EP1921411A1 - Heat exchanger, in particular condenser for a car air conditioning system - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has at least one manifold (3) for accommodating a pipe and rib block and a collector (4) that is parallel to and in fluid connection with the at least one manifold and that has a cylindrical pipe section (5) and a profile part (6). It has a second profile part (7) that is connected to the pipe section.

Description

The invention relates to a heat exchanger, in particular a condenser for motor vehicle air conditioning systems according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

Condensers for air conditioning systems, especially for motor vehicles are known in various designs, including as a so-called capacitor module, in which a collector for the refrigerant with the capacitor is integrated into a heat exchanger. Such a capacitor module was in its basic structure by the DE 42 38 853 A1 known. The collector is designed with one of the two manifolds as a so-called double tube, ie the two tube chambers are immediately adjacent to each other and communicate on the refrigerant side through openings. In the collector, a dryer element is arranged, which is flowed around by the refrigerant. The tubular collector is closed by a screwable closure plug arranged in the bottom region.

By the DE 43 19 293 C2 a condenser module was known in which header and collector are also formed as a double tube, wherein the collector is closed in its upper part by a screw cap. An arranged in the collector dryer unit can thus be removed and replaced. On the outside of the lid, a pressure sensor or a pressure switch is arranged, which is connected via a bore in the screw with the interior of the collector in communication and thus can detect the pressure of the refrigerant in the collector.

By the DE 198 48 744 A1 a modified type of capacitor module has been known, in which the collector is composed of a welded tube and a preferably extruded profile piece. The mechanically machinable profile piece has two transfer openings, which produce a connection on the refrigerant side to the adjacent collection tube. In addition, a threaded plug is screwed into the end face of the profile piece, in which a dryer-filter unit is clipped. In the upper region of the collecting tube, an expression is arranged with a contact surface on which the collector rests and is pre-fixed by tack welds for subsequent soldering. Between collector and manifold a gap is left to prevent heat input from the manifold into the collector.

By the DE 100 39 260 A1 For example, a sealing plug for a collecting container of a capacitor has become known. The plug seals the interior of the collector via O-rings to the outside and is secured by a snap ring. By loosening the snap ring of the plug and thus a collector located in the dryer can be removed and replaced.

By the EP 1 310 748 A2 a capacitor module has been known, which has a consisting of a pipe and a profile piece collector. Collecting tube and collector are connected to each other in the upper part by an element designed as a double lid, wherein between collector and manifold also a gap is left. In the lower area collecting tube and collector are connected via collars, which engage in transfer openings in the profile piece.

The known refrigerant condensers or capacitor modules are arranged in the front engine compartment of a motor vehicle and flows through cooling air. In this case, the capacitor is connected to another heat exchanger, eg. B. attached to a coolant radiator, by means of fastening elements which are arranged either on the condenser or on the adjacent heat exchanger.

It is an object of the present invention to improve a heat exchanger of the type mentioned in terms of its installation and mounting options.

The object of the invention is solved by the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims.

According to the invention, a second profile piece is provided, which is connected to the pipe section. Thus, profile pieces are arranged on both end faces of the pipe section, which are preferably extruded, d. H. can be produced from extruded profiles. The extruded profile is formed as a hollow profile and has an inner diameter which corresponds to the outer diameter of the tube, so that both parts are first joined and then soldered.

With the second profile piece, a number of different functions for the capacitor can be fulfilled: First, the profile piece can be designed as a fastening element, wherein preferably a fastening tab or plate is part of the extruded profile. Further, the profile piece may be formed as a spacer and connecting element to the adjacent manifold, wherein preferably provided to the shape of the collecting tube bearing surface is provided, via which both parts are soldered together.

Furthermore, the profile piece can be used as a final part and a detachable lid, z. B. a screw cap or a stopper take up. Thus, the advantage is achieved that a collector located in the dryer element can be removed and replaced. Alternatively, the dryer element can also be removed from the opposite, ie from the lower side.

Advantageously, the first and the second profile piece can be produced from the same extruded profile. This results in the advantage that only one tool (extrusion die) or the same semi-finished material can be used. This lowers the manufacturing costs. Both profile pieces are then machined differently depending on the purpose, for. B. by drilling, milling or punching.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the second profile piece can also be designed as a sensor part, d. H. to be processed for receiving a sensor, preferably a pressure sensor. In this case, the inner wall of the profile piece is broken, so that the pressure prevailing in the interior of the collector pressure of the refrigerant can be detected via the pressure sensor.

