HEAT EXCHANGER

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a heat exchanger in which two heat exchange parts are integrated.

BACKGROUND ART

In general, a heat exchanger refers to a device installed in a particular flow path and configured to perform heat exchange by allowing a heat exchange medium, which circulates in the flow path, to absorb heat of outside air or dissipate heat from the heat exchange medium.

The heat exchangers are variously manufactured depending on purpose of use and the use thereof, such as condensers and evaporators that use refrigerants as heat exchange media, radiators and heater cores that use coolants as heat exchange media, and oil coolers that use oil as heat exchange media to cool oil flowing in an engine, a transmission, or the like.

Further, recently, with the increasing global interest in the worldwide environment and energy in vehicle industries, research has been conducted to improve fuel economy, and research has been continuously conducted to reduce the weight and size and improve the functionality in order to meet the needs of various consumers.

However, in case that a plurality of heat exchangers for a vehicle is separately manufactured and installed, the number of manufacturing processes increases, which degrades productivity. Further, a significantly large number of materials are wasted, which increases costs and makes it difficult to ensure a space in which the heat exchangers are mounted. Therefore, various technologies for integrating a plurality of heat exchangers have been developed and used to solve the above-mentioned problems.

As the related art related to the technology, Korean Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-2007-0081635 discloses an integrated heat exchanger, and FIG. 1 is a view illustrating an integrated heat exchanger in the related art.

As illustrated, the integrated heat exchanger in the related art includes a first core part 10 including a plurality of first tubes 11 in which a first fluid flows, first heat radiating fins 12 interposed between the first tubes 11, and a first header 13 to which two opposite ends of each of the first tubes 11 are coupled, a second core part 20 including a plurality of second tube 21 in which a second fluid flows, second heat radiating fins 22 interposed between the second tubes 21, and a second header 23 to which two opposite ends of each of the and the second tubes 21 are coupled, a single tank 30 simultaneously coupled to the first and second headers 12 and 22 of the first and second core parts 10 and 20 arranged in an upward/downward direction, the single tank 30 being configured to define spaces in which the first and second fluids flow, and one or more baffles 60 installed in the tank 30 and configured to separate the first and second fluids. The integrated heat exchanger in the related art described above is configured such that the baffle 60 partitions the inside of the single tank 30 to simultaneously cool the two types of heat exchange media.

However, in this case, in the integrated heat exchanger, because the two types of heat exchange media with different temperatures circulate in the single tank partitioned by the baffle 60, the tubes, the headers, and the tank are deformed by a difference in thermal expansion between the tubes 21 and 22 and the tank 60 caused by a temperature difference, which may cause a leak of the heat exchange medium. In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the pair of baffles 60, which is disposed to be spaced apart from each other, is installed in the tank 30, and a heat blocking slot 31 is formed between the pair of baffles 60 to reduce heat transfer of the two types of heat exchange media through the tank 30. However, because the integrated heat exchanger is repeatedly heated and cooled, stress is difficult to sufficiently absorb at a portion where the two heat exchange parts adjoin each other, which still causes a problem of the occurrence of a leak of the heat exchange medium.

DOCUMENT OF RELATED ART

Patent Document

KR 10-2007-0081635 A (Aug. 17, 2007)

DISCLOSURE

Technical Problem

The present invention has been made in an effort to solve the above-mentioned problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a heat exchanger that is an integrated heat exchanger, in which two heat exchange parts are integrated, and thermal stress, which is generated between the two heat exchange parts by a temperature difference, is reduced, which may prevent a heat exchange medium from leaking between the two heat exchange parts.

Technical Solution

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a heat exchanger including: a pair of header tanks disposed to be spaced apart from one another, and a plurality of tubes each having two opposite ends connected to the pair of header tanks, in which the pair of header tanks each includes: a header including a plurality of bent tabs spaced apart from one another along a periphery of the header, the header having a plurality of groove portions formed between the plurality of bent tabs and concavely recessed from an end of the header; and a tank having a lower end inserted into the header and coupled as the bent tabs are bent inward, the tank being coupled to the header to define a flow space for a heat exchange medium, and in which first groove portions, which have a larger depth than the groove portion, are formed in the header of each of the pair of header tanks.

In addition, the heat exchanger may further include: one or more baffles coupled to any one of or both the header and the tank and configured to partition an internal space, in which the first groove portion is formed in the header of each of the pair of header tanks and positioned at a position corresponding to the baffle in a longitudinal direction.

