Fin Tube Heat Exchanger Alignment to Prevent Brazing Deformation

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing heat exchangers face issues with fin tube misalignment and deformation during brazing, leading to refrigerant leakage and non-uniform heat exchange performance.

Innovation Solution

The heat exchanger incorporates positioning units, such as positioning grooves and protrusions, and header collars to align fin tubes accurately, along with spacers to maintain structural stability and prevent leakage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If fin tubes are brazed together to form heat exchanger, then heat exchange performance is improved, but thermal deformation occurs causing misalignment and structural instability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat exchange performanceVSAvoidfin tube alignment

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming recesses and protrusions on fin tubes before brazing. These positioning features are created in advance to guide precise alignment during assembly, preventing misalignment that would otherwise occur during the brazing process due to thermal deformation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary anti-action by designing recesses and protrusions that preemptively counteract the misalignment caused by thermal deformation during brazing. The positioning features create mechanical constraints that resist the deformative forces generated by heat, maintaining alignment precision throughout the manufacturing process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

2Strength

If fin tubes are coupled during brazing, then structural integrity is improved, but thermal deformation causes misalignment and refrigerant leakage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidrefrigerant sealing

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming recesses and protrusions on fin tubes before brazing. These positioning features are created in advance to guide precise alignment during assembly, preventing misalignment that would otherwise occur during the brazing process due to thermal deformation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary anti-action by designing recesses and protrusions that preemptively counteract the misalignment caused by thermal deformation during brazing. The positioning features create mechanical constraints that resist the deformative forces generated by heat, maintaining alignment precision throughout the manufacturing process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

3Ease of manufacture

If conventional fin tube assembly is used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but alignment precision and structural stability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly simplicityVSAvoidfin tube alignment

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming recesses and protrusions on fin tubes before brazing. These positioning features are created in advance to guide precise alignment during assembly, preventing misalignment that would otherwise occur during the brazing process due to thermal deformation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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

Ensures precise alignment and structural integrity, preventing refrigerant leakage and maintaining uniform heat exchange performance, while reducing manufacturing costs and time.

Implementation Method 1

a positioning groove formed in the one fin tube, and a positioning protrusion formed in the another fin tube and inserted into the positioning groove

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical positioning: Mechanical Fastener

Implementation Method 2

The heat exchanger may be installed in a vehicle, refrigerator or air conditioner, and may exchange heat between refrigerant and air

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat exchange: Heat Exchanger

Implementation Method 3

the fins for heat exchange and the tubes through which the refrigerant passes may be coupled to each other

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 4

at least a plurality of fin tubes in which refrigerant channels through which refrigerant flows are formed

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluid flow:

Implementation Method 5

thermal deformation of the fin tube may occur due to influences of an internal temperature and an external temperature of the fin tube in situations such as brazing

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBrazing: Brazing

Data Source

PatentEP4394303B1Heat exchanger

Publication Date: 2026.03.04 LG ELECTRONICS INC

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AI summary

A heat exchanger of the present disclosure includes at least a plurality of fin tubes in which refrigerant channels through which refrigerant flows are formed and which are arranged to be spaced apart in one direction, and a pair of headers configured to communicate with the refrigerant channels of the fin tubes, in which one of the plurality of fin tubes and another adjacent to the one fin tube include a positioning unit that determines positions of each other by contacting each other.