STACKED PLATE HEAT EXCHANGER

Abstract

A stacked-plate heat exchanger may include a high-temperature (HT) coolant circuit, a low-temperature (NT) coolant circuit, heat exchanger plates stacked upon one another and through which two coolants and a medium to be cooled may flow, and an obstruction configured to force a deflection of one of the coolants in the low-temperature coolant circuit. The two coolants may have different temperature levels in the high-temperature and low-temperature coolant circuits. The heat exchanger plates may include a partition wall separating the high-temperature and low-temperature coolant circuits from each other. The high-temperature and low-temperature coolant circuits may include a central HT coolant inlet and a central NT coolant outlet, respectively, adjacent to the partition wall and together forming a teardrop shape separated by the partition wall. The HT coolant inlet may have a part-circle-like shape and the NT coolant outlet may have a triangular shape, each having one side formed by the partition wall.

Claims

1. A stacked-plate heat exchanger comprising: a high-temperature (HT) coolant circuit and a low-temperature (NT) coolant circuit; heat exchanger plates stacked upon one another and through which two coolants and a medium to be cooled flow, the two coolants having a different temperature level in the high-temperature coolant circuit and in the low-temperature coolant circuit; wherein the heat exchanger plates include a partition wall separating the high-temperature coolant circuit from the low-temperature coolant circuit; wherein the high-temperature coolant circuit includes a central HT coolant inlet adjacent to the partition wall, and the low-temperature coolant circuit includes a central NT coolant outlet adjacent to the partition wall; wherein the HT coolant inlet and the NT coolant outlet together form a teardrop shape, which is separated by the partition wall; and wherein the HT coolant inlet has a part-circle-like shape and the NT coolant outlet has a triangular shape, the HT coolant inlet and the NT coolant outlet each having one side formed by the partition wall.

2. The stacked-plate heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the stacked-plate heat exchanger is constituted as a counter-flow cooler.

3. The stacked-plate heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein each heat exchanger plate includes a peripheral upturned edge by which each heat exchanger plate is soldered to an adjacent heat exchanger plate, wherein the partition wall is connected to a longitudinal end side of the edge at a right angle in each case.

4. The stacked-plate heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein two sides of the NT coolant outlet not lying adjacent to the partition wall are disposed at an acute angle to the one side formed by the partition wall, and, at longitudinal ends of the two sides remote from the partition wall, merge into one another via a circular segment portion.

5. The stacked-plate heat exchanger according to claim 4, further comprising an obstruction configured to force a deflection of one of the coolants and that is disposed in a region of the circular segment portion.

6. The stacked-plate heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein an outer contour of the HT coolant inlet transitions in an aligned manner into an outer contour of the NT coolant outlet.

7. The stacked-plate heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein at least one of: an HT coolant outlet is disposed in the form of a semicircle around a medium inlet; and an NT coolant inlet is disposed in the form of a semicircle around a medium outlet.

8. The stacked-plate heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein each heat exchanger plate includes a peripheral upturned edge by which each heat exchanger plate is soldered to an adjacent heat exchanger plate, wherein the partition wall is connected to a longitudinal end side of the edge at a right angle in each case.

9. The stacked-plate heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein two sides of the NT coolant outlet not lying adjacent to the partition wall are disposed at an acute angle to the one side formed by the partition wall, and, at longitudinal ends of the two sides remote from the partition wall, merge into one another via a circular segment portion.

10. The stacked-plate heat exchanger according to claim 9, further comprising an obstruction configured to force a deflection of one of the coolants and that is disposed in a region of the circular segment portion.

11. The stacked-plate heat exchanger according to claim 3, wherein two sides of the NT coolant outlet not lying adjacent to the partition wall are disposed at an acute angle to the one side formed by the partition wall, and, at longitudinal ends of the two sides remote from the partition wall, merge into one another via a circular segment portion.

12. The stacked-plate heat exchanger according to claim 11, further comprising an obstruction configured to force a deflection of one of the coolants and that is disposed in a region of the circular segment portion.

13. The stacked-plate heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein an outer contour of the HT coolant inlet transitions in an aligned manner into an outer contour of the NT coolant outlet.

