Stacked Plate Heat Exchanger Assembly With Tab-and-Cutout Fixing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for manufacturing stacked plate heat exchangers are complex and costly due to the need for expensive temporary fixing components, such as grooved spring pins, and result in increased manufacturing costs and reduced operability.
Innovation Solution
The use of upwardly bent tab parts and corresponding cutout parts on the plates allows for simple and accurate temporary fixing without the need for additional components, reducing manufacturing complexity and cost by enabling precise fitting and alignment of plates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If expensive temporary fixing components such as grooved spring pins are used, then the plates can be temporarily fixed during manufacturing, but the manufacturing cost increases and the number of parts increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the temporary fixing function from separate components (spring pins, grooves) and integrates it directly into the plate structure through tabs and cutouts. This eliminates the need for additional fixing parts while maintaining reliable temporary fixation during manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The tab and cutout structures merge the plate body with the temporary fixing mechanism. The tab protruding from one plate fits into the cutout of the adjacent plate, combining structural integrity with temporary fixation in a single integrated design.
2Reliability
If expensive temporary fixing components such as grooved spring pins are used, then the plates can be temporarily fixed during manufacturing, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tab and cutout structures use simple, inexpensive metal formations that are integral to the plates themselves. These temporary fixing features require no additional expensive components and can be easily formed during standard manufacturing processes, significantly reducing overall manufacturing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The tab and cutout structures serve multiple functions: they provide temporary fixation during manufacturing, ensure proper plate alignment, and are formed using standard manufacturing processes. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for specialized expensive fixing components.
3Reliability
If welding is used to temporarily fix the outer peripheral part of stacked body, then the plates can be fixed during manufacturing, but the manufacturing process becomes complex and welding marks remain in finished product
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the welding process (thermal/chemical system) with a simple mechanical insertion system. The tab fits into the cutout through direct mechanical engagement, eliminating complex welding procedures and associated quality issues while maintaining reliable temporary fixation.
4Reliability
If welding is used to temporarily fix the outer peripheral part of stacked body, then the plates can be fixed during manufacturing, but welding marks remain in finished product
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical tab-and-cutout system replaces welding entirely, eliminating the harmful byproduct of welding marks on the finished product surface. The mechanical insertion process leaves no visible marks, maintaining aesthetic quality while providing reliable temporary fixation.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
To provide a stacked plate heat exchanger having a structure that can be temporarily fixed by a simple structure in brazing, without using additional expensive parts. A stacked plate heat exchanger includes a top plate 2, a bottom plate 3 and a plurality of inner plates 4, wherein an upwardly bent tab part 10 is formed on at least one of the plates, a cutout part 11 is formed in plates other than the plate on which the tab part 10 is formed, and each plate is stacked and fixed to one another with the tab part 10 and the cutout part 11 in a fitted state.