Modine Manufacturing Company

Modine Manufacturing

Zalman P Saperstein

Andrew J Cottone

Charles James Rogers

Gregory G Hughes

Norman F Costello

Russell C Awe

Henry Lukas

Mark G Voss

Peter C Kottal

Leon A Guntly

Jeffrey Alan Logic

Scott R Larrabee

John E Munch, Jr

Richard G Parkhill

Ronald D Tait

Jeffrey A Bahr

Refki M El-Bourini

Restrictions on the major dimension of flattened tubes used in heat exchangers employing oval shaped, two piece headers/tank assemblies can be minimized in a construction including a plurality of flattened tubes (14) each having a minor dimension and a major dimension transverse thereto and extending in spaced parallel relation. Fins (16) are in heat exchange relation with the tubes (14) and a pair of spaced, parallel, elongated headers/tank assemblies (10, 12) are provided between which the tubes (14) extend. At least one of the headers/tank assemblies (10, 12) is a multiple piece header/tank assembly including a header piece (20) and a separate tank piece (22). The header piece (20) is elongated and provided with a plurality of slots (28) sized to receive ends of the tubes (14) with the tube major dimensions being generally transverse to the direction of elongation of the header piece (20). The header piece further includes a peripheral flange (24). The tank piece (22) is elongated, concave and has a peripheral flange (44) nested within the peripheral flange (22) of the header piece (20). The two are bonded together to form a unitary tubular structure and the peripheral flange (42) of the tank piece has alternating crests (52) and valleys (50) with the valleys (50) having a width greater than the tube minor dimension and being aligned with the tube ends. As a consequence, a flow to the tubes (14) is not obstructed by the peripheral flange (42) on the tank piece because of the valleys (50) therein.

Header and tank construction for a heat exchanger

Inconsistent and costly corrosion protection with prior art heat exchangers are eliminated in a heat exchanger (10) formed of an aluminum fin (16) clad with an Al--Si--Zn braze clad compound (18), an aluminum tube (14) brazed to the fin (16), and bonded thereto by the braze clad compound (18) with zinc diffused into the tube, whereby the aluminum tube (14) is corrosion resistant by reason of the presence of sacrificial zinc therein.

Corrosion resistant heat exchanger and method of making the same

Potential difficulties in surface modification of a substrate are avoided by using a mixture that includes a ceramic powder, a brazing material and a flux. Exposure to an elevated temperature activates the flux and at least partially melts the brazing material. Upon cooling, the melt solidifies to bond the ceramic powder to the substrate surface an create the modification.

Modified substrate surface and method

Energy conservation may be increased and emission production reduced in a cooling system for the internal combustion engine (10) of a vehicle that includes a high temperature radiator (50) and a lower temperature radiator (38) aligned so that airflow will flow serially through the two, passing through the lower temperature radiator (38) before passing through the higher temperature radiator (50). A liquid cooled condenser (30) is in circuit with the lower temperature radiator (38) and provides condensed refrigerant to an evaporator (20). A compressor (34) is in circuit with the condenser (30) and the evaporator (20) to provide for air conditioning and a charge air cooler (42) for the vehicle engine (10) is located in series with the lower temperature radiator (38) and the refrigerant condenser (30) to provide for improved cooling of charge air. The vehicle engine 10 is in series with the high temperature radiator 50 as is a heater 14.

Vehicular cooling system and liquid cooled condenser therefor

Potential difficulties with corrosion in hear exchangers utilizing aluminum fins are avoided by using fin and tube constructions made by a method which includes the steps of providing a flattened tube (50) of ferrous material (80) and having an exterior coating (82) predominantly of aluminum providing at least one serpentine fin (56) of aluminum (86) and clad with a predominantly aluminum braze cladding (88); assembling (102) the fin (56) to the flattened tube (50); applying (94), (100), (104), a brazing flux to at least one of the fin (56) and the tube (50); raising (106) the temperature of the assembly to a level sufficient to at least partially melt the braze cladding (88); and maintaining the temperature for a sufficient period of time to achieve a brazed joint (60) between the fin (56) and the tube (50) but a time insufficient to convert the coating (82) and the cladding (88) to ferrous-aluminum intermetallic compound or intermediate phase.

Finned assembly for heat exchangers

Potential difficulties with corrosion in heat exchangers utilizing aluminum fins are avoided by using fin and tube constructions made by a method which includes the steps of providing a flattened tube (50) of ferrous material (80) and having an exterior coating (82) predominantly of aluminum; providing at least one serpentine fin (56) of aluminum (86) and clad with a predominantly aluminum braze cladding (88); assembling (102) the fin (56) to the flattened tube (50); applying (94), (100), (104), a brazing flux to at least one of the fin (56) and the tube (50); raising (106) the temperature of the assembly to a level sufficient to at least partially melt the braze cladding (88); and maintaining the temperature for a sufficient period of time to achieve a brazed joint (60) between the fin (56) and the tube (50) but a time insufficient to convert the coating (82) and the cladding (88) to ferrous-aluminum intermetallic compound or intermediate phase.

