HEAT EXCHANGER AND SHEET FOR THE EXCHANGER

• US 20130092360A1
• Filed: 03/28/2011
• Published: 04/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo Systemes Thermiques (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Systemes Thermiques (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Bauerheim, Alain, Day, Alan, Vallee, Nicolas, Schild, Olivier
• Granted Patent: US 9,797,663 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/166
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/0082 Charged air coolers cooling of air intake supply F02B29/04
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 9/0043 the plates having openings therein for circulation of at least one heat-exchange medium from one conduit to another
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 9/0056 with U-flow or serpentine-flow inside conduits; with centrally arranged openings on the plates
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2265/26 for allowing differential expansion between elements floating header box elements F28F9/0236
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2275/04 by brazing brazing heat exchangers B23K1/0012
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 3/08 Elements constructed for building-up into stacks, e.g. capable of being taken apart for cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24777 Edge feature

Abstract

The invention relates to a heat exchanger comprising a casing (2) inside which is housed, and fastened by brazing, a heat exchange assembly (3) comprising a stack of heat exchange plates, each plate (4) having at least one edge (14) for brazing to the casing (2). The heat exchanger is characterized by the fact that it includes means, called unfastening means (20, 21, 22, 23), designed to prevent the casing from being brazed to at least a portion of the edge (14) of at least one end plate (4E) of the stack (3). By virtue of the invention, the heat exchanger is more flexible and absorbs thermal stresses better.

Claims

1. A heat exchanger comprising:

a casing inside which is housed and attached by brazing a heat-exchange cluster comprising a stack of heat-exchange sheets, each sheet comprising at least one edge for brazing to the casing; and

separation means for preventing the brazing onto the casing of at least one portion of an edge of at least one end sheet of the stack.

2. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the separation means are arranged along the whole edge of said at least one end sheet.

3. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 2, comprising separation means arranged along at least one portion of the edge of a plurality of end sheets, on one and the same side and/or on two sides of the stack.

4. The heat exchanger as claimed in one claim 1, wherein the separation means comprise a clearance arranged between said edge portion of the at least one end sheet and the casing.

5. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 4, wherein the casing comprises at least one internal groove placed facing said at least one end sheet, said clearance being arranged in said groove.

6. The heat exchanger as claimed claim 1, wherein, the sheets have a length perpendicular to the direction of corresponding edges and to the direction of the stack, resulting in said end sheet having a length that is shorter than lengths of other sheets.

7. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 4, wherein said predetermined clearance is at least equal to 0.1 mm.

8. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the separation means comprise at least one strip of unbrazable material arranged on said casing, the least one strip being oriented towards said cluster of sheets and placed facing said portion of edge of said end sheet.

9. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the edge portion of the sheet lacks brazing material.

10. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sheets comprise, along at least certain edges, attachment means configured to contact the casing for being brazed to the latter, wherein said edge portion of said at least one end sheet lacks such attachment means.

11. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein each sheet of the stack of heat-exchange sheets comprise separation means.

12. A sheet for the heat exchanger of claim 1, the sheet comprising at least one edge for brazing to the casing, and means for separation from the casing of at least one portion of a corresponding edge.