Heat Exchanger Tube, Heat Exchanger Comprising Such Tubes And Method For Producing One Such Tube

Abstract

Heat exchanger tube ( 100 ), in particular the condenser of a motor vehicle air conditioning system, is disclosed. The tube comprises a folded wall ( 105 ) defining a housing ( 115 ), and an internal separator ( 130 ), inserted into said housing, said internal separator defining a plurality of fluid circulation channels ( 136 ), said wall ( 105 ) having large surfaces connected by radii. The tube ( 100 ) is configured so that the clearance between the wall ( 105 ) and the internal separator ( 130 ) is filled along at least one radius ( 110 ).

1 . A heat exchanger tube comprising a bent wall defining a housing and an internal separator inserted into said housing, said internal separator defining a plurality of fluid circulation channels and said wall having large surfaces connected by radii, wherein the tube is configured so that the clearance between the wall and the internal separator is filled along the length of at least one radius. 
     
     
         2 . The tube as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the internal separator is corrugated and includes at least one flat at one apex, said flat being in contact with the wall. 
     
     
         3 . The tube as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the internal separator is corrugated and has a flat at each of its vertices, said flat being in contact with the wall. 
     
     
         4 . The tube as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said tube is configured so that the clearance between the wall and the internal separator is filled along each radius. 
     
     
         5 . The tube as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said tube has a section in the shape of a B and said wall includes legs that meet at a central portion of said B-shaped section, at least one of said legs being in contact with the internal separator. 
     
     
         6 . A heat exchanger including at least one tube as claimed in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         7 . A method of producing a heat exchanger tube, said tube comprising a bent wall defining a housing and an internal separator inserted into said housing, said internal separator defining a plurality of fluid circulation channels and said wall having large surfaces of length L connected by radii of height H, said method comprising the steps of:
 inserting an internal separator in the housing of the tube with a clearance; and   compressing the tube in the direction of its height, said compression compressing the tube from a height H 1  to a height H 2  with H2<H1 and from a length L 1  to a length L 2  with L1<L2, the tube being configured after compression so that the clearance between the wall and the internal separator is at least partially filled.   
     
     
         8 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , including a preliminary step wherein the wall of the tube is produced by bending a sheet of material, said wall having, after bending, a substantially closed section in which the internal separator is inserted. 
     
     
         9 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the compression is exerted in a direction substantially orthogonal to the plane faces of the tube. 
     
     
         10 . A method of producing a heat exchanger tube, said tube comprising a bent wall defining a housing and an internal separator inserted into said housing, said internal separator defining a plurality of fluid circulation channels and said wall having large surfaces of length L connected by radii of height H, said method comprising the steps of:
 inserting an internal separator in the housing of the tube with a clearance; and   compressing the tube in the direction of its height, said compression compressing the tube from a height H 1  to a height H 2  with H2<H1 and from a length L 1  to a length L 2  with L1<L2, the tube being configured after compression so that the clearance between the wall and the internal separator is at least partially filled, wherein the compression step is such that the tube and its components, wall or internal separator, have the features as claimed in  claim 1 .   
     
     
         11 . The tube as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the tube is part of a condenser of a motor vehicle air conditioning system. 
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the heat exchanger is a condenser of a motor vehicle air conditioning system. 
     
     
         13 . The tube as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said tube is configured so that the clearance between the wall and the internal separator is filled along each radius. 
     
     
         14 . The tube as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said tube is configured so that the clearance between the wall and the internal separator is filled along each radius. 
     
     
         15 . The method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the compression is exerted in a direction substantially orthogonal to the plane faces of the tube.