EP1537368A1

EP1537368A1 - Manifold for cooling agent, heat exchanger, cooling agent closed circuit and method for producing a manifold

Info

Publication number: EP1537368A1
Application number: EP03794893A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Uwe FÖRSTER; Kurt Molt; Gerrit WÖLK
Original assignee: Behr GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Mahle Behr GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 2002-08-31
Filing date: 2003-08-19
Publication date: 2005-06-08
Also published as: AU2003260430A1; CN1678873A; DE10338526A1; US20050268643A1; JP2006508319A; WO2004025195A1; US7428825B2; BR0306202A

Abstract

The invention relates to a manifold for a cooling agent of an air conditioning plant which comprises a separation form-closed element fixed inside a manifold housing, a heat exchanger provided with said manifold, the closed cooling agent circuit of the air conditioning plant with the manifold and a method for producing said manifold.

Description

BEHR GmbH & Co.Mauserstraße 3, 70469 Stuttgart

Refrigerant header, heat exchanger, refrigerant circuit and method of making a header

The invention relates to a collector for a refrigerant of an air conditioning system, with a housing, a chamber and a refrigerant-permeable separating element, as well as a heat exchanger with such a collector and a refrigerant circuit of an air conditioning system with such a collector. The invention also relates to a method for producing such a collector.

Heat exchangers with such collectors are described by the applicant's older patent application DE 102 13 194. In the subject of the applicant's earlier application, a section of the collector is used to receive the dryer granules, the collector section being delimited upwards and downwards by perforated plates. The advantage of this solution is that no separate dryer container has to be inserted into the collector and that the dryer can be soldered together with the entire refrigerant condenser, ie it does not have to be inserted into the collector after the soldering process, which would then have to be closed. A disadvantage of the solution shown and described in the earlier application is that the collector is widened in the area of the dryer section, ie a larger cross section compared to the adjacent sections. This means a manufacturing cost associated with additional costs.

The object of the present invention is to improve a collector according to the subject matter of the earlier application in such a way that it is easier and cheaper to manufacture. It is also an object of the invention to provide an inexpensive method for producing a collector.

This object is achieved by a collector with the features of claim 1, by a heat exchanger or refrigerant condenser with the features of one of claims 14 and 20, by a refrigerant circuit with the features of claim 15 and by a method for producing a collector with the Features of one of claims 16 to 19 and 31.

According to claim 1, a collector for a refrigerant of an air conditioning system has a housing with an inlet and an outlet opening, a chamber for receiving the refrigerant and at least one refrigerant-permeable separating element, the separating element separating a first and a second region of the chamber from one another.

Advantageously, an inner wall of the housing has one or more protrusions or depressions, in particular encircling or interrupted once or several times, for supporting the separating element. This makes it possible to support or fix one or more separating elements in the collector on the inner wall of the housing on the basis of such abutment surfaces or abutments without the outer shape of the collector being significantly influenced. The collector housing can thus be produced in a simple manner, for example from a welded tube of constant cross section, the projections are attached to the inner wall thereof using simple tools.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the separating element has a filter or is designed as a filter, so that the first region of the chamber forms a return chamber communicating with the inlet opening and the second region forms a forward chamber communicating with the outlet opening. Filtering the refrigerant prevents disadvantageous carryover of particles in a circuit of the refrigerant.

The filter particularly preferably comprises a filter fabric which has a reinforced edge region and / or is enclosed in a frame which can be connected to the housing. As a result, the filter has increased stability, which in particular facilitates mounting the filter in the housing.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, a dryer can be accommodated in the first area, so that water can be withdrawn from the refrigerant flowing through the collector. The first area of the chamber thus becomes the dryer area. The dryer is designed in particular as granules or as a powder and is fixed in the dryer area by at least one separating element.

