Cost-effective cooler

Abstract

Disclosed in the present invention is a cost-effective cooler, which is specifically categorized into two types: one using a combination of flat tubes and conventional short sealing strips, and the other using a combination of flat tubes and machined short sealing strips. A flat tube comprises arched partition plates. A folded edge is provided on each of two side edges in the length direction of the arched partition plates. The folded edge comprises an assembly surface having a perpendicular distance from the surfaces of the arched partition plates, and a transition section connecting the assembly surface to the side edges of the arched partition plates. At least one turned edge is arranged on the edge of the assembly surface away from the transition section. The two arched partition plates are assembled by attaching four assembly surfaces and aligning the turned edges, to form the flat tube having an internal cavity and having both ends open in the length direction and closed in the width direction. At two ends of the positions where the turned edges are aligned, drainage grooves are formed in the corresponding assembly surfaces on the outer surface of the flat tube. The present invention eliminates the need for long sealing strips used in conventional plate-fin coolers, thereby reducing material consumption, energy consumption during welding, and product costs, and improving production efficiency.

Description

High-performance cooler Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a high-efficiency, low-cost cooler for heat exchange between two media, belonging to the field of heat exchanger technology, specifically two heat exchange core structures for the cooler. Background Technology

[0002] With societal progress, on the one hand, the heat output of equipment across various industries is increasing, leading to a greater demand for heat exchange in coolers and consequently, larger cooler sizes. On the other hand, the increasing availability of raw materials is also driving up cooler costs. Therefore, designing a cooler that facilitates efficient production and operates at a low cost is of paramount importance.

[0003] [Corrected according to Rule 91, August 27, 2025] As shown in Figure 1, this is a traditional plate-fin cooler, whose flat tubes are composed of a partition 10, a long seal 9, and inner fins 2. A traditional short seal 8 and outer fins 4 are placed between two flat tubes. Side plates 5 are placed on the outer sides of the two outermost outer fins 4. The partition 10, long seal 9, inner fins 2, traditional short seal 8, outer fins 4, and side plates 5 are welded together to form a core assembly 6. The core assembly 6 is then welded together with the slot plate assembly 7 to form the cooler. Traditional plate-fin coolers have the following characteristics:

[0004] [Correction based on Rule 91 27.08.2025] (1) In the assembly process of the traditional plate-fin cooler core assembly 6, the partition 14, the long seal 9, and the inner fins 2 are separate, and their assembly time accounts for more than 50% of the entire core assembly 6.

[0005] [Correction based on Rule 91 27.08.2025] (2) In conventional plate-fin coolers, the weight of the long seal 9 accounts for more than 20 to 30% of the total weight of the core assembly 6.

[0006] [Correction based on Rule 91 27.08.2025] (3) In the brazing process of the core assembly 6 of the traditional plate-fin cooler, the brazing time of the core assembly 6 is very long due to the large weight ratio of the long seal 9, which consumes a lot of energy.

[0007] The above reasons result in traditional plate-fin coolers having high material consumption, low production efficiency, and high product costs. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The present invention aims to provide a high-performance, cost-effective cooler that eliminates the need for traditional long seals, improves the processing efficiency of the cooler, shortens the assembly cycle, and reduces the production cost of the cooler.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0010] A cost-effective cooler, including arched baffles and traditional short seals, wherein:

[0011] The overall outer contour of the arched partition is rectangular. There is a folded edge on each of the two sides along the length of the arched partition. The folded edge includes a mounting plane that is perpendicular to the surface of the arched partition and a transition section connecting the mounting plane and the side of the arched partition. The mounting planes of the two folded edges are located on the same side of the arched partition and are equidistant from the surface of the arched partition. At least one folded edge is provided on the edge of the mounting plane away from the transition section. The direction of the folded edge is from the mounting plane to the arched partition.

[0012] The assembly plane has a fold or rolled edge at each of the open ends of the flat tube, which is close to the arched partition, so that the thickness of the assembly plane at this position is increased and one surface of the fold or rolled edge is flush with the surface of the arched partition.

