FR3034185A1 - COLLECTOR BOX FOR HEAT EXCHANGER OF AIR CONDITIONING CIRCUIT OF MOTOR VEHICLE, AND HEAT EXCHANGER COMPRISING SUCH A COLLECTOR BOX. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a manifold 3, in particular for a heat exchanger in a motor vehicle, said heat exchanger being designed to allow a heat exchange with a first fluid, said manifold 3 being provided with at least one control orifice 1 and at least one protrusion 2 for holding in position a partition 7 designed to allow the separation of an interior space of the manifold 3 into several compartments, said control orifice 1 being able to allow leakage said first fluid to the outside of the manifold 3 when said manifold 3 is devoid of said partition wall 7, said control port 1 being designed to be closed by said partition wall 7. The invention further relates to a heat exchanger of heat comprising such a manifold 3.

Description

1 COLLECTOR BOX FOR HEAT EXCHANGER OF AIR CONDITIONING CIRCUIT OF MOTOR VEHICLE, AND HEAT EXCHANGER COMPRISING SUCH A COLLECTOR BOX. The invention relates to the field of heat exchangers, in particular condensers, and relates in particular to an associated collector box. The invention will find particular applications in the field of air conditioning circuits for motor vehicles. It is known heat exchangers composed of a beam, itself composed of parallel tubes, said beam allowing a heat exchange between a first fluid flowing inside said tubes, and a second fluid, passing through said beam between said tubes. Said heat exchangers further comprise collecting boxes to which said tubes are connected. Collection boxes are known, composed of a collecting plate and a lid. In order to promote heat exchange between the first and the second fluid, it is known to organize the circulation of the first fluid in the beam in several passes. To allow such a distribution of the fluid, it is known to provide the manifolds of partition walls to divide an inner space of the collector box into several compartments. Said partitions are configured to limit or prevent the flow of said first fluid from one compartment to another. These partitions are generally invisible from the outside so that it is not possible to know, at the time of assembly, whether they have been put in place. That is, in order to position and maintain the position of the partitions in the collector boxes prior to soldering, it is also known to arrange said partitions in slots arranged on the collector plate and / or on the cover. Such slots could detect a lack of partition but this is not their goal. In addition, this solution has the disadvantage of creating a risk of sealing failure of the header box.

One of the objectives of the invention is to provide a manifold that allows a quick check of the presence or absence of said partitions, while limiting the risk of creating a leakage. The invention thus relates to a collecting box, in particular for a heat exchanger in a motor vehicle, said heat exchanger being designed to allow heat exchange with a first fluid, said manifold being provided with at least one control orifice and at least one protrusion for holding in position a partition wall designed to allow a separation of an interior space of the manifold box into several compartments, said control orifice being adapted to allow leakage of said first fluid to the outside of the manifold when said manifold is devoid of said partition, said control port being adapted to be closed by said partition. In this way, the assembly of the pre-brazing partitions is obtained by the one or more retaining protuberances and the orifice is devoid of a function of maintaining the partition wall. It thus makes it possible to control the presence of the partition without risk of altering the tightness of the collecting box.

