Heat exchange – With alarm – indicator – signal – register – recorder – test or... – Remotely controlled inspection means
Patent
1997-02-21
1998-01-06
Ferensic, Denise L.
Heat exchange
With alarm, indicator, signal, register, recorder, test or...
Remotely controlled inspection means
165183, 165906, 29890053, 138117, 138163, F28F 100
Patent
active
057044236
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to a flat tube for a heat exchanger, especially of a motor vehicle heating and/or air conditioning system or for a motor vehicle cooling system.
It relates more particularly to a flat tube of the type comprising two opposed flat sides joined together by two rounded sides and by at least two longitudinal internal partitions to define flow ducts in the tube.
Such flat tubes, also known as "multi-duct tubes" are arranged in parallel to form a bundle, which also comprises wavy spaces, forming fins, arranged between the tubes.
These tubes are intended to have a heat-transfer fluid which may be water or a refrigerant flowing through them.
In particular, these multi-duct tubes my be used to form a condenser of an air conditioning system and then have a refrigerant passed through them. This refrigerant may be at a high pressure.
The internal partitions of the tubes in such cases are used to stiffen the tube and prevent it from deforming under the effect of the high pressure of the refrigerant.
For some applications the partitions make it possible to define flow ducts which can have different fluids passing through them, possibly in counter-current mode.
European Patent No. 0 302 232 already makes known a flat tube of this type which is obtained from a metal strip subjected to several successive rolling operations to form the two flat sides, the two rounded sides and the two edges bent into a U, which are brazed together and to one of the large sides, in order thus to form two flow ducts.
One of the main problems encountered in the manufacture of this known tube is that of producing the edges bent into a U. This is because these bent edges are tricky to make and there is a risk of causing cracks to start.
Furthermore, this known tube has the drawback that it allows the production only of flat tubes having just one internal partition thus delimiting just two flow ducts.
The object of the invention is especially to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks.
It therefore proposes a flat tube of the type defined in the introduction, which is formed by assembling and brazing two complimentary pieces which comprise: constituting a first flat side, the two rounded sides and two lateral segments connected respectively to the two rounded sides in order partially to form the second flat side, the two lateral segments ending respectively at two free edges which are distant from one another and bent toward the first flat side; and constituting a central segment capable of partially forming the second flat side, the central segment ending at two free edges bent on the same side of the said central segment in such a way that the free edges of the central segment can press against the free edges of the lateral segments to hold the secondary piece sandwiched in the main piece, and that the main segment and the lateral segments together form the second flat side of the tube.
The tube is thus obtained by assembling and brazing two complimentary pieces which fit closely one inside the other, the main piece sandwiching the secondary piece.
These two pieces can be obtained easily by mechanical deformation, this being achieved in practice by successive rolling operations, starting from a metal strip.
When the two pieces have been assembled and brazed, they constitute one and the same tube which comprises two internal partitions and therefore three flow ducts which run parallel to each other.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, each of the free edges of the main piece is bent at right angles with respect to the corresponding lateral segment and stops some distance from the first flat side leaving a gap of given size.
Advantageously, each of the free edges of the secondary piece is bent at right angles with respect to the central segment and ends in a lip which is practically parallel to the central segment and which can be inserted into a corresponding gap in the main piece, which allows the two pieces to fit together closely.
As a preference, the size of the gap is substantially equal to the thickness of the me
REFERENCES:
patent: 4222372 (1980-09-01), Bogatzki
patent: 4805693 (1989-02-01), Flessate
patent: 5186251 (1993-02-01), Joshi
patent: 5441105 (1995-08-01), Brummett et al.
patent: 5441106 (1995-08-01), Yukitake
patent: 5511613 (1996-04-01), Mohn et al.
Atkinson Christopher
Ferensic Denise L.
Valeo Thermique Moteur
LandOfFree
Flat tube for heat exchanger does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Flat tube for heat exchanger, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Flat tube for heat exchanger will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2321556