The separating element preferably has a sieve or is designed as a sieve. This prevents, in particular, abrasion particles from escaping from the dryer area into the second area of the chamber. The screen particularly preferably has a reinforced edge region and / or is enclosed in a frame which can be connected to the housing. As a result, the sieve has increased stability, which in particular facilitates assembly of the sieve in the housing. According to an advantageous development, the dryer can be fixed in the first region by means of an energy store, such as a compression spring or a plate spring. This prevents the dryer from slipping and possibly abrasion, or at least limits it. A force which is exerted by the energy store on the dryer, in particular in the form of granules or powder, is particularly preferably transmitted to the dryer with the aid of a force distributor, such as, for example, a pressure plate, so that the force acts uniformly on the dryer.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the housing consists of at least two parts, the separating element being held in a joint between two housing parts, which results in a particularly simple construction of the collector. According to one embodiment), the joint on the outside of the housing is covered with a cover, such as a sleeve. In a further embodiment, the two housing parts can be plugged into one another such that the joint is covered to the outside by at least one of the two housing parts.

According to a preferred embodiment, the separating element can be supported against movement away from the first region. In particular, in the case of a first area of the chamber designed as a dryer area, a dryer can be accommodated in the first area.

According to a preferred embodiment, the separating element can be supported against movement towards the first region. Support of the separating element against movement away from the first region and against movement towards the first region is particularly preferred.

According to a preferred embodiment, the separating element is a plate spring by means of a force accumulator, such as a compression spring or a circlip can be supported. This serves to simplify the assembly of the separating element, which is held by such a preloaded energy store.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the separating element is integrally connected to the housing, in particular soldered. The separating element is particularly advantageously solderable to the housing or in particular the heat exchanger in one operation, so that the production is simplified since no subsequent insertion or connection of the separating element in or with the housing is necessary.

According to a further embodiment, a simple construction is provided by a tubular housing with, in particular, a round cross section. The end faces of the tube are preferably closed, with at least one inlet opening and at least one outlet opening then being arranged at another location.

According to an advantageous development of the invention, the projections are designed as a circumferential bead, i. H. as a constriction of the collector cross-section. Alternatively, this bead can also be interrupted over the circumference, so that there are only individual bead segments or knob-like projections which are suitable for acting as an abutment for the inserts.

According to an advantageous development of the invention, the two inserts are loaded by a compression spring arranged between them, which presses on the granulate via a movable pressure plate and holds it under compressive stress.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the lower insert can be designed as a perforated plate or as a ring sieve, which is located on the projections or a circumferential bead is supported and can also be soldered on the circumference. This results in 100% tightness in the edge area, so that no particles, e.g. B. pellet abrasion in the lower collector room.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the upper insert can be largely open and can be designed as a perforated plate or ring which is supported on the projections. The upper insert does not have to seal, but only forms an abutment for the compression spring, which presses on the pressure plate that is movable in the collector.

According to an advantageous development of the invention, in the lower region of the collector, i. H. an annular sieve is arranged between the two overflow openings, d. H. a flat screen cloth, which is bordered on the circumference by a ring that is fixed in the collector, be it in a groove or be it by a frictional connection, e.g. B. by pressing as a result of increasing the diameter of the ring. This filter screen has the advantage of a constant mesh size compared to a cup-shaped screen (according to the earlier application). This retains fine particles in the collector. This ring can also be soldered to the inside of the collector wall in order to achieve 100% tightness in this area.

According to an advantageous development, a collector according to the invention is used in a heat exchanger with tubes, fins and two head pieces and / or in a refrigerant circuit of an air conditioning system with a compression element, a first heat exchanger, a relaxation element and a second heat exchanger.

The object of the invention is also achieved by a method having the features of one of claims 16 to 19 and 31. Advantageous with these The method is that the dryer, which is also to be soldered in particular, can be easily mounted and fixed in the collector. This occurs, for example, essentially after inserting a dryer, in that an insert is pressed down, for example, by a suitable tool, and a force accumulator is pretensioned and then fixed in the pretensioned state by introducing one or more projections into the inner wall of the housing above it , the insert then lies against the protrusions. The dryer is now fully assembled in the collector. The depressed insert is either the separating element or a power distributor or a housing wall.

