Heat exchanger for an air conditioner of a motor vehicle and method for producing the same   

Abstract: A heat exchanger for an air conditioner of a motor vehicle is provided. The heat exchanger has at least one pipe for guiding a fluid and air conduction component arranged adjacent to the at least one pipe for conducting an air flow to flow around the at least one pipe. The air conduction component thereby has at least one separating section, which is embodied to separate the air flow into a first partial air flow and a second partial air flow. The at least one separating section is formed by an adhesive applied to the air conduction component, wherein the adhesive contains a volume-increasing component for increasing a volume of the adhesive.

This nonprovisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) to German Patent Application No. DE 10 2011 078 559.0, which was filed in Germany on Jul. 1, 2011, and which is herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a heat exchanger for an air conditioner of a motor vehicle and to a method for producing a heat exchanger for an air conditioner of a motor vehicle.

2. Description of the Background Art

In the production of heat exchangers for air conditioning systems, a structural separation of the air flow can be carried out after a soldering of the components in order to realize a multi-zone temperature controllability. The structural separation can be carried out by means of an adhesive, for example.

DE 600 33 956 T2, which corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 6,552,095, discloses a thermoplastic foam adhesive, in particular for use in a motor vehicle passenger compartment.

SUMMARY

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved heat exchanger for an air conditioner of a motor vehicle and an improved method for producing a heat exchanger for an air conditioner of a motor vehicle.

The present invention provides a heat exchanger for an air conditioner of a motor vehicle, with at least one pipe for guiding a fluid and with air conduction component arranged adjacent to the at least one pipe for conducting an air flow to flow around the at least one pipe, wherein the air conduction component have at least one separating section, which is embodied to separate the air flow into a first partial air flow and a second partial air flow, characterized in that the at least one separating section is formed by an adhesive applied to the air conduction component, wherein the adhesive contains a volume-increasing component for increasing a volume of the adhesive.

The motor vehicle can be a vehicle for passenger transport or goods transport, for example, an automobile, truck or other commercial vehicle. The heat exchanger can be, for example, a radiator or the like. The heat exchanger is part of the air conditioner of the vehicle. The air conditioner can be an air conditioning system or the like, for example. The air conditioner is embodied to control the temperature of a vehicle passenger compartment or to condition the air fed to the interior of the vehicle. The heat exchanger is embodied to cause an air flow to flow around the at least one pipe by means of the air conduction component. A fluid can be guided in the at least one pipe. The fluid as well as the pipe can have a temperature that is different from the air in the air flow. A heat exchange occurs between the at least one pipe and the air of the air flow. The pipe can be a flat pipe, for example. The air conduction component can be a corrugated fin or another air baffle or the like, for example. The fluid can be a temperature control fluid, for example, a coolant or a refrigerant. The separating section can be a region or section of the air conduction component adhered against a passage of air of the air flow or an adhesion of a region or section of the air conduction component. The separating section or the adhesion can cause a separation of the air flow into a first partial air flow and a second partial air flow. The first partial air flow can receive a different amount of heat transfer from the heat exchanger than the second partial air flow.

The present invention further creates a method for producing a heat exchanger for an air conditioner of a motor vehicle, wherein the method has the following steps:

Provision of a base body of the heat exchanger, which has at least one pipe for guiding a fluid and air conduction component arranged adjacent to the at least one pipe for conducting an air flow to flow around the at least one pipe; and

Application of an adhesive that contains a volume-increasing component for increasing a volume of the adhesive to the air conduction component in order to form at least one separating section on the air conduction component, which separating section is embodied to separate the air flow into a first partial air flow and a second partial air flow.

An above-mentioned heat exchanger can be produced advantageously using the method. In the provision step a base body of the heat exchanger can also be provided, which has a plurality of pipes and in which the air conduction component are arranged between the pipes. The base body can also have a frame element, in which the at least one pipe and the air conduction component are accommodated or held. In the application step, the adhesive for embodying the separating section of the air conduction component can then be applied as a plurality of adhesive beads, wherein an individual adhesive bead extends between two adjacent pipes. Alternatively, in the application step the adhesive for embodying the separating section of the air conduction component can be applied as a continuous adhesive bead. In particular in the adhesive application step, the adhesive can be applied such that openings in the air conduction component arranged in the separating section are closed and an air exchange transverse to the separating section or along a longitudinal extension direction of the pipes is thus reduced or prevented. The method can also have an optional step of curing of the adhesive after the application step, if the adhesive is not a self-curing adhesive. The curing can take place, for example, by means of heat supply. It is clear to a person skilled in the art in the relevant field that the method can have further steps, as is known in the field.

An embodiment of the present invention is based on the realization that a separation or division of an air flow in a heat exchanger for an air conditioner of a motor vehicle in a separating section can be advantageously carried out by an adhesion by means of an adhesive that contains a volume-increasing component. The volume-increasing component causes an increase in the volume of the adhesive.

