Method and Apparatus for Forming a Heat Exchanger Turbulator and Tube

This invention relates to method and apparatus for forming heat exchanger turbulators and tubes and more particularly to using both mechanical and hydraulic forming forces to form both the turbulator and inner tube for a concentric tube heat exchanger.

In the manufacture of concentric tube heat exchangers, such as those employed as motor vehicle automatic transmission oil coolers, it is common practice to insert a turbulator between the inner and outer tube for the purpose of improving heat transfer efficiency. Typically, the turbulator is formed from flat sheet with a die so as to have spaced bumps or projections. The sheet with bumps is then rolled into a sleeve shape for insertion between the tubes whose ends are then sealingly joined. This construction provides efficient heat transfer and long product life but the turbulator part is difficult to handle automatically. Moreover, the material cost of the separate turbulator part is a substantial part of the overall cost of the cooler. It has been proposed to construct one of the tubes from flat sheet by forming the turbulator bumps therein and then rolling and seam welding same. However, the seam weld presents both production and quality problems.

The present invention is in method and apparatus for simultaneously mechanically and hydraulically forming a turbulator from a straight plain stock piece of tube such that it is suited for sealed installation without further forming as both a turbulator and inner tube in the outer tube that of a concentric tube heat exchanger assembly. Provision for both sealing of the ends of the stock tube piece during hydraulic forming from within of outwardly projecting turbulation bumps and the sealing of these inner tube ends to the outer tube at assembly is by the formation of annular radially outwardly displaced bell-shaped sealing sections in the ends of the tube piece using simultaneously operated punches that are forced into the tube ends with the tube installed in a hydraform die that additionally has punch dies against which the sealing sections are pressed by the punches. The forming and initial sealing of the ends of the tube piece is effected with the punches with a relatively low force and the tube piece is then filled with hydraulic fluid that is then pressurized to form the turbulation bumps. As the latter takes place, the punch force is then increased in proportion to the hydraulic forming pressure to maintain the necessary high pressure sealing. With the hydraulic force opposing the punch forces, it is only their net force that acts on the tube's pieces sealing sections to maintain sealing contact between the latter and the punch dies rather than the full punch force which otherwise might coin these sections. Moreover, the metal-to metal sealing that is provided is ideally suited to handling the high hydraforming pressures involved(e.g. abut 14,000 psi with 0.050 inch thick brass). In comparison, conventional methods of sealing such as o-rings would not normally be maintainable on a production basis at such high pressure. And it will also be appreciated that in addition to integrally forming the turbulator and inner tube as one part, the processing of same including the formation of the metal-to-metal sealing for the hydraforming of the turbulation bumps readily lends itself to automation.

These and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description and drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the preferred form of apparatus according to the present invention with a stock piece of tube inserted therein for processing.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the right-hand end of the hydraforming die and the right-hand punch die arrangement in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but following the punch die operation.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but following the hydraforming operation.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of one end of a concentric tube oil cooler constructed with the one-piece turbulator and inner tube formed with the apparatus in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a view taken on the line 6--6 in FIG. 5.

Referring to the drawings wherein the same numbers are used throughout the several views to identify the same parts, there is shown in FIGS. 1-4 a hydraforming die 10 of cylindrical shape with a punch die 12 formed on each end thereof and such integral three dies clamped to a surrounding housing 14 by annular plates 15 and angularly spaced bolts 16. The dies 10 and 12 are adapted to receive a stock piece 18 of round tube of predetermined length with the ends of the stock tube piece located at the respective punch dies and the stock piece extending along the length of the hydraforming die as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. With the stock tube piece thus inserted in the dies, identical hydraulically operated punches 20 are positioned opposite the respective punch dies.

The punches and their respective dies are configured so as to cooperatively form a radially outwardly displaced bell-shaped section 22 in the ends of the tube piece comprising an annular radially outwardly projecting conically shaped portion 24 adjacent the tube end and a round cylindrical portion 26 that terminates at the tube end (see FIGS. 3 and 4). The bell-shaped sections 22 at the ends of the tube provide for the tube to be inserted inside another tube 28 of larger diameter as shown in FIG. 5 with the cylindrical collar-shaped portions 26 of the inner tube slip fitting in the respective ends of the outer tube and terminating therewith and the intermediate portion 29 of the inner tube intermediate the collars spaced radially inward of the outer tube so as to define an annular closed space 30 between the tubes.

The hydraforming die 10 is configured with a plurality of round radial holes 32 so as to form outwardly projecting partial spheres or bumps spaced along and about the inner tube's intermediate portion 29. The bumps extend radially so as to span the closed space 30 and contact the interior of the outer tube to form an effective turbulator in the liquid flow between the tubes.

The outer tube on the other hand is simply preformed with a radial flanged hole 34 at each end (only one being shown--see FIGS. 5 and 6) for communicating the heat transfer space 30 between the tubes with the liquid to be cooled. The oil cooler assembly is completed by a seam weld 36 that sealingly joins the end edges of the inner and outer tubes at each end (only one being shown--see FIG. 5).

Describing now both the formation of the bell sections and the turbulation bumps on the inner tube, the former which are utilized for spacing and end closure in the cooler assembly are also utilized to seal the ends of the tube for the hydraforming by mechanically forming and holding same during the hydraforming. With a stock piece inserted in the forming apparatus as shown in FIG. 1, the punches 20 are operated by identical hydraulic cylinders 38 through control of a valve 40 that controls communication of a source 42 of hydraulic fluid at a regulatable pressure with the opposite ends of the cylinders so that the punches are advanced by the respective pistons 44 with just sufficient force to form the bell sections in the ends of the tube as shown only at the right-hand end in FIG. 3. With the formation of the bell sections, the punches are not retracted and instead continue to bear against same so as to close and seal the ends of the tube piece while a valve 45 is then opened to communicate another source 46 of hydraulic fluid at a regulatable pressure with the thus sealed interior of the stock tube piece by a passage 48 extending through one of the punches as shown in FIG. 1. Upon filling of the sealed tube piece and as the fluid is then pressurized to bulge form the turbulation bumps against the hydraforming die, the pressure in the punch operating cylinders is then increased above the initial bell forming pressure and in proportion to the increasing hydraforming pressure so as to maintain the end sealing whose force requirements increase in proportion thereto. As a result, the hydraforming force opposes the punch forces so that only their difference or net force acts on the bell sections rather than the full punch force required which might otherwise coin these sections.

The above described embodiment is illustrative of the invention which may be modified within the scope of the appended claims.