Extruded Heat Exchanger Tank With Angled End Caps Under Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Heat exchangers designed for high-pressure applications face challenges in withstanding mechanical stresses due to fluid pressure, particularly at large surface areas, leading to potential structural failure and increased manufacturing complexity.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates an extruded tank section with planar end caps angled non-perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, reducing tensile stresses and using mounting holes outside the internal volume to enhance durability and simplify manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the heat exchanger is designed with larger surface area to accommodate increased flow rates in large systems, then the heat transfer capacity is improved, but the mechanical stress from fluid pressure acting on large surfaces increases leading to potential structural failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs curved or arcuate tank end caps instead of flat surfaces. The curved geometry distributes fluid pressure forces more uniformly across the tank structure, reducing stress concentration points. This allows the heat exchanger to maintain large surface area for heat transfer while withstanding high fluid pressures without structural failure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the geometric parameters of the tank structure, specifically the angle and curvature of end caps relative to the longitudinal axis. By optimizing these angular parameters, the design achieves optimal stress distribution while maintaining required heat transfer surface area, resolving the contradiction between size and structural integrity.
2Ease of manufacture
If flat end caps are used to close the extruded tank section, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but the end caps must be designed with increased thickness to withstand pressure forces, increasing material usage and weight
Solution Approach 1:
By transitioning from flat end caps to curved/arcuate end caps, the design maintains manufacturing simplicity through extrusion processes while the curved geometry inherently distributes pressure forces more efficiently. This eliminates the need for increased thickness, reducing material consumption while preserving ease of manufacture.
3Ease of operation
If the end caps are arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal direction for simplicity, then the alignment and assembly are easier, but the forces acting on the end caps create undesirable and damaging stresses in the remainder of the heat exchanger
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs asymmetric angular positioning of end caps relative to the longitudinal axis, deviating from the conventional perpendicular arrangement. This asymmetric configuration optimizes the distribution of pressure forces throughout the heat exchanger structure, reducing damaging stress concentrations while maintaining practical assembly through defined angular relationships.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the angular parameter of end cap orientation from perpendicular (90 degrees) to a specific optimized angle, the design reduces structural stresses while maintaining assembly feasibility. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction between assembly ease and stress reduction.
Data Source
AI summary
A tank for a heat exchanger includes an extruded tank section having a generally constant extrusion profile extending in a longitudinal direction from a first tank end to a second tank end. A first planar end cap is joined to the extruded tank section near the first tank end, and a second planar end cap is joined to the extruded tank section near the second tank end. Together, the extruded tank section and first and second end caps can at least partially define an internal tank volume. The first and second planar end caps are both arranged at non-perpendicular angles to the longitudinal direction.