[0013] The two arched partitions are assembled by fitting together four assembly planes and aligning the flanges to form a flat tube with an internal cavity, open at both ends in the length direction and closed in the width direction. At the two ends of the flange alignment, corresponding to the assembly planes, drainage grooves are formed on the outer surface of the flat tube.

[0014] Multiple flat tubes are arranged in parallel at intervals along the same direction, with external fins installed between adjacent flat tubes;

[0015] The upper and lower surfaces of the conventional short seal are a pair of parallel planes. The conventional short seal is installed between two adjacent flat tubes and corresponds to the open position of the flat tube. The upper surface of the conventional short seal is simultaneously attached to the surface of the arched partition of the flat tube and the folded or rolled edge surface of the assembly plane. The lower surface of the conventional short seal is simultaneously attached to the surface of the arched partition of the flat tube and the folded or rolled edge surface of the assembly plane.

[0016] The following is the second design scheme:

[0017] A cost-effective cooler, including arched baffles and machined short seals, wherein:

[0018] The overall outer contour of the arched partition is rectangular. There is a folded edge on each of the two sides along the length of the arched partition. The folded edge includes a mounting plane that is perpendicular to the surface of the arched partition and a transition section connecting the mounting plane and the side of the arched partition. The mounting planes of the two folded edges are located on the same side of the arched partition and are equidistant from the surface of the arched partition. At least one folded edge is provided on the edge of the mounting plane away from the transition section. The direction of the folded edge is from the mounting plane to the arched partition.

[0019] The two arched partitions are assembled by fitting together four assembly planes and aligning the flanges to form a flat tube with an internal cavity, open at both ends in the length direction and closed in the width direction. At the two ends of the flange alignment, corresponding to the assembly planes, drainage grooves are formed on the outer surface of the flat tube.

[0020] Multiple flat tubes are arranged in parallel at intervals along the same direction, with external fins installed between adjacent flat tubes;

[0021] The upper and lower surfaces of the machined short seal are a pair of parallel planes, and each surface has a groove. The machined short seal is installed between two adjacent flat tubes and corresponds to the open position of the flat tube. The bottom surface of the groove on the upper surface of the machined short seal is in contact with the surface of the arched partition of the flat tube, the side surface of the groove on the upper surface of the machined short seal is in contact with the surface of the transition section of the flat tube, and the upper surface of the machined short seal is in contact with the assembly plane. The bottom surface of the groove on the lower surface of the machined short seal is in contact with the surface of the arched partition of the flat tube, the side surface of the groove on the lower surface of the machined short seal is in contact with the surface of the transition section of the flat tube, and the lower surface of the machined short seal is in contact with the assembly plane.

[0022] Alternatively, the surface of the arched partition is provided with a plurality of protrusions, and the direction of the protrusions is from the surface of the arched partition to the assembly plane.

[0023] Alternatively, the cavity of the flat tube is filled with internal fins.

[0024] As an alternative, the cost-effective cooler also includes side plates, which are flat plates placed in parallel with the gap between them forming an installation space for the flat tube and the outer fins.

[0025] The high-performance cooler also includes a slot plate assembly, the inner cavity of which serves as a confluence chamber. The slot plate assembly has a nozzle interface, and the two slot plate assemblies are located at both ends of the flat tube along its length, with the inner cavity of the slot plate assembly communicating with the cavity of the flat tube.

[0026] Compared to traditional plate-fin coolers, this invention utilizes a newly structured flat tube, removes the traditional long seal, and adjusts the core component assembly method, thereby reducing material consumption, core component assembly time, and core component brazing time. Ultimately, this achieves efficient production and low-cost processing of the cooler.

[0027] The solution of the present invention has the following characteristics:

[0028] (1) The present invention achieves four structures by using a flat tube structure to realize a high-efficiency and low-cost cooler. Compared with the traditional plate-fin cooler, the method of removing the long seal reduces material consumption, core assembly time and core assembly brazing time, thus achieving the goal of high-efficiency production and low-cost processing of the cooler.

