EP1916488A1 - Heat exchanger, in particular a condenser - Google Patents

Abstract

The heat exchanger has a heat exchange area, a manifold and an accumulator (6) connected with the manifold by two overflow openings and arranged lateral to the manifold, in which a dryer or filter unit (10) is inserted. A ring is arranged in firmly fixed or integrated way on the outer circumferene of the dryer or filter unit, which lies with its outer circumferene on the inner circumferene of the accumulator. The ring is fixed in the accumulator by plastic deformation of the outer wall of the accumulator in a direction. An independent claim is also included for a method for manufacturing an accumulator.

Description

The invention relates to a heat exchanger, in particular condenser, as used for example for the air conditioning of a motor vehicle, according to the preamble of claim 1 and a method for producing a collector for such a heat exchanger.

From the DE 103 38 527 A1 a refrigerant Kandensator with a tube / rib block and manifolds known, wherein one of the manifolds is formed in two parts and consists of a pipe end receiving the bottom part and a cover part. Parallel to the manifold, a collector is arranged, wherein between the manifold and collector, a gap is provided. Between the manifold and collector two overflow openings are provided in the lower region, so that they are in fluid communication with each other. Between the two overflow openings a partition wall is arranged in the manifold. In the collector, a dryer / filter unit that is open over its circumference is used, which is fastened in a groove of the collector by means of a holding means, such as, for example, a circumferential holding rib. The collector is closed at the top and bottom by a lid. The collector is designed as a one-piece tube.

A similar application with a dryer and / or filter cartridge is in the EP 1 643 198 A1 described. Here, an annular retaining rib on the cartridge and an annular stop in the collector are formed, so that the dryer and / or filter cartridge is supported on the one hand on the retaining rib on the stop and on the other hand on a front-mounted closure member.

From the DE 103 38 526 A1 another such heat exchanger with a collector is known, which is arranged on one side of the heat exchanger and in which a dryer, in particular in granular form, is arranged. According to a described embodiment, the collector is formed by two tubes, which are arranged with the interposition of a ring, the outer diameter of which corresponds to the outer diameters of the tubes, and are connected to each other by means of a sleeve arranged on the outside. The ring is part of a disc-shaped filter with the filter material held by the ring in the appropriate plane.

Such heat exchangers leave nothing to be desired.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved heat exchanger available. This object is achieved by a heat exchanger with the features of claim 1 and by a method for producing a collector for such a heat exchanger according to claim 15. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

According to the invention, a heat exchanger is provided, in particular a condenser, comprising at least one heat transfer area, preferably formed by pipes through which refrigerant flows, in particular flat tubes, and optionally corrugated fins or other elements which increase the heat transferring surface, in which heat is transferred from one medium to another medium, in particular from air to a refrigerant flowing in the flat tubes, a collecting tube and a collector connected to the collecting tube via at least two overflow openings and arranged laterally from the collecting tube, that of the first medium, in particular preferably a refrigerant , Particularly preferably R134a or a refrigerant with corresponding properties, can flow through. Here, a dryer and / or filter unit is used in the collector, which has a ring on the outer circumference - either fixedly attached or integrally formed with the dryer and / or filter unit - which rests with its outer circumference on the inner circumference of the collector. The ring is fixed by the forming of the outer wall of the collector in the same at least in one direction. Thus eliminating a processing of the collector forming tube to form attacks or the like. for the dryer and / or filter unit. By forming from the outside, which is easy to carry out, the ring and the thus firmly connected dryer and / or filter unit is positionally positioned and fixed in the collector so that it does not cause noise due to movements of the dryer and / or filter unit in the collector, especially in the radial direction, can come. The possibly still required fixation in the other direction can be done by fixing the ring in both directions, and / or by a second ring and / or a stop on another component.

The collector is preferably formed like a tube with a circular cross-section. In this case, for example, rolled or extruded tubes can be used. A post-processing - except if necessary, a deburring after cutting to form a clean contact surface for a closing lid - can be omitted. In particular, the inner lateral surface of the tube is formed continuously without deformations or cutouts prior to insertion of the dryer and / or filter unit, hereinafter also referred to as "planar". The same applies preferably also for the outer circumferential surface.

The formation of grooves on the inner surface, as often provided, for receiving sealing lips, which are attached to the dryer unit, thus eliminating, whereby the production is simplified, and costs can be saved. If the tube is formed by an extruded tube, then one of the occlusive covers may be integrally formed with the tube, so that a subsequent attachment, in particular soldering or optionally also welding, pressing or the like, may be dispensed with.

