Heat exchanger, especially for vehicles

Abstract

A heat exchanger including a collecting tank and at least one flat tube row. The flat tubes have a discharge end secured to the collecting tank, a closed end, and a longitudinal separator dividing the tubes into oppositely-traversed channels, wherein at least a portion of one tube wall at the closed end and the separator associated with the tube wall portion are omitted. A closure piece closes the tubes where the tube wall portions are omitted. A partition in the collecting tank separates the inlet and outlet sides. Heat exchanger elements between the flat tubes are adapted to be traversed by a medium flowing outside the tubes. The first tube row may be connected with one end to one side of the collecting tank with a second tube row connected with its first end to another side of collecting tank.

1 . A heat exchanger, comprising: 
 at least one collecting tank;    at least one row of flat tubes having a first end secured to said collecting tank to discharge therein, a closed second end, and at least one longitudinal separator in said tubes dividing said tubes into oppositely-traversed channels, wherein at least a portion of one tube wall at said closed second end and the separator associated with said tube wall portion are omitted;    at least one closure piece closing said tubes where said portions of said one tube wall are omitted;    at least one partition in said collecting tank separating the inlet side from the outlet side; and    heat exchanger elements arranged between said flat tubes and adapted to be traversed by a medium flowing outside of said flat tubes.    
   
   
       2 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein said heat exchanger is a vehicle coolant radiator.  
   
   
       3 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein a common closure piece is provided for said second ends of a plurality of said tubes.  
   
   
       4 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein separate closure pieces are provided for each tube having a wall portion omitted.  
   
   
       5 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein aligned portions of both side walls of each flat tube are omitted.  
   
   
       6 . A heat exchanger, comprising: 
 at least one collecting tank;    at least two rows of flat tubes having a first end secured to said collecting tank to discharge therein, a closed second end, and at least one longitudinal separator in said tubes dividing said tubes into oppositely-traversed channels, wherein a first row of flat tubes is connected with one end to one side of the collecting tank and a second row of flat tubes is connected with its first end to another side of collecting tank;    at least one partition in said collecting tank separating the inlet side from the outlet side; and    heat exchanger elements arranged between said flat tubes and adapted to be traversed by a medium flowing outside of said flat tubes.    
   
   
       7 . The heat exchanger of  claim 6 , wherein at least a portion of one tube wall at said closed second end and the separator associated with said tube wall portion are omitted, and further comprising at least one closure piece closing said tubes where said portions of said one tube wall are omitted.  
   
   
       8 . The heat exchanger of  claim 6 , wherein said heat exchanger is a vehicle coolant radiator.  
   
   
       9 . The heat exchanger of  claim 6 , wherein said first and second rows of flat tubes lie in a common plane.  
   
   
       10 . The heat exchanger of  claim 6 , wherein said first and second rows of flat tubes are at an angle to each other.  
   
   
       11 . The heat exchanger of  claim 6 , wherein said flat tubes have different tube lengths (L).  
   
   
       12 . The heat exchanger of  claim 6 , wherein said tube lengths (L) are different in both rows.  
   
   
       13 . The heat exchanger of  claim 6 , wherein said tube lengths (L) are the same in both rows.  
   
   
       14 . The heat exchanger of  claim 6 , wherein flow through the flat tubes occurs in the opposite direction in all rows of flat tubes.