A heat exchanger manifold and method of forming a heat exchanger manifold

摘要

The invention relates to a method of forming a heat exchanger manifold from a single sheet of base material. The method comprises forming a longitudinal locating groove (21; 121) in the central portion (20; 120) of the heat exchanger base material (12; 112) and forming tube insertion slots (36; 136) therein. The tube insertion slots (36; 136) have extruded walls (38; 138) which create locating channels (40; 140) between corresponding walls (38; 138) of adjacent tube insertion slots (36; 136). A series of protrusions (24; 124) are provided along opposed edges of the first and second partitioning wall portions (14; 114) to form ridged edges (22; 122) thereon, the series of protrusions (24; 124) being positioned along the ridged edges (22; 122) to correspond with portions of the longitudinal locating groove (21; 121) and the series of channels (40; 140) of the central portion (20; 120). When the walls of the base material are folded to form the heat exchanger, the protrusions (24; 124) of the ridged edges (22; 122) are located in the groove (21; 121) of the channels (40; 140) between the series of tube insertion slots (36; 136) and are securely brazed thereto.