Fully-Metal Heat Exchanger And Method For Its Production

Abstract

The invention relates to a fully-metal heat exchanger comprising flat tubes ( 1 ), which have two narrow sides and two wide sides ( 2, 3 ), and comprising fins ( 4 ) which form a block together with the flat tubes, and comprising either at least one tube plate ( 5 ) and one collecting tank ( 6 ), with edges ( 10 ) of the collecting tank ( 6 ) being connected, for example soldered, to edges ( 20 ) of the tube plate ( 5 ), or at least one collecting tank ( 6 ) which contains the tube plate, and having projections ( 11 ) which are arranged at intervals. The invention leads to a heat exchanger which has a small installation space requirement while having comparatively good thermal properties in that, according to the invention, the projections ( 11 ) engage in the ends of the flat tubes ( 1 ) in the region of the narrow sides ( 2 ). The production method according to the invention accordingly provides that the projections ( 11 ) are inserted into the ends of the flat tubes ( 1 ) approximately in the region of the narrow sides ( 2 ).

1 . A fully-metal heat exchanger, comprising:
 a plurality of flat tubes each having two narrow and two wide sides,   fins which, together with the flat tubes, form a core,   a header and a collecting tank connected to the header, and   projections arranged at intervals,   wherein the intervals of the projections correspond to the intervals of the flat tubes, so that the projections engage the narrow sides and extend into the ends of the flat tubes to connect the tubes to at least one of the header and the collecting tank.   
   
   
       2 . The fully-metal heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the flat tubes protrude with their narrow sides beyond the width of the header, and in the protruding region, the projections engage into the ends of the flat tubes. 
   
   
       3 . The fully-metal heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a header width protrudes beyond the narrow sides of the flat tubes, and in the protruding region, the projections engage into the ends of the flat tubes. 
   
   
       4 . The fully-metal heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the projections contact the narrow sides of the flat tubes from the inside, and are soldered there. 
   
   
       5 . The fully-metal heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the projections are arranged at the longitudinal edges of the collecting tank. 
   
   
       6 . The fully-metal heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the header has edges, which are bent in at opposite longitudinal sides, and openings for receiving in each case one flat tube end, and wherein the openings extending into the bent longitudinal edges. 
   
   
       7 . The fully-metal heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the headers have edges bent only at the two longitudinal sides, so that said headers can be produced from one sheet-metal strip of any desired length. 
   
   
       8 . The fully-metal heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the collecting tank has open ends. 
   
   
       9 . The fully-metal heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the heat exchanger has side parts which extend over the length of the flat tubes and close the open ends of the collecting tanks. 
   
   
       10 . The fully-metal heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the projections are arranged on one of the header and a frame adjacent to the header. 
   
   
       11 . The fully-metal heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the projections are formed on an additional part which extends along a wall of the collecting tank and is connected thereto. 
   
   
       12 . The fully-metal heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the header is integrally formed with the collecting tank, and wherein the collecting tank has two walls which are bent away from the header. 
   
   
       13 . The fully-metal heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the receiving openings extend into the walls of the collecting tank. 
   
   
       14 . The fully-metal heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the additional part bears externally approximately flat against the wall of the collecting tank. 
   
   
       15 . The fully-metal heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the additional part is provided with retaining functions for accessories. 
   
   
       16 . The fully-metal heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the additional part is provided with a contour which corresponds to the contour of the wall of the collecting tank. 
   
   
       17 . The fully-metal heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the projections are first projections, with the additional part having second projections between the first projections. 
   
   
       18 . The fully-metal heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the additional part is formed at the end with a hook or the like which is suitable for engaging a side part of the heat exchanger. 
   
   
       19 . The fully-metal heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the projections are contoured to assist their insertion into the ends of the flat tubes. 
   
   
       20 . The fully-metal heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the projections are formed in the manner of incisors. 
   
   
       21 . The fully-metal heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is an air-cooled charge air cooler. 
   
   
       22 . A method for producing a fully-metal heat exchanger, the method comprising the acts of:
 forming a core from a plurality of flat tubes and fins;   connecting headers to the ends of the flat tubes;   connecting edges of the collecting tanks to edges of the headers, and   inserting projections arranged on a component along narrow sides of ends of the flat tubes.   
   
   
       23 . The method as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein the projections extend outwardly from one, of the collecting tank and the header.