EP2582475B1 - Heat exchanger tube and method of making - Google Patents

Heat exchanger tube and method of making Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2582475B1
EP2582475B1 EP11726635.3A EP11726635A EP2582475B1 EP 2582475 B1 EP2582475 B1 EP 2582475B1 EP 11726635 A EP11726635 A EP 11726635A EP 2582475 B1 EP2582475 B1 EP 2582475B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
tube
expansion
expansion tool
heat exchanger
tool
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.)
Active
Application number
EP11726635.3A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP2582475A1 (en
Inventor
Loren D. Hoffman
Jason Michael Thomas
Eric Konkle
Jeffrey L. Jones
Luis Felipe Avila
Bruce J. Poplawski
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.)
Carrier Corp
Original Assignee
Carrier Corp
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 Carrier Corp filed Critical Carrier Corp
Publication of EP2582475A1 publication Critical patent/EP2582475A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP2582475B1 publication Critical patent/EP2582475B1/en
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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21D—WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21D53/00—Making other particular articles
    • B21D53/02—Making other particular articles heat exchangers or parts thereof, e.g. radiators, condensers fins, headers
    • B21D53/08—Making other particular articles heat exchangers or parts thereof, e.g. radiators, condensers fins, headers of both metal tubes and sheet metal
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21D—WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21D39/00—Application of procedures in order to connect objects or parts, e.g. coating with sheet metal otherwise than by plating; Tube expanders
    • B21D39/06—Application of procedures in order to connect objects or parts, e.g. coating with sheet metal otherwise than by plating; Tube expanders of tubes in openings, e.g. rolling-in
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21D—WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21D41/00—Application of procedures in order to alter the diameter of tube ends
    • B21D41/02—Enlarging
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21D—WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21D53/00—Making other particular articles
    • B21D53/02—Making other particular articles heat exchangers or parts thereof, e.g. radiators, condensers fins, headers
    • B21D53/08—Making other particular articles heat exchangers or parts thereof, e.g. radiators, condensers fins, headers of both metal tubes and sheet metal
    • B21D53/085—Making other particular articles heat exchangers or parts thereof, e.g. radiators, condensers fins, headers of both metal tubes and sheet metal with fins places on zig-zag tubes or parallel tubes
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T29/00—Metal working
    • Y10T29/49—Method of mechanical manufacture
    • Y10T29/4935—Heat exchanger or boiler making
    • Y10T29/49361—Tube inside tube
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T29/00—Metal working
    • Y10T29/49—Method of mechanical manufacture
    • Y10T29/4935—Heat exchanger or boiler making
    • Y10T29/49377—Tube with heat transfer means
    • Y10T29/49378—Finned tube

