Heat exchanger

Abstract

Provided is a heat exchanger including: a shell that surrounds a heat exchange portion having a first part in which a fluid flows in a first direction and a second part in which the fluid flows in a second direction opposite to the first direction; an inlet-outlet header that has a first opening into which the fluid flows and a second opening from which the fluid flows; a duct part that couples one end of the shell and the inlet-outlet header; and a coupling header that closes the other end of the shell and that couples the first part and the second part. The duct part has a housing and a partition plate provided inside the housing. The partition plate partitions the inside of the housing into a first passage that couples the first opening and the first part and a second passage that couples the second opening and the second part. A slit is formed in a joint part of the housing where the partition plate is joined.

Description

heat exchanger

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a heat exchanger.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a U-turn type EGR cooler including a shell surrounding a heat exchanger, an inlet / outlet header joined to one end of the shell with an exhaust gas inlet and outlet arranged in parallel, and an arc-shaped header closing the other end of the shell. Exhaust gas flows in from the inlet of the inlet / outlet header through the tubes of the outward path of the heat exchanger, makes a U-turn within the arc-shaped header, passes through the tubes of the return path of the heat exchanger, and flows out from the outlet of the inlet / outlet header. A partition plate is provided inside the inlet / outlet header midway between the inlet and outlet, dividing the interior of the inlet / outlet header into left and right halves.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-127171

[0004] In this type of U-turn heat exchanger, when the partition plate is joined to the inner surface of the inlet / outlet header, the partition plate is joined from inside the inlet / outlet header, but it is difficult to apply brazing material to the gap between the partition plate and the inner surface of the inlet / outlet header from inside the inlet / outlet header.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a heat exchanger in which partition plates can be easily joined.

[0006] One embodiment of a heat exchanger for achieving the above object comprises: a shell surrounding a heat exchange section having a first section through which a fluid flows in a first direction and a second section through which the fluid flows in a second direction opposite to the first direction; an inlet / outlet header having a first opening through which the fluid flows in and a second opening through which the fluid flows out; a duct section connecting one end of the shell to the inlet / outlet header; and a connecting header that closes the other end of the shell and connects the first section to the second section, wherein the duct section has a housing and a partition plate provided inside the housing, and the partition plate divides the interior of the housing into a first passage that connects the first opening to the first section and a second passage that connects the second opening to the second section, and a slit is formed in the joint of the housing where the partition plate is joined.

[0007] According to the present disclosure, a heat exchanger is provided in which partition plates can be easily joined.

[0008] 1. A front perspective view illustrating the configuration of an EGR cooler according to this embodiment. 2. A rear perspective view of the EGR cooler of FIG. 1. 3. A cross-sectional view taken along a cross-sectional line extending in the left-right direction in FIG. 2, as viewed from the direction of arrows III-III. 4. A cross-sectional view taken along a cross-sectional line extending in the front-rear direction in FIG. 2, as viewed from the direction of arrows IV-IV. 5. A partial cross-sectional view taken along a cross-sectional line extending in the left-right direction in FIG. 2, as viewed from the direction of arrows V-V. 6. An exploded perspective view illustrating the configuration of a tube. 7. A partial enlarged view of a region surrounded by line VII in FIG. 5. 8. A partial cross-sectional view showing another example of an attachment structure between a partition plate and tubes. 9. A partial cross-sectional view showing another example of an attachment structure between a partition plate and tubes. 10. A partial cross-sectional view taken along a cross-sectional line extending in the left-right direction in FIG. 3, as viewed from the direction of arrows X1-X1. 11. A partial enlarged view of FIG.

[0009] The exemplary embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In each drawing used in the following description, the scale has been appropriately changed so that each element can be recognized. In the drawings, arrow U indicates the upward direction of the illustrated structure. Arrow D indicates the downward direction of the illustrated structure. Arrow F indicates the forward direction of the illustrated structure. Arrow B indicates the rearward direction of the illustrated structure. Arrow R indicates the rightward direction of the illustrated structure. Arrow L indicates the leftward direction of the illustrated structure. These directions are relative directions set for the EGR cooler 10 shown in FIG. 1.

[0010] 1 and 2 illustrate an EGR cooler 10 used in an EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) system according to this embodiment. The EGR cooler 10 is a device for cooling exhaust gas. Passages are formed within the EGR cooler 10 through which exhaust gas and coolant flow, respectively. The exhaust gas is cooled by heat exchange between the exhaust gas flowing through each passage and the coolant within the EGR cooler 10. The EGR cooler 10 is an example of a heat exchanger. Exhaust gas is an example of a fluid.

[0011] Specifically, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the EGR cooler 10 includes an inlet / outlet header 11 , a shell 12 , a connecting header 13 , and a duct portion 14 .

