Abstract: A fin louver design using breaking and reversal louvers whose lengths are substantially longer than the half-length of the main louver but at slightly lower angles to the fin face, in order to increase the heat transfer while reducing or minimizing the airside air pressure drop. The reversal louvers will not dramatically change the airflow direction but rather permit air to follow the louver direction, thus preventing any dead area where the air speed is approximately zero in the central part between the two reversal louvers. Contact is provided between fresh moving air and the central part between the two reversal louvers.

Abstract: A fin louver design using breaking and reversal louvers whose lengths are substantially longer than the half-length of the main louver but at slightly lower angles to the fin face, in order to increase the heat transfer while reducing or minimizing the airside air pressure drop. The reversal louvers will not dramatically change the airflow direction but rather permit air to follow the louver direction, thus preventing any dead area where the air speed is approximately zero in the central part between the two reversal louvers. Contact is provided between fresh moving air and the central part between the two reversal louvers.

Abstract: A heat exchange device comprises two arrays of tubes through which flow two respective fluids. The device comprises a common support plate for the two arrays, which has a first portion provided with holes to act as a header plate for a first array and a second portion provided with openings for receiving in a forced fit manner the tubes of a second array with curved connectors. In one embodiment of the invention one array contains an engine cooling fluid and the other array contains a refrigerant fluid of an air-conditioning circuit.

Abstract: A heat exchanger tube, especially for a motor vehicle cooling radiator, comprises a body of oblong cross section defined by two major faces and two minor faces, an end portion of oblong cross section, again defined by two major faces and two minor faces, and a transition portion which joins the tube body to its end portion. The transition portion has two inclined faces which join together the major faces of the tube body and the major faces of the end portion, together with at least one curved face which joins together a minor face of the tube body and a minor face of the end portion, while also joining together the two major faces of the tube body.

Abstract: A heat exchanger has a manifold with a tubular wall. A through aperture is formed in the tubular wall by means of a punch having a cylindrical outer surface terminating in a cutting edge. The punch is moved in a forward stroke in the direction of the generatrices of its cylindrical surface so that the cutting edge comes into contact with the outside of the wall and then passes through its thickness so as to form the aperture.In order to eliminate a sharp edge causing possible damage to a tube subsequently inserted in the aperture, and to ensure correct centring of such a tube, the cylindrical surface of the punch is joined, at its end opposite to the cutting edge and over at least part of its perimeter, to a surface portion of the punch which is inclined outwardly from the cylindrical surface. At the end of the forward stroke of the punch, the inclined surface portion deforms the tubular wall so as to form a flared portion of the aperture.

Abstract: A heat exchanger, such as a condenser for a motor vehicle air conditioning installation, has a fluid manifold comprising a tubular wall having a number of through apertures in which the ends of fluid flow tubes of the heat exchanger are fitted. These apertures are aligned in the axial direction. In the region of the tubular wall lying between two consecutive ones of the said apertures, the tubular wall is formed with a concavity or a flat extending in the circumferential direction. The tubular wall can thus be immobilized against rotation by applying it against a flat surface so that the flow tubes can be correctly introduced into the apertures.

Abstract: A heat exchanger comprises a bundle of parallel tubes disposed in ranges and having respective end portions, each of which is received in a collecting plate which is formed with holes. These holes may be bounded by lips. Each hole in the collecting plate receives the respective end portions of a pair of adjacent tubes forming part of different ranges of the tube bundle. These ranges are arranged back-to-back, but leaving at each side of the interface between the tubes a small free space within the hole of the collecting plate. A pair of opposed beak-like projections are formed on the edge of each hole so as to fill this free space. The pitch defined between two tubes in two adjacent ranges is reduced to a minimal value so as to optimize the performance of the heat exchanger, with a minimal width of the collecting plate.

Abstract: A connecting tube for a fluid header of a heat exchanger, especially a tubular header for a condenser of an air conditioning installation for a motor vehicle, comprises a cylindrical tubular body delimited by a metallic wall and extended by a flattened tubular end portion formed by deformation of the wall and arranged to be fitted into an oblong aperture formed in a metallic wall of the fluid header. The connecting tube has at least one shear cut, formed in the thickness of the wall and extending over part of the periphery of the connecting tube in a region lying between the body and the flattened end portion. The shear cut defines a frontal lip which bears against the wall of the fluid header after the flattened end portion has been fitted in the latter.

