EP1921412A1 - Echangeur de chaleur avec joues latérales améliorées - Google Patents

Echangeur de chaleur avec joues latérales améliorées Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1921412A1
EP1921412A1 EP06460040A EP06460040A EP1921412A1 EP 1921412 A1 EP1921412 A1 EP 1921412A1 EP 06460040 A EP06460040 A EP 06460040A EP 06460040 A EP06460040 A EP 06460040A EP 1921412 A1 EP1921412 A1 EP 1921412A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
side plate
heat exchanger
tubes
header
headers
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP06460040A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP1921412B1 (fr
Inventor
Tomasz Wiktor
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Valeo Autosystemy Sp zoo
Original Assignee
Valeo Autosystemy Sp zoo
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Valeo Autosystemy Sp zoo filed Critical Valeo Autosystemy Sp zoo
Priority to EP06460040.6A priority Critical patent/EP1921412B1/fr
Priority to PL06460040T priority patent/PL1921412T3/pl
Publication of EP1921412A1 publication Critical patent/EP1921412A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1921412B1 publication Critical patent/EP1921412B1/fr
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
    • F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
    • F28F9/00—Casings; Header boxes; Auxiliary supports for elements; Auxiliary members within casings
    • F28F9/001—Casings in the form of plate-like arrangements; Frames enclosing a heat exchange core
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
    • F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
    • F28F2265/00—Safety or protection arrangements; Arrangements for preventing malfunction
    • F28F2265/26—Safety or protection arrangements; Arrangements for preventing malfunction for allowing differential expansion between elements
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
    • F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
    • F28F2275/00—Fastening; Joining
    • F28F2275/04—Fastening; Joining by brazing
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
    • F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
    • F28F2275/00—Fastening; Joining
    • F28F2275/14—Fastening; Joining by using form fitting connection, e.g. with tongue and groove

