GB2352026A

GB2352026A - Header pipe for use in a heat exchanger

Info

Publication number: GB2352026A
Application number: GB9916330A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tsai Cheng Wan
Original assignee: Man Zai Industrial Co Ltd
Current assignee: Man Zai Industrial Co Ltd
Priority date: 1999-07-12
Filing date: 1999-07-12
Publication date: 2001-01-17
Also published as: GB9916330D0

Abstract

A header pipe for use in a heat exchanger includes integrally formed header pipe body and fluid receiving container (5). The header pipe body includes complementary first and second pipe sections (3,4) extending in a longitudinal direction to confine a passage chamber. The second pipe section (4) has a wall portion (41) with two parallel second longitudinal edges (42) that engage tightly the first pipe section (3). The receiving container (5) has a tubular surrounding wall (500) which includes a longitudinal proximate segment (50) integrally formed with and extending along the wall portion (41), and a longitudinal distal segment (51) complementary with the proximate segment (50) to confine a receiving chamber therein. An inlet (510) is formed in the proximate segment (50) proximate to a lower portion, and communicates fluidly the passage chamber and the receiving chamber so as to permit passage of a working fluid. An outlet (52) is disposed in the distal segment (51) proximate to an upper portion thereof to draw the working fluid out of the receiving chamber for recirculation. Preferably a filter (56) is included.

Description

1 2352026 HEADER PIPE FOR USE IN A HEAT EXCHANGER This invention relates

to a heat exchanger, more particularly to a header pipe for use in a heat exchanger and provided with an integrally formed fluid receiving container.

A heat exchanger employed in air conditioning equipment generally includes transverse tubes and upright header pipes for introducing coolant into the tubes and for discharging the coolant after it has circulated throughout the tubes. Referring to Fig. 1, a conventional heat exchanger is shown to include a pair of header pipes 11, each of which is provided with two partition plates 12 to divide the header pipe 11 into three isolated chambers. A plurality of parallel tubes 13 are disposed between the header pipes 11 and are transverse to the same. The outer sides of the tubes 13 are provided with a plurality of radiator fins 14.

Coolant is introduced into the tube 13 from an inlet pipe 111. The coolant meanders in the tubes 13 in a zigzag pattern and is discharged through an outlet tube 112. Then, the coolant is introduced into a receiving container 17 via a connecting pipe 151. The receiving container 17 is supported by a support rack 16 which is locked on the header pipe 11. The coolant is filtered by filtering material in the container 17, and flows outwardly of the container 17 through another connecting pipe 152.

2 However, the connecting pipe 151 is required to connect the header pipe 11 with the container 17 by welding, and the rack 16 is required to support the container 17 on the header pipe 11, thereby resulting in inconvenience during assembly, and resulting in a relatively high material cost. In addition, the header pipe 11, the outlet tube 112, the connecting pipe 151, the rack 16, and the container 17 are assembled by welding, thereby resulting in unsteady engagement. The whole heat exchanger is bulky in size.

The object of the present invention is to provide a header pipe with an integrally formed fluid receiving container so as to result in a compact size and a steady construction of a heat exchanger.

According to this invention, the header pipe includes integrally formed header pipe body and fluid receiving container. The header pipe body includes complementary f irst and second pipe sections extending in a longitudinal direction to confine a passage chamber. The first pipe section has a U-shaped cross-section with two parallel first longitudinal edges. The second pipe section has a wall portion with two parallel second longitudinal edges to engage tightly the first longitudinal edges. The fluid receiving container extends in the longitudinal direction, and is disposed on the second pipe section transverse to the second longitudinal edges. The fluid 3 receiving container has a tubular surrounding wall which includes a longitudinal proximate segment integrally formed with and extending along the wall portion, and a longitudinal distal segment complementary with the proximate segment to confine a receiving chamber therein. An inlet is formed in the proximate segment proximate to a lower portion, and communicates fluidly the passage chamber and the receiving chamber so as to permit a working fluid to f low f rom the passage chamber to the receiving chamber.