For the method according to the invention are therefore only a tool, eg For example, a stamp for generating a pretension and a further externally acting tool coordinated with the first tool are required, which attaches the projections in the collector. These are simple and safe process steps that allow the collector to be manufactured inexpensively with a solderable dryer.

The invention is explained in more detail below using exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings. Show it:

1-6 each a section of a heat exchanger with a collector according to the present invention,

7 shows a detail of a collector,

8-9 each a section of a heat exchanger with a collector,

Fig. 10-13 each a section of a collector and 14-16 each show a section of a heat exchanger with a collector.

1 shows a perspective view of a refrigerant condenser 1 which is only partially shown, a heat exchanger network 2, a collector pipe 3 and a collector 4 being partly shown. The design of the refrigerant condenser 1 largely corresponds to the refrigerant condenser according to the earlier application with the file number 102 13 194.5, which was made the subject of this application in toto. H. is fully incorporated into the disclosure of the invention.

The heat exchanger network 2 consists of flat tubes 5, the ends of which are received by the collecting tube 3 and between which corrugated fins 6 are arranged. The collecting tube 3 and the collector 4 are arranged parallel to each other and - as known from the earlier application - mechanically and fluidly connected to each other, i. H. via two overflow openings 7 and 8, through which the refrigerant enters the collector 4 from the collecting pipe 3 and flows back out of the latter into the collecting pipe 3. The collector 4 is made of a piece of pipe 9, for. B. a welded tube and an extruded profile 10, which has the overflow openings 7, 8 and is closed at the end by a cover 11.

The collector 4, consisting of tube 9 and profile 10, has approximately a circular cross section and is cut open in the illustration in order to provide an insight into its interior. There, in the area between the two overflow openings 7, 8, there is a filter in the form of a ring sieve 12, which consists of an outer ring 13 and an inner, flat sieve fabric 14 surrounded by the ring 13. The ring 13 is held in a positive manner in a groove 15 of the profile 10 and can be connected to the profile 10 are soldered. The ring sieve 12 is installed in such a way that the ring sieve 12 is inserted into the profile 10 with slight radial play until it has reached the ring groove 15. The ring 13 is then by increasing the diameter, for. B. anchored by pressing in the annular groove 15. A frictional attachment of the ring 13 without an annular groove 15 would also be possible.

In the pipe section 9, a circumferential, inwardly directed bead 16 is arranged, which results in a narrowing of the pipe cross section. The bead 16 can be introduced into the pipe section 9 before the pipe section 9 is connected to the profile 10. Instead of this circumferential bead 16, individual bead segments distributed over the circumference or knob-like projections are also possible. A perforated plate 17 is arranged above the bead 16, i. H. it lies on the bead 16, which forms an abutment for the perforated plate 17. The perforated plate 17 can later be soldered to the pipe section 9 on the circumferential side. Above the perforated plate 17, dryer granules 18 (partially shown) are filled into the collector 4 as a bed. Above the granulate filling 18 is another perforated plate 19 which is axially movable in the collector 4 and which initially rests loosely on the granulate fill. This perforated plate 19 acts as a pressure plate and is loaded by a compression spring 20 arranged above it, which is supported upwards against a further perforated plate 21, which in turn rests on projections 22 which are distributed over the circumference. The knob-like projections 22, which serve as abutments for the perforated plate 21, are only introduced into the pipe section 9 after all components 17 to 21 of the dryer have been positioned in the collector 4.

The final assembly of these dryer components, ie their final fixing in the collector 4, is carried out in such a way that the uppermost perforated plate 21 is pressed down by means of a stamp (not shown), whereby the spring 20 is pre-tensioned and the granules are also under pressure. voltage is set. When the uppermost perforated plate 21 has reached its predetermined position, the knob-like projections 22 are pressed into the tube piece 9 from the outside by a suitable tool, and the perforated plate 21 can then be relieved by retracting the stamp, the upper edge of which then lies against it Projections 22 on. Due to the bias of the spring 20, all dryer components 17 to 21 are thus held in position between the two abutments 16, 22 and can then be soldered to the entire capacitor 1. The collector 4 is previously closed by a cover, not shown, upwards.

