JP2017534040A - Heat exchanger - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a heat exchanger (1), in particular an intercooler or a coolant radiator, two bases (2) each having a passage (3) that accommodates a longitudinal end region of a fluid conduit (4); At least one side (6), one longitudinal end region (7) of which is at least partially housed in the passage (8) at the end of the associated base (2) or base ( 2) adjacent to at least one side (6). A basic feature of the present invention is that the side (6) has at least two segments (9, 10) with different cross sections.

Description

  The invention relates to a heat exchanger according to the preamble of claim 1, in particular to an intercooler or a coolant radiator. The invention further relates to the side of such a heat exchanger.

  A heat exchanger typically has a number of tubes, in particular a flat tube with or without a turbulator (Turbulenzeinlagen), two bases, and typically two plenums attached to form a complete collector. With two sides. The side used for this is typically manufactured from a single part, usually by stamping or embossing. Furthermore, in order to reduce the stress caused by heat, these sides are provided with local stretches or are mechanically divided into two parts in the post-joining manufacturing process.

  A heat exchanger with a telescopic bead on each side is known, for example, from DE 197 53 408 A1.

  A typical heat exchanger with two bases, each having two passages for receiving the longitudinal end region of the fluid conduit, is known from EP 0 748 662 B1. Again, the side portions are provided, and the respective longitudinal end regions are at least partially accommodated in the passages at the end portions of the respective base portions. These sides also include telescopic beads to compensate for thermal stress.

  A heat exchanger having a plurality of tubes extending through a first fluid path for carrying a first fluid and performing heat exchange between a gas phase first fluid and a liquid second fluid is DE 10 2012 Known from 223 644 A1. The tubes are coupled to allow heat exchange with cooling fins disposed in the first fluid path so that the first fluid can flow therethrough, and a second for carrying the second fluid. Two fluid paths are formed inside them. The radiator core formed by the tube and the corresponding base has one side on each of the two outermost furthest in the direction of the stack to serve as a lateral restriction for the first fluid path. . Such an arrangement is intended to improve the stability of the radiator core, since both sides are connected so as to be secured to each other by at least one tie rod. The tie rod is a separate component from the cooling fins and tubes, allowing the tension to be transmitted in the direction of the stack.

  In general, the manufacture of heat exchangers according to the prior art has continually required the use and purchase of new tools for different length sides. Sides made as a single part, for example, stamped out from a metal sheet, but designed with the same wall thickness throughout the length, which in some cases does not require high strength or bending stiffness values Can result in unnecessary use of too much material. This is especially true in the central region, whereas greater bending stiffness is required in the longitudinal end region of each side. Thus, the side part with a single part has to be strengthened over its entire length or configured to be strengthened locally, and more material is wasted in areas that are not strengthened. Result.

  The present invention thus addresses the problem of creating an improved or at least alternative embodiment of the general type of heat exchanger, which is by reducing weight and use of materials in the side area. , Especially characterized.

  This problem is solved according to the invention by the subject matter of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of each dependent claim.

  According to the invention, the sides are formed from at least two segment parts having different cross sections in terms of bending stiffness, serving as lateral boundaries of the heat exchanger radiator core and satisfying the respective requirements with respect to bending stiffness. Based on overall thought. The heat exchanger according to the invention can have the form of a coolant radiator or an intercooler, for example, but classically has two bases, each of which has a passage that accommodates the longitudinal end region of the fluid conduit . The bases are delimited laterally by the sides, and each one longitudinal end region is at least partially housed in a passage at the end of each base. As an alternative, the longitudinal end region of the side can also be soldered or welded to the base and is therefore not accommodated in the passage. In accordance with the present invention, the side includes at least two separate segments having different cross-sections, while the different cross-sections produce different bending stiffness characteristics. The variant using three separate segments offers the particular advantage that the two end segments can be configured identically while the central part has a different shape. This in turn constitutes the longitudinal end region (longitudinal end segment) of each side to be stiffer than, for example, the central section (center) located between the two longitudinal end regions. This makes it possible to easily achieve the greater bending stiffness required for the longitudinal end region, while saving material and thus weight in the central section. Thus, with the heat exchanger according to the invention and the side part according to the invention, sufficient rigidity, in particular bending rigidity, can be realized in a region close to the base, i.e. in the region of the base, with a minimum of material usage. Is possible. Thus, the longitudinal end region of the side has a greater bending stiffness cross-section in the region close to the base, while the central section located between the end regions has a more flexible cross-section and / or less Has material thickness. In theory, it is of course possible to dispense with the central section completely, in which case there is a zero cross section.

