Heat exchanger assemblies having hybrid tanks

Abstract

Heat exchanger assemblies, and, in particular, heat exchanger assemblies that function in high pressure and/or temperature environmental conditions, are described. An essential feature of the heat exchanger assembly is the presence of an hybrid tank comprising both plastic or plastic like materials and metal or metal alloy materials, that provides for good structural integrity and operation of the assembly under high pressure and/or temperature conditions.

1 . A heat exchanger for an automotive vehicle comprising: 
 a first end tank;    a second end tank opposite the first end tank;    a plurality of essentially parallel tubes in fluid communication with the first and second end tanks;    at least one fin contacting at least two of the plurality of tubes, with the parallel tubes and the fins being generally co-planar relative to each other;    wherein at least the first end tank or the second end tank is an hybrid tank.    
   
   
       2 . A heat exchanger as in  claim 1 , wherein the hybrid tank comprises a metal or metal alloy type material and a plastic or plastic like material.  
   
   
       3 . A heat exchanger as in  claim 2  wherein the hybrid tank comprises at least three different materials.  
   
   
       4 . A heat exchanger, as in  claim 3 , wherein one of the materials is a coating material.  
   
   
       5 . A heat exchanger as in  claim 4 , wherein the coating material comprises a thermally dissipative or barrier type coating.  
   
   
       6 . A heat exchanger as in  claim 4 , wherein the coating material comprises a chemically resistant or barrier type coating.  
   
   
       7 . A heat exchanger, as in  claim 4 , wherein the coating material comprises both a chemically resistant and a thermal barrier or dissipative type coating.  
   
   
       8 . A heat exchanger, as in  claim 4 , wherein the heat exchanger is adapted to function in high internal temperature and/or pressure environments.  
   
   
       9 . A heat exchanger, as in  claim 4 , wherein the heat exchanger is selected from the group consisting of charge air cooler (CAC), exhaust gas recycling cooler (EGR), and intercoolers.  
   
   
       10 . A heat exchanger, as in  claim 9 , wherein the coating material is selected from the group consisting of thermally dissipative, thermal barrier, chemically resistance and chemical barrier type coating.  
   
   
       11 . A heat exchanger as in  claim 10 , wherein the coating material is applied to the interior surface of the wall of the hybrid tank.  
   
   
       12 . A heat exchanger, as in  claim 2 , wherein both the first end tank and the second end tank are hybrid tanks.  
   
   
       13 . A heat exchanger, as in  claim 2 , wherein the hybrid tank comprises a metal shell.  
   
   
       14 . A heat exchanger, as in  claim 13 , wherein the hybrid tank comprises at least one plastic adjunct.  
   
   
       15 . A heat exchanger, as in  claim 13 , wherein the hybrid tank comprises a metal shell, and wherein at least one metal part of the metal shell and at least one plastic adjunct form a plastic-metal section.  
   
   
       16 . A heat exchanger, as in  claim 15 , wherein a plurality of metal parts of the metal shell form plastic-metal sections.  
   
   
       17 . A heat exchanger, as in  claim 16 , wherein the metal shell is made of sheet metal.  
   
   
       18 . A heat exchanger, as in  claim 16 , wherein the plastic-metal sections are sealed by bonding, adhesives or forming of an interfacial layer at the interfaces of the plastic adjuncts and the metal shell.  
   
   
       19 . A method of manufacturing a hybrid tank for an automotive vehicle heat exchanger comprising: 
 providing a metal shell comprising one or more metal sections for the hybrid tank;    combining one or more plastic sections with the one or more metal sections;    forming plastic-metal sections between the metal shell and plastic adjuncts;    whereby the hybrid tank thereby produced is leak-tight and able to withstand high temperature and/or pressure conditions.    
   
   
       20 . A method, as in  claim 19 , wherein the metal shell comprises sheet metal.  
   
   
       21 . A method, as in  claim 20 , wherein the plastic-metal sections are formed by providing for perforations or spaces in-between metal sections of the metal shell, and flowing plastic or plastic like material by or into the perforations or spaces to form plastic-metal sections.  
   
   
       22 . A method, as in  claim 20 , wherein the metal shell comprises metal to metal mechanical interface points and plastic-metal sections.  
   
   
       23 . A method, as in  claim 20 , wherein the metal portions of the metal shell are arranged such that they increase strength of the hybrid shell is specific areas.  
   
   
       24 . A method, as in  claim 21 , wherein the perforations or spaces are aligned such that the majority of all of the plastic-metal sections can be formed in a one step operation.  
   
   
       25 . A method, as in  claim 19 , further comprising the step of coating at least part of the interior surface of hybrid tank after the plastic-metal sections are formed.  
   
   
       26 . A method, as in  claim 25 , wherein the coating is selected from the group consisting of thermally dissipative, thermal barrier, chemically resistance and chemical barrier type coating.  
   
   
       27 . A method for forming an heat exchanger assembly by assembling the hybrid tank of  claim 19  with other elements of an automotive heat exchanger, to form a heat exchanger assembly.