Heat Exchanger Manifold Collar Thickness Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing heat exchanger headers with collars experience significant pressure drops due to the double thickness of the collar wall, which restricts the coolant flow passage cross-section, especially in condenser-type exchangers where space constraints limit the diameter, leading to inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
The collar wall thickness is reduced by at least 30% relative to the cover wall thickness to increase the fluid passage cross-section, allowing the connecting flange to be crimped onto the cover, thereby minimizing pressure drops while maintaining mechanical strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the collar wall thickness is increased to maintain mechanical strength, then the structural integrity of the header is improved, but the fluid passage cross-section is reduced leading to increased pressure drop
Solution Approach 1:
The collar wall thickness is made different from the cover wall thickness, creating a local quality variation. The collar has reduced thickness specifically at the fluid passage region while the rest of the cover maintains its original thickness for structural strength. This resolves the contradiction by making the structure non-uniform: thinner where fluid flow is needed (reducing pressure drop) and thicker where structural integrity is needed (maintaining strength).
Solution Approach 2:
The cover is segmented into two distinct thickness zones: a thicker portion for structural support and a thinner collar portion for optimized fluid flow. This segmentation allows each zone to fulfill its specific function independently, resolving the contradiction between strength and pressure drop by spatially separating these competing requirements.
2Area of stationary object
If the header width is increased to enlarge the collar hole diameter, then the fluid passage cross-section is improved, but the space constraints in vehicle applications are violated
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the thickness parameter of the collar wall rather than the diameter parameter of the collar hole. By reducing the collar thickness, the effective fluid passage cross-section is increased without needing to increase the collar hole diameter or the overall header width. This allows the heat exchanger to maintain compact dimensions suitable for vehicle applications while still achieving adequate flow passage area.
3Loss of energy
If the collar thickness is reduced to increase fluid passage cross-section, then the pressure drop is reduced, but the mechanical strength of the collar may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The collar is designed with locally reduced thickness only at the portion surrounding the fluid passage, while the rest of the cover maintains full thickness for structural support. This local quality differentiation allows the collar to provide adequate structural strength where needed while minimizing resistance to fluid flow where the passage occurs, thereby reducing pressure drop without compromising overall mechanical strength.
Data Source
AI summary
Header for a heat exchanger and resulting heat exchanger are disclosed. The tubular header is of the type which can receive at least one connecting flange (5, 6) with an internal fluid passage (25), and is composed of: a header plate (8) with a longitudinally open wall, provided with slots intended to receive parallel fluid flow tubes; and a cover (9) which, after assembly, closes a longitudinal opening of said header plate, the wall of this cover having at least one external collar (28) delimiting a hole for the flow of fluid (27), said connecting flange (5, 6) being attached to said cover (9) and being configured in such a way that it can be crimped onto the header (3, 4), thereby bringing the internal passage (25) into fluid communication with the hole (27) in said collar. Advantageously, said collar (28) has a wall thickness (33) which is reduced relative to that of said cover (9) from which the collar extends, thereby maximizing the cross section of said hole (27) for the flow of fluid toward the internal passage (25) of said flange.