[0012] The inlet / outlet header 11 is configured to have a first opening 111 and a second opening 112. The first opening 111 is an opening through which exhaust gas flows in. The second opening 112 is an opening through which exhaust gas cooled inside the EGR cooler 10 flows out. In this example, the inlet / outlet header 11 is a plate-shaped member in which the circular first opening 111 and the circular second opening 112 are formed, and an intervening member 115 is provided between the first opening 111 and the second opening 112.

[0013] The shell 12 is formed in a rectangular cylindrical shape, and one end 121 is connected to the inlet / outlet header 11 via the duct portion 14, and the other end 122 is connected to the connecting header 13. The shell 12 is configured to surround the heat exchange portion 15 that exchanges heat between the exhaust gas and the coolant. The heat exchange portion 15 has a first portion 151 and a second portion 152.

[0014] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a cross-sectional line extending in the left-right direction in FIG. 2 , viewed from the direction of the arrow III-III. As illustrated in FIG. 3 , the first section 151 forms a passage through which exhaust gas flows in a first direction D1. In this example, the first direction D1 is the right direction from the inlet / outlet header 11 toward the connecting header 13. Specifically, multiple flat tubes 153 are arranged in the first section 151. Each tube 153 extends in the longitudinal direction (the left-right direction in this example). In this example, four tubes 153 are stacked vertically. For example, both ends of the tube 153 in the short direction (the front-rear direction in this example) are joined to the shell 12. Inner fins (not shown) are inserted into each tube 153. The exhaust gas that flows in from the inlet / outlet header 11, passes through the duct section 14, and is supplied from one end 121 to the shell 12 is branched into multiple tubes 153 in the first section 151 of the heat exchanger 15 and passes through the interior of each tube 153.

[0015] The second section 152 forms a passage through which exhaust gas flows in a second direction D2. The second direction D2 is the opposite direction to the first direction D1. In this example, the second direction D2 is the leftward direction from the connecting header 13 toward the inlet / outlet header 11. Specifically, multiple flat tubes 153 are arranged in the second section 152. Each tube 153 extends in the longitudinal direction (the left-right direction in this example). In this example, four tubes 153 are stacked vertically. For example, both ends of the short sides of the tube 153 are joined to the shell 12. An inner fin (not shown) is inserted into each tube 153. The exhaust gas that passes through the connecting header 13 and is supplied from the other end 122 to the shell 12 is branched into multiple tubes 153 in the second section 152 of the heat exchange section 15 and passes through the interior of each tube 153.

[0016] 1 and 2 , an inlet pipe 161 through which the coolant flows in is connected to the second section 152 side of the shell 12. An outlet pipe 162 through which the coolant flows out is connected to the first section 151 side of the shell 12. The coolant supplied from the inlet pipe 161 to the inside of the shell 12 flows through the heat exchange section 15 and is discharged from the outlet pipe 162. Inside the heat exchange section 15, the coolant flows between the outside of the tubes 153 and the shell 12.

[0017] The connecting header 13 closes the other end 122 of the shell 12 and is configured to connect the first part 151 and the second part 152 of the heat exchange section 15. In this example, the connecting header 13 has a front part 131 formed in a substantially semicircular shape, a rear part 132 also formed in a substantially semicircular shape, and a side wall 133 connecting the front part 131 and the rear part 132. The side wall 133 connects the arc-shaped portion of the front part 131 and the arc-shaped portion of the rear part 132. The diameter portions of the front part 131 and the rear part 132 are open and are joined to the other end 122 of the shell 12.

[0018] The duct section 14 is configured to connect one end 121 of the shell 12 to the inlet / outlet header 11. The shell 12, the inlet / outlet header 11, and the duct section 14 are each formed separately and then joined together. For example, the shell 12, the inlet / outlet header 11, and the duct section 14 are made of SUS or steel.

[0019] The duct unit 14 has a housing 141 and a partition plate 142. As illustrated in Fig. 2, one end 1411 of the housing 141 of the duct unit 14 is joined to the entrance / exit header 11, and the other end 1412 of the housing 141 of the duct unit 14 is joined to one end 121 of the shell 12. In this example, the shell 12 is disposed in a direction that differs by 90 degrees with respect to the entrance / exit header 11, and therefore the one end 1411 and the other end 1412 of the housing 141 are oriented in a direction that differs by 90 degrees.

[0020] In this example, the duct portion 14 is formed in a generally quadrant shape (a sector shape with a central angle of 90 degrees) when viewed from above. Specifically, the duct portion 14 has an upper surface 1413 formed in a generally quadrant shape, a lower surface 1414 formed in a generally quadrant shape, and a side wall 1415 connecting the upper surface 1413 and the lower surface 1414. The side wall 1415 connects an arc-shaped portion of the upper surface 1413 to an arc-shaped portion of the lower surface 1414. The portions of the upper surface 1413 and the lower surface 1414 that correspond to the radii are open and are joined to one end 121 of the inlet / outlet header 11 or the shell 12.

