Heat exchanger

Abstract

A high pressure heat exchanger having a first manifold and a second manifold connected fluidly by a plurality of tube sets arranged in a spaced manner along the manifolds. At least one of the manifold includes a rear cover, a header with slots receiving tube end sections of the tube sets and several internal plates interposed between the header and the rear cover and configured to create a flow path within the manifold, this flow path being in fluid connection with the tubes to allow a circulation of a refrigerant in the tubes and the manifold. The header has preferably at least a first area adjacent to at least one of the slots and having a first thickness and at least a second area surrounding at least partially the first area and having a second thickness, the first thickness being smaller than the second thickness.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A high pressure heat exchanger comprising a first manifold and a second manifold connected fluidly by a plurality of tube sets having tube end sections and arranged in a spaced manner along the first manifold and the second manifold, wherein at least the first manifold includes a rear cover, a header with slots receiving the tube end sections, and at least one internal plate interposed between the header and the rear cover and configured to create a flow path within the first manifold, the flow path being in fluid connection with the tube sets to allow circulation of a refrigerant in the tube sets and the first manifold and the second manifold, and wherein the header has at least a first area adjacent to at least one of the slots and having a first thickness measured along the insertion direction of the respective tube end section, and at least a second area surrounding at least partially the first area and having a second thickness measured along the insertion direction of the respective tube end section, the first thickness being smaller than the second thickness. 
     
     
         2 . The high pressure heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the first areas are located adjacent to each slot of the header so that that the thickness of the header is locally smaller, around the slots, than throughout the rest of the header. 
     
     
         3 . The high pressure heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the header thickness changes from the first thickness having a minimum value at the contact with the tube end section in the slot up to the second thickness. 
     
     
         4 . The high pressure heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein 3<h/w 1 <h/c where h is the height of a distribution channel of the manifold formed between the rear cover and the header and measured along the insertion direction of the respective tube end section, w 1  is the first thickness of the header, and c is a smallest wall thickness of the tube end section. 
     
     
         5 . The high pressure heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the first manifold includes a plurality of internal pates stacked together. 
     
     
         6 . The high pressure heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one internal plate has internal slots extending so as to create U form flow paths within the first manifold. 
     
     
         7 . The high pressure heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the header includes two lateral folded walls, to encompass and stack the at least one internal plate and the rear cover all together. 
     
     
         8 . The high pressure heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein each slot of the header has a tapered shape to guide the tube end sections during their insertion. 
     
     
         9 . The high pressure heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one internal plate is brazed with the header. 
     
     
         10 . A high pressure heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one internal plate has slots to form flow paths within the first manifold, these slots communicating each with another to form the flow paths. 
     
     
         11 . The high pressure heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant flow path is deviated at least once in the shape of a U. 
     
     
         12 . The high pressure heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the tubes have refrigerant channels with a ratio of at least 0.3 between their wall thickness and the diameter. 
     
     
         13 . The high pressure heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one tube has at least two refrigerant channels with a web placed therebetween and having a width equal to at least 40% of the diameter of the refrigerant channels. 
     
     
         14 . The high pressure heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the high pressure heat exchanger is a chiller. 
     
     
         15 . The high pressure heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein a connecting block is attached to the first manifold or the second manifold.