Patent ID: 6178636
Filing Date: 2001-01-30
Classification: F28F,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for making a heat exchanger assembly (10) comprising the steps of:inserting tubes (20) through baffle holes (32) in heat exchanger baffles (30) and headers (40,42) to form a bundle (50), said holes in said headers being substantially uniform in diameter throughout the thickness of the header, andexpanding the tubes (20) forming an interference fit with the heat exchanger baffles (30), andinserting the bundle (50) into a housing (60) open at both ends (67,68) and having a wall (62) surrounding said headers (40,42) with inlet and outlet lines (64,66) in said wall (62), andsealing the wall (62) of the housing (60) to the first and second headers (40,42) with the inlet and outlet lines (64,66) disposed between the headers (40,42), andinserting a plurality of the mandrel heads (70) through the open ends (67,68) of the housing (60) and into the tubes (20), andexpanding the tubes (20) into said headers (40,42) with the mandrel heads by expanding said tube ends into larger cross-sections within said holes in said headers, with one of said headers having the tube ends expanded into larger cross sections only part way through said header holes, (70) to form a sealed joint between the tubes (20) and the headers (40,42).