Abstract:
A header of a heat exchanger including a first wall connected with a plurality of heat transfer tubes of the heat exchanger, a second wall facing the first wall with an interval therebetween, and a circumferential wall connecting outer circumferential edges of the first and the second walls in such a manner that an area between the first and the second walls constitutes a chamber for inflow of fluid, the chamber communicating with each of the heat transfer tube. At least one of the first and the second walls is configured to curve in such a manner that a central area of the wall is positioned close to an inside of the chamber than an outer circumferential area of the wall. The thickness of the header is reduced and enough strength of the header is obtained, thereby preferably enduring repeating water hammer.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a technology concerning a heat exchanger to be used as a constituting element of a water heater. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    One example of the heat exchanger is disclosed in Patent Literature 1. The disclosed heat exchanger has a plurality of heat transfer tubes and a case housing the heat transfer tubes. A part of a side wall of the case bulges out of the case. An auxiliary member is fitted to the bulging portion to constitute a header for entering water or delivering heated water, the header including a chamber. The heat transfer tubes are welded to a tip end wall of the bulging portion and the insides of the heat transfer tubes are communicated with the chamber. 
         [0005]    In such a structure, heated water is able to appropriately flow in or out of the heat transfer tubes using the header. Further, the header is formed utilizing the side wall of the case, thereby reducing the number of members and downsizing the entire apparatus. In addition, the production cost is preferably reduced. 
         [0006]    However, there is still a room for improvement in the conventional art as mentioned below. 
         [0007]    The header of the heat exchanger is connected with a piping member attached with several kinds of fluid devices such as an electromagnetic on-off valve. There is a fear of water hammer in a route of the piping member. When water hammer occurs, the water pressure in the header remarkably increases. Water hammer may repeatedly occur several times. Therefore, the header is required to be constituted so as to have enough durability against repeating change of the inner pressure. In the header, the tip end wall of the bulging portion and a part of the auxiliary member facing the tip end wall are in the shape of a flat plate and have a large dimension, thereby easily causing flexural deformation at the time of water hammer so that an adequate strength is required. Specifically, when the plurality of heat transfer tubes are welded to the tip end wall of the bulging portion, the tip end wall is distorted due to welding and easily curves opposite to the chamber, to be mentioned later referring to  FIG. 5 . In such a case, the tip end wall easily deforms due to increase of the inner pressure and there is a disadvantage such that a large stress concentrates on the welded portion of each heat transfer tube. In order to resolve such a problem, the thickness of the header can be increased and the stiffness of the header can be increased. However, when such a solution is simply applied, the production cost and the weight of the apparatus increase. 
       CITATION LIST 
       [0008]    Patent Literature 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2014-70844 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    An object of the present invention is to provide a header of a heat exchanger capable of appropriately inhibiting or preventing the above-mentioned disadvantages and to provide a heat exchanger provided with the header. 
         [0010]    The present invention proposes the following technical measures for solving the above-mentioned problems. 
         [0011]    A header of a heat exchanger provided in the first aspect of the present invention includes a first wall connected with a plurality of heat transfer tubes of the heat exchanger, a second wall facing the first wall with an interval therebetween, and a circumferential wall connecting outer circumferential edges of the first and the second walls in such a manner that an area between the first and the second walls constitutes a chamber for inflow of fluid, the chamber communicating with each of the heat transfer tubes. At least one of the first and the second walls is configured to curve in such a manner that a central area of the wall is positioned closer to an inside of the chamber than an outer circumferential area of the wall. 
         [0012]    Preferably, the first wall and the plurality of heat transfer tubes are connected in such a manner that the plurality of heat transfer tubes are inserted into a plurality of holes provided for the first wall and inserted portions are welded. At least the first wall of the first and the second walls is configured to curve as mentioned above. 
         [0013]    Preferably, both of the first and the second walls are configured to curve as mentioned above. 
         [0014]    A header of a heat exchanger provided in the second aspect of the present invention includes a first wall connected with a plurality of heat transfer tubes of the heat exchanger, a second wall facing the first wall with an interval therebetween, and a circumferential wall connecting outer circumferential edges of the first and the second walls in such a manner that an area between the first and the second walls constitutes a chamber for inflow of fluid, the chamber communicating with each of the heat transfer tubes. At least one of the first and the second walls is provided with at least one protruding portion partially protruding into an inside or an outside of the chamber. 
         [0015]    Preferably, the protruding portion protrudes into the inside of the chamber. 
