Heat exchanger and manufacturing method thereof

A manufacturing method of a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger being configured to exchange heat between a refrigerant and a coolant, the heat exchanger comprising:

• a main body portion, comprising:
• a heat exchange core, a collecting pipe portion and a first mounting shell;
• the heat exchange core comprising a heat exchange tube, the heat exchange tube having a tube inner channel and a tube wall enclosing the tube inner channel;
• the collecting pipe portion comprising a first collecting pipe portion and a second collecting pipe portion, the first collecting pipe portion and the second collecting pipe portion being located on two sides of the heat exchange core along a length direction of the heat exchange core, respectively;
• each of the first collecting pipe portion and the second collecting pipe portion comprising a mounting end plate;
• the mounting end plate of the first collecting pipe portion and the mounting end plate of the second collecting pipe portion being hermetically connected to the heat exchange tube by brazing;
• the tube inner channel of the heat exchange tube being in communication with an inner cavity of the first collecting pipe portion and an inner cavity of the second collecting pipe portion so as to form a refrigerant path to circulate the refrigerant;
• the first mounting shell being of an integrally U-shaped configuration;
• the first mounting shell comprising a first connecting wall and two first side walls;
• the two first side walls extending from two sides of the first connecting wall, respectively, along a height direction of the heat exchange core;
• the first mounting shell comprising a first accommodating space and a first opening communicating with the first accommodating space;
• the first accommodating space being jointly formed by the first connecting wall and the two first side walls;
• the heat exchange core being received in the first accommodating space;
• two ends of the first mounting shell along the length direction of the heat exchange core being hermetically connected to the mounting end plate of the first collecting pipe portion and the mounting end plate of the second collecting pipe portion, respectively, by brazing;
• and
• a cover, assembled to the first mounting shell to cover the first opening;
• wherein two ends of the cover along the length direction of the heat exchange core being hermetically fixed to the mounting end plate of the first collecting pipe portion and the mounting end plate of the second collecting pipe portion, respectively, by glue;
• two sides of the cover, extending along the length direction of the heat exchange core, being hermetically fixed to the first mounting shell by glue;
• the cover and the first mounting shell being fixed in an enclosing manner along a circumferential direction of the heat exchange core;
• wherein the first mounting shell, the cover, the mounting end plate of the first collecting pipe portion and the mounting end plate of the second collecting pipe portion jointly form an inner chamber in which the heat exchange core resides;
• and the heat exchanger further comprises an inlet and an outlet;
• the inlet, the inner chamber and the outlet are in communication to form a second path to circulate the coolant, such that the refrigerant and the coolant are capable of exchanging heat;
• the manufacturing method comprising following steps:
• providing the heat exchange core, the first collecting pipe portion, the second collecting pipe portion and the first mounting shell;
• inserting one end of the heat exchange tube in the length direction of the heat exchange tube into an insertion hole provided on the mounting end plate of the first collecting pipe portion;
• inserting the other end of the heat exchange tube in the length direction into an insertion hole provided on the mounting end plate of the second collecting pipe portion;
• and arranging the first mounting shell in close contact with the heat exchange core along the length direction of the heat exchange core;
• fixing the heat exchange core, the first collecting pipe portion, the second collecting pipe portion and the first mounting shell as a whole by brazing;
• and
• after the brazing is done, providing the cover and hermetically fixing the cover to the first mounting shell, the mounting end plate of the first collecting pipe portion and the mounting end plate of the second collecting pipe portion by glue.