[0021] 3 , the partition plate 142 is provided inside the housing 141. The partition plate 142 divides the inside of the housing 141 into a first passage 143 and a second passage 144. The first passage 143 connects the first opening 111 of the inlet / outlet header 11 to a first part 151 of the heat exchange section 15. The second passage 144 connects the second opening 112 of the inlet / outlet header 11 to a second part 152 of the heat exchange section 15.

[0022] The partition plate 142 has a partition portion 1421 and a bent portion 1422. The partition portion 1421 is disposed inside the housing 141 so as to separate the first passage 143 and the second passage 144. The partition portion 1421 extends along the longitudinal direction of the tubes 153 and is attached to the lowest tube 153 in the first part 151 of the heat exchange unit 15. In this example, the partition portion 1421 extends substantially parallel to the upper surface 1413 and the lower surface 1414 of the housing 141 (in this example, the horizontal direction), and is formed in the shape of a substantially quadrant (a sector with a central angle of 90 degrees) when viewed from above.

[0023] The bent portion 1422 extends from the partition portion 1421 in a direction different from the planar direction of the partition portion 1421. The bent portion 1422 functions as a joining portion that is joined to the inner surface of the housing 141. In this example, the bent portion 1422 extends upward from the arc-shaped portion of the partition portion 1421 so as to follow the side wall 1415 of the housing 141. The bent portion 1422 is joined to the inner surface of the housing 141 with a joining material while being in contact with the inner surface of the housing 141. As the joining material, for example, a paste-like brazing material is used.

[0024] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along a cross-sectional line extending in the front-rear direction in Figure 2, as viewed from the direction of the arrow IV-IV. As illustrated in Figures 2 and 4, a slit 1417 is formed in a joint 1416 of a side wall 1415 of the housing 141. The joint 1416 is a portion to which the partition plate 142 is joined. More specifically, a bent portion 1422 of the partition plate 142 abuts against and is joined to the inner surface of the joint 1416.

[0025] The slit 1417 is an opening for applying a bonding material from outside the duct portion 14. The slit 1417 is formed along the joint portion 1416 of the housing 141, i.e., the bent portion 1422 of the partition plate 142. In this example, as shown in Fig. 4, the slit 1417 is positioned at approximately the center in the height direction (in the up-down direction in this example) of the joint portion 1416 of the housing 141, i.e., the bent portion 1422 of the partition plate 142.

[0026] In this example, as shown in FIG. 2, the slit 1417 has a length that is approximately half the length of the joint 1416 of the housing 141 , that is, the length of the bent portion 1422 of the partition plate 142 .

[0027] The width and length of the slit 1417 are not limited to those in this example and can be set as appropriate.

[0028] The adhesive material applied through the slit 1417 is applied to the gap between the inner surface of the joint portion 1416 of the housing 141 and the bent portion 1422 of the partition plate 142. Although not shown, the applied adhesive material actually fills at least a portion of the slit 1417.

[0029] 3 , in the EGR cooler 10 configured as described above, exhaust gas flowing in from the first opening 111 of the inlet / outlet header 11 passes through the first passage 143 of the duct section 14, flows into the tubes 153 arranged in the first part 151 of the heat exchange section 15 of the shell 12, makes a U-turn in the connecting header 13, flows through the tubes 153 arranged in the second part 152 of the heat exchange section 15, passes through the second passage 144 of the duct section 14, and flows out from the second opening 112 of the inlet / outlet header 11. As the exhaust gas passes through the first part 151 and the second part 152 of the heat exchange section 15, it is cooled by the cooling water flowing around the tubes 153 in the shell 12.

[0030] According to the EGR cooler 10 of this embodiment, the slit 1417 is formed in the joint 1416 of the housing 141, and therefore the bonding material can be applied from the outside of the duct portion 14 through the slit 1417. Therefore, compared to applying the bonding material from the inside of the housing 141, it is easier to apply the bonding material to the gap between the inner surface of the joint 1416 of the housing 141 and the bent portion 1422 of the partition plate 142.

[0031] FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of a cross-sectional line extending in the left-right direction in FIG. 2 as viewed from the direction of the arrow V-V. In this embodiment, as illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5, a through-hole 1418 is formed in addition to a slit 1417 at the joint 1416 of the housing 141. The through-hole 1418 is formed at a location of the joint 1416 where the slit 1417 is not formed. The through-hole 1418 is a hole for welding to temporarily fasten the partition plate 142 from the outside of the duct portion 14. Examples of welding include TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welding. Although not shown, in reality, a welding material melted by TIG welding fills at least a portion of the through-hole 1418.

