KR20130084837A - A heat exchanger and manufacturing method the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A heat exchanger and a manufacturing method thereof are provided to improve thermal conductivity between refrigerant tubes and heat exchange pins as a first welding unit can be firmly joined to the refrigerant tubes. CONSTITUTION: A heat exchanger includes hollow refrigerant tubes (110), heat exchange pins (120), return tubes (140), separated space portions, first welding layers, and second welding layers. Insertion holes where the refrigerant tubes are inserted are formed on the heat exchange pins separately arranged. The return tubes are joined to the refrigerant tubes and change a flowing direction of a refrigerant. The separated space portions are formed between the outer peripheries of the refrigerant tubes and the heat exchange pins. The first welding layers are formed in the separated space portions and join the refrigerant tubes and the heat exchange pins. The second welding layers are formed between the refrigerant tubes and the return tubes and join the same.

Description

Heat exchanger and manufacturing method {A heat exchanger and manufacturing method the same}

An embodiment of the present invention relates to a heat exchanger and a method of manufacturing the same.

Refrigerant systems generally consist of a compressor-condenser-expansion device-evaporator.

As shown in FIG. 1, the refrigerant system 1 includes a compressor 2 for compressing a refrigerant, a condenser 3 for condensing the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 2, and a condenser 3. An expansion device 4 for depressurizing the refrigerant, and an evaporator 5 for evaporating the refrigerant passing through the expansion device 4 are included.

The condenser 3 and the evaporator 5 are provided with a condensation fan 7 and an evaporation fan 8 for blowing outside air, respectively. The condenser or evaporator is also commonly referred to as a heat exchanger because the internal refrigerant causes heat exchange with the external fluid.

The heat exchanger may be classified into a fin-tube type heat exchanger and a micro channel tube type heat exchanger.

The fin-tube type heat exchanger includes a plurality of heat exchange fins and a plurality of circular or circular shaped refrigerant tubes passing through the plurality of fins. On the other hand, the micro channel tube type heat exchanger includes a plurality of flat tubes and fins provided between the flat tubes and bent a plurality of times.

In the fin-tube type heat exchanger, the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant tube exchanges heat with an external fluid by making an area of the heat exchange fin as a heat exchange area. In this process, the refrigerant may be condensed or evaporated.

The heat exchange efficiency in such a fin-tube type heat exchanger may be determined based on whether the refrigerant tube and the heat exchange fins are firmly coupled to each other. That is, when the refrigerant tube and the heat exchange fins are not closely coupled to each other, the effective heat exchange action between the refrigerant and the external fluid may be limited.

However, according to the conventional heat exchanger, since the heat exchange fins are simply inserted into the outer side of the refrigerant tube, there are portions spaced apart from each other between the outer circumferential surface of the refrigerant tube and the inner circumferential surface of the heat exchange fin, whereby heat exchange cannot be efficiently performed. There was a problem.

In addition, even though the heat exchange fin is firmly coupled to some of the entire outer circumferential surface of the refrigerant tube, it is not firmly coupled to the other portion, so that heat exchange occurs unevenly depending on the position of the heat exchanger, resulting in a decrease in overall heat exchange efficiency. It was.

Meanwhile, the heat exchanger may include a return tube for transferring the refrigerant flowing through one refrigerant tube to another refrigerant tube. The one refrigerant tube and the other refrigerant tube may be adjacent refrigerant tubes, and the return tube may be used to change the flow direction of the refrigerant by introducing the refrigerant flowing in one direction into the adjacent refrigerant tube.

According to the conventional heat exchanger, a welding ring is used to weld the refrigerant tube and the return tube. The welding ring is assembled to be inserted between the refrigerant tube and the return tube and is melted in the welding process to join the refrigerant tube and the return tube.

As such, when a welding ring is used to weld the refrigerant tube and the return tube, a manufacturing cost for preparing the welding ring becomes expensive, and the manufacturing process is also complicated. In addition, there is a disadvantage that the welding performance of the refrigerant tube, the return tube and the welding ring may be poor.

