Joining of a refrigerant circuit

Description of the product

The product of the Whirlpool case study is the refrigerating circuit of a domestic refrigerator. The refrigerating circuit has the main function of transferring heat from the internal load of the refrigerator to the environment, in order to maintain food at a specific temperature. The refrigerating circuit is made of different pipes and components, amongst others aluminium-copper and aluminium-steel connections, that need to be joined together at different stages during the refrigerator assembly.

Current joining technology

Currently, flame brazing is used most frequently, but in this technology the joint quality depends on the individual worker skills and it cannot be used in presence of flammable gases. Other technologies such as resistance butt welding and combined clinching and adhesive bonding are always chosen as a second choice, when brazing is not recommendable, but these are usually more expensive than flame brazing.

Advantages of Joining through EMW

Electromagnetic pulse welding offers an alternative to brazing, as it is expected that it leads to a cost reduction due to the elimination of brazing filler materials and shortening of the production cycle. Moreover, improved joining quality due to increased automation and improved worker safety by eliminating hazardous substances, such as flame gas and brazing alloys, is expected.