CN115479485A

CN115479485A - Heat exchanger

Info

Publication number: CN115479485A
Application number: CN202210597646.7A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 戈特弗里德·杜尔; 乌维·福斯特; 哈根·斯尔尼希; 马丁·西弗斯
Original assignee: Mahle International GmbH
Current assignee: Mahle International GmbH
Priority date: 2021-05-31
Filing date: 2022-05-30
Publication date: 2022-12-16
Also published as: DE102021205518A1; US20220381523A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a heat exchanger (1) having a collector (2) having at least one insertion opening (3, 3 a) into which an associated connecting tube (4, 4 a) can be inserted, wherein at least one lug (5, 5') projecting radially outward is provided on the connecting tube (4, 4 a), which lug forms a stop of the connecting tube (4, 4 a) in the insertion direction (6) in the associated insertion opening (3, 3 a), and a predetermined rotational angle position of the respective connecting tube (4, 4 a) in the associated insertion opening (3, 3 a) is also predetermined or realized. In this way assembly will be simplified.

Description

Heat exchanger

Technical Field

The invention relates to a heat exchanger having a collector with an insertion opening into which a connecting tube can be inserted. The invention also relates to an internal combustion engine, a fuel cell or an air conditioner having such a heat exchanger.

Background

Heat exchangers conducting refrigerant, in particular in air conditioning systems of motor vehicles, are usually connected via a non-detachable connection to a so-called connecting pipe for supplying the refrigerant. There, the ends of these connecting pipes are equipped with a removable connection system and, unlike air-conditioning systems, are located in the engine compartment of motor vehicles, for example. In order to be able to achieve a connection between the connecting pipe and the heat exchanger or the collector of the heat exchanger which is as simple and tight as possible and a simple production of the heat exchanger, a certain minimum distance between the heat exchanger block, in particular the heat exchanger elements of the heat exchanger block, and the connecting pipe is required in the case of a heat exchanger with transverse connecting pipes in order to be able to install and remove soldering flux and seal the heat exchanger on the air side.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention therefore relates to the problem of proposing a heat exchanger which, in particular, enables a simplified production.

According to the invention, this problem is solved by the subject matter of independent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.

The invention is based on the following general idea: the connecting tube of the collector of the heat exchanger is formed in the manner of a key, while an associated insertion opening on the collector is configured in the manner of a lock, into which insertion opening the connecting tube is inserted tightly during assembly, so that the mounting position of the connecting tube or the free end of the connecting tube in the insertion opening is forced or indicated in a predetermined position. The heat exchanger according to the invention has a collector with at least one insertion opening, which can also be designed essentially as a distributor, into which the connecting tube can be inserted or inserted. On the connecting tube or its free end, a projection is provided which projects radially outward and which indicates or predetermines not only a stop of the connecting tube in the insertion direction in the insertion opening, but also a predetermined rotational angular position of the connecting tube in the insertion opening. With the insertion opening configured in this way and the connecting tube configured in this way, a clearly predetermined mounting position can thus be achieved, which achieves a reliable, tight and high-quality connection of the connecting tube to the heat exchanger collector.

In an advantageous further development of the heat exchanger according to the invention, a marking is provided on the insertion opening, which marking indicates a predetermined rotational angular position of the connecting pipe in the insertion opening when the projection of the connecting pipe is arranged to the insertion opening in the axial direction. The projection thus on the one hand effects a stop in the axial direction, so that a tactile detection of the mounting end position in the axial direction is achieved, while the marking on the insertion opening effects a rotational angular orientation into a predetermined rotational angular position. Here, when the mark on the insertion opening and the projection on the connection pipe are aligned in the axial direction (based on the axial direction of the insertion opening and the connection pipe, respectively), the connection pipe is correctly oriented with respect to its rotational angular position. This provides the following major advantages: only on the connecting tube must a shaping device be provided, i.e. in the form of at least one projection, while on the insertion opening only markings that can be easily applied need be provided. Obviously, the marking can be not only painted, but also, for example, embossed or engraved. The embossing or engraving has inter alia the following advantages: will not be lost even after a long period of time and can be easily repositioned during maintenance work.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the heat exchanger according to the invention, a recess formed complementary to the projection is provided on the insertion opening, wherein the projection engages in the recess and positions the connecting tube in a predetermined rotational angular position in the insertion opening when the connecting tube is mounted correctly in the insertion opening. In this case, the male part thus forms a key, while the female part on the insertion opening forms an associated lock, so that a well-defined predetermined axial position and rotational angle position is enforced when the male part is engaged in the female part (i.e. when the key is engaged in the lock).