The perforated plates 17, 19 are provided with a sieve fabric, not shown, which retains particles such as granulate dust. The top perforated plate 21 can also be designed as a ring, i. H. have a free cross-section on the inside, which only performs the function of an abutment for the compression spring 20. In addition, the two perforated plates 17, 19 can also be designed as ring sieves in the manner of the ring sieve 12 described above and can be fastened in the collector 4.

In another embodiment, the perforated plates or ring sieves can have a raised edge similar to a crucible or pot.

2 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a heat exchanger 30 with a collector 31. In the inner wall 33 of a tubular housing 32 of the collector, projections 34 are introduced by pressing in from the outside, onto which a ring 35 is placed. An energy store in the form of a compression or helical spring 36 rests on the ring 35 and is itself covered by a sieve or separating element 37 designed as a fabric disc. For improved stability, the tissue disc 37 can have an edge region stiffened by compressed tissue. In a chamber 39 in the collector housing 32, the separating element 37 a dryer area 38 is divided into a dryer which is not shown for the sake of clarity. The dryer is in turn covered by a second fabric disk 40, which in turn is supported by projections 41 of the inner wall 33. The individual components can be used in the order described as well as in reverse order in the collector 31.

3 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a heat exchanger 50 with a collector 51. Here, protrusions 52 are first introduced into a housing inner wall 53 of the collector 51, then a separating element 54 designed as a sheet metal blank is supported on the projections 52, after which the collector housing is secured with a not shown dryer is filled. Then, with the aid of a separating element 55 designed as a perforated plate, a tissue disk 56 is inserted into the collector housing.

The outer dimensions - here: the diameter - of the fabric disc 56 are preferably larger than the internal dimensions of the collector housing, so that an outer edge of the fabric disc 56 lies against an outer circumferential surface of the separating element 55 and the fabric disc 56 is thus cup-shaped and with the help a force accumulator 57, which is subsequently introduced and is designed as a compression spring or helical spring, is pressed against the dryer, as a result of which the dryer is fixed in the collector 51 in a part of the chamber 59 which is separated off as a dryer region 58. To maintain a preload acting on the energy accumulator 57, projections 60 are finally introduced into the inner wall 53 of the housing, on which the energy accumulator 57 is supported. By introducing the protrusions 52 and 60 into the housing inner wall 53 from the outside, indentations 62 and 63 remain on the outside 61 of the collector 51. As shown in FIG. 4, it is also possible to preassemble a collector 71 of a heat exchanger 70 as follows. A separating element 72 designed as a perforated plate is placed on projections 73 in the inner wall 74 of the collector 71. A tissue disc 75 is then inserted into the collector 71, the tissue disc 75 preferably having larger external dimensions than the internal dimensions of the collector housing, so that an edge region 76 of the tissue disc 75 can be raised and placed against the housing inner wall 74. It is advantageous to insert the tissue disc 75 into the collector 71 with the aid of a stamp which is particularly preferably hollow on the inside, so that the stamp can simultaneously be used to fill the collector with a dryer, in particular in granular or powder form. In this case, the edge region 76 of the fabric disc 75 is advantageously pressed against the inner wall 74 of the housing by the dryer.

Finally, the dryer, not shown, is covered by a further fabric disk 77 and fixed with the aid of an energy accumulator 78, the energy accumulator 78 being supported on projections 80 via a separating element 79 likewise designed as a fabric disk or as a sheet metal washer, and being held in a pretensioned state.

In one embodiment, not shown, an energy accumulator is supported directly on projections of an inner wall of the collector housing, that is to say without a separating element in between. A separating element is then given by the fabric disc 77 in the same way as in the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 4.

