Method of manufacturing heat exchanger and heat exchanger
A heat exchanger has a core including tubes and a core plate coupled to the core. The core plate has a coupling wall on which tube insertion holes are formed for receiving ends of the tubes. The coupling wall has an end portion and a clearance portion both coupled to the tubes. The clearance portion is integrally connected to the end portion and spaced from an imaginary plane, on which the end portion is located. A paste brazing material is applied to a joining portion between the core plate and each tube by a brazing material applying device through a space provided between the clearance portion and the imaginary plane.
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This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-21666, filed on Jan. 31, 2006, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a heat exchanger and a heat exchanger manufactured by the method.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONIn general, a heat exchanger has a core constructed of a stack of tubes and fins and a pair of header tanks at ends of the core. For example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-118826 (US 2005/0082350), a header tank is constructed of a tank main body and a core plate. The core plate has a substantially box shape with a closed end on one side and an open end on the other side. The core plate is joined to the tank main body such that the open end engages with the tank main body. The core plate is formed with tube insertion holes on a plate portion of the closed end. Ends of the tubes are inserted in and brazed to the tube insertion holes.
In such a heat exchanger, a core plate and ends of tubes are for example brazed in the following manner. First, a paste brazing material is applied adjacent to the tube insertion holes of the core plate. Next, the tubes and the core plate are preliminarily fixed by inserting the ends of the tubes into the tube insertion holes of the core plate. Thereafter, the preliminarily fixed tubes and core plate is heated. Thus, the brazing material melts and flows into joining portions between the tubes and the core plate. Accordingly, the core plate and the tubes are brazed.
In the above brazing method, since the paste brazing material is applied beforehand, it will be displaced or drop when inserting the ends the tubes to the tubes insertion holes. Further, since the paste brazing material is applied adjacent to the tube insertion holes, it is concerned that the paste brazing material will not be distributed sufficiently and entirely in the joining portions during the heating. These issues result in decrease of brazability.
To solve the above issues, the paste brazing material may be directly applied to the joining portions after the core plate and the tubes are preliminarily fixed. In this case, however, it has been found difficult to apply the paste brazing material to the joining portions by using a brazing material applying device having a straight end, such as a general dispenser.
The present invention is made in view of the foregoing matter, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing a heat exchanger with an enhanced brazability between a core plate and tubes, which does not cause a decrease in a heat exchanging capacity, and a heat exchanger manufactured by the method.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a heat exchanger has a core plate and tubes. The core plate has a coupling wall formed with tube insertion holes. The coupling wall includes an end portion and a clearance portion. The clearance portion is spaced from an imaginary plane on which the end portion is located. The tube insertion holes are formed across the clearance portion and the end portion. The core plate is preliminarily fixed to the tubes by inserting ends of the tubes into the tube insertion holes of the core plate. Then, a paste brazing material is applied to joining portions between the core plate and the tubes by a brazing material applying device. Thereafter, the preliminarily fixed core plate and tubes are heated, thereby brazing the joining portions.
In the core plate, since the clearance portion is spaced from an imaginary plane on which the end portion is located, a space is provided between the clearance portion and the imaginary plane. Therefore, the paste brazing material is applied to the joining portion by entering an end of the brazing material applying device in the space provided by the clearance portion. Thus, interference of the brazing material applying device with fins between the tubes reduces. Accordingly, brazability improves without reducing a heat exchanging capacity.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are designated by like reference numbers and in which:
An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to
The intercooler 100 has a core 120 and a pair of header tanks 110. The core 120 has tubes 122, outer fins 121 for radiating heat and side plates 124 as core reinforcement members. The tubes 122 and the outer fins 121 are alternately stacked, and the side plates 124 are joined to outer fins 121 that are located at ends (upper and lower ends in
The header tanks 110 are arranged at ends 122a of the tubes 122 (left and right ends in
Each tube 122 has a substantially flat tubular shape, and an inner fin (not shown) is brazed inside of the tube 122. Also, the outer fins 121 are brazed to an outside of the tube 122. The inner fins and the outer fins 121 are for example made of copper in view of thermal conductivity and the like. The tubes 122 and the side plates 124 are for example made of copper alloy in view of strength, thermal conductivity and the like.
As shown in
At least the surfaces of the respective components of the header tank 110 are made of copper, a copper alloy material, or a nickel material. For example, the core plate 111 can be formed of a stainless plate member having a copper coating on its surface, so as to have sufficient strength.
One of the header tanks 110 (e.g., a right header tank in
The inlet joint 113 provides an inlet port for introducing air into the right header tank 110. The outlet joint 114 provides an outlet port for discharging air from the left header tank 110.
Each of the header tanks 110 narrows with a distance from the inlet or outlet joint 113, 114. Namely, a sectional area (tank inner space 110a) of each header tank 110 gradually reduces with the distance from the inlet or outlet joint 113, 114 so that the air is substantially uniformly introduced in the tubes 122. Further, stays 130 for fixing the intercooler 100 to a vehicle body, frame member or the like are joined to the outer surfaces of the header tanks 110.