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method of forming a tube for a heat exchanger according to the features of the preamble of claim 1.
  • Such a method is for example disclosed in US-A-4720902 .
  • the subject matter disclosed herein relates to heat exchangers. More specifically, the subject disclosure relates to tubular coils for heat exchangers.
  • a heat exchanger typically includes two or more containment forms, such as tubes, through which a cooling fluid is circulated.
  • the heat exchanger also includes a plurality of fins extending between the tubes which facilitate thermal energy transfer between the tubes and the surrounding air.
  • each tube is expanded to provide an interference fit between the tube and adjacent fins.
  • ends of adjacent tubes are connected to each other via a return bend section of tubing forming a labyrinthian coil.
  • the end of the tube is belled (or increased in diameter) allowing the return bend to be received in the end of the tube.
  • the end of the tube is flared to capture braze material when brazing the tube to the return bend.
  • a tool is inserted into the tube which includes a form for the expansion, or bullet, at a first end and dies to produce the bell and flare shapes at a second end.
  • the expanded shape is produced along the length, and finally the bell and flare are produced at the end of the tube.
  • This expansion method presents a problem for tubes with relatively low buckling limits, for example, tubes formed from aluminum.
  • Aluminum tubes are typically thicker-walled than steel or cooper tubes, thus a higher force is required for the expansion process.
  • US 4876779 discloses a method of manufacture of a tube for a heat exchanger using an expanding/belling station with separate beller tools and expander tools.
  • a method of forming a tube for a heat exchanger includes advancing an expansion tool into a tube a first time and engaging a bullet of the expansion tool with the tube to expand the tube diametrically at least partially along a length of the tube to form an interference fit of the tube with fins of the heat exchanger.
  • the expansion tool is at least partially retracted from the tube.
  • the expansion tool is advanced into the tube one or more subsequent times and once the expansion of the tube by the bullet is complete, a stroke of the expansion tool is continued, thereby engaging a bell tool portion of the expansion tool with a tube end of the tube to further expand the tube end in order for the tube end to receive a return bend.
  • a method of assembling a heat exchanger includes providing a plurality of fins and locating one or more tubes in proximity to the plurality of fins.
  • the tubes are formed using a method as described above.
  • the heat exchanger 10 includes a plurality of heat exchanger tubes 12, which fit to a plurality of fins 14 to transfer thermal energy between a flow 16 passing through the fins 14 and the tubes.
  • Each tube 12 has a tube end 18, which is joined to a return bend 20 to form a labyrinth coil 22.
  • an expansion tool 22 is driven into the tube 12 to expand the tube 12 diametrically along a tube length 24 to force an interference fit with the fins 14 thereby better facilitating thermal energy transfer. Further, the expansion tool 22 is utilized to bell and flare the tube end 18 to receive the return bend 20. Illustrated in FIGs. 2-3 is an improved method for expanding, belling and flaring the tube end 18 for the heat exchanger 10. Referring to FIG. 2 , in an initial stroke of the expansion tool 22 into the tube 12, the tube 12 is expanded to an interference fit with the fins 14 by a bullet 26. Once the expansion of the tube 12 is complete, the expansion tool 22 retracts along the tube 12. It is to be appreciated that while in the embodiment of FIG.
  • expansion of the tube 12 is achieved in a single stroke of the expansion tool 22, it is to be appreciated that additional, multiple strokes of the expansion may be utilized to achieve the desired expansion.
  • a first stroke of the expansion tool 22 may extend to about one half of the tube length 24, resulting in expansion of about one half of the tube 12.
  • An additional stroke is then utilized to expand the remaining portion of the tube length 24.
  • a flare tool portion 30 engages the tube end 18 to flare the tube end 18 outwardly.
  • the expansion tool 22 is withdrawn, and as shown in FIG. 4 , the return bend 20 is assembled to the tube end 18 and secured thereto by, for example, brazing.
  • the bell and flare operations are performed with separate strokes of the expansion tool 22, but it is to be appreciated that, in some embodiments, the bell and flare operations may be combined into a single stroke of the expansion tool 22 if a force necessary to perform the operations does not exceed the buckling limit of the tube 12.
  • Utilizing multiple strokes of the expansion tool 22 into the tube 12 to fully expand the tube 12 to a final configuration reduces the forces acting on the tube 12 due to the expansion when compared to those acting on the tube 12 in a single-stroke expansion process. Therefore, the risk of exceeding the buckling limit of the tube 12 is reduced, resulting in fewer tubes 12 which are damaged during the expansion process.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Details Of Heat-Exchange And Heat-Transfer (AREA)
  • Heat-Exchange Devices With Radiators And Conduit Assemblies (AREA)