[0029] (2) The flat tube in this invention is formed by stacking two arched partitions. There are two parallel folded edge structures on the arched partitions. The two folded edge structures extend along the length of the arched partitions to both ends of the arched partitions. The assembly plane of the two folded edge structures forms a stacking plane. The two folded edge structures make the two stacked arched partitions form a closed cavity with open ends.

[0030] (3) The present invention provides a drainage groove structure on the flat tube, which facilitates the flow of fluids such as water and air into and out of the flat tube from the outer surface of the tube.

[0031] (4) As needed, internal fins and other supports and heat exchange structures can be placed in the flat tube to support the flat tube while enhancing the heat exchange between the first and second media.

[0032] (5) As needed, the invention utilizes a well-designed folded edge structure on the arched partition to form a flat tube with open ends and circumferentially closed. The protruding structure inside the flat tube provides support. Simultaneously, by utilizing the protruding structure on the arched partition to alter the flow state of the medium within the flat tube, heat transfer structures such as internal fins can be further removed without reducing the cooler's performance, thereby achieving the goal of high-efficiency production and low cost for the cooler.

[0033] (6) As needed, when assembling the core assembly, the arched partition (including the support filled in the flat tube) can be used independently, or two arched partitions (including the support filled in the flat tube) can be processed into a flat tube assembly to further achieve the goal of reducing the high-efficiency production and low cost of the cooler.

[0034] (7) A cooler is formed by combining a core assembly containing a flat tube (as described in this invention) and a slotted plate assembly. One medium passes sequentially through the slotted plate assembly, the flat tube of the core assembly, and another slotted plate assembly, while another medium passes through the space between the outer fins, thereby achieving efficient heat exchange between the two media. Spatially, the flow directions of the first and second media are perpendicular to each other, but the first and second media do not merge.

[0035] The cooler of this invention eliminates the long sealing strip found in traditional plate-fin coolers, reducing material consumption, energy consumption during welding, and product cost, while simultaneously improving production efficiency in cooler manufacturing. Therefore, a more efficient manufacturing method is achieved compared to conventional cooler processing, resulting in a cooler with lower product costs. Attached Figure Description

[0036] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an existing plate-fin cooler;

[0037] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the cooler structure using the internal fin support and machined short seal in this invention;

[0038] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the cooler structure in this invention that does not use internal fins and uses machined short seals;

[0039] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the cooler structure using an inner fin support and a conventional short seal in this invention;

[0040] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the cooler structure of the present invention that does not use internal fins and uses traditional short seals;

[0041] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the flat tube structure with support and no protrusions on the surface of the arched partition in this invention. There are no folding structures at the four corners of the arched partition. The flat tube is used in conjunction with machined short seals.

[0042] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the flat tube structure formed by the arched partition with only protrusions and no support in this invention. There are no folding structures at the four corners of the arched partition. The flat tube is used in conjunction with machined short seals.

[0043] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the flat tube structure with a support and no protrusions on the surface of the arched partition in this invention. The four corners of the arched partition have folded structures. This flat tube is used in conjunction with a traditional short seal.

[0044] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the flat tube structure formed by the arched partition with only protrusions and no support in this invention. The four corners of the arched partition have folded structures. This flat tube is used in conjunction with a traditional short seal.

[0045] Figure 10 is a detailed schematic diagram of the folded structure at the four corners of the arched partition in this invention;

[0046] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of protrusions of different shapes and distributions on the arched partition in this invention;

[0047] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of the core assembly using inner fins and machined short seals in this invention;

[0048] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of the core assembly with no inner fins and machined short seals in this invention;

[0049] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of the core assembly using inner fins + traditional short seal strip in this invention;

[0050] Figure 15 is a schematic diagram of the core assembly using no inner fins and a traditional short seal in this invention;

[0051] [Corrected according to Rule 91 27.08.2025] In the figure: 1-arched partition, 2-inner fin, 3-machined short seal, 4-outer fin, 5-side plate, 6-core assembly, 7-groove plate assembly, 8-traditional short seal, 9-long seal, 10-partition. Detailed Implementation

[0052] The present invention will be further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. However, it should not be understood that the scope of the subject matter of the present invention is limited to the following embodiments. Without departing from the above technical idea of the present invention, all modifications, substitutions, and changes made according to ordinary technical knowledge and conventional means in the art are included in the scope of the present invention.

