Annular Heat Exchanger Fitting Tolerance Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In heat exchanger manufacturing, achieving reliable and accurate sealing and alignment of components is challenging due to assembly tolerance variations, which can lead to misalignment and inefficient fluid flow communication.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchanger design featuring a combined inlet/outlet fitting with an integral construction, including an inner tubular passage and an outer annular passage, where the outer annular ring is rigidly connected to the inner cylindrical tube through webs, and equipped with resilient sealing members, ensures precise concentric alignment and sealing, addressing stack-up tolerance variations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate inlet and outlet fittings are used in heat exchanger assembly, then flexibility in connection is improved, but alignment precision and sealing reliability deteriorate due to cumulative tolerance variations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines separate inlet and outlet fittings into a single integrated fitting assembly that includes both inlet and outlet connections. This merging eliminates the cumulative tolerance stack-up that occurs when multiple separate fittings are assembled together, thereby improving alignment precision and sealing reliability while maintaining the functional flexibility of having both inlet and outlet connections.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate components are assembled to achieve fluid flow communication, then adaptability is improved, but assembly complexity and sealing reliability worsen due to multiple interfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple functional components (inlet fitting, outlet fitting, and flow distribution elements) into a single monoblock construction. This eliminates multiple assembly interfaces and fastening operations, significantly reducing assembly complexity while maintaining the adaptability of providing both inlet and outlet fluid flow configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated fitting assembly performs multiple functions simultaneously: it provides both inlet and outlet connections, distributes fluid flow to multiple channels, and maintains precise alignment. This multi-functionality in a single component reduces the overall number of parts and assembly steps while maintaining system versatility.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional separate fittings are used, then ease of manufacture is improved, but sealing reliability deteriorates due to tolerance stack-up in multi-component assembly
Solution Approach 1:
By manufacturing the inlet and outlet fittings as a single integrated component, the patent eliminates the tolerance stack-up that occurs in multi-component assemblies. The single-piece construction ensures consistent sealing surfaces and precise alignment without requiring tight tolerances on multiple separate parts, thereby improving sealing reliability while maintaining manufacturing efficiency through consolidated production.
Data Source
AI summary
A heat exchanger has first and second flow passages with a communication passage therebetween. An inlet/outlet opening in a wall of the first passage receives a one-piece inlet/outlet fitting having an inner tube and an outer ring connected by webs, the tube and ring defining inner and outer flow passages in direct flow communication with the first and second flow passages, respectively. A first end of the tube and an outer surface of the ring are provided with resilient sealing members for sealing within a bore of a coolant manifold. The ring has a planar sealing surface which is sealed to the wall of the first passage, and the second end of the inner tube extends through the first fluid flow passage and is sealed inside the communication passage. Lateral adjustment of the fitting within the inlet/outlet opening compensates for stack-up tolerance variation in the heat exchanger.