5 shows a heat exchanger 90 with a collector 91, in which a dryer (not shown) is pressed with the aid of an energy store 92 and a separating element 93 not against another separating element, but against a housing cover 94 of the collector 91. In order to to prevent the housing cover 94 from falling as a result of a force exerted by the energy accumulator 92, it is possible to insert the housing cover 94 into the collector with a precise fit, for example after a soldering operation there is a firm connection between the housing cover and the collector housing. There is also the possibility of introducing projections into the housing inner wall 95, so that the housing cover 94 is fixed in a desired position. The projections can be introduced into the housing wall, for example, as beads or indentations above the housing cover 94. Likewise, the housing cover 94 can be fixed by means of bent tabs. Another possibility of fixing the housing cover is to completely or partially constrict the housing wall above the housing cover 94 on the circumferential side

6 shows a section of a further exemplary embodiment of a collector 101 of a heat exchanger 100. Here, a separating element in the form of a fabric disk 102 is slipped over an energy store 103 designed as a compression spring, in that the fabric disk 102 is pushed into the collector with the aid of the energy store 103. This is done, for example, similarly to the embodiments described for FIGS. 3 and 4.

Then projections 104 are introduced into the inner wall of the housing of the collector 101, so that the energy accumulator 103 is supported. The shape of the energy accumulator 103 must be adapted accordingly, that is to say the external dimensions of the energy accumulator 103 must be selected such that the energy accumulator 103 is prevented from moving past the protrusions by the projections 104.

7 shows a section of a collector 110, in which a separating element 116, which has a perforated plate 111, via an energy store in the form of a plate spring 112 and a retaining ring 13 on projections 114 is supported in the housing inner wall 115 of the collector 110. The separating element 116 also has a fabric disc 117, so that a drying area 118 is separated from an inner chamber of the collector 110. The fabric disc 117 is in particular designed to be resilient and thus itself acts as an energy accumulator, so that in an exemplary embodiment not shown, the energy accumulator 112 can be omitted under certain circumstances. The fabric disc 117 is advantageously made of a temperature-resistant material, so that soldering of the collector following filling is possible. The fabric pane 117 can be designed, for example, as an insulation mat or as a glass fiber mat.

8 shows a section of a heat exchanger 120, cut open for illustration, with tubes 121, fins 122, a head piece 123 and a header 124. In the tubular head piece 123, chambers 125, 126 are separated from one another or separated from one another by partitions 127, 128 , The head piece 123 and the collector 124 are firmly connected to one another via a connecting region 129, preferably formed in one piece with one another.

The collector 124 has a return chamber 130 and a flow chamber 131, the return chamber 130 communicating with the chamber 125 of the head piece 123 via an inlet opening 132 and the flow chamber 131 communicating with the chamber 126 of the head piece 123 via an outlet opening 133. The return chamber 130 and the flow chamber 131 are separated from one another by a separating element 134 designed as a filter.

In operation, the heat exchanger 120 and the collector 124 are preferably flowed through as follows. Refrigerant from some of the tubes 121 is collected in the chamber 125 of the header 23 and flows from there through the inlet opening 132 into the return chamber 130 of the header 124. In the collector there is a calming of the refrigerant, which may be present in both the liquid and the gaseous phase, so that preferably phase-pure refrigerant leaves the collector. In the collector, the refrigerant passes through the separating element 134 into the flow chamber 131 and is filtered in the process by particles getting caught in the separating element designed as a filter. A dryer, not shown, in the return chamber also extracts unwanted water from the refrigerant, which may be contained in the refrigerant. The refrigerant finally flows through the outlet opening into the chamber 126 of the head piece 123 and is distributed to some of the pipes 121.

The filter 134, which is designed, for example, as a fabric disk, is supported against movement in the direction of the return chamber by a circumferential projection 134 and against a movement in the direction of the return chamber by a spreading element 137 designed as a locking ring. For this purpose, the preferably cup-shaped filter is first inserted into the collector and then pressed into an indentation formed between the projections 135 and 136 with the aid of the expansion element 137.