In practice, the collector comprises two insertion openings in which the associated connecting tubes can be inserted each. In order to be able to achieve a clear assignment of the connecting tubes to the respectively associated insertion openings, it is possible to provide different elevations on the two connecting tubes, while associated and different markings or recesses are provided on the two insertion openings. In this way, a defined predetermined mounting position of one connecting tube can be in only the associated one insertion opening, while a predetermined mounting position of the other connecting tube can be in only the associated other insertion opening. The connecting tube and the associated insertion opening can thereby be coded in a fail-safe manner, whereby incorrect assembly can be reliably avoided in particular. This enables the heat exchanger according to the present invention to be produced even with ordinary workers.

In practice, the collector comprises an opening oriented parallel to the at least one insertion opening, the tubes being tightly integrated in the opening of the collector, with heat exchanger elements arranged between the tubes. The collector with the tubes and the heat exchanger elements forms a heat exchanger block of a heat exchanger. Usually, air flows through the heat exchanger element with the tubes (formed for example as flat tubes) in the intermediate space, as a result of which a heat transfer of the refrigerant present in the tubes and the collector with the outside air is achieved. The heat exchanger element can be designed as a corrugated fin, for example.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the solution according to the invention, the connecting tube in the mounted state does not comprise a projection in the direction of the adjacent tube or the adjacent heat exchanger element. This makes it possible to enlarge the installation space which exists between the outermost heat exchanger element and the connecting pipe, in which installation space, for example, welding plates and clamps have to be installed for welding the heat exchanger. By enlarging the installation space of the heat exchanger according to the invention, a significant simplification of the production process is achieved, since there are no protrusions on the connecting tubes in the direction of the outermost corrugated fins or the outermost heat exchanger elements. This also enables cost reduction.

In the conventional heat exchanger, the connection pipe is usually inserted with a circumferential bead or a circumferential angular bead facing radially outward, but this has the following disadvantages: not only is the installation space between adjacent corrugated fins or adjacent heat exchanger elements and the connecting tube reduced, making the introduction of welded plates or clamps more difficult, but such fillet welds also do not provide any possibility of at least indicating or forcing via a positive-locking connection (for example by means of at least one projection engaging in an associated recess) a predetermined and desired rotational angular position of the connecting tube in the insertion opening.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the heat exchanger according to the invention, the collector is closed off at the longitudinal end sides by a tab which is inserted into the further insertion opening. The collector can thus be closed relatively simply on the longitudinal end side merely by sliding the insert sheet into the associated insertion opening, which can be formed in the manner of a channel (similar to a channel for flat tubes). The collector, the tube, the heat exchanger element and the insert (blade) can be welded or glued to each other, i.e. tightly connected to each other in a firmly glued manner. Thereby, a mechanical prefabrication and subsequent strong adhesive sealing can be achieved in a welding furnace.

The invention is also based on the following general idea: an internal combustion engine, a fuel cell or an air conditioning system is provided with a heat exchanger as described in the preceding paragraph. In particular, a simple and precise assembly of the heat exchanger can thereby be achieved. In particular, it is also possible to manufacture internal combustion engines, air conditioning systems or fuel cells more cost-effectively and thus to manufacture motor vehicles equipped with them more cost-effectively.

Further important features and advantages of the invention can be taken from the dependent claims, the drawings and the associated description of the drawings by way of the figures.

It is to be understood that the features mentioned above and still to be explained below can be used not only in the respective combinations stated but also in other combinations or alone without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Drawings

Preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and explained in more detail in the following description, wherein like reference numbers indicate identical or similar or functionally identical elements.

Are shown in each case schematically in a schematic manner,

fig. 1 shows an oblique view of a heat exchanger according to the invention, with a collector, two insertion openings and associated two connecting pipes and markings on the insertion openings,

fig. 2 shows a side view of a heat exchanger according to the invention with a collector, an insertion opening and a connecting pipe inserted into the insertion opening, which with its projection engages in an associated recess on the insertion opening.