In addition, one side and the other side of the header tank may be separated by the baffle, and heat exchange media, which flow at one side and the other side separated from each other, may have different temperatures.

In addition, the baffles may be provided as a pair of baffles spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction, and the first groove portion may be positioned between the pair of baffles in the longitudinal direction.

In addition, the first groove portions may be formed at positions corresponding to two opposite widthwise sides of the header.

In addition, second groove portions may be formed in the header of each of the pair of header tanks and spaced apart from one side or two opposite sides of the first groove portion in a longitudinal direction, and the second groove portion may have a larger depth than the groove portions.

In addition, a depth of the second groove portion may be equal to a depth of the first groove portion.

In addition, third groove portions may be formed in the header of each of the pair of header tanks and spaced apart from one side or two opposite sides of the first groove portion in a longitudinal direction, the third groove portion may have a larger depth than the groove portions, and the first groove portion may have a larger depth than the third groove portion.

In addition, the heat exchanger may further include: a dummy tube disposed between the tubes and having two opposite ends connected to the pair of header tanks, the dummy tube being connected between the pair of baffles.

In addition, the dummy tube may be formed so that no heat exchange medium flows in the dummy tube, and the dummy tube may have the same shape as the tube.

In addition, the first groove portion may be positioned between the tubes adjacent to two opposite sides of the dummy tube.

In addition, the first groove portion may be formed at a position corresponding to a position of the dummy tube.

In addition, the heat exchanger may further include: gaskets formed in a shape corresponding to the header, the tank, and the pair of baffles, and the gaskets being tightly attached and interposed between the header and the tank and between the pair of baffles and the header.

In addition, a gasket seating groove may be formed in a rim portion of the header, the gasket may be inserted into the gasket seating groove, a coupling part protruding outward may be formed at a lower end of the tank, the coupling part may be inserted into the gasket seating groove of the header, and the gasket may be pushed and tightly attached between the gasket seating groove and the coupling part.

In addition, the gasket may include: a peripheral portion formed in a shape corresponding to a gasket seating groove of the header; and a pair of bridges each having two opposite ends connected to two opposite widthwise sides of the peripheral portion, the pair of bridges being disposed to be spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction so as to correspond to positions of the pair of baffles, the peripheral portion may be inserted into a gasket seating groove, and the pair of bridges may be pushed and tightly attached between the pair of baffles and the header.

In addition, the first groove portion may be positioned between the pair of bridges in the longitudinal direction.

In addition, when a line made by extending ends of concave troughs of the groove portions is defined as a groove portion reference line, the groove portion reference line may be farther from a bottom surface of the header than a contact surface between the tank and the gasket.

When a line made by extending ends of concave troughs of the first groove portions is defined as a first groove portion reference line, the first groove portion reference line may be positioned to be closer to a bottom surface of the header than a contact surface between the tank and the gasket.

In addition, third groove portions may be formed in the header of each of the pair of header tanks and spaced apart from one side or two opposite sides of the first groove portion in the longitudinal direction, the third groove portion may have a larger depth than the groove portions, the first groove portion may have a larger depth than the third groove portion, and when a line made by extending ends of concave troughs of the third groove portions is defined as a third groove portion reference line, the third groove portion reference line may be positioned to be farther from a bottom surface of the header than a contact surface between the tank and the gasket or positioned on the same line as the contact surface.

Advantageous Effects

The heat exchanger of the present invention is an integrated heat exchanger in which two heat exchange parts are integrally provided. The integrated heat exchanger may be configured to easily allow thermal deformation caused by a temperature difference between the two heat exchange parts, thereby reducing thermal stress and preventing a leak of the heat exchange medium between the two heat exchange parts.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating an integrated heat exchanger in the related art.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are an assembled perspective view and an exploded perspective view illustrating a heat exchanger according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a portion of a first header tank of the heat exchanger according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are a perspective view and a front view illustrating a part of a header of a heat exchanger according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 7 and 8 are a perspective view and a front view illustrating a part of a header of a heat exchanger according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 9 and 10 are a perspective view and a front view illustrating a header of a heat exchanger according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

MODE FOR INVENTION

Hereinafter, a heat exchanger of the present invention configured as described above will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are an assembled perspective view and an exploded perspective view illustrating a heat exchanger according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a portion of a first header tank of the heat exchanger according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 5 and 6 are a perspective view and a front view illustrating a part of a header of a heat exchanger according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

As illustrated, the heat exchanger according to the embodiment of the present invention may broadly include a pair of header tanks 100 and 200 and a plurality of tubes 300 and further include a plurality of fins. Further, the pair of header tanks may include a first header tank 100 and a second header tank 200. The first header tank 100 and the second header tank 200 may each include a header, a tank, and a baffle. The header may have a plurality of groove portions and a plurality of first groove portions. The pair of header tanks 100 and 200 may each further include gaskets 120 and 220.