Advantageously, according to embodiments of the present invention for the separation or division of an air flow in a heat exchanger for an air conditioner, a quantity of at least one adhesive component of the adhesive for the adhesion in the separating section can be reduced and costs can thus be reduced, since the adhesive contains a volume-increasing component. In particular the reduction of the adhesive component quantity of the adhesive and thus the cost savings for the adhesive result from the addition of the volume increasing component, so that a smaller quantity of the adhesive component has to be added to the adhesive. The volume achieved of the adhesive applied can thereby be achieved with a smaller quantity of at least one adhesive component of the adhesive.

The volume-increasing component can hereby be a foam blowing agent or a filler. The foam blowing agent, also known by the term foam expanding agent or foaming agent, causes an increase in volume of the adhesive in a chemical manner, in particular by foam formation. The foam blowing agent thus causes the adhesive to become an adhesive foam. The filler causes an increase in the volume of the adhesive in a physical manner, for example, by means of microballoons or the like. An embodiment of this type has the advantage that an adhesive strength can be improved and at the same time, due to the smaller quantity of adhesive to be used, costs can therefore be reduced. Depending on the type of adhesive component of the adhesive used, either a foam blowing agent or a filler can be admixed to the adhesive component in order to form the adhesive to be adaptable to the respective adhesive conditions in a flexible and suitable manner.

In particular, the volume-increasing component can have a siloxane as a foam blowing agent. This type of use of a siloxane as a foam blowing agent has the advantage that an improved volume-increasing effect and an improved adhesion for the adhesive can thereby be achieved.

The volume-increasing component can thereby be embodied in order to cause the increase in the volume of the adhesive before or during a curing of the adhesive. An embodiment of this type has the advantage that an application of the adhesive can be flexibly integrated into a production process of the heat exchanger.

It is also particularly favorable if the adhesive is a thermosetting adhesive. A thermosetting adhesive can no longer be deformed after curing. The thermosetting adhesive can be produced on a plastic basis or polymer basis. A thermosetting adhesive of this type has the advantage that it prevents a softening and thus a deformation or detachment of the adhesive from occurring under the action of heat. This increases the temperature resistance of the adhesive and thus of the separating section of the heat exchanger.

The adhesive can also have a binder and a hardening agent. The adhesive can thus have two adhesive components with the binder and the hardening agent. The binder and the hardening agent can hereby be contained in the adhesive in a defined mixture ratio. A curing of the adhesive hereby takes place chemically and can be thermally influenced. The adhesive can be a so-called two-component adhesive. The number of adhesive components of the adhesive can also be more or less than two. An embodiment of this type has the advantage that a defined curing of the adhesive and thus a good adhesive strength can be achieved even in the case of geometrically complicated and/or small application spaces or adhesive joints of the adhesive.

The binder of the adhesive can hereby have a synthetic resin. The adhesive can be, for example, a synthetic resin adhesive, an epoxy resin adhesive or the like. The adhesive thus has the synthetic resin and a hardening agent. A synthetic resin adhesive of this type has the advantage that an improved adhesive strength and hardness can be achieved in the adhesion.

According to one embodiment of the heat exchanger, wherein the heat exchanger has a plurality of pipes and the air conduction component are arranged between the pipes, the adhesive for embodying the separating section of the air conduction component can be applied as a continuous adhesive bead. The air conduction component can hereby be respectively arranged between two adjacent pipes. The heat exchanger can thus have an alternating sequence of pipes and air conduction component. The adhesive, which is applied to the air conduction component as a continuous strand or strip or a continuous bead, can thus extend over several pipes and air conduction component. An embodiment of this type has the advantage that the adhesive can be applied in a simple and homogenous manner.

According to a further embodiment of the heat exchanger, wherein the heat exchanger has a plurality of pipes and the air conduction component are arranged between the pipes, the adhesive for embodying the separating section of the air conduction component can be applied as a plurality of adhesive beads. A single adhesive bead can thus extend between two adjacent pipes. An embodiment of this type has the advantage that the quantity of adhesive used can be reduced, since little or no adhesive is applied in regions in which the pipes extend.

Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a representation of a heat exchanger according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a flow chart of a method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description of the preferred exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the same or similar reference numbers are used for the elements with similar action shown in the different drawings, a repeated description of these elements being omitted.

FIG. 1 shows a representation of a heat exchanger 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention in a plan view. The heat exchanger 100 can be used in connection with an air conditioner of a vehicle. The heat exchanger 100 has pipes 110, air conduction component 120, a separating section 130 and frame elements 140. In the plan view of FIG. 1 eleven pipes 110, ten air conducting components 120 and two frame elements 140 are shown by way of example. The number of pipes 110, air conduction components 120 and frame elements 140 can deviate herefrom in practice. FIG. 1 can show the heat exchanger 100 in plan view on an air inflow side of the heat exchanger 100. The pipes 110 on both outer sides of the heat exchanger or heat transfer device 100 can hereby be identical with respect to the other pipes 110. According to other exemplary embodiments or in practice, the pipes 110 on both outer sides of the heat exchanger 100 can be different with regard to the other pipes 110 and, for example, have special side parts, deformed plates or the like. Alternatively, the pipes 110 can also be omitted on both outer sides of the heat exchanger 100.