The present invention is to solve the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a heat exchanger and a method for manufacturing the same that can be firmly coupled to the refrigerant tube and the heat exchange fin.

According to an embodiment of the present invention for achieving the above object, a heat exchanger includes: a hollow refrigerant tube through which a refrigerant flows; A heat exchange fin having an insertion hole into which the refrigerant tube is inserted and spaced apart from each other; A return tube coupled to the refrigerant tube and configured to change a flow direction of the refrigerant; A separation space portion defined as a space spaced between the outer circumferential surface of the refrigerant tube and the heat exchange fin; A first welding layer formed in the spaced space part and coupling the refrigerant tube and the heat exchange fins; And a second welding layer formed between the refrigerant tube and the return tube and coupling the refrigerant tube and the return tube.

In addition, the method of manufacturing a heat exchanger according to another aspect includes using a plate-shaped tube material, manufacturing a pipe provided with a welding agent; The pipe is processed to produce a refrigerant tube and a return tube; Expanding an end of the refrigerant tube; Assembling the refrigerant tube, return tube and heat exchange fins; And brazing welding the assembled refrigerant tube, return tube, and heat exchange fins.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, since the first welding layer is provided in the heat exchanger, the refrigerant tube and the heat exchange fin can be firmly coupled, and thus, the thermal conductivity between the refrigerant tube and the heat exchange fin can be improved.

In addition, since the heat exchange amount can be uniformly formed over the entire area of the refrigerant tube, there is an advantage that the heat exchange efficiency between the refrigerant in the heat exchanger and the external fluid can be improved.

In addition, since the second heat exchanger is provided with a second welding layer, the refrigerant tube and the return tube can be firmly coupled, and thus the refrigerant flow can be performed smoothly without leakage of the refrigerant. A separate welding ring for coupling the refrigerant tube and the return tube is provided. The advantage is that it is not necessary.

In addition, the assembly and welding process of the heat exchanger is simple, and the manufacturing cost of the heat exchanger is reduced.

As a result, the defective rate of the heat exchanger is reduced, and the reliability of the finished heat exchanger product can be increased.

1 is a system diagram showing the configuration of a conventional refrigerant system.
2 is a view showing the configuration of a heat exchanger according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a flow chart showing a method of manufacturing a heat exchanger according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a view showing a processing state of the tube material according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a pipe according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II 'of FIG.
7 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a coupling structure of a refrigerant tube and a return tube according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I 'of FIG.
9 is a flow chart showing a method of manufacturing a heat exchanger according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the spirit of the invention is not limited to the embodiments shown and that those skilled in the art, upon reading and understanding the spirit of the invention, may easily suggest other embodiments within the scope of the same concept.

2 is a view showing the configuration of a heat exchanger according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2, in the heat exchanger 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a refrigerant tube 110 in which a refrigerant flows and an outer side of the refrigerant tube 110 are disposed and a refrigerant and an external fluid (for example, air A plurality of heat exchange fins 120 are provided to provide a heat exchange area between them.

The refrigerant tube 110 may be formed of an aluminum material as a hollow U-shaped pipe. The heat exchange fins 120 may include a plurality of insertion holes through which the refrigerant tube 110 passes, and a plurality of refrigerant tubes 110 may pass through the plurality of insertion holes. The plurality of heat exchange fins 120 may be spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal direction of the refrigerant tube 110.

In the heat exchanger 10, a header 130 to which the refrigerant tube 110 is coupled, and a refrigerant inlet unit 150 coupled to the header 130 and guiding the refrigerant to flow into the heat exchanger 10 are provided. And a refrigerant outlet 160 for guiding the refrigerant out of the heat exchanger 10.

The header 130 is configured to penetrate both ends of the U-shaped refrigerant tube 110.

