Aluminum Alloy Fin Material for Heat Exchanger Collar Crack Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Customary aluminum alloy fin materials for heat exchangers suffer from collar cracks during forming, leading to increased draft resistance and impaired heat exchanger performance, which is exacerbated by the "avec phenomenon" caused by fin-pitch disorder.
Innovation Solution
An aluminum alloy fin material with specific chemical compositions, including Fe, Cu, Si, Mn, Cr, and optionally Ti, with controlled thickness and microstructural features such as subgrain size and β-fiber volume fraction, combined with a manufacturing process involving heat treatment, hot rolling, cold working, and temper annealing, to enhance resistance to collar cracking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of stationary object
If fin material thickness is reduced to meet smaller heat exchanger sizes and weights, then heat exchanger size and weight are reduced, but collar cracks occur during forming processes
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical composition parameters of the aluminum alloy by precisely controlling the content ranges of Fe (0.1-1.0%), Cu (0.01-0.1%), Si (0.03-0.15%), Mn (0.01-0.05%), and Cr (0.01-0.05%). This parameter optimization improves the material's workability and resistance to collar cracking during forming processes while maintaining reduced thickness of 0.15mm or less
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite aluminum alloy system by combining multiple alloying elements (Fe, Cu, Si, Mn, Cr) in specific proportions. This composite material approach synergistically enhances both the formability and crack resistance of the thin fin material, solving the contradiction between reduced thickness and improved reliability
2Weight of stationary object
If fin material thickness is reduced, then heat exchanger weight is reduced, but workability during drawing and forming processes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes manufacturing parameters by controlling chemical composition within specific ranges and implementing a multi-stage forming process (bulging, drawing, piercing-burring, ironing, reflaring). The controlled alloy composition enables thin materials of 0.15mm or less to maintain good workability throughout these manufacturing steps
3Shape
If collar cracks occur during forming, then appearance of fins is impaired, but heat exchanger performance is also compromised due to increased draft resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies preliminary anti-action by pre-optimizing the chemical composition and microstructure of the fin material before forming processes. The controlled alloy composition and grain structure (maximum grain size of 30μm or less) prevent collar crack formation during subsequent forming operations, thereby protecting both appearance and performance
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The proposed fin material exhibits improved resistance to collar cracking, maintaining high performance and appearance, and enabling the production of heat exchangers with reduced sizes and weights while preventing the "avec phenomenon".
Implementation Method 1
a method for manufacturing the aluminum alloy fin material is also provided
Implementation Method 2
a method for manufacturing the aluminum alloy fin material is also provided
Implementation Method 3
a method for manufacturing the aluminum alloy fin material is also provided
Implementation Method 4
a method for manufacturing the aluminum alloy fin material is also provided
Data Source
AI summary
This heat exchanger aluminum alloy fin material: has an Fe concentration of 0.20-1.0 mass% and a Cu concentration of 0.02-0.1 mass%; suppresses Si concentration to 0.15 mass% or less, Mn concentration to 0.015 mass% or less, and Cr concentration to 0.015 mass% or less; and has the remainder comprise Al and inevitable impurities. Therein, the thickness of the heat exchanger aluminum alloy fin material is 0.1 mm or less, the average particle diameter of the subgrains is 2.5 µm or less, and the volume fraction of ß-Fiber is 80% or more. This fin material makes it possible to suppress the occurrence of collar cracking during forming.