Abstract: In a heat exchanger of the kind suitable for use as a condenser in a motor vehicle air conditioning installation, a manifold has a cylindrical tubular wall and is divided into compartments by means of baffles, which are introduced through an open end of the tubular wall. Heat exchange tubes extend into the compartments of the manifold through apertures formed in the tubular wall. After the baffles have been slid into place within the tubular wall, deformations are formed in the tubular wall so as to retain the baffles in place, prior to insertion of the heat exchange tubes and brazing to secure the components of the assembly sealingly together.

Abstract: The fastening device comprises at least one spacer which fits in a U-shaped bend of the serpentine tube of the secondary heat exchanger. The shape of this spacer is symmetrical about an axis of revolution and is adapted to fit in the U-shaped bend. The spacer also defines a fastening axis parallel to and offset from the axis of revolution, and is fixed to an associated anchor point on the main heat exchanger by a fastening means extending along this fastening axis. With this arrangement the angular orientation of the spacer about its fastening axis can be adjusted in order to compensate for any alignment errors between the U-shaped bend and the associated anchor point.

Abstract: A heat exchanger, finding its application typically as a cndenser in an air conditioning installation for a motor vehicle, comprises a fluid manifold having an elongated tubular wall which carries internal transverse baffles, together with a number of parallel heat exchange tubes penetrating into the manifold through apertures formed in the tubular wall. The transverse baffles are entirely located within the tubular wall and are secured to a connecting member which is elongated along the axis of the tubular wall, which enables the baffles to be fitted simultaneously and held in place, and which also serves as an abutment for the ends of the heat exchange tubes.

Abstract: A heat exchanger comprises a bundle of parallel tubes disposed in rows and having respective end portions each of which is received in a collecting plate which is formed with holes. These holes may be bounded by lips. Each hole in the collecting plate receives the respective end portions of a plurality of adjacent tubes forming part of different ranges of the tube bundle. The pitch defined between two tubes in two adjacent rows may thus be reduced to a minimal value so as to optimize the performance of the heat exchanger, with a minimal width of the collecting plate.

Abstract: In a heat exchanger apparatus comprising a main heat exchanger having a water box with a secondary heat exchanger inside the water box, the secondary heat exchanger includes two coupling tubes passing sealingly through a wall of the water box. The secondary heat exchanger is secured to the water box by means of these coupling tubes. Each coupling tube is carried on the secondary heat exchanger by being introduced into an access hole in the wall, and being secured in a base ring of the secondary heat exchanger. Each coupling tube has a deformable terminal portion which is upset so as to expand it radially in a hole formed in the base ring.

Abstract: A plate type heat exchanger, for effecting heat transfer between a first fluid and a second fluid, comprises a casing having an inlet and an outlet for the second fluid. A stack of plate elements is arranged within the housing, the plate elements being arranged in opposed pairs to define flow passages for the first fluid and flow passages for the second fluid, with means gving communication between the successive first fluid passages. In addition, at least one cross wall is disposed parallel to the plates within the casing, so as to divide the casing into at least two chambers, with the second fluid inlet being open into one chamber and second fluid outlet into another chamber, the cross wall having an opening for enabling the second fluid to flow from one chamber to the other.

Abstract: Heat exchanger apparatus for a motor vehicle engine comprises a main heat exchanger having a water box containing a secondary heat exchanger that includes two coupling tubes, which extend sealingly through a side wall of the water box. The secondary heat exchanger is secured in the latter by means of these tubes, each fitted to the secondary heat exchanger by being introduced successively through an access orifice formed in the water box side wall and then into a seating formed in the secondary heat exchanger. The water box side wall carries at least one slide inside the water box, and the secondary heat exchanger has at least one sliding element which slides in the slide so as to enable the secondary heat exchanger to be precisely positioned within the water box, so that the two coupling tubes can then be fitted.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a heat exchanger comprising a bundle which consists of a plurality of tubes, a plurality of fins alternating with the tubes, at least one terminal end beam extending parallel to the tubes, and at least one collector plate at the end of the bundle. Clamping means are arranged in the vicinity of the collector plate, and in line with deformable means which are provided on projecting portions of the end beam or end beams.The invention is especially applicable to a heat exchanger for use in automotive vehicles.