The heat exchanger 10 includes a return tube 140 coupled to the refrigerant tube 110 to switch the flow of the refrigerant. The return tube 140 is a hollow U-shaped pipe and is made of aluminum. For example, the length of the return tube 140 may be smaller than the length of the refrigerant tube 110 (short length). have. In addition, both ends of the return tube 140 may be coupled to both ends of the refrigerant tube 110.

The refrigerant flowing in one direction in the refrigerant tube 110 may be changed in the other direction while passing through the return tube 140. Therefore, the coolant introduced through the coolant inlet 150 may circulate along the coolant tube 110 and the return tube 140 until it is discharged through the coolant outlet 160.

Hereinafter, a method of manufacturing a heat exchanger 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings.

First, a welding agent is provided to a plate-shaped tube material, and it goes through the process of rolling. For example, a welding agent is applied to one side of the sheet material, and then the sheet material is pressed onto the tube material by passing the sheet material through a predetermined roller device.

Then, the pipe is manufactured by processing the tube material to which the welded material is squeezed. For example, the tube material can be passed through a predetermined mold to be processed into a hollow pipe shape, and then a pipe can be manufactured by welding both ends thereof (rolling process).

As described above, the pipe is formed on the outer circumferential surface by performing a rolling process after pressing the welding agent to the tube material (S11).

The manufactured pipe may be bent and cut to manufacture the refrigerant tube 110 and the return tube 140. In detail, a portion of the pipe may be bent to provide a U-shaped pipe having a predetermined curvature, and the pipe may be cut at an appropriate position.

For example, cutting the first point of the U-shaped pipe may yield a long refrigerant tube 110, and cutting the second point may result in a short length return tube 140 (S12). .

Then, the plate heat exchange fin material is drilled to form a plurality of insertion holes. The plurality of insertion holes may be formed spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance corresponding to the refrigerant tube to be inserted. As the insertion hole is formed in the heat exchange fin material, the heat exchange fin 120 may be obtained (S13).

The end of the refrigerant tube 110 obtained in step S12 is expanded. The header 130 and the return tube 140 may be inserted into ends of the expanded refrigerant tube 110. Then, the refrigerant tube 110 is inserted into the insertion hole of the heat exchange fin 120 obtained in step S13. By such a process, the assembly of the components 110, 120, 140 ie, the refrigerant tube 110, the heat exchange fins 120, and the return tube 140 constituting the heat exchanger 10 is completed. The components in which the refrigerant tube 110, the heat exchange fins 120 and the return tube 140 are assembled are called "assemblies" (S14, S15).

The assemblies 110, 120, and 140 may be heated in a furnace. For example, the assemblies 110, 120, and 140 may be brazed in a normal blazing furnace in an assembled state.

The brazing welding is understood as a welding method in which a reducing gas (for example, hydrogen-nitrogen, decomposed ammonia, LPG or LNG) is used in a welding furnace or a plurality of base metals are bonded in a vacuum state.

In this process, the welding agent provided in the pipe may be firmly coupled to the refrigerant tube 110 and the heat exchange fin 120, and the refrigerant tube 110 and the return tube 140 while melting. As described above, since the coolant tube 110 and the return tube 140 are provided with a welding agent and can be bonded at one time by brazing welding them, there is an effect that the manufacture of the heat exchanger can be easily performed (S16).

Hereinafter, a heat exchanger and a manufacturing method thereof will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 4 is a view showing the processing state of the tube material according to the first embodiment of the present invention, Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the pipe according to the first embodiment of the present invention, Figure 6 is II- of FIG. Sectional view taken along II '.

Referring to FIG. 4, the refrigerant tube 110 and the return tube 140 according to the embodiment of the present invention may be manufactured using the plate-shaped tube material 30.

In detail, the welding agent 40, for example clad is applied to one surface (for example, the upper surface) of the tube material 30. In this state, when the tube material 30 passes through the rotating roller 200, the welding agent 40 may be pressed onto the tube material 30. The tube material 30 to which the welding agent 40 is pressed may be referred to as a "clad plate material".

