Method of making a heat exchanger

In making a weldment heat exchanger having an air side core of spaced tubes and interconntecting fins extending between liquid tanks, the method comprising:

• (a) stacking a plurality of solder-coated tubes in a plurality of spaced sets with fins arranged between each adjacent pair of tube sets;
• (b) arranging rigid end supports against the stack;
• (c) applying compression to the resulting stack through said supports, the tubes having substantially coplanar ends projecting beyond the sides of the stack;
• (d) securing said stack in an easily handled rigid assembly;
• (e) applying a header plate to each side of the assembly having tube ends with said tube ends extending through corresponding holes in the header plates;
• (f) gang welding the projecting ends to the exterior of said header plates by relatively moving said stack and a multi-head, automatic welder;
• (g) applying a soldering flux to the resulting core assembly;
• (h) applying heat at a temperature above the melting point of said solder over the outer surfaces of said core assembly to bond the fins and tubes together;
• (i) applying solder over the adjacent junction areas of the tubes and header plates that are opposite to the location of the welds, the welds thereby being on the liquid side of the heat exchanger and the solder on the air side;
• (j) heating said adjacent areas of the tubes and header plates to melt said solder and thereby coat the said adjacent areas of the tubes and header plates with solder to seal the air side of the welds at said adjacent areas against any leakage opening that may occur in the welds;
• (k) removing said end supports from said core;
• and
• (l) attaching a tube enclosing liquid tank to each of said header plates in
• fluid tight relation.

In making a weldment heat exchanger having an air side core of spaced tubes and interconnecting fins extending between liquid tanks, the method comprising:

• (a) stacking a plurality of solder-coated tubes in a plurlity of spaced sets with fins arranged between each adjacent pair of tube sets;
• (b) arranging rigid end supports against the stack;
• (c) applying compression to the resulting stack through said supports, the tubes having substantially coplanar ends projecting beyond the sides of the stack;
• (d) securing said stack in an easily handled rigid assembly;
• (e) applying a header plate to each side of the assembly having tube ends with said tube ends extending through corresponding holes in the header plates;
• (f) gang welding the projecting ends to the exterior of said header plates by relatively moving said stack and a multi-end, automatic welder;
• (g) applying a soldering flux to the resulting core assembly;
• (h) applying heat at a temperature above the melting point of said solder over the outer surfaces of said core assembly to bond the fins and tubes together;
• (i) applying a sealant over the adjacent junction areas of the tubes and header plates that are opposite to the location of the welds, the welds thereby being on the liquid side of the heat exchanger and the sealant on the air side;
• (j) causing the sealant to substantially solidify to seal the air side of the welds at said adjacent areas against any leakage openings that may occur in the welds;
• (k) removing said end supports from said core;
• and
• (l) attaching a tube enclosing liquid tank to each of said header plates in
• fluid tight relation.

In making a vehicular radiator having an air side core of spaced tubes and interconnecting fins extending between liquid tanks, the method comprising:

• (a) stacking a plurality of tubes in a plurality of spaced sets with fins arranged between each adjacent pair of tube sets;
• (b) arranging rigid end supports against the stack;
• (c) applying compression to the resulting stack through said supports, the tubes having substantially coplanar ends projecting beyond the sides of the stack;
• (d) securing said stack in an easily handled rigid assembly;
• (e) applying a header plant to each side of the assembly having tube ends with said tube ends extending through corresponding holes in the header plates;
• (f) fusing the projecting ends to the exterior of said header plates by heating at least the junction areas of said tubes and said header plates to form a strong tube to header joint;
• (g) bonding the fins and tubes together;
• (h) applying a sealant over the adjacent junction areas of the tubes and header plates that are opposite to the location of said fused ends, the fused ends thereby being on the liquid side of the radiator and the sealant on the air side;
• (i) causing the sealant to substantially solidify to seal the air side of the fused ends at said adjacent areas against any leakage openings that may occur in the fused ends;
• (j) removing said end supports from said core;
• and
• (k) attaching a tube enclosing liquid tank to each of said header plates in
• fluid tight relation.

In making a radiator for a vehicle having a core of spaced tubes and interconnecting fins extending between liquid tanks, the method comprising:

• (a) stacking a plurality of solder-coated tubes in a plurality of spaced sets with fins arranged between each adjacent pair of tube sets to provide a stack;
• (b) arranging end supports against the stack;
• (c) applying compression to the stack through said supports, the tubes having substantially coplanar ends projecting beyond the sides of the stack;
• (d) securing said stack in an easily handled rigid assembly;
• (e) spplying a header plate to each side of the assembly having tube ends with said header plate having a plurality of holes, said tube ends extending through said holes;
• (f) welding said tube ends to the header plates with some or all of said welds being prone to defects to provide a core assembly;
• (g) applying a soldering flux to said core assembly;
• (h) applying heat at a temperature above the melting point of said solder over the outer surfaces of said core assembly to bond the fins and tubes together;
• (i) contacting the adjacent junction areas of the tube ends and header plates with a melted solder having excellent capillary flow properties so that the solder with its excellent capillary flow properties fills defects in the welds to provide a leak-tight structure;
• (j) removing said end supports from said core;
• and
• (k) attaching a tube enclosing liquid tank to each of said header plates in
• fluid tight relation.

In making a radiator for a vehicle having a core of spaced tubes and interconnecting fins extending between liquid tanks, the method comprising:

• (a) stacking a plurality of tubes in a plurality of spaced sets of fins arranged between each adjacent pair of tube sets to form a stack;
• (b) arranging the tube sets so that the tubes have substantially coplanar ends projecting beyond the sides of the stack;
• (c) applying a header plate having a plurality of holes to each side of the assembly having tube ends so that said tube ends extend through respective ones of said holes;
• (d) welding said tube ends to the header plates with some or all of said welds being prone to defects;
• (e) bonding the fins and tubes together;
• (f) contacting the adjacent junction areas of the tube ends and header plates with a sealant having excellent capillary flow properties so that the sealant with its excellent capillary flow properties fills defects in the welds to provide a leak-tight structure;
• and
• (g) attaching a tube enclosing liquid tank to each of said header plates in
• fluid tight relation.

In making a radiator for a vehicle having a core of spaced tubes and interconnecting fins extending between liquid tanks, the method comprising:

• a. stacking a plurality of tubes in a plurality of spaced sets with fins arranged between each adjacent pair of tube sets to form a stack;
• b. arranging the tube sets so that the tube ends project beyond the sides of the stack;
• c. applying a header plate having a plurality of holes to each side of the assembly having tube ends so that said tube ends extend through respective ones of said holes;
• d. fusing said tube ends to the header plate with some or all of the fusions being prone to defects;
• e. bonding the fins and tubes together;
• f. applying a sealant having excellent capillary flow properties over the adjacent junction areas of the tube ends and header plates to seal and fill the defects in said fusions;
• and
• g. attaching a tube enclosing liquid tank to each of said header plates and fluid type relation.