Norsk Hydro, A.s.

Antonio Baldantoni

Morten Syslak

Leiv A Folkedal

William Cagle

Manifold for a heat exchanger intended to be joined by brazing or soldering to heat transfer tubes. A portion of a surface of the manifold that will be joined to the tubes is proved with at least one recess in which a brazing material is mechanically locked.

Manifold for heat exchanger and process therefor

A heat exchanger manifold ( ) and method of forming a tube port ( ) on the manifold ( ). The manifold ( ) comprises first and second walls ( ) that define an internal passage ( ) and an outer cross-sectional shape of the manifold ( ). The first wall ( ) of the manifold ( ) has a concave outer surface in which the tube port ( ) of the manifold ( ) is to be formed, while the second wall ( ) has a convex outer surface. The tube port ( ) is formed in the concave first wall ( ), such as by piercing. The shapes of the first and second walls ( ) promote the ability of the manifold ( ) to resist deformation when forming the tube port ( ) in the first wall ( ).

Method of forming heat exchanger tube ports and manifold therefor

A method for enhancing the brazeability of a heat exchanger manifold block (110) by promoting the braze metal flow in and around the manifold block (110) during brazing within a braze furnace. The invention is particularly directed to enhancing a brazement between a manifold block (110) and a jumper tube (124) that fluidically connects the block (110) to another component of the heat exchanger system. The method entails increasing the rate of convective and radiative heat transfer to the block (110) during brazing within a braze furnace by providing fins (116, 128), grooves (118, 130) or similar features on one or more surfaces of the block (110) that increase the surface area of the block (110), and consequently increase the heating rate of the block (110) to something closer to that of the tube (124). In effect, the surface features increase the heat transfer rate of the block (110) to compensate for the disparate thermal masses of the block (110) and tube (124). The fins (116, 128) and grooves (118, 130) have been found to promote the flow of braze metal toward the block (110), which in turn has been found to promote the quality of the resulting brazement between the block (110) and tube (124).

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Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Antonio Baldantoni