Method for manufacturing a distributor for refrigerant in a thermal management module
A method for manufacturing a distributor for refrigerant in components in a thermal management module is provided, distributor has distributor openings for the refrigerant on an upper surface and/or a lower surface that faces away from the upper surface. Greater reliability, reduced installation space, and greater variability in the shape of the distributor are obtained in that the distributor is produced in a casting process, in which channel sections of channels passing through the distributor are obtained with a removable core in a mold. A method for manufacturing a thermal management module that contains such a distributor, as well as a distributor produced in this manner, and a thermal management module is provided.
1 . A method for manufacturing a distributor for distributing refrigerant in a thermal management module for a vehicle,
wherein the distributor comprises:
an upper surface and a lower surface facing away from the upper surface,
at least one channel that forms a flow path for the refrigerant and is closed in at least one section at the upper surface and the lower surface,
distributor openings on the upper surface and/or the lower surface for distributing the refrigerant to components in the thermal management module, through which the flow path passes,
placing at least one removable core in a mold where the at least one channel is to be formed,
placing a material in the mold thereby forming the distributor, such that the material covers the at least one core where the upper surface and the lower surface are formed,
removing the at least one core after the material hardens, such that the at least one channel is formed in its place, and
producing at least one distributor flange within the distributor with which the components in the thermal management module are configured to be attached to the at least one distributor flange, wherein the at least one distributor flange contains at least one of the distributor openings only on the upper surface.
2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the step of placing the at least one removable core is performed such that the mold is configured to be capable of being flushed out to remove the core,
wherein the removing the at least one core comprises flushing out the core after the material hardens.
3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one core that is placed in the mold is a salt core or sand core.
4 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein the core that is placed in the mold is a sintered salt core.
5 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of producing at least one of the at least one distributor flanges in a casting process.
6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the distributor has a screw hole, the screw hole being configured for attaching to at least one of the components, and/or the thermal management module, further comprising casting the distributor.
7 . A method for producing a thermal management module, through which refrigerant circulates, the thermal management module being for a vehicle, wherein at least two components in the thermal management module are heat exchangers, and wherein the at least two of the components are supplied with refrigerant by a distributor in the thermal management module,
producing the distributor with the method according to claim 1 , and
connecting the components supplied with the refrigerant by the distributor to at least one of the distributor openings for fluid exchange, such that the flow path for the refrigerant passes through these components, and wherein the distributor is configured to distribute the refrigerant to the components when in operation.
8 . The method according to claim 7 , characterized in that at least one of the components supplied by the distributor is attached to the at least one distribution flange.