The expansion element 137 takes on the one hand the task of fixing the separating element 134, and on the other hand presses a preferably erected edge of the separating element 134 against the inner wall 138 of the collector, advantageously into the depression formed between the projections 135 and 136. In order to ensure that the separating element 134 is pressed against the inner wall 138 of the collector even in an open area 139 of the locking ring 137, the locking ring 137 can be tensioned after assembly, rotated a little in the tensioned state, and then relaxed again , It may be sufficient if the expansion element 137 sits in the depression formed between the projections 135 and 136 without pretensioning. FIG. 9 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a heat exchanger 140 with a collector 141, the collector 141 having a housing 142 which essentially consists of two pipe parts 143, 144 and sealing covers 145 which are plugged into one another. The outer tube part 143 has a projection 146 which supports a separating element 147 designed as a filter. With the help of an end face of the inner tube part 144, the separating element 147 is supported in the opposite direction. The housing 142 of the collector 141 can be soldered together with the heat exchanger 140.

The filter 147 can be designed as a simple fabric disk, have a compressed, reinforced or folded edge or, as shown in FIG. 9, can be enclosed in a ring 148. The ring 148 is preferably made of metal so that it can be soldered to the collector housing 142.

10 shows the detail of a collector 150 in cross section. A housing inner wall 151 of the collector 150 has a first projection 152, a second projection 153 and an intermediate recess 154. A separating element 155, for example a filter, rests on the first projection 152 and is pressed against the projection 152 with the aid of a conical ring 156.

If the conical ring 156 is now pressed into the recess 154, an arrangement is obtained which is shown in FIG. 11. The ring 156 is then supported by the projection 153, a seal being then achieved by a circumferential bracing of the ring 56.

In a similar exemplary embodiment, a separating element is supported on both sides by a tensioned ring, a conical under certain circumstances, the shear ring can also be clamped in the collector housing only on the circumference.

FIG. 12 shows a section of a collector 160, the housing of which, similar to the collector 141 in FIG. 9, has at least two pipe parts 161, 162. The two pipe parts are placed one on top of the other and connected to one another via a sleeve 163. A separating element 164 designed as a filter has an edge enclosed in a ring 165. The ring 165 is arranged between the mutually facing end faces of the tube parts 161, 162 and is thus held in its position.

The collector 170 in FIG. 13 has a housing with an inner wall 171 and a separating element 172 which is supported on both sides in the inner wall 171 by projections 173, 174 introduced from the outside. The projections 173, 174 designed as knobs are arranged in two rows, wherein each row of knobs can also be designed as a circumferential bead. The projections 173, 74 can be introduced into the inner wall of the collector housing before and / or after the separating element has been inserted into the collector, in which case the separating element must be pressed past a series of projections. This means a particularly low manufacturing effort.

14 shows a section of a heat exchanger 180 with a collector 181, in which a dryer, not shown for the sake of clarity, is fixed in a dryer area 182 without the aid of an energy store. The dryer is held between a separating element 183 in the form of a sieve and a housing cover 184 of the collector 181. The separating element is supported by projections 185 in the inner wall 186 of the collector housing, whereas the housing cover 184 is secured against falling out by a deformed housing end 187. As can be seen in FIG. 14, the separating element 183 can be enclosed in a ring 188 which is placed on the projections 185.

15 shows an exemplary embodiment in which the separating element 191 is designed as a perforated plate 192 with a glass fiber pad 193 and is also placed on projections 194 in an inner wall 195 of the collector 190.

In the case of the collector 200 in FIG. 16, the separating element 201 is designed as a perforated plate bowl 202 with the edge region 203 set up and is also provided with a glass fiber pad 204. Graining and / or infiltration of the housing of the collector at the level of the separating element 201 secures the separating element 201 against a change in position in the direction of the dryer (not shown) or in the opposite direction.

The invention is also achieved by a heat exchanger or by a method with one or more of the following features.

Soldered refrigerant condenser, consisting of a heat exchanger network with flat tubes and corrugated fins, of manifolds that are in fluid communication with the flat tubes, and of a collector arranged parallel to one of the manifolds, which preferably accommodates a dryer and / or filter and via overflow openings with the Collecting tube is in fluid communication, the dryer being designed as a space for receiving a drying agent, which is delimited by a section of the header and two refrigerant-permeable inserts which pass through the cross section of the header and which are supported on at least one or more projections of the header. Capacitor as before, characterized in that the projection or the projections are designed as a circumferential bead or at least individual, distributed projections.