The pipes 110 can be flat pipes. The pipes 110 extend within manufacturing and assembly tolerances essentially parallel to one another. The pipes 110 furthermore have essentially the same length. The pipes 110 hereby extend between the frame elements 140. First ends of the pipes 110 are arranged on a first of the frame elements 140. Second ends of the pipes 110 are arranged on a second of the frame elements 140. The ends of the pipes 110 can be connected to the frame elements 140. The ends of the pipes 110 can be accommodated in the frame elements 140. A temperature control fluid can be guided in the pipes 110.

The air conduction component 120 can be corrugated fins. The air conduction components 120 are arranged between the pipes 110. One of the air conduction component 120 is hereby arranged between two adjacent pipes 110. The air conduction component 120 extends in gaps between the pipes 110. The air conduction component 120 thereby extends from one frame element 140 to the other frame element 140. The air conduction component 120 can be embodied to conduct an air flow in the heat exchanger 100 such that the pipes 110 are flowed around by the air flow.

The pipes 110 and the air conduction component 120 forms a base body of the heat exchanger 100. The base body can additionally also have the frame elements 140. The separating section 130 is formed on the base body of the heat exchanger 100 and in particular on the air conduction component 120.

The separating section 130 can be an adhesion or an adhesive. The separating section 130 is embodied to separate an air flow into a first partial air flow and a second partial air flow. According to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1, the separating section 130 of the heat exchanger 100 is embodied in a multipart manner. The separating section 130 has a plurality of individual adhesive beads. The separating section 130 extends transversely to a main extension direction of the pipes 110 and/or the air conduction component 120. The separating section 130 is applied to the air conduction component 120. To this end an adhesion or an adhesive bead is applied to each air conduction component. The individual adhesive beads of the separating section 130 are arranged in a line. An individual adhesive bead extends between two adjacent pipes 110. Even if it is not shown in FIG. 1, the separating section 130 of the heat exchanger 100 alternatively can also be embodied in a one-part manner.

FIG. 2 shows a flow chart of a method 200 for producing a heat exchanger for an air conditioner of a motor vehicle, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The method 200 has a step 210 of providing a base body of the heat exchanger. The base body thereby has at least one pipe for guiding a fluid and air conduction component arranged adjacent to the at least one pipe for conducting an air flow to flow around the at least one pipe. The base body can also have a frame element, in which the at least one pipe and the air conduction component are accommodated or held. The method 200 also has a step 220 of applying an adhesive, which contains a volume increasing component for increasing a volume of the adhesive, to the air conduction component in order to form at least one separating section on the air conduction component. The separating section is thereby embodied to separate the air flow into a first partial air flow and a second partial air flow. Even if it is not shown in FIG. 2, the method can have an optional step of curing the adhesive after the application step 220 if the adhesive is not a self-curing adhesive. The curing step can be carried out, for example, by means of a supply of heat.

In the provision step 210 a base body of the heat exchanger can also be provided, which has a plurality of pipes and in which the air conduction component is arranged between the pipes. In the application step 220 the adhesive for embodying the separating section of the air conduction component can be applied as a plurality of adhesive beads, wherein a single adhesive bead extends between two adjacent pipes. The heat exchanger according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 can be produced by an embodiment of the method 200 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 2. In the application step 220, alternatively the adhesive for embodying the separating section of the air conduction component can be applied as a continuous adhesive bead.

Various exemplary embodiments of the present invention are explained in summary again below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an air-side adhesion of a multi-zone radiator or heat exchanger 100 can be improved by means of foamed 2-component adhesive. An air-side separation of the zones in the heat exchanger 100 or radiator hereby takes place via the 2-component adhesive. By admixing foam blowing agents, the volume of the adhesive can be increased by up to 250%, for example. The quantity of adhesive can thereby be reduced by up to approximately 70%. In the radiator production, after the soldering, to embody the separating section 130 the radiators are given one or more adhesive beads in the heat exchanger network or in the air conduction component 120. This serves to separate the air flow in the case of multi-zone air conditioning systems. In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention a thermosetting, i.e., permanently curing, plastic is used. Likewise according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention a siloxane is used as foam blowing agent. Here a chemically coordinated resin curing system and foam blowing agent are used. By means of the use of the foam blowing agent, the volume of the adhesive is increased by a multiple, for example. An addition of a foam blowing agent in a quantity such that 1-5% of the foam blowing agent is contained in the adhesive is possible. For each percentage of added foam blowing agent, the volume of the adhesive is increased by approximately 50%. The addition of the foam blowing agent can be carried out in an existing producing plant. To this end, slight alterations, preliminary tests for determining process parameters and a process validation may have to be carried out. However, the reduction of the quantity of adhesive with the same volume results in a clear saving of costs for the adhesive. 5% addition of foam blowing agent corresponds to a volume increase of the adhesive of 250%. This corresponds to a reduction of the 2-component adhesive by approximately 70%. Alternatively, an admixing of filler is also conceivable, such as so-called microballoons, for example.

The exemplary embodiments described are selected merely by way of example and can be combined with one another.

The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims.