Heat exchanger

Abstract

A heat exchanger includes a core portion and at least one substantially straight header plate. The core portion includes a plurality of heat exchanger tubes and fins disposed alternatively. The at least one substantially straight header plate has a plurality of insertion slots extending therethrough for receiving a respective end of the heat exchanger tubes therein, the core portion and the at least one header plate being brazeable together

1 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a core portion including a plurality of heat exchanger tubes and fins disposed alternatively; and   at least one substantially straight header plate having a plurality of insertion slots extending therethrough for receiving a respective end of the heat exchanger tubes therein, the core portion and the at least one header plate being brazeable together.   
   
   
       2 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the distance between external edges of the at least one header plate and the outermost heat exchanger tubes ranges between 1.3 and 3.2 mm. 
   
   
       3 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one header plate has a thickness ranging between 2.0 and 12.7 mm. 
   
   
       4 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising at least one tank cover weldable to the at least one header plate and defining a tank cavity with the at least one header plate when secured thereto, the heat exchanger tubes being in fluid communication with the tank cavity. 
   
   
       5 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the at least one tank cover is welded to an outer surface of the at least one header plate, proximate to external edges thereof. 
   
   
       6 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the at least one tank cover is welded to the brazed core portion and the at least one header plate assembly. 
   
   
       7 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the heat exchanger tubes, the fins, and the at least one header plate includes a clad for brazing the core portion and the at least one header plate together. 
   
   
       8 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one header plate comprises two header plates parallel to each other and wherein the header plates are upwardly extending external edge free. 
   
   
       9 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the header plates are substantially rectangular and have a length ranging between 75 mm and 1020 mm and a width ranging between 12.7 mm and 180 mm. 
   
   
       10 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a core portion including a plurality of heat exchanger tubes;   at least one substantially straight header plate having a plurality of insertion slots defined therein for receiving a respective end of the heat exchanger tubes therein, the core portion and the at least one header plate being brazeable together; and   at least one tank cover securable to the at least one header plate and defining a tank cavity with the at least one header plate when secured thereto, the heat exchanger tubes being in fluid communication with the tank cavity.   
   
   
       11 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the distance between external edges of the at least one header plate and the outermost heat exchanger tubes ranges between 1.3 and 3.2 mm. 
   
   
       12 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the at least one header plate has a thickness ranging between 2.0 and 12.7 mm. 
   
   
       13 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the at least one tank cover is weldable to an outer surface of the at least one header plate, proximate to external edges thereof. 
   
   
       14 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the at least one tank cover is welded to the brazed core portion and the at least one header plate assembly. 
   
   
       15 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the heat exchanger tubes and the at least one header plate includes a clad for brazing the core portion and the at least one header plate together. 
   
   
       16 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the at least one header plate comprises two header plates parallel to each other and wherein the header plates are upwardly extending external edge free, 
   
   
       17 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the core portion comprises fins in alternating succession with the heat exchanger tubes. 
   
   
       18 . A method for manufacturing a heat exchanger comprising:
 inserting a respective end of a plurality of heat exchanger tubes in a respective insertion slot extending through a substantially straight header plate to define a heat exchanger tube and header plate assembly; and   brazing the heat exchanger tube and header plate assembly.   
   
   
       19 . A method as claimed in  claim 18 , further comprising securing a tank cover to the straight header plate for defining a tank cavity, the heat exchanger tubes being in fluid communication with the tank cavity. 
   
   
       20 . A method as claimed in  claim 19 , further comprising welding the tank cover to an outer surface of the header plate, proximate to external edges thereof. 
   
   
       21 . A method as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the securing step is carried out after the brazing step. 
   
   
       22 . A method as claimed in  claim 18 , further comprising disposing corrugated fins between consecutive heat exchanger tubes and wherein the brazing step is carried out on the heat exchanger tube and straight header plate assembly including the corrugated fins. 
   
   
       23 . A method as claimed in  claim 18 , further comprising creating the insertion slots in the header plate wherein the distance between external edges of the header plate and the outermost insertion slots ranges between 1.3 and 3.2 mm. 
   
   
       24 . A heat exchanger header comprising:
 a brazeable substantially straight header plate having an inner surface, an outer surface opposed to the inner surface, a plurality of tube insertion slots extending throughout the header plate and extending in a longitudinal succession; and   a tank cover having peripheral edges secured to the outer surface of the header plate, proximate to external edges of the header plate, and defining a tank cavity with the header plate, the tube insertion slots being in fluid communication with the tank cavity.   
   
   
       25 . A heat exchanger header as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein the distance between the external edges of the header plate and the outermost insertion slots ranges between 1.3 and 3.2 mm. 
   
   
       26 . A heat exchanger header as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein the header plate has a thickness ranging between 2.0 and 12.7 mm. 
   
   
       27 . A heat exchanger header as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein the tank cover is welded to the header plate after the header plate has been brazed. 
   
   
       28 . A heat exchanger header as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein the header plate includes a clad to braze the header plate with a core portion. 
   
   
       29 . A heat exchanger header as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein the header plate is substantially rectangular and has a length ranging between 75 mm and 1020 mm and a width ranging between 12.7 mm and 180 mm.