IHF Formed Charge-Air Cooler Header Boxes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Heat exchangers for motor vehicles, particularly charge-air coolers, face challenges in withstanding high temperatures and pressures, leading to material failure in plastic header boxes, necessitating costly metallic alternatives like cast aluminum, which are expensive and complex to produce.
Innovation Solution
The use of internal high-pressure forming (IHF) to deform metallic semifinished products into header boxes, avoiding costly permanent mold casting and enabling the production of cost-effective, high-strength components with reduced manufacturing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If plastic air boxes are used, then production costs are low, but they cannot withstand high temperatures and pressures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from plastic to metallic (aluminum or steel) for the air box, enabling it to withstand high temperatures and pressures while maintaining cost-effectiveness through the use of semifinished products and IHF processing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite construction by combining metallic semifinished products with IHF forming technology, creating a hybrid approach that leverages the strength of metals while using cost-effective forming processes
2Reliability
If cast aluminum air boxes are used, then temperature and pressure strength is improved, but production costs and process complexity rise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses semifinished products (pre-formed metallic components) as a preliminary action step, where the basic shape is prepared in advance through extrusion or rolling, and then finished through cost-effective IHF forming, avoiding the need for expensive permanent mold casting
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional permanent mold casting process with internal high-pressure forming (IHF), substituting a complex thermal-forming system with a more economical hydraulic/pneumatic forming system that uses semifinished products
3Reliability
If permanent mold casting is used, then metallic air boxes can be produced, but the process is complicated and cost-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the permanent mold casting system with an internal high-pressure forming system that uses semifinished products, substituting a complex thermal-forming process with a more straightforward hydraulic/pneumatic forming process
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the production method parameter from permanent mold casting to internal high-pressure forming of semifinished products, simplifying the process while maintaining material strength through the use of metallic semifinished products
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 IHF process produces header boxes with enhanced temperature and pressure resistance while significantly lowering production costs, maintaining structural integrity and efficiency in high-temperature applications.
Implementation Method 1
at least part of at least one header box is produced from a semifinished product by means of internal high-pressure forming (IHF)... The parts to be deformed are placed into molds of corresponding contour and are then acted upon from the inside by means of a pressurized liquid in such a manner that the material of the housing is placed against the contour of the die
Implementation Method 2
Heat exchangers, such as, for example, charge-air coolers for motor vehicles... over which ambient air flows
Implementation Method 3
heat exchanger unit which is constructed from flat tubes, corrugated fins and tube bottoms
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a heat exchanger for motor vehicles, especially for utility vehicles. The heat exchanger can include a heat exchanger unit that includes tubes having tube ends and ribs disposed between the tubes, and collecting tanks disposed on both ends and produced by internal high pressure forming for introducing and discharging a medium. The collecting tanks can include bottoms with openings for receiving the tube ends, covers, and inlet and outlet tubes.