  The central section is conveniently made in the form of an elongated metal piece. This provides a simple and inexpensive option to produce elongated metal pieces economically without elaborate manufacturing equipment and methods. The longitudinal end region of each side may have, for example, a U-shaped, U-wedge-shaped, L-shaped, W-shaped, or tubular cross-section composed of one or more cavities. This incomplete list already suggests that the longitudinal end region thus shaped has a much greater bending stiffness than for example a central section in the form of an elongated piece of metal. A longitudinal end region of such a shape can thus easily dissipate the forces that occur in this region, while the central section requires a high stiffness or strength value in this region. Not only does this use less material, it can also be a lightweight construction.

  According to an advantageous development, one longitudinal end region and the central section are materially joined to each other, for example by welding, bonding or soldering. This makes it possible to assemble one side composed of a plurality of segments having different cross sections and handle it relatively easily in the assembled state. Alternatively, a gap may be provided between the central section and the longitudinal end region so that they do not contact each other. In this case, the gap compensates for the effects of thermal expansion.

  The present invention is further based on the overall idea of producing the aforementioned heat exchanger side part from at least two segments having different cross-sectional and bending stiffness characteristics, the different cross-section and bending stiffness characteristics being It makes it possible to ideally satisfy different requirements in terms of bending stiffness in the central section of the part and in each longitudinal end region. Whereas the cross section used in the longitudinal end region exhibits good bending stiffness, the central section is less weight and at the same time resources thanks to its more flexible structure and / or reduced material thickness Help protect. The side designed in this way is lighter overall, which shows great advantages especially when used in automotive heat exchangers and yet meets all the requirements for bending stiffness. A further decisive advantage is that the cost is also reduced by varying the length of the side. This is because only the central section has to be changed.

  Further important features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the dependent claims, the drawings and the associated description of the figures with reference to the drawings.

  Of course, the features described in the above sentence, and the features described below, can be used not only in the combinations described, but also in other combinations or alone, without departing from the scope of the invention.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings and are explained in more detail in the following description. The same reference signs refer to the same, similar or functionally equivalent components.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view through a heat exchanger according to the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a side according to the invention having a central section and two longitudinal end segments. FIG. 3 is various views of the side with a central section and different longitudinal end segments. FIG. 4 is various views of the side with a central section and different longitudinal end segments. FIG. 5 is various views of the side with a central section and different longitudinal end segments. FIG. 6 is various views of the side with a central section and different longitudinal end segments. FIG. 7 is various views of the side with a central section and different longitudinal end segments. FIG. 8 is a side view with a longitudinal end segment having a first shape and a central section having a second shape that complements the first shape.

  According to FIG. 1, the heat exchanger 1 according to the invention can be realized, for example, as an intercooler, but includes two bases 2, each of which is in the longitudinal direction of a fluid conduit 4, for example a flat tube. (Aufnahme) passage 3 is received. The base 2 is connected to a plenum 5 forming a collector, for example for coolant. Each longitudinal end region (Laengsendbereich) 7 of the two side portions 6 is at least partly accommodated in a passage 8 at the end of the associated base 2 and the passage 8 at the end is , The same as the passage 3 provided in the tube 4. The side 6 may pass partially or entirely through the passage 8 but need not be so. Of course, alternatively, they can be joined to the base 2 in other ways, for example by soldering, welding or the like.

  Here, in order not only to meet the more stringent requirements for the bending stiffness occurring in the longitudinal end region 7, but also to allow the side 6 to be manufactured with minimal material consumption, the side 6 has a different cross-section. It is suggested according to the present invention to include at least two different segments 9, 10 having different bending stiffness characteristics as well. The side 6 illustrated by FIG. 2 has a total of three segments 9, 10, namely two identical longitudinal end segments 13 and a central section 14 arranged therebetween. The central section 14 has a bending stiffness and / or material thickness that is less than the longitudinal end segment 13 and thus can be constructed particularly economically in terms of material and is also light in weight. On the other hand, the longitudinal end segment 13 not only has a different cross section and allows for a greater bending stiffness, but also has a larger material thickness, which also contributes to a greater bending stiffness.