[0053] [Corrected according to Rule 91 on 27.08.2025] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, in this embodiment, the cost-effective coolers are divided into two types according to whether a traditional short seal 8 or a machined short seal 3 is used. On this basis, four different main structures of the coolers are designed according to whether a support is filled inside the flat tube.

[0054] FIG. 6 shows the arched partition 1 used in the cooler in FIG. 2, the flat tube formed by two arched partitions 1, and the drainage groove outside the flat tube. Inner fins 2 are filled between the two arched partitions 1. The basic cross-sectional shape of the arched partition 1 is similar to a "Ji" character.

[0055] FIG. 7 shows the arched partition 1 used in the cooler shown in FIG. 3, the flat tube formed by two arched partitions 1, and the drainage groove outside the flat tube. Both of the two arched partitions 1 have protrusions. When the two arched partitions 1 are stacked, the end faces of the protrusions are in contact or not in contact, forming internal support for the flat tube and constituting an internal flow channel at the same time.

[0056] FIG. 8 shows the arched partition 1 used in the cooler shown in FIG. 4, the flat tube formed by two arched partitions 1, and the drainage groove outside the flat tube. Inner fins 2 are filled between the two arched partitions 1. At both ends of the two arched partitions 1 in the length direction, there is a pair of folds or curls respectively.

[0057] FIG. 9 shows the arched partition 1 used in the cooler shown in FIG. 5, the flat tube formed by two arched partitions 1, and the drainage groove outside the flat tube. Both of the two arched partitions 1 have protrusions. When the two arched partitions 1 are stacked, the end faces of the protrusions are in contact or not in contact, forming internal support for the flat tube and constituting an internal flow channel at the same time. At both ends of the two arched partitions 1 in the length direction, there is a pair of folds or curls respectively.

[0058] FIG. 10 shows the arched partition 1 without protrusions, the fold or curl structure at the end of the arched partition 1 with protrusions, as well as the flanging and assembly plane.

[0059] [Corrected according to Rule 91 27.08.2025] A flat tube is formed by two identical arched partitions 1 stacked facing each other. The overall outer contour of the arched partition 1 is rectangular. There is a folded edge on each of the two sides along the length of the arched partition 1. The folded edge includes an assembly plane that is perpendicular to the surface of the arched partition 1 and a transition section connecting the assembly plane and the side of the arched partition 1. The assembly planes of the two folded edges are located on the same side of the arched partition 1 and are equidistant from the surface of the arched partition 1. Multiple folded edges are arranged at intervals on the edge of the assembly plane away from the transition section. The direction of the folded edges is from the assembly plane to the arched partition 1. The two arched partitions 1 are assembled by fitting the four assembly planes together and aligning the folded edges to form a flat tube with an internal cavity, open at both ends in the length direction and closed in the width direction. At the two ends of the folded edge alignment, corresponding to the assembly plane, drainage grooves are formed on the outer surface of the flat tube. These drainage groove structures facilitate the flow of fluids such as water and air from the outer surface of the flat tube.

[0060] As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the cross-sectional shape of the arched partition 1 is not limited to the trapezoidal shape in this embodiment (the top edge of the trapezoid corresponds to the surface of the arched partition 1, the waist of the trapezoid corresponds to the transition section of the folded edge, and the bottom edge of the trapezoid is broken and extends to both sides, corresponding to the assembly plane). It can also be other polygonal cross-sections. The principle is that when the folded edges of the two arched partitions 1 are attached along the length direction of the arched partition 1, a cavity with open ends and circumferentially closed is formed.

[0061] The core assembly 6 consists of at least one flat tube and one outer fin 4. One medium flows inside the flat tube, and another medium flows at the outer fin 4. Spatially, the flow directions of the first and second media are perpendicular to each other, but the first and second media do not merge, and the two media form a cross-flow heat exchange.