When the clad plate is passed through a predetermined mold, both ends of the plate are rolled to obtain a pipe shape. At this time, the direction in which the plate is rolled may be made so that the welding agent 40 is formed on the outside of the tube material (30).

Then, when the two ends are joined, a pipe 50 as shown in FIG. 5 is manufactured. In detail, both ends may be coupled by a high frequency welding method.

Referring to FIG. 6, the pipe 50 includes a tube material 30 having a circular cross section, a welding agent 40 provided on an outer circumferential surface of the tube material 30, and both ends of the tube material 30. A weld 60 formed by welding is included. A portion of the pipe 50 in which the weld part 60 is formed may be finished to have a smooth surface.

7 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a coupling structure of a refrigerant tube and a return tube according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 7, a tube body 111 having a hollow pipe shape and a portion of the tube body 111 are bent in the refrigerant tube 110 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The bending part 115 is formed. By the tube body 111 and the bending part 115, the refrigerant tube 110 has a long U-shaped pipe shape as a whole.

The refrigerant tube 110 includes two expansion pipes 116 formed by expanding both ends of the tube. The expansion unit 116 may be formed by extending the diameter of a portion of the tube in the process of forcing the predetermined expansion unit is pressed into the end of the refrigerant tube (110).

The return tube 140 is inserted into the expansion tube 116 as both ends of the hollow return tube main body 141 having a U shape and the return tube main body 141 so that the flow direction of the refrigerant is switchable. Part 145 is included. Of course, the diameter of the insertion portion 145 may be formed somewhat smaller than the diameter of the expansion pipe 116. Two insertion portions 145 may be coupled to the corresponding two expansion portions 116.

On the other hand, the refrigerant tube 110 and the return tube 140 is a component formed by processing from the clad plate material, each outer peripheral surface is provided with a welding agent (40).

8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I 'of FIG.

Referring to FIG. 8, when the refrigerant tube 110, the heat exchange fins 120, and the return tube 140 are brazed in an assembled state, the refrigerant tube 110 and the return tube are assembled. While the welding agent 40 provided at 140 is melted and cooled, the refrigerant tube 110 and the heat exchange fin 120 are coupled to the refrigerant tube 110 and the return tube 140.

In detail, the heat exchanger 10 includes a plurality of welding layers 181 and 182 formed by the welding agent 40. The plurality of welding layers 181 and 182 may include a first welding layer 181 formed between the refrigerant tube 110 and the heat exchange fins 120 and between the return tube 140 and the refrigerant tube 110. The second welding layer 182 is formed in the included.

The first welding layer 181 is spaced apart along the outer circumferential surface of the refrigerant tube 110 is formed a plurality, to facilitate heat transfer by combining the refrigerant tube 110 and a plurality of heat exchange fins 120. It can be understood as a heat transfer medium.

That is, a gap formed between the refrigerant tube 110 and the heat exchange fin 120 in the state where the refrigerant tube 110 and the heat exchange fin 120 are assembled is the first welding layer. 181 may be filled. Therefore, thermal conduction between the refrigerant tube 110 and the heat exchange fin 120 can be effectively performed. The spaced apart portion may be understood as a space excluding an area occupied by the refrigerant tube 110 among the insertion holes of the heat exchange fin 120.

The second welding layer 182 is formed between the inner surface of the expansion pipe 116 and the outer circumferential surface of the insertion portion 145, by firmly coupling the refrigerant tube 110 and the return tube 140 The refrigerant flow can be effectively made without leakage of the refrigerant.

Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the present embodiment, a part of the manufacturing method of the heat exchanger is different from that of the first embodiment, and the differences will be mainly described. For the same parts as the first embodiment, the description of the first embodiment and reference numerals are used.

9 is a flow chart showing a method of manufacturing a heat exchanger according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 9, a pipe is manufactured by processing a plate-shaped tube material. The method of manufacturing a pipe from a plate-shaped tube material uses the first embodiment. That is, the hollow pipe can be manufactured by rolling the tube material through a predetermined mold and welding the rolled both ends (S11).