Definitions

  • the invention relates to heat exchangers, in particular to air-conditioning heat exchangers for automotive vehicles.
  • a conventional heat exchanger comprises a tube bundle delimited by two end tubes. Fins are further provided between the tubes of the bundle in order to improve heat exchange, included on the external face of each end tube.
  • heat exchanger In the heat exchanger, heat exchange occurs between a refrigerant flowing in the tubes and another refrigerant running through the heat exchanger.
  • Such exchanger is used in automotive vehicles in order to ensure the engine cooling or the vehicle interior air-conditioning.
  • the heat exchanger further has two headers crossed by the bundle ends and a side plate provided on the fins disposed on the external face of the end tubes (end fins).
  • Side plates act as spacers between the headers, as they maintain a constant distance therebetween, which makes the heat exchanger manufacturing easier. They also provide rigidity to the heat exchanger and protect the end fins. Such side plates may further be used to support heat exchanger related equipments, such as a fan unit.
  • a conventional side plate comprises a base flanked with two longitudinal side walls provided to strengthen and rigidify the side plate.
  • Another known solution is to perform regions of weakening in the side plate in order to allow the side plate to locally expand, thus relieving the thermal stresses in the tubes and the headers.
  • FR 2 183 375 provides for instance a transversal fold on the lugs that connect the side plate to the header or directly on the side plate.
  • a heat exchanger is also known from EP 1 195 573 in which openings are provided between the edges of the side plate that delimit a periphery. A part of this periphery is in close proximity of one of the edge of the side plate. EP 1 195 573 also provides a line of weakening that extends from this part of the periphery to the edge. Thermally induced stress causes the side plate to sever at the location of the openings and of the lines of weakening.
  • the invention relieves these problems by providing a heat exchanger, in particular for an automotive vehicle, comprising a tube bundle and fins interposed between the tubes of the bundle for heat exchange, the bundle being delimited by two end fins, the heat exchanger further comprising two headers receiving the bundle ends, and at least one side plate disposed on one of said end fins.
  • the invention provides that the side plate comprises two side plate portions, each side plate portion being connected to one of the header.
  • FIG. 1 depicts a heat exchanger 1, in particular an air-conditioning heat exchanger for an automotive vehicle.
  • the heat exchanger 1 may be used for example as a condenser or an evaporator.
  • the heat exchanger 1 comprises a tube bundle disposed between two headers 541 and 543.
  • the bundle comprises a plurality of parallel tubes 2.
  • the tubes are flat tubes. However, the invention is not limited to such tubes.
  • Each header 541 and 543 may comprise a header plate 41 and 43 covered by a respective header tank 31 and 33, the ends of the tubes then being secured to slots provided in the header plates, for instance by brazing.
  • Heat dissipation is provided by fins 7 which are inserted between the tubes 2. Heat exchange occurs between a refrigerant flowing inside the tubes and another refrigerant, air for instance, running through the fins 7.
  • the fins may be formed of a variety of material, for instance aluminium or copper.
  • the tube bundle is delimited by two end tubes 20 and 22, respectively corresponding to the upper end tube and the lower end tube of the bundle.
  • the expressions "upper tube” and “lower tube” are used with reference to the heat exchanger representation of figure 1.
  • the tubes 2, 20 and 22 are substantially horizontal.
  • the heat exchanger could be disposed with the tubes 2, 20 and 22 in vertical position.
  • An end fin 70 is disposed on the external face of the upper tube 20 and an end fin 72 is disposed on the external face of the lower tube 22. These end fins 70 and 72 will be similarly referred to as “upper fin” and “lower fin” respectively in the following description.
  • the heat exchanger 1 further has at least one member 50 or 52 disposed on one of the end fins 70 and 72 respectively.
  • those members 50 or 52 are known as “side plates”.
  • the expression “side plate” will be used herein without restriction as to the disposition of the heat exchanger in the drawings.
  • the Applicant has also observed that when a side plate is designed to break in two places, the middle portion that appears after the breaking, that is the portion between those connected to the headers remains brazed to the fins during all the vehicle life.
  • the Applicant has worked on a solution that would improve all the aspects mentioned above and in particular the resistance to thermal shocks, while simplifying the structure of the side plates. Surprisingly, the Applicant has found out that a side plate consisting of two separate portions provides satisfying results to vibration and pressure pulsation tests.
  • the Applicant has also found that the suppression of the middle part portion that appeared after the breaking in two places of the side plate in the prior art improves the resistance to those thermal shocks.
  • the invention proposes a side plate 50 (respectively 52) consisting of two side plate portions 501 and 503 (respectively 521 and 523) totally separated from each other, before the heat exchanger assembling.
  • the side plate 50 is thus not designed to break after brazing since it already has a two-portion structure.
  • the two side plate portions are conformed to delimit a gap between each other when mounted on the associated end fin.
  • Each side plate 50 or 52 has therefore a two-portion structure, and a length that is lower than the spacing between the headers, when the heat exchanger is assembled, for instance 150 mm.
  • the invention makes it possible to provide simple side plate structure with satisfying performances.
  • FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the heat exchanger showing in more details the side plate portions.
  • the tube bundle is schematically represented.
  • the side plate portions 501 and 503 of the upper side plate 50 are connected to the headers 541 and 543 respectively.
  • the upper tube 20, the upper fin 70, the headers 541 and 543 and the side plate portions 501 and 503 are brazed together.
  • a refrigerant enters into one of the header 541 and 543 and flows through the tubes 2.
  • the refrigerant high temperature causes a heat transfer towards the tube walls and the fins.
  • the air flowing through the fins cools the refrigerant that flows inside the tubes.
  • the tubes then tend to expand in the longitudinal direction, due to the refrigerant high temperature, which causes stress at the connection between the tubes and the headers.
  • This stress appears because the side plate 50 does not directly contact the refrigerant and has therefore a temperature that increases in a manner different to the temperature of the associated end tube 20. Indeed, the side plate 50 actually contacts the upper fin 70 so that the pressure inside the upper tube 20 is transmitted to the side plate portion by the upper fin 70. This result in a differential expansion at the ends of the side plate 50.
  • the invention makes it possible to compensate for that differential expansion since the end parts of the side plate 50 are mechanically dissociated by virtue of its two-portion structure.