14. The stacked-plate heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein at least one of: an HT coolant outlet is disposed in the form of a semicircle around a medium inlet; and an NT coolant inlet is disposed in the form of a semicircle around a medium outlet.

15. The stacked-plate heat exchanger according to claim 3, wherein an outer contour of the HT coolant inlet transitions in an aligned manner into an outer contour of the NT coolant outlet.

16. The stacked-plate heat exchanger according to claim 3, wherein at least one of: an HT coolant outlet is disposed in the form of a semicircle around a medium inlet; and an NT coolant inlet is disposed in the form of a semicircle around a medium outlet.

17. The stacked-plate heat exchanger according to claim 4, wherein an outer contour of the HT coolant inlet transitions in an aligned manner into an outer contour of the NT coolant outlet.

18. The stacked-plate heat exchanger according to claim 4, wherein at least one of: an HT coolant outlet is disposed in the form of a semicircle around a medium inlet; and an NT coolant inlet is disposed in the form of a semicircle around a medium outlet.

19. A stacked-plate heat exchanger comprising: a high-temperature (HT) coolant circuit and a low-temperature (NT) coolant circuit; heat exchanger plates stacked upon one another and through which two coolants and a medium to be cooled flow, the two coolants having a different temperature level in the high-temperature coolant circuit and in the low-temperature coolant circuit; and an obstruction configured to force a deflection of one of the coolants in the low-temperature coolant circuit; wherein the heat exchanger plates include a partition wall separating the high-temperature coolant circuit from the low-temperature coolant circuit; wherein the high-temperature coolant circuit includes a central HT coolant inlet adjacent to the partition wall, and the low-temperature coolant circuit includes a central NT coolant outlet adjacent to the partition wall; wherein the HT coolant inlet and the NT coolant outlet together form a teardrop shape, which is separated by the partition wall; wherein the HT coolant inlet has a part-circle-like shape and the NT coolant outlet has a triangular shape, the HT coolant inlet and the NT coolant outlet each having one side formed by the partition wall; wherein two sides of the NT coolant outlet not lying adjacent to the partition wall are disposed at an acute angle to the one side formed by the partition wall, and, at longitudinal ends of the two sides remote from the partition wall, merge into one another via a circular segment portion; and wherein the obstruction is disposed in a region of the circular segment portion.

20. The stacked-plate heat exchanger according to claim 19, wherein an outer contour of the HT coolant inlet transitions in an aligned manner into an outer contour of the NT coolant outlet.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] In the figures, in each case diagrammatically,

[0020] FIG. 1 shows an inventive heat exchanger plate of an also inventive stacked-plate heat exchanger in a plane of the two coolant circuits differing in terms of their temperature level,

[0021] FIG. 2 shows a representation as in FIG. 1, but in a median plane, i.e. in a plane of the respective heat exchanger plates that is parallel to FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] According to FIG. 1, a sacked-plate heat exchanger 1 according to the invention, which for example is constituted as a charge air cooler, comprises a high-temperature coolant circuit HT and a low-temperature coolant circuit NT. Individual coolant circuits HT and NT are formed by heat exchanger plates 2 stacked upon one another, through which two coolants 3, 4 with a different temperature level in high-temperature coolant circuit HT and low-temperature coolant circuit NT flow. In between in a plane parallel thereto, a medium 5 to be cooled, for example charge air, flows (see FIG. 2). According to the invention, heat exchanger plates 2 comprise a partition wall 6, which separates high-temperature coolant circuit HT and low-temperature coolant circuit NT from one another. This partition wall 6 does not pass through in the plane of medium 5, i.e. in the charge air plane, as a result of which the charge air or medium 5 can flow from a medium inlet 7 over the entire length of respective heat exchanger plate 2 up to a medium outlet 8 (see FIG. 2). Medium inlet 7 and medium outlet 8 are constituted as a segment of a circle, in particular in the shape of a semicircle.

[0023] According to the invention, high-temperature coolant circuit HT comprises a single, central high-temperature coolant inlet 9 adjacent to partition wall 6 and low-temperature coolant circuit NT also comprises a single, central low-temperature coolant outlet 10 adjacent to partition wall 6.