[0032] By providing the through-hole 1418 in the joint 1416 of the housing 141 in this manner, welding for temporarily fixing the partition plate 142 can be performed from the outside of the duct portion 14 via the through-hole 1418.

[0033] In this embodiment, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 , the inlet / outlet header 11 has a protrusion 113 that protrudes from the inner surface of the inlet / outlet header 11 between the first opening 111 and the second opening 112 toward the inside of the housing 141 of the duct section 14. Specifically, the protrusion 113 protrudes from the inner surface (the rear surface in this example) of the intervening member 115 between the first opening 111 and the second opening 112 toward the inside of the housing 141 of the duct section 14. The partition plate 142 is positioned so that its lower surface abuts the upper surface of the protrusion 113. The length of the protrusion 113 in the protruding direction (in this example, the length in the front-to-rear direction) and the width (in this example, the length in the left-to-right direction) are set appropriately. For example, in this example, the width of the protrusion 113 is formed smaller than the diameter of the first opening 111 and the diameter of the second opening 112. However, the width of the protrusion 113 may be formed larger than the width of the first opening 111 and the width of the second opening 112.

[0034] As described above, the entrance / exit header 11 is formed with the protrusion 113, so that the partition plate 142 can be positioned by the protrusion 113.

[0035] Next, a method for joining the inlet / outlet header 11 to the duct portion 14 in the method for manufacturing the EGR cooler 10 will be described in detail.

[0036] First, the inlet / outlet header 11 is welded to the housing 141 of the duct portion 14. Specifically, the inlet / outlet header 11 is attached to the housing 141 and welded so that the protrusion 113 of the inlet / outlet header 11 protrudes toward the inside of the housing 141. In this example, the inlet / outlet header 11 has a flange portion 114, and the flange portion 114 and the outer surface of the housing 141 are welded.

[0037] Next, the partition plate 142 is brought into contact with the inner surface of the joint 1416 of the housing 141. Specifically, the partition plate 142 is positioned by bringing the partition plate 142 into contact with the protrusion 113 of the entrance / exit header 11. Then, with the partition plate 142 positioned, the bent portion 1422 of the partition plate 142 is brought into contact with the inner surface of the joint 1416 of the housing 141.

[0038] Next, with the partition plate 142 abutting against the inner surface of the joint 1416 of the housing 141, the partition plate 142 is welded to the joint 1416 of the housing 141 from the outside of the housing 141 through the through hole 1418 formed in the joint 1416 of the housing 141.

[0039] Next, a bonding material is applied to the inside of the housing 141 through a slit 1417 formed in the joint 1416 of the housing 141, and the inner surface of the joint 1416 and the partition plate 142 are bonded together with the bonding material.

[0040] According to the manufacturing method of the EGR cooler 10 of this embodiment, the partition plate 142 can be easily welded to the housing 141 from the outside of the housing 141 through the through hole 1418, and this welding can temporarily fasten the partition plate 142 to the housing 141 when joining the housing 141. In addition, since the bonding material can be applied to the inside of the housing 141 from the outside of the housing 141 through the slit 1417, it is easy to apply the bonding material to the gap between the inner surface of the joint portion 1416 of the housing 141 and the partition plate 142.

[0041] Furthermore, the partition plate 142 is positioned by abutting it against the protrusion 113 of the entrance / exit header 11, making positioning easy.

[0042] In the above embodiment, the joint 1416 of the housing 141 is provided with the through-hole 1418 as well as the slit 1417, but it may also be provided with only the slit.

[0043] In the above embodiment, the EGR cooler 10 is configured so that the exhaust gas flows from the top to the bottom inside the EGR cooler 10, but it may be configured so that the exhaust gas flows from the bottom to the top.

[0044] In the above embodiment, the duct portion 14 is formed in a substantially quadrant shape when viewed from above, with one end 1411 and the other end 1412 intersecting at a substantially right angle. However, the configuration of the duct portion 14 is not limited to this example. For example, the duct portion 14 may be formed so that the angle at which the one end 1411 and the other end 1412 intersect is less than 90 degrees. Alternatively, for example, the duct portion 14 may be configured to have a substantially rectangular cylindrical shape that connects the inlet / outlet header 11 and the shell 12 in a substantially straight line.

[0045] (Attachment Structure of Tube 153 and Partition Plate 142) Next, the attachment structure of tube 153 and partition plate 142 will be described in detail with reference to Figures 6 and 7. Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the configuration of tube 153.

[0046] 6, each tube 153 has an upper plate-like member 1531 and a lower plate-like member 1532. The upper plate-like member 1531 and the lower plate-like member 1532 are each formed by, for example, pressing a metal plate, and then arranged opposite each other to assemble the tube 153.

