Heat exchanger block

• US 6,536,512 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2001
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BEHR GmbH & Company KG (MAHLE-STIFTUNG GmbH)
• Original Assignee: BEHR GmbH & Company KG (MAHLE-STIFTUNG GmbH)
• Inventors: Kern, Josef
• Primary Examiner(s): FLANIGAN, ALLEN J
• Application Number:
  US09/862,445
• Publication Number:
  US 20020029871A1
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 165/164, 165/165, 165/150
• US Class Current: 165/150
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 1/0478 the conduits having a non-circular cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 1/0535 the conduits having a non-circular cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/0085 Evaporators
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 1/42 the means being both outside and inside the tubular element
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 3/022 the means being wires or pins

Abstract

The invention relates to a heat exchanger block having a row of heat exchanger walls (1f, 1g) which are arranged at a distance from one another and define intervening heat-exchange medium flow chambers (1c, 3) for a first and a second heat-exchange medium, and a plurality of spaced thermally conductive rods (2) which extend all the way through the row of heat exchanger walls (1f, 1g) and the intervening heat-exchange medium flow chambers (1c, 3). The heat exchanger walls are formed by flat-tube sections (1) which are arranged at a distance from one another in the direction of the row and the interiors (1c) of which form first heat-exchange medium flow chambers, and the flat-tube interspaces (3) of which form second heat-exchange medium flow chambers.

Claims

1. A heat exchanger block, comprising:

a first row of heat exchanger tubes comprising flat-tube sections including a pair of flat wall sections, said flat-tube sections being arranged at a distance from one another in the direction of the row,

wherein the interiors of the flat-tubes form first heat-exchange medium flow chambers for at least a first heat-exchange medium and the interspaces between the flat-tubes form second heat-exchange medium flow chambers for at least a second heat-exchange medium which is to be brought into heat-exchanging contact with said first heat-exchange medium and

wherein the flat-tube sections which are arranged at a distance from one another in the direction of the row comprise sections of one or more flat tubes which are folded in serpentine form; and

a plurality of thermally conductive rods, extending completely through the flat wall sections of each tube of the first row of heat exchanger tubes, so as to also extend through the intervening second heat-exchange medium flow chambers, the rods extending at a distance from one another in a two-dimensional arrangement.

2. A heat exchanger block as claimed in claim 1, wherein also the flat-tube sections which are arranged at a distance from one another in the direction of the row comprise sections of one or more flat tubes which are folded in serpentine form.

3. A heat exchanger block as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rods are comprised of the same material as the heat exchanger tube walls.

4. A heat exchanger block as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rods are guided through corresponding openings in the heat exchanger tube walls and are fixed in a fluid-tight manner to the respective edge of the openings.

5. The heat exchanger block as claimed in claim 1,

further comprising a second row of heat exchanger tubes comprising flat-tube sections including a pair of flat wall sections, said flat-tubes being arranged at a distance from one another in the direction of the row, wherein the interiors of the flat-tubes form first heat-exchange medium flow chambers for at least a first heat-exchange medium and the interspaces between the flat-tubes form second heat-exchange medium flow chambers for at least a second heat-exchange medium which is to be brought into heat-exchanging contact with said first heat-exchange medium; and

a plurality of thermally conductive rods, extending completely through the flat wall sections of each tube of the second row of heat exchanger tubes, so as to also extend through the intervening second heat-exchange medium flow chambers formed by said second row of tubes, the rods extending at a distance from one another in a two-dimensional arrangement,

wherein the first and second rows of heat exchanger tubes are arranged at a distance from one another and are arranged one behind the other, as seen in the direction of flow of at least one of the heat-exchange media which are to be brought into heat-exchanging contact with one another.

6. A heat exchanger block as claimed in claim 5, wherein the rod arrangements of the first and second rows of heat exchanger tubes differ with regard to at least one of the thickness of the rods used, the arrangement sequence of the rods, and the rod spacings.

7. A heat exchanger block as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rods have a diameter in the range from 0.1 mm to 1.0 mm.

8. A heat exchanger block as claimed in claim 1, further comprising flow-guiding elements between the rods in at least some of the heat-exchange medium flow chambers.

9. A heat exchanger block as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first heat-exchange medium comprises CO₂.

10. A heat exchanger block as claimed in claim 3, wherein the rods and the tubes are comprised of aluminum.

11. In an automotive air-conditioning system, including a compressor and a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger comprising a heat exchanger block as claimed in claim 1.