  • Figures 3 and 4 are partial view of the heat exchanger showing the side plate portion 501. In figure 3, the fins are not shown for more clarity.
  • the side plate portion 501 will be described in more details hereinafter. The man skilled in the art will understand that this description applies as well to the other side plate portion 503 of side plate 50, and to the side plate portions 521 and 523 of side plate 52.
  • the side plate portion 501 has generally a U-shaped cross section. More specifically, it comprises a base 5004, substantially flat, flanked with two longitudinal side walls 5005 and 5006.
  • the side walls are generally perpendicular to the base plane and are arranged at the edges of the side plate portion 501, whereby each longitudinal side wall 5005 and 5006 protrudes from the plane defined by the base 5004. These side walls aim at reinforcing and rigidifying the side plate portion 501.
  • the side plate portions may be made of aluminium, or any suitable metal.
  • the separation between the side plate portions 501 and 503 constitutes somehow an expansion area that compensates for a longitudinal thermal expansion, while allowing a bending strength or resistance to bending sufficient to ensure a satisfying resistance to vibration and to maintain a high degree of structural integrity to the heat exchanger.
  • the invention is particularly advantageous for side plate portions having side walls of a small high, for instance 1 to 7 mm above the base.
  • the side plate portions of the invention may be obtained by profiling techniques or alternatively by shaping techniques.
  • the side plate portion 501 comprises two small lugs 340 and 350 extending outwardly from the web plane 5004 for the heat exchanger brazing.
  • Each lug edges a corresponding longitudinal slot 440 and 450 respectively made on the base 5004.
  • special tooling may be mounted to maintain the core assembly before brazing.
  • the side plate 50 may further comprise an additional side plate member made of plastic for fin protection.
  • Such side plate member is arranged at the middle part of the heat exchanger to cover the gap between the two side plate portions 501, 503.
  • the ends of such plastic side plate portion could be maintained by the lugs 340, 350 of the side plate portion 504and by the lugs 341, 351 of the side plate portion 503.
  • Figures 3 through 5 show the connection between the side plate portion 501 and the corresponding header 541.
  • the side plate portion 501 is provided with a tab 5001 at its left end for connection with the header 541.
  • the tab 5001 is bent to the shape of the adjacent end of the header 541, here the upper end. Thus, the bent tab 5001 closely overlaps this header upper end when connected thereto.
  • a pressure lug 801 may be also provided on the header to maintain the bent tab 5001 against the header upper end 541.
  • a notch 601 may further be provided in the bent tab 5001. The notch 601 extends perpendicularly to the side plate axis.
  • the side plate portion 503 (not shown in figure 4) is provided with a similar tab 5003 at its right end for connection with the header 543.
  • connection between the side plates and the headers is thus sufficiently strong to withstand the thermal stress on the side plate portions and on the headers, while ensuring that the thermal stress is not exerted on the tubes, the fins or the connections between the tubes 2 and the headers which constitute the more brittle parts of the heat exchanger.
  • the notch 601 is used to limit the breaking due to thermal shocks.
  • the invention is not limited to such element for limiting thermal shocks.
  • a goose neck or a heating loop as described in FR 2 873 434 could be used either.
  • the invention also proposes a method for assembling and brazing the heat exchanger 1 described above.
  • the bundle components are first assembled: the tubes 2 are assembled with the fins 7 and then the end fins 70 and 72 are disposed on the upper and lower tubes 20 and 22 respectively.
  • the ends of the tube bundle are afterwards engaged in the headers 541 and 543.
  • the side plate portions 501, 503 and 521, 523 are lastly secured to the header, so that their respective bent tabs (5001, 5003 for side plate 50) overlap the upper or lower ends of the corresponding headers 541 or 543 and be maintained under the associated pressure lug (801, 803 for side plate 50).
  • This provides mechanical connection between the headers and the side plate portions.
  • the heat exchanger thus assembled is then submitted to a brazing process, comprising the step of heating the assembled heat exchanger to the temperature which melts a brazing alloy covering at least parts of the heat exchanger.
  • the tubes may expand in a manner different to that of the side plates, but the fact that each side plate is provided in two separate portions, before brazing, allows to compensate for the differential expansion while preventing stress to be exerted between the ends of the tubes 2 and the headers 541, 543, and therefore there occurs no tube buckling.
  • each bent tab 5001, 5003 is also brazed with the part of the header on which it rests and with the cooperating pressure lug 801, 803, 821, 823, which provides a rigid connection
  • headers 541 or 543 consist of a header plate 41 or 43 and a header tank 31 or 33
  • the header tank may be mounted after brazing.
  • the invention allows the standardization of the tooling, since it makes it possible for to use a same side plate tooling for several heat exchangers independently from the length of the core.
  • the side plate according to the invention consists of two portions whose length is lower than the spacing between the headers, less material is required for the side plate and therefore, it is possible to reduce the weight of the heat exchanger, as well as its cost.
  • the exchanger of the invention thus constitutes an economical solution.
  • the invention provides a side plate structure which is more simple than the structures disclosed in the prior art, which were designed to break as quickly as possible at the beginning of the vehicle life. Further, the side plate of the invention is not subject to any breaking phenomenon during brazing. It remains in two portions fixed to the headers for all the vehicle life.
  • the solution of the invention has also a satisfying mechanical strength, a good resistance to vibration and to thermal shocks.
  • the invention has been described with respect to the above described embodiments, the man skilled in the art will understand that other embodiments can be produced without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention.
  • the invention is not limited to a connection with bent tab between the side plate portions and the headers.
  • Other types of connection may be possible between the side plate portions and the headers, like tabs provided in the end of the side plate portion for insertion in the headers.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Details Of Heat-Exchange And Heat-Transfer (AREA)
  • Heat-Exchange Devices With Radiators And Conduit Assemblies (AREA)
EP06460040.6A 2006-11-09 2006-11-09 Echangeur de chaleur avec joues latérales améliorées Active EP1921412B1 (fr)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP06460040.6A EP1921412B1 (fr) 2006-11-09 2006-11-09 Echangeur de chaleur avec joues latérales améliorées
PL06460040T PL1921412T3 (pl) 2006-11-09 2006-11-09 Wymiennik ciepła zawierający ulepszone płyty boczne

