Insert for heat exchanger
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat exchangers in vehicle air conditioning systems face challenges in efficiently conditioning air for both the front and rear compartments separately, with current solutions failing to effectively restrict air crosstalk between compartments.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a comb-shaped insert for the heat exchanger, featuring resilient blades with a spring portion that can be inserted between tubes, which are designed to be resiliently deformable and frictionally supported, to prevent air leakage while allowing separate conditioning of air for each compartment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rigid insert structure is used to restrict air crosstalk between compartments, then air separation effectiveness is improved, but the insert cannot adapt to manufacturing tolerances and assembly variations
Solution Approach 1:
The insert structure transitions from a rigid configuration to a dynamic one by incorporating spring portions that can elastically deform. This allows the insert to adapt its shape and position in response to manufacturing tolerances and assembly variations while maintaining its air separation function. The spring portions enable the insert to dynamically adjust to different clearance conditions between the heat exchanger components.
Solution Approach 2:
The insert utilizes elastic deformation to change its geometric parameters (shape, position) in response to external conditions. By incorporating spring portions with specific elastic properties, the insert can modify its configuration to accommodate variations in manufacturing tolerances while preserving the air separation effectiveness required for independent compartment conditioning.
2Reliability
If the insert structure is made more complex to improve air separation, then air crosstalk restriction is improved, but manufacturing complexity and assembly difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The insert is divided into multiple spring portions, each independently deformable. This segmentation allows each portion to independently adapt to local clearance variations while collectively maintaining the overall air separation function. The segmented structure reduces the complexity of achieving perfect fit across the entire insert by allowing localized adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The insert incorporates spring portions that function as flexible elements, allowing the structure to bend and deform elastically. This flexibility enables the insert to conform to the actual geometry of the heat exchanger components without requiring complex rigid structures with multiple adjustment mechanisms, thereby simplifying manufacturing and assembly while maintaining air separation effectiveness.
3Adaptability or versatility
If spring portions with large clearance are used to accommodate tolerances, then adaptability is improved, but air leakage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring portions dynamically adjust their position and shape based on the actual clearance conditions. When clearance is large, the spring portions deform to fill the gap; when clearance is small, they maintain minimal deformation. This dynamic adaptation allows the insert to accommodate tolerance variations without creating permanent gaps that would cause air leakage.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring portions are pre-configured with elastic properties that anticipate potential clearance variations. By designing the spring portions with appropriate stiffness and geometry, the structure is prepared in advance to counteract the harmful effect of air leakage that would result from clearance gaps, transforming potential leakage paths into sealed interfaces through elastic deformation.
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 solution effectively restricts air crosstalk between compartments, enabling independent temperature control for the front and rear compartments, enhancing the efficiency of air conditioning in vehicle systems.
Implementation Method 1
At least one of the blades has a spring portion, which is resiliently deformable and configured to be resiliently inserted between two of the tubes
Implementation Method 2
frictionally supported, to prevent air leakage
Data Source
AI summary
An insert is configured to be inserted into a heat exchanger having a plurality of tubes. The insert includes a base and a multiple blades. The blades are extended from the base. At least one of the blades has a spring portion. The spring portion is resiliently deformable and configured to be resiliently inserted between two of the tubes. The spring portion includes two arms. One of the two arms has one thin portion defining one recess dented in one direction in a thickness direction. The other of the two arms has the other thin portion defining the other recess dented in the other direction in the thickness direction. The one thin portion and the other thin portion are resiliently movable in a width direction within a clearance formed by the recesses, while overlapping one another in the thickness direction.