  The central section 14 can be in the form of an elongated metal piece, which can be simply and inexpensively constructed. In contrast, the longitudinal end segment 13 can be, for example, a W-shaped cross section (see FIGS. 2 and 5), a U-shaped cross section (see FIG. 3), a U-shaped cross section (see FIG. 4), or It may have a flat cross section (see FIGS. 6 and 7) composed of one or more cavities. A feature common to all the longitudinal end segments 13 shown is that they have a relatively large bending stiffness moment due only to their cross-section.

  The at least one longitudinal end segment 13 and the central section 14 are materially joined to each other, for example by welding or soldering, or the central section 14 and the longitudinal end segment 13 are It is conceivable that there is a gap 16 in between so that they do not contact each other. Of course, theoretically, the individual segments 9, 10 can be arranged such that they overlap and are adjacent to each other. However, it is particularly advantageous if the segments 9, 10 do not contact each other and the gap 16 between the two segments 9, 10 is greater than 0.5 mm. 2 to 7, for the side 6, a butt joint with a gap 16 is shown. In contrast, in FIG. 8, the longitudinal end segment 13 has a first shape 11 and the central section 14 has a second shape 12 complementary thereto. Thus, in this case, the longitudinal end segment 13 of the side 6 is given a convex or arrow-like shape directed towards the central section 14 (see left and right images in FIG. 8). This makes it possible to ensure that the ridge of each rib is joined to the side 6.

  The side 6 according to the invention and the heat exchanger 1 according to the invention make it possible to produce a heat exchanger 1 with different tube lengths and the same longitudinal end segment 13 of the side 6, which Accordingly, it is simply combined with a central section 14 of different length. In this way, the complex parts of the side 6, ie the longitudinal end segment 13 and the segment 10, can always be used cheaply, with exceptional results, using the same tool. Moreover, thanks to the simple design of the central section 14, material consumption can be minimized, and in extreme cases the central section 14, ie the segment 9, can be omitted completely. At the same time, the complex shape of the longitudinal end segment 13 still leads to a secure fixation of the tube 4 in the region of the base 2 close to the base.

Claims (10)

A heat exchanger (1), in particular an intercooler or a coolant radiator,
Two bases (2) each having a passage (3) for accommodating a longitudinal end region of the fluid conduit (4);
At least one side (6), one longitudinal end region (7) of which is at least partially housed in a passage (8) at the end of the associated base (2) or Comprising at least one side (6) adjacent to the base (2),
The heat exchanger, characterized in that the side part (6) has at least two segments (9, 10) having different cross sections. Heat exchange according to claim 1, characterized in that the side (6) has two particularly identical longitudinal end segments (13) and a central section (14) arranged between them. vessel. 3. A heat exchanger according to claim 2, characterized in that the central section (14) has a smaller material thickness and / or a smaller bending stiffness than the longitudinal end segment (13). 4. A heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein the central section (14) has the shape of an elongated metal piece. The longitudinal end segment (13) has a U-shaped, U-wedge-shaped, L-shaped or W-shaped cross section, or a tubular cross section with one or more cavities (15). The heat exchanger of any one of 2-4. The gap according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that it comprises a gap (16) between the central section (14) and the longitudinal end segment (13), so that they do not contact each other. Heat exchanger. 7. The longitudinal end segment (13) and at least part of the central section (14) are materially joined to each other, in particular soldered, according to any one of claims 2-6 Heat exchanger. The at least one longitudinal end segment (13) and the central section (14) are at least partly connected to each other for secure fixation. Or heat exchanger of item 1. Heat exchanger according to claim 8, characterized in that at least one longitudinal end segment (13) and the central section (14) are at least partly connected to each other by being clipped. At least one longitudinal end segment (13) has a first shape (11) and the central section (14) has a second shape (12) that complements the first shape. The heat exchanger according to any one of claims 2 to 7.

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