[0047] In this example, the upper plate-like member 1531 extends in the longitudinal direction (left-right direction in this example), and has a U-shaped cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. Specifically, the upper plate-like member 1531 has a flat surface portion 15311 and two side walls 15312. The flat surface portion 15311 is a planar member extending in the longitudinal direction. The two side walls 15312 extend downward from the ends of the flat surface portion 15311 in the short side direction (front-rear direction in this example).

[0048] The lower plate-shaped member 1532 extends in the longitudinal direction, and its cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is U-shaped. The longitudinal ends of the lower plate-shaped member 1532 are formed to expand in the direction facing the upper plate-shaped member 1531 (in the vertical direction in this example). Specifically, the lower plate-shaped member 1532 has a first flat surface portion 15321, two side walls 15322, two inclined surface portions 15323, and two second flat surface portions 15324.

[0049] The first flat surface portion 15321 is a planar member extending in the longitudinal direction. The two inclined surface portions 15323 extend diagonally downward from each of the longitudinal ends of the first flat surface portion 15321. The two second flat surface portions 15324 are planar members extending from the ends of the inclined surface portion 15323 along the surface direction of the first flat surface portion 15321. The two side walls 15322 extend upward from the ends of the first flat surface portion 15321, the inclined surface portion 15323, and the second flat surface portion 15324, respectively.

[0050] For example, the width of the upper plate-shaped member 1531 in the short direction is formed smaller than the width of the lower plate-shaped member 1532 in the short direction, and when assembling the tube 153, the side wall 15312 of the upper plate-shaped member 1531 is positioned inside the side wall 15322 of the lower plate-shaped member 1532.

[0051] Fig. 7 is a partially enlarged view of the area surrounded by line VII in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 shows a state in which a plurality of tubes 153 (153A, 153B) are stacked. Note that in Fig. 7, arrows indicate the direction in which exhaust gas flows.

[0052] As illustrated in FIG. 7 , the upper tube 153A (hereinafter also referred to as the upper tube 153A) has an upper plate-shaped member 1531A and a lower plate-shaped member 1532A. The lower tube 153B (hereinafter also referred to as the lower tube 153B) has an upper plate-shaped member 1531B and a lower plate-shaped member 1532B. The lower plate-shaped member 1532A of the upper tube 153A is joined to the upper plate-shaped member 1531B of the lower tube 153B with a gap G between them. Specifically, in the lower plate-shaped member 1532A of the upper tube 153A, the second flat surface portion 15324A is joined to the upper plate-shaped member 1531B of the lower tube 153B while overlapping each other, and the inclined surface portion 15323A forms a gap G between it and the upper plate-shaped member 1531B of the lower tube 153B.

[0053] The partition plate 142 is attached to the lower plate-shaped member 1532 of the tube 153 (see FIG. 3) located at the lowest position in the first part 151 of the heat exchange section 15. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, the partition plate 142 is brazed to both the second flat surface portion 15324 and the inclined surface portion 15323 of the lower plate-shaped member 1532.

[0054] In this example, the partition plate 142 and the second flat surface portion 15324 of the lower plate-shaped member 1532 are in surface contact while brazed. The partition plate 142 and the inclined surface portion 15323 are brazed while spaced apart from each other, with the brazing material 17 filled between them. Note that the phrase "the second flat surface portion 15324 of the lower plate-shaped member 1532 and the partition plate 142 are in surface contact" also includes the case where the second flat surface portion 15324 of the lower plate-shaped member 1532 and the partition plate 142 are arranged parallel to each other and a thin layer of brazing material is provided between them.

[0055] In the brazing material application process, for example, with the tube 153 and the partition plate 142 positioned, the brazing material 17 is applied to the upper surface of the end of the partition plate 142 that is attached to the lower plate-like member 1532 by a brazing material application device (not shown). The brazing material 17 flows from the upper surface of the partition plate 142 between the tube 153 and the partition plate 142 and is applied between the tube 153 and the partition plate 142. More specifically, the brazing material 17 is first applied to the gap between the partition plate 142 and the inclined surface portion 15323. The brazing material 17 applied to this gap then advances to the end of the tapered gap by capillary action. Eventually, it also enters the gap between the second flat surface portion 15324 of the lower plate-like member 1532 and the partition plate 142. If the brazing filler metal 17 is applied to the gap between the partition plate 142 with a relatively large opening and the inclined surface portion 15323, the brazing filler metal can naturally flow along the gap and into the gap between the second flat surface portion 15324 of the plate-shaped member 1532 and the partition plate 142, thereby reliably brazing the partition plate 142 and the plate-shaped member 1532. Furthermore, since the brazing filler metal can be simply filled into the gap between the partition plate 142 with a relatively large opening and the inclined surface portion 15323 during brazing, workability is improved.

