Partial-Height Fin Packs for Heat Exchanger Bonding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat exchangers face challenges in bonding fin packs to cast plates due to tolerance stackups, where the fin pack either does not fit within the space or does not reach both surfaces, leading to difficulties in manufacturing.
Innovation Solution
The use of partial-height fin packs with a fin height equal to or less than the side wall height, allowing for bonding to both surfaces and maintaining a small gap between them, which facilitates stacking and bonding without tolerance mismatch issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If full-height fin packs are used in conventional heat exchangers, then heat exchange surface area is maximized, but tolerance stackups prevent proper bonding to both surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by using fin packs with height equal to or less than the side wall height of the cast plates, rather than full-height fins. This partial height allows the fin packs to be properly bonded to both upper and lower surfaces of adjacent plates without being prevented by tolerance stackups, while still providing sufficient heat exchange surface area.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies local quality by creating different heights for different parts of the heat exchanger structure. The side walls of cast plates have a specific height (h), and the fin packs are designed with height (f) ≤ h, creating a localized height differentiation that enables proper bonding at the fin pack-plate interfaces while maintaining overall structural integrity.
2Ease of manufacture
If fin packs are made to reach both surfaces, then bonding potential is improved, but tolerance stackups cause the fin pack to either not fit or not reach both surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of attempting to make fin packs reach both surfaces (full action), the patent uses partial-height fin packs that are guaranteed to fit within the available space defined by side wall height h. This partial action approach simplifies manufacturing by eliminating the need for precise tolerance control to achieve full surface contact, while still enabling bonding to both upper and lower plates.
3Device complexity
If conventional folded fins with side bars are used, then flow sealing is achieved, but numerous parts require complex brazing assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the fin pack structure with the cast plates by bonding the fin packs directly to the opposed surfaces of the cast plates, eliminating the need for separate side bars and multiple brazing operations. This consolidation reduces the number of discrete parts and simplifies the assembly process while maintaining flow sealing through the bonded fin pack-plate interfaces.
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
This configuration enables successful bonding of fin packs to both surfaces, ensuring proper heat exchange properties and overcoming the challenges of tolerance stackups in conventional heat exchangers, allowing for efficient stacking and assembly.
Implementation Method 1
a fin pack extending from one opposed surface toward an opposed surface of an adjacent plate
Implementation Method 2
Heat exchangers comprises a plurality of plates having opposed surfaces and side walls extending beyond the opposed surfaces
Implementation Method 3
the fin pack is diffusion bonded or brazed to one of the opposed surfaces
Implementation Method 4
the fin pack is diffusion bonded or brazed to one of the opposed surfaces
Data Source
AI summary
A heat exchanger has a plurality of plates having opposed surfaces and side walls extending beyond the opposed surfaces to a height (h); and a fin pack extending from one opposed surface toward an opposed surface of an adjacent plate, and having a fin height (f), wherein the fin height (f) is equal to or less than the height (h). The plates can be stacked to form a heat exchanger assembly with a gap between adjacent fin packs.