The dryer and / or filter unit is preferably part of a combined dryer / filter unit.

The ring, which positions the dryer and / or filter unit in the collector, preferably has at least one passage opening for the refrigerant in the collector. Preferably, a plurality of passage openings is provided, preferably between two and twenty, more preferably between four and twelve, most preferably six or eight.

The passage openings are preferably distributed uniformly over the circumference of the ring. Between the passage openings webs are preferably arranged whose width is smaller than the length of the passage openings, i. the total passage area is relatively large. Particularly preferably, at least one passage opening is slot-like, in particular with a slight curvature.

Preferably, at least one passage opening is arranged closer to the inside of the ring than on the outside of the ring. This increases the stability of the ring against deformation (and associated closure) of the passage openings in the case of the dryer and / or filter unit in the collector fixing forming.

As the refrigerant in the heat exchanger, R134a is preferably used, but any other refrigerant which is suitable for a corresponding heat exchanger due to its characteristics may be used.

In the collector, a combined dryer / filter unit is preferably provided. Granules are preferably provided in the dryer / filter unit, however, another suitable filter material, such as, for example, a fabric, may also be provided.

Such a heat exchanger with a collector and dryer and / or filter unit is preferably used as a condenser, which serves the air conditioning of a motor vehicle.

The method for producing a collector, in which a dryer and / or filter unit is used, for a heat exchanger, according to the invention comprises the following steps: making available a tube with constant profile at least in the central region of the collector, providing a dryer - and / or filter unit, which is provided with a radially projecting ring or formed, wherein the ring has outer dimensions corresponding to the inner dimensions of the collector forming tube, play-free insertion or pressing the dryer and / or filter unit into the tube, Forming the tube from the outside at least two points of the circumference in an area just above the ring of the dryer and / or filter unit.

Preferably, at least one end of the tube is closed after insertion and fixing of the dryer and / or filter unit with a lid, wherein the lid is preferably soldered. Other fastenings of the lid are possible, for example. Welding, pressing, screws.

Fig. 1

eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Wärmeübertragers,

Fig. 2

eine perspektivische Explosionsdarstellung eines Sammlers des Wärmeübertragers von Fig. 1,

Fig. 3

eine Fig. 2 entsprechende, ausschnittsweise vergrößerte Darstellung des Sammlers mit Trockner,

Fig. 4

eine geschnittene Darstellung des Sammlers von Fig. 3,

Fig. 5

eine Detailansicht des Bereichs V von Fig. 4, und

Fig. 6

eine Draufsicht auf einen Ring des Trockners im Rohr.

In the following the invention with reference to an embodiment with reference to the drawing, is explained in detail. Show it:

Fig. 1

a perspective view of a heat exchanger,

Fig. 2

1 is an exploded perspective view of a collector of the heat exchanger of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3

2 a corresponding, enlarged detail of the collector with dryer,

Fig. 4

a sectional view of the collector of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5

a detail view of the area V of Fig. 4, and

Fig. 6

a plan view of a ring of the dryer in the pipe.

A heat exchanger, in the present case a condenser 1, is arranged in a refrigerant circuit (not shown) of a motor vehicle air conditioning system in which the refrigerant R134a is circulated. The condenser 1 has a tube / fin block 2 forming a heat transfer area with a plurality of flat tubes 3 and corrugated fins (not shown) arranged therebetween. The flat tubes 3 are arranged extending between two manifolds 5, wherein they protrude through slot-like openings in the bottom of the manifolds 5. Parallel to one of the manifolds 5, shown on the right in FIG. 1, a collector 6 is arranged. Between the collector 6 and the manifold 5, a small gap is formed, wherein two overflow openings are provided for a fluid connection of manifold 5 and 6 collector. In the manifold 5, a partition wall between the two overflow openings is arranged for deflecting the refrigerant flow.

The collector 6 is closed at the top and bottom with lids 7, which are soldered to the collector 6 according to the present embodiment. In principle, other fasteners are possible, for example. Pressing or welding. The peripheral wall is presently formed by a non-reworked, extruded tube 8.

In the case of an extruded embodiment of the collector can - according to a variant of the embodiment - the collector be formed in two parts, wherein the respective lid can be integrally formed in one end of the peripheral wall.

Alternatively, for example, even rolled tubes can be used without substantial post-processing, which in turn end caps are provided.

