Method of producing a heat exchanger tube

A method for producing a heat exchanger tube having a tube axis, a tube wall having a tube outside and a tube inside, helically encircling integral outer ribs formed on the tube outside and axially parallel or helically encircling inner ribs formed on the tube inside, with a groove which lies in each case between adjacent inner ribs, a region of each of the inner ribs which is remote from the tube wall being deformed asymmetrically on only one side essentially in a tube circumferential direction, comprising the steps of:

• a) performing a rolling step on an outside tube wall of a smooth tube so that a rib material is formed by the displacement of material out of the outside tube wall to form helically extending outer ribs on the tube outside tube wall to obtain a ribbed tube which is set into rotation and propelled forwardly during the formation of the outer ribs, the outer ribs being shaped with a rising height out of an otherwise non-deformed smooth tube surface;
• b) supporting an inside tube wall in a region in which the outer ribs are formed with a rolling mandrel provided in the ribbed tube and mounted rotatably on a mandrel rod and having axially parallel or helical grooves on an outer surface thereof and forming axially parallel or helical inner ribs on the inside tube wall to form an inner and outer ribbed tube;
• and
• c) deforming a region of each of the inner ribs which is remote from the inside tube wall at regular intervals asymmetrically on only one side essentially in a circumferential direction of the inner and outer ribbed tube by means of a pin provided on the mandrel rod, deformed material of the inner ribs being displaced to form protrusions above a groove provided between adjacent inner ribs to form the heat exchange tube.