Heat exchanger and flat tubes

Abstract

A heat exchanger including a plurality of longitudinal flat tubes stacked together with space between the broad sides of adjacent tubes, and inlet and outlet collecting tanks. The inlet collecting tank distributes a first medium into the tubes, and has a wall extending around the periphery of one end the stack of flat tubes over a selected longitudinal section, the wall having at least one of an inlet and outlet for a second medium distributed in the space between the stacked tubes. The outlet collecting tank receives the first medium from the tubes. Longitudinal internal inserts in the flat tubes are metallically connected to the broad sides of the associated flat tube. At least one row of cutouts is between the longitudinal ends of the internal inserts and in the selected longitudinal section, with the row of cutouts extending substantially across the broad width of the insert.

1 . A heat exchanger, comprising: 
 a plurality of longitudinal flat tubes stacked togetherwith space between the broad sides of adjacent tubes;    an inlet collecting tank distributing a first medium into said tubes, said inlet collecting tank having a wall extending around the periphery of one end said stack of flat tubes over a selected longitudinal section, said wall having at least one of an inlet and outlet for a second medium distributed in said space between said stacked tubes;    an outlet collecting tank receiving said first medium from said tubes;    longitudinal internal inserts in the flat tubes, each internal insert being metallically connected to the broad sides of the associated flat tube; and    at least one row of cutouts between the longitudinal ends of said internal inserts and in said selected longitudinal section, said row of cutouts extending substantially across the broad width of the insert.    
   
   
       2 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the internal insert is a sheet corrugated in the longitudinal and transverse directions and said at least one row of cutouts includes at least two rows of cutouts with a connecting insert portion between said rows of cutouts.  
   
   
       3 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2 , wherein the corrugated sheet includes wave flanks, and said connection insert portion is in said wave flanks.  
   
   
       4 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2 , wherein said rows of cutouts extend no more than one third (⅓) of the total length of the internal insert and the remaining length of the internal insert has substantially no cutouts.  
   
   
       5 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2 , wherein the size and shape of the cutouts and the connecting insert portion is variable.  
   
   
       6 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2 , further comprising a row of end cutouts open on the end of the internal insert in said selected longitudinal section, and an end connecting insert portion between said row of end cutouts and an adjacent row of cutouts.  
   
   
       7 . The heat exchanger of  claim 6 , wherein said internal insert includes fingers in the crests and valleys of the corrugated sheet adjacent opposite sides of said end cutouts, and said fingers are soldered on the inside wall of the associated flat tube.  
   
   
       8 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one row of cutouts includes at least two rows of cutouts with a connecting insert portion between said rows of cutouts, and further comprising at least one rupture site in said connecting insert portion.  
   
   
       9 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein said tubes comprise two flat tube halves connected on their longitudinal edges.  
   
   
       10 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , further comprising outwardly projecting embossings on the broad sides of said tubes, said embossings defining said space between the broad sides of adjacent tubes in said stack of tubes.  
   
   
       11 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein said collecting tank wall has deformations adapted to stabilize said tank while providing elasticity during alternating temperature loads.  
   
   
       12 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein said selected longitudinal section is bounded by first and second connection planes at one end of the stack of tubes, and said one inlet or outlet for the second medium is in said collecting tank wall between said two planes.  
   
   
       13 . The heat exchanger of  claim 12 , further comprising a tube plate connected to said collecting tank wall at said first connection plane, said tube plate having connectors for the ends of the stack of flat tubes.  
   
   
       14 . The heat exchanger of  claim 12 , further comprising an intermediate plate having the peripheral contour of the stack of flat tubes and connected to wall in the first connection plane.  
   
   
       15 . The heat exchanger of  claim 12 , wherein said second connection plane is defined by a contour cut in the collecting tank wall and matching the peripheral contour of the stack of flat tubes.  
   
   
       16 . The heat exchanger of  claim 12 , wherein said contour cut in the collecting tank wall has 
 slits matching an end flange on said flat tubes, and    protrusions closing furrows at the space between adjacent flat tubes.    
   
   
       17 . The heat exchanger of  claim 12 , wherein the broad sides of the heat exchanger tubes include protrusions in the region of the first connection plane to divide the flow of the second medium in the space between adjacent tubes.  
   
   
       18 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein said inlet collecting tank includes a diffuser for said first medium, and one of an inlet and outlet for said second medium is in said selected longitudinal section.  
   
   
       19 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is an exhaust heat exchanger cooled with liquid in the exhaust gas recirculation system of vehicles.  
   
   
       20 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the heat.exchanger is a charge air cooler.  
   
   
       21 . A tube for use with a heat exchanger with said tube including an end section connectable to a wall of at least one collecting tank, comprising: 
 a longitudinal flat tube with broad sides; and    a longitudinal internal insert metallically connected to the tube broad sides and including at least one row of cutouts between the longitudinal ends of said internal insert in said end and extending substantially across the broad width of the insert.    
   
   
       22 . The tube of  claim 21 , wherein the internal insert is corrugated and said at least one row of cutouts includes at least two rows of cutouts with a connecting insert portion between said rows of cutouts.  
   
   
       23 . The tube of  claim 22 , wherein the corrugated internal insert has wave flanks extending between opposite broad sides of the tube, and said connecting insert portion is primarily in said wave flanks.  
   
   
       24 . The tube of  claim 22 , wherein said rows of cutouts extend over no more than one third (⅓) of the total length of the internal insert.