JPH07127990A - Heat exchanger - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate a troublesome assembling work and improve the strength of a tank without increasing the number of parts by a method wherein a wall of a non-connected part of at least one of tank tube of an upper tank and a lower tank is constructed by a member having a circular arc section. CONSTITUTION:Refrigerant fed from an inlet pipe 7 is circulated within a system and a heat exchanging operation is carried out between it and surrounding air passing through a plurality of tubes 3. As the refrigerant is circulated within the system, an inner pressure applied to an upper tank 1 and a lower tank 2 is increased. However, a non-contacted wall of a tube of the tank, an upper wall 1a and a lower wall 3b are constructed by a plurality of members having a circular arc section. The members having an arcular section have a strength preventing a quite high deformation against a pressure applied from a central part of the arc, i.e., the inside part of the tank. Accordingly, the wall of the non-connected side of the tube is effectively reinforced by the circular arc section by itself without using any other reinforcing members and then an anti- pressure strength of the tank can be improved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a heat exchanger tank structure used in, for example, an air conditioner for automobiles.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a multitubular heat exchanger, for example, those shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 have been known.
In the figure, 31 indicates the upper tank, and the upper tank 3
1 is composed of a lower wall 31b as a wall on the circular pipe connection side for connecting the circular pipe 33, and an upper wall 31a as a wall on the circular pipe non-connection side where the circular pipe 33 is not connected. Reference numeral 32 denotes a lower tank, and like the upper tank 31, the lower tank 32 is also composed of an upper wall 32a as a wall on the side of the circular pipe connection and a lower wall 32b as a wall on the side not to connect the circular pipe. Further, partition walls 31c and 32c are provided inside the upper and lower tanks 31 and 32, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, to define the inside of each tank. Lower wall 31b of upper tank 31 and lower tank 32
A plurality of circular pipes 33 are connected between the upper walls 32a.
The heat medium (for example, a refrigerant) that flows in from the inlet pipe 37 is
As shown by the arrow in FIG. 7, the heat exchanger is circulated in the heat exchanger and then discharged from the outlet pipe 38. Thus, for example, a refrigerant is passed through the circular pipe 33, and heat exchange is performed with the air passing through the circular pipes 33.

In the above apparatus, the internal pressure applied to the upper and lower tanks 31, 32 (hereinafter, simply referred to as tanks) increases, and the internal pressure is at a certain level (for example, 5 kg / cm).
^If it exceeds ² ), the tank composed of a flat thin plate may be deformed as shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. Especially, the upper and lower walls of the tank are easily deformed by the internal pressure.

When the wall thickness of the tank is reduced in order to reduce the size and weight of the apparatus, it is particularly susceptible to deformation due to an increase in internal pressure.

In order to deal with the above problem, there has been attempted a method of improving the pressure resistance of the tank by providing a reinforcing member 34 for joining the upper and lower walls in the tank as shown in FIG.

[0006]

However, in the method described above, the number of parts is increased by disposing the reinforcing member 34, and the assembling of the reinforcing member 34 into the tank is a complicated work. Therefore, there is a problem that work efficiency is reduced.

Further, in the above-mentioned apparatus, it is necessary to dispose partition walls 31c and 32c in the tank in addition to the reinforcing member 34 in order to form the flow path of the refrigerant.
Assembling the partition walls 31c and 32c is also a complicated work.

The present invention focuses on the above problems,
An object of the present invention is to provide a heat exchanger in which complicated assembly work is omitted and the pressure resistance of the tank is improved without substantially increasing the number of parts.

Another object of the present invention is to make it possible to form a coolant passage without providing a partition wall in the tank.

[0010]

A heat exchanger according to the present invention which meets this object is a multi-tube heat exchanger in which upper and lower tanks are connected by a plurality of tubes, and at least one of the tanks has a wall on the tube non-connection side. , Made of a member having an arcuate cross section.

In this heat exchanger, it is possible to form a flow path for the heat medium along the arcuate curved direction of the member having an arcuate cross section, and to arrange the partition wall in the tank. Can be eliminated.