The first header tank 100 and the second header tank 200 may be disposed in parallel with each other and spaced apart from each other at a predetermined distance in an upward/downward direction. The two opposite ends of each of the plurality of tubes 300 may be inserted and coupled into the header of the first header tank 100 and the header of the second header tank 200. The first header tank 100 and the second header tank 200 are each a portion that provides a space in which a heat exchange medium is stored and flows. The plurality of tubes 300 are each a portion that defines a flow path for the heat exchange medium. Further, the header tanks 100 and 200 are configured by coupling headers 130 and 230 and tanks 110 and 210. The gaskets 120 and 220 may be interposed and coupled between the portions where the headers and the tanks are coupled, thereby preventing a leak of the heat exchange medium. In addition, the pair of header tanks may each have an inlet pipe through which the heat exchange medium is introduced, and an outlet pipe through which the heat exchange medium is discharged.

The plurality of tubes 300 may each have one end connected to the header 130 of the first header tank 100, and the other end connected to the header 230 of the second header tank 200. Further, the plurality of tubes 300 may be disposed in parallel with each other and spaced apart from each other at a predetermined distance. The tube 300 defines a heat exchange medium flow path as two opposite ends of the tube 300 are inserted into tube insertion holes, which are formed in the headers 130 and 230, and then fixed by brazing or the like. The tube 300 is a portion where the heat exchange medium performs heat exchange while passing through the tube 300. In this case, the headers 130 and 230 may have a plurality of tube insertion holes into which ends of the tubes 300 may be inserted. The plurality of tubes 300 may be disposed in parallel with one another and spaced apart from one another in a longitudinal direction.

The fins 400 may be interposed between the tubes 300. The fins 400 may be coupled to the tubes 300 by brazing or the like performed in a state in which the fins 400 are disposed to adjoin the tubes 300. The fins 400 may be formed in a corrugated shape or the like and serve to improve heat exchange efficiency by increasing a heat radiation area of the heat exchange medium passing through the tubes 300.

Further, the first header tank 100 and the second header tank 200 according to the present invention may respectively include the headers 130 and 230, the gaskets 120 and 220, the tanks 110 and 210, and the pair of baffles 111 and 211. In this case, the first header tank 100 and the second header tank 200 may be disposed so that the headers 130 and 230 face each other. The first header tank 100 and the second header tank 200 may be structured to be symmetric, except for detailed shapes. Hereinafter, a detailed structure of the first header tank 100 will be described as an example.

The tank 110 is a portion coupled to the header 130 and configured to define a space in which the heat exchange medium may be stored and flow. The tank 110 may be provided in the form of a concave container opened at one side thereof. The tank 110 may have a coupling part 112 provided along a periphery of an opened end thereof. The coupling part 112 may be inserted into a gasket seating groove 136 of the header 130.

The gasket seating groove 136 may be formed in a rim portion of the header 130 so that the gasket 120 may be inserted and disposed in the gasket seating groove 136. The gasket seating groove 136 may be concavely formed along the entire periphery of the header 130. Further, the header 130 may have tube insertion holes into which the tubes 300 may be inserted. In addition, the header 130 may have a plurality of groove portions 131 formed concavely and spaced apart from one another along a periphery of an end of an outer periphery of the gasket seating groove 136. Therefore, portions between the groove portions 131 may be formed as bent tabs 132. The bent tabs 132 may be bent inward to fix the coupling part 112 of the tank 110.

The gasket 120 may have a peripheral portion 121 corresponding in shape to the gasket seating groove 136 formed in the header 130. Further, a pair of bridges 122 may be connected to two opposite widthwise sides of the peripheral portion 121 of the gasket 120. The pair of bridges 122 may be disposed to be spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, the peripheral portion 121 of the gasket 120 may be inserted and disposed into the gasket seating groove 136 of the header 130. The bridges 122 are respectively disposed at two opposite sides based on one tube insertion hole formed in the header 130, and the bridges 122 may be disposed between the tube insertion holes. In this case, the bridges 122 are placed on upper surfaces of the header 130.