Capacitor as before, characterized in that the projection or the projections are formed as bead segments distributed over the circumference of the collector.

Condenser as before, characterized in that between the inserts an elastic element, such as a compression spring, is arranged, which is supported on the one hand against the upper insert and on the other hand against a movable pressure plate which rests on the dryer granules and this against the lower insert presses.

Capacitor as before, characterized in that the lower insert is designed as a perforated plate with an attached or integrated sieve or sieve fabric.

Capacitor as before, characterized in that the perforated plate is soldered to the collector on the circumference.

Condenser as before, characterized in that the filter is arranged in the lower region of the collector between the two overflow openings and is designed as a ring sieve.

Capacitor as before, characterized in that the ring sieve consists of an outer ring and a framed, flat sieve fabric.

Capacitor as before, characterized in that the ring is inserted into a groove in the collector. Capacitor as before, characterized in that the ring is connected to the collector by friction.

Capacitor as before, characterized in that the ring is soldered on the circumference to the collector.

A method of manufacturing a capacitor as before, characterized in that first the projections are made in the lower region of the collector, that the first insert is then placed on the lower projections, that granulate is then filled in and covered with the movable pressure plate that the compression spring and the second insert are positioned on the pressure plate, that the second insert is pressed down from the outside in the collector and the compression spring is pretensioned, that protrusions are introduced into the collector above the second insert, and that the second insert is relieved from the outside and from the compression spring is pressed against the projections.

In conclusion, it should be emphasized that the features of the exemplary embodiments described above can be combined with one another as desired within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

Patent claims

1.Collector for a refrigerant of an air conditioning system, with a housing which has at least one inlet and at least one outlet opening for the refrigerant, with a chamber for receiving the refrigerant and with at least one refrigerant-permeable separating element which has a first and a second region of the Separates chamber from one another, characterized in that an inner wall of the housing has one or more protrusions or depressions, in particular encircling or interrupted once or several times, for supporting the separating element.

2. Collector according to claim 1, characterized in that the first region forms a return chamber communicating with the inlet opening and the second region forms a forward chamber communicating with the outlet opening and that the separating element has a filter or is designed as a filter.

A collector according to claim 2, characterized in that the filter comprises a filter fabric which has a reinforced edge area and / or is enclosed in a frame which can be connected to the housing.

4. A collector according to claim 1, characterized in that in the first region a dryer, in particular in the form of granules or powder, can be accommodated.

5. A collector according to claim 4, characterized in that the separating element has a sieve or is designed as a sieve.

6. Collector according to claim 5, characterized in that the screen has a reinforced edge area and / or is enclosed in a frame which can be connected to the housing.

7. Collector according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the dryer can be fixed in the first region by a force accumulator and in particular a force distributor.

8. Collector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a recess for supporting the separating element is formed by a joint between two housing parts.

9. Collector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the separating element can be supported against movement away from the first region.

10. Collector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the separating element can be supported against movement towards the first region.

11 = collector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the separating element can be supported by means of an energy accumulator, the energy accumulator being designed in particular as a compression spring, plate spring or as a securing ring.

12. Collector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the separating element can be integrally connected, in particular soldered, to the housing.

13. Collector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing is designed as a closed tube, in particular a round tube, with at least one inlet opening and at least one outlet opening.

14. Heat exchanger, in particular condenser, with tubes, fins and two head pieces, characterized in that the heat exchanger has a collector according to one of claims 1 to 13.

15. refrigerant circuit of an air conditioning system, in particular for a motor vehicle, with a compression element, with a first heat exchanger, with a relaxation element, with a second heat exchanger and with a collector, characterized in that the collector is designed according to one of claims 1 to 13.

