Abstract: In the method of manufacturing a heat exchanger, transverse sectional shapes of heat exchanging tubes can be easily formed into elliptical shapes. The method includes the steps of: piling metallic fins, each of which includes collared through-holes, so as to form tube holes, which are formed by connecting the collared through-holes; piercing heat exchanging tubes, whose transverse sectional shapes are circular shapes, through the tube holes; and inserting expanding bullets, whose transverse sectional shapes are elliptical shapes, into the heat exchanging tubes. The heat exchanging tubes are elliptically expanded to and integrated with the metallic fins.

Abstract: A vertical pipe expander to be used to expand the pipes assembled with fins of finned heat exchangers comprises, on a supporting frame, supports for rods of pipe expanding cones, performing vertical translational motion and arranged above a seat for a heat exchanger to be subjected to pipe expansion. At least one cone supporting rod magazine is further provided that is arranged vertically with the cones directed downward, for arrangement, during machine setup, at the seat, the supports for the rods being constituted by a rod engaging and supporting device. The rod engagement and support device is associated with a device for selecting the rods of the magazine to be engaged or released.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a heat exchanger for a cooling cycle includes the steps of: preparing the pipes and the fins having through-holes through which the pipes are inserted, arranging the fins parallel depth-wise and in several separate groups depth-wise and then inserting the pipes through the through-holes of the fin groups, bending the outer portions of the pipes so that the fin groups separated from each other are piled in layers along the longitudinal direction of air flow and the inner portions of the pipes are arranged in at least two coplanar rows along the longitudinal direction of air flow, and wrenching the bending portion of the pipes to form each pipe row into a zigzag shape.

Abstract: A method of making an evaporator and the resultant evaporator. The resultant evaporator comprises a continuous serpentine tube having an inlet and an outlet. The serpentine tube includes at least one column of parallel tube runs. Each tube run is defined by at least one reverse bend. The column of parallel tube runs has an overall length defined by the distance between the outermost tube runs. The evaporator further comprises a plurality of inner fins attached to the individual tubes. Each inner fin extends between two tube runs defined by opposite ends of a reverse bend. The inner fins have a length less than the overall length the column of tube runs.

Abstract: Heat exchanger header tanks are constructed from a basic set of components. The basic components are castings and simple formed sheet parts. The components are assembled to produce a heat exchanger tank having a desired size and geometry.

Abstract: A method and tool for installing a baffle in a tubular member, such as a heat exchanger manifold. The method and tool are adapted to use a baffle having a closed base that acts to obstruct the flow of a fluid within the tubular member, and further having a sidewall extending axially from the perimeter of the base so as to form a recess in the baffle. The tool is generally composed of a sleeve having an elastically and radially deformable end, such as a number of cantilevered members adapted to be elastically bent radially outward. Radially outward deformation of the sleeve enables the sleeve to securely grip the baffle, maintain the orientation of the baffle during its insertion into the tubular member, and then plastically deform the sidewalls of the baffle in order to secure the baffle to the wall of the tubular member.

Abstract: A “header-less” radiator utilizes a radiator core including tubes having end walls which are bifurcated for a short distance from the ends of the tubes and having one or both of the side walls in the bifurcated segment of the tube formed outward and adapted to contact and be joined in a fluid tight manner with the side wall of an adjacent tube in the radiator core. A collecting tank has walls extending partially over the core to a distance beyond the bifurcation of the side walls, and joined to the end walls of the tubes in a fluid tight manner, such that the walls of the collecting tank in conjunction with the bifurcated end walls and outwardly formed side walls of the tubes define a common fluid plenum providing fluid communication between the tubes and the collecting tank. In various disclosed forms, the bifurcation terminates in a smooth curve, or a second bifurcation is provided to facilitate manufacture and enhance performance.

Abstract: The partitions are inserted through an open end of the cylindrical tubular wall of the fluid box, positioned and immobilised by means of deformations in the tubular wall, before the tubes are inserted and the assembly is soldered in a fluidtight manner. According to the invention, the deformations are localised on the outside of the region of the perimeter of the tubular wall on which the passage openings for the tubes extend, so as not to affect these openings. The method may be used in a condenser for a motor vehicle air conditioning unit.

Abstract: A heat exchanger comprising a core assembly having a plurality of tubes connected by an array of fins, with ends of the tubes extending from the fin array on at least one side of the core assembly and resilient, polymeric grommets disposed around the tube ends. The heat exchanger includes a tank portion for receiving fluid entering or leaving the core assembly and a header portion having openings to receive the tube ends and grommets to create a sealed, fluid-tight tube-to-header joint. There is provided a reinforcing member across the opening of the tube ends extending from the tube end opening to the portion of the tube end around which the grommet is disposed without substantially extending into the fin array portion of the core assembly. The header portion comprises a substantially planar base having openings therein with side and end walls extending out of the plane of the base and connected by one or more fluid-tight welds to the tank portion.

Abstract: A method of attaching pipes. A header pipe is divided into two longitudinally. Header bores are made into one header part, tubes are inserted into each header bore, and the tubes are attached to the header part. One method of attachment is via automatic welding from the inside of the header part. Both welding and inspection are much facilitated by means of the instant method. After the tube(s) have been attached to the header, the attachments are inspected both from the inside and the outside of the header part, and finally the two header parts are re-attached, and their re-attachment is inspected.