According to various embodiments of the invention, which may be taken together or separately: said protuberances are designed so as to project towards said interior space of said manifold box, said protuberances are lugs, said protuberances are of cylindrical shape, - said protuberances have a triangular prism shape, - said protuberances are arranged in pairs, so that the partition is designed to be engaged between two protuberances of the same pair, - said control orifice is arranged at equidistance each of the protuberances of the same pair of protuberances, 3034185 3 - said control orifice is arranged between two protuberances of a same pair of protuberances, - two protuberances of a same pair of protuberances are separated one of the another by one of said control ports, 5 - said control port is shifted transversely by ra the protuberances of the same pair of protuberances, - said protuberances are of cylindrical shape, - said protuberances have a triangular prism shape, - said control orifice opens into a trough, formed on an outer face of said collector box by inclined faces of said protuberances, said control orifice opens into one or more channels formed by a material thickness of said radial abutment collecting box for said partition wall, said channel extends radially through said thickness of material, said channels extend on either side of said thickness of material, said pairs of protuberances are disposed opposite each other on either side of a plane of symmetry of the collector box; said protuberances are designed to block said partition wall in translation in a main direction of longitudinal extension d the collector box, said collector box comprises a cover and a collector plate, said collector plate is provided with said protuberances, said cover is provided with said protuberances, said collector box comprises a row of tubes introducing orifices. of circulation of the first fluid formed on a base of the manifold, - said protuberances are located at side flanks of said manifold 25 extending on either side of said row of introduction orifices, 3034185 4 said control orifice is intended to be closed off by a portion of the wafer of said partition wall. The invention further relates to a heat exchanger comprising such a manifold. The invention will be better understood, and other objects, details, features, and advantages thereof will become more clearly apparent from the following detailed explanatory description of at least one embodiment of the given invention. by way of purely illustrative and non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings. - Figures la, 2a, 3a and 4a are views, in longitudinal section, of a portion of the manifold, provided with a partition, according to different embodiments. FIGS. 1b, 2b, 3b and 4b are perspective views of a portion of the manifold, devoid of a cover and partition wall, according to the various preceding embodiments. - Figures 1c, 2c, 3c and 4c are perspective views of the portion of the manifold of Figures lb, 2b, 3b and 4b, provided with a partition, according to different embodiments. FIGS. 1d, 2d, 3d and 4d are perspective views of a longitudinal section of the header box, provided with a partition wall, according to the various embodiments, the cutting plane used being orthogonal to that of Figures la, 2a, 3a and 4a. - Figure 5 is a front view of a heat exchanger with two collector boxes according to the invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the invention relates to a heat exchanger 100, as well as a manifold 3 for such a heat exchanger 100, in particular for a motor vehicle. Said exchanger 100 is for example a condenser 100 configured to allow heat energy exchange between a first fluid and a second fluid. Thus, in the embodiments described herein, said first fluid is preferably a refrigerant circulating inside the heat exchanger 100. The second fluid is for example ambient air flowing through the calender of a motor vehicle and engulfing in an engine compartment so as to pass through said condenser 100. Said heat exchanger 100 comprises for example a beam 110 for heat exchange provided on either side of a said manifold 3 according to the invention. Said beam 110 is for example composed of tubes 111 inside which said first fluid flows and between which said second fluid circulates. Said tubes 111 are advantageously oriented parallel to each other in a direction perpendicular to a main direction of longitudinal extension of the manifolds 3. Said tubes 111 of the beam 110 open into the manifolds 3, at their ends. Said beam 110 may further comprise fins 112, positioned between the tubes 111. Said heat exchanger 100 may further comprise an inlet 120 for the inlet of the first fluid in said heat exchanger 100 and an outlet 130 for the output of the first fluid of the heat exchanger 100, here respectively connected to each of the collecting boxes 3. As illustrated in Figures la to 4d, said manifold 3 comprises a cover 32 and a header plate 31 each having a main direction of longitudinal extension parallel to a main direction of longitudinal extension of the manifold 3. The cover 32 and the header plate 31 are advantageously brazed to one another. Said manifold 3, thus formed, has a substantially tubular general shape and extends in its main direction 20 of longitudinal extension between two ends of the manifold 3, said axial ends. Said collector plate 31 defines a bottom 311 extended by two lateral flanks 310 so that each lateral flank 310 extends longitudinally from one axial end to the other of the manifold 3. The manifold plate 31 has, for example, a cross section substantially U. These side flanks 310 extend here parallel to each other and vis-à-vis one another.

In addition, in the bottom 311 of the header plate 31, there are introduced introduction ports 33, for example oblong, all along it. Said insertion orifices 33 are mutually parallel and each extend orthogonally to the direction of extension of the manifold 3. The said insertion orifices 33 are intended to receive the corresponding ends of the tubes 111 of the beam 110 of the exchanger and may be flanked by collars 330. Advantageously, the cover 32 extends longitudinally between the two axial ends of the manifold 3 and has a substantially U-shaped cross section. Said cover 32 comprises a base 321, in particular provided slightly concave . Said base 321 is here extended by side flanks 320, parallel and facing each other, advantageously shorter than those of the header plate 31. The lateral flanks 320 of the cover 32 extend longitudinally from one axial end to the other of the header box 3. The bottom 311 of the header plate 31 and the base 321 of the cover 32 are designed to be mounted opposite one another and in parallel to each other.

