Paper No 332 – Proof-of-Concept Testing of Adhesive Joints for HVAC&R Applications – 13th IEA Heat Pump Conference, Jeju, Korea
The formation of joints is a critical process in HVAC&R component manufacturing and system assembly. Brazed joints are the most commonly used, but there are several alternative methods including mechanical compression, press, and push joints. Adhesive joints have not been widely explored or evaluated for use in HAVC&R systems. In this study, a review of different joint types reveals that adhesive bonding is a promising joining method due to potential benefits in energy use, cost savings, and leakage reduction. In order to demonstrate an application procedure and explore the feasibility of adhesive joints, two proof-of-concept tests were performed. First, tube-to-tube joints were installed in a heat pump dryer system to confirm that adhesive can hold the system pressure without affecting performance. Second, adhesively bonded U-bend joint samples were tested using a shaker table following an ISO standard and benchmarked against brazed joint samples. There was no failure or wear observed for the adhesive or brazed joints. These proof-of-concept tests indicate that there is potential for use of adhesive joints to replace brazed joints in HVAC&R applications, which merits further investigation.