Abstract: A heat exchanger for vehicles comprises firstly a heat-exchanger assembly consisting of flat liquid-conveying tubes and surface-enlarging means, secondly an inlet tank, and thirdly an outlet tank. The inlet tank and the outlet tank have a connection plate with a number of connection holes for the tubes. At each hole, the plate has a projecting connecting sleeve element. Each tube has at its ends a widened main portion which is accommodated on said connecting sleeve element. A rounded transitional area is formed between the connection plate and each connecting sleeve element, and the main portion is inserted in the conecting sleeve element and is applied with its outside against the inside of the connecting sleeve element. Each tube has at its ends an end portion which is widened in relation to the main portion, merges with the main portion and is applied against the transitional area.

Abstract: A method of making a heat exchanger core (56) having a stack of fins (60) having collared holes through which tubes (30) are laced. An overlying fin is supported on an underlying fin by collars (90) around the holes in one of the fins. Leading lengthwise end portions (66) of the tubes are corrugated and each tube is laced, via its leading lengthwise end portion, through a respective set of aligned holes in the fins. Then the tubes are mechanically staked to at least some of the fins in the stack by expanding the cross sections of the corrugated leading lengthwise end portions of the tubes against the collared holes in those fins through which the corrugated leading end portions pass (FIGS. 14-18).

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a heat exchanger comprising a core assembly having a plurality of tubes connected by an array of fins, with ends of the tubes extending from the fin array on at least one side of the core assembly and resilient, polymeric grommets disposed around the tube ends. The heat exchanger includes a tank portion for receiving fluid entering or leaving the core assembly and a header portion having openings to receive the tube ends and grommets to create a sealed, fluid-tight tube-to-header joint. There is provided a reinforcing member across the opening of the tube ends extending from the tube end opening to the portion of the tube end around which the grommet is disposed without substantially extending into the fin array portion of the core assembly. The header portion comprises a substantially planar base having openings therein with side and end walls extending out of the plane of the base and connected by one or more fluid-tight welds to the tank portion.

Abstract: A method for producing a radiator mainly including the steps of forming a base, forming a radiator fin, forming a foundation plate, and assembling the radiator fin, the foundation plate and the base to form a radiator. The radiator produced in the above method has simple structure and reduced weight and can therefore be quickly assembled at lowered production cost.

Abstract: To provide a heat exchanging fin capable of preventing cracks from forming in the flares of the collared tube holes, even if the metallic plate section is made of thin and tough material. In the heat exchanging fin, a metallic plate section has a plurality of tube holes. A plurality of collars are respectively extended from edges of the tube holes. A plurality of flares are respectively formed at front ends of the collars. Each flare includes a plurality of radially extended sections, which are radially outwardly extended from the front end of each collar. Furthermore, separation between the metallic plate section and each radially extended section is fixed.

Abstract: A method for providing a leak-tight metal enclosure to a fuel matrix penetrated by coolant channels, wherein the mutually contacting surfaces of said metal enclosure and said fuel matrix are metallurgically bonded, comprising placing a metal cladding about the lateral surface of said fuel matrix; disposing metal coolant tubes within said coolant channels; placing a perforated header plate having tubular extensions at each end of the fuel matrix from which the coolant tube ends protrude, said coolant tubes passing through said perforated header plate and said tubular extensions and terminating even with the ends of said extensions; welding, under vacuum, said cladding to said header plates, and the ends of said coolant tubes to the ends of said tubular extensions; exposing the assembly comprising the fuel matrix and enclosure to a gas at high temperature and pressure; and machining said header plates to provide a finished fuel element.

Abstract: A modular heat exchanger includes a plurality of tubular modules formed from an aluminum extrusion. Each extruded tube has a generally rectangular cross section, a through bore extending longitudinally therethrough between parallel opposite faces, and parallel longitudinal V-grooves in the faces, all formed in the extrusion process. Each face includes a plurality of parallel fins which are cut into the grooved face in a direction transverse to the grooves. The fins have a generally saw tooth structure so as to increase the turbulence of the air flow through the heat exchanger. Unslotted end faces on the tubes include groove portions which are filled with weld material in both the tube joining process and the end tank welding process, thereby providing an all-welded aluminum heat exchanger of substantially enhanced strength. In another embodiment utilizing an all-welded construction, extended unslotted end faces are cross bored and sealed to provide fluid supply in lieu of the end tanks.

Abstract: A method of assembling a heat exchanger unit (12) that involves an expansion technique for securing a heat exchanger tube (18) to a number of fins (24) without physical intrusion into the tube passage. The method includes forming the tube (18) to have substantially parallel tube portions (26). Pairs of tubes portions (26) may be connected by a bend or an elbow (28) to yield a serpentine tube configuration. Each of the fins (24) is formed to include one or more apertures that are sized to receive the tube portions (26). The fins (24) are then arranged to form a fin pack (22), so that their apertures are aligned to form an aggregate passage through the fin pack (22). The tube portions (26) are then inserted into the aggregate passage, such that the elbow (28) (if present) and/or the ends of the tube (18) remain outside the fin pack (22).