         [0016]    Preferably, the protruding portion is a protruding portion provided between connection portions of the plurality of heat transfer tubes on the first wall. 
         [0017]    Preferably, the plurality of heat transfer tubes are connected to the first wall so as to be arranged in a fixed direction, and the protruding portion is a protruding portion provided at a position of the first wall being offset in a direction intersecting the fixed direction relative to the connection portions of the plurality of heat transfer tubes, the protruding portion being configured to be elongated in the fixed direction. 
         [0018]    Preferably, the second wall is provided with a joint tube body, the second wall and the circumferential wall are integrally formed, and the outer circumferential edge of the first wall is continuously formed with a cylindrical wall, the cylindrical wall being formed so as to protrude opposite to the second wall from the outer circumferential edge, and the circumferential wall is fitted to the cylindrical wall to be jointed. 
         [0019]    A heat exchanger provided in the third aspect of the present invention includes the header provided in the first aspect or the second aspect of the present invention. 
         [0020]    Preferably, the heat exchanger includes a case housing the plurality of heat transfer tubes, a bulging portion having a cylindrical wall and a tip end wall, the cylindrical wall being configured to bulge out of a side wall of the case in an outward direction or an inward direction of the case, the tip end wall closing a tip end of the cylindrical wall and being connected with the plurality of heat transfer tubes, and an auxiliary member formed separate from the side wall of the case. The side wall of the case is connected with the auxiliary member in such a manner that the chamber is formed by the bulging portion and the auxiliary member, the tip end wall of the bulging portion constitutes the first wall of the header, and the auxiliary member constitutes the second wall. 
         [0021]    Preferably, the cylindrical wall of the bulging portion bulges out of the side wall of the case in an outward direction of the case, the auxiliary member has a hollow main body having an open edge forming an opening corresponding to the bulging portion, and the open edge is fitted onto the bulging portion to be welded. 
         [0022]    Preferably, the side wall of the case is constituted with a metal plate, and the bulging portion is integrally formed with the side wall by a press-working, and the cylindrical wall and the tip end wall of the bulging portion are integrally connected. 
         [0023]    Preferably, each of the plurality of heat transfer tubes is constituted with a helical tube body or a meandering tube body, the case has a supply port of heating gas and a discharge port of heating gas, and the heating gas flowing in the case from the supply port flows out of the case from the discharge port after working on the tube body. 
         [0024]    Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will be apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments referring to the attached drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0025]      FIG. 1  is an externally perspective view showing one example of a heat exchanger of the present invention. 
           [0026]      FIG. 2A  is a sectional view taken along the line IIa to IIa in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2B  is a sectional view taken along the line IIb to IIb in  FIG. 2A . 
           [0027]      FIG. 3A  is an enlarged sectional view of the substantial part of  FIG. 2B , and  FIG. 3B  is a sectional view of the substantial part taken along the line IIIb to IIIb in  FIG. 3A . 
           [0028]      FIG. 4A  is an exploded sectional view of  FIG. 3A  and  FIG. 4B  is an exploded sectional view of  FIG. 3B . 
           [0029]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged sectional view showing a comparison example with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0030]      FIG. 6  is a sectional view of the substantial part showing another embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0031]      FIG. 7  is a sectional view of the substantial part showing another embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0032]      FIG. 8A  is a front view of the substantial part showing another embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 8B  is a sectional view taken along the line VIIIb to VIIIb in  FIG. 8A . 
           [0033]      FIG. 9A  and  FIG. 9B  are front views of the substantial part showing another embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0034]      FIG. 10  is a front view of the substantial part showing another embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0035]      FIG. 11  is a sectional view of the substantial part showing another embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0036]      FIG. 12A  is a plan sectional view showing another embodiment of the present invention,  FIG. 12B  is a sectional view taken along the line XIIb to XIIb in  FIG. 12A , and  FIG. 12C  is a side view thereof. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0037]    Preferred embodiments of the present invention are explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0038]    In the embodiments to be mentioned below, the elements same as or similar to those in the precedent embodiments are allotted with the same reference numerals and the redundant explanation is omitted. 
       First Embodiment 
       [0039]    A heat exchanger HE 1  shown in  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2A  and  FIG. 2B  is a heat exchanger provided for a water heater to recover latent heat and is used for heating water by recovering heat from combustion gas generated by a burner (not shown in the figure) such as a gas burner. The heat exchanger HE 1  has a similar basic structure to the heat exchanger disclosed in Patent Literature 1. Specifically, the heat exchanger HE 1  has a case  2 , a plurality of heat transfer tubes  1  housed in the case  2 , and a pair of headers H (Ha, Hb) connected to lower ends and upper ends of the heat transfer tubes  1  so as to enter water and deliver heated water, respectively. 