[0024] Generally, stacked-plate heat exchanger 1 is constituted as a so-called counter-flow cooler, which means that coolant 3 and coolant 4 flow in the same direction (see FIG. 1), but medium 5 to be cooled, i.e. the charge air, flows in the opposite direction (see FIG. 2).

[0025] Heat exchanger plates 2 comprise a peripheral, upturned edge 11, by means of which they are connected, in particular soldered, to an adjacent heat exchanger plate 2. Partition wall 6 is connected to edge 11 in each case at the longitudinal end side and meets the latter at right angles.

[0026] Considering once again high-temperature coolant inlet 9 and low-temperature coolant outlet 10 adjacent to the latter and separated by partition wall 6, it can be seen that the latter together form a teardrop shape, which is separated by partition wall 6. Such a teardrop shape offers the great advantage that both high-temperature coolant inlet 9 and low-temperature coolant outlet 10 have extremely favourable flow characteristics with regard to the flow of medium 5 (see FIG. 2), i.e. the charge air. According to the invention, an outer contour of high-temperature coolant inlet 9 transforms in an aligned manner into an outer contour of low-temperature coolant outlet 10, as a result of which a shape with particularly favourable flow characteristics can be achieved, which leads to just a small pressure loss in the flow path of medium 5.

[0027] High-temperature coolant inlet 9 has a part-circle-like shape, whilst low-temperature coolant outlet 10 has a triangular shape and lies with an edge 12 adjacent to partition wall 6. Partition wall 6 can also form side 12. The two sides 13 and 14 not lying adjacent to partition wall 6 form an acute angle with side 12, whereas they merge into one another rounded off in a circular segment portion 15 at their longitudinal ends remote from partition wall 6. An obstruction 16 is disposed in the region of circular segment portion 15, said obstruction forcing a deflection of low-temperature coolant 4 (see FIG. 1). It can thus be ensured that a low-temperature coolant 4 flowing from a low-temperature coolant inlet 17 (see FIG. 1) cannot pass directly into low-temperature coolant outlet 10, but rather is deflected by obstacle 16 and a uniform and homogeneous through-flow over the entire area, in particular so-called corner region 19, is thus forced. In the same way, high-temperature coolant 3 also flows uniformly through high-temperature coolant circuit HT or its regions/corner region 19, said high-temperature coolant entering via high-temperature coolant inlet 9 and flowing out via a high-temperature coolant outlet 18 disposed around medium inlet 7 in the form of a semicircle.

[0028] With heat exchanger plates 2 according to the invention and inventive stacked-plate heat exchanger 1 produced therefrom, not only can a markedly improved flow and therefore a greatly increased heat transfer be achieved, but individual heat exchanger plates 2 can be stamped and therefore produced much more easily on account of the now only one high-temperature coolant inlet 9 and low-temperature coolant outlet 10. Partition wall 6 is impressed by means of a corresponding stamping tool and is variably displaceable in the longitudinal direction of heat exchanger plate 2. With centrally disposed inlets and outlets 9, 10, a homogeneous through-flow of corner regions 19 can also be forced. Both a coolant side, as well as a medium side, i.e. charge-air side, homogeneous through-flow can thus be achieved. On account of the smaller number of passages, the parts geometry can be designed more simply, as a result of which increased process reliability can be achieved and smaller solder areas are required. A simpler forming tool can also be used due to only a single coolant inlet and coolant outlet 9, 10, which in turn leads to lower tool costs. As a result of the optimised flow distribution, the overall efficiency of stacked-plate heat exchanger 1 can be increased, which leads to a reduction in the charge-air or medium outlet temperature of up to 1 Kelvin. Conversely, this means that heat exchanger plate 2 could be designed in a more compact manner with the same performance. Stacked heat exchanger 1 is conceivable not only as a charge-air cooler, but can in principle be used for all coolers, as for example for oil coolers. Obstruction 16 can be impressed together with heat exchanger plate 2 and partition wall 6 or it can be formed as a separate insert part. Moreover, all circuits, both on the coolant side and on the medium side, are of course also conceivable and combinable. In particular, parallel flow variants are also conceivable.