It will be noted that the distance, called the width, separating the two lateral flanks 320 from the cover 32 is smaller than the distance, called the width, separating the two lateral flanks 310 from the collecting plate 31. In other words, the dimension, especially in width of the cover 32, is such that the lateral flanks 320 of the cover 32 fit between the lateral flanks 310 of the manifold plate 31. In this manner, each lateral flank 320 of the cover 32 is in contact with a lateral flank 310 of the The orientation of the U forming respectively the manifold plate 31 and the cover 32 are here opposite. The assembly of the cover 32 and the collector plate 31 defines an interior space of the manifold 3 in which is circulated said first fluid. By a nested form of the U of the header plate 31 and the cover 32, the cross section of the header box 3 is substantially oval or rectangular with rounded corners.

The cover 32 and the collector plate 31 are crimped and then soldered to one another at the side flanks 310, 320 so as to ensure that the cover 32 is connected to the collecting plate 31. said crimping may be carried out by crimping a portion of each lateral flank 310 of the header plate 31 on one of the lateral flanks 320 of the lid 32. Closing partitions are advantageously provided at each of the axial ends of the header box 3 to close this one. According to the invention, said collecting box 3 is provided with protuberances 2 for holding in position a partition wall 7. The protuberances 2 are for example disposed on one or the other of the lateral flanks 310 of the header plate 31. Said protuberances 2 are, for example, lugs projecting towards said interior space of the header box 3. Said protuberances 2 are advantageously arranged in pairs of protuberances 2, so that said partition wall 7 is designed to engage between the protuberances 2 of the same pair of protuberances 2. The protuberances 2 of the same pair of protuberances 2 are advantageously, on the same side flank 310 of the manifold 3, separated from each other by a distance substantially equal to a thickness of the partition wall 7 so as to allow insertion and maintenance of said partition wall 7. Advantageously, to facilitate the insert Ion of the partition wall 7 and to allow blocking thereof, said protuberances 2 of a same pair of protuberances are aligned on the same straight line parallel to the main direction of longitudinal extension of the manifold 3. Advantageously , the manifold 3 is provided with at least two pairs of protuberances 2 arranged facing each other with respect to a plane of symmetry of said manifold 3. As illustrated in FIGS. 1b, 2b 3b and 4b, said pairs of protuberances 2 are, for example, each arranged on a lateral flank 310 of the collecting plate 31. Said partition wall 3034185 8 is designed to be held in position by both of them. these pairs of protuberances 2, said partition wall 7 being inserted between the protuberances 2 of each pair of protuberances 2. Said protuberances 2 are also designed to allow blocking of said partition wall. 7 in translation in the main direction of longitudinal extension of the manifold 3. As illustrated in Figures 4a to 4c, said protuberances 2 are for example of cylindrical shape, said cylindrical shape for rapid insertion of the partition wall 7 between one and the other of the protuberances 2 of the same pair. Alternatively, as illustrated in FIGS. 1b, 2b and 3b, the said protuberances of the same pair of protuberances 2 have the shape of a triangular prism and each have a flat face, called the contact face, the said contact faces being oriented in parallel. at a plane orthogonal to the main direction of longitudinal extension of the manifold 3 and being arranged vis-à-vis one another. Each of said contact faces of the protuberances is adapted to be in contact with said partition wall 7.

It will also be noted that said protuberances 2 are for example designed and arranged to serve as positioning stops between the cover 32 and the collector plate 31, in particular before brazing with each other. Thus, advantageously, the cover 32 and the collector plate 31 may be arranged so that a longitudinal edge of the lateral flanks 320 of the cover 32 rests on said protuberances 2. This configuration makes it easier to position the cover 32 and the cover 32 respectively. collector plate 31 before brazing with each other. It will also be noted that, alternatively, the protuberances 2 may be arranged elsewhere than on the lateral flanks 310 of the collecting plate 31, for example on the base 311 or at the level of the cover 32.