16. A method for producing a collector for a refrigerant of an air conditioning system, in particular according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that first one or more projections are introduced into an inner wall of the housing of the collector, that a separating element is then placed on the support means that then put in a dryer and especially with a

Force distributor, in particular a movable pressure plate, is covered, - that a force accumulator, in particular a compression spring, is positioned on the dryer or the force distributor, that in particular a second separating element or a housing wall is positioned on the energy accumulator, that the energy accumulator, the second separating element or the housing wall is pressed down from the outside in the housing and the energy accumulator is pretensioned, that one or. above the energy accumulator, the second partition wall or the housing wall a plurality of further projections are introduced into the housing inner wall, and that the energy accumulator is relieved from the outside and the energy accumulator presses against the further projections or the second partition wall or the housing wall is pressed against the further support means by the energy accumulator.

17. A method for producing a collector for a refrigerant of an air conditioning system, in particular according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that a dryer is filled into a housing and in particular covered with a force distributor, in particular a movable pressure plate, - that an energy accumulator, in particular a compression spring, is positioned on the dryer or the power distributor and a separating element is positioned thereon, that the separating element is pressed down from the outside in the housing and the energy accumulator is pretensioned such that one or more projections are introduced into an inner wall of the collector above the separating element, that the separating element is relieved from the outside and pressed against the projections by the energy accumulator, and that the housing is closed.

18. A method for producing a collector for a refrigerant of an air conditioning system, in particular according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that a dryer is filled into a housing and is covered with a separating element designed in particular as a force distributor, in particular a movable pressure plate, in that An energy accumulator, in particular a compression spring, is positioned on the separating element, that the energy accumulator is pressed down and pretensioned from the outside in the housing, that one or more projections are introduced into an inner wall of the collector above the energy accumulator, that the energy accumulator is relieved from the outside and is pressed against the projections, and - that the housing is closed.

19. A method for producing a collector for a refrigerant of an air conditioning system, in particular according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that - a dryer is filled into a housing and covered with a separating element, that the separating element is pressed down from the outside in the housing, that one or more projections are introduced into a housing inner wall of the collector above or at the level of the separating element, - that the separating element is relieved from the outside and is supported by the projections, and that the housing is closed.

20. Soldered refrigerant condenser, in particular according to one of the preceding claims, consisting of a heat exchanger network

Flat tubes and corrugated fins, from collecting tubes, with the flat tubes are in fluid communication, as well as from a collector arranged parallel to one of the collecting tubes, which preferably accommodates a dryer and / or filter and is in fluid communication with the collecting tube via overflow openings, the dryer being designed as a space which receives a drying agent and which is formed by a section of the header and two refrigerant-permeable inserts which pass through the cross section of the header and which are supported on at least one or more projections of the header.

21. Condenser according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the projection or the projections are designed as a circumferential bead or at least individual, distributed projections.

22. Capacitor according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the projection or the projections are formed as bead segments distributed over the circumference of the collector.

23. Condenser according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an elastic element, such as a compression spring, is arranged between the inserts, which is supported on the one hand against the upper insert and on the other hand against a movable pressure plate which rests on the dryer granules rests and presses it against the lower insert.

24. Condenser according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lower insert is designed as a perforated plate with an attached or integrated sieve or sieve fabric.

25. Capacitor according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the perforated plate is soldered to the collector on the circumferential side.

26. Condenser according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the filter is arranged in the lower region of the collector between the two overflow openings and is designed as a ring sieve.

27. Condenser according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ring sieve consists of an outer ring and a framed, flat sieve fabric.

28. Capacitor according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ring is inserted into a groove in the collector.

29. Capacitor according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ring is connected to the collector by friction.

30. Capacitor according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ring is soldered to the collector on the circumferential side.

31. A method for producing a capacitor according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that first the protrusions are produced in the lower region of the collector, that the first insert is then placed on the lower protrusions, that granulate is then poured in and moved with the movable one Pressure plate is covered upwards, that the compression spring and the second insert are positioned on the pressure plate, that the second insert is pressed down from the outside in the collector and the compression spring is pretensioned, that protrusions are introduced into the collector above the second insert, and that the second insert relieves pressure from the outside and is pressed against the projections by the compression spring.