Heat exchanger tube to header swaging process

Abstract

A method for making a heat exchanger assembly (10) includes inserting tubes (20) through fin holes (32) in heat exchanger fins (30) and headers (40, 42) to form a bundle (50), and expanding the tubes (20) forming an interference fit with the heat exchanger fins (30). The bundle (50) is inserted into a housing (60) open at both end; (67, 68) and having a wall (62) surrounding the headers (40, 42) with inlet and outlet lines (64, 66) in the wall (62), and sealing 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). A plurality of mandrel heads (70) are inserted through the open ends (67, 68) of the housing (60) into the tubes (20) expanding the tubes (20) into the headers (40, 42) to form a sealed joint between the tubes (20) and the headers (40, 42). The headers (40,42) are disposed in an axial overlapping relationship with the first and second open ends (67, 68) of the housing (60) of each header extends axially from the open ends (67, 68). A pair of caps (80) close the open ends (67, 68) of the housing (60) and are disposed in axial overlapping relationship with the portion of the headers (40, 42) extending out of the housing (60).

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.