An outlet is disposed in the distal segment proximate to an upper portion thereof to draw the working fluid out of the receiving chamber for recirculation.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a conventional heat exchanger; Fig. 2 is a front view of a preferred embodiment of a header pipe according to this invention when used in a heat exchanger; and Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the header pipe of the preferred embodiment.

Referring to Fig. 2, the preferred embodiment of the header pipe 22 according to the present invention 4 is shown to be used in a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger includes a plurality of tubes 24 with radiator fins 25 transverse to the header pipe 22 and another header pipe 21. A plurality of partition plates 23 are disposed in the header pipes 21,22. The header pipe 22 includes a header pipe body, a tubular fluid receiving container 5, and two sealing caps 54.

Referring to Fig. 3, the header pipe body includes complementary first and second pipe sections 3, 4 which extend in a longitudinal direction and which confine a passage chamber therein. The first pipe section 3 has a U-shaped cross-section with two parallel first longitudinal edges 31, each of which extends in the longitudinal direction. The second pipe section 4 is made of aluminum by extrusion, and has a wall portion 41 with two parallel second longitudinal edges 42, each of which extends in the longitudinal direction and each of which engages tightly a respective one of the first longitudinal edges 31. In this embodiment, two partition plates 23 are provided in a known manner to divide the passage chamber of the header pipe body into three isolated chambers.

The f luid receiving container 5 extends in the longitudinal direction, and is disposed on the second pipe section 4 opposite to the second longitudinal edges 42 in a transverse direction relative to the longitudinal direction. The fluid receiving container has a tubular surrounding wall 500 with an upper portion, a lower portion opposite to the upper portion in the longitudinal direction, and an intermediate portion interposed between the upper and lower portions. The surrounding wall 500 includes a longitudinal proximate segment 50 which is integrally formed with and which extends along the wall portion 41, and a longitudinal distal segment 51 which is complementary with the proximate segment 50 to confine a receiving chamber therein.

The receiving container 5 further has upper and lower end walls which are disposed transverse to the upper and lower portions respectively, and which define upper and lower openings 53 for access to the receiving chamber. The upper and lower portions of the surrounding wall 500 have inner walls with internally threaded surfaces 55 respectively adjacent to the upper and lower end walls.

In addition, the fluid receiving container 5 further has an inlet 510 which is formed in the proximate segment 50 proximate to the lower end wall and which communicates fluidly the passage chamber of the header pipe body and the receiving chamber of the receiving container 5 so as to permit a working fluid, such as coolant, to flow from the passage chamber to the receiving chamber. In addition, an outlet 52 is disposed in the distal segment 51 proximate to the 6 upper end wall to draw the working fluid out of the receiving chamber for recirculation.

The sealing caps 54 cover the upper and lower openings 53, respectively. Each sealing cap 54 has an externally threaded surface 542 for engaging threadedly a respective internally threaded surface S5. An elastomeric O-ring 541 is sleeved on each sealing cap 54 for sealing purposes.

In addition, a filtering member 56 includes two filtering plates 562 made from non-woven fabrics, and a drier member 561 between the filtering plates 562.

The filtering member 56 is disposed transversely in the receiving chamber, and sealingly engages the intermediate portion for absorbing the moisture and purifying the coolant introduced through the inlet 510 in the receiving chamber before flowing out of the outlet 52.

The coolant is introduced from an inlet 211 formed in the header pipe 21, and meanders in the tubes 24 in a zigzag pattern by virtue of the partition plates 23. Then, the coolant is discharged through the inlet 510 into the receiving chamber of the receiving container 5. Finally, the coolant flows out of the outlet 52 through the filtering member 56 for recirculation.

As such, since the fluid receiving container 5 and the second pipe section 4 are formed integrally of 7 aluminum by extrusion, the header pipe ofthis invention is not required to provide a support rack for assembling the receiving container. Moreover, the outlet 52 is formed directly in the receiving container 5 so as to eliminate the need for welding of the connecting pipes between the header pipe and the receiving container. Therefore, the assembly as such is relatively convenient to conduct. Further, the heat exchanger using the header pipe of this invention has a steady construction and a relative compact size.

