Heat Exchanger Collector Plate Inverted Collar Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat exchangers face issues with pressure drop due to tube protrusion in the exchanger chamber, which increases fluid circulation losses, and existing solutions like 'reverse collars' complicate tube insertion and sealing, requiring additional support means.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchanger design featuring a collector plate with a peripheral groove of sufficient depth, where end collars protrude from the internal face to support the seal and have a reduced thickness, allowing for non-zero curvature, simplifying tube insertion and reducing pressure drop by minimizing tube protrusion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If tubes are pushed beyond the flange into the collector chamber to ensure satisfactory brazing or welding connection, then the brazing or welding connection is improved, but the pressure drop in fluid flow increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional collar design by creating inverted flares that protrude from the outer face of the collector plate rather than from the inner face. This inversion allows tubes to be inserted without protruding into the collector chamber, eliminating the pressure drop issue while still providing sufficient surface area for brazing or welding connections between the flares and tubes.
2Loss of energy
If inverted flares are used to reduce tube protrusion and pressure loss, then pressure losses are reduced, but tube insertion becomes more difficult and gasket support is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying the thickness of the collector plate in different regions. The plate has a reduced thickness (approximately half the initial thickness) in the areas where the inverted flares are formed to facilitate easier tube insertion and allow formation of long flares with large brazing surfaces. The plate maintains its full thickness in other areas to provide structural support and gasket bearing surfaces.
3Ease of manufacture
If the collector plate is made thinner to facilitate punctures and formation of long flares, then ease of manufacture is improved, but mechanical strength is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The collector plate is designed with non-uniform thickness, being thinner (approximately half the initial thickness) only in the specific zones where inverted flares are formed to facilitate manufacturing and brazing. The plate maintains its full original thickness in all other areas, preserving the overall mechanical strength and structural integrity of the collector plate while enabling easier formation of the inverted flares where needed.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention concerns a collecting plate (10), having an inner face (12) and an outer face (14), for a heat exchanger, and comprising at least three collars (16, 16a) arranged in a row in order to each receive a tube (18). The two end collars (16a) of the row of collars project from the inner face (12) of the collecting plate (10), while at least one of the other collars (16) projects from the outer face (14) of the collecting plate (10).