Description

  • The present invention relates to a method of forming a tube for a heat exchanger according to the features of the preamble of claim 1.
  • Such a method is for example disclosed in US-A-4720902 . The subject matter disclosed herein relates to heat exchangers. More specifically, the subject disclosure relates to tubular coils for heat exchangers.
  • A heat exchanger typically includes two or more containment forms, such as tubes, through which a cooling fluid is circulated. The heat exchanger also includes a plurality of fins extending between the tubes which facilitate thermal energy transfer between the tubes and the surrounding air. In assembling the heat exchanger, each tube is expanded to provide an interference fit between the tube and adjacent fins. Further, ends of adjacent tubes are connected to each other via a return bend section of tubing forming a labyrinthian coil. To accommodate connection to the return bend, the end of the tube is belled (or increased in diameter) allowing the return bend to be received in the end of the tube. Further, the end of the tube is flared to capture braze material when brazing the tube to the return bend. To accomplish the expansion, bell and flare, a tool is inserted into the tube which includes a form for the expansion, or bullet, at a first end and dies to produce the bell and flare shapes at a second end. As the tool is forced down the length of the tube, the expanded shape is produced along the length, and finally the bell and flare are produced at the end of the tube. Typically this is done in a single-step process in which the tube is expanded belled and flared via a single stroke of tool along the length. This expansion method presents a problem for tubes with relatively low buckling limits, for example, tubes formed from aluminum. Aluminum tubes are typically thicker-walled than steel or cooper tubes, thus a higher force is required for the expansion process. When expansion, flare and belling forces act on a single tube simultaneously, the forces may exceed the buckling limit resulting in failure of the tube. Thus, the tube must be scrapped and replaced with another tube.
  • US 4876779 discloses a method of manufacture of a tube for a heat exchanger using an expanding/belling station with separate beller tools and expander tools.
  • According to the invention, a method of forming a tube for a heat exchanger includes advancing an expansion tool into a tube a first time and engaging a bullet of the expansion tool with the tube to expand the tube diametrically at least partially along a length of the tube to form an interference fit of the tube with fins of the heat exchanger. The expansion tool is at least partially retracted from the tube. The expansion tool is advanced into the tube one or more subsequent times and once the expansion of the tube by the bullet is complete, a stroke of the expansion tool is continued, thereby engaging a bell tool portion of the expansion tool with a tube end of the tube to further expand the tube end in order for the tube end to receive a return bend.
  • According to a preferred aspect of the invention, a method of assembling a heat exchanger includes providing a plurality of fins and locating one or more tubes in proximity to the plurality of fins. The tubes are formed using a method as described above.
  • These and other advantages and features will become more apparent from the following description of example embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawings.
  • The subject matter, which is regarded as the invention, is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
    • FIG. 1 is schematic view of an embodiment of a heat exchanger;
    • FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a heat exchanger tube;
    • FIG. 3 is another cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a heat exchanger tube; and
    • FIG. 4 is yet another cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a heat exchanger tube.
  • The detailed description explains embodiments of the invention, together with advantages and features, by way of example with reference to the drawings.
  • Shown in FIG. 1 is an embodiment of a heat exchanger 10. The heat exchanger 10 includes a plurality of heat exchanger tubes 12, which fit to a plurality of fins 14 to transfer thermal energy between a flow 16 passing through the fins 14 and the tubes. Each tube 12 has a tube end 18, which is joined to a return bend 20 to form a labyrinth coil 22.
  • Referring now FIG. 2, an expansion tool 22 is driven into the tube 12 to expand the tube 12 diametrically along a tube length 24 to force an interference fit with the fins 14 thereby better facilitating thermal energy transfer. Further, the expansion tool 22 is utilized to bell and flare the tube end 18 to receive the return bend 20. Illustrated in FIGs. 2-3 is an improved method for expanding, belling and flaring the tube end 18 for the heat exchanger 10. Referring to FIG. 2, in an initial stroke of the expansion tool 22 into the tube 12, the tube 12 is expanded to an interference fit with the fins 14 by a bullet 26. Once the expansion of the tube 12 is complete, the expansion tool 22 retracts along the tube 12. It is to be appreciated that while in the embodiment of FIG. 2, expansion of the tube 12 is achieved in a single stroke of the expansion tool 22, it is to be appreciated that additional, multiple strokes of the expansion may be utilized to achieve the desired expansion. For example, a first stroke of the expansion tool 22 may extend to about one half of the tube length 24, resulting in expansion of about one half of the tube 12. An additional stroke is then utilized to expand the remaining portion of the tube length 24.
  • Referring now to FIG. 3, another stroke of the expansion tool 22 is initiated and the stroke continues until a bell tool 28 portion of the expansion tool 22 engages the tube end 18 to further expand the tube end 18 to receive the return bend 20.
  • In some embodiments, subsequent to the bell tool portion 28 engaging the tube end 18, a flare tool portion 30 engages the tube end 18 to flare the tube end 18 outwardly. Once the bell and flare operations are completed, the expansion tool 22 is withdrawn, and as shown in FIG. 4, the return bend 20 is assembled to the tube end 18 and secured thereto by, for example, brazing. In the embodiment described above, the bell and flare operations are performed with separate strokes of the expansion tool 22, but it is to be appreciated that, in some embodiments, the bell and flare operations may be combined into a single stroke of the expansion tool 22 if a force necessary to perform the operations does not exceed the buckling limit of the tube 12. Utilizing multiple strokes of the expansion tool 22 into the tube 12 to fully expand the tube 12 to a final configuration reduces the forces acting on the tube 12 due to the expansion when compared to those acting on the tube 12 in a single-stroke expansion process. Therefore, the risk of exceeding the buckling limit of the tube 12 is reduced, resulting in fewer tubes 12 which are damaged during the expansion process.
  • While the invention has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the invention is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the invention can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the scope of the invention as defined by the claims. Additionally, while various embodiments of the invention have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the invention may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the invention is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (7)

