Heat Exchanger Modular Inlet Boxes for Engine Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat exchangers for motor vehicles are difficult to adapt to various engine and vehicle architectures and are challenging to industrialize in large series, limiting their flexibility and practicality.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchanger design featuring a bundle of stacked stamped plates with crimped manifolds and gas inlet/outlet boxes that can be easily adapted by adjusting the gas inlet and outlet boxes, allowing for flexible configuration to suit different engine and vehicle architectures, eliminating the need for specialized holding tools during brazing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If heat exchangers are designed with fixed configurations for specific engine architectures, then manufacturing precision and reliability are improved, but adaptability to different vehicle architectures deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger is divided into modular components: a standardized heat exchange bundle and interchangeable gas inlet/outlet boxes. This segmentation allows the same bundle to be paired with different box configurations to suit various engine architectures, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchange bundle is designed as a universal component that can serve multiple vehicle and engine configurations. By standardizing the bundle while varying only the inlet/outlet boxes, the system achieves multi-functionality without increasing overall complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If heat exchangers are customized for specific applications, then adaptability is improved, but ease of manufacture and industrialization deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the heat exchanger into a standardized bundle and interchangeable boxes, the manufacturer can mass-produce the bundle in large series while only customizing the boxes for different applications, thereby maintaining ease of manufacture while achieving flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The standardized heat exchange bundle is pre-manufactured in large quantities with consistent dimensions and connection interfaces. This preliminary standardization enables easy assembly with different inlet/outlet boxes, facilitating both large-series production and application-specific adaptation.
3Manufacturing precision
If specialized holding tools are used for brazing plates, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity and ease of manufacture deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Staples are formed on the peripheral rims of the stamped plates during the stamping process itself, before assembly. This preliminary action eliminates the need for specialized holding tools during brazing, as the staples inherently hold the plates in the correct position, thereby improving ease of manufacture while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The staples on the plate rims serve as self-holding features that automatically maintain plate alignment during assembly and brazing. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for external holding tools, simplifying the manufacturing process while ensuring precise plate positioning.
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
Enables the production of multiple heat exchanger configurations with the same heat exchange bundle, allowing for easy adaptation to various engine and vehicle architectures, enhancing flexibility and simplifying the manufacturing process.
Implementation Method 1
the peripheral edge of each of the stamped plates is arranged to define staples serving for the temporary holding of two plates of the same pair with a view to their connection by brazing
Implementation Method 2
The shouldered rim is advantageously shaped to allow interlocking of the bundle with compression. Under these conditions, it is not necessary to use a holding tool for brazing.
Implementation Method 3
connection by brazing
Implementation Method 4
a heat exchange bundle determining first circulation channels for the circulation of a gas to be cooled and second circulation channels for the circulation of a cooling liquid
Implementation Method 5
heat exchange bundle
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6~7
AI summary
The heat exchanger of the invention comprises a heat-exchange bundle (10) defining first ducts for the circulation of a gas to be cooled and second ducts for the circulation of a cooling fluid, two manifolds (24, 26) respectively assembled on two faces of the bundle into which the first circulation ducts open, and also a gas inlet case (16) and a gas outlet case (18) each having an open face delimited by a peripheral rim held by crimping in a manifold (24, 26). The invention can be applied particularly to charge air coolers for motor vehicles.