Heat Exchanger Sealing via Segmented Longitudinal Grooves
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat exchanger manufacturing processes require complex and costly production tools for different dimensions, leading to increased production time and costs due to the need for separate tools and laborious conversions, as well as limitations in achieving a reliable seal between the coolant box and tube sheet.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchanger design featuring a floor element with non-circular receiving grooves on opposite sides, allowing for a circumferential sealing element to be inserted and guided over the surface, eliminating the need for a circumferential groove and enabling production by the meter, with side projections on the lid element to press the sealing element into place, reducing tool complexity and enabling flexible production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a circumferential groove is provided in the tube sheet for inserting a sealing element, then a reliable seal between the coolant box and tube sheet is achieved, but complex and costly production tools are required for different dimensions
Solution Approach 1:
The circumferential groove is segmented into two separate longitudinal receiving grooves that are open at the ends, allowing the sealing element to be inserted in sections rather than as a complete circumferential ring, thereby simplifying the production tooling required
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of providing a closed circumferential groove and inserting a sealing ring from within, the invention uses open longitudinal receiving grooves where the sealing element is inserted from the ends and guided over the surface, inverting the traditional sealing approach
2Manufacturing precision
If separate stamping tools or family tools are created for each tube sheet dimension, then precise manufacturing is achieved, but laborious conversions and increased production time are required
Solution Approach 1:
The base element is designed with universal features (two longitudinal receiving grooves open at ends) that can accommodate sealing elements of different lengths, allowing a single production approach to serve multiple dimensions without requiring tool conversions
3Reliability
If a circumferential floor gutter is used for sealing, then sealing is achieved, but a production-related minimum distance from the side part or tube to the floor gutter must be provided
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous circumferential sealing approach is segmented into two separate longitudinal receiving grooves that can be positioned independently, eliminating the need for a minimum distance constraint and allowing flexible positioning near the ends of the base element
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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AI summary
The heat exchanger (100) has a base unit (110) that comprises two spaced separate, particularly non-circular, longitudinal receiving grooves (120) that are arranged on two opposite sides of the base unit. A cover element (150) has longitudinally running side projections (160) at the two opposite sides, where side projections extends along a receiving grooves into the receiving grooves. An independent claim is also included for a method for manufacturing heat exchanger.