Heat Exchanger Construction

Abstract

An improved heat exchanger having a pair of headers and at least one tube extending between and fluidly connecting the headers. A tubular structure for and defining in part each of the headers. The tubular structure being defined by a pair of body elements and having opposed longitudinal joints defined by overlapping portions of the body elements. One of the body elements overlaps the other of the body elements to define one of the joints and is overlapped by the other of the body elements to define the other of the joints.

1 . An improved heat exchanger, said heat exchanger being of the type including a pair of headers and a plurality of tubes extending between and fluidly connecting the headers, the improvement comprising: a tubular structure for and defining in part each of said headers, the tubular structure being defined by a pair of body elements and having opposed longitudinal joints defined by overlapping portions of the body elements, wherein one of the body elements overlaps the other of the body elements to define one of the joints and is overlapped by the other of the body elements to define the other of the joints. 
     
     
         2 . An improved heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , characterized in that: the one of the body elements has an aperture for each tube; and each tube interfaces with the other of the body elements in a single butt joint. 
     
     
         3 . An improved heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the body elements are channels of arcuate profile with longitudinal edge portions that define the overlapping portions; and measured in the direction by which the longitudinal edge portions of the other of the body elements are spaced-apart from one another, an outer width of each tube is substantially equal to the distance by which said longitudinal edge portions are spaced-apart. 
     
     
         4 . An improved heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 for each header, a pair of caps, each cap having a tab;   wherein each header is defined in part by a tubular structure defined by the body elements, the tubular structure having, for each tab, a notch; and   in the heat exchanger, the caps occlude the ends of the tubular structure, each tab being received by the notch provided therefor.