         [0040]    The plurality of heat transfer tubes  1  are formed with a plurality of helical tube bodies substantially in the form of an ellipse or a rectangle as seen in plan view. The helical tube bodies have different sizes and are arranged to be wound and overlapped in a substantially concentric manner. An upper portion and a lower portion of each of the heat transfer tubes  1  are straight tube bodies  10   a,    10   b  extending almost horizontally. 
         [0041]    The case  2 , like a cuboid, has a main body  20  constituted with a rectangle-tubular stem body and a pair of side walls  21 ,  21   a  closing both openings in a width direction of the main body  20 . The main body  20  and the side walls  21 ,  21   a  are constituted with metal plates such as a stainless steel. A rear wall  20   c  of the case  2  has an inlet port  25 . Combustion gas entered in the case  2  from the inlet port  25  passes through gaps between the plurality of heat transfer tubes  1  and reaches an outlet port  26  provided for a front wall  20   d.  In such a procedure, heat is recovered from combustion gas by each of the heat transfer tubes  1  and water in each heat transfer tube  1  is heated. 
         [0042]    The side wall  21  of the case  2  is formed with two bulging portions  22 . Each bulging portion  22  is formed by a press-working of the side wall  21 . As shown in  FIG. 3A ,  FIG. 3B ,  FIG. 4A  and  FIG. 4B , each bulging portion  22  has a cylindrical wall  22   a  bulging out of the case  2  and a tip end wall  22   b  closing a tip end of the cylindrical wall  22   a    
         [0043]    The tip end wall  22   b  corresponds to one example of “the first wall” of the header in the present invention. The tip end wall  22   b  curves at a suitable curvature radius Ra in such a manner that a central area of the tip end wall  22   b  is positioned closer to the outside of the case  2  (namely, inside of a chamber  36  to be mentioned later) than the outer circumferential area thereof. The process to curve the tip end wall  22   b  is able to be done at the same time of a press molding of the bulging portion  22 . The plurality of heat transfer tubes  1  are inserted into a plurality of holes  23  provided for the tip end wall  22   b  and are welded to the tip end wall  22   b.  (The reference numeral W 1  in  FIG. 3A  and  FIG. 3B  shows the welded portion.) 
         [0044]    The header H is constituted such that an auxiliary member  3  is fitted onto the bulging portion  22  to be welded. The auxiliary member  3  has a hollow main body  30  having on the front face an open edge  33  constituting an opening  32  corresponding to the bulging portion  22 . The auxiliary member  3  also has a joint tube body  31  connected to the rear face of the main body  30 . The joint tube body  31  is a member to connect with a piping member supplying heated water to the header H or a piping member to discharge heated water from the header H. 
         [0045]    The outer circumference of the open edge  33  is integrally formed with a flange  34  shortly protruding outward from the open edge  33 . The auxiliary member  3  is fitted onto the bulging portion  22  in such a manner that a curved surface  35  formed on the inner circumference of a tip end of the open edge  33  of the auxiliary member  3  abuts on the outer surface of a base of the cylindrical wall  22   a  and the abutting portion is welded. (The reference numeral W 2  in  FIG. 3A  and  FIG. 3B  shows the welded portion.) In such a structure, the area, facing the tip end wall  22   b,  inside the auxiliary member  3  constitutes a chamber  36  for heated water, the chamber  36  communicating with each heat transfer tube  1 . A wall  30   a,  facing the tip end wall  22   b  via the chamber  36 , of the main body  30  of the auxiliary member  3  corresponds to one example of “the second wall” in the present invention. 
         [0046]    However, in the embodiment of the present invention, the wall  30   a  does not curve toward the inside of the chamber  36 . A circumferential wall  30   b,  surrounding the chamber  36 , of the main body  30  of the auxiliary member  3  corresponds to “the circumferential wall” of the header in the present invention. 
         [0047]    Operational effects of the above-mentioned heat exchanger HE 1  are explained hereinafter. 
         [0048]    In  FIG. 3A  and  FIG. 3B , a water pressure Pa in the chamber  36  of the header H acts on each part of the header H, namely the tip end wall  22   b  of the bulging portion  22  (the first wall of the header), the wall  30   a  of the auxiliary member  3  (the second wall of the header), and the circumferential wall  30   b.  The tip end wall  22   b  of the bulging portion  22  curves so as to protrude toward the inside of the chamber  36 , so that the above-mentioned water pressure causes compression stress to the tip end wall  22   b.  This is the same principle as the case that compression stress is generated at parts of an arch when an arched structure receives load. 