The baffles 111 may be formed inside the tank 110 to partition an internal space of the tank 110. The baffles 111 may be formed at positions corresponding to the bridges 122 of the gasket 120. That is, the baffles 111 may be provided as a pair of baffles 111 disposed to be spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction. Further, the positions of the pair of baffles 111 formed on the first header tank 100 and the positions of the pair of baffles 211 formed on the second header tank 200 may be identical to one another in the longitudinal direction.

Therefore, the coupling part 112 of the tank 110 may be inserted and coupled into the gasket seating groove 136 of the header 130 in the state in which the gasket 120 is coupled to the header 130. The header 130, the tank 110, and the gasket 120 may be coupled by bending, toward the tank 110, the bent tabs 132, which extend upward from an outer portion of the gasket seating groove 136, in a state in which the header 130 and the tank 110 are pressed. In this case, the gasket 120 may be coupled in a state in which the peripheral portion 121 of the gasket 120 is tightly attached by being pushed by the header 130 and the tank 110 and the bridges 122 of the gasket 120 are tightly attached by being pushed by the header 130 and the baffles 111.

Therefore, the internal spaces of the first and second header tanks 100 and 200 may be partitioned by the pair of baffles 111 and 211. Based on the positions at which the pair of baffles 111 and 211 is provided, a first heat exchange part 1001 may be provided at a left side based on the longitudinal direction, and a second heat exchange part 1002 may be provided at a right side based on the longitudinal direction. Further, the first heat exchange part 1001 and the second heat exchange part 1002 may respectively have inlet pipes and outlet pipes, such that different heat exchange media may flow in the first heat exchange part 1001 and the second heat exchange part 1002. In addition, the heat exchange medium may be a coolant. The heat exchanger of the present invention may be an integrated radiator in which a low-temperature heat exchange medium and a high-temperature heat exchange medium, which have different temperatures, may flow at one side and the other side partitioned by the baffles.

In this case, first groove portions 133, which each have a larger depth than the groove portions 131, may be formed in the headers 130 and 230 of the first and second header tanks 100 and 200 and provided at positions corresponding to the portion between the pair of baffles 111 and 211 in the longitudinal direction. The first header tank 100 will be described as an example. The portion between the pair of baffles 111 in the longitudinal direction is a portion where the first heat exchange part 1001 and the second heat exchange part 1002 meet together. In this portion, the header is thermally deformed because the amounts of changes in the lengths of the tubes 300 of the two heat exchange parts varying depending on thermal expansion are different from each other because of a temperature difference between the two heat exchange parts. In this case, the present invention provides a structure in which the first groove portions 133 formed in the header 130 easily allow the thermal deformation of the header 130, which may reduce thermal stress, which occurs on the header 130 and the portion where the tube 300 is coupled to the header 130, at the portion of the header tank between the first heat exchange part 1001 and the second heat exchange part 1002. Therefore, it is possible to prevent damage to the header and the coupling part between the header and the tube caused by thermal stress generated by a temperature difference between the two heat exchange parts. Therefore, it is possible to improve the reliability of the integrated heat exchanger.

In addition, the heat exchanger of the present invention may further include a dummy tube 310. The dummy tube 310 may be disposed at a position between the pair of baffles 111 and 211 in the longitudinal direction. Like the tubes 300, the dummy tube 310 may be coupled as two opposite ends thereof are connected to the first header tank 100 and the second header tank 200. In this case, the dummy tube 310 may have an empty interior in which no heat exchange medium flows. The dummy tube 310 may serve to block heat transfer between the first heat exchange part 1001 and the second heat exchange part 1002. Further, for example, the dummy tube 310 may be formed in the same shape as the tubes 300, such that the tube 300 and the dummy tube 310 may be easily used interchangeably. In addition, the first groove portions 133 may be formed at the positions between the tubes 300 adjacent to two opposite sides of the dummy tube 310. Particularly, the first groove portions 133 may be formed at the positions corresponding to the dummy tube 310 in the longitudinal direction.

In addition, the first groove portions 133 may be formed at the positions corresponding to the two opposite widthwise sides of the header 130 to enable the header 130 to more easily allow the thermal deformation.