Fig. 1

einen Ausschnitt eines Kondensators mit Sammler,

Fig. 2

einen oberen Eckausschnitt des Kondensators gemäß Fig. 1,

Fig. 3

ein Sammelrohr mit Sammler mit erstem und zweitem Profilstück,

Fig. 4

einen Schnitt entlang der Linie IV-IV in Fig. 3,

Fig. 5a

eine Ansicht des ersten (unteren) Profilstückes,

Fig. 5b

eine Teilansicht und einen Teilschnitt gemäß der Linie Vb-Vb in Fig. 5a,

Fig. 5c

einen Querschnitt entlang der Linie Vc-Vc in Fig. 5b,

Fig. 6a

eine Draufsicht des zweiten (oberen) Profilstückes,

Fig. 6b

eine Stirnansicht des zweiten Profilstückes,

Fig. 6c

eine Teilansicht und einen Teilschnitt entlang der Linie VIc-VIc in Fig. 6b,

Fig. 6d

einen Querschnitt entlang der Linie Vld-Vld in Fig. 6c,

Fig. 7

einen teilweise dargestellten Kondensator mit Sammler (zweites Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung),

Fig. 8

einen oberen Eckausschnitt des Kondensators gemäß Fig. 7,

Fig. 9

eine Ansicht eines Sammelrohres mit Sammler für den Kondensator gemäß Fig. 7 und Fig. 8,

Fig. 10

einen Querschnitt entlang der Linie X-X in Fig. 9,

Fig. 11

eine Querschnitt entlang der Linie XI-XI in Fig. 9 und

Fig. 12

einen Axialschnitt (vergrößert) durch den Sammler entlang der Linie XII-XII in Fig. 9.

Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and will be explained in more detail below. Show it

Fig. 1

a section of a condenser with collector,

Fig. 2

an upper corner section of the capacitor of FIG. 1,

Fig. 3

a manifold with collector with first and second profile piece,

Fig. 4

a section along the line IV-IV in Fig. 3,

Fig. 5a

a view of the first (lower) profile piece,

Fig. 5b

a partial view and a partial section along the line Vb-Vb in Fig. 5a,

Fig. 5c

a cross section along the line Vc-Vc in Fig. 5b,

Fig. 6a

a top view of the second (upper) profile piece,

Fig. 6b

an end view of the second profile piece,

Fig. 6c

a partial view and a partial section along the line VIc-VIc in Fig. 6b,

Fig. 6d

a cross section along the line Vld-Vld in Fig. 6c,

Fig. 7

a partially shown condenser with collector (second embodiment of the invention),

Fig. 8

an upper corner cutout of the capacitor of FIG. 7,

Fig. 9

a view of a header with collector for the capacitor of FIG. 7 and FIG. 8,

Fig. 10

a cross section along the line XX in Fig. 9,

Fig. 11

a cross section along the line XI-XI in Fig. 9 and

Fig. 12

an axial section (enlarged) by the collector along the line XII-XII in Fig. 9.

Fig. 1 shows a section of a capacitor 1, which is suitable for an automotive air conditioning system. The capacitor 1 is designed as a so-called capacitor module - as known from the aforementioned prior art - and has a tube-rib block 2, a manifold 3 and a parallel to the manifold 3 arranged collector 4. At the other end of the tube-rib block 2, not shown, another collection tube is arranged. The collector 4 has a tube 5, a first, lower profile piece 6 and a second, upper profile piece 7. The upper end face of the collector 4 is closed by a detachable screw 8.

2 shows the upper corner cutout of the capacitor 1 with the screw cap 8 and the second profile piece 7. The condenser 1 is preferably installed in the front engine compartment, not shown, of a motor vehicle and is fastened there to another heat exchanger, also not shown, of a cooling module. For this attachment designed as fasteners profile pieces 7, 8, which will be explained in more detail below. The upper, second profile piece 7 takes over a not shown thread the screw 8 in it. Thus, the collector 4 is closed, but can be opened by unscrewing the lid 8 by means of a suitable tool. The tube-fin block 2 has flat tubes 2a, which open into the manifold 3 and are flowed through by refrigerant of a refrigerant circuit, not shown.