The potential for leakage of CFCs, HCFCs, HFCs and HCs to the atmosphere as a result of leakage in vehicular refrigeration systems is reduced by employing conduits (42, 58 and 63) of relatively short length to interconnect closely grouped system components including a compressor (38), a condenser (44) and an evaporator (62). The condenser (44) includes a liquid flow path (46) in heat exchange relation with a refrigerant flow path (48) and the same is connected by conduit (52) to heat exchanger (36). The evaporator (62) also includes a liquid flow path (65) in heat exchange relation with a refrigerant flow path (60) and the same is connected by conduits (66, 67) to at least one heat exchanger (68, 69) remote from an engine compartment (22) in which the compressor (38), condenser (44) and evaporator (62) are housed. The close proximity of the components minimizes the charge of refrigerant required and thus reduces the amount of refrigerant that may potentially leak from the system.

Automotive refrigeration system requiring minimal refrigerant

The high cost of fabricating heat exchangers having two fluid flow paths in countercurrent or cross current relation is minimized by utilizing an extrusion (14) wound upon itself with adjacent convolutions (16, 18, 20, 24) spaced at (26) and located within a housing (10). A baffle (56) or a seal (82, 84) are employed within the housing (10) to respectively define cross current or countercurrent heat exchangers. Alternatively, an extrusion such as a unitary extrusion (100) may contain plural flow paths (114, 120, 122) or an extrusion made up of two extrusions (150, 152) bonded together and having flow paths (162, 164) may be employed.

Heat exchanger

Potential difficulties with corrosion in heat exchangers utilizing aluminum fins are avoided by using fin and tube constructions made by a method which includes the steps of providing a flattened tube (50) of ferrous material (80) and having an exterior coating (82) predominantly of aluminum; providing at least one serpentine fin (56) of aluminum (86) and clad with a predominantly aluminum braze cladding (88); assembling (102) the fin (56) to the flattened tube (50); applying (94), (100), (104), brazing flux to at least one of the fin (56) and the tube (50); raising (106) the temperature of the assembly to a level sufficient to at least partially melt the braze cladding (88); and maintaining the temperature for a sufficient period of time to achieve a brazed joint (60) between the fin (56) and the tube (50) but a time insufficient to convert the coating (82) and the cladding (88) to ferrous-aluminum intermetallic compound or intermediate phase.

Potential difficulties with corrosion resistance in air cooled condensers utilizing aluminum fins are avoided by using fin and tube constructions made by a method which includes the steps of providing a flattened tube (50) of ferrous material (80) and having an exterior coating (82) predominantly of aluminum; providing at least one serpentine fin (56) of aluminum (86) and clad with a predominantly aluminum braze cladding (88); assembling (102) the fin (56) to the flattened tube (50); applying (94), (100), (104), a brazing flux to at least one of the fin (56) and the tube (50); raising (106) the temperature of the assembly to a level sufficient to at least partially melt the braze cladding (88); and maintaining the temperature for a sufficient period of time to achieve a brazed joint (60) between the fin (56) and the tube (50) but a time insufficient to convert the coating (82) and the cladding (88) to ferrous-aluminum intermetallic compound or intermediate phase.

Tube and fin assembly for heat exchangers in power plants

A tank-header connection including a groove extending about the periphery of a header plate and having a bottom wall surrounded by an upstanding wall with spaced apertures therein. A compressible gasket is located in the groove and a plastic tank having an opening surrounded by a rim is provided. The rim has a series of outwardly projecting lugs and is otherwise sized and configured to fit within the groove with the lugs extending through and being captured in aligned ones of the apertures.

Header plate-tank connection

Improved resistance to pressure caused deformation in header and tank construction utilized in heat exchangers is achieved by providing domes, preferably exteriorally convex, in the header surfaces of the header and tank construction. These domes are located in the area between the holes in such constructions through which tubes extend.

A fluid-to-fluid such as a liquid-to-air heat exchanger and a method of making such a heat exchanger in which there is provided a header plate, a plurality of liquid coolant tubes each extending into a hole in the header plate, a primary load bearing joint subject to the formation of leakage openings in the joint joining each tube to the header plate at its tube opening, and a thin sealant sealing against leakage any leakage openings that may be present or that may occur.

Growing community of inventors

Lake Bluff, IL, United States of America

Zalman P Saperstein