         [0049]    Unlike the embodiment of the present invention, when the tip end wall  22   b  is formed flat or curves toward the outside of the chamber  36 , tensile stress is generated at the tip end wall  22   b  by the water pressure Pa, thereby easily causing bending deformation. However, in the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to cause compression stress to the tip end wall  22   b  and to enhance the strength of the tip end wall  22   b  so as not to easily generate flexural deformation. When water hammer occurs in the piping route connected to the header H, the water pressure Pa rapidly and remarkably increases. In such a phenomenon, it is possible not to cause a large flexural deformation to the tip end wall  22   b.  Such an advantageous effect prevents a large stress on the welded portion W 1  of the tip end wall  22   b  with the heat transfer tube  1  and prevents the welded portion W 1  from being fragile. 
         [0050]      FIG. 5  is an explanatory view compared with the embodiment of the present invention. In  FIG. 5 , the tip end wall  22   b  of the bulging portion  22  is flat. When the plurality of heat transfer tubes  1  and the tip end wall  22   b  are welded from the outside of the tip end wall  22   b  in such a structure, the tip end wall  22   b  is distorted so as to curve toward the inside of the case  3  (toward the outside of the chamber) as shown with the arrow Na. In case of such a distortion of the tip end wall  22   b,  the tip end wall  22   b  easily causes a large tensile stress by the pressure in the chamber  36 . On the other hand, in the embodiment of the present invention, such a disadvantage is preferably avoided. 
         [0051]    The tip end wall  22   b  of the bulging portion  22  is able to be reinforced by the above-mentioned principle, so that the tip end wall  22   b  is able to be thin and in addition the side wall  21  of the case  2  is able to be thin, thereby reducing the production cost of the heat exchanger HE 1 . The water pressure Pa in the chamber  36  acts also on the walls  30   a,    30   b  of the auxiliary member  3 ; however, the walls  30   a,    30   b  are able to have enough strength by increasing the width of the auxiliary member  3 . The production cost does not increase so much when the thickness of the auxiliary member  3  increases. The measure to be mentioned later is employed in order to enhance the strength of the wall  30   a.    
       Second Embodiment 
       [0052]    In a heat exchanger HE 2  shown in  FIG. 6 , in addition to the tip end wall  22   b  of the bulging portion  22  (the first wall of the header), the wall  30   a  of the auxiliary member  3  (the second wall of the header) curves at a suitable curvature radius Rb toward the inside of the chamber  36 . 
         [0053]    In such a structure, the strength of the wall  30   a  is able to be enhanced like the same principle applied to the tip end wall  22   b.  Accordingly, such a structure is preferable to reduce the thickness of the parts of the header H and to enhance the entire strength. 
       Third Embodiment 
       [0054]    In a heat exchanger HE 3  shown in  FIG. 7 , the tip end wall  22   b  of the bulging portion  22  (the first wall of the header) is flat. On the other hand, the wall  30   a  of the auxiliary member  3  (the second wall of the header) curves toward the inside of the chamber  36 . In such a structure, although no measure is taken for enhancing the strength of the tip end wall  22   b,  the strength of the wall  30   a  is appropriately enhanced. Accordingly, compared with the conventional art, a preferable advantageous effect is obtained. 
       Fourth Embodiment 
       [0055]    In a heat exchanger HE 4  shown in  FIG. 8A  and  FIG. 8B , the tip end wall  22   b  of the bulging portion  22  of the case  2  (the first wall of the header) is basically flat (does not curve). A protruding portion  27  is provided between the connection portions of the heat transfer tubes  1  on the tip end wall  22   b.  The protruding portion  27  is formed by a press-working of the tip end wall  22   b  and protrudes toward the inside of the chamber  36 . On the other hand, the protruding portion  27  can protrude toward the outside of the chamber  36  unlike the embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0056]    In the embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of protruding portions  27  are integrally formed on the tip end wall  22   b,  so that the section modulus of the tip end wall  22   b  increases and the rigidity is enhanced. As a result, the thickness of the tip end wall  22   b  is reduced and the preferable strength against the water hammer is obtained. The protruding portion  27  is positioned close to the welded portion of the heat transfer tubes  1  and the tip end wall  22   b,  so that such a structure is preferable for preventing a large stress on the welded portion. 