And a liquid welding agent is apply | coated to a pipe. For example, a welding agent may be applied to an outer circumferential surface of the pipe in the process of dipping the pipe in a storage tank in which a liquid welding agent is stored. In addition, the pipe to which the welding agent is applied may be dried to provide the welding agent in the pipe (S12).

The pipe with the welding agent may be bent and cut to manufacture the refrigerant tube and the return tube, and the heat exchange fin material is drilled to form the insertion hole. The return tube is assembled by expanding the end of the refrigerant tube, and the refrigerant tube and the heat exchange fin are assembled by inserting the refrigerant tube into the insertion hole.

The assembly of the refrigerant tube, heat exchanger fin and return tube can be brazed welded in a welding furnace, during which the welding agent melts to form a plurality of weld layers. The detailed description related thereto applies the description of steps S12 to S16 of FIG. 3.

Thus, after the pipe is manufactured from the tube material, the welding agent can be easily provided on the outer circumferential surface of the pipe by applying a liquid welding agent, and the assembly is simply combined by brazing welding the heat exchanger component (assembly) provided with the welding agent. The advantage is that you can.

10: heat exchanger 30: tube material
40: welding agent 50: pipe
60: welding part 110: refrigerant tube
111 tube body 115 bending part
116: expansion pipe 120: heat exchange fin
130: header 140: return tube
141: return tube body 145: insert
150: refrigerant inlet 160: refrigerant outlet
181: first welding layer 182: second welding layer
200: Rollers

Claims (11)

A hollow refrigerant tube through which the refrigerant flows;
A heat exchange fin having an insertion hole into which the refrigerant tube is inserted and spaced apart from each other;
A return tube coupled to the refrigerant tube and configured to change a flow direction of the refrigerant;
A separation space portion defined as a space spaced between the outer circumferential surface of the refrigerant tube and the heat exchange fin;
A first welding layer formed in the spaced space part and coupling the refrigerant tube and the heat exchange fins; And
And a second welding layer formed between the refrigerant tube and the return tube, the second welding layer coupling the refrigerant tube and the return tube. The method of claim 1,
The spaced apart space portion,
A heat exchanger defined as a space excluding a space occupied by the refrigerant tube in the insertion hole. The method of claim 1,
The first welding layer and the second welding layer, respectively,
And a welding agent provided on outer circumferential surfaces of the refrigerant tube and the return tube is melted and dried. The method of claim 1,
The second welding layer,
And an expansion portion of the refrigerant tube and an insertion portion of a return tube inserted into the expansion tube. The method of claim 1,
And the coolant tube and the return tube have a U shape by bending at least a portion of the tube body. The method of claim 1,
The first welding layer and the second welding layer,
And the refrigerant tube, the heat exchange fins, and the return tube are brazed in the assembled state. Using a plate-like tube material, a pipe with a welding agent is manufactured;
The pipe is processed to produce a refrigerant tube and a return tube;
Expanding an end of the refrigerant tube;
Assembling the refrigerant tube, return tube and heat exchange fins; And
Brazing welding in a state in which the refrigerant tube, return tube and heat exchange fins are assembled. The method of claim 7, wherein
The method of manufacturing a heat exchanger further comprises the step of drilling an insertion hole in the heat exchange fin material to be inserted into the refrigerant tube. The method of claim 7, wherein
In the step of manufacturing the pipe,
Applying a welding agent to the tube material; And
And pressing the welding agent onto the tube material. The method of claim 7, wherein
In the step of manufacturing the pipe,
Processing the tube material to obtain a pipe; And
The method of manufacturing a heat exchanger comprising the step of applying a welding agent on the outer peripheral surface of the pipe. The method of claim 7, wherein
In the step of producing the refrigerant tube and the return tube,
Bending and cutting the pipe, to produce a U-shaped hollow tube having a different length.

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