[0062] [Corrected according to Rule 91, August 27, 2025] As shown in Figures 2 to 5, when multiple flat tubes are arranged at intervals from top to bottom, machined short seals 3 or conventional short seals 8 and outer fins 4 are placed between adjacent flat tubes. The machined short seals 3 or conventional short seals 8 are located at both ends of the outer fins 4 along their length. Side plates 5 are placed on the outer sides of the two uppermost and lowermost outer fins 4 (i.e., above and below Figures 2 and 5). The flat tubes (including the flat tubes and the inner fins 2 inside the flat tubes as supports), machined short seals 3 or conventional short seals 8, outer fins 4, and side plates 5 are assembled together to form a core assembly 6. The core assembly 6 is brazed as a whole to form an assembly. The channel plate assembly 7 is then welded together with the core assembly 6 to form a cooler. The first medium flows sequentially along the length of the flat tubes through the channel plate assembly 7 and the core assembly 6 to another channel plate assembly 7. The first medium flows inside the flat tube, forming multiple parallel flow channels and flow planes. The second medium passes through the outer fin 4, with its flow direction perpendicular to the length of the flat tube and its flow plane parallel to the medium flow plane inside the flat tube. Heat exchange occurs at the surface where the flat tube contacts the outer fin 4, thus achieving efficient heat exchange between the two media.

[0063] [Corrected according to Rule 91, August 27, 2025] As one option, inner fins 2 or other supports can be inserted into the flat tube. The length of the inner fins 2 is the same as the length of the arched partition 1, as shown in Figures 2 and 4. In the core assembly 6 of Figures 2 and 4, the arched partition 1 has no protruding structure and is supported by filling with inner fins 2 or other supports. The upper and lower ends of the inner fins 2 are tightly attached to the arched partition 1. Two outer fins 4 are placed on the upper and lower surfaces of the flat tube, respectively. The end of the outer fin 4 that is close to the groove plate assembly 7 is sealed with a machined short sealing strip 3.

[0064] [Correction based on Rule 91, August 27, 2025] As an alternative, raised structures can be designed on the surface of the arched partition 1. These raised structures provide internal support for the flat tube and also function as heat exchangers similar to fins. The raised structures on the two arched partitions 1 may or may not be in contact. For example, in Figures 3 and 6, there is no inner fin 2 or other support between the two arched partitions 1. The two outer fins 4 are placed on the upper and lower surfaces of the flat tube, respectively, and the end of the outer fin 4 that is close to the slot plate assembly 7 is sealed with a conventional short sealing strip 8.

[0065] In all the above implementation processes, the folding or rolled edge structure of the four corners of the arched partition 1 is shown in Figure 10.

[0066] In all the above implementation processes, the core assembly 6 can be directly welded together with the slot plate assembly 7. A schematic diagram of the core assembly 6 is shown in Figures 12 to 15.

[0067] In the design of flat tubes, protruding structures can be reasonably designed on the arched baffle 1. By utilizing the distribution of these protruding structures, the flow state of the medium inside the flat tube can be changed. Without reducing the performance of the cooler, heat transfer structures such as the inner fins 2 in the flat tube can be further removed, thereby achieving the goal of reducing the production efficiency and cost of the cooler. Some common protruding structure design forms are shown in Figure 11.

[0068] Depending on the needs, the arched baffle 1 and the inner fins 2, etc., can be preferentially combined into a flat tube assembly through a suitable processing scheme, which facilitates the assembly and alignment process of the core assembly 6 and reduces product processing time. Of course, it is also possible to use the arched baffle 1 and the inner fins 2 or other supports separately, just like in the traditional plate-fin cooler production method. In this case, the folded edge on the arched baffle 1 plays a positioning role for the supports, which also improves the convenience of assembly.

