do not touch each other and the gap 16 between two segments 9, 10 is larger than 0.5 mm. A butt joint with gap 16 is shown for the side parts 6 according to FIGS. 2 to 7, whereas in FIG. 8 longitudinal end segment 13 has a first contour 11 and middle section 14 has a second contour 12 complementary thereto. Accordingly, in this case the longitudinal end segments 13 of side part 6 are given a convex or arrow-like shape directed towards the middle section 14 (see left and right images in FIG. 8), which makes it possible to ensure that each rib ridge can be joined to side part 6.

[0026] Side part 6 according to the invention and heat exchanger 1 according to the invention make it possible to produce heat exchangers 1 with differing tube lengths and identical longitudinal end segments 13 of side parts 6, which are simply combined with middle section 14 of different lengths depending on the tube length. In this way, the complex parts of side part 6, i.e. the longitudinal end segments 13 and segments 10 can always be used inexpensively and with excellent results using the same tool. Moreover, the simple design of middle section 14 helps to minimise material consumption, and in extreme cases even the middle section 14, i.e. segment 9, can be omitted entirely. At the same time, the complex shape of the longitudinal end segment 13 still affords firm bracing for tubes 4 in the region of the floor 2 close to the floor.