[0056] The end of the partition plate 142 attached to the lower plate-like member 1532 has a chamfered surface 1423 that follows the surface of the inclined surface portion 15323. Note that the expression "following the surface of the inclined surface portion" used in this specification does not only mean completely parallel to the surface of the inclined surface portion 15323, but also includes directions that are at an angle of less than ±45 degrees from the surface of the inclined surface portion 15323.

[0057] The thickness T1 of the partition plate 142 is configured to be smaller than the thickness T2 of the inclined surface portion 15323 of the lower plate-like member 1532. Here, the thickness refers to the thickness in the direction along which the upper plate-like member 1531 and the lower plate-like member 1532 that constitute the tube 153 face each other. The thickness T2 of the inclined surface portion 15323 refers to the thickness from the upper surface of the second flat surface portion 15324 to the upper surface of the inclined surface portion 15323.

[0058] According to the above-mentioned mounting structure of the tube 153 and the partition plate 142, the partition plate 142 is brazed across two surfaces, the second flat surface portion 15324 and the inclined surface portion 15323, of the tube 153. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which the partition plate 142 is brazed only to the second flat surface portion 15324 of the tube 153, it is possible to better prevent exhaust gas from flowing from the flow path of the first part 151 into the flow path of the second part 152, or from the flow path of the second part 152 into the flow path of the first part 151, from the mounting point between the tube 153 and the partition plate 142.

[0059] In this example, a part of the end of the partition plate 142 is chamfered to fit the surface of the inclined surface portion 15323. This functions as a guide when inserting the partition plate 142 into the tube 153, improving the ease of assembly.

[0060] Furthermore, in this example, the thickness T1 of the partition plate 142 is smaller than the thickness T2 of the inclined surface portion 15323 of the lower plate-like member 1532. As a result, the partition plate 142 attached to the tube 153 does not protrude further into the tube 153 than the inclined surface portion 15323, and therefore obstruction of the flow of exhaust gas flowing through the tube 153 can be suppressed.

[0061] Fig. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view showing another example of the attachment structure between the partition plate 142 and the tube 153. In the attachment structure shown in Fig. 7, the partition plate 142 and the second flat surface portion 15324 of the tube 153 are in surface contact with each other. However, as illustrated in Fig. 8, the partition plate 142 and the second flat surface portion 15324 of the tube 153 may be brazed to each other while being spaced apart from each other and with the brazing material 17 filled therebetween.

[0062] Alternatively, in the width direction of the tube 153 (the front-to-back direction in this example), a portion of the second flat surface portion 15324 of the tube 153 may be in surface contact with the partition plate 142, and a portion of the second flat surface portion 15324 may be configured to be separated from the partition plate 142.

[0063] 9 and 10 are partial cross-sectional views showing another example of the attachment structure between the partition plate and the tube. In the attachment structure shown in Fig. 7, the upper plate-like member 1531 is formed flat up to the longitudinal end, and the lower plate-like member 1532 expands in a direction facing the upper plate-like member 1531 at the longitudinal end. However, as illustrated in Fig. 9, the upper plate-like member 1531 may be formed so as to expand in a direction facing the lower plate-like member 1532 at the longitudinal end. That is, the upper plate-like member 1531 may have an inclined surface portion 15313 and a second flat surface portion 15314.

[0064] 10 , the upper plate-shaped member 1531 may extend in a direction facing the lower plate-shaped member 1532 at its longitudinal end, and the lower plate-shaped member 1532 may be formed flat up to its longitudinal end. In this case, the partition plate 142 is attached to the upper plate-shaped member 1531 of the uppermost tube 153 in the second part 152 of the heat exchange unit 15. That is, the partition plate 142 is brazed across both the inclined surface portion 15313 and the second flat surface portion 15314 of the upper plate-shaped member 1531.

[0065] The above-described attachment structure of the tubes 153 and the partition plate 142 can also be applied to an EGR cooler in which the inlet / outlet header 11 and the shell 12 are directly connected without the duct portion 14. In such an EGR cooler in which the inlet / outlet header 11 and the shell 12 are directly connected, the protrusion 113 provided on the inlet / outlet header 11 functions as a partition plate that separates the space between the inlet / outlet header 11 and the tubes 153 in the shell 12 into a first passage in which fluid flows in a first direction D1 toward the first portion 151, and a second passage in which fluid from the second portion 152 flows in a second direction D2.

[0066] (Attachment Structure of Shell 12, Tubes 153, and Connection Header 13) Next, the attachment structure of the shell 12, tubes 153, and connection header 13 will be described in detail with reference to Figures 11 and 12. Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along the cross-sectional line XI-XI in Figure 3.

[0067] As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 11, the connecting header 13 is attached so as to cover the longitudinal end 153E of the tube 153 and the longitudinal end 12E of the shell 12, forming a space S.