Fig. 3 shows in a view the collecting pipe 3 in connection with the collector 4 (same reference numerals are used for the same parts as before). The middle part of the collector 4 is formed as a tube 5, preferably as a welded aluminum tube and connected at the end faces with the first, lower profile piece 6 and with the second, upper profile piece 7. The tube 5 may be welded or soldered to the profile pieces 6, 7; in a soldering, the tube 5 on a Lotplattierung. Both profile pieces 6, 7 have attachment tabs 6a, 7a, which are provided with mounting holes 6b, 7b. The capacitor 1 can thus by means of the fastening tabs 6a, 7a in the vehicle or on an adjacent heat exchanger, not shown, for. B. a coolant radiator are attached.

Fig. 4 shows a cross section through the unit of manifold 3 and collector 4 in the section plane IV-IV in Fig. 3. The section shows the cross section for the upper profile piece 7, which is extruded, ie produced as an extruded part. The profile of the extruded part has a hollow profile 7c, an integrally formed, laterally projecting strip 7a and a contact surface 7d. From the initially continuous side bar, the fastening tab 7a is punched with mounting hole 7b. About the contact surface 7 d, the profile piece 7 is connected to the adjacent manifold 3, which is composed of a cover part 3 a and a bottom part 3 b. The cylindrically shaped contact surface 7d is thus adapted to the shape of the cover part 3a and is soldered to the cover part 3a. The upper profile piece 7 thus acts as a spacer and connecting member between manifold 3 and collector 4 and thus ensures compliance with a gap between the pipe 5 and the manifold 3 safe. The lower profile piece 6 is formed with the exception of the additional fastening tab 6a according to the aforementioned prior art and will be described in more detail below.

5a shows an end view of the first, lower profile piece 6 with the fastening tab 6a and a contact surface 6c, which forms the connection to the manifold 3, not shown here.

Fig. 5b shows the profile piece 6 in its upper half as a partial view and in its lower half as a partial section along the line Vb-Vb in Fig. 5a. The upper partial view shows two transfer openings 9, 10 - as known from the prior art. The contact surface 6c has the shape of a cylinder jacket, ie the shape of the cover part 3a shown in FIG. 4, and thus corresponds to the contact surface 7d of the profile piece 7.

Fig. 5c shows the cross section of the profile piece 6 according to a sectional plane Vc-Vc in Fig. 5b. It can be seen through the opening 10, ie the refrigerant side connection between manifold 3 and collector. 4

Figures 6a, 6b, 6c and 6d show the second, upper profile piece 6 in a plan view, an end view, a half-section and a cross section. The same reference numbers are used as before. The profile piece 7 is - as the illustration shows - made of the same extruded profile as the profile piece 6, ie the same tool can be used in the extrusion of the extruded, resulting in savings in manufacturing costs. The material used is a commercially available aluminum extruded alloy which is brazeable with the tube 5 described above. In Fig. 6d can be seen that the hollow cylindrical cross section 7c of the profile piece 7 is closed. In the contact surface 7d a blind hole 11 is inserted, which can be broken when using the extruded part as the lower profile piece, corresponding to the bore 10 in Fig. 5c. Another blind hole 12 is - shown in dashed lines - in Fig. 6a with the blind hole 11 recognizable. As the upper partial section in Fig. 6c shows, the profile piece 7 is machined inside, on the one hand, the tube 5, not shown here, and a cover, not shown, for. B. in the form of a sealing plug according to the aforementioned prior art. This makes it possible that a dryer arranged in the collector can be removed and replaced.

Fig. 7 shows a further embodiment of the invention. A condenser 13 is partially shown and has a tube-fin block 14, a manifold 15 and a collector 16, which is arranged parallel to the manifold 15. The collector 16 consists of a tube 17, a The lower, lower profile piece 18 and a second, upper profile piece 19 are arranged on the collecting tube 15. A lower fastening element 20 designed as a pin and an upper fastening element 21 designed as a hook-shaped holder are arranged fixedly to the collecting tube 15.

Fig. 8 shows the upper corner cutout of the capacitor 13 with the second formed as a hollow profile piece 19, which is closed at the end by a cover 22. In the profile piece 19, a pressure sensor (pressure sensor or pressure switch) 23 is used.

Fig. 9 shows the unit consisting of the manifold 15 and the collector 16 in a view, wherein the same reference numerals are used as in Figs. 7 and 8 for the same parts. The manifold 15 is the end face closed on the one hand by the trained as a cap with pin fastener 20 and on the other hand by an end wall, not shown, closed. The manifold 15 communicates with the collector 16 via dashed transfer opening 24, 25 in refrigerant connection - as known from the cited prior art.

