Heat Exchange Element Alignment for Ultrasonic Welding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ultrasonic welding for joining heat transfer plates in a heat exchange element often results in positional deviation of the plates due to vibration.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchange element design featuring protrusions, bases, cone covers, and cones on the heat transfer plates that facilitate accurate and easy positioning through ultrasonic welding, using guide pins for precise alignment and reducing the likelihood of positional deviation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If ultrasonic welding is used to join heat transfer plates, then joining time is shortened, but positional deviation occurs due to ultrasonic vibration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by providing guide pins that protrude from the heat transfer plates before welding. These guide pins are pre-positioned to engage with corresponding guide holes in adjacent plates, establishing accurate alignment before the ultrasonic welding process begins. This preliminary positioning mechanism prevents positional deviation during the high-vibration welding operation while maintaining the speed advantage of ultrasonic welding.
2Manufacturing precision
If guide pins are provided on heat transfer plates for positioning, then positioning accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing guide pins only at specific critical locations on the heat transfer plates where positioning is most needed, rather than adding positioning mechanisms across the entire plate surface. The guide pins are strategically placed at the edges or corners where alignment is most critical, providing effective positioning with minimal additional structural complexity and material usage.
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 ensures accurate and easy positioning of heat transfer plates without positional deviation, minimizing welding defects and air leakage, while reducing pressure loss and improving welding reliability.
Implementation Method 1
In ultrasonic welding, ultrasonic vibration is transmitted to an edge portion through a tool sandwiching the edge portion
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4~5
AI summary
A heat exchange element is a heat exchange element formed by stacking a plurality of heat transfer plates (1). The heat transfer plate (1) includes: a heat exchanger (5) that allows air passing through one side in a stacking direction of a plurality of the heat transfer plates (1) and air passing through another side in the stacking direction to pass through in directions facing to each other to cause heat exchange; a header (6a, 6b) provided on one side and another side with the heat exchanger (5) interposed therebetween when viewed along the stacking direction; and a joining edge (25 to 28) provided along a side of the heat exchanger (5) not in contact with the header (6a, 6b). Joining edges (25 to 28) of a plurality of the stacked heat transfer plates (1) are in contact with each other and joined by ultrasonic welding, and the joining edge (25 to 28) is formed with a first convex portion (16) that protrudes along the stacking direction and a concave portion (15) into which the first convex portion (16) of an adjacent heat transfer plate is fitted.