Floating Member Support Joint

TTR (TATA TOYO Radiator LTD) has receiving RFQ from Various customers like Toyota, Volvo, Tata Motors, Volvo Eicher, Kole, Cummins, Swaraj, Force Motors Mahindra & Mahindra for their BS 6 engines cooling a module which includes Radiator, CAC, EGR, Condenser, Heater core etc. Radiator is a heat exchanger which consists of Aluminum core, top & bottom tank, member support etc. This aluminum core is subjected to continuous working temperature from 0° to 120° under vehicle working condition. Due to this the aluminum core experiences expansion & contraction phenomenon. This phenomenon induces thermal stress in radiator core. This thermal stress leads to core leakage as the member support joint with core is of fixed type causing failure. This leakage further detoriates the performance of cooling system. To take care of this thermal stress we have introduced floating type mounting design for radiator. Floating type joint comes rubber grommet along with shoulder bolt & prevailing type nut. Rubber grommet is assembled with plastic tank of radiator. Member supports are used to hold the radiator core with tanks & these member support are fixed with the help of shoulder bolt & a clinched nut. These members support is provided with slot design which enables the radiator assembly free to slide in the direction of core expansion. The step which is provided on shoulder bolt avoids the compression of rubber after application of torque. As the name indicates, this joint becomes a flexible joint in which the core is free to float between the slots provided on member support. There was a need to design the radiator construction which can be free to expand when tubes are strained from the effect of thermal loading, yet to be firmly assembled and absorb vibration load for longer durability requirements. As a past experience, of sizable field complaints on tube crack issue, in present fixed construction design, it was decided to overcome this issue, in future designs, while migrating to next level emission norms where cooling systems are substantially changed.