The partition wall 7 is designed to separate said interior space from the header box 3 in at least two compartments so as to allow a circulation of the first fluid in the heat exchanger 100 in several passes. Said partition 7 is advantageously a wall having two plane faces 71, 72 parallel to each other. Said flat faces 71, 72 are separated from one another, and connected to one another, by a peripheral lateral face 70. Said planar faces 71, 72 of the partition wall 7 are intended to be in contact with each other. contact with said first fluid. Said peripheral lateral face 70 of the partition wall 7 is, it, designed to be in contact with the inner walls of the manifold 3. The following is a definition of the partition wall 10 7 as the distance, according to a direction perpendicular to the two planar faces 71, 72, separating said two planar faces. Said partition 7 is advantageously of substantially flat shape and thin. Advantageously, as illustrated in FIGS. 1d, 2d, 3d and 4d, the contact faces of the protuberances 2 are intended to be in contact with a part of the flat faces 71, 72 of the partitions 15 for separation. Said partition 7 is designed to be positioned between two protuberances 2 and oriented substantially in a plane orthogonal to the main direction of longitudinal extension of the manifold 3. In other words, when the partition wall 7 is in position in the manifold 3, the flat faces 71 , 72 of said partition wall 7 are oriented perpendicular to the main direction of longitudinal extension of the manifold 3. Once placed between said protuberances 2 of a same pair of protuberances 2, said partition wall 7 is configured to limit or prevent a flow of the first fluid on either side of said partition wall 7 in the int 3. Advantageously, the partition wall 7 has a substantially identical shape contour to the shape of an inner cross section of the manifold 3. In other words, the partition wall 7 is designed to cooperating by complementary form with the inner walls of the manifold 3 so as to be brazed to them. Thus, the partition wall 7 has a first portion in contact with an inner contour of the cover 32 and a second portion in contact with an inner contour of the header plate 31, the second portion defining 5 lateral shoulders in contact with the longitudinal edges lid 32, which immobilizes the partition in rotation, before brazing. In other words, the peripheral lateral face 70 of the partition wall 7 is intended, once the cover 32 is brazed to the collector plate 31, to be in full contact with said cover 32 and with said collector plate 31. This form of the separating partition 7 allows in particular to obtain a sealed separation between the two compartments that separates said partition wall 7 even if slight leaks can occur from one compartment to another. Advantageously, said partition wall 7 is designed to be arranged, in the interior space of the header box 3, between two adjacent introduction orifices 33 of the tubes 111. According to the invention, the manifold box 3 is provided with at least one control orifice 1. Said control orifice 1 is designed to allow leakage of said first fluid towards the outside of the manifold 3 when said manifold 3 is devoid of one of said partition walls 7, said control port 1 being designed to be closed by said partition wall 7 when it is actually present. In particular, said control orifice 1 is designed to be closed by said partition wall 7 when it is disposed between said protuberances 2.

It should be noted that said control orifices 1 allow a visual check of the presence or absence of partition wall 7 from the outside space of the manifold box 3, for example by a mounting operator and this same one. both the collector plate 31 and the cover 32 are brazed to each other. A leak test will also verify the presence or absence of said partition wall 7.

For example, said control orifices 1 are arranged on the lateral flanks 310 of the collector plate 31. Alternatively, said control orifices 1 may be arranged at any point enabling them to be closed by the insertion of said partition wall. 7, either at the collector plate 31 or at the cover 32.

Said control orifices 1 are advantageously designed so as to cross on either side said lateral flanks 310 of the header box 3, so as to allow said first fluid to circulate between the outside and said inside of the collecting box. 3 when the manifold 3 is devoid of said partition wall 7. Each of said control orifices 1 may for example be obtained by perforation, drilling or puncturing of the manifold plate 31. As illustrated in Figures la to ld, the slip box 3 is provided with two control orifices 1, each control orifice 1 being disposed on one of the lateral flanks 310 of the header plate 31, between the two protuberances 2 of the same pair of protuberances. More specifically, here, said protuberances 2 of the same pair of protuberances 2 are separated from each other by said control orifice 1. In other words, each of the protuberances 2 of the same pair of protuberances 2 and said control port 1 are all substantially aligned along the same straight line parallel to the main direction of longitudinal extension of the manifold 3. Each control orifice 1 opens here in a bowl 10, formed on an outer face of said box manifold 3 by inclined faces of said protuberances 2.