In the collector 6, a cylindrical dryer / filter unit 10 is inserted. In the interior of the dryer / filter unit 10, a granulate is arranged in a manner known per se, for which purpose the substantially cylindrical wall of the dryer / filter unit 10 is in the form of a lattice in a first region 11, so that the refrigerant can flow in and out, and is formed closed in a second region 12. On the wall outside, outwardly projecting, arcuate projections 13 are formed and / or attached, in the present case four evenly distributed over the circumference in the first region 11 and accordingly in the second region 12. The hollow cylinder, the wall of the dryer / filter unit 10th forms is closed at the bottom with a disc 14.

At the lower end of the dryer / filter unit 10, a projection 15 is additionally attached to the outside of the disk 14, with which the dryer / filter unit 10 at the bottom of the collector 6 forming the lid 7 rests. Furthermore, a centering ring is provided in the lower region of the dryer / filter unit 10, which in the installed state of the dryer / filter unit 10 bears against the inner shell surface of the same in the collector 6.

At the upper end of the dryer / filter unit 10, a kind of stiffening bead is provided. At the upper end, a ring 16 is further arranged fixedly attached to the outer lateral surface of the dryer / filter unit 10, whose outer dimension substantially corresponds to the inner dimension of the collector 6. As a result of forming the cylindrical part of the collector 6 at two opposite points 9, directly above the ring 16, takes place with the forming of the collector 6, a non-releasable fixation of the ring 16 and thus the dryer / filter unit 10 in the collector. 6

In order to allow a flow of refrigerant in the collector 6 past the upper end of the drier / filter unit 10, so that the collector can be filled with refrigerant to provide a sufficient reserve amount can be in the ring 16, a plurality of passage openings 17th educated. In the present case, these are eight slightly arcuate, equidistantly arranged oblong holes, which in the present case are formed closer to the inner than to the outer edge of the ring 16. Between the slots webs 18 are arranged, whose width is present less than half of the slot length. The ring 16 is close to the tube of the collector 6, so that substantially no relative movements between the ring 16 and collector 6 are possible, whereby noise can be avoided.

Claims (17)

Heat exchanger, in particular condenser (1), comprising at least one heat transfer area, a manifold (5) and connected to the manifold (5) via at least two overflow, laterally from the manifold (5) arranged collector (6), in which a dryer and / or filter unit (10) is inserted,
characterized in that
fixedly attached to the outer periphery of the dryer and / or filter unit (10) a ring (16) is arranged or formed integrally therewith, which rests with its outer periphery on the inner circumference of the collector (6), and the ring (16) by the forming of the outer wall the collector (6) is fixed in the same in at least one direction. Heat exchanger according to claim 1, characterized in that the collector (6) is tubular with a circular cross-section. Heat exchanger according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the collector (6) is made of a tube (8) with a flat inner circumferential surface and outer circumferential surface. Heat exchanger according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the dryer unit is part of a dryer / filter unit (10). Heat exchanger according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the collector (6) is made of an extruded tube (8). Heat exchanger according to claim 5, characterized in that the extruded tube is formed integrally with a lid (7) closing at the end. Heat exchanger according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the collector (6) is made of a rolled tube. Heat exchanger according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the ends of the collector (6), a lid (7) is soldered. Heat exchanger according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ring (16) has at least one passage opening (17) for the refrigerant in the collector (6). Heat exchanger according to claim 9, characterized in that a plurality of passage openings (17) is provided, in particular between two and twenty, in particular between four and twelve, in particular six or eight. Heat exchanger according to claim 10, characterized in that the passage openings (17) are distributed uniformly over the circumference of the ring (15). Heat exchanger according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that between the passage openings (17) webs (18) are arranged whose width is smaller than the length of the passage openings (17). Heat exchanger according to one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that at least one passage opening (17) slot-like, in particular with a slight curvature is formed. Heat exchanger according to one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that at least one passage opening (17) is arranged closer to the inside of the ring (16) than on the outside of the ring (16). Method for producing a collector (6), into which a dryer and / or filter unit (10) is inserted, for a heat exchanger, comprising the steps: providing a pipe (8) with at least in the central region of the collector (6) constant profile, providing a dryer and / or filter unit (10) provided or formed with a radially projecting ring (16), the ring (16) having outer dimensions corresponding to the internal dimensions of the tube forming the collector (6) (8) play-free insertion or pressing of the dryer and / or filter unit (10) into the tube (8), Forming the tube from the outside at least two points (9) of the circumference in an area just above the ring (16) of the dryer and / or filter unit (10). A method according to claim 15, characterized in that at least one end of the tube (8) after insertion and fixing of the dryer and / or filter unit (10) with a lid (7) is closed. A method according to claim 16, characterized in that the lid (7) is soldered.

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