Fin pack, heat exchanger, and method of producing same

Abstract

A heat exchanger ( 40 ) includes first and second headers ( 44, 46 ). Multiple flat core tubes ( 54 ) are arranged spaced apart from one another and connected between the headers ( 44, 46 ). A fin pack ( 56 ) has multiple rows ( 58 ) of fins ( 60 ) and multiple tabular portions ( 62, 64 ). Pairs ( 70, 72 ) of adjacent multiple rows ( 58 ) are interconnected by the tabular portions ( 62, 64 ). The tabular portions ( 62, 64 ) define channels ( 78 ) between each of the rows ( 58 ) of fins ( 60 ). A method ( 90 ) for producing the heat exchanger ( 40 ) entails concurrently inserting multiple core tubes ( 54 ) into the channels ( 78 ), with one row of fins ( 60 ) being disposed between each pair of the core tubes ( 54 ).

1 . A fin pack for a heat exchanger comprising:
 a first row of fins;   a second row of said fins adjacent to and arranged substantially parallel with said first row of said fins; and   a tabular portion extending between and interconnecting said first and second row of fins, said tabular portion defining a channel between said first and second row of fins configured for insertion of a core tube of said heat exchanger.   
   
   
       2 . A fin pack as claimed in  claim 1  wherein each of said first and second rows of said fins is corrugated having a continuous series of said fins. 
   
   
       3 . A fin pack as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said core tube is a flat tube, and each of said fins of said first and second rows exhibits a substantially flat contact portion configured to abut an external peripheral wall of said flat tube along a height of said external peripheral wall. 
   
   
       4 . A fin pack as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said core tube is a flat tube exhibiting a width, and said tabular portion exhibits a length that is approximately equivalent to said width. 
   
   
       5 . A fin pack as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said core tube is a flat tube exhibiting rounded sides extending in a widthwise direction, and said tabular portion exhibits an outwardly arcuate shape configured to correspond with said rounded sides of said flat tube. 
   
   
       6 . A fin pack as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said tabular portion is a first tabular portion, and said fin pack further comprise:
 a third row of fins adjacent to and arranged substantially parallel with said second row of fins; and   a second tabular portion extending between and interconnecting said second and third row of fins, said second tabular portion defining a second channel between said second and third row of fins configured for insertion of a second core tube of said heat exchanger.   
   
   
       7 . A fin pack as claimed in  claim 6  wherein:
 said first tabular portion interconnects said first and second rows of fins along an upper edge of each of said first and second rows of said fins; and   said second tabular portion interconnects said second and third rows of fins along a lowed edge of each of said second and third rows of said fins.   
   
   
       8 . A fin pack as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising:
 multiple rows of said fins, said first and second rows being a pair of said multiple rows;   first tabular portions interconnecting an upper edge of first pairs of said rows of said fins, said tabular portion being one of said first tabular portions; and   second tabular portions interconnecting a lower edge of second pairs of said rows of said fins, said second pairs of said rows alternating with said first pairs of said rows.   
   
   
       9 . A method of producing a heat exchanger comprising:
 forming a fin pack having multiple rows of fins, wherein adjacent pairs of said multiple rows of said fins are interconnected by tabular portions along an edge of said fins, said tabular portions defining channels between each of said rows of said fins;   inserting one each of multiple core tubes in each of said channels to form a heat exchanger core;   connecting opposing ends of said core tubes of said heat exchanger core to first and second headers; and   brazing said heat exchanger core with said first and second headers to form said heat exchanger.   
   
   
       10 . A method as claimed in  claim 9  wherein said forming operation comprises:
 forming first ones of said tabular portions interconnecting an upper edge of first pairs of said rows of said fins; and   forming second ones of said tabular portions interconnecting a lower edge of second pairs of said rows of said fins, said second pairs of said rows alternating with said first pairs of said rows.   
   
   
       11 . A method as claimed in  claim 10  wherein said forming said first and second ones of said tabular portions comprises shaping each of said tabular portions to have an outwardly arcuate shape. 
   
   
       12 . A method as claimed in  claim 9  wherein said forming operation comprises:
 forming rows of slots in sheet material, each of said slots exhibiting a base and a side, said rows of said slots being arranged with said side parallel to a longitudinal dimension of said sheet material;   bending said sheet material parallel to said longitudinal dimension at said side of each of said slots to form corrugations for said rows of fins; and   bending said sheet material perpendicular to said longitudinal dimension at said base of each of said slots to form said rows of fins, such that said sheet material located between said sides of adjacent slots forms one of said tabular portions.   
   
   
       13 . A method as claimed in  claim 12  further comprising:
 stamping louvers in said sheet material prior to said bending operations.   
   
   
       14 . A method as claimed in  claim 9  wherein said core tubes are flat tubes having external walls exhibiting a height and a width, and said inserting operation comprises:
 arranging a subset of said core tubes with said a side of each of said subset of said core tubes seated on a surface;   installing said fin pack onto said portion of said core tubes by seating said core tubes in those of said channels in which said tabular portions are positioned along said upper edge of said rows of said fins; and   inserting a remaining subset of said core tubes into remaining ones of said channels, said remaining channels having said tabular portion positioned along said lower edge of said rows of said fins.   
   
   
       15 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a first header;   a second header;   multiple flat core tubes arranged spaced apart from one another and connected between said first and second headers; and   a fin pack having multiple rows of fins and multiple tabular portions such that pairs of adjacent ones of said multiple rows are interconnected by said tabular portions, said tabular portions defining channels between each of said rows of fins, said core tubes being seated in said channels and one each of said rows of fins being disposed between pairs of said core tubes.   
   
   
       16 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 15  wherein each of said rows of said fins is corrugated having a continuous series of said fins. 
   
   
       17 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 15  wherein each of said fins exhibits a substantially flat contact portion abutting a corresponding one of said core tubes along said height of said external wall. 
   
   
       18 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 15  wherein:
 said core tubes are flat tubes, each of said flat tubes having rounded sides extending in a widthwise direction; and   each of said tabular portions exhibits an outwardly arcuate shape corresponding with said rounded sides of said each flat tube.   
   
   
       19 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 15  wherein tabular portions of said fin pack comprise:
 first tabular portions interconnecting an upper edge of first pairs of said rows of said fins; and   second tabular portions interconnecting a lower edge of second pairs of said rows of said fins, said second pairs of said rows alternating with said first pairs of said rows.