It will be noted that said two control orifices 1 are arranged opposite one another, for example to facilitate visual inspection of the presence or absence of the partition wall 7. As illustrated In FIGS. 1a-1d, said partition wall 7 is designed to be arranged at said control orifices 1. In particular, each of said control orifices 1 3034185 12 is designed to be closed by a portion of the peripheral lateral face 70 of 7. As illustrated in FIGS. 1b and 1c, it should also be noted that in order not to alter the tightness of the header box 3, the largest dimension of a cross section of the orifice 1, at a closing area of the control port 1 by the partition wall 7, is substantially equal to the thickness of said partition wall 7. Advantageously, said control port 1 opens in one or p several channels 11 formed by a material thickness 12 of said manifold 3 forming a radial abutment for said partition wall 7.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2a to 2d, said control orifices 1 are arranged between the protuberances 2 of the same pair of protuberances 2. Here, said channel 11 this time extends radially through said thickness of material 12. Advantageously, the two protuberances 2 of the same pair of protuberances 2 and one of said control orifices 1 are here aligned along the same straight line parallel to the main direction of longitudinal extension of the manifold box 3. Again, each of said control orifices 1 is configured to be closed by a portion of the peripheral lateral face 70 of the partition wall 7. Said control orifices 1 here have a cross section, that is to say in a plane parallel to the side flank 310, of substantially circular shape. Alternatively, said control orifices 20 may have a cross section of different shape, for example oblong, triangular or rectangular. As illustrated in FIGS. 3a to 3d, said channels 11 extend on either side of said thickness of material 12. Said channels 11 extend between said thickness of material 12 and the inclined faces of said protuberances 2.

As illustrated in FIGS. 4a to 4c, the manifold 3 is provided with two control orifices 1, each control orifice 1 being disposed on one of the lateral flanks 310 of the collecting plate 31. Here, said control orifices 1 have substantially the shape of a cylinder of revolution. Each of the two control orifices 1 is arranged, on one of the lateral flanks 310, in the vicinity of a pair of protuberances 2. Advantageously, said control orifices 1 are not, here, aligned with the two protuberances 2 d a same pair of protuberances 2 near which each control port 1 is arranged. In other words, each of said control orifices 1 is shifted transversely with respect to the protuberances 2 of the same pair of protuberances 2. Each control orifice 1 is equidistant from one and the other of the protuberances 2 of the same pair of protuberances 2 near which it is located. As already mentioned, the protuberances 2 are advantageously of substantially cylindrical shape so that once the partition 7 has been inserted between each pair of protuberances 2, said partition 7 is locked in translation along said main direction of longitudinal extension. of the manifold box 3.

Claims (15)

REVENDICATIONS1. A collector box (3), in particular for a heat exchanger (100) in a motor vehicle, said heat exchanger (100) being designed to allow heat exchange with a first fluid, said collector box (3) being provided with a least one control orifice (1) and at least one protrusion (2) for holding in position a partition wall (7) designed to allow a separation of an interior space of the collector box (3) in several compartments, said control orifice (1) being able to allow leakage of said first fluid towards the outside of the manifold (3) when said manifold (3) is devoid of said partition (7), said orifice control (1) being designed to be closed by said partition wall (7). 2. collector box (3) according to the preceding claim, wherein said protuberances (2) are designed to protrude towards said inner space of said collector box (3). 3. collector box (3) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said protuberances (2) are lugs. A header (3) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said protuberances (3) are arranged in pairs, so that the partition (7) is adapted to be engaged between two protuberances (2). the same pair. 5. collector box (3) according to the preceding claim, wherein said control port (1) is arranged equidistant from each of the protuberances (2) of the same pair of protuberances (2). 6. collector box (3) according to the preceding claim, wherein two protuberances (2) of the same pair of protuberances are separated from each other by one of said control ports (1). 3034185 15 7. collector box (3) according to the preceding claim, wherein said control port is shifted transversely relative to the protuberances (2) of the same pair of protuberances (2). A manifold (3) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said protuberances (2) are cylindrical in shape. 9. collector box (3) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said protuberances (2) have a triangular prism shape. 10. collector box (3) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said control orifice (1) opens into a bowl (10), formed on an outer face 10 of said manifold (3) by inclined faces said protuberances (2). 11. collector box (3) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said control orifice (1) opens into one or more channels (11) formed by a material thickness (12) of said manifold (3). making radial abutment for said partition wall (7). 15 The header (3) of claim 11, wherein said channel (11) extends radially through said thickness of material (12). 13. The header (3) according to claim 11, wherein said channels (11) extend on either side of said thickness of material (12). A header (3) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said control port (1) is intended to be closed off by a slice portion of said partition wall (7). 15. Heat exchanger (100) comprising a manifold (3) according to any one of the preceding claims.