Two-Row Inner Fin Tube Assembly for Precise Header Insertion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat exchanger technologies for vehicle air conditioning and refrigerant type battery heat management face limitations in material selection, leading to corrosion issues and increased weight, with restricted hole configurations and manufacturing complexities, including challenges in drainage and assembly precision.
Innovation Solution
A tube assembly with a two-row structure using inner fin type tubes, featuring a central connection portion with a cut portion acting as a stopper for precise insertion into a header, enhancing drainage and corrosion resistance, and allowing for independent shapes and improved assembly efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If extrusion method is used to manufacture tubes, then manufacturing process is simple, but material selection is limited and high-strength materials cannot be applied
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the manufacturing method from extrusion to laser welding, fundamentally altering the process parameters to enable the use of high-strength materials like aluminum alloys that were previously incompatible with extrusion methods
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical extrusion process with laser welding technology, substituting a mechanical forming system with a thermal processing system that offers greater material compatibility and design flexibility
2Ease of manufacture
If minimum partition wall thickness is maintained for extrusion, then manufacturing is feasible, but number of holes is restricted and weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the extrusion manufacturing system with laser welding, eliminating the constraint of minimum partition wall thickness and enabling thinner walls and reduced weight
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the manufacturing parameters from extrusion constraints to laser welding parameters, allowing for variable wall thicknesses and optimized hole configurations that reduce overall tube weight
3Reliability
If inner fin tube is used to compensate for material limitations, then corrosion resistance improves, but manufacturing process time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the multi-step inner fin tube manufacturing process with direct laser welding of aluminum alloy tubes, significantly reducing manufacturing time while maintaining corrosion resistance through material selection
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes aluminum alloy materials that inherently provide both corrosion resistance and structural integrity, eliminating the need for additional inner fin components and reducing overall manufacturing complexity
4Ease of operation
If tubes are inserted into header without stopper, then assembly is simple, but insertion depth is unknown and deviation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a stopper component as an intermediary element between the tube and header, providing a simple mechanical solution that ensures precise insertion depth without complicating the overall assembly process
Solution Approach 2:
The stopper is pre-installed in the header at the correct position, establishing the precise insertion depth in advance before tube installation, thereby eliminating assembly deviations
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is directed to providing a tube assembly for a heat exchanger or heat management apparatus in which the tube assembly can be integrally assembled using inner fin tubes having a two-row structure and drainage performance and corrosion resistance performance can be improved. The tube assembly for the heat exchanger or heat management apparatus includes a first- and second-row tube including an inner fin type tube respectively, a central connection portion that connects the first-row tube to the second-row tube, and a header in which a first- and a second-row tube hole, into which ends of the first- and the second-row tube are inserted, are arranged, wherein a cut portion formed in the direction opposite to the ends of the first- and the second-row tube inserted into the header is included in the central connection portion.