FIGS. 7 and 8 are a perspective view and a front view illustrating a part of a header of a heat exchanger according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

As illustrated, the heat exchanger according to the second embodiment of the present invention may further include second groove portions 134 formed in the header of each of the pair of header tanks 100 and 200. For example, the second groove portions 134 may be formed in the header 130 of the first header tank 100 and spaced apart from one side or two opposite sides of the first groove portions 133 in the longitudinal direction. The second groove portion 134 may have a larger depth than the groove portions 131. That is, the second groove portion 134 is additionally formed adjacent to the first groove portion 133. In this case, the second groove portion 134 may have the same depth as the first groove portion 133.

Therefore, the thermal deformation may be allowed (thermal stress may be decreased) by being dispersed outward in the longitudinal direction based on the portion where the first groove portion 133 is formed. Therefore, it is possible to more effectively prevent damage to the header and the portion where the header and the tube are coupled.

FIGS. 9 and 10 are a perspective view and a front view illustrating a header of a heat exchanger according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

As illustrated, the pair of header tanks 100 and 200 of the heat exchanger according to the third embodiment of the present invention may further include third groove portions 135 formed in the headers. For example, the third groove portions 135 may be formed in the header 130 of the first header tank 100 and spaced apart from one side or two opposite sides of the first groove portions 133 in the longitudinal direction. The third groove portion 135 may have a larger depth than the groove portions 131. That is, the third groove portion 135 is additionally formed adjacent to the first groove portion 133. In this case, the third groove portion 135 may have a smaller depth than the first groove portion 133. In other words, the groove portions may be disposed in the longitudinal direction outward from the first groove portion 133 so that the first groove portion 133 may have the largest depth, the third groove portion 135 may have a small depth, and the groove portion 131 may have a smaller depth than the third groove portion 135.

Therefore, the thermal deformation may be allowed (thermal stress may be decreased) in a stepwise manner by being dispersed outward in the longitudinal direction based on the portion where the first groove portion 133 is formed. Therefore, it is possible to more effectively prevent damage to the header and the portion where the header and the tube are coupled.

In addition, the first groove portions 133 may be positioned between the pair of bridges 122 in the longitudinal direction. In addition, when a line made by extending ends of concave troughs of the groove portions 131 is defined as a groove portion reference line, the groove portion reference line may be disposed to be farther from a bottom surface of the header 130 than an extension line L of a contact surface between the tank 110 and the gasket 120. In addition, when a line made by extending ends of concave troughs of the first groove portions 133 is defined as a first groove portion reference line, the first groove portion reference line may be provided to be closer to the bottom surface of the header 130 than the extension line L of the contact surface between the tank 110 and the gasket 120. In addition, when a line made by extending ends of concave troughs of the third groove portions 135 is defined as a third groove portion reference line, the third groove portion reference line may be positioned to be farther from the bottom surface of the header 130 than the extension line L of the contact surface between the tank 110 and the gasket 120 or positioned on the same line as the extension line L. That is, in general, the groove portion 131 may be formed to have a depth through which the gasket 120 is not visible in order to prevent a leak. However, there is no risk of a leak of the heat exchange medium when the first groove portion 133 is disposed at the position adjacent to the dummy tube 310, through which no heat exchange medium flows, even though the gasket 120 is visible. Therefore, the depth of the first groove portion 133 may be increased to that extent. However, the depth of the first groove portion 133 does not necessarily need to be formed so that the gasket 120 is visible. The depth of the first groove portion 133 may be freely set regardless of the gasket 120 and the coupling part 112 of the tank 110.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and the scope of application is diverse. Of course, various modifications and implementations made by any person skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains without departing from the subject matter of the present invention claimed in the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

• • 1001: First heat exchange part, 1002: Second heat exchange part,
  • 100: First header tank, 110: Tank, 111: Baffle,
  • 112: Coupling part, 120: Gasket, 121: Peripheral portion,
  • 122: Bridge, 130: Header, 131: Groove portion,
  • 132: Bent tab, 133: First groove portion, 134: Second groove portion,
  • 135: Third groove portion, 136: Gasket seating groove,
  • 200: Second header tank, 210: Tank, 211: Baffle,
  • 220: Gasket, 221: Peripheral portion, 222: Bridge, 230: Header,
  • 300: Tube, 310: Dummy tube,
  • 400: Fin