Slotted profile for fluid circulation tube insertion and associated heat exchanger

A method of manufacturing a heat exchanger, by insertion of at least one fluid flow tube into a profiled part configured to have at least one fluid flow tube passing therethrough, comprising, for each flow tube, a hollow cylinder comprising an inner surface configured to receive said flow tube, the cylinder having, in the absence of any mechanical force, a circular cross-section with an inner diameter which is substantially constant over its whole length and substantially equal to the outer diameter of said flow tube, wherein the profiled part comprises a slit extending over the whole length of the cylinder and configured to permit, by application of at least one mechanical force to the profiled part, an increase or decrease in the inner diameter of the cylinder in order respectively to permit the insertion of the tube into the cylinder or the clamping of the tube by the inner surface of the cylinder, the method comprising the following steps for each tube:

• a step of applying a mechanical force to the profiled part in order to enlarge the inner diameter of the hollow cylinder of the profiled part,
• a step of inserting the tube into the profiled part,
• a step of relaxing the mechanical force on the profiled part in order to reduce the inner diameter of the hollow cylinder of the profiled part and to clamp the inner surface of the hollow cylinder with an outer surface of the tube.