Detailed Description

According to fig. 2, the heat exchanger 1 according to the invention comprises a collector 2 with an insertion opening 3 into which an associated connecting pipe 4 can be inserted. According to fig. 1, the heat exchanger 1 comprises a collector 2 having two

insertion openings

3 and 3a into which associated

connection pipes

4 and 4a can be inserted, respectively. In this case, the connection pipe 4 is referred to as a first connection pipe, and the associated insertion opening 3 is referred to as a first insertion opening 3. The second insertion opening has the reference numeral 3a and the associated second connecting tube has the reference numeral 4a.

At least one projection 5, 5' is provided on the connecting tube 4 or the connecting

tube

4, 4a, which projection projects or protrudes radially outward in each case and which projection not only forms a stop of the respective connecting

tube

4, 4a in the insertion direction 6 in the associated insertion opening 3, 3a, which insertion direction corresponds to the axial direction 7, but also predetermines or indicates a predefined rotational angular position of the respective connecting

tube

4, 4a in the associated

insertion opening

3, 3 a.

According to the embodiment of fig. 1, at least one marking 8, 8', which respectively belongs to the associated at least one projection 5, 5' on the respective connecting

tube

4, 4a, is arranged on the insertion opening 3 and 3a, respectively, which marking indicates a predetermined rotational angular position of the connecting

tube

4, 4a in the associated insertion opening 3, 3a when the projection 5, 5' of the connecting

tube

4, 4a is arranged to this insertion opening in the axial direction 7. Thus, when the protrusions 5 of the connecting tube 4 are aligned in the axial direction 7 with the associated marks 8 on the associated insertion opening 3, a predetermined rotational angular position of the connecting tube 4 in the associated insertion opening 3 is achieved. For this purpose, at least one projection 5 is required on the connecting tube 4 and an associated marking 8 is required on the insertion opening 3.

In contrast, according to the embodiment of fig. 2, recesses 9, 9 'which are formed complementary to the projections 5, 5' of the connecting tube 4 are provided here on the insertion opening 3, wherein with a correct installation of the connecting tube 4 in the insertion opening 3, the projections 5 or the projections 5, 5 'engage in the associated recesses 9 or the associated recesses 9, 9', so that the connecting tube 4 is positioned in a predetermined rotational angular position in the insertion opening 3. Here, a form fit is achieved between the respective projection 5, 5 'and the associated recess 9, 9', which only allows a single rotational angle installation position.

Observing again the embodiment according to fig. 1, differently formed connecting

tubes

4, 4a can also be used at the two

insertion openings

3, 3a, wherein to avoid confusion the protrusions 5, 5 'on the connecting tube 4 are arranged differently from the protrusions 5, 5' on the connecting tube 4a. Similarly, the markings 8, 8' are arranged here at different positions on the two

insertion openings

3, 3 a. Likewise, this embodiment will work with the associated recesses 9, 9' as well. By means of the different arrangement of the projections 5, 5' on the associated connecting

tubes

4, 4a, different keys for different locks (

insertion openings

3, 3a or recesses 9, 9' with markings 8, 8 ') can be produced, which reliably excludes, for example, incorrect assembly of the connecting tube 4 in the insertion opening 3a and thus enables high-quality manufacture, which can also be carried out by less qualified workers.

Further observing fig. 1, it can be noted that the collector 2 comprises openings 10 (for example channels 10a oriented parallel to the

insertion openings

3, 3 a) in which the tubes 11 (for example flat tubes 11 a) are tightly integrated, wherein between the tubes 11 heat exchanger elements 12 (for example corrugated fins 12 a) are arranged. In order to be able to keep the space 13 (e.g. the assembly space) between the outermost corrugated fin 12a and the connecting

tubes

4, 4a as large as possible, the connecting

tubes

4, 4a do not have any protrusions 5 in the mounted state in the direction of the adjacent tubes 11 or flat tubes 11a or adjacent heat exchanger elements 12 or adjacent corrugated fins 12 a. Thereby, components (such as the jig 14 or the welding plate 15) required for producing the heat exchanger 1 can be easily arranged in the space 13. By enlarging the distance between the connection pipe 4 and the heat exchanger element 12 (i.e. by enlarging the space 13 here), the mounting of the clamping device 14 or the welding plate 15 can be simplified in particular.