To manufacture the intercooler 100, the respective components of the core 120 are preliminarily fixed with the core plate 111 such as by engaging or using jigs, and then integrally brazed. Then, the tank main bodies 112 and other necessary components are welded to the core plates 111. Here, the tank main bodies 112 and other components may be integrally brazed, instead of welding.
Hereafter, a joining structure and a joining method of the core plate 111 and the tubes 122 will be described in detail with reference to
As shown in
Namely, the main wall 110b includes an end portion 111c and clearance portions (ends of the main wall 110b) 111b. The end portion 111c is located on an imaginary plane P1 and coupled to the core 120. The clearance portions 111b are inclined relative to the imaginary plane P1, i.e., spaced from the imaginary plane P1 for providing spaces P2 between the clearance portions 111b and the imaginary plane P1.
As shown in
Next, a method of brazing of the core plates 111 and the tubes 122 will be described. First, the core plates 111 having the above described shape and the core 120 are coupled. Specifically, as shown in
Therefore, the tube end 122a is guided along the inclined surface 111d when being inserted into the tube insertion hole 111a. As such, the tube ends 122a are easily inserted in the tube insertion holes 111a. The step shown in FIGS. 4A and 5A corresponds to a preliminarily fixing step.
Next, as shown in
Since the core plate 111 has the clearance portions 111b, the spaces P2 are provided, as shown in
In the example shown in
Accordingly, the paste brazing material 210 can be applied over a relatively wide area of the joining portion 122b. The step shown in
In the applying step, as shown in
After the applying step, a preliminarily fixed assembly of the core 120 and the core plates 111 is placed in a reducing atmosphere furnace (not shown) to perform a joining step.
Specifically, the preliminarily fixed assembly is placed such that a core plane surface is substantially parallel to a horizontal direction. In other words, the preliminarily fixed assembly is placed such that the longitudinal directions of the core plate 111 and the tubes 122 are substantially parallel to the horizontal direction. Also in this case, the preliminarily fixed assembly is placed such that the part of the joining portion 122b to which the brazing material 210 is applied is higher than a middle portion of the joining portion 122b. That is, the preliminarily fixed assembly is placed such that each joining portion 122b is situated in the direction denoted by an up and down arrow in
Further, reducing gas, e.g., hydrogen (H2), is introduced into the furnace. The preliminarily fixed assembly is heated in a temperature condition between 600° C. and 800° C.
Thus, oxide films on the respective components of the preliminarily fixed assembly, such as the core plate 111 and the tubes 122, are removed by the phosphorous contained in the brazing material 210 and the reducing gas. Further, as the paste brazing material 210, which has been only applied to the upper portion of the joining portion 122b, melts, the melted brazing material flows into a lower portion of the joining portion 122b to which the paste brazing material 210 has not been applied. Namely, the brazing material can be filled into the brazing material non-applied portion in the joining portion 122b with capillarity.
In the applying step, the paste brazing material 210 is applied between the inclined surface 111d and the outer surface of the tube 122, as shown in
In the embodiment, the core pate 111 has a coefficient of liner expansion smaller than that of the tubes 122. Therefore, the tube 122 relatively moves toward the core plate 111 due to the difference of liner expansion when heated in the joining step, so a clearance of the joining portion 122b reduces. Accordingly, brazability improves.
Further, since the core plate 111 has the clearance portions 111b, it is less likely that the dispenser 200 having the straight end will interfere with the outer fins 121 between the tubes 122. In a case shown in
In the embodiment, the paste brazing material 210 is applied to a relatively wide area in the joining portion 122b by using the space P2 defined by the clearance portions 111b of the core plate 111. It is not necessary to reduce the arrangement area of the outer fin 121. Also, the paste brazing material 210 is applied after the preliminarily fixing step. Therefore, it is not necessary to concern about dropping of the paste brazing material 210 in the preliminarily fixing step. Accordingly, brazability improves without reducing a heat exchanging capacity.
In the embodiment, since the intercooler 100 needs the thermal strength, compressive strength and the like, the components to be brazed have copper or copper alloy at least on those surfaces to improve brazability. Also, the surfaces of the core plate 111 and the tubes 122 can be made of nickel, instead of copper and copper alloy.
In general, members made of copper or copper alloy reduce strength with heat in the joining step. In the embodiment, therefore, the paste brazing material 210 having a relatively low melting point is used so as to set the temperature relatively lower in the joining step.
It is preferable to use a brazing material having the melting point between 550° C. to 700 C. as the paste brazing material 210. When a brazing material having the melting point lower than 550° C. is used, it is difficult to sufficiently maintain the brazing strength. On the other hand, when a brazing material having the melting point higher than 700° C. is used, it is necessary to increase the temperature in the joining step, resulting in the decrease of strength of the components to be brazed.
Further, a copper brazing material having the melting point between 550° C. to 700° C. is delicate and it is difficult to clad on the surface of the components to be brazed. Therefore, it is preferable to use the paste brazing material having the melting point between 550° C. to 700° C.
