Segmented Heat Exchanger Header for Pressure-Resistant Tube Joints
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat exchangers using aluminum members with an Ω-shaped cross section experience stress concentration at the joint portions between the multi-hole heat transfer tubes and the header, leading to reduced pressure resistance strength.
Innovation Solution
The heat exchanger design incorporates a second member with larger openings to alleviate stress concentration at the joint portions, comprising a first member with an Ω-shaped cross section, a second reinforcing member with wider openings, and a third stiffening plate member, all joined to form a header that distributes refrigerant flow effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a conventional aluminum member with an Ω-shaped cross section is used as the header, then the heat exchanger structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but stress concentration occurs at the joint portions between the multi-hole heat transfer tubes and the header, reducing pressure resistance strength
Solution Approach 1:
The header is divided into multiple members (first member with Ω-shaped cross section, second member with larger openings, and third member with largest openings) that are joined together. This segmentation allows each member to have optimized functions: the first member provides structural simplicity and ease of manufacture, while the second and third members provide stress distribution and pressure resistance strength at the joint portions.
Solution Approach 2:
The header uses a composite structure of multiple members with different geometric properties. The combination of the Ω-shaped first member and the members with larger openings creates a composite structure that balances ease of manufacture with high pressure resistance strength, resolving the contradiction between these two parameters.
2Strength
If the header opening size is increased to reduce stress concentration, then the pressure resistance strength improves, but the structural complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of making the entire header complex with uniformly large openings, the header is segmented into members with different opening sizes. The second member has larger openings than the first member, and the third member has the largest openings, creating a progressive structure that reduces stress concentration only where needed at the joint portions while keeping other areas simpler.
Solution Approach 2:
The members with larger openings are positioned specifically at the joint portions where stress concentration occurs. This local quality approach applies the complexity of larger openings only where it is needed for stress distribution, rather than throughout the entire header structure, thus improving pressure resistance without excessive overall complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A heat exchanger, includes: a header that extends in a header extension direction and through which refrigerant flows inside; and multi-hole heat transfer tubes inserted into the header in a heat transfer tube insertion direction intersecting the header extension direction. Each of the multi-hole heat transfer tubes: has a flat shape in which a width in a heat transfer tube width direction intersecting the header extension direction is greater than a height in the header extension direction at a portion inserted into the header, and includes holes communicating with an inside of the header.