FIG. 10 shows a section in the plane XX in FIG. 9, ie through the transfer opening 24. The collecting tube 15 is in turn formed in two parts and has a lid part 15a with a molded collar 15b which is inserted into the transfer opening 24 and thus a forms solid and tight connection. The second transfer opening 25 is formed in the same way.

11 shows a section through the second profile piece 19 in the sectional plane XI-XI in FIG. 9. The second profile piece 19 is designed as a sensor part, ie for receiving a pressure sensor 23 shown schematically in FIG. 8. The sensor part 19 is extruded Hollow profile formed and has a projection 19b with a bore 26 which extends into the interior of the hollow profile 19a. In the bore 26 of the pressure sensor, not shown, can be screwed, which can thus feel the pressure of the refrigerant in the collector 16. The hollow profile 19 a has a further projection 19 c, which has a contact surface for connection to the manifold 15 having. The collector 16 and the manifold 15 are thus connected to each other at two ends, on the one hand via the first profile piece 18 and on the other hand via the second profile piece 19, the sensor part, preferably by a solder joint. Thus, the compliance of a gap between the tube 17 of the collector 16 and the manifold 15 is ensured.

Fig. 12 shows an enlarged longitudinal section in the plane XII-XII in Fig. 9. In the first profile piece 18, the two eccentrically arranged transfer openings 24, 25 can be seen, in which sit the collar of the cover part 15a. The preferably welded aluminum tube 17 is used on the one hand in the first profile piece 18 and on the other hand in the second profile piece 19 and soldered thereto. The front side of the lid 22 is inserted into the profile piece 19, which closes the collector 16. The lid 22 may serve as a releasable closure, for. B. be designed as a screw cap or as a stopper. The manifold 15 is extended beyond the lid 22 and carries at its end the holder 21, which is also soldered to the manifold.

Although the profile pieces 18, 19 are both formed as extruded parts, but do not have the same outer contour, but the same inner contour.

Claims (15)

Heat exchanger, in particular condenser for motor vehicle air conditioners, comprising at least one collecting tube (3, 15) for receiving tube ends of a tube-rib block (2, 14) and a parallel to the at least one collecting tube arranged collector (4, 16), which with the at least one manifold is in fluid communication and a cylindrical pipe section (5, 17) and a profile piece (6, 18), characterized in that with the pipe section (5, 17), a second profile piece (7, 19) is connected. Heat exchanger according to claim 1, characterized in that the second profile piece as a fastening element (7, 7a, 7b) is formed. Heat exchanger according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the second profile piece (7, 19) as a spacer to the adjacent manifold (3, 15) is formed. Heat exchanger according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the second profile piece (7, 19) as a final part for receiving a preferably releasable lid (8, 22) is formed. Heat exchanger according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second profile piece as a sensor part (19) for receiving a sensor (23), in particular a pressure sensor (23) is formed. Heat exchanger according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second profile piece (7, 19) can be produced as an extruded part. Heat exchanger according to claim 6, characterized in that the first and the second profile piece (6, 7) can be produced from the same extruded profile. Heat exchanger according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the second profile piece (7, 19) is designed as a hollow profile with an inner diameter which corresponds approximately to the outer diameter of the cylindrical pipe section (5, 17). Heat exchanger according to claim 8, characterized in that the second profile piece (7, 19) on the first profile piece (6, 18) facing away from the end of the pipe section (5, 17) is placed. Heat exchanger according to one of claims 2 to 9, characterized in that the fastening element (7) has an extruded holder (7a). Heat exchanger according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the first profile piece (6) has an extruded holder (6a). Heat exchanger according to one of claims 3 to 11, characterized in that the spacer (7, 19) adapted to the shape of the collecting tube (3, 15), in particular an extruded cylindrical contact surface (7d). Heat exchanger according to one of claims 5 to 12, characterized in that the sensor part (19) has a connection bore (26) for receiving the pressure sensor (23). Heat exchanger according to claim 13, characterized in that a pin-shaped fastening element (20) is arranged on the collecting tube (15). Heat exchanger according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the end of the collecting tube (15) projects beyond the length of the collector (16) and that at the projecting end of the collecting tube (15) a hook-shaped holder (21) is fixed.

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