In the applying step, the paste brazing material 210 is only applied to the part of the joining portion 122b. In the joining step, the preliminarily fixed assembly is placed such that the part to which the paste brazing material 210 is applied is situated higher than the remaining part to which the brazing material 210 is not applied. Thus, the paste brazing material 210 flows downward as melted and the clearance of the joining portion 122b is entirely filled with the brazing material 220. Accordingly, even if the paste brazing material 210 is partly applied, brazability can be maintained.
In the example of
In the above embodiments, the paste brazing material 210 is only applied to the upper portion of the joining portion 122b. However, the brazing material 210 can be also applied to the lower portion of the joining portion 122b.
The shape of the core plate 111 is not limited to the example shown in
In
Further, in a case that the paste brazing material 210 is applied only to the upper portion of the joining portion 122b, the core plate may have only one clearance portion on the side that is arranged upper side in the joining step. For example, as shown in
Also, it is not always necessary that two clearance portions have the same inclination angle relative to the imaginary plane P1 as shown in
In the above embodiment, the inclined surface 111d is formed around the perimeter of the tube insertion hole 111a by burring, as shown in
In the above embodiment, the tubes 122 are flat tubes, and the joining portion 122b have a longitudinal axis in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the core plate 111. This structure is effective in view of strength and the like. However, the shape of the tubes 122 is not limited to the flat shape. For example, the tubes 122 may have a substantially circular cross-sectional shape.
Further, it is not always necessary that the tubes 122 and the outer fins 121 are alternately stacked. The core 120 may have another structure. For example, the core 120 may be configured such that tubes intersect plate fins.
In the above embodiment, it is exemplary discussed about the intercooler 100. However, the present invention can be employed to other heat exchangers such as an oil cooler.
In the above embodiment, at least the surfaces of the core plate 111 and the tubes 122 are made of copper, copper alloy or nickel. However, the present invention can be applied to a heat exchanger in which components to be brazed such as core plates and tubes are made of materials other than copper or nickel.
The exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described above. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, but may be implemented in other ways without departing from the spirit of the invention.
Claims
1. A method of manufacturing a heat exchanger, comprising:
- forming a core plate having a coupling wall for coupling to tubes, wherein the coupling wall includes an end portion and a clearance portion, the clearance portion is spaced from an imaginary plane on which the end portion is located, and tube insertion holes are formed across the end portion and the clearance portion;
- preliminarily fixing the core plate and the tubes by inserting ends of the tubes into the tube insertion holes of the core plate;
- applying a paste brazing material to joining portions between the core plate and the tubes by a brazing material applying device; and
- heating the preliminarily fixed core plate and tubes for brazing the joining portions.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein
- the forming includes forming an inclined surface on a perimeter of each tube insertion hole, the inclined surface inclined relative to a direction perpendicular to the imaginary plane, and
- in the applying, the paste brazing material is applied between the inclined surface and an outer wall of the tube.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the tubes have a substantially flat tubular shape.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the core plate and the tubes has an outer surface made of one of copper, copper alloy, and nickel.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the paste brazing material has a melting point between 550 and 700° C.
6. The method according to claim 1, wherein
- in the applying, the paste brazing material is applied to a part of each joining portion, and
- in the heating, the core plate is arranged such that the part to which the paste brazing material is applied is located higher than a remaining part of the respective joining portion.
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the core plate has a coefficient of linear expansion smaller than that of the tubes.
8. The method according to claim 1, wherein
- in the applying, the paste brazing material is applied to a part of the joining portion by entering an end of the brazing material applying device in a space defined between the clearance portion and the imaginary plane.
9. The method according to claim 1, wherein
- in the applying, the paste brazing material is applied to a part of the joining portion, the part being formed on the clearance portion, and
- in the heating, the core plate is arranged such that the clearance portion is located higher than the end portion.
10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the brazing material applying device has a straight end portion.
11. The method according to claim 1, wherein
- the preliminarily fixing includes arranging fins between the tubes.
12. A heat exchanger comprising:
- a core having tubes and fins; and
- a header tank having a core plate, the core plate having a coupling wall formed with tube insertion holes, wherein ends of the tubes are received in and brazed with the tube insertion holes, wherein the coupling wall includes an end portion and a clearance portion, the end portion is located on an imaginary plane, and the clearance portion is spaced from the imaginary plane.
13. The heat exchanger according to claim 12, wherein
- the tube insertion holes extend across the clearance portion and the end portion, and
- the clearance portion is at least partly located within the core.
14. The heat exchanger according to claim 12, wherein
- the imaginary plane is perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the tubes, and
- the clearance portion is inclined relative to the imaginary plane.
15. The heat exchanger according to claim 12, wherein the clearance portion has a curved wall.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 30, 2007
Publication Date: Aug 2, 2007
Applicant: DENSO Corporation (Kariya-city)
Inventors: Haruhiko Watanabe (Obu-city), Sumio Susa (Anjo-city), Masaki Harada (Kariya-city)
Application Number: 11/699,975
International Classification: F28F 9/02 (20060101);