Heat exchanger with improved fins

Abstract

The invention relates to a heat exchanger ( 1 ) comprising at least one tube ( 2 ) for heat transfer fluid to flow through, connected to at least one heat dissipation fin ( 4 ). The fin ( 4 ) is made of expanded metal sheet.

1 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 at least one tube for heat transfer fluid to flow through, connected to at least one heat dissipation fin,   wherein the fin is made of expanded metal sheet.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , the tube being connected to the fin by clamping the tube in a collar formed in the fin. 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a row of substantially parallel tubes, wherein the fin comprises at least one row of deflectors forming louvers, said row being formed in the fin and interposed between two tubes of the row of tubes. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the expanded metal sheet comprises meshes that are each in the overall shape of a rhombus. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the expanded metal sheet comprises aluminum. 
     
     
         6 . A method for manufacturing a fin of a heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , the fin being formed from a metal sheet, the method comprising:
 a) compressing the metal sheet between two complementary rows of aligned teeth borne respectively by two jaws of a press;   b) moving the two rows of teeth by half a pitch, the pitch corresponding to the distance between the consecutive apices of two teeth in the same row;   c) moving the metal sheet transversely to the rows of teeth by a distance corresponding to the width of one tooth;   d) re-compressing the metal sheet between the two complementary rows of aligned teeth   e) moving the two rows of teeth are moved by half a pitch in the opposite sense to that in step b);   f) repeating steps a) to e); and   g) forming through-holes for a tube to pass through.   
     
     
         7 . The method as claimed in  claim 6 , further comprising the additional step of forming louvers between said through-holes.