Heat exchanger and components and methods therefor

Abstract

A method of constructing discrete tubular components ( 10 ) for a heat exchanger ( 50 ) includes providing a tube portion ( 12 ) having substantially flat sides ( 14 ). Additionally, a metal strip is provided which includes a substrate material ( 32 ) and a second material ( 34 ) different than the substrate material forming a layer in the strip. The second material ( 34 ) is provided on only one side of the metal strip. The strip is configured in repeated folds of peaks and troughs to form fin portions ( 16 ). The tube and fin portions are assembled to form an array ( 37 ) of multiple bundles of one of the tube portions with the fin portions ( 16 ) arranged on the substantially flat sides ( 14 ) of the tube portion ( 12 ) and the second material ( 34 ) of the strip facing the tube portion ( 12 ), and one or more spacers ( 38 ) disposed between adjacent bundles. The array ( 37 ) is heated to bond the second material ( 34 ) to the tube portion ( 12 ) in the region of the troughs of the fin portions ( 16 ). The array ( 37 ) is separated into the discrete tubular components with, in each case, fin portions ( 16 ) bonded to the substantially flat sides ( 14 ) of each tube portion ( 12 ) with the peaks of the fin portions being exposed.

1 . A method of constructing discrete tubular components for a heat exchanger, the method including:
 providing a tube portion having substantially flat sides;   providing metal strip which includes a substrate material and a second material different than the substrate material forming a layer on only one side of the metal strip;   configuring the strip in repeated folds of peaks and troughs to form fin portions;   assembling the tubes and fin portions to form an array of multiple bundles of one of the tube portions with fin portions arranged on the substantially flat sides of the tube portion and the second material of the strip facing the tube portion, with one or more spacers disposed between adjacent bundles;   heating the array to bond the second material to the tube portion in the region of the troughs of the fin portions; and   separating the array into the discrete tubular components with, in each case, fin portions bonded to the substantially flat sides of each tube portion with the peaks of the fin portions being exposed.   
     
     
         2 . The method of constructing discrete tubular components as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the tube portions are extruded. 
     
     
         3 . The method of constructing discrete tubular components as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the metal strip is configured in lengths of troughs and peaks which are then cut and subsequently positioned in the array before the array is placed in a brazing furnace to heat the second material. 
     
     
         4 . The method of constructing discrete tubular components as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the heating is to a brazing temperature which exceeds the melting point of the second material and is below the melting point of the tube portion, the substrate material and the spacers. 
     
     
         5 . The method of constructing discrete tubular components as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the tube portion includes heat treatable metal and the method may further comprise a subsequent step of heat treating. 
     
     
         6 . The method of constructing discrete tubular components as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the tube portion is comprised of heat treatable 6-series aluminium alloy. 
     
     
         7 . The method of constructing discrete tubular components as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the tube portion is AL6063. 
     
     
         8 . The method of constructing discrete tubular components as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the substrate of the metal strip is a work-hardenable metal. 
     
     
         9 . The method of constructing discrete tubular components as claimed in  claim 8  wherein the substrate of the metal strip is a 3-series aluminium alloy. 
     
     
         10 . The method of constructing discrete tubular components as claimed in  claim 8  wherein the substrate of the metal strip is AL3003. 
     
     
         11 . The method of constructing discrete tubular components as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the substrate of the metal strip is a heat treatable metal. 
     
     
         12 . The method of constructing discrete tubular components as claimed in  11  wherein the substrate of the metal strip is a 6-series aluminium alloy. 
     
     
         13 . The method of constructing discrete tubular components as claimed in  claim 12  wherein the substrate of the metal strip is AL6063. 
     
     
         14 . The method of constructing discrete tubular components as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the second material is AL 4343. 
     
     
         15 . The method of constructing discrete tubular components as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the spacers are arranged as elongate strips of stainless steel with upstands at each end to accommodate the adjacent fin portion(s) therebetween. 
     
     
         16 . The method of constructing discrete tubular components as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the array is initially arranged as a stacked arrangement of sandwiches of fin, tube and fin portions one atop the other, the sandwiches separated by one or more of the spacers. 
     
     
         17 . The method of constructing discrete tubular components as claimed in  claim 16  wherein the array is held in compression during heating or brazing. 
     
     
         18 . A discrete tubular component when produced by the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         19 . A discrete tubular component for a heat exchanger, the component including:
 a tube portion having substantially flat sides; and   fin portions arranged on the substantially flat sides of the tube portion, each fin portion comprised of metal strip configured in repeated folds of peaks and troughs with one side of the metal strip facing the tube portion, the metal strip being substantially uniformly provided as a substrate material and a second material different to the substrate material, the second material forming a layer in the strip on only on said one side of the metal strip, the second material bonding the fin portion to the tube portion at the region of the troughs,   wherein the peaks of the fin portions on each side of the tube are substantially exposed.   
     
     
         20 . The discrete tubular component as claimed in  claim 19  wherein the tube is extruded. 
     
     
         21 . The discrete tubular component as claimed in  claim 19  wherein there are 2 continuous fin portions extending along respective substantially flat sides of the tube portion. 
     
     
         22 . The discrete tubular component as claimed in  claim 19  wherein the fin portions are dimpled or louvred. 
     
     
         23 . The discrete tubular component as claimed in  claim 19  wherein the metal strip includes work hardenable metal as the substrate. 
     
     
         24 . The discrete tubular component as claimed in  claim 19  wherein the metal strip includes heat treatable metal as the substrate. 
     
     
         25 . The discrete tubular component as claimed in  claim 19  wherein the tube portion comprises heat treatable metal. 
     
     
         26 . The method of forming the discrete tubular component of  claim 19  wherein the strip is configured progressively into peaks and troughs with the second material being progressively melted as the peaks and troughs are formed to bond the metal strip to the tube portion.