[0069] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The present invention includes, but is not limited to, this example. This example may have various modifications and variations. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A high-performance, cost-effective cooler, characterized by: Includes arched partitions and traditional short seals, among which: The overall outer contour of the arched partition is rectangular. There is a folded edge on each of the two sides along the length of the arched partition. The folded edge includes a mounting plane that is perpendicular to the surface of the arched partition and a transition section connecting the mounting plane and the side of the arched partition. The mounting planes of the two folded edges are located on the same side of the arched partition and are equidistant from the surface of the arched partition. At least one folded edge is provided on the edge of the mounting plane away from the transition section. The direction of the folded edge is from the mounting plane to the arched partition. The assembly plane has a fold or rolled edge at each of the open ends of the flat tube, which is close to the arched partition, so that the thickness of the assembly plane at this position is increased and one surface of the fold or rolled edge is flush with the surface of the arched partition. The two arched partitions are assembled by fitting together four assembly planes and aligning the flanges to form a flat tube with an internal cavity, open at both ends in the length direction and closed in the width direction. At the two ends of the flange alignment, corresponding to the assembly planes, drainage grooves are formed on the outer surface of the flat tube. Multiple flat tubes are arranged in parallel at intervals along the same direction, with external fins installed between adjacent flat tubes; The upper and lower surfaces of the conventional short seal are a pair of parallel planes. The conventional short seal is installed between two adjacent flat tubes and corresponds to the open position of the flat tube. The upper surface of the conventional short seal is simultaneously attached to the surface of the arched partition of the flat tube and the folded or rolled edge surface of the assembly plane. The lower surface of the conventional short seal is simultaneously attached to the surface of the arched partition of the flat tube and the folded or rolled edge surface of the assembly plane.

2. A high-performance, cost-effective cooler, characterized by: Includes arched partitions and machined short seals, among which: The overall outer contour of the arched partition is rectangular. There is a folded edge on each of the two sides along the length of the arched partition. The folded edge includes a mounting plane that is perpendicular to the surface of the arched partition and a transition section connecting the mounting plane and the side of the arched partition. The mounting planes of the two folded edges are located on the same side of the arched partition and are equidistant from the surface of the arched partition. At least one folded edge is provided on the edge of the mounting plane away from the transition section. The direction of the folded edge is from the mounting plane to the arched partition. The two arched partitions are assembled by fitting together four assembly planes and aligning the flanges to form a flat tube with an internal cavity, open at both ends in the length direction and closed in the width direction. At the two ends of the flange alignment, corresponding to the assembly planes, drainage grooves are formed on the outer surface of the flat tube. Multiple flat tubes are arranged in parallel at intervals along the same direction, with external fins installed between adjacent flat tubes; The upper and lower surfaces of the machined short seal are a pair of parallel planes, and each surface has a groove. The machined short seal is installed between two adjacent flat tubes and corresponds to the open position of the flat tube. The bottom surface of the groove on the upper surface of the machined short seal is in contact with the surface of the arched partition of the flat tube, the side surface of the groove on the upper surface of the machined short seal is in contact with the surface of the transition section of the flat tube, and the upper surface of the machined short seal is in contact with the assembly plane. The bottom surface of the groove on the lower surface of the machined short seal is in contact with the surface of the arched partition of the flat tube, the side surface of the groove on the lower surface of the machined short seal is in contact with the surface of the transition section of the flat tube, and the lower surface of the machined short seal is in contact with the assembly plane.

3. The high-performance cooler according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The surface of the arched partition is provided with multiple protrusions, and the direction of the protrusions is from the surface of the arched partition to the assembly plane.

4. The high-performance cooler according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The cavity of the flat tube is filled with inner fins.

5. The high-performance cooler according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: It also includes a slot plate assembly, the inner cavity of which serves as a manifold, and a nozzle interface is provided on the slot plate assembly. The two slot plate assemblies are located at both ends of the flat tube along its length, and the inner cavity of the slot plate assembly is connected to the cavity of the flat tube.

6. The high-performance cooler according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: It also includes side plates, which are flat plates. Two side plates are placed in parallel and spaced apart, and the gap between the two side plates forms an installation space for the flat tube and the outer fins.

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