         [0057]    The protruding portion  27  in  FIG. 8A  and  FIG. 8B  is substantially rectangle and vertically long. However, the specific shape of the protruding portion  27  is not limited to such a shape. The protruding portion  27  can be circular or formed like a dot as shown in  FIG. 9A  or can be substantially ellipse as shown in  FIG. 9B . 
       Fifth Embodiment 
       [0058]    In a heat exchanger HE 5  shown in  FIG. 10 , the tip end wall  22   b  of the bulging portion  22  is provided with the protruding portion  27  like the heat exchanger HE 4  as mentioned above. The protruding portion  27  is provided at a position vertically offset from the connection portion of the heat transfer tubes  1  and is arranged in the same direction as the arrangement direction of the heat transfer tubes  1  (in the horizontal direction). 
         [0059]    In this embodiment, the tip end wall  22   b  is able to be reinforced. In addition, the protruding portion  27  is able to be close to the welded portion of the heat transfer tubes  1  and to be formed in a large size, so that such a structure is further preferable for preventing a large stress on the welded portion of the heat transfer tubes  1 . 
         [0060]    The above-mentioned protruding portion  27  can be provided for the wall  30   a  of the auxiliary member  3  (the second wall of the header) in place of or in addition to the tip end wall  22   b,  although it is not shown in the figure. 
       Sixth Embodiment 
       [0061]    In a heat exchanger HE 6  shown in  FIG. 11 , the tip end wall  22   b  of the bulging portion  22  (the first wall of the header) curves toward the inside of the chamber  36 . In addition, the tip end wall  22   b  is provided with a plurality of protruding portions  27 . In such a structure, the strength of the tip end wall  22   b  is enhanced based on the synergetic effect of the high strength against the water pressure Pa due to the curved tip end wall  22   b  and of the reinforcement by the protruding portion  27 . 
         [0062]    The above-mentioned measure having the curved wall and the protruding portion  27  for reinforcement can be applied to the wall  30   a  of the auxiliary member  3  (the second wall of the header) in place of or in addition to the tip end wall  22   b,  although it is not shown in the figure. 
       Seventh Embodiment 
       [0063]    In a heat exchanger HE 7  shown in  FIG. 12A  to  FIG. 12C , the plurality of heat transfer tubes  1  are meandering tube bodies formed substantially horizontal and are arranged vertically in the height direction. In the header H, the side wall  21  of the case  2  is provided with the bulging portion  22  bulging toward the inside of the case  2  and the auxiliary member  3  is fitted into the bulging portion  22 . The tip end wall  22   b  of the bulging portion  22  is a wall connected with the heat transfer tubes  1  and corresponds to the first wall of the header H in the present invention. The tip end wall  22   b  curves at a suitable curvature radius Ra so as to protrude toward the inside of the chamber  36 . The wall  30   a,  facing the tip end wall  22   b,  of the auxiliary member  3  corresponds to the second wall of the header H in the present invention. The cylindrical wall  22   a  of the bulging portion  22  and the circumferential wall  30   b  of the auxiliary member  3  correspond to the circumferential wall of the header H. 
         [0064]    In the embodiment of the present invention, the bulging portion  22  bulges toward the inside of the case  2 , but the tip end wall  22   b  curves so as to protrude toward the inside of the chamber  36 , so that the similar advantageous effects to the heat exchanger HE 1  are obtained. 
         [0065]    In the heat exchanger HE 7  shown in  FIG. 12A  to  FIG. 12C , the tip end wall  22   b  curves so as to enhance the strength thereof; however, the measures taken to the heat exchangers HE 2  to HE 6  in the second to the sixth embodiments are of course applied. 
         [0066]    The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned preferred embodiments. The specific configuration of the members of the heat exchanger of the present invention is freely designed within the intended scope of the present invention. 
         [0067]    In the above-mentioned embodiments, the bulging portion is provided for the side wall of the case and the header is constituted using the bulging portion. However, the header can be constituted separate from the case without using the above-mentioned bulging portion in the present invention. The heat transfer tubes are not limited to be constituted with the helical tube body or the meandering tube body. Other heat transfer tubes (for example, a straight tube or a U-shaped tube) can be used. The heat transfer tubes and the auxiliary member can be connected by brazing in place of welding. 
         [0068]    The heat exchanger of the present invention is not limited to a heat exchanger provided for a water heater to recover latent heat and can be used for several purposes other than water heating.