[0012]

In the heat exchanger as described above, the member having an arcuate cross section which constitutes the wall of the tank on the tube non-connection side is strong against the internal pressure of the tank and has the same strength as a so-called hoop structure in a pressure vessel or the like. Since such a structure can be configured, the wall of the tank on the tube non-connection side is effectively reinforced against the internal pressure, and the pressure resistance of the tank is improved.

Further, since the flow path of the heat medium can be formed along the curved direction of the arc shape of the member having the arc cross section, a partition for forming a separate heat medium flow path inside the tank. It is possible to eliminate the need for a wall.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 show a heat exchanger according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 indicates an upper tank. The upper tank 1 has an upper wall 1a as a tube non-connection side wall to which a plurality of tubes 3 (circular tubes in this embodiment) are not connected, and a lower wall 1b as a tube connection side wall to which the tubes 3 are connected. , And the blind plate 5.

As shown in FIG. 2, the upper wall 1a is composed of a plurality of (two in this embodiment) members having an arcuate cross section. Further, the lower wall 1b is formed of a flat plate, and the openings other than those to which the inlet pipe 7 for feeding the heat medium (for example, refrigerant) is connected are closed by the blind plate 5. The upper wall 1a, the lower wall 1b, and the blind plate 5 are joined by brazing, for example. In this way, the upper tank 1 having a closed structure can be easily manufactured.

Reference numeral 2 denotes a lower tank, and the lower tank 2
Similarly to the upper tank 1, an upper wall 2a serving as a tube connection side wall and a lower wall 2b serving as a tube non-connection side wall.
And a blind plate 5. The upper wall 2a is made of a flat plate like the lower wall 1b of the upper tank, and the lower wall 2b is made of a plurality of arc-shaped members like the upper wall 1a of the upper tank 1.

A plurality of members having an arcuate cross-section which form the upper wall 1a of the upper tank 1 are communicated with each other through a hole 6.
On the other hand, the plurality of arc-shaped members having a cross section forming the lower wall 2 b of the lower tank 2 are also communicated with each other through the holes 6. Further, a plurality of tubes 3 are connected to the lower wall 1b of the upper tank 1 and the upper wall 2a of the lower tank 2, and the upper tank 1 and the lower tank 2 are connected to each other via the tubes 3.

Reference numeral 7 denotes an inlet pipe for feeding the refrigerant into the system, and the refrigerant flowing from the inlet pipe 7 is circulated in the system and then sent out from the outlet pipe 8 to the outside.

In the above-mentioned device, the refrigerant sent from the inlet pipe 7 is circulated in the system, and heat is exchanged with the external air passing through the plurality of tubes 3. Thus, as the refrigerant circulates in the system, the upper and lower tanks 1,
The internal pressure applied to 2 (hereinafter, simply referred to as a tank) increases.

However, the wall of the tank not connected to the tube,
The upper wall 1a and the lower wall 2b are composed of a plurality of members having an arc-shaped cross section. Such a member having an arcuate cross section has extremely high strength for preventing deformation against pressure applied from the center side of the arc, that is, from the inner side of the tank. Therefore, the wall on the tube non-connection side is effectively reinforced by the arcuate cross section itself without using any other reinforcing member, and the pressure resistance of the tank is improved.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the upper wall 1a and the lower wall 2b, which are the walls on the tube non-connection side, are members having an arcuate cross section which are curved in the AA direction. The wall 1a and the lower wall 2b are in the longitudinal direction, that is, BB
The strength can also be improved in the direction.

FIG. 3 shows a heat exchanger according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the upper wall 1a and the lower wall 2b, which are walls on the tube non-connection side of the tank, are formed of members having an arcuate cross section, and the lower wall 1b and the wall on the tube connection side of the tank are formed. The upper wall 2a is composed of a corrugated plate.

As described above, by constructing the lower wall 1b and the upper wall 2a as the walls on the tube connection side of the tank with corrugated plates, not only the wall on the tube non-connection side of the tank but also the tube connection side of the tank Walls can also be reinforced.

In addition, in the first and second embodiments, the upper and lower tanks each have a wall on the tube non-connection side formed of a member having an arcuate cross section, but only one of the tanks is not tube-shaped. Even if the wall on the connection side is formed of a member having an arcuate cross section, the above-described action and effect can be obtained for the tank.