8

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A header pipe for use in a heat exchanger that includes a plurality of tubes transverse to said header pipe and a working fluid flowing between the tubes and said header pipe, said header pipe including:

a header pipe body including complementary first and second pipe sections extending in a longitudinal direction and confining a passage chamber, said first pipe section having two first longitudinal edges each of which extends substantially in the longitudinal direction, said second pipe section having a wall portion with two second longitudinal edges each of which extends substantially in the longitudinal direction and each of which engages tightly a respective one of said first longitudinal edges; and a fluid receiving container extending in the longitudinal direction, and disposed on said second pipe section opposite to said second longitudinal edges in a transverse direction relative to the longitudinal direction, said fluid receiving container having a tubular surrounding wall with an upper portion, a lower portion opposite to said upper portion in the longitudinal direction, and an intermediate portion interposed between said upper and lower portions, said surrounding wall including 9 a longitudinal proximate segment which is integrally formed with and which extends along said wall portion, and a longitudinal distal segment which is complementary with said proximate segment to confine a receiving chamber therein, said fluid receiving container further having an inlet formed in said proximate segment proximate to said lower portion and communicating fluidly said passage chamber and said receiving chamber so as to permit the working fluid to flow from said passage chamber to said receiving chamber, and an outlet disposed in said distal segment proximate to said upper portion to draw the working fluid out of said receiving chamber for recirculation.

2. The header pipe as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said receiving container further has upper and lower end walls opposite to each other in the longitudinal direction and transverse to said upper and lower portions respectively, and defining upper and lower openings for access to said receiving chamber, said header pipe further including two sealing caps to cover sealingly said upper and lower openings, respectively.

3. The header pipe as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said upper and lower portions of said surrounding wall respectively have inner walls which define said receiving chamber, and which have internally 1 0 threaded surfaces respectively adjacent to said upper and lower end walls, eachof saidsealingcaps being formed with an externally threaded surface so as to engage threadedly a respective one of said internally threaded surfaces.

4. The header pipe substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

4. The header pipe as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said fluid receiving container further has a filtering member transversely disposed in said receiving chamber and sealingly engaging said intermediate portion so as to filter the working fluid introduced through said inlet in said receiving chamber before flowing out of said outlet.

5. The header pipe substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

AMENDN1[ENTS TO THE CLAIMS HAVE BEEN FILED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A header pipe for use in a heat exchanger that includes a plurality of tubes transverse to said header pipe and a working f luid f lowing between the tubes and said header pipe, said header pipe including:

a header pipe body including complementary first and second pipe sections extending in a longitudinal direction and confining a passage chamber, said first pipe section having two first longitudinal edges each of which extends substantially in the longitudinal direction, said second pipe section having a wall portion with two second longitudinal edges each of which extends substantially in the longitudinal direction and each of which engages tightly a respective one of said first longitudinal edges; and a fluid receiving container extending in the longitudinal direction, and disposed on said second pipe section opposite to said second longitudinal edges in a transverse direction relative to the longitudinal direction, said fluid receiving container having a tubular surrounding wall with an upper portion, a lower portion opposite to said upper portion in the longitudinal direction, and an intermediate portion interposed between said upper and lower portions, said surrounding wall including 1-2 a longitudinal proximate segment which is integrally formed with and which extends along said wall portion, and a longitudinal distal segment which is complementary with said proximate segment to confine a receiving chamber therein, said fluid receiving container further having an inlet formed in said proximate segment proximate to said lower portion and communicating fluidly said passage chamber and said receiving chamber so as to permit the working fluid to flow from said passage chamber to said receiving chamber, and an outlet disposed in said distal segment proximate to said upper portion to draw the working fluid out of said receiving chamber for recirculation, wherein said fluid receiving container further has a filtering member transversely disposed in said receiving chamber and sealingly engaging said intermediate portion so as to filter the working fluid introduced through said inlet in said receiving chamber before flowing out of said outlet.

3. The header pipe as claimed in claim 2, wherein said upper and lower portions of said surrounding wall respectively have inner walls which define said receiving chamber, and which have internally threaded surfaces respectively adjacent to said upper and lower end walls, each of said sealing caps being formed with an externally threaded surface so as to engage I I.'- threadedly a respective one of said internally threaded surfaces.