Heat exchanger
The heat exchanger design with a grooved first plate, compressive second plate, and thermal paste addresses contact unreliability and reproducibility issues, enhancing reliability and reducing defects in mass production.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- FR2023012385
- Authority / Receiving Office
- FR · FR
- Patent Type
- Utility models
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-11-13
- Publication Date
- 2025-10-24
- Estimated Expiration
- 2033-11-13
AI Technical Summary
Existing heat exchangers with crimped pipes face issues of unreliable contact and reproducibility during mass production, leading to defective parts and reduced reliability, which complicates mass production.
A heat exchanger design featuring a first plate with a groove for a tube, a second plate to sandwich and compress the tube, and a thermal paste to fill gaps, ensuring secure mechanical contact and improved heat dissipation through screws and a flat face without grooves on the second plate.
Enhances the reliability and reproducibility of heat exchanger production by maintaining secure mechanical contact and uniform tightening, reducing defective parts and improving heat dissipation.
Abstract
Description
Title of the invention: Heat exchanger
[0001] The present invention relates to a heat exchanger
[0002] Heat exchangers are known comprising a machined plate made of a conductive material, the plate being crimped with a network of pipes for the circulation of a heat-dissipating heat fluid, the network of pipes being made of a material similar to or different from that of the plate.
[0003] Crimping, especially with complex geometry, does not always ensure perfect and reproducible contact during mass production. The piping network can also move.
[0004] The problem with this type of heat exchanger is that their reliability is uncertain. In addition, mass production involves a large number of defective parts that must be recycled.
[0005] The present invention aims to effectively remedy these drawbacks by proposing a heat exchanger comprising: - a first plate, in particular made of heat-conducting material, comprising a groove formed on a first face of the first plate; - a tube, comprising in particular a plurality of elbows, for the circulation of a heat transfer fluid, the tube being crimped in the groove of the first plate; - a second plate attached to the first plate and configured to sandwich the tube and hold the tube in the groove by mechanical compression.
[0006] According to one embodiment, the exchanger comprises a thermal paste arranged at least on a portion of the groove to fill a gap between the groove and the tube.
[0007] According to one embodiment, the second plate has a flat face intended to come opposite the tube.
[0008] According to one embodiment, the flat face of the second plate is devoid of a groove for receiving the tube, to exert pressure on the tube, over at least 60% of the length of the tube.
[0009] According to one embodiment, the tube comprises a longitudinal machined flat, configured so that the tube has a flat face facing the second plate.
[0010] According to one embodiment, the assembly comprises a layer of thermal paste forming a film covering the surface of the second plate opposite the tube.
[0011] According to one embodiment, the layer of thermal paste is applied by screen printing on the second plate and / or on the first plate and / or on the flat of the tube.
[0012] According to one embodiment, the tube is oblong in section.
[0013] According to one embodiment, the groove is oblong in section, being configured to receive the tube.
[0014] According to one embodiment, the tube is crimped so as to come into contact with the groove over at least 80% of its surface which is opposite the groove.
[0015] According to one embodiment, the machined flat of the tube extends in the same plane as that of the first plate.
[0016] According to one embodiment, the second plate is fixed to the first plate by a plurality of screws passing through the second plate, the screws being distributed regularly over the surface of the second plate. This allows for uniform tightening and good heat dissipation.
[0017] According to one embodiment, the face opposite the first face of the first plate comprises holes intended to allow the fixing of electronic components to be cooled.
[0018] According to one embodiment, the second plate is made of aluminum, in particular 6061 aluminum alloy.
[0019] According to one embodiment, the second plate has a thickness of between 15 mm and 45 mm.
[0020] The invention will be better understood upon reading the following description.
[0021] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a heat exchanger comprises: - a first plate made of heat-conducting material, on which a groove is formed; the groove is formed on a first face of the first plate; - a tube, comprising a plurality of bends forming a coil, the tube being intended to allow the circulation of a heat transfer fluid; the tube is crimped in the groove of the first plate; - a second plate attached to the first plate and configured to sandwich the tube and hold the tube in the groove by mechanical compression.
[0022] A thermal paste is arranged at least on a portion of the groove to fill at least one gap between the groove and the tube.
[0023] The second plate has a flat face intended to come opposite the tube and opposite the first face of the first plate.
[0024] The flat face of the second plate is devoid of a groove for receiving the tube, to exert pressure on the tube, over at least 60% of the length of the tube.
[0025] The tube comprises a longitudinal machined flat, configured so that the tube has a flat face facing the second plate.
[0026] A thin layer of thermal paste is arranged to form a film covering the surface of the second plate which is opposite the tube and the first plate.
[0027] The layer of thermal paste is applied by screen printing on the second plate and / or on the first plate and / or on the flat of the tube.
[0028] The tube is oblong in section.
[0029] The groove is oblong in cross-section, being configured to receive the tube. Thus, the tube can be crimped by deforming to fit the shape of the groove.
[0030] Thermal paste may be applied to the groove wall before crimping the tube.
[0031] The tube is crimped so as to come into contact with the groove over at least 80% of its surface, namely the surface which faces the groove.
[0032] The machined flat of the tube extends in the same plane as that of the first plate, when the tube is crimped into the groove.
[0033] The second plate is fixed to the first plate by a plurality of screws passing through the second plate, the screws being distributed regularly over the surface of the second plate.
[0034] The face opposite the first face of the first plate has holes intended to allow the fixing of electronic components to be cooled.
[0035] The second plate is made of aluminum, in particular 6061 aluminum alloy.
[0036] The second plate has a thickness of between 15 mm and 45 mm. The thickness of the second plate is greater than or equal to that of the first plate.
Claims
[Claim 1] Claims Heat exchanger comprising: - a first plate, in particular made of heat-conducting material, comprising a groove formed on a first face of the first plate; - a tube, comprising in particular a plurality of elbows, for the circulation of a heat transfer fluid, the tube being crimped in the groove of the first plate; - a second plate attached to the first plate and configured to sandwich the tube and hold the tube in the groove by mechanical compression.