4 and 5 show a heat exchanger according to the third embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 21 indicates an upper tank. The upper tank 21 includes an upper wall 21a as a tube non-connection side wall to which the tube 3 is not connected, and a lower wall 2 as a tube connection side wall to which the tube 3 is connected.
1b and the blind plate 5.

As shown in FIG. 5, the upper wall 21a is composed of a plurality of members having an arcuate cross section, and the lower wall 21b is composed of a flat plate. The upper wall 21a, the lower wall 21b, and the blind plate 5 are joined by brazing, for example.

Reference numeral 22 indicates a lower tank. Like the upper tank 21, the lower tank 22 is also composed of an upper wall 22a as a tube connection side wall, a lower wall 22b as a tube non-connection side wall, and a blind plate 5. Upper wall 22a
Is formed of a flat plate, and the lower wall 22b is formed of a plurality of members having an arcuate cross section.

The lower tank 22 is connected to an inlet pipe 7 for feeding a refrigerant into the system and an outlet pipe 8 for feeding the refrigerant flowing from the inlet pipe 7 and circulated in the system to the outside of the system.

Lower wall 21b of upper tank 21, lower tank 22
A plurality of tubes 3 are connected to the upper wall 22 a of the upper and lower tanks 21 and 22 (hereinafter,
(Referred to simply as tanks) are in communication with each other.

In the above-mentioned apparatus, the refrigerant sent from the inlet pipe 7 is circulated in the system and heat is exchanged with the external air passing through the plurality of tubes 3. In this way, as the refrigerant circulates in the system, the internal pressure applied to the tank increases.

However, the wall of the tank not connected to the tube,
That is, since the upper wall 21a and the lower wall 22b are composed of a plurality of members having an arcuate cross section as shown in FIG. 5, the compressive strength due to the shape of the constituent members is the same as that described in the first embodiment. The improvement effect can be obtained.

Further, in the above apparatus, as clearly shown in FIG. 5, each arcuate member having a cross section constituting the wall of the tank on the tube non-connecting side is arranged in the upper and lower tanks with their phases slightly shifted. ing. By arranging in this manner, the flow path of the refrigerant circulating in the system is formed along the arcuate curved direction of the arcuate member having the arcuate cross section which constitutes the upper wall 21a and the lower wall 22b. That is, as shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. 5, the refrigerant is circulated in the system while reversing the flow direction at each arcuate section member and reciprocating between the upper and lower tanks. Therefore, the flow path of the refrigerant can be formed in the tank without providing a special partition wall.

[0033]

As described above, according to the heat exchanger of the present invention, since the wall of at least one of the tanks on the tube non-connection side is made of a member having an arcuate cross section, the number of parts is substantially reduced. The pressure resistance of the tank can be improved without increasing it.

Further, since it becomes possible to form the flow passage along the curved direction of the arcuate shape of the member having the arcuate cross section, the flow passage of the heat medium can be formed without providing the partition wall in the tank.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a heat exchanger according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the device of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a partial vertical sectional view of a heat exchanger according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a heat exchanger according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the device of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a front view of a conventional heat exchanger.

7 is a perspective view showing a flow path of a refrigerant of the apparatus shown in FIG.

8 is a partially enlarged vertical sectional view of the tank of FIG. 6 provided with an internal reinforcing wall.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 21 Upper tank 1a, 2a, 21a, 22a Upper wall 1b, 2b, 21b, 22b Lower wall 2, 22 Lower tank 3 Tube 5 Blind plate 6 hole 7 Inlet pipe 8 Outlet pipe

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A multi-tube heat exchanger in which upper and lower tanks are connected by a plurality of tubes, wherein a wall of at least one tank on a tube non-connection side is formed by a member having an arcuate cross section. vessel. 2. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the wall of the tank on the tube non-connection side is formed of a member having an arcuate cross section, and the wall of the tank on the tube connection side is formed of a flat plate. 3. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the wall of the tank on the tube non-connection side is formed of a member having an arcuate cross section, and the wall of the tank on the tube connection side is formed of a corrugated plate. 4. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein a flow path for the heat medium is formed along a curved direction of the arc shape of the member having the arc section.