[0068] 11 , the front portion 131 of the connecting header 13 has an end portion 1311, a main wall portion 1312, and a connecting portion 1313 in a cross section along the surface direction of the tubes 153 along the longitudinal direction. The end portion 1311 is configured to cover the outer surface of the shell 12. The main wall portion 1312 is configured so that an inner wall surface 13121 is located radially inward of the end portion 1311 and defines a space S. The connecting portion 1313 is configured to connect the end portion 1311 and the main wall portion 1312.

[0069] The rear portion 132 of the connecting header 13 has an end portion 1321, a main wall portion 1322, and a connecting portion 1323 in a cross section taken along the surface direction of the tubes 153 along the longitudinal direction. The end portion 1321 is configured to cover the outer surface of the shell 12. The main wall portion 1322 is configured so that the inner wall surface 13221 is located radially inward of the end portion 1321 and defines a space S. The connecting portion 1323 is configured to connect the end portion 1321 and the main wall portion 1322.

[0070] The longitudinal end 153E of the tube 153 and the longitudinal end 12E of the shell 12 abut against the inner wall surface 13131 of the connection portion 1313 of the front part 131 of the connecting header 13. Similarly, the longitudinal end 153E of the tube 153 and the longitudinal end 12E of the shell 12 abut against the inner wall surface 13231 of the connection portion 1323 of the rear part 132 of the connecting header 13.

[0071] Fig. 12 is a partially enlarged view of Fig. 11. As illustrated in Fig. 12, in this example, a surface 12E1 of an end 12E in the longitudinal direction of the shell 12 and a surface 153E1 of an end 153E in the longitudinal direction of the tube 153 are configured to be flush with each other.

[0072] When assembling the tubes 153 , shell 12 , and connection header 13 configured in this manner, first, a brazing material is applied to the tubes 153 , and then inner fins (not shown) are inserted into the tubes 153 .

[0073] Next, multiple tubes 153 are stacked and placed inside the shell 12 to form a laminate of the shell 12 and the tubes 153. For example, the shell 12 is composed of two members, an upper member and an lower member, and multiple tubes 153 are stacked and placed on the lower member of the shell 12, and finally the upper member of the shell 12 is placed. Brazing filler metal is applied to the joints between adjacent tubes 153. Brazing filler metal is also applied to the joints between the tubes 153 and the shell 12.

[0074] Next, the connecting header 13 is attached to the stack of shells 12 and tubes 153. The connecting header 13 is attached so as to cover the outer surface of the longitudinal end of the shell 12. Finally, brazing material is applied from the outside to the joint between the connecting header 13 and the stack.

[0075] Here, when attaching the connecting header 13 to the stack of shells 12 and tubes 153, because there are no openings in the connecting header 13, it is not possible to determine whether the tubes 153 are misaligned within the shell 12, and even if the tubes 153 are misaligned within the shell 12, it is difficult to correct them. However, with the attachment structure described above, the end 153E of the tube 153 abuts against the connecting portions 1313, 1323 of the connecting header 13, so the tubes 153 can be assembled in the correct position.

[0076] Furthermore, since the connecting header 13 sandwiches the stack of the shells 12 and the tubes 153 from the outside, the tubes 153 and the shells 12 are less likely to come apart before brazing.

[0077] In addition, the connection parts 1313, 1323 of the connecting header 13 cover the gap formed between the tube 153 and the shell 12, thereby preventing the brazing material from leaking out from the gap formed between the tube 153 and the shell 12, thereby stabilizing and improving the brazing properties.

[0078] The above-described embodiment is merely an example for facilitating understanding of the present invention. The configurations according to the above-described embodiment may be appropriately modified or improved without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0079] In the above embodiment, the EGR cooler that cools the exhaust gas has been described as an example of the heat exchanger. However, the heat exchanger may be, for example, a heat exchanger that cools a fluid other than the exhaust gas.

[0080] The following configurations also constitute part of the present disclosure: Item 1: A heat exchanger comprising: a shell enclosing a heat exchange section having a first section through which a fluid flows in a first direction and a second section through which the fluid flows in a second direction opposite to the first direction, a plurality of flat tubes extending longitudinally inside the shell, and a partition plate extending along the tubes and attached to the tubes, the partition plate separating a first passage through which a fluid flows in the first direction toward the first section from a second passage through which a fluid from the second section flows in the second direction, wherein each of the plurality of tubes has two opposing plate-shaped members, and one of the plate-shaped members of the tube to which the partition plate is attached has a flat surface portion overlapping and connected to the plate-shaped member of an adjacent tube, and an inclined surface portion extending from the flat surface portion to form a gap between the plate-shaped member of the adjacent tube and the partition plate, and the partition plate is brazed to both the flat surface portion and the inclined surface portion. Item 2: The heat exchanger according to Item 1, wherein an end of the partition plate attached to the plate-like member has a chamfered surface to follow the surface of the inclined surface portion. Item 3: The heat exchanger according to Item 1, wherein the thickness of the partition plate in the direction along which the two plate-like members constituting the tubes face each other is smaller than the thickness of the inclined surface portion of the plate-like member. Item 4: A heat exchanger comprising: tubes extending in a longitudinal direction; a shell covering the tubes; and headers attached to cover the longitudinal ends of the tubes and the longitudinal ends of the shell to form a space, wherein the headers, in a cross section taken along a surface direction of the tubes along the longitudinal direction, have: end portions covering the outer surfaces of the shells; Item 5: The heat exchanger according to Item 4, wherein a surface of the end of the shell abutting against the inner wall surface of the connection portion of the header and a surface of the end of the tube form the same plane.

