Brazed Coolant Guide Plates for Simplified Heat Exchangers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat exchangers have complex structures and require numerous parts, making them difficult to manufacture and maintain, particularly in applications where a simplified design and reduced component count are desirable.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchanger design featuring a plurality of coolant tubes connected through a coolant guide with interlocking plates that form a coolant flow path, allowing for efficient heat transfer while minimizing the number of parts and simplifying the manufacturing process through furnace brazing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional heat exchanger designs are used, then heat transfer function is achieved, but structure becomes complex and number of parts increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate components (coolant guide and support structure) into a single integrated coolant guide assembly. The support ribs are formed as integral parts of the coolant guide, eliminating the need for separate support structures and reducing assembly complexity while maintaining structural integrity for heat transfer support.
Solution Approach 2:
The coolant guide serves multiple functions simultaneously: it guides coolant flow through the heat exchanger, provides structural support via integrated ribs, and acts as a mounting structure for heat transfer elements. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate parts needed while achieving both heat transfer and structural requirements.
2Reliability
If conventional heat exchanger designs are used, then heat transfer function is achieved, but manufacturing process becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The coolant guide is designed with segmented features including multiple ribs and flow channels that can be manufactured as modular sections. This segmentation allows for easier manufacturing through techniques like injection molding or additive manufacturing, where complex internal geometries can be created in single operations rather than requiring multiple assembly steps.
Solution Approach 2:
By combining the coolant guide and support structure into a single integrated component, the manufacturing process is simplified. Instead of manufacturing separate parts and assembling them with multiple fasteners or joints, the integrated design allows for single-step manufacturing or fewer assembly operations, reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining the required heat transfer functionality.
3Strength
If more parts are used to ensure structural integrity, then strength is improved, but number of components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple structural functions into a single coolant guide component. The guide includes integrated support ribs and flow channels that work together to provide both structural integrity and fluid guidance. This merging eliminates the need for separate support brackets, mounts, or reinforcement pieces that would otherwise be required to achieve the same structural strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The coolant guide is designed to utilize composite structural features where different regions of the same component serve different functions. The integrated design allows for optimization of material distribution, with thicker sections providing structural strength where needed and thinner sections providing flow channels, achieving high structural integrity with a single optimized part rather than multiple parts.
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 design achieves efficient heat transfer with a reduced number of components, enhancing manufacturing ease and potentially lowering production costs while maintaining high-quality performance.
Implementation Method 1
the pair of plates, respectively, further include joining parts that come in surface contact with each other
Data Source
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AI summary
According to the present invention, a heat exchanger comprises a plurality of coolant tubes and a coolant guide having a coolant flow path through which the plurality of coolant tubes communicate with each other, wherein the coolant guide includes a plurality of plates facing each other, wherein the pair of plates, respectively, include coolant flow path units formed facing each other, the coolant flow path unit forming the coolant flow path, and wherein the pair of plates, respectively, further include joining parts that come in surface contact with each other. Accordingly, the number of parts of the coolant guide may be minimized, and the structure of the heat exchanger may be simplified.