  1. A method of forming a tube for a heat exchanger (10) comprising:
    advancing an expansion tool (22) into a tube (12) a first time;
    engaging a bullet (26) of the expansion tool (22) with the tube (12) to expand the tube (12) diametrically at least partially along a length (24) of the tube (12) to form an interference fit of the tube (12) with fins (14) of the heat exchanger; and
    at least partially retracting the expansion tool (22) from the tube (12);
    characterised by:
    advancing the expansion tool (22) into the tube (12) one or more subsequent times; and
    once the expansion of the tube by the bullet (26) is complete, continuing a stroke of the expansion tool (22) and engaging a bell tool portion (28) of the expansion tool (22) with a tube end (18) of the tube (12) to further expand the tube end in order for the tube end to receive a return bend.
  2. The method of Claim 1, wherein advancing the expansion tool (22) into the tube (12) the first time comprises advancing the expansion tool (22) along the entire length of the tube, thereby diametrically expanding the entire length of the tube.
  3. The method of Claim 1, wherein engaging the expansion tool (22) with the tube (12) one or more subsequent times results in expansion of a tube end (18) to receive a return bend (20).
  4. The method of Claim 1, wherein engaging the expansion tool (22) with the tube (12) one or more subsequent times results in a flare of a tube end (18).
  5. The method of Claim 1, wherein one or more subsequent times is one more time.
  6. The method of Claim 1, wherein one or more subsequent times is two more times.
  7. A method of assembling a heat exchanger (10) comprising:
    providing a plurality of fins (14);
    locating one or more tubes (12) in proximity to the plurality of fins; and
    forming the one or more tubes using a method as claimed in any preceding claim.
EP11726635.3A 2010-06-18 2011-06-14 Heat exchanger tube and method of making Active EP2582475B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US35635510P 2010-06-18 2010-06-18
PCT/US2011/040313 WO2011159678A1 (en) 2010-06-18 2011-06-14 Heat exchanger tube and method of making

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2582475A1 EP2582475A1 (en) 2013-04-24
EP2582475B1 true EP2582475B1 (en) 2021-04-28

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP11726635.3A Active EP2582475B1 (en) 2010-06-18 2011-06-14 Heat exchanger tube and method of making

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US20130074342A1 (en)
EP (1) EP2582475B1 (en)
ES (1) ES2868373T3 (en)
WO (1) WO2011159678A1 (en)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US10882578B2 (en) * 2018-06-13 2021-01-05 Magnum Shielding Corporation Increasing the internal pivot radii for angle-joined motorcycle handle bars
CN109877589A (en) * 2018-12-14 2019-06-14 广东龙丰精密铜管有限公司 A kind of reduced copper capillary tube pipe or pipe fitting high-efficiency high-accuracy multifunctional combination tooling

Family Cites Families (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2275614A (en) * 1939-10-25 1942-03-10 Babcock & Wilcox Co Pull-type tube-expanding tool
US4720902A (en) * 1986-12-22 1988-01-26 Carrier Corporation One step tension expander and method of using
US4876779A (en) 1987-11-06 1989-10-31 Carrier Corporation Apparatus and method for manufacturing plate fin coils of different configurations
FR2710282B1 (en) * 1993-09-25 1997-01-24 Behr Gmbh & Co Method and device for widening metal tubes of oval section by stretching.
JP3410883B2 (en) * 1995-11-17 2003-05-26 京進工業株式会社 Heat exchanger manufacturing method
US6163955A (en) * 1999-09-20 2000-12-26 Tsai; Ching Yuan Tube expanding machine
JP4836996B2 (en) * 2008-06-19 2011-12-14 三菱電機株式会社 Heat exchanger and air conditioner equipped with the heat exchanger

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
None *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP2582475A1 (en) 2013-04-24
US20130074342A1 (en) 2013-03-28
WO2011159678A1 (en) 2011-12-22
ES2868373T3 (en) 2021-10-21

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