[0081] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-020113, filed on February 13, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. a shell enclosing a heat exchange portion having a first portion through which a fluid flows in a first direction and a second portion through which the fluid flows in a second direction opposite to the first direction; an inlet / outlet header having a first opening through which the fluid flows in and a second opening through which the fluid flows out; A duct portion connecting one end of the shell and the inlet / outlet header; a connecting header that closes the other end of the shell and connects the first part and the second part; It is equipped with The duct portion has a housing and a partition plate provided inside the housing, the partition plate divides the inside of the housing into a first passage connecting the first opening and the first portion and a second passage connecting the second opening and the second portion, A heat exchanger, wherein a slit is formed in a joint portion of the housing where the partition plate is joined.

2. One end of the duct portion is joined to the inlet / outlet header, The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the other end of the duct portion is joined to one end of the shell.

3. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a through hole is provided in the joint portion of the housing.

4. 3. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the inlet / outlet header has a protrusion formed therein between the first opening and the second opening, the protrusion protruding from an inner surface of the inlet / outlet header toward an inside of the housing of the duct section.

5. A method for manufacturing a heat exchanger comprising: a shell surrounding a heat exchange section; an inlet / outlet header having a first opening through which a fluid flows in and a second opening through which the fluid flows out; a duct section having a housing and a partition plate and connecting one end of the shell to the inlet / outlet header; and a connecting header closing the other end of the shell, a partition plate being in contact with an inner surface of the joint portion of the housing, the partition plate being welded to the joint portion of the housing from the outside of the housing through a through hole formed in the joint portion of the housing; A method for manufacturing a heat exchanger, comprising the steps of: applying a bonding material to the inside of the housing through a slit formed in the joint of the housing, and bonding an inner surface of the joint and the partition plate with the bonding material.

6. The entrance / exit header has a protruding portion protruding between the first opening and the second opening, Prior to the welding, welding the inlet / outlet header to the housing such that the protrusion protrudes toward the inside of the housing; The method for manufacturing a heat exchanger according to claim 5 , further comprising the step of positioning the partition plate in a state in which the partition plate is in contact with the protruding portion.

7. A shell surrounding a heat exchange section having a first section through which a fluid flows in a first direction and a second section through which the fluid flows in a second direction opposite to the first direction; a plurality of flattened tubes extending longitudinally within the shell; a partition plate extending along the tube and attached to the tube, the partition plate separating a first passage through which fluid flows in the first direction toward the first portion and a second passage through which fluid flows in the second direction from the second portion; It is equipped with Each of the plurality of tubes has two opposing plate-like members, The plate-like member on one side of the tube to which the partition plate is attached is A flat surface portion overlapping and connected to the plate-like member of the adjacent tube; an inclined surface portion extending from the flat surface portion and forming a gap between the flat surface portion and the plate-like member of the adjacent tube; A heat exchanger, wherein the partition plate is brazed to both the flat surface portion and the inclined surface portion.

8. A heat exchanger as described in Claim 7, wherein the end of the partition plate attached to the plate-shaped member has a chamfered surface to fit along the surface of the inclined surface portion.

9. A heat exchanger as described in claim 7, wherein the thickness of the partition plate in the direction along which the two plate-like members constituting the tube face each other is smaller than the thickness of the inclined surface portion of the plate-like member.

10. A tube extending in a longitudinal direction; A shell covering the tube; a header attached to cover the longitudinal ends of the tubes and the longitudinal ends of the shell to form a space; The header has a cross section along a surface direction of the tube along the longitudinal direction, an end portion covering an outer surface of the shell; a main wall portion having an inner wall surface positioned radially inward relative to the end portion and defining the space; a connection portion that connects the end portion and the main wall portion, A heat exchanger, wherein the ends of the tubes and the ends of the shell are abutted against an inner wall surface of the connection portion of the header.

11. A heat exchanger as described in claim 10, wherein the surface of the end of the shell that abuts against the inner wall surface of the connection portion of the header and the surface of the end of the tube form the same plane.