Stacked Heat Exchanger Pipe Attachment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional stacked heat exchangers require multiple components and have low assembly efficiency due to the need for protruding pipe portions for attaching refrigerant introduction and discharge pipes, leading to increased costs and assembly challenges.
Innovation Solution
A stacked heat exchanger design where the pipe is attached to a passage tube without relying on a protruding pipe portion, using a surface that intersects the longitudinal direction of the pipe to join with the in/out passage tube, allowing the same passage tube configuration at intermediate areas to reduce component count and improve assembly accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If protruding pipe portions are used for attaching refrigerant pipes to passage tubes, then the pipes can be connected, but the number of components increases and assembly efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The passage tube body and the attaching portion are integrated into a single component. The attaching portion is formed as an integral part of the passage tube body through processes like extrusion or injection molding, eliminating the need for separate protruding pipe portions and reducing the total component count while maintaining connection functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The passage tube body simultaneously serves as both the fluid passage component and the attaching portion for refrigerant pipes. By forming the attaching portion integrally with the tube body, the same component performs multiple functions: defining the fluid passage and providing the connection interface for pipe attachment.
2Manufacturing precision
If protruding pipe portions are used for pipe attachment, then connections can be made, but pipe inclination occurs and assembly accuracy decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the attaching portion with the passage tube body into a single integral structure, the connection interface is precisely positioned relative to the tube axis. This integration eliminates the misalignment and inclination issues that occur with separate protruding pipe portions, as the attaching portion's position and orientation are determined during the tube forming process itself.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple components are used in the stacked heat exchanger, then functionality can be achieved, but production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The passage tube body and attaching portion are combined into a single molded component, reducing the total number of parts that need to be manufactured, inventoried, and assembled. This integration lowers production costs by simplifying the supply chain and reducing assembly operations while preserving all necessary functional capabilities of the heat exchanger system.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated passage tube body performs multiple functions simultaneously: it provides the fluid passage for heat exchange and serves as the mounting structure for refrigerant pipe connections. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate specialized components, reducing overall system complexity and production costs while maintaining full functionality.
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 design reduces the number of components, enhances assembly accuracy by minimizing pipe inclination, and increases the strength of the in/out passage tube through a reinforcing plate, ensuring secure and airtight connections.
Implementation Method 1
a passage being defined in the passage tube for a heat medium to exchange heat with the heat exchange object
Implementation Method 2
the pipe has a surface at one end in a longitudinal direction of the pipe, and the surface intersects the longitudinal direction of the pipe and is joined to the in/out passage tube
Data Source
AI summary
A stacked heat exchanger includes: passage tubes stacked with each other to support a heat exchange object, a passage being defined in the passage tube for a heat medium to exchange heat with the heat exchange object; and a pipe connected to one of the passage tubes located at one end in a stacking direction of the plurality of passage tubes. Each of the passage tubes has a protruding pipe portion protruding in the stacking direction and communicating with the adjacent passage tube in the stacking direction. The one of the passage tubes located at the one end in the stacking direction is an in/out passage tube. The pipe has a surface at one end in a longitudinal direction of the pipe, and the surface intersects the longitudinal direction of the pipe and is joined to the in/out passage tube.