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP06460040.6A EP1921412B1 (fr) 2006-11-09 2006-11-09 Echangeur de chaleur avec joues latérales améliorées

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1921412A1 true EP1921412A1 (fr) 2008-05-14
EP1921412B1 EP1921412B1 (fr) 2018-02-28

Family

ID=38191857

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP06460040.6A Active EP1921412B1 (fr) 2006-11-09 2006-11-09 Echangeur de chaleur avec joues latérales améliorées

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1921412B1 (fr)
PL (1) PL1921412T3 (fr)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2322890A1 (fr) * 2009-11-16 2011-05-18 Thermex Ltd. Échangeur thermique marin
CN106440884A (zh) * 2016-07-29 2017-02-22 非凡鸿盛科技发展（深圳）有限公司 一种换热器及其换热板

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5257454A (en) * 1992-01-30 1993-11-02 Ford Motor Company Method of making a heat exchanger with thermal stress relieving zone
EP0748995A2 (fr) * 1995-06-12 1996-12-18 Ford Motor Company Limited Echangeur de chaleur
US20050102836A1 (en) * 2003-11-19 2005-05-19 Kroetsch Karl P. Heat exchanger core with self-shearing reinforcement
WO2005073661A1 (fr) * 2004-02-02 2005-08-11 Behr Gmbh & Co. Kg Tole laterale de radiateur
DE102004013399A1 (de) * 2004-01-22 2005-10-06 Behr Gmbh & Co. Kg Rahmenteil für einen Röhrenwärmetauscher
FR2873434A1 (fr) * 2004-07-20 2006-01-27 Valeo Thermique Moteur Sas Echangeur de chaleur muni de joues
WO2006029764A1 (fr) * 2004-09-15 2006-03-23 Behr Gmbh & Co. Kg Tole laterale pour radiateurs

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5257454A (en) * 1992-01-30 1993-11-02 Ford Motor Company Method of making a heat exchanger with thermal stress relieving zone
EP0748995A2 (fr) * 1995-06-12 1996-12-18 Ford Motor Company Limited Echangeur de chaleur
US20050102836A1 (en) * 2003-11-19 2005-05-19 Kroetsch Karl P. Heat exchanger core with self-shearing reinforcement
DE102004013399A1 (de) * 2004-01-22 2005-10-06 Behr Gmbh & Co. Kg Rahmenteil für einen Röhrenwärmetauscher
WO2005073661A1 (fr) * 2004-02-02 2005-08-11 Behr Gmbh & Co. Kg Tole laterale de radiateur
FR2873434A1 (fr) * 2004-07-20 2006-01-27 Valeo Thermique Moteur Sas Echangeur de chaleur muni de joues
WO2006029764A1 (fr) * 2004-09-15 2006-03-23 Behr Gmbh & Co. Kg Tole laterale pour radiateurs

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2322890A1 (fr) * 2009-11-16 2011-05-18 Thermex Ltd. Échangeur thermique marin
CN106440884A (zh) * 2016-07-29 2017-02-22 非凡鸿盛科技发展（深圳）有限公司 一种换热器及其换热板

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
PL1921412T3 (pl) 2018-08-31
EP1921412B1 (fr) 2018-02-28

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