Looking again at fig. 1, it can be noted that the collector 2 is closed on the longitudinal end side by

tabs

17, 17a inserted into

further insertion openings

16, 16 a. The collector 2 according to fig. 1 has two tubes and thus two

insertion openings

16, 16a and two associated

insertion tabs

17, 17a. The collector 2, the pipe 11, the heat exchanger element 12 and the insert 17 are welded or welded-bonded to one another in this case so as to be connected tightly to one another.

The heat exchanger 1 according to the invention can be used, for example, in an internal combustion engine 18, a fuel cell 19 or an air conditioning system 20.

In summary, with the heat exchanger 1 according to the invention, the space 13, in particular the installation space, between the respective connecting

pipe

4, 4a and the next adjacent heat exchanger element 12 can be enlarged, which considerably simplifies the assembly, in particular the installation of the clamp 14 or the weld plate 15. By means of the elevations 5, 5' and the associated markings 8, 8' and the associated recesses 9, 9', twisting of the connecting

tubes

4, 4a in the

insertion openings

3, 3a can additionally be avoided or the exact alignment with respect to the rotational angle position is simplified. By the different positions of the projections 5, 5' in the outer circumferential direction of the respective connecting

tubes

4, 4a and by the different sizes of the projections, in the case of otherwise identical end shapes of the connecting tubes 4, an exchange, i.e. for example an insertion of the connecting tube 4 into the insertion opening 3a, can also be reliably excluded, whereby a mistake proofing system facilitating high-quality manufacture can be created.

Claims

1. A heat exchanger (1) has a collector (2) with at least one insertion opening (3, 3 a) into which an associated connecting tube (4, 4 a) is inserted, wherein at least one lug (5, 5') projecting radially outward is provided on the connecting tube (4, 4 a), which forms a stop of the connecting tube (4, 4 a) in the insertion direction (6) in the associated insertion opening (3, 3 a), and a predetermined angle of rotation position of the respective connecting tube (4, 4 a) in the associated insertion opening (3, 3 a) is also predetermined or indicated.

2. The heat exchanger as set forth in claim 1,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

on the insertion opening (3, 3 a) a marking (8, 8 ') is provided, which indicates a predetermined rotational angle position of the respective connection pipe (4, 4 a) in the associated insertion opening (3, 3 a) when the projection (5, 5') of the connection pipe (4, 4 a) inserted therein is arranged in alignment with the marking in the axial direction (7).

3. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 or 2,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

a recess (9, 9 ') formed complementary to the projection (5, 5') is provided on the insertion opening (3, 3 a), wherein when a connecting tube (4, 4 a) is correctly mounted in the associated insertion opening (3, 3 a), the projection (5, 5 ') engages in the associated recess (9, 9') and positions the respective connecting tube (4, 4 a) in a predetermined rotational angular position in the associated insertion opening (3, 3 a).

4. The heat exchanger according to claim 2 or 3,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the collector (2) comprises at least two insertion openings (3, 3 a) into which associated connecting tubes (4, 4 a) can each be inserted, wherein the position and/or size of the projections (5, 5') arranged on a connecting tube (4) differs from the position and/or size of the projections arranged on a further connecting tube (4 a).

5. Heat exchanger according to one of the preceding claims,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the collector (2) comprises two openings (10) which are oriented parallel to the insertion openings (3, 3 a) and in which a pipe (11) is tightly integrated, wherein a heat exchanger element (12) is arranged between the pipes (11).

6. The heat exchanger as set forth in claim 5,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the collector (2) comprises two channels (10 a) which are oriented parallel to the insertion openings (3, 3 a) and in which flat tubes (11 a) are tightly integrated, wherein corrugated fins (12 a) are arranged between the flat tubes (11 a).

7. The heat exchanger according to claim 5 or 6,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

in the mounted state, the connecting pipe (4, 4 a) does not comprise any projection (5, 5 a) in the direction of the adjacent pipe (11) or the adjacent heat exchanger element (12).

8. The heat exchanger according to any of the preceding claims,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the collector (2) is closed on the longitudinal end side by at least one insert sheet (17, 17 a) inserted into the at least one further insertion opening (16, 16 a).

9. The heat exchanger according to claim 5 and 8,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the collector (2), the pipe (11), the heat exchanger element (12) and the insert (17) are welded or glued to one another.

10. An internal combustion engine (18), a fuel cell (19) or an air conditioning system (20) having a heat exchanger (1) according to any of the preceding claims.