Heat exchanger and method for producing said heat exchanger
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat exchangers face efficiency reduction due to leakage issues, particularly in devices with countercurrent flow designs, which are complex and costly to manufacture, especially when using R-744 as a refrigerant.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchanger design featuring a coil tube with a non-positive connection to the housing and accumulator, achieved through plastic deformation, creating a frictional connection to prevent leakage and enhance fluid-tightness, allowing for efficient cooling and cost-effective production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a defined counterflow between high-pressure and low-pressure refrigerant is generated by complex manufacturing processes, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the housing and coil into a single integrated component where the coil is formed directly within the housing structure. This merging eliminates the need for separate manufacturing and assembly processes for the coil and housing, reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining the countercurrent flow path for efficient heat transfer between high-pressure and low-pressure refrigerant streams.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing serves multiple functions: it contains the low-pressure refrigerant, provides structural support, and integrates the coil structure for high-pressure refrigerant flow. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, simplifying manufacturing while preserving thermal efficiency.
2Ease of manufacture
If the coil is arranged between the accumulator and housing with a gap, then assembly is simplified, but leakage occurs reducing heat exchanger efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The coil and housing are merged into a single integrated component with the coil formed directly within the housing structure. This integration eliminates gaps between separate parts, preventing refrigerant leakage while maintaining assembly simplicity through the one-piece construction approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The coil structure is designed with flexible positioning within the housing, allowing it to conform to the housing interior surfaces. This flexibility ensures continuous contact between the coil and housing walls, sealing against leakage while accommodating manufacturing tolerances and assembly variations.
3Reliability
If non-positive connection is produced by plastic deformation of housing, then leakage is prevented improving efficiency, but manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The housing and coil are manufactured as a single integrated component using hydroforming or similar processes. This merging eliminates the need for separate plastic deformation steps to create non-positive connections, as the integrated structure inherently provides the necessary mechanical interference fit and leakage prevention without additional manufacturing complexity.
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 significantly increases the efficiency of the heat exchanger by preventing leakage and improving heat transfer, while being simpler and more cost-effective to produce, thus addressing the challenges of using R-744 as a refrigerant.
Implementation Method 1
a non-positive connection is produced by plastic deformation of the housing
Implementation Method 2
the refrigerant being further cooled in this internal heat exchanger by heat transfer between the refrigerant on the low-pressure side of the refrigerant circuit and the warmer refrigerant on the high-pressure side of the refrigerant circuit
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a heat exchanger (20) for cooling a fluid, having an accumulator (10), a housing (1 1) and a pipe (2) shaped into a coil (1), wherein a gap is formed between the accumulator (10) and the housing (11) in which the pipe (2) shaped into a coil (1) is arranged, wherein a force-closed connection is formed between the housing (11) and the coil (1), wherein the force-closed connection is produced by a plastic deformation of the housing (11). The invention further relates to a method for producing a heat exchanger.